I haven't had knee surgery but have had major surgeries. The 1998 one knocked me out of commission for months and ended up causing us to sell our previous house and buy this one (sell split level with lots of stairs and buy bungalow...) This year's surgery was a relative piece of cake so I don't anticipate any serious impact on garden season. From my previous experience, my advice is take the time you need to recover well but keep doing as much as you can because once you stop doing something it's very hard indeed to start doing it again. And the more you do, the more you can do. And never underestimate the healing power of the garden. Pay attention to what is difficult to do and be creative in finding ways around the things that are difficult to do. My garden is not 'low maintenance' but is easy maintenance - i.e. things are set up to make it easy for me to do things and I consider long term maintenace issues when I'm considering whether or not to plant a particular plant. For instance, I avoid things that need frequent dividing. Take care of yourself but don't give up on the things you enjoy.

My FIL had knee replacement this past October. He's in his mid-80s. The first month was rougher than we all expected but he's fine now and more active - and pain-free - than he's been in years.

The doctor tells you that it is elective. But when the pain gets bad enough you "elect" to either have the surgery or live with so much pain that it interferes with your life to the point that you can no longer enjoy gardening.

I had my first total knee replacement in October 2008. Several physical therapists told me that many patients say the pain before surgery is worse than the pain associated with the surgery. I did not believe them until my other knee got so bad that I have pain most of the time and very limited ability to do anything.

I will have torn muscles in my shoulder and arm repaired next week. When they heal I will be able to use a walker that is required with knee replacement. I do not dread the second knee replacement I welcome it. When it heals I will be able to enjoy gardening without pain.

I have two friends had a knee replacement, with in a month of each other. Both are in the 70's. Maybe a year and a half ago. Both were very good about doing their rehab and exercises.
Both are doing fine now. One has stairs and the other is a gardener.

Kathy

I had a broken foot during fall clean up season one year. So I had to ignore that. Then one year I had to have surgery for endo. during spring planting. Luckily the surgeon got me in ASAP so I was able to plant during the end of our planting season, and I was able to winter sow the few days before I went in, with the help of hubby who kindly moved my bags of soil around for me etc. So I had plants to put in the ground.
If you need the surgery, don't put it off. I mean if you can't do what you need to do because you waited, or are in extreme pain and immobility, what good will that do you this spring either? Get it done, I say!!!

You guys ARE the best - thanks. I was happy when he said I needed surgery, cause it validated the pain that I have had for so many years. I tore ligaments in this knee 43 years ago, as a teen. There was nothing that could be done then, other than to put a cast on it, let it heal and lose 1/3 of my knee's range of motion. As a teen, that was a no-brainer. It's gotten way worse over the years!!! I work for several different DRs, and I talked to one, you know, about friends who said, oh, lose 20 lbs., your knee won't bother you. The cardiologist I work for said, don't worry, you'll lose weight from the surgery. That kinda scared me, like, what??

Thanks all, I feel better now!!!

Nancy.

Nancy, I second everyone's advice to follow the dr.'s rules, don't rush anything before he gives the okay, and do the rehab. Although not quite the same, I know folks who have had hip replacements and wondered why they had put up with the pain for so long before having the surgery. It may not be perfect timing, but it will make the late (not sure how long you'll be taking it easy, so just a guess-with luck you'll change this word to early) summer all the more glorious for you!

Cynthia

I didn't have knee surgery, although the doctor says I'll need that eventually.

Two years ago I had carpel tunnel surgery on my right hand in March and I'm right handed. I wanted to put it off until the summer (when I had my left hand done) but it couldn't wait, they said I would have permanent nerve damage. It was a pretty bad year for the flower beds as I couldn't grasp anything small like weeds until end of summer and I couldn't hold a trowel at all. It was really difficult to watch my beds look so dreadful that year.

Last spring there was a lot of extra cleanup work because of weeds but by the summer it looked nice again and the surgery was a distant memory.

Good luck to you and don't push it, you don't want to build up excess scar tissue because you pushed too hard. It will make your outcome less than optimal and your gardens will be there for you when you have fully recovered.

Carol

Carol - I had carpal tunnel surgery done on my left hand several years ago - and yes, I am left handed - lol. Yes, long recovery time on that. I have heard that hip surgery is almost total instantaneous relief. Not so bunion surgery, which I also have had - that was tough.
Thanks Cyn - I look forward to be able to garden on my knees, instead of bent at the waist!! I just got the package from the DR yesterday, so need to sit and read it through a couple of times.

Nancy.

Keep us posted, so we can send all good thoughts your way. You can garden vicariously through us-I'll be able to share all those stories about not being able to get up from a sitting position when I garden-no way I can kneel!!!

Cynthia

I had my right knee replaced in may of 08,and while the recovery was painful for a few weeks,you can get through it as long as you follow the dr's orders and do all the therapy.
HOWEVER,my dr suggested i NOT kneel on that knee,like in the garden etc,so i have this little Ames cart i roll around on to garden,and if i get near a slope or something where it might roll,i just stick one of my small garden tools under the wheel.2 mos after that surgery i was diagnosed with breast cancer,went thru all that surgery,chemo and all and i'm back out iin the yard again.

My motto is"you won't know if you can do it,til you try" & where there's a will,there's a way!!!
Kathi

Kathi - wow, thanks. Good to know - how long did it take till you could drive?? When did you go back to work, or normal, or whatever??

My favourite like that motto is, "One never knows how far one can go, until one goes too far." lol.

Nancy.

Nancy, that IS a great quote! Just don't follow that motto after your surgery!!!!!! You can relax and think up trivia for us during the week when TM takes a break-teehee.

Great topic- I've been putting off my total knee surgery for some years now. But I've also read that kneeling isn't recommended after replacement- that's one of the reasons I've been delaying surgery.

mcmann - you can't be in enough pain. I can barely walk - I am on 1000 mg of Naproxyn(coated) and 4 - 6 Tylenol 1's every day. I have not seen anything saying you can't kneel. I know I can't play hockey anymore - lol!!! I can't jog either - ROTFLMAO. Like I ever did - I'd like to just walk without pain. Or wake up without pain. That would work for me!!

Thanks for your feed-back - I'm not dissing you. Just saying, I'll be happy to not have 24-7 pain.

Nancy.

Whoa, Nancy. Those are some strong meds! DH takes Naproxyn. Hope you can get this taken care of sooner than later! I am so sorry you're in such pain at this point.

The naproxyn is coated, like I said. What they (the MD's) don't tell you is that the Nsaids - non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs - suck the potassium out of your body. This causes leg cramps, and palpitations. They are nasty drugs, but necessary in the short term.

And Mcmann,sorry, you caught me in a bad moment.

Nancy.

All I would add to what everyone else has said here is to get as much muscle building exercise before the surgery as you can stand on the muscles around that knee. The recovery period following surgery can be lengthy depending on several factors, your age, general health and flexibility. So when you do finally get into rehab you will have lost some of the strength that was already there in the tendons and muscles. Essentially, you will be starting rehab in worse shape than before you had the surgery. By getting some rehab before the surgery you will have less catching-up to do afterwards.

Seamommy, it's interesting that you say that!! I still walk as much as I can - there is a limit, unfortunately, and pushing it isn't worth it. I want to rake a bit today, we'll see how that goes. I have had 'muscle problems' with this leg for several years - muscles that contracted and wouldn't release, etc. I now think it has to do with my body's natural instinct to protect the joint. I am not using the muscles the way they should be used. Interestingly, the same happened before I had bunion surgery. The more I walked, the more I ended up with shin splints. If you know of some good exercises, I'd love to start them!!!

Nancy.