New knee the 9th day

[rayinpenn]

Pluses
1. Wilmington hospital (DE) staff were awesome... Reassuring and kind
2. Blinked and it was 9 days later... I've graduated from the Walker to a cane
3. I look forward to feeling even better
4. Wife and daughter were saints and helped me.. Very dependent for the first few days home.
5. Good friends had us over for TG and tolerated me sitting on couch and fed me a great meal
6. Eating smaller portions
7. Sat outside yesterday for a few minutes and enjoyed the sunny 60 degree November day (crazy eh?)

Minuses
1. The day after surgery when the block wore off was a "ruff day"
2. Knee (feels stiff) and it makes it hard to find a comfortable position to sleep ( I've been couch surfing) or just sit.
3. When your on drugs you don't go... They give you all kinds of stuff to make you go. Eventually the dam breaks when you re home and it is another bad day.
4. 70 hydromorphine pills 2Mg, I only take them to sleep. I fear opioids. - I wonder if some over the counter sleep aides will help.
5. One month to good mobility, 6 month to a year to no thinking about my new knee.

So I had surgery scheduled for 2PM, report to hospital at noon 'in case you are called early' - like that would ever happen. 12:30 lying in bed in pre surgery with my butt hanging out of the oh so comfortable hospital gown. Nurse comes in "we are backed up". surgeon comes in "-at least a couple of hours". I send the Mrs home and Doctor says I'll call her. 5:00PM and I can't see a soul. Yeah there's a nurse out there but I feel very alone. Finally they come 3 hours late.

Other then being threatened by needing a catheter "if you don't go" not to bad... Ps hard to go when the necessary parts are numb. I find a way.


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[rodi]

Sounds like a good outcome for the surgery... but all the other stuff sounds like a pain in the patootie.

Continued wishes for improved mobility and good health.

 

[Dreamer]

Here is to being glad it is over with and hoping for a speedy recovery for you.

 

[HtownRose]

great update!

How long in the hospital? Straight home, no rehab facility between hospital & home? Have you started PT yet? Eagerly await your next progress report & hope you have an exceptionally speedy & painless recovery.

(Asking all this for my 80-YO mom who is considering having TKR. Goes for the shots (rooster stuff) on Tuesday as a prequalifying treatment.)

 

[Moemg]

Glad your surgery went well . Each day will get better .

 

[W2R]

Thanks for the update! I'm so glad to read that you are done with the surgery and on your way to healing and feeling better with your new knee.

 

[samclem]

Congrats, and best wishes for the PT. As I mentioned, many have told me that the PT and early/frequent moving is a major determinant of how well the knee works long-term. A tough investment in discomfort and effort now can pay off for many years.

Note: Not a doctor and did not sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[rdy2go]

Congratulations on the new knee! The best wisdom I heard after having surgery was by my family doc. he said to judge your progress a week at a time, not a day at a time. You will be able to see more progress week to week and will feel better about it.

 

[Blueskies123]

Nice to hear, I just had rotator cuff surgery two weeks ago and they tell me 4-6 months before I can do a push up. I was off the oxycodone after two days and 12 days later I still feel the side effects. I cannot believe people actually get addicted to this poison, although I appreciated them for the first two days. I get a little a bit of sleep and couch surf the rest of the night.
Your surgery is way out of my league but I can appreciate what you are going through.

 

[rayinpenn]

How long in the hospital? Straight home, no rehab facility between hospital & home? Have you started PT yet? Eagerly await your next progress report & hope you have an exceptionally speedy & painless recovery.

(Asking all this for my 80-YO mom who is considering having TKR. Goes for the shots (rooster stuff) on Tuesday as a prequalifying treatment.)

Surgery Thursday then Straight home Saturday based on the physical therapist suggestion at hospital. Could have stayed another day I opted to come home. Choose out patient pt starting Monday. It's pt Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I thought getting out and about would make me work - Pt has been early in the morning 7:45, and 810 which normally would be great but shaving and showering and wrapping my knee in plastic wrap has been a two person job. Getting in and out of my car has been a chore.

It is work like everything else but she will get through it, many others have.


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[rayinpenn]

Congratulations on the new knee! The best wisdom I heard after having surgery was by my family doc. he said to judge your progress a week at a time, not a day at a time. You will be able to see more progress week to week and will feel better about it.

Sounds like some really good advice and exactly what I am experiencing....


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[HtownRose]

Thank you!

 

[tennisno1]

hang in there and good luck.... I've been there ...done that with a knee replacement.... my advice is to do all the rehab work you are asked to and then some... yes it is not fun and hurts but the return is worth it. This is the classic case of you get out of it what you put into t... At 1-3 months post surgery I was wondering why i did it.. at six months I felt like I made the right decision... I'm 5 years out and I rarely think about it anymore, do almost anything i want.... except I don't ski or play tennis anymore!