Janeann
new member
United States@dianehelen Same to you! I hope you heal quickly and have an uneventful recovery!
2016 August Hot Shots - Are you having knee surgery in August?
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OP
OP
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
I have brought forward this month's list so that you can easily see who your surgical buddies are.
Welcome to our latest and all August Hot Shots!
![[Bonesmart.org] 2016 August Hot Shots - Are you having knee surgery in August?](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/aug-logo-1-jpg.51181/ "[Bonesmart.org] 2016 August Hot Shots - Are you having knee surgery in August?")
Feel free post your surgery date in this thread, and I will add you to the list. Start a thread of your own in the Pre-Op Knee Section to post comments and share your journey toward knee replacement. Here's the link that gives you the instructions you need to do this: Starting a new thread and posting
01 August 16 Reanna27, maseko
02 August 16 April Hill (her first)
03 August 16 JustmeT (patellar resurfacing)
05 August 16 Aunty T
08 August 16 Doggiemom
11 August 16 thecoll (her first), Annie11 (her second)
15 August 16 FlaGranny
17 August 16 dianehelen, Sipzener
24 August 16 karena71, Deeann (her second)
25 August 16 pizzadog
30 August 16 greatlakes
Welcome to our latest and all August Hot Shots!
Feel free post your surgery date in this thread, and I will add you to the list. Start a thread of your own in the Pre-Op Knee Section to post comments and share your journey toward knee replacement. Here's the link that gives you the instructions you need to do this: Starting a new thread and posting
01 August 16 Reanna27, maseko
02 August 16 April Hill (her first)
03 August 16 JustmeT (patellar resurfacing)
05 August 16 Aunty T
08 August 16 Doggiemom
11 August 16 thecoll (her first), Annie11 (her second)
15 August 16 FlaGranny
17 August 16 dianehelen, Sipzener
24 August 16 karena71, Deeann (her second)
25 August 16 pizzadog
30 August 16 greatlakes
OP
OP
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
Welcome to the BoneSmart forum. We’re so pleased that you have joined us here. If you have not started a thread of your own, please do so. With your own thread, you and your questions and concerns will receive the attention they deserve.
We are here to help in any way we can because We Care!
dianehelen
supremo
Alright.. then August 17 WINS for the most surgeries in one day in August hehe, such a thing to celebrate huh?
Hope we ALL do well! and if not, we have Bonesmart to come whine to
Its getting real now, its NEXT MONTH! Yikes
Hope we ALL do well! and if not, we have Bonesmart to come whine to
Its getting real now, its NEXT MONTH! Yikes
zammie24
member
Hello August friends- I'm a month away from my scheduled surgery date but I'm waiting til Tuesday to make my final decision - I know I'm crazy- keep me in ur prayers that I'll make the right decision!! [emoji8]
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
FlaGranny
graduate
@zammie24 I know how you feel, but you know what happens. You feel better for a bit and think to yourself, "do I really need this." Then you are torn between yes and no. Then one day the pain gets to you, you can barely walk, and you say "yes." There is no point in putting it off if you need it. It will just keep getting worse. If you have any doubts ask for a copy of your x-ray and/or scan reports if you don't already have them. They will show you just why you need the surgery.
dianehelen
supremo
@FlaGranny I could have written that myself , its just how I feel every day.
Us Hotshots are getting close huh, tick tick tick.. (gulp)
Us Hotshots are getting close huh, tick tick tick.. (gulp)
dianehelen
supremo
You are just 2 days ahead of me. You are in S. Florida, right? What are you doing regarding ice at home, machine or ice packs?
dianehelen
supremo
July 17 today, (gulp, gasp) 1 month from today August 17, nerves, stress, anxiety, then sleep, saw, cut, hammer, screw, sew, wake up, new knee, pain, recovery.
FlaGranny
graduate
@dianehelen I bought gel packs. I've used them before and I like them. They are nice and flexible and freeze quickly, not to mention they are fairly cheap. My husband is going to be the gofer for them if I don't feel like getting up to switch them.
As of now, so far, I don't feel any anxiety at all, just impatient to get back to life. At this point, I don't even care about increased pain. All I care about is getting both knees fixed as soon as possible.
I bought some new pillows and I'm going to take the old ones and stitch them together for elevation. That way there will be no adjusting them, they'll stay in the right configuration. I refuse to spend $70 for a temporary leg elevation wedge/pillow.
I do live in South Florida, Palm Beach County. The hospital I will be using has a dedicated orthopedic wing so they are well versed in knee replacements. My doctor believes in getting you out of the hospital as soon as you can manage because it cuts down on hospital-acquired infection. My rheumatologist referred me to my surgeon, saying that the patients he has referred have all been very happy. I trust my rheumatologist - I have known him and he has been my doctor for 35 years. I also like my surgeon, very professional and personable. I feel pretty confident.
