Surgeon Appointment
[ Thursday August 6th 2026 at 12:39 pm ]
I finished the appointment with the surgeon who replaced both of my artificial hips in 2025 and my right knee joint in April 2026. The appointment has gone as well as I could have hoped for. Technically there is a bit more I could have said. But my surgeon isn't stupid and he has put in the effort to get to know me. My surgeon had been grasping what it is that I was talking about. I don't talk to make noise or hear my own voice.
My surgeon was an hour behind schedule today. I spent approximately 30 minutes of this in the orthopaedic clinic waiting room and the other 30 minutes in an examination room waiting for my turn. I used this hour to work on stretching and lengthening the tendons and ligaments following my knee replacement surgery in April 2026. Starting on July 29th 2026 I was able to have my right leg be straight. I wanted my surgeon to be able to see me do this in person instead of showing him the photo I took last night. The challenge is that I am still working through the stiffness of my knee joint healing. After approximately 20 minutes I was able to get my right knee joint straight. Then I just kept working it. I have been committing 3 hours a day to the recovery from my knee replacement surgery. It is physically exhausting and emotionally draining because of the pain this causes me to experience. But this is how you get an artificial knee joint to heal.
When my surgeon entered the examination room he was thrilled. I could see it in his face. He said this. But it was really his face that spoke what he was experiencing in seeing me able to extend my right leg fully. He and I have both been worried about this recovering and not doing more harm than good. I responded by saying I had been doing 2 hours a day of physiotherapy. But that got to be too easy so I started doing 3 hours a day of physiotherapy. It just blew his mind. I told my surgeon that I needed this to end at some point because it is very punishing. I also said I need to have a vacation once I have recovered because of how gruelling this process has been. I finished with saying when I committed to doing my part in this surgery I meant it at face value. Then I articulated my commitment to maintain this effort until the knee joint plateaus + 3 additional weeks. God willing I am recovered by the end of September 2026. This is really testing my endurance. I know I am not able to maintain this level of commitment indefinitely.
I have been attending the warm water therapy pool operated by the city where I live. They have a registration system so I may reserve a space to use the warm water therapy pool in advance of each time I attend. I printed off my attendance sheets yesterday evening. Then I pencilled in the other activities that kept me from attending on specific dates (such as very severe pain, a recent Province of Ontario Canada holiday and maintenance to my power wheelchair). It simply blew my surgeons mind. When I asked for the help having my right knee joint replaced I was fully committed to whatever recovery process expected of me.
Then there was a funny joke my surgeon made. I said to my surgeon that he told me I have 12 weeks to heal. But the first time I got my right leg straight was outside of that 12 week window. His response was that my body didn't follow any of the other rules so why would it start now? I just started laughing. Then my surgeon asked if I would like help lowering my leg down to a resting position. I said yes. He was really gentle with my right leg. I always appreciate this about him. My right knee joint was hurting. But this is how you recover from knee replacement surgery.
The final question I had about my right knee joint being replaced was to understand what happened to me a week ago. My right knee joint popped while I was using the warm water therapy pool. Except this time it wasn't paining me. I didn't have the signs of a blood clot. This isn't a hip joint where I have a strong working knowledge and am confident in forming an opinion. I simply had no idea. What my surgeon explained is that this is common in patients who experience an unusually high amount of swelling following their knee replacement surgery. What typically happens is some scar tissues lets go. Then suddenly there is a vast improvement in the range of available motion. I was satisfied with this explanation. I just wanted to know what had happened to my body.
After this I told my surgeon I wanted to just go one topic at a time instead of jumping around. I thought about this for 20 seconds. Then I said I wanted to deal with the seromas next. The seroma that formed following my November 2025 artificial hip revision surgery gained a fresh lease on life during the past few weeks. It has become very problematic. My surgeon and I talked about surgically addressing both seromas during my July 2nd 2026 appointment. I am still satisfied to have a plastic surgeon operate on me to address this. My left knee joint is a higher priority. My surgeon understands this. He is going to set this in motion. I explained to him the concern of using the anti nausea medication I have been prescribed. If continually or frequently used it will cause my hands to shake like a Parkinson's disease patient experiences. I don't want this for my life. I felt heard and understood.
