Oh no...knee surgery right before trip! Advice?

[HWY20RIDE4MYSON]

You might also consider a knee brace with the built in cold packs. Something like this:

A little pricy, but I am sure there are similar kinds out there that cost less.

im getting one of these!! I think the brace is a great idea, post knee surgery the Knee can be very unstable, you dont wanna take a chance on him slipping or off balanced... Im not a DR but have had 2 knee surgeries, now I have arthritic knee but to young for TKR WTH!!!! lol

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

im getting one of these!! I think the brace is a great idea, post knee surgery the Knee can be very unstable, you dont wanna take a chance on him slipping or off balanced... Im not a DR but have had 2 knee surgeries, now I have arthritic knee but to young for TKR WTH!!!! lol

Just FYI, but OS's are doing knee replacements younger now. I'm "only" 52, and my OS didn't bat an eye when he looked at my x-rays. It's his belief that if it's affecting your quality of life, when you are younger, to the point where you can't enjoy your life and are restricted to basically being a "couch potato", then it's better for you, in the long run, to get the surgery done earlier. I'd rather be in an ECV when I'm 72, with a worn-out knee part, than not being able to walk when I'm 52. Im not going to want to do the Fire Surf School at Aulani when I'm 72, or walk around Disney for the day, or go to Red Rock Ampitheater (Is swear 1,000 steps!!), or hike trails when I'm 72, but I want to do those things NOW. Some may say he's approving it because it's more "money in his pocket", but my OS is an Army COL, so he gets paid no matter what!

 

[mxfourlife262]

You might also consider a knee brace with the built in cold packs. Something like this:

A little pricy, but I am sure there are similar kinds out there that cost less.

FWIW, this is not a knee brace, it's just a holder for an ice pack. After my ACL surgery, being the active guy I am, the doc prescribed me a knee brace. It was a Breg Fusion like this

Make sure your doctor prescribes it, it runs about $520, insurance will pay for it if the doc says he needs it. it is an outstanding brace, it held up to 2 years of racing dirtbikes before my knee got strong enough I quit wearing it.

 

[fla4fun]

I would say his doctor would be the best source of info regarding whether he should "walk" or "ride" for the trip. An ECV would be easier on both of you than a wheelchair, and you can rent them from an off property company cheaper than relying on the ones in the Disney parks (which they can run out of). My parents had to use ECV's at various times, and they didn't slow us down a bit. In fact, I had to practially run to keep up with them!

I hope everything goes smoothly and he's up and around in no time!

 

[lustergirl]

Never heard of stem cells involved with a cartilage problem (I've had 3 surgeries for torn cartilage in the knee). If it's just a torn maniscus he should be good to go in 2 weeks or so.

2 weeks for a torn meniscus? Maybe for you. My son was on crutches for 4 weeks and couldn't bear any weight on his leg during that time. He is an athlete and the dr said this was the normal time for a person in his condition. After that he had physical therapy for 4 wks. Forgot to add that his meniscus was not only torn but flipped and touching the other side. Yea it wasn't pretty.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Here is information about stem cell (adult, not embriotic) regeneration of cartilage. Unfortunately, it's very expensive a Nd not covered by most insurance companies....

http://orthopedicstemcellinstitute.com/?gclid=CP7ml_q2mbECFYcBQAodkzJCgw

 

[littlewitch34]

Meniscal repair surgery... I had the surgery in December and was in a brace for 8 weeks, and in PT until May, and would have kept going maybe a little bit longer, had I not moved home from school for the summer.

Honestly? You might want to consider an ECV or a wheelchair. I know I could walk for a while, but having the ability to sit is key. Finally collapsing into a seat after a walk the length of maybe Main Street, U.S.A. to Space Mountain (which was a slow, slow, slow lurch, at best, for me) was like Heaven.

 

[mdsoccermom]

Crumbs! Just found out that DH is going to have to have knee surgery at the end of the month, which may require him to be on crutches for 6 weeks post-op. The problem is that our WDW vacation is 8 weeks post op! That would theoretically only give him two weeks off crutches to be ready for the miles of daily walking.

He is NOT thrilled with the idea of using a wheelchair or ECV. We had to rent one on our honeymoon for a day when I hurt my ankle at Epcot and that whole day in the chair was not fun for me or for him pushing.

I'm guessing we'll have to scale back on our usual commando style in favor of a slower gentler pace, and even plan to cave in and rent a wheelchair if the walking gets to be too much. He's just kind of crestfallen about the whole thing (thrilled to be getting his knee fixed, because he's in a LOT of pain), but he's really worried that it will ruin the trip. We only go on vacation every other year and our vacations are rare and precious so i know he's bummed about the prospect of this much anticipated trip being somehow "lessened"?

