Dec. 2 LTKR to be followed by RTKR at a later date

[LondonLady]

@Alfie
Hi! i agree with the idea of bringing in Christmas dinner! I'm about 3 weeks post op--one of the most uncomfortable things is sitting normally in a chair with your knee bent and touching the floor! It's OK for a short period of time, but not for a whole meal. At home you can use a footstool to relieve the discomfort.

 

[Alfie]

Thank you for the dinner advice. I think perhaps I'll buy a plain turkey breast (5 times the price of a whole bird here but what the heck) and plop it in the crockpot with an envelope of gravy mix. Favourite husband can peel the spuds and cook the carrots. Tada! Christmas dinner. FH can bring supper to my recliner - with ice cream for dessert. We'll make the best of the day and watch movies.
Question: Friends have offered to bring supper on a Saturday evening a week or 2 after I get home. The plan is to have a good visit and maybe watch a movie and drink some wine. She's very understanding and won't care if I'm in my jammies or doze off. Even so, is this too ambitious? I haven't seen her in a very long time and am really looking forward to it.
4 more sleeps till knee #1! Yikes

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Will I be able to stand long enough to get a turkey and veg prepped for the dinner? It's only the 2 of us this year, but we love turkey. FH suggested finding a local restaurant that puts on a spread. Opinions?

From the mantra: "If you won't die if it's not done, don't do it." Local restaurant looks good on that basis.

I'll still be alone for 6 hours before FH gets home from work

If you can make it to the bathroom - and they won't let you out of hospital 'till you can - 6 hours is no bother alone.

 

[Lovestoread]

How wonderful that you have a friend to help you out! That said, for most people, it isn't absolutely necessary to have someone around all the time. You will be mobile….though you won't feel like doing much. That's ok! It's nature's way of telling you to take it easy! I came home the same day of surgery….one was on a Tuesday, the other on a Wednesday. My husband was home with me the rest of the week and went back to work the following Monday. I managed just fine. I live in a two-story home, but only went up and down a couple of times a day. We had very easy meals for a bit…lots of take-out. I didn't have much of an appetite, so what ever he wanted to pick up on the way home from work was fine by me. Your hospital will make sure you are able to care for yourself before you leave. If your friend wants to do a little cleaning, laundry or cooking, by all means let her! Just make sure she knows you probably won't be up for great conversation and you'll be sleeping (or trying to!) quite a bit.

 

[referee54]

At two weeks, I was not a very good conversationist---the pain mes allowed me to drop of to sleep quite quickly.

The plan is to have a good visit and maybe watch a movie and drink some wine. She's very understanding and won't care if I'm in my jammies or doze off.

I would not be drinking any wine---yo probably will still be on narcotic pain meds, and you most likely will not watch much of the movie. Sleep, icing, and elevating are pretty common in the first couple weeks after a TKR.

 

[referee54]

I hope you recover easily and quickly, but I can tell you that, for me, at three weeks post recovery, I did not even think about going to my mom's for Thanksgiving dinner. I stayed at home and slept.

The pain meds that I was on were very strong, and I slept through most of the holiday.

If your friend wants to do a little cleaning, laundry or cooking, by all means let her! Just make sure she knows you probably won't be up for great conversation and you'll be sleeping (or trying to!) quite a bit.

This is pretty much my thought, too---you will be zonked for most of the time.

 

[kneeper]

Based on my experience 2 weeks home, bringing dinner and visiting during dinner sounds good. Adding a video and hanging out not so much. A full evening might need to wait for a while.

 

[Alfie]

Good morning everyone. Looking for a bit of encouragement. I wish they provided anti-anxiety meds for several days beforehand. I've been pretty good emotionally up till now. I had a wee meltdown of fear and tears today and it's going to be a very long day.
I'm pretty much packed and ready to go. This time tomorrow I'll be on the operating table. Hopefully I won't hear a thing (the sound of the procedure is a major fear for me).
I guess I'll see you all on the other side ...

 

[sandbar525]

@Alfie Wishing you a smooth surgery tomorrow and an uneventful recovery. When I met with my anesthiologist, the one thing I told him (probably several times) is that I was nervous about waking up or hearing anything during the procedure. He assured me that he would not let that happen and that he would be by my side at all times. I would never be alone. He also prescribed a valium to be administered as soon as I got into the pre-op area. I had a spinal and a light general anesthetic and never heard or felt a thing! I'll be looking for your posting on the other side once you feel up to it. Sending you strong, positive, healing thoughts your way!

 

[kneeper]

One thing I found is that the people getting you ready for the operation are so calm and professional that it really keeps you calm too. See you on the recovery side!