chieftwonuneez

Hi George, Are you having both replaced simultaenously? Some surgeons hesitate to do both at once; but given my age and the fact that I would go elsewhere, they gave in. I literaly didn't have a good leg to stand on and I couldn't see myself going back in six months for the next and go through the rehab process all over again.

Couple reasons for NOt doing both. The surgery for two takes a lot more time and my surgeon had another colleague assist him. They (surgeons) tread on murky ground here because of insurance. My insurance company okayed the procedure way in advance but then refused to pay both surgeons for their work and is still in limbo.

The other is, you have to be pretty healthy in other respects, the surgery is hard on the patient and many doctors will not risk a dual-replacement with older patients.

Reasons FOR going for dual. You dont have to go back over the same thing twice in a year (both surgery and rehab/pt.

I have a surgeon that is sports surgeon/young but very experienced and truly not a demi-God and I had to shop around alot, went thru six before this guy showed up! He was willing to actualy sit and talk to me even with a full patient load, but for our 30 minute visits he way THERE, without interruptions and we communicated MY needs and his abilities to make it happen, or not. (RARE)

Most surgeons are gung-ho on your rehab and PT, none want you to over-do it(I tend to at times). I found it was when I was in Rehab hospital, after surgery(different hospital), that PT staff and their resident DR were totally useless for my needs. They were giving me exercises for people with other ailements and little to do with knee replacement PT, so i checked myself out and went home and found local PT outfit that tailored my PT to me(paid same pricel, less hassels). Problem is, when you're in a Rehab Hospital, people treat you, not only like you are sick, but just because you had a little surgery, apparently you lost the ability to think for yourself, as though it also decreased your mental faculties. They were making money off my insurance is their NR1 concern! What I'm saying here is the rehab/PT people you have are just as important as having a good surgeon, so shop wisely.

Oh, scar tissue. MY surgeons cut me straight and opened me up just enough to fit the implants and sewed back up like a good seamtress. Comparing scars from other patients of my surgeons and patients of other surgeons, it was amazing the butcher jobs going on out there. Excess cutting requires LONGER rehab, so ask to look at their past work!

Scar tissue can be almost illiminated by using lots of lotion and lots of massage, by yourself, spouse, nursey or whomever. I'm talking several times a day and massaging the skin on and around need is important. (it will itch anway so you should have not problem wanting to rub them once stitches are gone.

I kept the scars covered with gauze or slathered in SPF30 sunblock while riding this summer and it worked pretty good, I only have a couple spots I didnt protect well, but the tisue healed nicely. You have to keep the scars away from sun until the pink disappears, otherwise you will have permanent scars. Of course, at my age it may not matter much. I have one, from stem to stern on my chest/abdomen, so what's one more!

One last tip(Hah!) If you order pizza for evening and night shift nursing staff, it will go a long way in ensuring you have and endles supply of COZY pudding!

From one Scot to another, good luck! Send me some posts of your trips. I would like to jump the pond soon and tour, I've been to UK and walked about in Scotland(dreding up old ones) but would like to bike just about anywhere UK, Euro.

France each year, WOW! I may have to come join you!

Michael