Unclejarhead
New member
Ok, I can walk, but no more than a couple blocks since both knees are shot(worn out)(not shot) since my service in the Marine Corps
Im kinda disabled, kinda
- Thread starter Unclejarhead
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Unclejarhead
New member
Sparse Gray Hackle
Geezer
So far, my knees are troublesome, but not worn out. Is knee replacement an option for you? Our family has a history of arthritis in the knees and hips, and replacement has made a big difference in their lives.
Semper Fi
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
Can't the VA provide some new knees?
cruzerbotz
New member
Interesting on the knees. Mine were worn out years ago. 1979 torn cartilage. 2001 left knee scoped. 2002 right knee scoped. 2009 Both replaced. Pretty good until maybe eighteen months ago when thee left started giving me trouble. Went to the doc in September. No fluid on it, but it was half again the size of the right knee. And, the plastic was wearing out. Could easily see where it was much thinner than the right. Went into the hospital yesterday morning. Plastic changed out and the swelling was scar tissue. Doc said he had never seen so much scar tissue in a knee. He got all of that out. Hopefully, now it will be better. Came home at noon today.
Now, this Fall can do some serious hunting. And, am more willing to head to the boondocks now.
Now, this Fall can do some serious hunting. And, am more willing to head to the boondocks now.
I've never gone into detail on it, mostly because I have a causal suspicion, but no real proof, but I am definately mobility limited due to degenerative disk disorder. This creates a sitaution where the sciatic nerve gets pinched on a positional basis. For longer walks I HAVE to use either a cane, or trekking poles. I prefer the Trekking poles, but they look funny for use in the city. I can no longer drive a manual transmission vehicle because I can't rely on knowing what my left leg is doing pressure wise since I can't feel it, or all I feel is like electricity or fire...
I've got veteran friends and bad knees seems to be pretty common. We do some hiking, but for brief distances, and always take lightweight hunters stools with us to sit, rest, and then pick back up and go when ready.
The big thing is to make adjustments for your current level of ability.
I've got veteran friends and bad knees seems to be pretty common. We do some hiking, but for brief distances, and always take lightweight hunters stools with us to sit, rest, and then pick back up and go when ready.
The big thing is to make adjustments for your current level of ability.
I had a motorcycle accident back in 2011, it destroyed my left shoulder (snapped colar bone off on both ends and shattered the shoulder blade) and busted every rib on my left side. They did surgery to rebuild the shoulder as best they could and installed a titanium plate to hold everything together. They did nothing for the ribs other than allow time to heal them.
Once i was healed i went back to work and then in 2013 i was involved in an accident at work. It crushed three disks in my neck, one of which had the spinal cord pinched and was causing excrusiating pain. It also compressed another disk in my thorasic spine which they refuse to do surgery on until the pain become intolerable due to risk involved in that surgery.
It also busted my head open which resulted in a traumatic brain injury and cognitive issues.
They did surgery to remove the middle of the three crushed neck discs and replaced it with an insert and another titanium plate to hold things together. The Doctors were amazed for some reason that i wasnt paralyzed by the spinal injury and the pinched spinal cord. They patched up my head and installed 148 stitches to seal it up. They then told me i could no longer perform my job because it was safety sensitive so they forced me out of my job and after months of doctors and lawyers they said i am 100% disabled and forced me to survive on my disability pension. Of course there are different levels of being disabled, you can be only partially disabled and still able to secure gainful employment doing other things.
I wont touch on the two lung surgeries i also had unrelated to these incidents other than to say they also played a part in being forced to retire early.
Narcotic pain medicines were the norm for the first few years, but as time passed and things healed i was able to ween myself off of those and use alternatives and change my personal habits to keep pain at a minimum. Call it avoidance behavior if you will, simply avoiding doing things that would cause severe pain to set in. I think the pain after time just becomes the norm and you condition yourself to accept it as the norm.
Once i was healed i went back to work and then in 2013 i was involved in an accident at work. It crushed three disks in my neck, one of which had the spinal cord pinched and was causing excrusiating pain. It also compressed another disk in my thorasic spine which they refuse to do surgery on until the pain become intolerable due to risk involved in that surgery.
It also busted my head open which resulted in a traumatic brain injury and cognitive issues.
They did surgery to remove the middle of the three crushed neck discs and replaced it with an insert and another titanium plate to hold things together. The Doctors were amazed for some reason that i wasnt paralyzed by the spinal injury and the pinched spinal cord. They patched up my head and installed 148 stitches to seal it up. They then told me i could no longer perform my job because it was safety sensitive so they forced me out of my job and after months of doctors and lawyers they said i am 100% disabled and forced me to survive on my disability pension. Of course there are different levels of being disabled, you can be only partially disabled and still able to secure gainful employment doing other things.
I wont touch on the two lung surgeries i also had unrelated to these incidents other than to say they also played a part in being forced to retire early.
Narcotic pain medicines were the norm for the first few years, but as time passed and things healed i was able to ween myself off of those and use alternatives and change my personal habits to keep pain at a minimum. Call it avoidance behavior if you will, simply avoiding doing things that would cause severe pain to set in. I think the pain after time just becomes the norm and you condition yourself to accept it as the norm.
quickfarms
Adventurer
Been disabled for almost 3 decades
Had a Traumatic Brain Injury, TBI, I joke that I actually have a hole in my head. PTSD is back with a vengeance due to Covid. I thought I had this side of it under control but my kids don’t think so because I don’t conform to there view of normal.
Tinnitus from the TBI. Lots of small issues.
The one issue that my kids know about is the 50% use of my left leg and right knee issues due to over use syndrome.
If it wasn’t for my hobbies I would not be able to survive.
I try to spend three mornings a week in my shop working on my projects.
The weekends are spent working on projects or doing something with my family or friends.
Had a Traumatic Brain Injury, TBI, I joke that I actually have a hole in my head. PTSD is back with a vengeance due to Covid. I thought I had this side of it under control but my kids don’t think so because I don’t conform to there view of normal.
Tinnitus from the TBI. Lots of small issues.
The one issue that my kids know about is the 50% use of my left leg and right knee issues due to over use syndrome.
If it wasn’t for my hobbies I would not be able to survive.
I try to spend three mornings a week in my shop working on my projects.
The weekends are spent working on projects or doing something with my family or friends.
WOODY2
Adventurer
Thankfully you have selected a hobby that virtually requires ongoing work/tinkering. It never ends.