Unfortunately for me my knee replacement surgery has gone incredibly south. Russell and I are requesting donations to assist with our bills as I’ve been out of work way long than expected and face 1 more surgery.

My Journey:

July of this year I choose to have my right knee replaced ( to my fellow joint replacement club members) you know it’s not really a choice; it’s the only way to do the things you love to do with out pain or decreased pain; for me it was affecting all aspects of my everyday day life; everything from walking to doing steps.

July 8th was my knee replacement surgery, the next 2 month I was healing ok and just about finished with PT and ready to return to work.

But- Then Labor Day weekend went very sideways.

A rash developed around my knee incision and a gunky looking spot opened up where a staple was. By Tuesday evening I had 2 dime size pus filled blister point at the bottom of my incision.

September 11th (Thursday) I had a synovial fluid needle aspiration performed. The doctor that did this procedure told me he was very concerned by how the fluid looked. Yellow and very cloudy.

That same afternoon I received a call from my orthopedic surgeon’s office: “Charlie, the results from the needle aspiration are really concerning, non- nucleated cell count is 12,000. The cut off for being ok is 300.

what does this mean?

the knee implant has to be removed.

I meet with new Orthopedic surgeon 9/16 - with lots of anxiety and sheer panic as surgeon explained “ this surgery will be a-salvage operation” “Need to clean out the infection and save the leg first”.

On 9/17 I had surgery to remove knee implant, clean up all tissues and a spacer was inserted. Then doc said we’d let spacer and cement packed with antibiotics do there work.

The surgeon stated that the bacteria had done lots of damage eating away lots of my leg tissue, fat and also leg muscle.

I was inpatient at hospital from 9/16-9/27

I was lucky enough to go under another knee surgery to clean out the knee, replace muscle by utilizing a muscle flap and inserting a new knee implant on 9/24

During my hospital stay I suffered from low blood pressures and low hemoglobin- receiving blood transfusions and albumin.

I was able to leave hospital on 9/ 27.

I learned a valuable new skill - how to hop like a bunny on one leg with a walker.

the joy of having knee immobilizing brace.

What’s next?

I will need to have a skin graph to my knee when the tissue was eaten and not enough was left to close. Hopefully this surgery will be in the next few weeks.

I will continue to do at home antibiotics though PICC line. Everyday brings new challenges but trying to over come pain, stiffness and weird tingling sensations to my knee and right leg are my biggest issues.

Thank you all for reading my story and wish me a speedy recovery. everything happens for a reason, but this one I’m really struggling with. I’m having to relearn how to lift my leg/knee.

switch gears from bending my to keeping my leg straight.