TKR Brand New Day!

[landoz]

Fanastic news Glad you have got your pain meds under control and even managed a good night sleep and your on the road to recovery!

 

[Baystater]

I am home! Hospital discharged me at noon, hubby helped me get packed up and ready. Getting in the car was a challenge but once in the ride home was great. To just be driving along the two of us chatting felt NORMAL! Dropped my prescriptions off at the drugstore and then came home. PT really worked me on stairs so my first priority was to get upstairs to my big walk in shower. I did it with no problem - and at the risk of exaggerating that was the best shower I have ever taken. Washed and dryer my hair (ah bliss) then laid down on the bed and rested while hubby went down and fixed my lunch which he brought back up on a tray. After lunch I dozed and he went back over to CVS (a large chain of drugstores here in the USA.) I am now back downstairs watching the evening news on TV, doing flexion exercises. My pain creeps is manageable and under control. I am finally reading all your posts, thank you. I love this forum, it really has been so good to be in touch with all of you as we go through this journey. Kimejen

 

[Baystater]

I hit post prematurely - anyway Kimejen you are right, everything just starts to feel better at home.
My little dog would be overjoyed to see me - a little too overjoyed - so she will continue to stay with family. My kids are all 5 or 6 hours away but have been wonderful with phone calls, emails and texts. One of the hidden benefits of TKR!

Heidi

 

[referee54]

everything just starts to feel better at home.

Congratulations on your return home---doesn't it feel great! Take it easy---take those pain meds and ice, rest, elevate, and keep those great posts coming!

 

[izzie]

Hello Baystater and Congratulations!!! Your initial reaction after surgery is very encouraging. I know you are thrilled the surgery is over and your recovery has begun. Looking forward to hearing about your daily experiences. For those of us who are waiting for surgery, we love to hear how you're doing. Hoping each day of your recovery is very, very good!

 

[kimejen]

Heidi, wonderful to hear you're home. Sounds like you're doing great. Well done. Take care and enjoy being home.Jenny

 

[Lexismom]

Tomorrow is my RTKR! We are leaving the house at 5:15 in the morning (my surgery is scheduled for 7:30) so I just thought I would take a moment to start this thread.

The last couple of weeks I've felt a bit like poor Marie Antoinnette - but I am happy to say today I am calm, cool and collected. I've kept busy, packed a few things, have a good book I look forward to starting (perhaps during one of those infamous sleepless nights I've read about) and I am excited to start this next chapter.

I hope to have some witty and optimistic things to say in the coming days and weeks. And if I don't, well we'll just blame it on the MEDS!n

Heidi

 

[Baystater]

End of my first full day at home. I had a visiting nurse this morning, and physical therapist this afternoon. What a learning experience - I am so pleasantly surprised these things are available. PT was hard work but my quads actually started to "wake up" and I was able to do more. Flexion is still tough but I know I'll get there. Right now I am elevating it, icing it, and taking it easy. Pain remains quite manageable (I probably shouldn't say that, I might jinx it! )

Heidi

 

[landoz]

Hi Heidi, Glad to hear your first day at home went well and the recovery process has begun.

 

[Baystater]

Kathy, you use the cutest animated smilies - especially the little guy enjoying a martini! I seem to have limited smilies but I'm usually using an iPad. maybe there are more available if I used my laptop?
Anyway, your countdown has begun, this is your month! Before you know it you'll be over the hump as well!

Heidi

 

[landoz]

Kathy, you use the cutest animated smilies - especially the little guy enjoying a martini! I seem to have limited smilies but I'm usually using an iPad. maybe there are more available if I used my laptop?
Anyway, your countdown has begun, this is your month! Before you know it you'll be over the hump as well!

Heidi

thanks Heidi - I get the same animated smilies on my iPad and computer so not sure why you don't Countdown has truely begun now that we have hit April. Only two weeks left of work and so much to do and we are moving office as well on 27/28 April which I won't be here for but still have to pack :rolleyes: One good thing about Op I won't have to travel to the new office for at least 6 weeks

 

[maddoxsmama]

Heidi

Sounds like things are going so well with your recovery. My surgery date has been moved up two weeks and I am so glad. Also read that you had the femoral nerve block. That is what my OS told me yesterday that I would be having. He said it really helped with pain management and from your experience sounds like he is right. Hope you continue to keep that pain under control so you can zip right through this recovery!! Keep us posted--we love to hear how you are doing.

 

[Baystater]

thanks Heidi - I get the same animated smilies on my iPad and computer so not sure why you don't Countdown has truely begun now that we have hit April. Only two weeks left of work and so much to do and we are moving office as well on 27/28 April which I won't be here for but still have to pack :rolleyes: One good thing about Op I won't have to travel to the new office for at least 6 weeks

Kathy,
Won't it be nice to not be there during the office move? And when you return to work your lovely coworkers will have everything all moved in, set up and ready for you, right? Well, one can always hope! I taught for years but stopped about 5 years ago. I taught French at the junior high and high school level (in the USA that is kids ages 13 to about 18) but less and less kids elect to take French here. Spanish is the dominant choice which I understand but it doesn't make for great job security for us Frenchies so I took a very early retirement! Every now and then I think about looking for another job but then I come to my senses....
Heidi

 

[forevergimpy]

Heidi welcome to the recovery side of things! You seem to be doing so very well - congratulations!

