So, I’m now on the road to having my right knee done, supposedly on January 6, 2024. All the testing has gone swimmingly.
Except… I was supposed to have my final “Interview today”. The one where they do all the real testing, including for MSRA.
But that, like so much with knee surgery, turned out to be
I got the call that my nurse had a family emergency and couldn’t see me today. They found me someone else to do the testing. On Friday, January 3. A bit close to Monday if any tiny part of the testing goes wrong.
Yesterday was weird. It was CT scan day. I went to the hospital, filled out the “paperwork”, actually iPadwork, paid my copay, did the interview, got the wristband.
Then they told me I was in the wrong place. I should be across the street. The staff was confused. The staff across the street was confused, too. but they took my paperwork, copay and accepted my wristband.
So, now I wait until Friday to see if my Monday schedule changes or what.
Meanwhile
For the saga of my left knee, see these posts: Bee’s Knees
Gear up for National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day! Happening every third Friday in April, this crucial day is all about purging your home of unused or expired medications that could pose serious risks.
Why should you care? Leftover medications can tempt family members, friends, or visitors, potentially leading to misuse or abuse. Plus, improper disposal can wreak havoc on our environment, contaminating the water we drink and the soil that nourishes our food.
How to Make a Difference:
1. **Survey and Sort:** Dive into every nook where medications might hide — from medicine cabinets to kitchen drawers. Don’t forget to check your pet’s meds too!
2. **Eco-Friendly Disposal:** Say no to flushing meds! Opt for at-home drug disposal solutions like DisposeRx to keep our waters clean.
3. **DEA National Drug Takeback Day:** Got a stash to clear out? Join in on DEA’s Takeback Day, held twice a year for those larger hauls.
Share Your Success: After you’ve cleared out your meds, snap a photo and share it on social using the hashtag #CleanOutMedsDay. Let’s spread the word and encourage others to join the movement!
DisposeRx initiated National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day in 2019 to spotlight the dangers of hoarding old meds. With risks ranging from drug addiction to accidental poisoning, it’s more important than ever to keep our homes safe and our environments clean.
Mark your calendars! This day is officially recognized on the third Friday in April each year. And remember, when it comes to medicine, storage matters. Keep your meds in cool, dry, dark places to preserve their potency.
Did you know? Medications can lose or even increase their potency over time, depending on how they’re stored. Make sure your meds are safe and effective by keeping them in optimal conditions.
Join in making homes safer and the planet healthier on National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day!
Anyone who knows me has possibly noticed that I wear blue almost every day. I think probably 95% or more of my clothes are blue. My car is blue, several rooms in my house are blue.
Apparently, this national holiday was started to raise awareness about the causes of colon cancer and how to prevent it. I always figured I’d get colon cancer, not the kidney cancer I did get. My mom, dad and an aunt all had colon cancer – twice each. Only my mom survived. She was also the only survivor of a drug trial. My mom turned 100 in October – what a fighter!
In the heart of a survivor, amidst the echoes of loss and the courage of enduring, Anita Mitchell, a valiant stage IV colon cancer warrior, conceived the transformative idea of National Dress in Blue Day. Haunted by the shadows of her father and a dear friend succumbing to the same stealthy foe, Mitchell was galvanized by a piercing insight: these losses, so profound and personal, could have been averted. With a resolve as unyielding as her spirit, she set out to forge a beacon of awareness in the murky waters of colon cancer ignorance.
In 2006, with a blend of maternal instinct and missionary zeal, Mitchell orchestrated a day of solidarity at her children’s school. It was a day where the innocence of childhood donned the mantle of awareness, with students cloaked in hues of blue, each contributing a dollar to the cause—a symbolic act that wove together the threads of community, empathy, and action.
This spark of inspiration, nurtured by Mitchell’s unwavering dedication, caught the attention of the Colon Cancer Alliance. By 2009, under their stewardship, Dress in Blue Day blossomed into a nationwide clarion call, not just to raise awareness but to honor the resilience and battles of those touched by the disease. The Alliance championed a proactive stance against colon cancer, advocating for regular screenings as a lighthouse guiding individuals away from the treacherous cliffs of advanced diagnosis. Screening, they emphasized, was not just a procedure but a lifeline, capable of reducing the specter of colon cancer deaths by an astonishing 60%.
