BTKR to come - scared!

[goodasnew]

Hi Betkita

You have every right to be grouchy at this stage - you're in pain and your surgery seems ages away. BUT it will come around and you'll be on your way to an active pain-free life again. It's very frustrating when you've been used to being active to having to give in to the disability and you feel like it will never end. We've all been there and for the vast majority of us the surgery and recovery are nowhere near as bad as we imagined and we quickly see the benefits of having new knees. You're young and you have a lot of living to do - try to fill these next few weeks with things you enjoy doing - do you have a hobby you can fill your time with?

Keep in touch with your Bonesmartie friends and we'll try to help you through it!:rolleyespink:

 

[MsHeidi]

Betkita,
I can only imagine how frustrated you are. I'm not good at waiting either. You have to get used to the idea of not being able to do everything you want to for a long time, though. One of the most frustrating things about this surgery is that it is a LONG rehab. You have to brace yourself for that going in. I knew it, but I'm still having trouble in the patience department. I want to do everything I want to do, and I want to do it now, thank you very much! Unfortunately, this surgery sucks your stamina and it takes a long time to get it back.

But, on a happier note, yesterday, at two months out, I made stew, went to a three-hour knitting lesson, shopped at Jo-Ann Fabrics for entirely too long, came home and started making a bag for a friend, and also started knitting a scarf. I was way overtired, but I hadn't spent the day in bed, either! Life is returning to busy, which is how I like it.

I have to ice up and stay on the drugs still, but I can envision a day down the line when I won't have to do either. There was a woman in the knitting class that had both of her knees done three months apart four years ago. She was telling me about how she can do absolutely anything she wants, including crawl around on her hands and knees on the floor. It was encouraging. Hang in there.

Spend this time learning everything you can about what to expect. It helps enormously! I really recommend reading Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilatation: A Knee Owner's Manual. It really helped me be realistic about what I was getting myself into. It helps to have your family read it too, I think, so that they will know what you are going to be going through. I think it's difficult for others to appreciate how major a surgery this is without some education. Also, it helps to have foreknowledge about some things that might happen, like amazing bruising. If I hadn't known to expect that it might happen, I would have thought I was having some kind of hemorrhage!

Enough from me tonight. Feel free to message if you want to chat, or have any questions I can help you with. Good luck with the waiting. Luckily, you have all these distracting holidays to keep you busy!

 

[wevrldy]

Hi Betkita,
I totally understand your impatience and wanting to move along. Now is the time to work on your preconditioning. The simple exercises can be done in the chair. If you do the quad strengtheners, you will begin to put strength into the muscles that have deteriorated because of the pain and changes in walking that you've done for years. Also simple upper body strengthening exercises, light weights or soup cans will do. I found that preconditioning really helped my postop rehab. And Ms Heidi gives good advice about reading realistic information for preparation.
So there's plenty to do to help pass this time and it will help you in the long run!
Best!
Martha

 

[newknees]

Scared?!! omgosh.......the anxies have really closed in this morning. BTKR schedule for Nov. 15th....8 days from now! I am 63, but had little or no medical procedures prior to 2008 (hysterectomy for endometrial cancer). I was nowhere near as anxious then as I am now. I had gallbladder removal 6 months ago - a breeze. If my insurance out of pocket was not paid because of that, I would be putting this surgery off. Because the knee pain is less now than it has been.

Your comments here help with my fears about how horrible I imagined the post-op pain to be. So that now I need to busy myself shopping and preparing food as best I can. And also visiting inpatient rehab facilities.

My husband of 40 years is solid and dependable. But has chronic anxiety/panic, and is always thread-bare with exhaustion and stress from working long hours and on commission. It's going to be tough on him with the added burden of doing everything I usually do, plus work and hospital. We have a 35-year old troubled son who has yet to manage his life. The stress and pain is constant, never knowing what the next phone call will bring. I take care of his 90lb pit bull. The advice from my medical community is "pets need to be elsewhere". :doggieshmooze:But if there WAS an elsewhere for this dog, he would not be here.

