Here I am back again. Am undergoing chemotherapy for my bladder cancer, and urologist advises me to get total knee replacement scheduled for mid-August. (I can't consider the spinal fusion surgery until I can walk better).
Grammie76
The following user gives a hug of support to Grammie76: blueoceans (06-30-2012)
Wow. We have something's in common. In dec I had a new knee. Had laminectomy on Tuesday. Starting chemo for bladder cancer as soo as backgreats a little better. Not easy dealing with so many big things at one time. Takes a lot of emotional stamina. Good luck to you.
Wow. We have something's in common. In dec I had a new knee. Had laminectomy on Tuesday. Starting chemo for bladder cancer as soo as backgreats a little better. Not easy dealing with so many big things at one time. Takes a lot of emotional stamina. Good luck to you.
We do indeed have all three of these problems in common, and I'm sorry to hear you are in the same boat. I agree about the emotional stamina! Takes a lot of prayer and trust in my heavenly Father.
Which kind of chemo will you be having for the bladder cancer? Mine is to be Mitomycin instilled into the bladder, once a week for 6 weeks. Urologist said BCG would make me too sick, as would IV Mitomycin. My son asked him if he thought I would have to have the radical cystectomy at some point--his reply was, "I hope not".
Please tell me how your knee replacement went. Which brand of prosthesis do you have? And how is your knee now?
Thank you for your reply. I do hope your laminectomy will be a success, that your knee is OK, and that the chemo will go well.
Wow. We have something's in common. In dec I had a new knee. Had laminectomy on Tuesday. Starting chemo for bladder cancer as soo as backgreats a little better. Not easy dealing with so many big things at one time. Takes a lot of emotional stamina. Good luck to you.
We do indeed have all three of these problems in common, and I'm sorry to hear you are in the same boat. I agree about the emotional stamina! Takes a lot of prayer and trust in my heavenly Father.
Which kind of chemo will you be having for the bladder cancer? Mine is to be Mitomycin instilled into the bladder, once a week for 6 weeks. Urologist said BCG would make me too sick, as would IV Mitomycin. My son asked him if he thought I would have to have the radical cystectomy at some point--his reply was, "I hope not".
Please tell me how your knee replacement went. Which brand of prosthesis do you have? And how is your knee now?
Thank you for your reply. I do hope your laminectomy will be a success, that your knee is OK, and that the chemo will go well.
Thanks for responding. I have a Stryker "Triathalon" knee. My recovery was very quick and I had 125 degrees of flexion at one month. At 5 weeks I drove 1500 miles to Florida!
That killed my chronic bad back. I am getting Mytomyasin too. Dr tells me the BCG drug will not be available for 6 months. Mfg. had quality problem. His first choice was BCG but the chemo will "do about as well." Today is fifth day post op. I just walked about a half mile. Was hard mainly because of foot drop. I needed to focus everystep to get my heel to strike first. Hoping my nerve damage starts to reverse.
I know that one of the reasons I have done well with all these surgerys is that I really got into shape for each surgery. I lost about 55lbs, quit drinking, exercised regularly etc.
For the knee I did wall squats and thigh tightenings. For back I did all the core stuff like planks, bridges,slow crunchs and sucking in transverse abdominal muscle. I do not know how much you can do but I urge you do do all that you can to increase your strengh.
I also did a lot of upper body exercise. Trying to move and to get around after knee and back surgery is much easier if you are strong. Hope you do well.
I'm surprised you're feeling up to emailing just 5 days post-op! You must really be in good health/fitness! (Probably younger than I, as well!). Not sure if I should try wall squats as my legs are weak from the spine condition. But I plan to ask my knee surgeon if he would agree to pre-op PT. Currently I am extremely limited in walking. Sounds like any exercise would be better than nothing, though.