Armed with knowledge and the power of prevention, the campaign illuminated the truth that most colorectal cancers are not invincible foes but adversaries that can be outmaneuvered. Simple lifestyle shifts—a tweak in diet, a commitment to physical vigor—emerged as silent guardians against the onset of colon cancer. National Dress in Blue Day, thus, stands as more than a day of remembrance; it is a movement of empowerment, a testament to the belief that awareness can kindle the flames of change, transforming the narrative from one of loss to one of hope and proactive living.
After going through the Medical Clearances again, 5 days of antiseptic showers (plus another one this morning), drinking what seems like gallons of Gatorade (I couldn’t have the hospital-offered strawberry Ensure), my surgery is scheduled for 12:30 pm today. There will be a Covid test at 10:30.
We have been watching tons of youtube videos on knee replacement, physical therapy I think that this was one of the most helpful:
From the hospital…
As your surgery date gets closer, you might feel uneasy. But the more you know about what to expect, the less nervous you’ll be. Take a few minutes to learn how the day will unfold.
What happens when I get to the hospital?
You’ll usually be asked to arrive about 2 hours before your operation starts. A registered nurse will greet you and help you prep. You’ll discuss with them your medical history and the medicines you take. You’ll also get a chance to talk to people on your surgical team about the operation.
Before you go to the operating room, you’ll first change into a gown. The nurse will remind you to remove things like your jewelry, glasses or contact lenses, hearing aids, or a wig if you have them.
A nurse checks your heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. The surgeon may mark the spot on your body where the procedure will be done. A nurse places an IV line in your arm so the doctor can give you fluid and medicine during your operation.
When it’s time for your surgery, you’re wheeled into the operating room on a stretcher.
Who will be on my surgical team?
A group of doctors and nurses work together to make sure everything goes smoothly. The specific people depend on the type of procedure you’re going to have. But in general, your team will have these pros:
Surgeon. This doctor leads the team and does the operation.
Surgeons have to complete 4 years of medical school, plus at least 5 years of special training. They also have to pass a national surgical board exam. The one you choose should be experienced in the type of procedure you’re having.
Anesthesiologist. This health care professional gives you medicine that makes you pain-free during surgery.
Certified registered nurse anesthetist. They assist your anesthesiologist and monitor you before, during, and after your operation to make sure you get the right amount of pain medicine.
Surgical tech. They set up the tools your surgeon will use and make sure they’re sterile.
Operating room nurse. They help the surgeon during your procedure. For instance, they may pass instruments and supplies during the operation.
Will I be in any pain during the operation?
You’ll get medicine, called anesthesia, so that you won’t feel anything during surgery. The type you get depends on your health and the procedure you’re having.
Local anesthesia. It blocks pain in the part of your body where you have surgery. You’ll still be awake and alert.
Regional anesthesia. You‘re injected with medicine that numbs the whole area of your body where the surgery takes place.
General anesthesia. It puts you to sleep during your operation. You get this type of medicine through an IV in your vein or by breathing into a mask.
What will happen during my surgery?
Once you’re in the operating room, you breathe oxygen through a mask. Your anesthesiologist gives you medicine to prevent pain.
Your surgical team will track your health during the whole procedure. They’ll probably use:
A clip on your finger to measure your oxygen levels
A cuff on your arm to check blood pressure
Pads on your chest to keep tabs on your heart rate
How will my surgical team keep me from getting an infection?
Before the surgery starts, a nurse cleans your skin with an antiseptic to help prevent infections. They may remove hair from the area and place a sterile drape over your body. It will have an opening in the place where the surgeon will work.
It’s rare to get an infection during surgery. Your team does everything it can to protect you. Your doctors and nurses will:
Clean their hands and arms up to their elbows with a germ-killing cleaner before the operation.
Wear masks, gowns, and gloves.
Clean the part of your body where the surgery is being done with a germ-killing soap.
Clean and cover the cut afterward.
They may also give you antibiotics before your procedure to help prevent an infection.
Where will I go after my surgery?
You’ll wake up in a recovery room. A nurse checks your heart rate, breathing, and the bandaged area where your procedure was done. They might also ask you to take deep breaths and cough to clear your lungs.
You’ll stay in the recovery room until you’re fully awake and all your medical signs, like blood pressure and heart rate, are stable. How much time you spend there depends on what kind of surgery you had.
