Wonderful deal last Wednesday—after suffering the pains of hell with my knee, which ever and anon, while sitting or sleeping, would send a wave of fire to the brain, I decided what the hey, Jane has this really good surgeon who did two hip replacements on an outpatient basis (home the same day) —so I’ll go ask HIM about the knee.
I went. They took xrays. The doc came in, asked me to flex the knee while he put his hand on it just so—and it thumped. Hasn’t done that, actually, but it did. And he said ‘Arthritis of the knee. Someday you’ll need that replaced. For now, however, have you had cortisone injections?” Well, yes, about 2011, one. One before 2000. But, ex-cancer patient here, not anxious for steroid injections. (Contraindicated.)
So he said, there’s one made out of rooster combs. Seriously. Hyaluronic acid. Say I, “I take that.” He: “This is different. We call it the ‘chicken shot’. It’s a dose of hyaluronic acid gel shot into the knee, and some people get relief from it. Lasts maybe six days, six weeks, six months, a year, your mileage may vary and your insurance may not cover it.” Me: “I’m game to try.” He: “What insurance do you have?” Me: “United.” He: “They’re often a problem.” Me: “They covered cancer, 2 hip replacements, PET scans, and gall bladder surgery without any delay or objection. This is the AARP version.” He: “Hmmm.” Five minutes later we had approval. He thought it might be a matter of ordering the shot and waiting a couple of weeks, cool, no problem. But then doc #2 came back in and said, “We’ve got it. We can give it now.”
So they did. I’ve had cortisone injections with the OLD needle, which was a close bet whether I’d pass out during the process. THey shot lidocaine into the knee, waited five minutes, gave the injection behind the kneecap with a superfine needle, and I literally felt zero but a light pressure. Bandaid, and out I walk with a fixed knee. I mean, it’s been a week, and zero pain, when this would sound off a dozen times a day and wake me up at night. I go into day for the second of the two shots. And Chicken Shot, hurrah, and respects to the demised rooster who gave his all for my painfree days. They shoot it into the synovial cavity which is where the fluid that naturally lubricates your knee resides, and it youthens your knee.
Because of Jane’s experience and knowing where to go, I’m in for this BEFORE I have a bone-on-bone situation, so I have a good chance of it working well for me. Apparently these shots are hellishly expensive without insurance. Good old United—I won’t see a bill. The AARP version of United is where to go, IMHO. And I am pain free or nearly so on one shot, when it usually takes 2.
So I am very glad I took the initiative and went for this guy. Vast relief. I have enough to put up with the neuropathy and the instability of an iffy knee is just a drawback I don’t need, also since the neuropathy worsened with the Fosamax they tried to give me for osteoporosis—-well, I resolve to use the cane in iffy situations and not fall, is all, because recovering proper sensation in my hands and feet is more important to me. I will just try to be careful, not fall, and use the cane for multiple applications, like poking elevator buttons and fending off invading Martians. It’s stout, and has a handle, also good for retrieving things that have gotten out of reach behind the chair. And would make short work of a foolhardy burglar.
Sounds like a winner to me good luck hope it lasts a long time
So many things going on for you health wise. I hope 2022 is a smoother ride for you both. The main thing here though is that it’s worked for you!
Winner, winner, chicken — shot? Very glad that it worked, and your insurance covered it!
They are also good for pulling groceries off the shelf and into your drivable buggy and, of course, amusing a cat. I was also bone on bone in both knees before I even saw an osteo.
Wow, that’s great news! Here’s hoping it lasts.
I had the same problem — osteoarthritis previous knee injury. VA FINALLY let me see an orthopedic surgeon for my knee in 2019. X-rays showed the right knee had all kinds of lovely cartilage. Left knee had zip. Next words out of his mouth were, “When do you want to do your left knee?” Happy birthday to me! I was up and walking the evening of the surgery with nothing but IV Tylenol on board. First time I had borne weight on that knee without pain in, literally, five years. The only post surgical pain I had was mild and was just from the surgical incision itself, and it was entirely controlled by the IV Tylenol. I’m 3 years postop and I’ll bet I walked well over a mile today just in the course of getting through the day with no knee pain at all.
If you need it done, you need to get it done sooner rather than later. The longer you put it off, the more sedentary you get from pain avoidance, and that affects your whole body — muscles, heart, exercise tolerance, everything.
I suspect your cockscombs were a byproduct of the chicken meat industry just as my Armour thyroid hormone is a byproduct of the pork industry. Eliminating waste is always good.