I've had severe lumbar spine stenosis and scoliosis for years now, and had hoped to avoid spine surgery. Went to Mayo Clinic in spring of '07 and was told there was no surgery that could help my problem--it was too complicated. But now I've found a neurosurgeon who is willing to do what he can to help me--said it won't be perfect, but he is convinced he can reduce pain significantly, and improve function--which will enable me to be more independent. He had ordered an abdominal/pelvic CT scan in April for surgical mapping before my scheduled surgery May 2. The bladder tumor was an incidental finding on that CT, so all the spine plans had to be put on hold. Also had been told in March that I'd need to walk a lot post-op for successful healing of spine, so my PCP ordered a knee MRI, which showed bone on bone, needing a TKR. Unfortunately my spine surgery will be of much more magnitude than a laminectomy--surgeon estimates 8-hour operation.
So I'm taking one day at a time. I really want to be able to walk and move and LIVE again! My body is kind of letting me down, but I don't feel old.
Thank you again for all your help.
Grammies. I was emailing the night of surgery! I am 70. Depending on stage and grade of bc you need to get your back fixed first. Lots of people are"bone on bone" in knees. Unless you are in real knee pain and can hardly walk again I think your back should be the first priority. My bc showed up on a scan for kidney stones! If Ihad not had it I would never have known I had bc. The tkr was a far tougher recovery than the back has been. I had a colon re section and rotator cuff surgery 2weeks apart in2008!! That was tough. Drs can do amazing things these days. Make sure you have good Drs
and let them do their thing. You might want to get yor back,knee and bc Drs to maybe talk to each other and let them prioritize yor surgerys. Stay strong!
My BC was found incidentally on a CT scan for surgical mapping for my minimally invasive anterior spine fusion. I also had no idea of anything amiss in the bladder, and it turned out to be a large, aggressive tumor! I thanked the neurosurgeon for ordering that CT, as it probably has saved me from metastatic bladder cancer.
Neurosurgeon has said I must have the knee done before the spine as I can hardly walk now, and must be able to after the spine procedure in order for it to heal satisfactorily. I can certainly ask the knee surgeon if he would want to talk to the neuro before proceding with the TKR....
Thanks for your advice. I hope you continue to do well. You surely are tough to come through all these surgeries with flying colors!
You have it tougher than I do. In thinking about it I had my knee done first,but only because it was giving me problems and back was not too bad. Foot drop had not yet started
Yor need one to be working! Hard to recover from tkr with a bad back. Also hard to recover from back surgery with a bad knee. You cannot bend over and need to bend your knees.
All you can do is strengthen the muscles you can as it will help to be able to move around, bathroom etc. I rented a hospital bed for a month. Too hard to sit for long periods. Get a toilet sear riser for both back and knee.
Yes, the proverbial double bind. I appreciate your suggestions. Already have an adjustable Tempurpedic bed, and am so thankful for it. I do need to get the toilet seat riser.
I called the knee surgeon's office today re asking him to order PT of some kind to strengthen muscles around knee. His MA talked to him about it; was told he can't do that (insurance regulations) until he sees me in the office July 23. That's just 3 weeks hence, and if his surgery schedule is filled till sometime in September, that will give me time to do some PT.
Are you still in the hospital? And how are you feeling by now?
Had the back surgery last Tuesday. Week ago today. I just drove to the store!
May try to ride my exercise bike today. I feel incredibly fine. Am constipated from pain pills and anti biotics from bladder surgery. Just decided to stop both. Do not have that much pain now and any infection should be gone by now. Do need a urine culture soon.
One on the best knee exercises, which I be you can do, is just to lay on your back and tighten you thigh muscles as hard as you can. Get up to a 10 second hold. Do it 3 or 4 times a day. You can do it in bed. That was the one I did the most prior to tkr. Let me know if you can do it.
Hi I am new and posting every where on the board. I wanted to know about your BC. I am having a XLIF/PLIF for the hard ware. Did you have a XLIF? And do the do a CT of the sight during surgery or is this something I need to ask for? My husband has terrible stones. His mother passed away three years ago from BC. Can you find out from peeing in a cup if you have BC. From what I read years ago had my mother in law done that she might of got it. Are stones a connection to BC? Sounds like you are doing great from surgery. Nice to hear happy out comes.
