Fw: , please help me,

[Guest guest]

Psoriatic Arthritis InformationalSupport

Subject: Re: [ ] Knee surgery, please help me,

Hi all fellow confidant,

My name is Soudi 61-year-old Persian (Iranian)women, have two children and six

grandchildren's. I have been diagnosed with PA,8 years ago , but now that I know

this chronic disease and its symptoms, I am sure it had started more than 30

years ago with P on my elbows ,scalp and PA on my spin.

I am usually a lurker, and have been lurking around for long time, but reading

all the posts and almost my day is starting with your posts. I'm going for

total knee replacement on the 13 of July, one at the time. I have bad lower

back pain and degenerative L5 & L4 , I cannot standup more than five minutes

without pain, my right hand and wrist is in constant pain and is swelling and is

not functioning to help me walk with cane or crutches, which after surgery I

need them to avoid falls and doing any activity. Please give me any advice and

hint that you think it's useful for me to know before going for surgery(I have

many doubts if it is right decision to have total knee replacement) still I

have time to change my mind. Please share with me any experience, good or bad,

if you had the same surgery. I am sensitive to most of the painkillers and

conventional medicine. I have had 5 different surgeries in my life , and I

never had any fear and doubts. Recently a friend of mine, had blood clot 4 weeks

after knee replacement and died, she was 69 . Please excuse me for my bad

English. I don't write as much as I want because of my poor English. I have

been teaching literature in my country for 20 years, and I feel,I have become

almost dumb in English language. I have learned a lot from your posts and I want

to confess I feel you are my closest and most understanding people. I really

cannot imagine being-able to deal with this disease without you.

I wish you all the very best of health

Peace soudi

[Editor's Note: Soudi, I cannot help you with knee surgery as I have never been

through it, but I do want to say that I admire your courage. As an Iranian, you

have lived through so many difficulties, so much pain, so much death, so much

ignorance and so much change over the last 20 years. We live through ignorance

here, too. You must be a most extraordinary person to have survived all of that,

especially while living with chronic physical pain. Our two nations are at odds

but your post reminds us that no nation is defined by its leaders - it is its

people that define a country and your country and history is one of the most

magnificent the world has known. Your English is outstanding and it is a real

testament to your intellect that you have been able to maintain this level of

communication in a difficult foreign language under such extraordinary

circumstances. I hope there are people here who can offer you advice - but I

KNOW there are people here who will hold you up in their thoughts and prayers.

Kathy F.]