You are not alone Graham. I simply had a torn tendon (or some such) in my right knee, and they no longer match; although I'm not brave enough to show you.
I don't think any part of our body is mirror image of the other side Graham, even without surgery. In fact that is probably a clue that one has had 'some work done' to come out looking perfect. At least your formwork was not for aesthetics. Imagine .. I bet there are people out there that have had knee jobs.
I'm sure you are right about mirror images Carol. However you have to admit that's rather a large difference. Not, I hasten to add, that it puts me up or down one bit. As for people having knee jobs to match them up I find that beyond my understanding.
I wonder if there is some poor soul on Lewis wandering about with a knee that's too small. A good job the surgeon wasn't capping teeth you'd never speak or eat again.
Yes of course they come in different sizes. I once met a guy who was a sales rep for these. Except he was more than a sales rep, he also taught surgeons how to put them into place. He never touched a patient, though, but he was in the operating theatre with the surgeon and directing his work. Some of them were a bit wary of him at first: who's this guy? How do I know he knows what he's doing? He had a trick to get started: no matter how long the surgeon would wash his hands before the surgery, he'd wash his own hands longer. It established a sense of trust. He was a nice guy too.
How absolutely fascinating Nathalie. I never gave a thought to the mechanical part of the operation apart from being told that it was, if I recall correctly, titanium and plastic.
Mine don't match either. Even though the one I had problems with is no longer swollen (and I did not have any surgery done), it still looks different than the other one. The odd thing is I can't remember if perhaps it always did!
So that's the shape your right knee will always be? Has all the swelling gone now? I am so relieved that the lower part of the photo was cropped at that discreet point. Any more revelation and I would have been having nightmares.
Yes YP you really wouldn't have wanted to see my feet. I'm not sure if there is any swelling to go down yet because it all feels very solid. I've been told that the hardware is bigger than my old knee so it will always be bigger than the other knee but perhaps not quite so huge. Apparently things don't completely settle down for up to 12 months. I'm only at 8 weeks today.
Symmetry is over rated - any artist worth his/her salt will tell you that assymetry is what makes things beautiful or interesting. But the best part? No more pain! xoxox DeeDee
I couldn't agree more DeeDee. I once tried splitting faces graphically and the results were amazing. You're right about no more pain though. It will be wonderful to be able to know that when I walk a certain distance from the parked car that I'll be able to get back to it!
To be honest there are parts of me that have never ever matched, and I love them all. From ballet my right foot is now bigger than my left. When trying shoes in the store I must always fit the right foot to make sure they will fit....smile. In your case size doesn't matter.
I think Virginia that most of our parts don't match but most of the mismatches are not quite as spectacular as my knees. As they will only be seen when I'm wearing a kilt or shorts (and in Scotland that means in the gym only) who cares? The scar will always make it pretty obvious why there is a difference.
Red I thought it was rather a good scar: very neatly done. If you want to see a good old-fashioned ugly scar you should see the one on my back done in 1960 when they removed part of my lung. The new knee will always be bigger than my old knee because the hardware is large and I have naturally very small knees.
Meike it's a brutal operation: far more so than a hip operation. Before the operation the surgeon asked me if I was aware of all the issues and that that it would hurt a great deal. He was correct: it did but for most people the pain after the operation is far less than the pain beforehand and after the knee has fully healed most people have a new life. I should add that after the epidural had worn off and the pain was intense an angel of a nurse said to me "I have only one goal today: to see you free of pain before I go off shift." She met her goal. I never looked back.
Gracious! It looks as if they might have put two in by mistake :) More seriously, I hope that by now it is not hurting any more and how fantastic it will be when all discomfort has gone so you don't even notice it any more (except when wearing a kilt)
Jenny I won't usually notice it when wearing a kilt because the kilt hides it from above although it might raise the odd eyebrow in the gym. As for discomfort it is lessening by the day.
Lynda the knee will take a long time to go don and will always be bigger than my other one simply because the hardware is bigger. However the pain is almost gone and life is returning to what it was before the arthritis took hold. Fortunately the arthritis was confined to that knee and was a sports injury caused by the fact that I was a fencer (with a foil not a post hammer!) and only that knee took the punishment.
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but they work much much better......
ReplyDeleteIndeed it does Fiona.
DeleteYou are not alone Graham. I simply had a torn tendon (or some such) in my right knee, and they no longer match; although I'm not brave enough to show you.
ReplyDeleteWell Cro after yesterday's post I though readers could do with a smile.
DeleteI don't think any part of our body is mirror image of the other side Graham, even without surgery. In fact that is probably a clue that one has had 'some work done' to come out looking perfect. At least your formwork was not for aesthetics. Imagine .. I bet there are people out there that have had knee jobs.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you are right about mirror images Carol. However you have to admit that's rather a large difference. Not, I hasten to add, that it puts me up or down one bit. As for people having knee jobs to match them up I find that beyond my understanding.