Chicks are sexed at hatching and the cockrels are “euthanized” immediately. But the mose common laying hen is the white Leghorn, and even the hens have combs as large as most other breeds’ roosters. (https://www.purelypoultry.com/images/white-leghorn-rooster_03.jpg — trust me, that’s a hen.) So after a year, 18 months tops, in the laying shed, off they go to slaughter and reformed into chicken nuggets.
Sorry, looks like we’re stuck with the Legionare for a time to come. Gravatar doesn’t accept my “too-old” browser any longer, this is the latest one what my system has the dependencies for, I no longer have what it takes to build a newer system, and I’m not going to download somebody else’s binary.
He’s being a Legionnaire for Halloween?
I chose that costume in honor of the month named after Caesar Augustus.
CJ, that’s very good news, and something I’ll share with my youngest aunt. She’s on the waitinglist for knee replacement (non-urgent surgeries have been delayed because of Covid-19) and in constant pain from it.
The meniscus in both my knees is damaged and I’ve had surgery on both. And I react badly to part of the cortisone cocktail. So hyaluronic acid it was, both knees, no lidocaine. That was like 5 years ago and I’ve had NO knee trouble since. I hope the same happens to you.
I am SO HAPPY for you! Both my knees went out the same day – I went from walking to wheelchair in 4 hours, the first week of the semester. Then, I had to struggle along until the end of the semester (could not abandon 170 students). Had one knee replaced at Thanksgiving, the next one in May. With all the pain, I lost 60 pounds and completely lost my taste for anything cola (I loved my Diet Cokes!)
Aside from being completely unable to kneel, I’m much better. Since the recovery, I’ve done zip lining and Mamouth Cave, plus some hikes and normal activities. I can do stairs, but with great caution.
You might consider some PT to help build up the muscles supporting that joint. I did PT before and after surgery, and it truly helped.
“Pre-hab” is definitely a thing. My cousin had both hips replaced within two weeks of each other, and she did “pre-hab” for months before the surgeries — and walked home the evening of both surgeries. (Didn’t Jane do the same thing?) Your body is not going to feed muscles you are not using, and when you become more sedentary as a pain avoidance measure, you start losing muscle mass fast (after just two weeks of inactivity!). “Pre-hab” keeps those muscles active and strong to protect the joint after surgery and make you more sure on your feet. The new thinking is to get patients up and weight bearing as soon as possible for that very reason. It encourages healing and lessens the likelihood of surgical complications.
The neuropathy caused by a badly placed tourniquet during my right knee replacement is decreasing (8 years after the fact) but I’ve lost so much muscle tone that I have a hard time standing for long periods. Second surgeon also made my right leg shorter than the left leg done three years earlier. I sure wish my first surgeon hadn’t retired before the second leg was done.
C. J., meant to ask, did Wiishu receive a mysterious package from Texas? Would have been sent maybe July? Did anything fit him?
Jane thought you were on FB and she was sure you would see this. YES! The cutest sweater Wiishu owns. His bellybutton shows. I have no idea how you managed something that tiny. Here is a link to the slide show in which he wears it. http://www.janefancher.com/HarmoniesOfTheNet/all-the-slideshows-gathered-into-groups/stephen-and-wesley-slide-shows/nggallery/stephenandwesley/snwboxopening
Sorry. I don’t do Facebook.
So glad the sweaters fit. Did the hat fit him? I had to extrapolate some of the measurements. Will make the body length longer. I used double pointed sock needles, size US1 (2.25 mm diameter) and fingering/sock weight yarn. It was a fun challenge. Sorry it took me so long to get them made. If anybody has BJD’s that size or wants the pattern, I’ll post it on https://knitsfromtheowlunderground.wordpress.com/
Thanks for posting the link; Wiishu’s little cableknit sweater is adorable!
back before my first knee replacement in 2006, my orthopedist gave me a cortisone shot with lidocaine mixed. He said he hates giving those shots because the cortisone speeds up tissue breakdowns. But, since I was getting it replaced anyway, it wouldn’t matter. They also gave me both the Synvisc and the Hyalgan series. Synvisc is 3 shots, Hyalgan is 5 shots because the stuff is more highly refined. Neither worked for me, and so replacement was the route. One failed lot of cement, and 8 months later, a total knee revision which took 2-1/2 years to heal. When the right knee went out, we didn’t bother with partial replacement, we went for the whole ball game. No issues since, other than an occasional twinge. Do the physical therapy, though. One of my friends refused, and she can barely walk now. I was back to doing kendo 3 months after surgery.