I'll have the anti-anxiety meds for $200 please, Alex.

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Jane B.

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I met with the surgeon today for the second time, my surgery is eight days out. We had a great time. He said not to worry about getting our grandson's cold unless I was sick-sick, and if I am, to call him. He said "Take ALL of your narcotics" and "You are going to hate me for a month." I told him, probably longer than a month...

I then met with a very nice nurse practitioner who went over all the different facets of the surgery and anesthesia. She even "acted out" all the positions I would be in for a femoral nerve block and spinal. I've seen thousands of people get anesthesia and I've even HAD a femoral nerve block and a spinal (with first child) before, but there was something about this meeting that I found really unnerving.

Then I met with a cute (She is so skinny. I didn't want to tell her skinny doesn't last forever!) 22 year old researcher who wants just a little extra spinal fluid, blood, and psych testing for a study for Alzheimer's. It runs in my family big time, and I had tried to volunteer before. So I signed up, and I'm happy to do my part.

Part of it may have been that these meetings were over several hours at lunch time. I brought crackers and a banana, but maybe wasn't enough. I was truly a wreck. Took an anti-anxiety medication on the way home, and finally calmed down.

Walked Mr. Virus (18 month old grandson) around a small block hurting like heck, with my knee almost giving out, and remembered why we signed up for this.
 
Keep yourself busy prepping and reward yourself with a special time out and you will be on the other side of this STAT. I kept reminding myself that my life would be better and it is because of the surgery. Give yourself a lot of time to recover because it is not a quick fix but a journey.
 
I'll take "Post Surgery" for $5,000 Alex.
The answer: knee replacement surgery
The question: What was a lot better than you every thought it would be and don't know why you needed anti-anxiety meds for $200.

I luuuuuuvvvvv this game.
You'll do fine! Really!
:thumb::SUNsmile:
 
Stress is still stress, whether it's for a good reason or not. I'm actually excited about my upcoming surgery and (eventual) increased mobility, but there is still a lot of stress involved in getting ready for the big day. Looking back at my hip surgery, I do not think they gave me my hormones (menopause) or Zoloft while I was in the hospital. Just being off of them for a few days threw me off balance. Depression runs in my family and I'm going to make sure that I keep an even level of meds this time!
 
Thanks, guys! Our house is getting painted this week, so there will be a lot of activity. We picked everything in the Earth Boxes and our son FORCED me to can hot peppers and mixed vegetables last night. We had fun.
hot peppers.JPG
 
You are gonna do great. I've had the spinal and nerve block for both knees but I remember absolutely zero about the actual process. Presumably that's due to the happy juice beforehand. However for the recent knee I was aware of being transferred from the gurney to the table and remarked that I didn't remember this part from the first knee and someone told me that I wouldn't remember it this time either, but for some reason I do. I am a RN and although it helps in some aspects to understand medical procedures, sometimes we might be better off not knowing how the sausage is made.

Mr Jeano woke up during his hernia repair and remembers asking the surgeon to show him the plastic repair mesh. The surgeon complied and then evidently signaled the anesthesiologist to push in just a wee bit more sedative...
 
I'll have the Versed for $600.

@PuppyLove, the nurse took a careful history of my medications to continue them during hospitalization. Sorry, you have enough to deal with.

My husband and I are trying to figure out a schedule of when he should work and when he should be at the hospital. Any clues when you want family around while you are in the hospital? I told him to make sure I get into surgery and then go see some patients. (self employed, gotta work) Come back when I'm out of recovery. Our son is doing an EM rotation at the Ivy Covered Big Boy Hospital this month. Not sure he can leave the emergency department.
 
My hubby will be there for the surgery. I have to stay four days but he won't be back to stay until the fourth day - for release instructions, a PT class together and a luncheon. This is my second knee but I was fine with the same schedule the first time. They kept us busy!!
 