DeleteI wonder if there is some poor soul on Lewis wandering about with a knee that's too small. A good job the surgeon wasn't capping teeth you'd never speak or eat again.
ReplyDeleteHow true Adrian. As it was I think he's done an absolutely brilliant job: size doesn't matter.
DeleteGraham do they make them in different sizes? I am being serious. I wouldn't be bothered as long as it works and doesn't give you gyp in cold weather.
DeleteYes of course they come in different sizes. I once met a guy who was a sales rep for these. Except he was more than a sales rep, he also taught surgeons how to put them into place. He never touched a patient, though, but he was in the operating theatre with the surgeon and directing his work. Some of them were a bit wary of him at first: who's this guy? How do I know he knows what he's doing? He had a trick to get started: no matter how long the surgeon would wash his hands before the surgery, he'd wash his own hands longer. It established a sense of trust. He was a nice guy too.
DeleteHow absolutely fascinating Nathalie. I never gave a thought to the mechanical part of the operation apart from being told that it was, if I recall correctly, titanium and plastic.
DeleteMine don't match either. Even though the one I had problems with is no longer swollen (and I did not have any surgery done), it still looks different than the other one. The odd thing is I can't remember if perhaps it always did!
ReplyDeleteI'm told, Monica, that mine have never matched either but they weren't that bed before!
DeleteSo that's the shape your right knee will always be? Has all the swelling gone now? I am so relieved that the lower part of the photo was cropped at that discreet point. Any more revelation and I would have been having nightmares.
ReplyDeleteYes YP you really wouldn't have wanted to see my feet. I'm not sure if there is any swelling to go down yet because it all feels very solid. I've been told that the hardware is bigger than my old knee so it will always be bigger than the other knee but perhaps not quite so huge. Apparently things don't completely settle down for up to 12 months. I'm only at 8 weeks today.
DeleteSymmetry is over rated - any artist worth his/her salt will tell you that assymetry is what makes things beautiful or interesting. But the best part? No more pain! xoxox DeeDee
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more DeeDee. I once tried splitting faces graphically and the results were amazing. You're right about no more pain though. It will be wonderful to be able to know that when I walk a certain distance from the parked car that I'll be able to get back to it!
DeleteTo be honest there are parts of me that have never ever matched, and I love them all.
ReplyDeleteFrom ballet my right foot is now bigger than my left. When trying shoes in the store I must always fit the right foot to make sure they will fit....smile.
In your case size doesn't matter.
I think Virginia that most of our parts don't match but most of the mismatches are not quite as spectacular as my knees. As they will only be seen when I'm wearing a kilt or shorts (and in Scotland that means in the gym only) who cares? The scar will always make it pretty obvious why there is a difference.
DeleteThere's that long ugly scar! How long will it take for the knee to get down to normal size?
ReplyDeleteRed I thought it was rather a good scar: very neatly done. If you want to see a good old-fashioned ugly scar you should see the one on my back done in 1960 when they removed part of my lung. The new knee will always be bigger than my old knee because the hardware is large and I have naturally very small knees.
DeleteI never thought of the hardware being a different size.
DeleteWho is Any More?
ReplyDeleteSomeone my knees don't match Lee.
DeleteIt looks painful. I almost said "Ouch!" out loud when I first saw the picture.
ReplyDeleteMeike it's a brutal operation: far more so than a hip operation. Before the operation the surgeon asked me if I was aware of all the issues and that that it would hurt a great deal. He was correct: it did but for most people the pain after the operation is far less than the pain beforehand and after the knee has fully healed most people have a new life. I should add that after the epidural had worn off and the pain was intense an angel of a nurse said to me "I have only one goal today: to see you free of pain before I go off shift." She met her goal. I never looked back.
DeleteGracious! It looks as if they might have put two in by mistake :) More seriously, I hope that by now it is not hurting any more and how fantastic it will be when all discomfort has gone so you don't even notice it any more (except when wearing a kilt)
ReplyDeleteJenny I won't usually notice it when wearing a kilt because the kilt hides it from above although it might raise the odd eyebrow in the gym. As for discomfort it is lessening by the day.
DeleteOuch. I'm hoping it has gone down a bit now, and is less painful each day.
ReplyDeleteLynda the knee will take a long time to go don and will always be bigger than my other one simply because the hardware is bigger. However the pain is almost gone and life is returning to what it was before the arthritis took hold. Fortunately the arthritis was confined to that knee and was a sports injury caused by the fact that I was a fencer (with a foil not a post hammer!) and only that knee took the punishment.
Delete