Bad knees

[pflaming]

Last week Knees were hurting so bad I could not work more than 15 minutes at a time. So Monday called the doctor. So yesterday, Friday, I got an injection in each knee. Then I asked Doc what the X Rays he took in early May revealed!  That idiot knew 120 days ago that my knees were bone on bone with spurs every where and did not tell me. I wonder if he even looked at them!

Maybe 15+ years ago a podiatrist required X-rays before an appointment. When I saw him he started to treat my foot, so I asked, what did the X Rays reveal?  He replied that he didn't need them.  I lowered myself from the table, picked a magazine from the rack and informed him I was going NO WHERE until I saw pictures with my name on them on his board and I didn't. It took him a little time but he produced the pictures. Doctors!! Got to help pay for the equipment.  

[knuckleharley]

Both of mine are bad,as well as both hands and both shoulders. Was a career Special Forces NCO during the VN war,flat-track and moto-cross raced motorcycles,built and rode choppers on the highway,and drank way too much whiskey to even know what "give a damn" meant.

Now I am paying the price for all of the above,plus a bad back from a parachute accident on Okinawa. Have cortisone shots in both shoulders so I can raise my arms up high enough to put a t-shirt on,right hand usually won't close on it's own,right knee just gives away at times without warning,etc,etc,etc.

It's all a part of being old and there ain't a damn thing any of us can do about it but pay the doctors and wait to see what happens next.

Also have COPD,but got that from personal stupidity. I cut away mold and mildew when remodeling my house 20 years ago,and didn't wear a respirator. Now I can't breathe well enough to be able to breathe while wearing one.

None of the above makes working on old cars easy. It just means it takes more time and you have to buy more tools so you can do the work. I even bought a car hoist because my days of bending over to do brake work or other low work are over. Just can't do it. With the lift I can raise the car high enough to sit and work on it,or to walk under it to work.

Because of all of the above I know have the shop so I can work indoors and when push comes to shove,can just leave my tools where they lay and go into my shop "office" to lay down to rest,use the toilet,or get something to eat. Had to have it because sometimes I can't make it to the house when something goes wrong.

Because of the arthritis in my hands I now own a bunch of power tools and a 2 stage compressor.

Because of my breathing problems my shop is now air-conditioned so I can breathe in the summer.

All the stuff that would have been nice to own back when we were younger are now essential items.

We live,we learn,and we adapt.

Of course it would have been a lot nicer to have learned earlier in life,but this is the nature of life.

Edited September 3, 2016 by knuckleharley

[Bobacuda]

Just want to say I liked Knuckleharley's post because he has many of the same problems many of us do (and for many of the same reasons), but he isn't whining or making excuses -  he is simply telling us how he sucks it up and deals with it.  I truly appreciate that attitude.

[Plymouthy Adams]

as late as 2003 my right knee would go out without any notice and or provocation.  had been this way for years...this would occur about monthly ...and at the later date it would be that when I drove the distance to my monthly reserves meeting that when I got back the Monday morning pain was just awful.  Being a nervous ninny at times I asked to be check for RA..come back clean but not explanation for pain.  Long story short...I did some reading, took myself off dark colas  (read phosphoric acid, also a cola-holic) and have not had a knee blow out since.  Rest of my body pains have cleared up for the most part and for the record I also took myself off artificial sweeteners almost a year now...while this may not be the answer for some..it has been excellent for myself..I worked this spring an 1/2 of summer digging trees and shrubs by the roots and never went to bed or woke up the next morning sore.  I may add that I sleep better with the artificial sweeteners gone.  Try it...you got nothing to lose but pain.....even if it lessens your aggravation you are ahead of the game..

Edited September 3, 2016 by Plymouthy Adams