Shocked by aging process

Hello, dj12 (@dj12)

Ah, yes, Spice up that cane! Or, as another Connecter in the forum said, "Give your walking stick a personality"! I'm all for it. I'm encouraged to hear how your chemo has shown increasingly positive results. That's something for which a person can be genuinely thankful.

Lately, I've felt that I might soon be needing to retire my cane and turn instead for better stability to a walker. My unsteady balance is due entirely to my neuropathy, but my most bullheaded efforts to improve my balance, which demands at a minimum that I strengthen my legs, are frustrated not by my neuropathy but by my ailing left knee which is jam-packed with arthritis. I had my right knee replaced 20 years ago (when I was 20 years younger, living with a life-partner, and not yet showing signs of neuropathy). Time and again I set aside consideration of a second replacement (I'm 20 years older, live alone, and have neuropathy-related balance issues) …

… until last Wednesday when I had an extended chat with my orthopedist who counseled me on how he and I might do a second replacement while keeping me safe post-op and throughout the weeks-long recovery period. So, I've decided to get this second replacement. I drove home from the orthopedist's office feeling ebullient, bouncy, happier than I've felt for a long time with my neuropathy-possessed body. 🙂

A knee replacement is not going to "fix" my neuropathy. I'm not so foolish that I might think so. No, my neuropathy will be there waiting for me post-op, but at least (or so I'm hoping) I'll finally be able to work on leg strengthening without my left knee screaming bloody murder!

All my best to you, dj2! Let me know in what way you spice up that cane! 🙂
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

Hello, dj12 (@dj12)

Ah, yes, Spice up that cane! Or, as another Connecter in the forum said, "Give your walking stick a personality"! I'm all for it. I'm encouraged to hear how your chemo has shown increasingly positive results. That's something for which a person can be genuinely thankful.

Lately, I've felt that I might soon be needing to retire my cane and turn instead for better stability to a walker. My unsteady balance is due entirely to my neuropathy, but my most bullheaded efforts to improve my balance, which demands at a minimum that I strengthen my legs, are frustrated not by my neuropathy but by my ailing left knee which is jam-packed with arthritis. I had my right knee replaced 20 years ago (when I was 20 years younger, living with a life-partner, and not yet showing signs of neuropathy). Time and again I set aside consideration of a second replacement (I'm 20 years older, live alone, and have neuropathy-related balance issues) …

… until last Wednesday when I had an extended chat with my orthopedist who counseled me on how he and I might do a second replacement while keeping me safe post-op and throughout the weeks-long recovery period. So, I've decided to get this second replacement. I drove home from the orthopedist's office feeling ebullient, bouncy, happier than I've felt for a long time with my neuropathy-possessed body. 🙂

A knee replacement is not going to "fix" my neuropathy. I'm not so foolish that I might think so. No, my neuropathy will be there waiting for me post-op, but at least (or so I'm hoping) I'll finally be able to work on leg strengthening without my left knee screaming bloody murder!

All my best to you, dj2! Let me know in what way you spice up that cane! 🙂
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

@ray666 Wow, Ray (@ray666)! This I was not expecting to read, just perusing through posts I hadn't seen in several days. You sound absolutely giddy! You KNOW my prayers go with you on this, from today on. All of us who know you through Connect will be wanting you to keep us posted, at least from time to time, about your experiences, progress, and outcome. We already know about your resilience 👍 . I, for one, am so happy for you, that your orthopedist is optimistic about all this. Cheers, indeed!!
Barb

@ray666

Best of luck with your surgery.

My aunt who is 91 has a walking stick, she doesn't like when we call it a
cane, it is taller than her!!!

About 4 years ago I couldn't even walk in a straight line, looked like I
was drunk and I swerved a lot. Sometimes my leg buckled a little. I went to
physical therapy and it helped so much with my balance. I also lost about
40-50 pounds and my knees felt so much better. I still have neuropathy but
nothing I can do. However I swear my neuropathy is better since I lowered
my cholesterol meds. ??

I have a flaming hot fuchsia (very bright pink) rollator and it sure stands
out!! I love the color. I will think about a walking stick.

Almost warm enough to walk every day again outside. I'm in PT now and we
walked around the cul-de-sac plus I have leg exercises.
Take care

Oh, I hear ya! I am not accepting my aging well. It feels like it happened overnight. I was feeling great and loving my age and then all of a sudden I'm having all sorts of different medical situations. I am also overwhelmed with the thought of how many years I have left, which leaves me with many regrets and personal disappointments. I will be 61 in March.

I tried to send a picture but it was too large. I'll try again later.
Yeah, I used to watch double creature feature every Saturday when I was a kid. Now it's Svengolie!
Send a picture of your wrapped cane.

Hi, Barb! (@bjk3)

Giddy? Did I really sound giddy? 🙂 I love that word. As you may know, I'm a word guy. I'm forever looking up words in my Webster's Collegiate, not because I've no idea what they mean, but to find out where they came from. My Webster's tells me that "giddy" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "gydig," meaning "insane." Now I love "giddy" even more! I guess maybe I did sound giddy the other day over the prospect (not yet a sure-thing, only a prospect) of knee surgery. If I did sound giddy, it had to have because it's been years since I'd driven away from a doctor's visit in which the doctor had said, "Here's something I could do for you that might help … " As many of us with incurable conditions experience, we've grown used to our doctors having little else to say but, "Well, I'll see you again in six months. Let me know if there are any changes … " ––not expecting there'll be any changes (other than changes for the worse). I did drive away with a powerful "WOW!" feeling. I'm realistic, though. A knee replacement will not do diddly (Webster's "diddly": Eng. dia., to move back and forth; to rearrange) for my PN, but (fingers crossed) it will relief the pain in the knee that is preventing me from doing all I can to build leg strength, which (again, fingers crossed) will help with the management of my PN-related balances woes. All to be revealed in the coming months! Thank you, Barb, for your kind words! And for your prayers, too!

Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

@ray666 love your spirit…it’s great medicine !