Seventh Month Post Checkup on Jan. 20th, 2010

I had my 7 month checkup today with Dr. Momberger, my knee surgeon. He was pleased looking at the X-rays of how my knee is progressing. The surgical parts look great. He, too, is concerned with the pain and setbacks I have had the past 10 days or so with Xena. I guess with a replacement knee, you can't do an MRI since the metal bounces the imaging off and you cannot be clear. The only true way to see what a problem might be is to do arthroscopic surgery....and it is way too early in the game for that.

He believes that my pain is coming from perhaps a sprain to my MCL, medial collateral ligament or some tendinitis on that same medial side of my lower knee. He is hoping it isn't some scar tissue that has "folded over" and is being pinched by my new knee. He wants me to not be too aggressive on Xena, take some heavier anti-inflammatory, and pain meds if I need to. Heat and ice--and maybe back off work a bit....and in 6 weeks or so, she should be good. He is not alarmed by any of this but it is not something that is common with the surgery either. I am now wearing my neoprene sleeve brace which should help me with the stability. Again, it is not a problem with the surgery at all, but with the soft tissue surrounding Xena.

I can't ski until I can stand on Xena and do a deep knee bend without pain....guess THAT won't happen for a while! And no tennis either! (funny, I don't even play tennis!)

Now if I can only learn patience........