TKR 3rd Try the Charm? TKR on Oct 5th .. I hope.

gardenguy

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I was originally scheduled for April but that got postponed for COVID of course. Then I had another date scheduled in July but that got postponed again when I broke my small toe in a freak accident at night. (Have installed a night light to avoid a repeat of that.)

I'm trying to get everything as prepared as possible in advance. My wife is 77 so I don't want to put too much on her. In fact, my biggest question is whether we should hire someone to assist her. Hopefully she'll just need to drive me to and from surgery. I don't expect to need a lot of help but it is hard to know in advance.

I do most of the cooking so I'll stock up on groceries and prep meals in advance. I'm thinking of getting someone to exercise our younger dog and asking my wife to walk the older one (who has had knee surgery). They're used to being allowed on my bed covered in a special dog bed. I wonder if that will be okay to do that still, for at least some time each day?

Anyway, hello from Berkeley, California. I've only read a couple of posts so far but once I've read more I expect I'll find answers to most of my other questions.

I've installed a grab bar in the bath/shower and have a raised toilet seat with handles for the toilet.
 
Hi and welcome to bonesmart. Would you please let us know which knee you are having replaced and we will add it to your signature. Am I correct in assuming your surgery is October 5,2020?

I am going to leave some reading for you and some of it will be helpful.
KNEE
If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us. :welome:
I wonder if that will be okay to do that still, for at least some time each day?
That will depend if your dog is gentle around your knee.

Sounds like you are well prepared, with all the false starts and stop, lets hope the third time is a charm.

my biggest question is whether we should hire someone to assist her
I think hiring someone to walk the dog is a good idea, if she will need additional help, it may be a good idea to hire someone in the first week you are home.
We do have many members who recover home alone and they get along just fine by preparing ahead as you have with meals and setting up your house. You should be able to be very independent of your wife during recovery.
 
Thanks, Pumpkin. I tried to reply to you and @leejaa on the thread I started but it says I can't until have 5 posts. I'm hoping this will post and count toward the five required.
 
I think your ideas are good ones.
 
Hi @gardenguy ,

I've moved your post from the October Feisties and into your own thread, as that's where it belongs.

There's no reason why you can't post on this thread - just scoot down to the bottom of the page and start writing in the box where it says "Write your reply".

The only thing you can't do until you have at least 5 posts is send a Personal Message.
 
Hello from Oregon!
It sounds like you are preparing well!
I am beginning week 3 post op from BTKR. The first week was really the hardest and most physically demanding for my husband. I needed a little bit of assist getting from bed to bathroom but was mostly independent within 24 hrs. I still need some help getting into the bath to shower, but I can get out ok. I think having one knee operated on, not both, you will be in a much better situation to help yourself quickly.
Are you in a one story house? Do you have a walker? I really benefited from my walker, especially at night. I clipped a reading light on the front for a headlight and boy that helped (and gave me a laugh).
Do you know what your icing situation will be? Schlepping ice and frozen water bottles to the ice therapy machines has been a constant second job for my husband. I am only now to the point where I'm not icing constantly. So if there's a way your wife won't have to be the ice person, that will save her some work.
I made myself a huge batch of Mark Bittman's West African Peanut Soup with Chicken and that has been the best present I've given myself. I froze a bunch of portions and they are easy to heat up and very satisfying.


We used Motorola walkie talkies and that really came in handy more than a phone. Plus they are fun.
I also stashed a few big cans of Progresso soups and a spoon on my nightstand for times when I'm starving and my husband isn't immediately available.
I think if you have someone walking your dog, you have food and a solution for ice... If you can get to the toilet and shower (a transfer bench might help), I think your wife won't be too overloaded.
Enjoy this adventure!
 

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