Am I going to be crippled?

[leehljp]

Thanks fellows for the encouragement. I really appreciate it. I am expecting too much too fast.

First, the pain medicines did nothing last night. Second, the crutches became second nature almost instantly. I do tend to bang them against the walls and furniture a lot - to LOML's dismay! She is a little irritated that I have taken to heart the wedding vows 40 years after the fact - in sickness and in health. And also her suggestion that I stay seated and let her get me what I need. Did you know that I need something about every 15 minutes or so! I might need a good family counselor before this is over.

I did receive some encouraging news from my organization's doctor, who happens to be a child hood friend to a close relative. The US doctor mentioned what most of you did, but he also knows the kind of activities I am involved in and also my own personal work habits/ethics - which is to push through the pain and get the work done, and worry about the consequences later. He did say from the list that I sent, and from the work that I do with lots of walking, that I would probably need surgery soon, but if I can hold out until I am back in the States in December 2010, I can get the surgery there. He does agree with the local doctor, as all of you did, about trying other options first and see how they work.

JEFF: you are right - the MRI's here are cheap compared to the States. It was about $250.00 for 20 minutes worth.

THANKS for all of your encouragement and testimonies!

[Pappy]

Thanks fellows for the encouragement. I really appreciate it. I am expecting too much too fast.

THANKS for all of your encouragement and testimonies!

Come on, guys! Quit trying to make the man feel better with false hope.

Hank, I will be brutally honest with you. You are doomed and will most likely become a complete invalid in the next two to three months, four on the outside.

Just go ahead and pack up your shop and ship it all to me. I wouldn't want you to add depression to your problems as you lay helpless thinking about all your tools rusting away, especially all the Japanese chisels you have aquired.

We have both been around BT3 since the beginning and are like family. I am happy to offer my selfless assistance to make a brother's last days more comfortable and peaceful......

[leehljp]

Come on, guys! Quit trying to make the man feel better with false hope.

Hank, I will be brutally honest with you. You are doomed and will most likely become a complete invalid in the next two to three months, four on the outside.

Just go ahead and pack up your shop and ship it all to me. I wouldn't want you to add depression to your problems as you lay helpless thinking about all your tools rusting away, especially all the Japanese chisels you have aquired.

We have both been around BT3 since the beginning and are like family. I am happy to offer my selfless assistance to make a brother's last days more comfortable and peaceful......

Don,

This is what friends are for! Your wisdom is GREATLY appreciated. On the down side, LOML just discovered the hidden file of receipts of all of my tool purchases - and she knows the REAL price of each item. The way she figures it, there is no depreciation only INCREASES in value after people like you and me modify these tools to greater precision and value. She will be MORE than happy to sell them at their increased value, and if she does, it will take some pressure off of me! I am sweating this! Please help!

[bruce hylton]

Try a hammer on your thumb. Knee will be much less noticeable. Cheap too.

[gjat]

Don,

This is what friends are for! Your wisdom is GREATLY appreciated. On the down side, LOML just discovered the hidden file of receipts of all of my tool purchases - and she knows the REAL price of each item. The way she figures it, there is no depreciation only INCREASES in value after people like you and me modify these tools to greater precision and value. She will be MORE than happy to sell them at their increased value, and if she does, it will take some pressure off of me! I am sweating this! Please help!

What selfless friendship. I'm waiting for Pappy to step up to the plate for lee. Since I'm not a close friend to either, and surmise the financial sacrifice Pappy is going to make for his good friend, lee. I am willing to take advantage and offer to purchase certain tools (at a discount) to get Pappy out of hot water with his SWMBO when she finds out a second mortgage was taken out on their house.

[Pappy]

Don,

This is what friends are for! Your wisdom is GREATLY appreciated. On the down side, LOML just discovered the hidden file of receipts of all of my tool purchases - and she knows the REAL price of each item. The way she figures it, there is no depreciation only INCREASES in value after people like you and me modify these tools to greater precision and value. She will be MORE than happy to sell them at their increased value, and if she does, it will take some pressure off of me! I am sweating this! Please help!

