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[Bakersdozen]

It seems everyone of this forum is having trouble with their knees or various body parts.  Zweefer, Jack, and rodmaker(who is under the weather) to name some.

Friday I went to see an Orthopedic Doctor regarding my arthritic knee.  I don't know what took so long to get a referral.  Perhaps I didn't press the issue with my MD.  The Orthopedic office actually took an x-ray (a first for that knee) and even I could see how bad the situation is.  I walked in expecting to get a cortisone shot.  The multiple doctors I saw Friday all say surgery is the answer.  They wanted to put the surgery on the calendar that day!  I couldn't schedule it!  I was so flabbergasted I couldn't begin to schedule it.
After letting this sink it for a couple of days, I see that surgery is my only alternative.  I can't go on like this as the situation is deteriorating and causing a strain on the other knee.  It was pointed out that cysts were forming on the bones. 
 
I found it interesting, the older doctor I spoke with, said "This looks like it's been going on for about 10 years."  When I got home and spoke with my husband, we did the math.  Yup, it had been exactly 10 years!

As I lay in bed Friday night, unable to sleep because of visions of the x-rays going through my mind, I kept thinking of Jack aka brooksbeefarm.  He has said, on several occasions, that he was sorry he waited so long to get the situation taken care of.  Those are words of encouragement.  Thanks Jack. 

[efmesch]

There was a time when pushing it off was a wise course of action, but over the past several years these joint replacement operations have advanced so well that they are considered highly safe and highly successful.  The replacement parts are of a much higher quality than in the early years --- recovery is faster and the parts themselves are very successful and long lasting.
Go to it with a justifiable feeling that it will succeed.  Before you know it you'll be back to dancing--painlessly.

[brooksbeefarm]

B12, Don't dread it, look forward to it . The worst part of it on my first knee was the month and a half of waiting and thinking about it before the surgery, the second one was a breeze. My wife had her right knee done last Dec. and by March she could kick my Butt again One of my brothers had one knee done in Jan. and couldn't wait to get the other one done 3 months later, he's doing great, But he's still Ugly. Jack

[Jen]

Hi Baker    you and I have talked about this before. Both of my knees are giving me sharp pains. I've been using bee venom therapy for those sharp pains now for about 5 years, one sting to each knee about every 2-3 weeks. It Works! However, I do know that there will come a time when I'll need the bigger guns.

My doc said that there is A LOT of bone in the knee joints that can be worn down before surgery is neccessary.

I know that your situation is different from mine. And I also feel from you, that you will worry when you have to take time off of work and the children you care for in order to recover from the surgery. I agree with the others, do yourself a favor for the second half of your life, be pain free and carry on my friend 

[Zweefer]

Being in the middle of it, id say go for it. Yes, the recovery is frustrating, but even now to move it without that click and knowing the locking won't happen any more is worth it! 
Keep us posted please.