I said to my surgeon before we address my left knee joint I have something funny I need to tell him. I brought up a photo of Sir Barry The Hamster on my cell phone. Then I showed it to my surgeon. I told him my sister had been to visit and they asked me my hamsters name. When I responded "Sir Barry" her husband asked me how my hamster was able to get knighthood. I explained that my hamster had the moral courage to move into my home while I am healing from my right knee joint being replaced. My surgeon started laughing really hard.
Then we got into the discussion about my left knee joint. I started to cry while I was explaining that I have tried everything I know of to make this knee joint recovery and it simply isn't possible. What I didn't know was that my surgeon had been warming up to the idea of my left knee joint replacement since my right knee joint has resolved pain, I was rebuilding the range of motion that I showed my progress to my surgeon on July 2nd 2026 and that I was taking the recovery seriously.
Then I kind of shocked my surgeon. I told him I was thinking of fracturing my left knee joint with my hydraulic press to force knee surgery to happen. He said not to. I snapped back at him without thinking. I said "Why not? The knee joint is worn out. I need it fixed." My surgeon spent most of the following 10 minutes explaining the process of knee replacement surgery so I'd understand how detrimental this would be. I didn't mean it to be dramatic. But it did get my surgeon to realize I am willing to take the risk of replacing my left knee joint and that the "pros" now outweigh the "cons" to do so.
I explained that I want to pursue self employee still and it is eating at me seeing the equipment I purchased from inheritance money just gathering dust. I talked about my brother wanting me to meet his children. I talked about the real possibility of getting me off all the pain medication. I also expressed my willingness to withdraw from the disability benefits I receive if I make a recovery and once I have had sufficient time to adjust to life. Then I finished with my commitment being the same as the recovery from my right knee joint being replaced. My surgeon is going to advocate to have another surgeon at the same hospital replace my left knee joint, express the urgency and talk about the positive outcome I am experiencing as I work through the healing from my right knee joint being replaced. I responded to this by saying that I am unwilling to have my left knee joint replaced until my right knee joint is healed and recovered and that I am unwilling to short cut the process. My surgeon has asked me to trust him and leave this with him.
At this point I remembered another topic I wanted to get my surgeons opinion about. A few weeks ago I had maintenance performed on my power wheelchair that required a physiotherapist to sign off on. The physiotherapist was suggesting I switch to using wrist crutches. I wanted my surgeons opinion of wrist crutches. I wanted to know if they are trustworthy, the mechanics of how wrist crutches help a person and for him to compare and contrast wrist crutches verses under the arm crutches. He has a reasonable concern that I have used under arm crutches for so long that it may be hard for me to adjust. But in terms of mechanics they work the same. For under the arm crutches they are supported when not walking by being between the arm and upper body. For wrist crutches this happens by the portion that encases the wrist. Ultimately I explained that I am loosing my ability to walk and I am going to need to have crutches with me to continue using the warm water therapy pool. Ultimately my surgeons response is that wrist crutches are more portable and if I feel it is necessary to proceed with caution.
Then I thanked my surgeon for helping me with my life over the past few years and expressed how grateful I have been. Later this month he will be relocating to Hamilton Ontario Canada. In his new position he will be very hands on in mentoring the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons. I must say that he is very skilled and passionate about doing this. He said to me he realizes the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I responded that this is true. But if I was in his position I'd be making the same decision.
I am satisfied on the basis of my surgeon advocating for another surgeon to perform the replacement of my left knee joint and have a plastic surgeon operate on my seromas. Realistically this is what is able to be accomplished in terms of surgical intervention for my physical disability. I could make a recovery. It isn't unreasonable. Each of these operations have their share of risks. Results aren't guaranteed. Should the need arise I am positive my family doctor would do a referral to another orthopaedic surgeon in the future.
For now the plan is to continue using the warm water therapy pool. Once I have recovered from my right knee joint being replaced my plan is to attend 3 days a week. I want to maintain the health of my cardiovascular system and as much as practical the muscle strength in my legs. Then in due time I will receive further appointments with the referrals my surgeon is making for my continued treatment.