Another act of kindness in an attempt to help an old friend thwarted by a woman's greed....

[Norm in Fujino]

I just saw this thread and it touched me, since my sister (69) had a knee replaced a year ago; she was also overweight quite a bit and had had problems for quite some time, but the knee replacement seems to have cured her problem. I'm also interested in how Kokumin Hoken covers (or doesn't) surgery like that. My brother-in-law is an Ortho surgeon here (although he now has his own private clinic so he no longer does actual surgery), but I'll have to ask him what he knows. I'm pretty sure the rate of joint replacement surgery here is less than that in the US, both due to the cost and perhaps other reasons as well. Hope you get it taken care of right, though.

[leehljp]

I just saw this thread and it touched me, since my sister (69) had a knee replaced a year ago; she was also overweight quite a bit and had had problems for quite some time, but the knee replacement seems to have cured her problem. I'm also interested in how Kokumin Hoken covers (or doesn't) surgery like that. My brother-in-law is an Ortho surgeon here (although he now has his own private clinic so he no longer does actual surgery), but I'll have to ask him what he knows. I'm pretty sure the rate of joint replacement surgery here is less than that in the US, both due to the cost and perhaps other reasons as well. Hope you get it taken care of right, though.

Norm,

The organization that I am with is basically self-insured and operates that way in every country that allows this. If I know the cost of something, I get a cost advance and pay for it. If not, our organization is registered here and with that, the office and hospital make an arrangement for direct pay instead of the patient. We have a Japanese lawyer that handles these conversations so there has never been a problem with medical coverage.

One advantage has been that since this is basically socialized medicine, things are generally cheaper here, as noted in a previous post about the cost of the MRI. I paid that out of my own pocket and will get reimbursed. I was concerned going in (because of the pain) that I was going to have immediate surgery. So I had already contacted my office and they had made plans with the hospital for payment - if I were going to need surgery.

When we are Stateside, we are under Cigna.

I know of several people (Japanese) that had the knee replacement surgery already. From the people that I know of (friends of my friends) who have had knee replacement in the US and also in Japan, there seems to be a difference in the recovery methodology.
Japan - Surgery and stay in the hospital for about a month and then go home. Rehab is a part of the stay.
USA - Home in 3 to 4 days - but rehab is either out patient; or for older people - rehab helpers go to the person's home for 30 days.

Kokumin Hoken works in strange ways. Some large hospitals in larger cities have personnel that know how to work with the International Insurances just fine. But most local and even prefectural hospitals don't have a clue. I am familiar with a couple of International Travel insurance companies and know that their coverage is super. But unless they have an Japanese agent in the country, their coverage is not usually accepted until the money is wired.

I went through this last year when a lady who was with a travel club exchange from Huntsville, Alabama was in a car wreck in Gifu City of Gifu Prefecture. Some people from her Huntsville church contacted some friends who contacted me. The hospital was about 100K from me but we went at least twice a week for a month to see her.

The hospital was very worried about payment although I knew the insurance was an A++ company. After her recovery, the company even sent a nurse from the States to accompany the lady back - first class. Still, the point is, International insurance is totally dependent on 1. the International Insurance knowledge of hospital business/accountant personnel, or 2. the insurance company's own in-country agent, or 3. up front money/cash, or 4. many hospitals and clinics do take international credit cards.


I am adding this in late: One thing I like about the doctor that I have - he wants to see if non-invasive methods can work first - and the pain is subsiding with crutches and a little relaxation. Since it was swollen some, and that is going down, the pain is easing too. So the doctor is checking out all aspects of this before making a decision. My USA doctor has the report and said that I should delay any surgery until I can't take it any more. I was at that point last week! But now, I am willing to wait.

