Bonesmart newbie- right tkr - 90 days and counting

[SpaceGirl]

@SusieShoes see all this time on BoneSmart is well SMART! I've read all kinds of stories here both good and bad and feel more ready than I did when I found out. I did call them today and ask they send me the info in the mail so I can at least read over it before surgery.

@eelainea65 thanks for stopping in! You are doing a schedule similar to mine, staged but around 3 months apart. I like reading stories from those who are having theirs done close together but not at the same time. I am most worried that by the time I turn the corner for the positive on the right one, I will be back down for the count for the left one. I am sure it'll work out, just all those thoughts. Most people I know have had just one done and still need the other one but they are a year out and still waiting, so I don't think they quite get the apprehension I have. They have been very helpful though, and are offering to let me borrow a few things while I am recovering.

I am so thankful to have hubby and kiddos to help, I can't imagine doing it by myself, though I know it's quite feasible as shown by the stories and people here on BoneSmart. I will message you, would love to connect more with someone going through the same thing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alrighty here I am 6 days out now! I decided to go look at some more recliners today to get ready for my surgery. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to NOT be stuck in my bed all the time. I am sure the first week or so I will but hopefully as time goes, the chair will work out great. So we went to Rooms to Go for a recliner and walked out with a purchase of a whole living room suite. On the plus side they are all power recliners the downside they won't be in til after my surgery so the first week I will be in the bedroom for sure. The chair won't even be here til December, thankfully the sofa and love seat recline (power) too, so I will have 4 other seats to choose from. We really did need new furniture anyway, our old set is over 10 years old and falling apart in several places. They were also on sale for Veterans Day, so yay!We decided it would be our Christmas present to each other .

Operation clean the house is in the final stages (well maybe beginning ) and the kids are not too thrilled, ha! They are having to get rid of a lot of junk/clutter and don't like it, especially the little. She's a collector. That's it from my end of the world today, y'all have a great night and chat soon!

 

[donebyme25]

Take care

 

[PoetryChef]

Good morning,
I thought I might write to you. How are you holding up? I am doing very well according to the NP who assists my OS. I told my surgeon that my unoperated leg was more painful than the surgical leg.

It amazes me to know that from here forward I am just waiting for the healing.
You will do just fine. These medical folks are quite kind and move you right along.

I will write more in a bit and will message you with my cell number should you need to talk.

Big hug,
Sherry

 

[Arttie]

@SpaceGirl @donebyme25 Can a guy join in? Mine is on the Tuesday the 14th, 10:30AM. MRSA negative here too.

 

[MSgirl]

I forgot to give you one more tip. My husband went to a bicycle shop and bought me a pink basket for my walker. It was a lifesaver! When I moved from my bed to a chair, I could stop off in the kitchen, put my coffee in a go-cup, prop it up with my iPad mini and also put in a frozen gel pack. Had all my supplies right there and could still use two hands on my walker. Then I would later change out the gel pack, add a drink and any snack I wanted. It really helped my independence. I'll leave my basket at home when I take my walker back for my second TKR in January because I don't want anything to happen to it!

 

[SpaceGirl]

@PoetryChef hello friend! Look at you dropping by my thread while you're still in the hospital! I hope you're doing well, I will check your recovery thread shortly

@Arttie of course, all are welcome! We are all kneebuddies here, I will be keeping you in my prayers on Tuesday. I am sure it'll go well!

@MSgirl That is an awesome idea! And one I will steal! That makes such great sense, to be able to put stuff in there, especially when you are alone and carry it and still get around great. Plus they are usually sturdy. I will check the store this week before surgery for one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's surgery week!!! Only 4 days to go!
​

Time is slowly ticking by now, and everyone is asking how they can help, how long I'll be in the hospital, how long recovery will be etc etc. I have had more people talk to me today than normal at church but it's ok. I told them all just lots of prayers!

I've started my nose ointment routine, tomorrow I start my 2 shower a day routine in preparation for Thursday. I wish I knew what time surgery was (that was the other question from everyone) but they will not let me know until Wed from my understanding. I was supposed to go out on Fri with some long time girl friends but unfortunately due to the long weekend, everyone was already busy or out of town last minute. It's ok though, last night was my oldest daughters volleyball team party and the parents all chatted and relaxed while watching the big Alabama game and was tons of fun. I laughed so much last night, so it was worth it to be tired this morning.

