Double Surgery, a good idea?

[pauld767 0]

After being a professional skydiver (only source of income) for a while I got poached back to company that I 'cutaway from' 2 1/2 years ago. Financialy it was a great move, but soul destroying as going from 5-7 days a week at the DZ to 2-3 days every 3 months is indescribeable. Just after rejoing the company I got transfered to the Middle East for a couple months where thankfully, I was able to jump at weekends. Whilst there, I suffered a dislocated shoulder as a result of mid air colision, (I was hit by someone who couldn't stop) during a 16 way. I managed to get it back 'in' and landed without incident. So I took a few months off and continued jumping, no problem. I kept current by jumping (fun jumps and tandems) every 3 months for 2 years.

6 months ago I was out Power Kiting and managed to discolate my right knee, tearing all the Ligaments. Wearing a brace permanantly and no jumping since.

Now to the point, I am going to get the knee opperated on in about 3 weeks and was figuring about asking the Surgeon for a 2 for 1 special! "Whilst I am out for the knee you might as well go ahead and fix the shoulder too."

As I have said, I have been jumping throughout (between the two injuries) with no problems from the shoulder. The last couple weeks I have been getting some muscular pain in the shoulder and am thinking "a sign"? I know that it is just a matter of time before the shoulder gives up again under a stressful situation.

Has any one else had double 'voluntary' surgery like this, at once? How mobile were you after surgery and what sort of recovery time (back to the Sky) did it take? I am prepared to work hard at rehabilitation. Would it be better to take things slower, and get the knee done, and then the shoulder (when or if it becomes a problem)?

After 2 years of relative abstinance and earning good money, I am so ready to get up again, and when I do, I want to be able make up for lost time. The sooner, the better.


Blue Skies.

P.S. I'll welcome coments on recoveries from either type of injury as well, and just combne / overlap the advise.

[jonstark 8]

A few years ago I ran into a friend in a sporting goods store. Man! He looked as though he had been run over by a truck! "What happened to you?!"

He had always had a bum shoulder and knee and wrist and a smashed over nose. He said If I'm going down to recover from one why not get 'em all fixed?

He's real glad he did.

About the only savings I realized durting knee surgery was on anesthesia. I had two problems which we took care of at the same time but I had to pay for each procedure ala carte, full price for each as though he had to open and close for each and do all the set-up. I felt ripped off. Make sure if that's a determining factor that he will indeed offer a reduced price for collateral work.

good luck!

[eeneR 1]

Ok I have not had both at the same time...but have had each done.

DONT DO THEM TOGETHER.....

I would do one at a time and focus. The shoulder was the bigger bitch of the two and im still recovering. However my knee was ACL only not all the ligaments. It wasnt as bad as having my shoudler fixed, but it was still a bitch, 4 months of therapy (they said 6).

Shoulder I had done 3 weeks ago today, I still do not have full strength, but my range is doing very well. They are telling me 6 months till full reccovery, I think I can do it in 4 . (do a search on my shoulder updates for info)

That is just my .02. for what it is worth.

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[tigra 0]

How are you going to hop around on crutches, use a wheelchair or even just keep your balance if you knee and shoulder are out of comission at the same time? Why would you do that to yourself voluntarily? I would think you would lengthen and maybe even jeapordize the healing process for both!

[FrogNog 1]

I'd get a second doctor's opinion on how your shoulder is. Perhaps they could do some diagnostics to tell you whether you really need some work on it.

A doctor offering to upsell an extra limb of surgery "since you'll be out anyway" seems iffy to me.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[eeneR 1]

I dont thing the doc offered..i think this was his idea.

Tigra brings up a very very important point. Crutches....*shudder* that would not be fun with your shoulder...especially since they tell you NO WEIGHT for a few weeks

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[tinfoil 0]

I think FrogNog had some good advice. Also, my experience has been that surgery is the last step.
My right shoulder isn't the greatest. It has fully dislocated about a half dozen times, and about a dozen subluxations. I've gone through physio for it, twice. It's only recently that I've become a candidate for surgery, but I still have to go for testing and a consultation before I'm accepted.
I might be going to an overly cautious sports medicine clinic, but I've has to go through a lot before surgery was an option.
But I'm not a doctor, that was just my $0.02, talk to yours, see what he thinks.

“- - Sumo is the greatest of sports. It has power, grace, speed and cluture. And most importantly, two fat bastards smacking the shit out of each other. ”

[eeneR 1]

Quote

I think FrogNog had some good advice. Also, my experience has been that surgery is the last step.
My right shoulder isn't the greatest. It has fully dislocated about a half dozen times, and about a dozen subluxations. I've gone through physio for it, twice. It's only recently that I've become a candidate for surgery, but I still have to go for testing and a consultation before I'm accepted.
I might be going to an overly cautious sports medicine clinic, but I've has to go through a lot before surgery was an option.
But I'm not a doctor, that was just my $0.02, talk to yours, see what he thinks.

And i see this is something a bit different. I was given the option of doing the therapy, however that is just a bandaid fix. It will never just go away in most cases. I didnt want to waste 2-3 years of screwing around with it, all the while doing more damage every time it sublexed or when it finally dislocated, which as stretched out as everything was...it was emminent. Every time you dislocate you do more and more damage to the cuff and the laberal, not to mention the ligaments and joint

Why fuck around? I agree get it checked out, get the MRI etc. But why risk doing more damage? I cant understand that theory. I made the choice not to screw around for months doing exercise to see if that makes it better, cause it wouldnt. Especially in my case. When a shoulder starts to sublex and dislocate that means that things have loosened up in there and it will continue to do so.

I highly advise talking to your doc, telling him exactly what you expect from your shoulder/knee. Dont make it sound less then it is. All that will do is set you up for further damage or continued therapy or problems. Not worth it in my eyes.

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[ScottMcC 0]

there is a very small, but definable risk each time you go under anesthesia. therefore, minimizing the number of times you do so is probably a good idea. however...knee surgery is often done with spinal anesthesia, and shoulder surgery is often done with a regional block as well, but doing both would require general. I personally would rather avoid general if possible--the possible side effects are much greater.

doing surgery on multiple sites in the body really does require you to completely set up again from the beginning. the only difference is that you don't wake the patient up in between, but you really do have to rescrub, open new equipment, and reprep the patient.

don't do it because of cost--hell, don't even think about the cost unless it's truly a determining factor. think about the fact that you'll be without the use of one arm for about 6 weeks and 1 knee for about 4 weeks, and the combination is pretty tough. if you're up for it, by all means, but if not, recovering twice is not that bad of an option.

[jumpwally 0]

A friend of mine did something similar,,confined himself to a wheelchair for a few monthe ,kicked ass on pt and hasn't looked back since,,,its amatter of the mind.................

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[pauld767 0]

Thanks to all of you for you're advise.

By '2 for 1 special' I was just talking about getting the two jobs done at once, not trying to save a buck. The money is not the issue, the down time is!

Based upon the replies above I'll get the knee done first, and then, if need be, the shoulder.

Blue Skies.

[PrairieDoug 0]

Why are you asking skydivers for medical advice? Would you ask your doctor for skydiving advice?

[lawrocket 3]

I'm no doctor, but I know I would't want to handle both at the same time. I had a hard enough time rehabbing my knee after my surgery without worrying about rehabbing a shoulder, too.

Still, ask your doctor about it, and find out whether the anaesthesiologist would be willing to do it.

My wife is hotter than your wife.