Re: Joint fusion /too young for replacement

[Guest guest]

Dear ;

What an inspiring story, I am so happy for you and totally agree with your outlook about finding the right doctors.

Let me say I have had the exact same feelings about surgeries as you. I wanted to walk while young and not wait until I was older so my doctors sent me to UCLA in the 80's and I had both hips totally replaced when I was 27. And also my right knee before 40. These surgeries changed my life and gave me back QUALITY OF LIFE . I think that those are the operative words when living in so much pain. For members that are suffering with deteriorated joints, have hope and find the surgeons that agree with this.

Many smiles,

----- Original Message -----

From: shlface@... I CAN WALK! AND TO THINK I HAD DECIDED TO FUSE THIS JOINT. STILLIGANS, LEARN FROM MY HAPPY ENDING. SOMETIMES THE RIGHT DOCTOR IS SO CLOSE, BUT WE ARE TOO SICK OR TIRED TO KEEP LOOKING. FRIENDS, OUR HEALTH AND OUR LIVES DEPEND UPON FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB . Stay Healthy

[Guest guest]

Thanks , that was a very moving story. I recognised my self in the

bit at the end about walking, riding a bike and kicking a football around -

all things I could do for the first time with my daughter thanks to having

both hips replaced.

Graham (36)

West Sussex, UK

At 15:41 17/09/2004, you wrote:

>Graham,

>

>I too, have to weigh in here on the Joint fusion issue. You see, less

>than a year ago I had another severe dislocation of my left patella. I

>say 'another' because this had happened over FIFTY times before, starting

>around age 13. (I was diagnosed when I was 26) When I was a kid, the

>orthopaedic surgeon said I would outgrow this. Well, I didn't. So after

>the diagnosis, the connective tissue couldn't hold the knee together at

>all. When I wasn't on a walker or in a wheelchair, I was using a

>cane. (got my first cane for my 28 birthday) After several more

>dislocations and every brace known to man, my rheumy sent me to a surgeon

>in the same clinic. He was an MD and seemed to know what he was

>doing. The man said he could help me every time he did a Patella

>realignment. I say every time, because in 3 years he did three

>surgeries. Not orthoscopic, a 4 " incision down my knee cap...opened up

>over and over. We kept asking him if I could have a knee replacement, and

>he said " Not until you're 40 " . But I wanted to have my knee working while

>I was still young enough and well enough to enjoy it.

>Well, back to December 2003...I had another really bad dislocation as I

>walked through my living room. I was laying face down on the carpet until

>the ambulance arrived. The ER doc didn't take long to tell me that my

>patella wasn't connected at all and could be pushed all around. I had

>torn the previous work done by my orthopod. Now we had to make a decision

>to either return to the 'bandaid' surgeon and face another surgery

>probably every year until I'm 40, or try another surgeon locally. He came

>recommended by my family doc and by my aunt who had seen this new surgeon.

>I gave the new guy a chance and went into his office so depressed to be

>back in a wheelchair that I found myself uttering the words " joint

>fusion " . I told him I was tired of endelss surgery, recovery (8weeks in

>bed) and then months of rehab only to do it over again and again. I told

>him if my leg was stiff I could trust it. I may not be able to bend it,

>but the fear of falling would be gone. I could trust that it would hold

>me up.

>He scratched his head, looked over my history and said I came to the

>right place, but he thought he could help me without fusing the knee. It

>turns out this doc has pioneered a surgery (he even showed me his name in

>the medical textbooks) that was EXACTLY what I needed. It was called a

>Tibia Tubercle Osteotomy. He measured the angle between my thigh and my

>shin and told me that the bones should be lined up for the joint to work

>correctly, an angle of 5-15% is acceptable for a knee to track straight

>and not dislocate. Then he showed me the angle of my leg....it was

>29%--nearly twice the acceptable angle.

>To make a long story short he actually cut out part of my shin bone and

>scooted it over to be more in line with my knee. He also told me he had

>to spend extra time in the Operating Room removing over 60 stitches still

>inside my knee from all those previous surgeries. Very long recovery

>(like a broken leg) and much therapy later...

>

>I CAN WALK!

>

>This doc. took me into his waiting room on my last visit and told everyone

>that I had not walked on my own in years and patients like me is why he

>does this job. He was so gratified to restore my hope that he smiled from

>ear to ear with every unassisted step I took. Today, I can ride a bike, I

>can go for a walk, and yesterday I even kicked a soccer ball with my 10

>year old little girl. When I see people I haven't seen in a while, they

>are amazed to see me walking without a limp.

>AND TO THINK I HAD DECIDED TO FUSE THIS JOINT. STILLIGANS, LEARN FROM MY

>HAPPY ENDING. SOMETIMES THE RIGHT DOCTOR IS SO CLOSE, BUT WE ARE TOO SICK

>OR TIRED TO KEEP LOOKING. FRIENDS, OUR HEALTH AND OUR LIVES DEPEND UPON

>FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB .

>

>

>Stay Healthy

>

[Guest guest]

Wish I could help you with your thyroid problem Caroline, but sadly I can't...

Graham (36)

West Sussex, UK

At 18:19 17/09/2004, you wrote:

>Graham, , Melt, others,

>

>I am so happy my post stirred these responses. That is EXACTLY what I was

>hoping for. I am like all of you. I don't always just jump on the band

>wagon and go for whatever they tell me to do, especially surgery. I do

>research, try alternative therapies, get second opinions, etc. I always

>try to make sure I know the " what will happen if I don't do this right

>now " answers so I can make safe, informed decisions.

>

>With that in mind, and without all the test results back yet, does anyone

>know of any therapies for an overactive thyroid besides radiation to kill

>it or sugery to remove it... if for example.... the pills don't work or

>aren't an option. Anyone with Graves disease who has treated it

>successfully any other way?

>

>Smiles, Caroline