Knee replacement diary

Medial uni-compartmental knee replacement surgery. 

Warning - Some of the images show wounds after surgery. 

It is quite a terrifying thing to consider. The knee that you were born with is not working effectively any more and this makes it difficult to walk. In my case I had torn cartilage damage from playing football years ago. I had an arthroscopy around seven years ago and this involved "washing out" the broken and torn parts of cartilage and cleaning up the joint. This was done under general anaesthetic and was very successful. It removed the crunchy feeling every time the joint moved and seemed like the solution. 

However last October I was involved in the "collecting for Calais" project in Hitchin where we met at a local school and many people donated clothes, sleeping bags, tents, toiletries and children's toys. We sorted them out and filled around 18 vans full of donations which we then took to a distribution depot in Slough. This involved lots of turning and twisting whilst loading, unloading at both ends. 

On the Wednesday after the Calais Collection my knee suddenly ballooned up and I went to the Lister A & E and was admitted whilst the knee was drained, they checked got infection and then I was sent home the next day. Since then the knee has been degrading quickly and the X-Ray's show there is now no cartilage left and it is really bone on bone. So after trying cortisone injections and artificial fluid replacement injections in the knee my consultant said we should do the uni-compartmental knee replacement. 

So Tuesday I went into Pinehill hospital at 11.30. I was shown to my room and after the usual health checks asked to change into a gown for surgery. I met the anaesthetist and the surgeon and signed the usual consents. My knee was then marked in preparation for operation.

 I walked down with a nurse at around 4 and asked to sit on a bed. My back was sprayed with disinfectant which was very cold and a line was put in my hand. The anaesthetist found the place in my back to insert the epidural and my bottom started to feel hot straight away. I felt my leg go numb quickly but it was nothing to worry about. Then I was given an antibiotic injection through the hand and finally a sedative. I was asked to lay on my side and I remember little else apart from coming to earring some sawing but that was fleeting memory and then waking up in recovery. 

With the epidural you really can not feel anything from the waist down so back in my room I was not sure how things were in my leg. Looking at it there was a very thick bandage around it so I could see nothing and feel nothing. Note the blue under sheet used for lifting from bed to bed. 

My left foot also had a pump contracting and expanding on the skin to help to stop DVT. There was a similar device attached to my right leg. 

We noticed that there was still some bleeding around the wound coming from lower area, which I was assured was totally normal. The epidural works as partial pain relief as well but the nurses were also able to offer a variety of pain relief at this time. I also found that at this time I could not pass urine as something maybe from the epidural was still stopping this. 

Wednesday

Having had a difficult nights sleep trying to get comfortable but in the morning it was time to see the wound for the first time.

Wow the scar is longer than I was expecting! I also thought there would be stitches not staples. The leg was very sore but not too swollen at this point this came later. I have a list of exercises to do and the physio came round this morning and gave advice on how to walk with a Zimmer frame. 

Movement was still very slow and I was lucky as I had a room with a door to a balcony so I could enjoy fresh air and sunshine. 

The nurses looked after me well with pain relief and checking blood pressure which had gone down to around 102 over 63 at one point. So I was advised to take as much fluids as possible and this would help the pressure rise. The leg was dressed again with a lighter bandage. 

It had really swollen up by now and the wound was seeping and blood starting to gather in the waterproof dressing. I went for a few more steps with the physio and started to use the sticks as well as the Zimmer frame. 

Thursday

Another poor nights sleep and the leg felt bigger again so I was offered ice packs to reduce the swelling. The blood also came out of the bandages so these were cleaned up and redressed. I was able to walk further and also go up and down stairs with sticks. This is very tiring and I was soon happy to be resting again. I found myself drifting off from time to time catching up on lost sleep. I was able to have a shower for the first time which made a big difference. 

Friday 

I had seen the consultant again and he was happy got me to go home today and come back next Friday to have the clips out. The physio again took me for a walk and up and down the stairs and then I was cleared to leave. Even though total movement is not there, this is good enough for discharge.

It was difficult getting in the car as I could not bend my leg very much but we did it and it was great to get home. 

Saturday 

Before going in I had seen the physio team and they had arranged for a bath board to be delivered to home which was a really good idea as I still could not bend my knee enough to get over the bath side so this really helps. I also did my first walk outside and started off at a good pace but soon found it was more painful than I expected. However we did it and it felt great to be walking again. Although there is still some seepage from the wound. 

