Did your parents have knee surgery?
My orthopedic surgeon said that my joints were out of warranty.
But last evening I got to thinking.
My father is about to be 89.He has his original everything....okay not his mind, but all his joints, hips, teeth etc.
Same with my step mom.
I can't think of one Aunt or Uncle or a Grandparent who ever had any joint surgery. Did they have extended warranties that I don't know about?
They smoked, ate nitrates, lived on meat and potatoes and did not exercise per se.
Most of the men did physical labor for work, factories, plumbers, etc. But once home they sat their asses in a chair with a bourbon and water and if like my father a big fat stogie was smoked while he read the paper and watched TV.
So let's think about this. My generation tries to eat well, exercise, and we are all having joints changed, removed, fixed etc. Why is that?
In my extended family, only about 2 people even smoke cigarettes. So what the hell happened to the baby boomers and all their replacement surgeries?
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I do not smoke, I eat reasonably well, I exercise by walking 2-3 miles a day and yoga. But yet I'm falling apart.
I think if I began to eat and drink like my father used to I'd be a mess. But then maybe that is the ticket. My father drank each day. I could never ever do that, but I admit I'd sure like to. He never cared about carbs, fats, greasy fried food. He ate it all. Pies and cookies were his favorite food group and many a day that was breakfast for him.
My father didn't exercise. He didn't even mow his own yard. He said that was why he had kids. We girls took turns mowing the lawn and raking etc. His only exercise was his elbow to his mouth or his job as a commercial master plumber. Is that all it takes, to have a physical job?
I am puzzled by this. So much so I have been asking my friends if their parents have their original hips, knees, etc. All but one said yes.
So why do baby boomers need this so much more? I have a friend who is older than me at 65 - he's had two hip replacements, knee replacement, and 2 shoulder surgeries. He is very active so perhaps that is the point. He needs to sit.
I find this so fascinating but I know, I hear ya, it's only me who thinks so.
12 comments:
The grains our relatives used to eat was healthier. It hadn't been modified God knows how many times, to where it's super productive, but tiny and geno-altered. I definitely believe in the new theories about modern grains and their inflammation causing properties. It causes a whole litany of health issues. If this is new info for you, check out marksdailyapple.com. :)
p.s. we also over-exercise. ;)
Silver, sadly this isn't news to me. Since having celiac I have to eat a very clean diet. I also have issues with grains/corn as well as gluten.
All our food is GMO's and with our new leadership it won't be helping us only Monsanto.
And gee, if I exercise too much what the hell is my doctor talking about then?:-)
A generation ago, joint replacement may have been a more difficult procedure. New materials, new procedures might make it all easier to do. Plus, how many of our older relatives had an arthritic hip or a "trick" knee or otherwise just suffered bum joints because the means to do anything about it just wasn't available?
I've had my share of surgeries, but so far they've just sewn back together what I already had. Haven't started the replacements yet, but if I need them, hopefully our health insurance will make it as pain free as possible. (yeah, right!)
rick mentioned that Brian as well. You both have a very valid point. However, I can't fathom living with this torn meniscus and calling it my bum knee. I can barely walk, I can't bend it and sleeping is out of the question.
My dad had a hip replacement. So has my wife. Me, nothing yet. But I'm working on a knee cap and shoulder.
That made it sound Mike like you had a lab in your garage. "working on a knee cap and shoulder"
Just good luck I think. My inlaws smoke like chimneys. My father in law has heart issues that started AFTER he quit drinking (although he did have knee surgery too).
Hey plus they probably drank so much nothing hurt haha
A torn meniscus is certainly different and something that needs repair. It's just a bummer that you have to go the replacement route rather than a little nip & tuck in there. But - thanks to the miracles of modern medicine at least they can do it!
Did I misunderstand you Brian? I am not having anything replaced only repaired. 2 holes on either side of my knee - go in and mend the sucker and clean up anything else they see. Come home same day and he wants me walking and climbing stairs immediately. OUCH! My post was about fixing and replacing as is happening to my friends that never happened to my parents generation. I'm sorry if I was confusing.
my dad's on his third knee replacement.
i'm probably fifteen years out from my first.
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