After that, depending on the type of operation you had, you’ll get sent to a hospital room or back home. Either way, you’ll be ready to be greeted by your loved ones and begin the road to recovery.
This post is officially done…for now. Next stop, Total Knee Replacement.
On 1/23/2023 I said: “Someone pointed out that, since the new surgery is more than 30 days away, I may have to do all the clearances again…”
Thursday, February 15, my heart sank when I got a call from the hospital. After being on hold forever, I talked to a person who wanted to schedule my medical clearance, again. I told her I’d done it before in February for the rescheduled surgery. She said she’d check with my surgeon to see what he wanted.
Friday, I heard nothing until 4:58 pm. He wants to do a medical clearance “revision” whatever that means. So I go back to the hospital next Thursday (March 2) for more testing. If they find some other obscure infection, that won’t be enough time to fix it before the current surgery date Thursday May 9.
March 2, 2023
So, I had the Medical Clearance Revision today and it was exactly like the Medical Clearance I did just over 30 days ago. It looks like surgery is a go. Thursday, March 9 at 12:15.
There’s extra stuff for me to do to prepare, thanks to Cushing’s, the GH deficiency, the Adrenal Insufficiency, the one kidney, etc but I can do it!
Kidney Cancer Awareness is very important to me, because I learned I had it in 2006.
I’m pretty sure I had it before 2006 but in that year I picked up my husband for a biopsy and took him to an outpatient surgical center. While I was there waiting for the biopsy to be completed, I started noticing blood in my urine and major abdominal cramps. I left messages for several of my doctors on what I should do. I finally decided to see my PCP after I got my husband home.
When Tom was done with his testing, his doctor took one look at me and asked if I wanted an ambulance. I said no, that I thought I could make it to the emergency room ok – Tom couldn’t drive because of the anesthetic they had given him. I barely made it to the ER and left the car with Tom to park. Tom’s doctor followed us to the ER and became my new doctor.
When I was diagnosed in the ER with kidney cancer, Tom’s doctor said that he could do the surgery but that he would recommend someone even more experienced, Dr. Amir Al-Juburi.
Dr. Amir Al-Juburi has been so kind to me, almost like a kindly grandfather might be, and he got rid of all 10 pounds of my cancer in addition to my kidney.
More than 12,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year, according to 2014 statistics.
And although 42% of cases are deemed “preventable”, only 50% of patients survive kidney disease for 10 or more years. I will celebrate 14 years next month, on May 9!
It’s the seventh most common cancer in the UK and is much more prevalent in males.
But do you know the warning signs of the potentially deadly disease?
The 12 main symptoms of kidney cancer:
1. Blood in your pee Not until the day I was diagnosed.
You may notice your pee is darker than normal or reddish in color. This could also be a sign of chronic kidney disease and bladder cancer.
2. A persistent pain in your lower back or side, just below your ribs No
3. A lump or swelling in your side (although kidney cancer is often too small to feel) No
4. Extreme tiredness (fatigue) Possibly, although I assumed it was from Cushing’s
5. Loss of appetite and weight loss No
6. Persistent high blood pressure Yes
7. A high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above No
8. Night sweats No
9. In men, swelling of the veins in the testicles Nope
10. Swollen glands in your neck No
11. Bone pain No
12. Coughing up blood No
If you are concerned about any of these symptoms you should see you GP, they will carry out a series of tests, including urine and blood tests, in order to get an accurate diagnosis.
What are the treatment options?
The treatment will depend on the size and severity of the cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
These are the five main treatments:
1. Surgery to remove part or all of the affected kidney Yes, all plus some other stuff
This the main treatment for most people
2. Ablation therapies No
Where the cancerous cells are destroyed by freezing or heating them
3. Biological therapies No
Medications that help stop the cancer growing or spreading
4. Embolisation No
A procedure to cut off the blood supply to the cancer
5. Radiotherapy No
Where high-energy radiation is used to target cancer cells and relieve symptoms
“New, Approved-Dentist finished up everything he needed so I got Dental Clearance. This is the final piece of the clearance puzzles”
At the end of that appointment, Approved-Dentist gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, just in case.
Stupid me. I asked the intake nurse about that. She reported it to the surgeon who moved my surgery from 2/2/2023 to 3/9/2023. If someone else is rescheduled, I might be able to move mine back. Maybe.
Then, other test results came back – staph infection in my nose, maybe UTI.