P.S. I tried to get my husband to watch video of the surgery, but he doesn't seem to want to.
As of now, so far, I don't feel any anxiety at all, just impatient to get back to life. At this point, I don't even care about increased pain. All I care about is getting both knees fixed as soon as possible.
I bought some new pillows and I'm going to take the old ones and stitch them together for elevation. That way there will be no adjusting them, they'll stay in the right configuration. I refuse to spend $70 for a temporary leg elevation wedge/pillow.
I do live in South Florida, Palm Beach County. The hospital I will be using has a dedicated orthopedic wing so they are well versed in knee replacements. My doctor believes in getting you out of the hospital as soon as you can manage because it cuts down on hospital-acquired infection. My rheumatologist referred me to my surgeon, saying that the patients he has referred have all been very happy. I trust my rheumatologist - I have known him and he has been my doctor for 35 years. I also like my surgeon, very professional and personable. I feel pretty confident.
P.S. I tried to get my husband to watch video of the surgery, but he doesn't seem to want to.
dianehelen
supremo
Well I did buy it, but found it hard and uncomfortable even before surgery, so back it went. Guess I'll play around with pillows, tho I cant sew to save my life (shame because both my dad and maternal grandfather made their living in the needle trades) I am still torn between gel packs vs ice machine, but leaning to the machine for the overnight capability. Boy you are so brave scheduling both only a month apart. I am hoping I wont want to kill myself(just kidding of course) after doing this, and can face doing the other one.
I am in Orlando, and very comfortable with the hospital (ORMC) after the amazing care I had there in March for brain surgery, and even more so with my surgeon, who I found after an extensive and exhaustive search over 6 months. The hospital also has a dedicated ortho wing and has vast joint replacement experience.
Im am prepared as I can be, but still anxious, worried about the what ifs, and probably will be until I wake up after.
Hope we both do better than expected...
FlaGranny
graduate
@dianehelen, You will be fine with a great surgeon and hospital and of course we will do better than expected. 
The gel packs last pretty good. I always have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom so I can replace them then. If it's not me getting up its my husband. What I usually do is wrap them in a hand towel until they start to feel warm, then unwrap them and replace, then they feel cold again for a while. After a bit your skin gets used to the cold and gets numb then they stop feeling cold, but they actually are still cold and still working.
You don't really have to know how to sew to attach a few pillows together. Either buy new ones and attach your old ones together or get cheap ones at Walmart and stitch them together. It doesn't have to look good or be neat. I'm going to adjust the pillows and then have my husband pin them together in the right spot while my leg is on them, and then stitch them together. I guess you could even just use safety pins if you're careful to put them on the sides/edges and not where you will be resting your leg.
The gel packs last pretty good. I always have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom so I can replace them then. If it's not me getting up its my husband. What I usually do is wrap them in a hand towel until they start to feel warm, then unwrap them and replace, then they feel cold again for a while. After a bit your skin gets used to the cold and gets numb then they stop feeling cold, but they actually are still cold and still working.
You don't really have to know how to sew to attach a few pillows together. Either buy new ones and attach your old ones together or get cheap ones at Walmart and stitch them together. It doesn't have to look good or be neat. I'm going to adjust the pillows and then have my husband pin them together in the right spot while my leg is on them, and then stitch them together. I guess you could even just use safety pins if you're careful to put them on the sides/edges and not where you will be resting your leg.
dianehelen
supremo
Ya I'd have to buy some new cheap ones. My regular sleep pillows are $100 100% White down, king size pillows. Ya I'm spoiled
, but thats something I really splurge on for myself. I'll have to look into maybe pinning some together. Maybe get those big soft plastic coated safety pins like used for baby stuff, wonder they still make those
dianehelen
supremo
@FlaGranny yanno we tried the tempurpedic, and hated it. Wound up selling it for a loss. But love our beautyrest recharge.
Amazon has some really large heavy duty safety pins. Thank you for a great idea.
Amazon has some really large heavy duty safety pins. Thank you for a great idea.
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Janeann
new member
I guess you'll have to take me off the August Hot Shot list. I'm postponing my surgery until after the first of the year. The doctor I originally wanted to do my surgery is not on my insurance. My employer offers two insurance plans, so in October during open enrollment, I am going to change from BC/BS to Cigna. The doctor I want to do the surgery accepts Cigna, so that will solve that problem. This will also afford me some more time to save up more sick and vacation time since I'm going to be off for six weeks. I'm also hoping some personal issues quiet down by then. I think my pain will be manageable during that time. Thank you all for your input. You have been very helpful, and I plan to stay on Bonesmart to stay connected and informed.
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