“Piece of Cake!” I said as they wheeled me into the recovery room. I don’t remember saying this but that’s what Melinda, my wife, tells me I said.
I guess I was just happy I woke up after surgery. I had been worried about it. After all, they were going to open up my leg, saw off the end of the bones and insert titanium pieces in them along with plastic pieces and sew me back up. My guess is that the plastic helps prevent you from sounding like the Tin Man when you walk. The whole procedure struck me as brutal to the leg and it was.
My doctor, W. Bartley Hosick did the work. I reverently call him Dr. Bart, ( not to his face of course). He’s with Northern VA Orthopedic Specialists. My family is familiar with Dr. Bart as he has also done surgery for me before when I mashed my finger in a log splitter (ouch!) and for my son Geoff when he shattered his knee playing tennis (ouch again!). Several medical rating services give him supreme marks and so do I.
Here are pictures of my X-rays which I find fascinating. There are several pounds of Titanium and plastic inserts where they rub together.
- Titanium Knee – Front View
- Titanium Knee – Side View
I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Hosick, his nursing and administrative staff, Prince William Hospital nursing and administrative staff, and Northern VA Orthopedic Specialists Physical Therapist, Nadia Ghieth, MPT. I really like Nadia. After my first grueling session I was convinced that the United States doesn’t need to water board terrorist suspects. Just give them a knee replacement and call in Nadia. “Tell me what the next target is and I won’t bend your knee any further. Oh you want to resist do you? How’s this feel?”
Nadia, pushed me farther than I thought I could go and then at just the right moment knew how to back off and say “Bravo!” You want to strangle her and you want to hug her. She’s just the best!
It took me 3 years of hemming and hawing to decide to get this done. Dr Bart finally told me that just in the time I had been mulling it over, a million people had had knees replaced with satisfaction rates in the high 90’s. That sold me on doing it.
Timing went well. I had it done at the end of November so I could have a normal Thanksgiving, always a mad house at our place. I was well along with recovery by Christmas, always a mad house at our place, and I am up to speed doing inspections by the end of January, always the beginning of a mad house season for my business. Everything worked out according to the plan.
Added bonus: I can now reliably forecast when a storm is on the way. The intensity of the tingling tells me how severe the weather pattern is. I expect that with time I’ll be able to tell the difference between rain and snow.
If you are considering getting a knee replaced and want to talk with a “veteran”‘, send me an email (visit contact us). My experiences may be helpful for you.
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