I too experienced frustration with my night nurses in the hospital. I was also glad to come home. I know what you mean about the shower feeling so wonderful! It's the best part of my days for sure. I'm still not up to the full hair routine, but I'm not worrying about that much at this point either.

How is your sleeping going now that you are home? It seems as if you have great support and your pain is well managed. Glad to hear it! Do try to be good and not do too much too soon. Give yourself this first few weeks just to settle in slowly before you get too ahead of things. I have found it is easy to over do things initially. Just yesterday I thought I would tidy my room up a bit after my shower, then I wanted to fold just a little laundry, and start a load of sheets. None of that seemed to be too much at the time, and I was in no pain, but when I finally stopped to sit down and rest I realized I was not only exhausted but a bit sore. Had to remind myslef how hard my body is working to repair that leg of mine!

Hope you have a wonderful day today!

 

[Baystater]

Sarah,
I can see the temptation to do much already - I'm glad you reminded me. I keep looking in the kitchen and thinking I could just go in and put things away and tidy up. My husband is wonderful but he doesn't keep things as neat as I do, but I get a little OCD about things anyway as my kids have told me for YEARS!
The very first night in the hospital they gave me Ambien which was great but I had a little headache in the morning. Each morning the headache seemed worse. My first night home I took the Ambien again and when I woke up it was like a migraine. As if I'd had way too much red wine the night before...without the pleasure of at least enjoying a little wine So last night I skipped the Ambien, and I slept fine. Woke up a couple times for pain meds and help going to the bathroom but I really got some good sleep. This morning, no headache. So no more Ambien for me. I just don't think it agrees with me the morning after.
Heidi

 

[Ready]

So glad to hear you are home and doing well. Your posts are so upbeat! Makes me smile. Take care and do resist the urge to over-do.

 

[Baystater]

Heidi, as I write this, you are probably in recovery. I'm in MA too (a bit west of Boston). I'm eager to hear where you had your surgery and how EVERYTHING went and how it is going! Welcome to the other side!!!

Sorry I never answered this - I read things and they don't quit stick I think. I told my visiting nurse yesterday that I feel like I can get from Point A to Point B, but I can't remember any of it 5 minutes later. Anyway my OSnis Dr. Howard from Concord Orthopaedics and I had my surgery at Emerson. Emerson was fine but it is getting older and in need of some major renovating in the patient wing. But I really like Dr. H. He is a very kind man and has a really caring persona. This is my third surgery with him starting with my right menisectomy in 2010.

 

[landoz]

Kathy,
Won't it be nice to not be there during the office move? And when you return to work your lovely coworkers will have everything all moved in, set up and ready for you, right? Well, one can always hope! I taught for years but stopped about 5 years ago. I taught French at the junior high and high school level (in the USA that is kids ages 13 to about 18) but less and less kids elect to take French here. Spanish is the dominant choice which I understand but it doesn't make for great job security for us Frenchies so I took a very early retirement! Every now and then I think about looking for another job but then I come to my senses....
Heidi

Well I hoping it will be all unpacked! I learnt French at high school but sorry to say I don't remember much now! Our schools now seem to go in for Italian or Japanese these days.

So glad to hear your recovery well and have the pain meds under control and also getting some sleep they seem to be the two main things that undo people.

 

[Spingirl]

Sorry I never answered this - I read things and they don't quit stick I think. I told my visiting nurse yesterday that I feel like I can get from Point A to Point B, but I can't remember any of it 5 minutes later. Anyway my OSnis Dr. Howard from Concord Orthopaedics and I had my surgery at Emerson. Emerson was fine but it is getting older and in need of some major renovating in the patient wing. But I really like Dr. H. He is a very kind man and has a really caring persona. This is my third surgery with him starting with my right menisectomy in 2010.

OMG, Heidi! We must be neighbors! I did my outpatient PT at the Emerson Sports Rehab across the street from Emerson Hospital (I liked my PT a lot... she was gentle and encouraging). I had my surgery at U Mass Memorial in Worcester because that is where my doc was (I was one of his last patients there... he just moved to South Carolina to develop a knee and hip replacement program there). I know just how you feel about your doctor... that is how I felt about mine. I'm sad that he has moved.

How are you doing now?

 

[Baystater]

Terry,
I'm doing pretty well, little more pain last night, but PT came late afternoon so I think that's why. This morning I did my exercises, now icing and elevating. I've heard two weeks post op things really start to improve. Was that your experience?

I live in Berlin - and it takes me about 25 minutes to get to both my doctor's office and Emerson going 495 to Route 2. I was just saying to my husband that I like my doctor so if using him means using Emerson than that's OK with me. Emerson is nice but the patient rooms are really in need of updating. When a walker won't fit through the bathroom door that's a sign For my two arthroscopies I did my outpatient PT at Wellesley PT in Harvard. I chose them because it was such a pretty ride from my house! How is that for a practical reason? But they turned out to be quite good.