My mom is who I will have to depend on while my DH is working. She is willing and eager to be a help. But she is 82 years old, and uses a power chair, herself. She is a retired nurse, fussy and bossy, and does not remember things. So for a peace of mind state, I will have to rely on drugs:rolleyespink: in the early healing stage.

Thanks to all of you for being here and posting your personal experience; and for allowing me to vent.
Blessings to you all.
Shirley

 

[skigirl]

Shirley, since your mom has memory problems, I will tell you how I handled my meds. I kept a little notebook by my bed and wrote down whenever I took a pill. It helped a lot since I was hazy and not sure of the time half the time. I found that I could take a 5 mg Percoset every two hours instead of two every four hours, but it was even more important to write down the times. I found that little notebook recently---my writing was up one side of the page and down the other, but it did help a lot. Kelly

 

[Josephine]

I used my PalmTop and still have my Pain Management record. This is it as backed up on my PC.
The 1G/150 (or 100)mg is paracetamol(Tylenol)/Tramadol

 

[newknees]

Thanks, SkiGirl and Josephine for the meds recording tips.

Tomorrow's the day! :eek: I've tried to imagine how it's going to be as far as the pain. How does it, for instance, compare to the pre-op pain? Is it excruciating when you first wake from the surgery? the first time you stand? I'm told it[standing] will be the same day. I've tried to imagine the difficulty in doing every day things. I have at times had knee pain bad enough to be a little painful to get up and down at the toilet.
The pain issue aside, it's the idea of being disabled for so long. I know I haven't even thought of all the things I normally take for granted that I will have to relearn, and not be able to do for a while.
And, right now, the knee pain is not as bad as the lower back pain. I so hope and pray that a lot of that is from the gimpy knees. :prayer1:
Thanks, All.......and good wishes for your better days too...
Shirley

 

[sheryl7]

Newknees, your in my prays, wishing you a speedy recovery..

 

[Josephine]

How does it, for instance, compare to the pre-op pain?

Totally different in every way imaginable.

Is it excruciating when you first wake from the surgery?

Not in the same way - more like a soreness or a bad bruising. Besides which, if you have a spinal, you won't feel a thing until the spinal wears off! It's total bliss. I woke up with a great big grin on my face! (so I was told!)

the first time you stand?

Again, nothing like the pre-op pain. It doesn't hurt to stand at all. Any pain will be as I described before.

I'm told it[standing] will be the same day. I've tried to imagine the difficulty in doing every day things.

That's true and it's not difficult at all. You will have a nurse or a PT with you the first few times you get out of bed and they will tell you the right way to do it. You won't take off running but it's lovely to be able to take steps without catching your breath or having tears brought to your eyes because of the agony.

The pain issue aside, it's the idea of being disabled for so long. I know I haven't even thought of all the things I normally take for granted that I will have to relearn, and not be able to do for a while.

What ever gave you the idea you will be disabled at all? You won't. That's the whole point of the surgery, that you will be able to see to yourself within a couple of days. Sure, you'll have to take it carefully but you won't have to relearn anything.

Within 2-3 days you will be expected to start taking walks with your walker down the corridor and to get yourself into and out of bed, on and off the loo. And you will be able to! I even had a shower all by myself on day 4 and ever thereafter! Including stepping into the bath at home. It's nowhere near as bad as you are imagining.

The only caveat is that you must stay on top of the pain by taking your pain meds and with rest, elevating and icing.

Read these articles to get yourself ahead of the process - they should keep you occupied for a while! :wink1:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Discussion on managing pain in TKR surgery
Using ice

Work “Smarter” and not “Harder”
About recovering a knee - from one who knows!
Some suggestions for home physio (PT)
It's never too late to get more ROM!
It's Worth the Wait for ROM

Myth busting: The "window of opportunity"
MUA (manipulation under anaesthetic) and adhesions
https://bonesmart.org/forum/its-worth-wait-for-rom-t11558.htmlMyth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

 

[Betkita]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. I am still very scared of the surgery coming up, and have been off all prescribed pain meds for two months now.