Wednesday, 1/25/2023
So, I am still limping around, changing all the physical therapy appointments I’d set up for the 2/2 surgery. One of the positives is that I get more time in water aerobics building up my leg muscles.
A very positive:
1/27/23 was our 50-year anniversary. Amazing! We celebrated early with a cruise on the Wonder of the Seas. I’m still assembling those photos/posts but we went a little earlier in the month because it was cheaper 🙂 I chose this cruise because I thought it would be cool to be on the current world’s largest cruise ship. I have been on larger ships but DH has not.
We have another cruise scheduled for the Arctic Circle in July but I may not make it because of the new surgery date and recovery. I am very excited about that cruise because we tried to do something very similar and Covid changed those plans.
Someone pointed out that, since the new surgery is more than 30 days away, I may have to do all the clearances again.
Today, 1/28/23 is the 10th anniversary of the fall that started all this. My first post about my knee was really about Tom’s heart attack, and the reason for this blog in the first place. Who know that the knee thing would eclipse everything?
In that post I said:
Monday morning (for real!), I checked the weather and found that school was starting late because of icy conditions. I put on boots and took the dog out. It seemed to be raining – if it’s raining, it must be warm, right? So I didn’t really pay attention (and I had other things on my mind!) and completely missed seeing the black ice. Next thing I knew, I had fallen on one knee, my cellphone in my pocket bruised my other thigh and my left arm hurt where I’d reached out to catch myself. Luckily, I hadn’t let go of the dog’s leash.
I ended up sitting in a puddle of icy water for a long time, figuring out how to get up. I finally sort of crawled up the trash can that was sitting in the driveway.
The dog had an abbreviated walk, I changed my wet, cold clothes and headed to the hospital. I was showing DH my knee and one of the staff bandaged it up for me. I told him I hadn’t fallen at the hospital and wouldn’t sue but I guess he wanted to be sure.
(Today, Monday February 18 2013, my knee still has a huge lump under the skin and hurts when I touch it, although I’m no longer limping, The bruise/pain from cellphone finally went away)
The very first of the Bee’s Knees series was February 28, 2016. I had no idea it would go on so very long. Like I said in the last post, I sure hope this is trus!
This post is (hopefully!) officially done…for now. Next stop, Total Knee Replacement.
From the last post…12/4/2022 And, there was good news and some surprising news. I got to the doctors office and right away they took x-rays. The results were “Evidence of end stage bilateral knee OA, L>R. Evidence of complete joint space narrowing. Evidence of osteophyte formation. Evidence of cyst formation“
I had no idea that my right knee was as bad. I guess I’ve been so focused on my left that it never occurred to me that I might have other issues.
The term “end stage” was a bit freaky. That sounds to me like I should be bedridden or something.
~~~
1/18/2023
Reject-Dentist still hasn’t sent the receipt, a treatment plan or called to discuss it yet. They did send me an email today asking me to set up an appointment.
Also on 1/18, I went to Reston Hospital for pre-op clearance. This was the third appointment this week, all because of my knee.
1/23/2023
New, Approved-Dentist finished up everything he needed so I got Dental Clearance. This is the final piece of the clearance puzzles
When I got home yesterday I had a new insurance card in the mail. I read all the information and it said I had dental insurance. Reject-Dentist had said that I didn’t so I assumed that I didn’t. Now I get to collect my papers from Approved-Dentist and submit those.
I was supposed to attend a class on knee replacement but the next one isn’t until next month so I got to watch a video instead. I also found this one very helpful:
This post is officially done…for now. Next stop, Total Knee Replacement.
From the last post…12/4/2022 And, there was good news and some surprising news. I got to the doctors office and right away they took x-rays. The results were “Evidence of end stage bilateral knee OA, L>R. Evidence of complete joint space narrowing. Evidence of osteophyte formation. Evidence of cyst formation“
I had no idea that my right knee was as bad. I guess I’ve been so focused on my left that it never occurred to me that I might have other issues.
The term “end stage” was a bit freaky. That sounds to me like I should be bedridden or something.
~~~
12/17/2022
So, I’ve scheduled the surgery but i don’t have a specific time yet – I do have a date and a date for follow up and dates for physical therapy.
My dental clearance didn’t go well yesterday.
The new dentist never got my multi-page form and asked me for it in several emails and texts. I had filled it out as soon as I made the appointment and emailed a copy which they never got. Fortunately, I printed it out.