Sunday 

We changed the bandage after the shower and the wound is looking better and starting to heal and itch! Another walk down the path was better but still a little slow. 

Monday 

Looking again at what has happened trying to work out where everything fits. Not a good day some pain still restricted walking and very tired. 

Tuesday

Did the exercises first thing which really hurt through the knee cap. Tried some steps without the sticks but knee bounced back the wrong way which was painful. 

The wound is looking a little better now. I cannot wait for the clips to come out. 

Speed walk

 Paul said he was going on a walk with Luke and it would be around five and a half miles around Wallington. I knew this village as I used to live in the next village along called Redhill. It is also the place George Orwell lived when he was first married. So at around ten we set off heading west out of the village on the main road before quivkly turning left onto the Icknield Way Path. Which curves gently uphill towards birds hill. 

It was around this time I discovered Luke and Paul liked to speed walk up hill. I not being used to this kept a steady pace behind! 

We headed south towards the A507 Clothall Road which takes some care to cross safely.

A quick assent for the other two at least up to Ashanger Hill putting the dogs on a lead to go past the sheep field and then we had a lovely view of Clothall Church.

We then sat by the church for a coffee from our flasks and let the dogs get some water. 

From the church we headed down to the main road across and up by the glebe house and past the tumulus and accroos the A507 again by Clothall Bury. 

We then followed the Hertfordshire Way through bush spring over some fields where the paths have been ploughed returning to Wallington by it's lovely church. 

A short walk around the village road took us past Orwell's cottage and back to our cats. It is a lovely walk and with these two very quick friends it was completed in two hours including a coffee break. 

Thank you guys it was really good. 

Flag Day

I spent today trying to raise money for Macmillan. We as a company have a target this year to try to raise 30,000 and our office arranged a day to support this. Kali Dowse one of our team had seen a climbing wall at another location and suggested this could be a good fund raiser. So we hired the wall which was duly brought to the market square at ten this morning and then we put on the safety harness and started to climb. I was really nervous to start with wondering if I would be able to do it but very quickly I had been up it four times. We then took a rest to give a group of children a chance to have a go on it and they were great climbing with no fear. All putting in some money for the charity. After a couple of hours we went back to it but my arms had gone hard and I slipped off half way up so I gave it a rest and let the fitter and younger ones carry on. 

Well by 3pm most of the children had gone and we had exceeded our challenge of 44 climbs between us and ready to bring it down. It was a good day and hopefully a good amount has been raised for the cause. 

The picturesque

I have now linked up some of the ways of displaying pictures and stories by the use of a new website called www.thepicturesque.co.uk named after the aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1792 by William Gilpin in observations on the River Wye. The beautiful and the sublime. So I hope these early morning images, the sun rises pictures and the dogs dancing around the field create some enjoyment for others as they do for me. 

Youlgrave walk

So we are staying in Youlgreave so we decided to do the Youlgrave walk. The guide says...Lathkil Dale and Youlgreave walk a five mile stroll. From our cottage we turned right onto the high street and then turned right onto Holywell Lane. We walked down the lane almost to the bottom and over a stone stile in the wall on the left. We walked along the river Bradford and along Bradford Dale following the river. We followed the path around and the dogs ran free running with some other dogs along the way. There is a lovely house near to the end of this stretch just before you reach the road at Alport. The house is lovely, Victorian with different levels and a hexagonal central roof area, there are a range of stables to the left hand side and further out buildings which would make a great recording studio complex.

 To the front of the house stands a lovely long wheel base Land Rover Defender countryman the perfect car for these parts. I can just image putting the labs in the back of one of these.

 

 

We crossed the road and went down a narrow path which took us a bit further from the river now the Lathkil and headed down to the Conksbury bridge. However before we got there, a path to the right also crossed the river so we started to go over it and enjoyed the views over the pond beyond.

We soon discovered with the help of another couple who had made the same mistake that this was not Conksbury Bridge so we returned to the path and carried on for another fields length. Having crossed the bridge we had a treat as the line of weirs and the large river bank make a pretty picnic area. We had not had the forethought to do this but a few others had.

