musings, life lessons & poetry from Theresa Jarosz Alberti

Tag: knee replacement

A TALE OF ADVOCACY: TWO KNEES AND A SURGEON

Published on my one year “a-knee-versary” of my first knee replacement surgery…


I was so angry at my surgeon. He’d finally agreed to operate on me, but his initial refusal to give me total knee replacement surgery had resulted in more than a year of excruciating pain and disability. Facing the upcoming surgery, I knew I needed to let go of my negative feelings before he sliced me open. It was time to focus on positive energy so that I’d be in the best frame of mind to heal.

Over and over again in the weeks before surgery, I thought: I forgive him his ignorance. He doesn’t know me, my strength, my abilities. I’ll show I’m I’m a good candidate for this surgery despite his misgivings. I will be a success. Continue reading

Recovery, and Life’s Little Circles

Greetings from Day 10 after my knee replacement! I’m learning that recovery after a surgery like this is not for the faint of heart. I knew going in that it was going to be hard and take time, but now that I’m actually in it, I’m understanding it in a much deeper way. The new knee itself hurts, and yet you HAVE TO use it, walk on it, do your PT, if you want it to get better and have a good range of movement. So suck it up, Buttercup; it will pay off before you know it. Continue reading

What’s in a Year?

New Accoutrements

My Facebook Memories has reminded me that it’s now been a year since the cortisone shots stopped working for my knees. This began a long trip down the rabbit hole to a kind of year I didn’t know was in store for me. Instead of getting my freelance writing gig going or finding a job, I started dealing with Pain–  stabbing, burning, achingly sore, white-knuckling-it, limping my way through my days. Bone-on-bone arthritic knees end up throwing off the whole body, and the pain over here can lead to pain over there. And sleep, which should be a rest and a respite, gets mucked up by Pain, and leads to a night of tossing and turning with soreness.

My, that sounds fun, doesn’t it? Continue reading

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