The parking situation was bad, I hadn’t considered that it was a mall-type place and just before Christmas. After circling the buildings a few times, I had to park in a parking garage and walk. Remember, I’m doing this because of knee surgery.
I got to the building and…I was stuck in the elevator. I tried pushing any and all buttons but I never moved. Finally, I called the office and told them I was in the elevator and they sent someone out who pushed the button on the second floor and I started moving up.
The receptionist didn’t know who I was or why I was there but I had that 8-page printout of their form. I was surprised to see a bowl of candy canes on the main desk – really?
I finally went back and was (very slightly) calmed by the fact that the background music was Mannheim Steamroller.
I told the dental assistant what she would have known had they seen/read my form: I have been terrified of dentists since I was thrown out of one when I was a child (I’ll share more about this later), I have a very small mouth and a bad gag reflex.
She did the preliminary xrays and finally, the real dentist came in. She never looked at me but told my back that she wouldn’t approve me for surgery because there was a “lot of work she wanted to do first.”
I escaped to the front desk and the printer was broken. No receipt for my payment and no copy of a treatment plan. The person assured me that she would email them to me.
I was very leery of that elevator, so I took the stairs and walked back to my car.
Friday and Saturday and neither the treatment plan or the receipt for payment ever arrived.
I tried to log into their system to see if I could get the info that way and I’m not listed as a patient. It did ask me to fill out the forms…again.
Along about now, I decided that this wasn’t the dental practice for me so I found a new dentist, located way closer, on the first floor, in my old bank. I see him Monday. For a person terrified of the dentist seeing 2 in 2.5 days is amazing. I must really want to get my knee fixed!
On Saturday night, reject-dentist asked for a review. I’m waiting for new-dentist to be sure I’m not going back before I fill it out but I don’t think they’ll want to see what I have to say!
When getting dressed on Sunday morning, I found a small cut on my lip, possibly from Friday’s visit and then a filling fell out. Hmmm. Was she creating some of the work she wanted to do?
Monday, new dentist. I got to the new, closer dentist and they also had candy out in the waiting room. Also, they didn’t get my new patient forms and this is starting to look like a rerun.
They took me back and the receptionist was very kind and gentle and she listened to my bad dentist stories from long ago and last Friday.
More x-rays, the dentist came in and he talked to me, too. After the review and in-mouth checkup, he also wants to do a lot of work BUT he is working around my upcoming cruise and he thinks he can get this done so I can keep my surgery schedule. What a change from reject-dentist.
Unfortunately, that means I get a root canal and crown later today. But still. More after he actually does some work!
My TKR (total knee replacement) surgery is scheduled for 2/2, which is Groundhog Day. I’ve been telling people I hope it doesn’t mean I have to keep repeating my surgery! Now, it seems I keep repeating dental visits, too.
Later Monday, December 19, 2022 – the afternoon wasn’t as bad as I remembered partly because somehow, my root canal had closed up. The dentist said that was “good news and bad news” because I had saved myself from the full treatment today AND saved a bit of money – like $1000. I guess the bad news is if i ever get decay under my new crown, I won’t have any pain to let me know. Sounds like good news to me.
Interestingly, the beginning of the crown the muted tv was showing the same program as the tv at reject-dentist. Maybe there’s a Dental TV station?
My next dentist thing is “just” a cleaning on December 28 and a tentative permanent crown on January 3.
Hopefully, no more knee related issues until then.
Meanwhile, it’s Wednesday night and Reject-Dentist still hasn’t sent a treatment plan or called to discuss it yet.
Original Bee’s Knees I have been dealing with this *stuff* for almost 11 years now. I was finally approved for Orthovisic and my first injection of 3 was on March 2, 2022.
Fortunately, I got back into a water exercise class, not at my “favorite pool” but it’s still good.
My knee has been waking me up again, though and it’s hard to walk. Since Sunday, October 30, 2022, I’ve had sciatica too – at least it’s on the same leg. I have a message in to my doctor. This pain is driving me nuts. I can’t sleep, I can’t stand, I can’t walk. I haven’t been to the pool or the hot tub in over a week.
I finally have an appointment tomorrow (11/30/2022) with a new orthopedic doctor. Hopefully, there will be good, or better, news after the doctor appointment.
MaryO'Medical 