Has anyone gone to the world right after a surgery, particularly a leg/knee/foot surgery? Any tips? I keep telling him that even sitting on a bench on Main Street sharing an ice-cream with him for a week would be vacation enough for me! Just being there. So I know we'll make the most of the trip no matter what.

I didn't read all the posts. My husband just had surgery on Wednesday to repair his mangled and torn meniscus and some other cartilage. We're leaving to drive down on Thursday night. The doctor told him to get up and work in bending it and putting weight on it pretty much right away (I'm a veteran of 2 arthroscopics and 2 reconstructions, so lying about feeling sorry for himself isn't an option anyway). He's up on crutches and today he's at a coaching course he organized. He plans to go to work on Monday. It's painful, but he's making strides in his movement.

The key is to not overdo it. If he's in pain, then he needs to consider an ECV or wheelchair. Also, if he has no stitches, the pool will be good for him.

2 weeks for a torn meniscus? Maybe for you. My son was on crutches for 4 weeks and couldn't bear any weight on his leg during that time. He is an athlete and the dr said this was the normal time for a person in his condition. After that he had physical therapy for 4 wks. Forgot to add that his meniscus was not only torn but flipped and touching the other side. Yea it wasn't pretty.

Every person and doctor is different. My husband's meniscus was torn and twisted. He's 45 and a soccer player. Like I said above, his doctor told him to put weight on it right away and start moving it. As of now, there are no plans for PT.

 

[minnie mum]

2 weeks recovery time. 4 weeks. 4 months. Which is correct? Answer: all or none of the above. Arthroscopic knee surgery is a blanket term that only means they're using an arthroscopic approach to do the surgery. There are all kinds of surgeries that can be done on the knee using this approach, and many have to do with the meniscus. The length of recovery and the restrictions placed on the patient during recovery depends on the exact nature of the surgery itself. Unfortunately the OP will probably have to wait until the surgery has been done to know exactly how long her DH will be on crutches and what activity restrictions he may face.

 

[myjourney]

Yikes! I can relate, my husband is going in next month for a total knee replacement, he had one done last May and was back to work in 12 weeks. He worked real hard at the excercises and did all the physical therapy. We are not looking forward to going through this all over again for the other knee but he sure cannot walk the parks the way it is. I doubt he will use a chair of any kind, maybe take a cane along if he needs it...time will tell, you never know how fast a person heals up, hope yours goes smoothly.

Bev

I had TKR and was back to work full time in 5 weeks but when I went to WDW five months after I had to rent an ECV, it is just too much walking. I was very glad I did and had a great time. I will be getting the other knee done this October.

 

[Jennasis]

Here is information about stem cell (adult, not embriotic) regeneration of cartilage. Unfortunately, it's very expensive a Nd not covered by most insurance companies....

http://orthopedicstemcellinstitute.com/?gclid=CP7ml_q2mbECFYcBQAodkzJCgw

The procedure he is possibly having is that they drill/tap into your bone to expose the marrow (wherein there is apparently stem cells??). That's what DH said the surgeon said and it is covered by our insurance. It's called microfracture. Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfracture_surgery

There is no harvesting of stem cells or anything.

Procedure

The surgery is performed by arthroscopy, after the joint is cleaned of calcified cartilage. Through use of an awl, the surgeon creates tiny fractures in the subchondral bone plate.[9] Blood and bone marrow (which contains stem cells) seep out of the fractures, creating a blood clot that releases cartilage-building cells. The microfractures are treated as an injury by the body, which is why the surgery results in new, replacement cartilage.[

 

[MaxsDad]

The procedure he is possibly having is that they drill/tap into your bone to expose the marrow (wherein there is apparently stem cells??). That's what DH said the surgeon said and it is covered by our insurance. It's called microfracture. Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfracture_surgery

There is no harvesting of stem cells or anything.

My wife just had this surgery 3 weeks ago and it hasn't been an easy recovery so far. I am not sure how she is going to handle our disney trip in November, but I know that I would rather she get a wheelchair and be unhappy about it than be in pain. I think people, even those who have been a ton of times, forget how much walking there actually is there. I know that was the case with me when we went prior to my back surgery in 2009. I thought I could at least do DHS since that is a relatively smaller park, but we ended up leaving by noon for me to go back to the hotel to take some pain pills and pass out. I didn't mess around for the rest of the week and used a wheelchair.

Point being, even if he isn't happy in a wheelchair, you might be able to enjoy the trip more than if he was in pain. And as someone else mentioned, talk to your DR, that is probably the best advice you will get here.

Also, don't know if you have checked out the disabilities section of the board but it is helpful.