This week looks to be pretty busy before surgery. Tonight at church our youth group is having a Thanksgiving meal together so we're prepping for that this afternoon. Tomorrow I MUST grocery shop for the next 2 weeks and our Thanksgiving dinner, Tuesday night is a church council meeting and Wed night is our life group/ family dinner at church. So no time for dilly dallying now!

Thinking of all that is going to have their surgery this week! Check back in later, have a great Sunday!

​

 

[SpaceGirl]

Three Days y'all! I feel like I am rambling to myself on here but I just need somewhere to put my thoughts. We have made a lot of progress on the house now, just a few more things to do and we're set. I still need to get to the store for food for the next couple of weeks and Thanksgiving dinner. I just found out that I could download tapatalk to my phone and access the forum via the app. How cool! That will be helpful the first few days at the hospital as well as when I am resting and don't want to drag out the laptop!

I am hoping to go on a last minute date night with the hubby, will be our last for quite some time. I was thinking of a movie, Murder on the Orient Express. Has anyone seen it? I do love Johnny Depp, so he's part of the reason I want to see it.

My church is setting up a meal train, so we should be set on meals for almost 3 weeks I think it is. I asked them to skip next week due to the holiday. I feel they tend to be stressful enough without having to prepare food for someone else lol plus hubby is going to be home the majority of that week anyway and can cook.

Hope you all have a great Monday!

 

[Hood1980]

Yes @SpaceGirl do schedule the date with hubby! So good for the mental health of both you to share some healthy time together just the two of you enjoying each others' company before the major surgery and changes to come. [emoji177][emoji173]️[emoji175]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cami515]

@SpaceGirl - wow! It sounds like you have it all set up! I still have 2 weeks to go, so I sure will be following your progress! So nice of your church to set up the meal train; you have a great support system!

 

[SusieShoes]

You're set up better than I ever was. Enjoy the date night. You are going to appreciate your husband sooooo much in the next few weeks. Help him hold on to knowing he'll be getting back a better-than-before-surgery you.

 

[SpaceGirl]

@Hood1980 thanks, we did end up going to the movie. It was nice to get out for just a couple of hours and relax. We practically had a private showing, there was only 1 other person in the theater with us which I guess happens when you attend on a Monday night.


@cami515 Yes I am super thankful for my church family. They are really great at pulling together to help each other and others. I still need to shop today, oops! Your two weeks will fly by before you know it!


@SusieShoes I don't feel like it though! I feel like I am running around like a chicken with their head cut off. We had a nice night out without the kids or worry. I really hope he knows how much I appreciate him. We've been through a lot of medical things over the last 8 years with various immediate family members and he was my rock. I just like to think it makes us stronger together, but I always worry how much strain it is. I will have to do something super special for him when both surgeries are all said and done and I am recovered.

 

[SusieShoes]

I should get Mr. Shoes to post on here about HIS experience with his wife's TKR recovery. Let's put it this way: He's thrilled I had the surgery. Recovery wasn't his favorite part, of course. I mean, no one actually enjoys it. But on the other side...

* Your husband will take great joy in seeing you walk without pain.
* He will be getting back parts of HIS life that went downhill along with your knees. For my husband it was that he could shop with me again at game stores and Best Buy, where I always had to beg to leave to sit in the car because I could not stand for the amount of time he wanted to look around. Now we do that.
* Your husband will be getting a wife he will enjoy taking on vacations, long walks, and whatever else is physical that she couldn't do before.
* Your husband will have a new appreciation for all the things you do. Because he will be doing lots of them.
* You will have impressed your husband with your courage, cleverness, and fortitude. Trust me.

And yes, doing something super special for him after all is done is a wonderful idea!

