Good afternoon JK, Gator, Exflyer, (and all) -

JK - Yes, you are very lucky on the absence of pain. The only reason I am considering thenerve ablation (nerve burning)
is because I really (really) need to have less pain.

Gator - I'm sorry to hear you have so much continuing pain. Through the first 1-1/2 years after my TKR, I kept working and
after that went to 3 days a week (as an electrical designer of commercial/industrial projects - and project manager).
Even though this was mainly computer/desk work... it just got to be too much (and believe it or not - I didn't feel like
I was doing a very good job or was nearly as easy to deal with as I needed to be... so I just retired early). I know of
people doing some fairly active physical work with a whole lot of pain (and medication) - and I certainly do sympathize.
No one "gets this" like someone who is struggling to do a fairly complex job interacting with all kinds of people - and
in serious chronic pain. I can't honestly say I was doing a very good job of this - and that's why I stopped. I think it's
really unfortunate that society sort of "discards" people - when they are no longer able to work... maybe I am offbase
saying this, but I've certainly felt that way... including that i've had people suggest that I could've continued for a few
more years. I did stick around to get my replacement as fully trained as I could and allowed calls and questions after
I was no longer being paid for this, but in my own case - I had to draw a line on when I thought I was not able to do the
kind of job I expected of myself. Maybe this is "generational"... I always had higher expectations of myself - than anyone
I ever worked for did of me. My best to you on being able to "soldier on" - I just couldn't. Tough for me to "hang 'em up",
but for me - it was the right thing to do given the need to be absolutely clear on what I was doing in my work... and I just
wasn't (or wasn't to the degree I thought I needed to be).

Per my previous (all), I believe the numbers of people affected by this (arthrofibrosis) are
more significant than are generally recognized... and part (maybe the main part) of this -
may be a sort of resignation to this... as some sort of "fate". I suspect that in time... this
will be understood as a preventable and curable (once it is established in a patient) problem.
The unfortunate thing for us all (as patients) is that the incentives are all in the direction of
doing more new surgeries - not understanding why so many do not recover properly or working
seriously on solutions for this. It's a shame to say it - but it just isn't in anyone (except the patient's)
interest to work out the solution. It's much more expedient to do the minimum required number of
follow-up visits... and then release us from their care (and then go on as quickly as possible to the
next surgery). When that paradigm changes - we'll have answers.

Maybe in our lifetimes - and maybe not.

Best to all (and thanks for everyone's responses),

John