Good luck with the surgery and his recovery.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

The procedure he is possibly having is that they drill/tap into your bone to expose the marrow (wherein there is apparently stem cells??). That's what DH said the surgeon said and it is covered by our insurance. It's called microfracture. Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfracture_surgery

There is no harvesting of stem cells or anything.

Thanks! That's pretty cool!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

My wife just had this surgery 3 weeks ago and it hasn't been an easy recovery so far. I am not sure how she is going to handle our disney trip in November, but I know that I would rather she get a wheelchair and be unhappy about it than be in pain. I think people, even those who have been a ton of times, forget how much walking there actually is there. I know that was the case with me when we went prior to my back surgery in 2009. I thought I could at least do DHS since that is a relatively smaller park, but we ended up leaving by noon for me to go back to the hotel to take some pain pills and pass out. I didn't mess around for the rest of the week and used a wheelchair.

Point being, even if he isn't happy in a wheelchair, you might be able to enjoy the trip more than if he was in pain. And as someone else mentioned, talk to your DR, that is probably the best advice you will get here.

Also, don't know if you have checked out the disabilities section of the board but it is helpful.

Good luck with the surgery and his recovery.

I agree, or better yet an ECV...it can be hot enough, without you having to push a wheelchair too. I just reserved an EVC for 1 full week for under $200 (with 10% military discount). I, personally, don't mind I'll be in an ECV, but I wouldn't want to have my spouse have the responsibility of using his energy to push me around in a wheelchair.

 

[bytheblood]

Originally Posted by rwdavis2
Never heard of stem cells involved with a cartilage problem (I've had 3 surgeries for torn cartilage in the knee). If it's just a torn maniscus he should be good to go in 2 weeks or so.

There's always an expert without a degree in the group.

2 weeks for a torn meniscus? Maybe for you. My son was on crutches for 4 weeks and couldn't bear any weight on his leg during that time. He is an athlete and the dr said this was the normal time for a person in his condition. After that he had physical therapy for 4 wks. Forgot to add that his meniscus was not only torn but flipped and touching the other side. Yea it wasn't pretty.

Everybody is different. Not all people heal the same or deal the same.

My husband had reconstructive surgery and was back to playing Division 1 soccer in 4/5 months. If that was me, I would have taken 2 - 3x the amount of time to heal and get back to the game.

I friend of ours blew out his knee playing semi pro.... he required reconstructive on it and was doing PT on a mini trampoline 1 week after surgery and was back to playing semi-pro soccer only 6 weeks later.

 

[Jennasis]

It looks like we'll prep for the worst (needing a wheelchair or ECV) and hope for the best. Someone had suggested using the chair/ECV to drive to a central spot, park and walk around and then drive it to the next spot...like drive to one country in WS and then walk around the country and then drive it to the next country and park and walk around. Definitely keeping that one in mind!

Quick question...what does it cost to rent a wheelchair per day? how about an ECV? the bummer is that I actually have an ECV I could bring with us (DH's grandfather has one he can't use due to paralysis). But there is no way he or I can be lifting that thing in and out of the trunk of the car. Not even sure it would fit in our little Jetta. We may be able to scrounge up his grandfather's spare wheelchair, but I'd be so upset if either got stolen, so might be better to rent.

 

[mar2c1]

I had knee surgery 2 wks ago .WE leave for trip Aug 3 .
I have scooter res. at Apple Scooter for 8 days for 200.00.
GOOD LUCK

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I just reserved mine (ECV) this week for $30 a day from Walker Mobility...they did have a model for $20 a day. It will be waiting for us in the luggage area when we check in, and we leave it with luggage when we check out!! Very easy....and cheaper than a typical meal for two at WDW!

 

[SueM in MN]

It looks like we'll prep for the worst (needing a wheelchair or ECV) and hope for the best. Someone had suggested using the chair/ECV to drive to a central spot, park and walk around and then drive it to the next spot...like drive to one country in WS and then walk around the country and then drive it to the next country and park and walk around. Definitely keeping that one in mind!

Quick question...what does it cost to rent a wheelchair per day? how about an ECV? the bummer is that I actually have an ECV I could bring with us (DH's grandfather has one he can't use due to paralysis). But there is no way he or I can be lifting that thing in and out of the trunk of the car. Not even sure it would fit in our little Jetta. We may be able to scrounge up his grandfather's spare wheelchair, but I'd be so upset if either got stolen, so might be better to rent.

Follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
Post 2 of that thread has information about renting ECVs and wheelchairs, including links to the websites and phone numbers from offsite rental places that DIS posters recommend most.

Also, check out the index in post 1 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread - you will probably find more information that will be helpful with an ECV, wheelchair or mobility problem.