Knee jerk!

The story of my knee problem and how I’ve avoided the knee replacement operation so far….this might be of help to anyone with a knee problem.

On way to the Desert Safari ride  April 2014. You won’t believe it, but I was in excruciating pain! – yet, I wasn’t ready to miss the fun.

Two days before my trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in April last year, I realized I could hardly walk! I decided to go anyway, and deal with it, on my return. After all, I’d been planning for it with my colleagues at Sheikh Zayed International Academy in Islamabad, for six months, and wouldn’t give it up for anything!

Just ten days before, I had a small fall in school while going up two steps. I was okey then, but a few days later,  I realized I couldn’t walk properly. I couldn’t believe what had happened. Anyhow, it took me a while to realize how serious the situation was. My mom who was living with me had a  spare walking stick, so I found out ways to walk in a wobbly way. It really scared me.

My daughter Nadiya got me an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in nearby Ali Clinic. After seeing my x-rays, Dr. Zimri advised me to get both my knees replaced. He said, “You can go to Dubai, but the operation is needed ASAP.”

Ok. So, I went off on my holiday. I used a lot of the wheel chair at the airports and hotel. I also realized, that the ‘outside’ world is far better equipped to handle such situations. – Even PIA is. No extra charges, and real good treatment. One person relegated to take care of you while you are at the airport. He helps you through all the formalities, taking you far swiftly, than you would have done in ordinary circumstances.

So, after having gone to Dubai, having been on the famous ‘desert safari’ and watched the lovely sea creatures in the Sea World in Dubai’s famous Mall…. I was back in Islamabad with a real sore pair of knees. Getting sharp pain in the knees at every step became the norm for me. I was used to finding swellings around the knees, and it was all quite awful. My visit to the well-known Dr. Khalid Aslam the orthopedic surgeon confirmed the diagnosis of Dr. Zimri and I was lined up for the big operation.

But I just wasn’t ready for it yet.

I was teaching in Sheikh Zayed and my students still had one month  from the final year exams. So, I decided to wait till summer vacations began. Meanwhile, I listened to everyone and applied everything I learnt. I decided to try it all. What did I have to lose? I was already scheduled for the operation!

Previously, I had been having problems and was already on allopathic medications, and exercises. These were not working at all. In fact things were getting worse.

So, here it is: All the spiritual and herbal treatments that I started trying …

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• Spiritual treatments:
• Surah Fatiha: Read this seven times first thing every morning, and blow on a glass of water and drink it.
• Read Al – Raufo as often as you can.
• Soft massage with Olive oil on which a Mufti has read special verses from Holy Quran for healing
• Massage with oil from a transformer on which a Mufti has read special verses from Holy Quran for healing, also.
• Give sadqa or charity to poor people. Specially give charity to persons who have leg problems, and those on crutches. I knew now, how much pain and suffering they are enduring with each step.
• Have complete faith in Allah or your own Supreme Being, and know that He is listening to you. He will certainly help you.
• • Herbal treatments:

• Linseeds get the brown ones, you can chew these (1/4 teaspoon), put ½ teaspoon in a glass of water and have it also.
• ½ teaspoon of Turmeric powder in milk taken every night, (after boiling it for a few minutes. It is best when you get turmeric and crush it and have 1/8^th inch of it daily.
• Turmeric powder and mustard oil cooked, and used as a poultice every night on knees. You need to bandage it with a crepe bandage. It is best to apply the solution while it is still warm.
• Sleep with your legs on a pillow starting from below your knees, so that your feet are a little higher.
• Taking three, five or seven Almonds daily,
• Chew seven grains of kalongi every morning.
• Eat more of okras, maash ki daal, black whole chanas and arvi. In your meals than usual.- Just double the intake., and number of times you have these.
• Have paye (trotters), nihari and mutton soup with mutton pieces in it, more often too.    

• General care

• Sleeping eight hours a day.

• Rest and relaxation along with normal routine. Avoid getting too fatigued.

• Avoid tensions and anxiety of any sort. – You can do it if you try!

• Exercise other parts of the body e.g. doing arms and waist exercises, and doing yoga carefully, -not over stressing the knee parts.

• Lack of stress of every kind.

• Keep life going, do not get into self-pity or misery. And go ahead with all your commitments, doing them as best as you can.

• Avoid hurdles in life, negative people, and negative thoughts.

• Be happy, (avoid depression at all costs, as it only drains you).

• Having food like paye and soups are excellent.

• Avoid gaining weight. In fact, try to reduce it. This will reduce the stress on your knees, and make them get better also.

• Do not be in one position for more than an hour. Keep moving and shifting places. Use weights to exercise arms.

• Keep your weight as normal as possible. Weight gain is lethal for the knees!

• Exercise as much as possible. Using the exercise bicycle is highly recommended. Use dumbbells for arms, and do yoga as long as you do not feel uncomfortable.

• Visit an orthopedic surgeon and medical specialist to get multivitamins and medication for general health and knee cartilage development etc. Also, if you need calcium. You will be asked to take some blood tests to find out if you need Vit D and calcium. Do follow these, as any tonics and medication to enhance your health is good. Most of these are available over the counter. But its best to get the recommended dose, and the time period needed. I took Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex regularly. This must only be done with doctors’ prescription.

 The swellings around my knees didn’t disappear, but became much better. The pain decreased a great deal. My gait improved. Today, I do not need a stick to help me walk. I can walk up to a mile easily. The pain returns, when I slacken any one of my ‘treatments’. So, I need to improve these.

What really amused me was that I found that my eye sight really improved – that was a real bonus. I had to get the number of my glasses changed . Then again I need to change these as they’ve improved even more!  So, actually, my eyesight has improved almost 95%

My stomach and gastric issues also improved. And I realized that linseed is very good for joints, as well as for intestinal problems.

So, here I am doing another job. I’m getting back to the life that I used to have a long time ago. I’ve driven my car throughout. So, that has continued. And going without a stick is an added bonus. One day, Nayel, one of my grade seven students, insisted that I must meet another orthopedic surgeon who was his uncle. I told him that two of the best docs have already given their verdict, so there is no need. But he and his mother got me the phone number and insisted so much that I had to go to meet the third orthopedic surgeon. -This time, at the Shifa Hospital. The moment he saw my x-rays and my condition, he said I do not need an operation. He said “I cannot say that the other doctors are wrong, but the fact remains that at this time and place, there is no need for a knee replacement operation.”  He also said that it won’t be needed for the next four years also. (He didn’t know, that when I had gone to the other two orthopedic surgeons offices hobbling with a stick and on a wheelchair.) Where-as I had walked in a much better gait to this office….

Of course, I broke down and started crying! “What’s it with women? They cry when they are sad, they cry when they are happy?!” He murmured.

I just couldn’t believe it.

So, here I am after nine months feeling just great, and much better than ever before.

Many persons asked me how it happened, so this is the whole story.

PS: A few days ago, I went to my medical specialist for some other problem. When he saw me, he couldn’t believe his eyes. (he has seen with what difficulty I had walked in the first time to his office, with the help of a stick and my daughter.) He said you need to write an article for the medical journals. As this is vital information for other doctors, and their patients.

My latest pics taken in 2015 : at exhibition of paintings of Hajra Mansoor in Bourbon, I can walk without any help and in a painless state. Alhamdolillah.