Oak Park Lorena

Hmm, well, maybe I'm nuts, but I actually like many of the Medifast shakes. They even have things like "iced tea" and "hot chocolate" that are decent and don't have that gross, chalky quality that most protein drinks do. You can't buy them in a store, but available on line.

Yippee, just got my date today--August 23rd. Let's go August!

I just got my date: August 23rd. At University of Chicago with Prachand. Yay, so excited!

Hey Trish4, One more thing to think about: you don't need general anesthesia! I've had two complete knee replacements myself. I had what is called a minimally invasive procedure with Dr. Richard Berger at Rush in Chicago. I did NOT have general anesthesia, just twilight + epidural. You can have the surgery and leave the same day. Loads of people travel from around the world to go to him. He and his colleagues have been doing the minimally invasive without anesthesia for at least 10 years. I don't know where you live, but you should look into it, you don't have to have general! Knee replacement is not fun, I won't lie, but you definitely MUST do it. Don't do both at once, space them at least a few months apart. Go religiously to physical therapy BEFORE and after and you'll be fine (and so happy that you can walk, run, and jump without pain!) The only thing I definitely cannot do is some yoga positions where you have to sit back on your heels, just does not work! Good luck.

When the stitches started coming out, I thought I had some horrible infection, which with knee replacement is the most dreaded complication. My ortho just took some tweezers and pulled the offending stitches right on through and out. He did it so quickly, I didn't have time to object or freak out! Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it. As far a the scars go, I've got so many already, they'll just blend right in!

I haven't been sleeved yet, but had minimally invasive total knee replacement a few years ago. The internal sutures that were supposed to just dissolve didn't and instead worked their way up and out through my skin. Yeah, it was gross! Surgeon said some people's bodies just don't like the material. The scarring is a little worse in the area where the stitches came through, but not much.