 

[SpaceGirl]

Thanks Susie, I need to hear that. I know it'll all be worth it in the end, just gotta get through all the hard stuff first.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two Days To GO! ​

I am dealing with a terrible sinus headache today, and do not feel like doing anything. I've made a grocery list that is almost complete, meal planned for a week or so, add in the meals we get on the meal train, I think we'll be ok. I need to still go to the store, did I say yet that my middle name is procrastination? Because it is. I am horrible about waiting til the last minute to get stuff done. I don't mean too and I used to not be that way, now I find it's only about things that stress me out. Other stuff, I am a planner, I need to know and plan and get it done. Wonder why that is? Oh well. I still have tomorrow to go, as tonight I have to attend the last church council meeting of the year.

Last night hubby and I went on a last minute date night, went to the movies. We saw Murder on the Orient Express, it was pretty good. Kept me guessing the whole movie til the end, a good whodunit movie. I wanted to go out for dessert after but with it a school night we opted to come back and get the kids to bed.

This twice a day shower thing is getting old already and I am only on day 2. I am at the point of just do the dang surgery already. Ha! I am going to get a hospital bag ready today, so one less thing to do tomorrow. I figure I'll just pack a couple of things, may not need them but rather have than try to send hubby home to find it .

Anything you wish you all had packed for the hospital that you all forgot or just needed but didn't realize??

​

 

[donebyme25]

Take care

 

[sistersinhim]

Mints. I found with the medicine giving me such a dry mouth, the mints helped that. Also, ear plugs!! Hospitals are noisy!

 

[SusieShoes]

Mints are good. Don’t forget the cellphone charger. A plastic (or other) bag if you want your husband to take dirty clothes home, or just for keeping your dirties away from your cleans.

 

[donebyme25]

Take care

 

[PoetryChef]

I have been thinking of you today. I would make sure to have a nice tube of chapstick. The meds and the O2 really played havoc on my lips. Make sure to have a notepad and pen close by. The time will race by. I found that I stayed in a hospital gown for four days. It was only when I showdered that I changed into my own clothes.

Ok, so here it is. I know you must be incredibly nervous going into this but I can say that once you are there and the process begins it is a machine. First, listen to Susieshoes, MAKE SURE that your meds are given on schedule. I found out that there are scheduled meds that they must give to you at a specific time. One every twelve hours, etc. Then there are "as needed" meds that you must ask for. They are all big on the "what is your number" asking what your pain level is at. Your level must always be at an 8 or 9. Anything else then they are going to short change you. Do not let them do that. Always begin asking for your meds ahead of time because they will be late on many occasions. I unfortunately got caught up in the too much pt not enough pain med on time scenario. I finally just said that I did not want to do any more pt.

You will do just fine and especially fine when you get home and do what you know is right. I look forward to reading your recovery. You are prepped and have planned. You've got this.

 

[SpaceGirl]

Thanks everyone, mints are added to my list, and I nearly forgot about bringing chapstick, which is weird because I use it all the time. I can use any lotion I want after surgery right? Just not on the incision. Adding paper and pen to my bag as well never know when I might need it to write down instructions or a question for later.

@donebyme25 my moms name is LuAnn, just thought it was a neat thing to share, it is rare I run into someone with that name.

@PoetryChef I am, but am trying to convince myself otherwise lol I am going to stay on top of the pain meds best I can, I do not want to be in pain and waiting and waiting for them to come around. I'll keep that number in mind!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE DAY
​

Closing in on the surgery day now. Tomorrow is the big day, still awaiting the phone call for surgery time. Patience has not been my strong suit lately, I am tired of waiting. Waiting on the surgery date, waiting for the surgery call waiting, waiting, waiting. I Am Done. I finally had a breakdown last night, just could not quit crying. The nerves are getting to me and I am anxious. I am scared of something going wrong, leaving my hubby and kids behind, the recovery and the length of time it takes. Getting better then getting the other knee done and starting the recovery process over again. I am sure all this is normal feelings but I am just.so.overwhelmed.

 

[PoetryChef]

Awww. You will do just fine. I completely understand how you feel having only one day between my surgeries. After my first surgery I had a bit of a meltdown and began to cry. The nurse getting me situated in my room said to just let those tears flow. This whole experience can be overwhelming.

On the other side of surgery I can honestly say that I feel so much better than before. You have your husband and children who love you so much. They will help get you through this. Life will be so much better going forward and this will just be a memory. You can do this.