[annunaki]

I Have The Same Problem

My knees have been giving me trouble. The VA Doctor put me on anti inflammatories (Aleve), but they only take the edge off. Sometimes in bed, I wake up in pain if sleeping on my side, like an ice pick is in my knees.I decided to try to lose some weight- I am 5'11" & 212 lbs and would like to get down to 180 lbs. Joined a weight group at the VA. They promote among other things -walking.
So I got a referral to the Ortho Surg. and he said No Good on the Walking, that I am at the point of Osteo Arth. of bone against bone on the knee joints.
At the end of this month I begin Injections of a substance made from Rooster Comb. There will be three injections, one per week. This is not a cure, but may buy me a year or two before I might need replacements. The longer I can postpone replacements, the better the chances of new and better technology being developed. I will let you know what my experience will be with these injections and whether I start to Crow at Dawn !

Ortho Dr. also said a good exercise was Nordic Track where the knee joint is not flexed while moving the legs in a straight leg ski motion.

[leehljp]

I am 5'11" & 212 lbs and would like to get down to 180 lbs. Joined a weight group at the VA. They promote among other things -walking.
So I got a referral to the Ortho Surg. and he said No Good on the Walking, that I am at the point of Osteo Arth. of bone against bone on the knee joints.
At the end of this month I begin Injections of a substance made from Rooster Comb. There will be three injections, one per week. This is not a cure, but may buy me a year or two before I might need replacements. The longer I can postpone replacements, the better the chances of new and better technology being developed. I will let you know what my experience will be with these injections and whether I start to Crow at Dawn !

This is basically where I am - 5'10 and 215 with an aim for 175 - 180. I will get 6 injections of hyaluronic acid (Synvisc), but for me, I will just call it HYDRAULIC FLUID! I sure hope it helps.

QUESTION: Does anyone use those Arthritis Knee SUPPORT braces that take the weight off of the knee? I am not talking about the $50 - $80 ones but the $500 - $800 ones?

I would like to have one if they help me buy more time. I hope I can wait until retirement (14 months) for this surgery. I hate to spend/waste 2 months of the last 14 just sitting. IF that kind of brace is effective, it would sure be worth it to me. My organization will pay the major portion of prosthesis, crutches and others. While this is not specified in the medical manual, I have been told by our business manager that knee braces are part of the unspecified wording.

[annunaki]

Got My First Injection

Monday, I got both knees injected. The Doctor warned me that if the fluid did not enter properly that I would feel extreme pain and to tell him right away of even the slightest beginning of pain. Were that to happen, it would indicate that the fluid was not going where intended and going into the membrane itself, which would be no good.
The cartridge was smaller than a felt highlighter in diameter -not the caulking gun or horse needle I had visions of. After looking again at my xrays he determined that the best locations for me were on the outer side of the knees, as opposed to the alternate locations on the inner sides.
All went well, hardly any sensation and I walked away and drove home.
I have not noticed any great change yet, but it may take a few days, and next monday I get round two on the shots.

[leehljp]

Monday, I got both knees injected.

All went well, hardly any sensation and I walked away and drove home.
I have not noticed any great change yet, but it may take a few days, and next monday I get round two on the shots.

I have had 3 injections and have 2 or 3 more to go. The first day there is a hint of pain from the injection but the next day it feels like a normal knee. My doctor doesn't explain much (Japanese tradition) but says to keep doing normal things as much as I can.

I go a full day with no pain and at my normal pace (a little on the fast side according to LOML) and then the next two days will be mildly painful in which I am aware that something is not normal. Of course I am going deliberately slow in moving around. Then back to normal for a day. I can tell that I will need something (surgery) in the long run.

[Mr__Bill]

Hank, not sure that this is relevant to your case but I came across it and thought that I would pass it along.

Research shows Tai Chi exercise reduces knee osteoarthritis pain.


Bill,

PS if that doesn't work they you may need one of these.