The path rose up and we were glad of the dogs' enthusiasm to pull us up the hill, Regina looked at me a bit worried at this stage, as if where are you taking me that hurts so much? We got to the top took a right and found the Lathkill Hotel in the village of Over Haddon. A nice place to stop for a drink and enjoy the view over the valley back to Youlgreave, where the distinctive church stood out on the horizon.

We returned back down the hill past a group of children who took a fair interest in the dogs as we passed. The climb on the other side was just as fierce and we finally broke free of the trees with a view over another valley! The map says cross the field to the farm, "there are bulls in the field " says Regina, we put the dogs on the leads and tread carefully across the bull field, they eye us as we walk through them and finally into the safety of the farm.

We crossed the farm yard and out on to the next field and before i can say do not let Dylan off as he likes to roll in cow pats, Regina has let him off and he is rolling in a cow pat! I poured water over him to get the worst off and we carry on. At the next wall i am climbing over first and Dylan decides to climb over with me and goes between my legs and covers my backside with cow pat as well. You know that cold feeling on the back of your legs which i am sure did not look good from behind either.

We were at last in sight of the village again and we wondered down a road into the middle of Youlgreave with my trousers slowly drying in the sun. A quick right turn and we were back to our cottage.

I think the walk took a little more than the estimated two and a half hours (more like five!) and judging by the way Regina is still walking now two days later it will take longer to wear off than I thought!

Youlgrave Sunday morning

I am walking part of the limestone way with my two black Labradors Dylan and Diesel. I normally walk at 6.20 so even though it is a Sunday the younger dog was crying to go out. We are staying for the weekend in the picturesque village of Youlgreave with stone built cottages and a stream running down one side of the valley. It is still quite early so i am wiping the cobwebs from my face as I walk. The path is uneven interspersed with larger rocks in places. The water rushes by and the partial wires every few hundred yards and the birds call to and fro above. As diesel runs up the escarpment a trickle of pebbles roll down the hill. At least he has not jumped in so far which he did yesterday. A huge heron has just taken off over my head spooked by the dogs crying out as he flies, what a wingspan than bird has. Oh I just hear the plop of a dog in water but luckily not too deep.
I was just turning right to head back up the hill when I met a man with another black Labrador who was soon identified as becky. He asked if I wanted to join him and with Regina needing the rest from yesterday I thought it would be a good idea. He said it was a two mile walk but what I did not realise was the pace. As soon as we hit the path I felt I had to widen my step to keep up. The bent round to the left and his dog vanished down into a man made pool by the stream which he told me was part of the old pump to get water up to the village.

We climbed some metal steps which were half covered for the dogs to climb but the boys did not like it too much. We emerged near hopping farm where there is another path back to youlgreave across wenley hill plantation. I chose to carry on with my local guide and I am glad I did as proceeded across the cow field he used his wooden staff to prod cows away as we walked through. I had leaded my dogs and I explained Regina's fear of being trampled and he said this is why he has the stick he had been a butcher for many years so he knew how to handle livestock. However he did say there had been a few people trampled in the area in recent years. We hit the path again and went up hill at some pace. I am now sweating and feeling the speed that we are walking at. We turned right onto Weaddow Lane and past a dairy farm and onto the village of Middleton. We walked through the village and it became clear my guide Andy knew everyone around.
The dogs took it turns to leap walks and chase pheasants but they did not catch any. We made it up past Lomberdale Hall which is a fabulous manor house on the top of the hill. We turned right and came into the Coldwell End of Youlgreave and back to our cottage. It had been a good walk and I was certainly tested but the dogs loved it and they are laying asleep at my feet but I think diesel would still go again . I am not sure about Dylan though.

In the mountains

We are up in the mountains north west from Malaga just off the A343 just past the railway bridge in a bungalow set amongst a group of five similar properties. We have been here for a week enjoying the fabulous hospitality of Sue and Roy. It is a lovely place with a private pool and views of mountains all around . The picture shows the view towards Alora and the mountain to the right is around 400m above sea level. The town of Alora has very steep streets almost entirely painted white over render to cover what can best be described as poor brickwork. This feels like real Spain with fantastic tapas which only cost 60 to 80 euro cents each up to a maximum of 1 euro 20. We had 15 bowls between 4 of us and it was fantastic.
Tomorrow we are off to Malaga for a few days there.