Well. I just arrived home after 4 days in the hospital where I had a total replacement of my right knee. I won’t be doing much running around, like no running at all. I am all set for at least two months of physical therapy and I hope after that I will be in decent shape. It will be awhile before I go fishing but the time will come.
Larry —sagefisher—
Larry,
Prayers coming your way for a complete recovery. Years ago, a friend of mine had it done & later lamented as to why he waited so long. Gino felt like a new man. Hoping yours comes out as well.
Mike
Sagefisher, I feel for you sir I had 2 scopes and 1 complete reconstruction and yes it is Very intense pain.
More Ice - More Ice - More Ice trust me and keep it elavated when possible…Your 3rd and 4th day after ya get home WILL be the worst.
Good luck with it…hope it heals fast.
Ask your Surgeon for a DVD and pictures of the Surgery and he will probably give you a copy of the procedure and then you’ll understand exatly what they have to do…perty interesting procedure.
My concern is with you, my thoughts are of you and my prayers are for you. Heal fast, and do it right.
Blessings,
I’ve had both knees scoped to repair torn meniscus in the last 5 years, and they both feel like they need more work again. Cant even begin to imagine what a total replacement would feel like but I’ve seen pics (as Jeffro mentioned) from a family members total replacement. What ever you do take the therapy seriously and do what they tell you, that’s the quickest way to a full recovery. Scrimp on the therapy and you’ll have trouble long after the warranty runs out.
As soon as you can walk without crutches or anything , get the waders back on and get back on the steam. The cold water will feel good!
My dad and our neighbor both had knee replacements within a few weeks of each other some yeas ago. Dad did the therapy and even had to be told to back off as he was pushing too fast. She said it hurt too much. Dad played golf, hunted and fished until shortly before he died. She still has trouble going to the mailbox. Do the therapy and ask the doctor before wading. Fast currents put a lot of strain on the knees.
The fish could use the break. 
Prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.
As others have mentioned, that’s also exactly what I have heard from guys I know who have had knee surgeries. “Be serious and vigilant with the Physical Therapy…it makes ALL the difference!”
Good luck with the therapy, but do it. RBC is right the people who suffer the pain for the therapy are much better long run. I have often thought the swimming with a donut float tube in a lake was perfect exercise for knees. The doc told me a couple of years ago I have a torn ACL, been that way since August 1963 so I could be joining you down the road.
Seems like a good time to stock the fly boxes and practice your dry casting. Maybe teach someone else to cast or tie.
I got my my 1st fly tying kit because I had my 1st knee surgery and was bored so I made a station and waited for cabelas to deliver and here i am still tying and cant seem to get enough.
Sagefisher trust me on this MORE ICE >MORE ICE >and then MORE ICE it will help the swelling and get someone to help you even if ya have to get one of those liddle bedside old lady bells …dont be ashamed cuz you will be really moody and grouchy so if ya need relif just try to sleep it off and dont hurt the hearts that are helping out…you’ll be just fine soon.
Had my right knee replaced in Dec. 2004. Yes it hurts. Rehab is a pain. Literally. Clenched my teeth and did what was required, and haven’t been sorry. My right leg is now my “good leg”, and I’m trying to get situated to get the left one done. I don’t even think about the phony knee any more. I rushed walking without aid, somewhat, and wound up overstressing it a bit, and it filled with fluid and caused me to have to go by ambulance to the emergency room, where they stuck a big needle in it and drained a whole lot of fluid. It hurt so much that I couldn’t even get out of the recliner to get on the gurney and into the ambulance. Morphine was my friend that day. You probably won’t be kneeling a lot, or jumping off things, and it may slow you down on the ski hill, but it beats limping with every step you take. Good luck!!
I just pm’d sagefisher and I had forgotten the way I made my Ice packs and my medication TIME chart
put some wet towels in some large ziplock baggies and wrap em around a large coffee can and freeze em so that they will be shaped like your leg and it really works well cuz ya dont need to leave the ice pack on but just a liddle while or until the towels are thawd and then just refreeze.
ice is one of the most important parts of healing prossess.
I also recommend making a “4 hour PILL TIME CHART”
and keep it handy and correct on how many you take at a time,
For instance;
8:am - 1 lortab…or how many your taking at a time.
12:noon- 1
4:pm - 1
8:pm - 1
12:midnight - 1
4:am - 1
8:am - 1
This way you wont accidently overdose like I did on an occasion or 2…Hopefully this kind of chart will be handy for you sir !!!
Larry,
I hope you are feeling better at the time of this (my) post. There is not a doubt in my mind that you now know why the mob breaks knee caps.
Before my current employment I use to be a med tech and I never liked going to the knee replacements. I was the guy with the CPM (continuous physical motion) machine and one day I am sure I will be the recipient of a CPM machine and for this reason I don’t like knee replacements. Though I am sure there have been medical advancements in the last 15 years I am sure it still smarts.
You will do well and soon you will be giving everyone else advice on how you got through it. It’s a great scar to show the chicks even the young Turks will be impressed.
I think Patrick McManus once said to the effect “smoked carp is as good as smoked salmon, when there isn’t any smoked salmon”. Well ice is as good as pain killers when there aren’t any pain killers. I am not a big one for pills and a huge advocate of ice but don’t be a hero.
All the Best,
Sean
Sean,
I live with my CPM for 6 hours a day and I use a lot of ice. I use about half the pills they expect me to and am wanting to cut back even farther, my knee will let me know when.
Larry —sagefisher—
Larry,
When I had my ACL rebuild/microfracture the ortho had me doing stretching exercises the day after surgery; a bit uncomfortable, to say the least, at first, but I think it was a big help later when I started physical therapy. As everyone has already said, PT is a huge part of the recovery process and will definitely help put you back on the stream. Everyone has their own experiences with pain killers - my ortho gave me a prescription for 50 oxycontin, I filled half of that, took 1 the day after surgery when the stuff from the operation wore off, took another the next day, then switched back to Alleve and tossed the rest of the oxy (that was some pretty weird med).
Best of luck on a successful and speedy recovery; hope there’s still some skwalas out there for you when you hit the water.
Regards,
Scott
Larry;
Sounds like you will be it tip top shape when Kaboom1 and I get to the Clark Fork!!
Good luck, Larry!
Thanks everyone for all the good lucks and advice.
Jack, I don’t care if I had to crawl to Montana I would be there when you two arrive, but I will be on both feet ready to do some fishing, guaranteed.
Larry —sagefisher—
Larry,
Are you planning on tying at the Expo in Idaho Falls in April?
Hope all goes well for you. Prayers for a speedy recovery are with you.