I settled in quickly at our friend Thelma’s house near Vail for the first two weeks after my TAR surgery. It is a beautiful fall and the view from my upstairs bedroom is a panorama of yellows, greens and golds. A Daily Routine Develops A routine develops of somewhat uncomfortable, intermittent, (thank God for the urinal) sleep, waking earlier than I would like, draping myself with the nerve block pumps and hobbling cautiously to the […]
Year: 2019
Ankle Replacement Recovery; Necessities to Ease Your Time .
Our dear friend Thelma graciously invited Yolanda and me to spend the first couple weeks of my ankle replacement recovery at her lovely home in the Vail area. My other options, either at our cabin or our condo in the foothills outside Denver, involved difficult situations like uneven ground, carrying firewood, outdoor plumbing or several flights of stairs. Thankfully, Thelma’s got a stairlift eliminating any need to climb stairs on crutches. I’m tentative and apprehensive […]
A Night in the Hospital After A Morning of Ankle Replacement Surgery
My total ankle replacement surgery with the Wright Inbone 2 ankle required only a short 2 1/2 hours. I wouldn’t have known because I was out cold. All I remember was them putting a mask over my nose and mouth, telling me to breathe and then waking up with a massive splint on my leg. Yolanda is by my side and tells me everything had gone well. Being very thirsty, a nurse brings me water […]
Ankle Replacement Final Prep and Almost Getting My Surgery Nixed
Pre-op Preparations After returning home from winterizing our cabin in western Colorado and getting a chance to photograph some Fall Color, it was time to begin the final prep for my ankle replacement surgery. I had received specific instructions from the Vail Hospital and Dr. Clanton’s office. Their goal is for a successful surgery with the least possibility of complications and especially infection. Other than any prescribed medications, I was to quit taking all anti-inflammatory […]
Next Steps Toward Ankle Replacement Surgery
After my decision to have total ankle replacement surgery performed by Dr. Thomas Clanton, the foot and ankle specialist at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, he gave me a prescription for the special CAT scan of my ankle and lower leg that would be used to fabricate the implant and guides particular to my ankle and tibia. This is one of the essential next steps toward total ankle replacement surgery using the Inbone 2 device. […]
The Decision: Total Ankle Replacement Surgery vs Ankle Fusion. Arthroplasty vs Arthrodesis
Disclaimer– This blog is not meant to convey scientific information. It is only my understanding of some of the things I learned as I researched the difference between ankle replacement surgery versus an ankle fusion and my decision for my ankle replacement. You have to apprise your condition, your desired level of activity post-surgery and especially you need to do the research and talk with your orthopedic surgeon to determine what is best for you. […]
A Grim New Reality -My Steps to Ankle Replacement Surgery
To Help Others Understand– I’m writing this blog to help those either going to have or are contemplating having Ankle Replacement Surgery. There’s not a lot of info out there on what to expect especially about the recovery process. What’s out there, a couple of good blogs about the entire ankle replacement surgery process and what to expect were written eight and nine years ago so some updating is in order. Here’s an entertaining one […]