Updated 03/27/2004
I was not really having any problems until after surgery, in stark comparison to after first ACL reconstruction.
Injury and pre-op
1992 My Age 30: I was running 3 miles per day four to five days a week with
neither left or right ACL's for the last 10 years plus.
1994 to 1996 My Age 32-34: Back pain, Left knee was swelling for the past ten years
about two times a year with the strong impact.
Dr. Dickey:
08-29-96 My Age 34: Diagnosis, ACL torn in both knees ten to fifteen years previously.
09-11-96 My Age 34: ACL and meniscectomy of the right knee.
03-27-97 My Age 35: Interference screw bulging and removed in office. Never confidence
in full extension. Two weeks solid moderate to severe pain after surgery, Extreme
pain the night and next day after surgery. 95% activity possible pre-op on right
knee 80 percent post-op two years after.
Dr. Lichota:
7-6-99 My Age 37: Second surgery meniscectomy and femur perforation to promote
bleeding and regeneration, arthroscopy only. Little pain post-op. Eight months
later even less flexion and extension than after first surgery and more sensitive
to pressure on extension.
Haynes GP:
08-20-00 My Age 38: Referred to Dr. Cooke with fever and very sensitive, on
crutches.
Dr. Cooke:
8-28-00 My Age 38: Third surgery. Septic infection. Post-op, little pain, but
more loss of flexion and extension of six months previous. Over the last three
years since the last surgery I have tried many alternatives, drugs, formal physical
therapy twice and informal stretching and exercise for past three years.
Dr. Cooke
03/22/2004 My Age 42: Today I had another visit with Dr. Cooke. I need a new
knee and I am unable to pay for it.
06/10/2004 I need a complete knee replacement still, but it is not that simple evidently there is an infection in the knee and they will cut out the infection and place the antibiotic cement on the bone and insert a antibiotic pad while I undergo IV antibiotics for 3 weeks prior to the knee replacement. I was told that there is an 85% percent chance of success with full extension and only my current 90 degrees of flexion to be expected. The remaining 15% is fusion of the joint, amputation of the leg or lastly death.
07/07/2004 Surprisingly, it looks as if the "system" the Texas Rehabilitation Commission and Medicaid is going to pay the $49k cost of my 4th knee surgery after all. I personally feel and most agree that my first surgeon, Dr. Robert Dickey, should be liable for this for anyway.
My schedule at Hendricks Hospital,
(325) 670-2000, is:
07-21-2004 Surgery#1, removal of infected area and prep for TKR.
10 days in hospital on IV antibiotics.
07-31-2004 released to home in straight leg brace.
08-21-2004 Surgery#2, Knee Implant or TKR.
03/02/2004
Presently: Major instability and moderate to severe daily pain with normal daily
activities this is not including the pain from work. Most any daily job, even
office work, is to demanding. I have taken drugs that allowed me to pursue to
my priority of work and school over the last two years. It is degenerating.
My knee is my number one priority now to enable my previous priority of working,
finishing school, with a move to another city required.
06/15/2004: Now it hurts like hell even when I am lying in bed much of the time. Looking back, which I must avoid, overall I got screwed.
Options: no surgery, continued use of drugs, difficulty finding work and completion of college.
Knee replacement: If my first surgery was due to my non-tolerance of surgery, my chances of betterment seem bad. If first surgery was the doctors fault my chances of betterment are increased. The expected life of the replacement knee is currently at 10-15 years before you will need another surgery.
Will I be able to stand in for how
long daily, walk, bicycle, work, limits of ROM?
Details of procedure, complete A-Z.
Other options? Fuse, partial replacement, complete details of procedures.
From the other disabled persons profiles that I've read, I compare to the stoic or silent sufferer. Recently I took a trip to Denver. From Abilene to connect in DFW airport I was almost immobile upon reaching DFW.. I was more or less unable to move the rest of the two day business trip. Simple trips to the grocery store are sometimes almost impossible.
The first doctor, Dickey, made me feel as if my non-recovery was my fault. I now believe this was a delay tatic to get past the two year liability period. In my twenties and thirties I trained and raced motocross at a semi-pro level for fifteen years. I bicycled 1200 miles the years before the surgery and was running 3-5 miles two years before that. I worked full time since I was fifteen and the last three years I worked part-time while obtained a my associate's degree. I now see that my dedication to remedy my situation is not a question of my resolve. I've always believed that persistence and resolve is necessary for success yet I'm willing to accept my fate and deal with it with the same zeal no matter the limitations, once I am convinced it is the best I am able to obtain. I have high regard and confidence in my current physician Dr. Shannon Cooke, that he is able to do what is best for me and in his capability. I believe that he has the same confidence in his ability that he is confident he is able to do what is best for me. I have read and I also believe that these are two of the very important psychological factors that are necessary for the best possible outcome. This combined with the fact that he has already operated on me, my third surgery, once before.
Much of this information and more
I found at:
http://www.niams.nih.gov (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases)
Here are the rest of my bookmarks
for knee and health information:
Knee links:
Questions to Ask Physician. These
are just my present questions, which change everyday. What you ask your doctor
should be tailored to your particular situation.
1. What operation are you recommending?
2. Why do I need the operation? and how will it help my ROM and pain
3. Are there alternatives to replacement surgery?
4. What are the benefits of having the operation?
5. What are the risks of having the operation? In general what %'s of ACL reconstruction's
are successful?
6. What are %'s of successful knee replacements?
7. What has been your experience in doing the operation? Have you seen this
condition after ACL surgery
before and what were the treatments and results?
8 . How long will it take me to recover from whatever procedure is recommended?
9 . How much will the operation cost?
More thorough information I have written about my ACL surgery and resulting condition.