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Bilateral TKR in May.

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After much confusion and craziness at the blood bank, I have a pint of my very own waiting on my surgery. :tiredwheel:

I had a mild panic attack in the middle of the night as I realized I am a side sleeper and that will be quite difficult/i,possible for awhile after. How did other side sleepers deal? I have 3 different recliners to choose from but I like my bed...........LOL
 
I, too, have been a side sleeper and many on here recommended putting a pillow between your legs. That sure helped but after a few weeks of doing that, for some reason I am now comfortable with sleeping on my back with my surgical leg resting on a pillow so it is slightly raised.
 
I sleep with a pillow between the knees already. I'm having a bilateral so there will not be an unaffected knee.


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@msmechanic58, after your surgery, you will probably find that you have to sleep on your back for a while. The sides of your knees will not like too much pressure against them. Later you will be able to go back to side sleeping.
 
bottomshollow said:
@msmechanic58, after your surgery, you will probably find that you have to sleep on your back for a while. The sides of your knees will not like too much pressure against them. Later you will be able to go back to side sleeping.
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It was quite some time before I could sleep on either side after my BTKR; it was much more comfortable to lie on my back in the recliner, or lie in bed with my knees elevated.

It was not that I was in terrible pain; it was, however, that I could not really ever get comfortable.
 
msmechanic58 said:
I have 3 different recliners to choose from but I like my bed...........LOL
Click to expand...
I really liked my bed, but I liked sleep even more, and I would wander around the house looking for a place and a position in which to get comfortable.

To be honest, most of the time I would end up giving in and sleeping on the recliner. Sometimes, I would crash on the futon mattress on the floor.
 
When my students have rest time at school I usually lay on the floor with my feet up on an exercise ball. Even 20 minutes gets me through the day.


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Did the presurgery pain eve make you nauseous? Trying to figure out what is going on. :(


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Not that I remember. I hope you're not getting that nasty flu some of us have had. Take care of yourself-it's almost time for 2 brand spankin' shiny new knees!
 
Wow, you can get up and down off the floor? I can do it if I absolutely have to but it's very difficult. I'm hoping with the new knee that's one of the things I'll be able to do.
I'd love a rest time at work. :heehee:
 
If one more person tells me how brave I am for doing both, I'll poke their eyes out!


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msmechanic58 said:
Did the presurgery pain eve make you nauseous?
Click to expand...
I was not in pain all of the time---at night, in bed, I would roll over and it felt like gutter nails were being driven through my knees---or if I twisted my knee---either umpiring or at the farm---and sometimes I would inadvertently "tweak" it going up or down steps.

I was never nauseous, but I did scream a few times...
 
Uggh. Decisions! Hubby fell off a ladder on Monday. He is very sore and may have some spine injuries as he is having nerve pain in his arm. Contemplating putting off my surgery. My 14 yo can't keep up with both of us.


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That's terrible about your hubby. I hope you don't have to reschedule your surgery and relive all the anxious buildup. I'm a little over 5 weeks out now and can't imagine how I'd feel if I was still presurgery!

About your question on sleeping, I was a belly sleeper and was worried about sleeping on my back. It wasn't as hard to Gert used to as I thought it would be. I don't have a decent recliner so I prop up 4-5 pillows at my head on my bed. It has been pretty effective. I'm just starting to experiment with side sleeping but, at this stage, I always end up on my back. Since I ice when I'm in bed, I have to be on my back anyway.

Best of luck getting Hubby's situation sorted with hopes you can stay on track.
 
So sorry to hear about your husband. Hope he's doing well and there's no long term problems. I know you have a big decision to make and whatever decision you do make, I'm sure it will be the right one. Hang in there. Sending positive thoughts your way.


BTKR 1 April 2014
 
Thank you for your thoughts for my husband. He fell about 12 feet off an extension ladder on Monday. Preliminary tests showed nothing broken and a bruised lung. He is now having some nerve pain in his arm. Going to check on it tomorrow. :-( hoping he can heal quickly. We look like the Walking Dead when we go somewhere.


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Ouch! Well, I guess he's lucky it wasn't worse but I'm sure he's in pain, poor thing. I've never even heard of a bruised lung - that sounds awful! I hope he heals quickly and that you'll be able to get your surgery done as scheduled. Best of luck to you both!
 
Sitting in the OS waiting room. Waiting on preop education.


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OK......pre-op done. Do not have to stop the tylenol but do have to stop advil if I can. Education nurse said it is very rare that my OS does a bilateral. 5 other people told me today that I was way too young for this. Tell my knees that! Anesthesia doctor said he will do femoral blocks and general to help alleviate the pain med issues since I am allergic to codeine. Had chest xrays, blood drawn, urine specimen given, Arterial blood gases checked, and educated until it ran out my ears.

And a funny for the day.....My notification tone for my message it yoda's voice saying "Do or Do Not - There is no try." One nurse was on my left hooking up the EKG and the other on my right finding a vein for blood draw. When the ekg nurse went to hook up the machine and the blood drawing nurse was within an 1/2 inch of my arm, the phone went off. They jumped nearly to the ceiling. After I told them what it was, they laughed for 15 minutes. Glad that needle wasn't in my arm yet!!! hahahaha I am sure my heart rate monitor was crazy!
 
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