@Jane B. Okay, time for the caregiver side to come forward. I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of not being there with him at the hospital (would have gone into surgery with him if they would have let me). I don't work other than watch our grandson (I made them get a sitter for the time hubby was in the hospital). I was there with him the surgery day and through that night. Went home in the morning to check on the cats, and then back to the hospital, went home that night and slept in my own comfy bed, back to the hospital the next morning repeat until his release. He would have been fine without me, but I did it for my own need to make sure he was okay. It is more a female thing than a male thing I think. He had some company in the hospital and he enjoyed the break, they knew not to stay long!
 
I met with the surgeon today for the second time, my surgery is eight days out.

Can't believe you had another session with the surgeon. I think I've spent 10 minutes with my OS in the 3 years I've been his patient! If I see mine again it will be as I fade on the operating room table or at my 1 month post op.

You are doing great @Jane B. and, as I'm learning, there will be a world full of people pulling for you! You certainly were given a lot of pre-op information. I just think it must be harder for people in the medical field than the rest of us. You are used to bring in charge in these situations, we're used to just nodding and agreeing to whatever we're told to do. Just think - a week from now it will be all over with! By the time I have mine, you'll be laughing.
 
@ Jane B., I slept most of the day the first day. My husband would work a little during the morning and then come to the hospital around 10:00 a.m. He would stay until about 6 p.m. I was worried about being there during the day by myself but would have been fine. You will be able to figure it out the first day. I worried about so many things before going in the hospital that were unnecessary. Fear of the unknown is the worst!
 
@Jane B. my hubby stayed for my hip surgery (our hospital prefers it), spoke with surgeon, brought my stuff to my room, then left to take care of the kiddos. He brought our daughter back to visit that night (more for her than me; sons do not like hospitals), then came back for discharge on postop day 2. PT asked to have caregivers attend some of the group sessions (for instructions for home) but I went solo. I had some friends who work at the hospital visit me on postop day 1, and I fell asleep talking to them! I'm planning the same routine with my BTKR. I'm fine staying alone in the hospital, and only staff are allowed to assist with mobility for safety reasons. I had my IPad and I did PT and slept a lot. I'd rather have hubby save his leave in case I need him after discharge. But... Everyone is different and every facility is different, so you may want to add in some flexibility.
 
Here in northern Ohio, we have these "quick lube" places where you can get your oil changed and other work done while you sit in the car.

I had to wait nine months to get my BTKR, and I thought that it would be neat if you could get the MRI/CAT/X-Rays done, be diagnosed, approved by the insurance, and just wheeled into the surgery the same day---no waiting, no nerves, and done before you know it!
 
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You are very funny, Tim. Thanks. There are times when my knee hurts and I'm like, "Hey, I'm NPO. I'll take a cab to the hospital, let's get this thing done!" I am so grateful I didn't have to wait until November.

I'm much less anxious now, I think I was coming down with the virus our grandson had. No biggie, I feel better. Son got it, too.

I'm focusing on getting ready. We were on vacation and I have a lot to do.

I asked my husband, "Let's practice recovery, could you go get my coffee?" He said, "Let's practice rehab, get it yourself."
 
Prehab, at it were. Sounds like the two of you will have what it takes to get you through this, sense of humor being the most important thing. Speaking as an old war horse psych nurse, I expect that a psychiatrist might be more help during recovery from knee surgery than Mr jeano, a former EMT and firefighter who works as a health physicist. Since my knee didn't have arterial bleeding, wasn't on fire, and didn't glow in the dark, he couldn't work up a very high level of concern, although eventually the coffee would get made and brought.

Day of surgery both time mr jeano made sure i'd survived and was in recovery, ran home to let the dogs out, back to town, got my scripts or at least tried to, and showed up with my Starbucks latte in case the hospital coffee was bad, which it usually is. The trick is to buddy up to a nurse and ask for a cup of what they drink.
 
@Jane B. Between you, Tim and and jeano I have had my chuckle for the day! Humor is the best medicine!
 
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