DH surgery on 9/11

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alfandrh

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thank goodness i found this site. DH's RTKR is scheduled and he's spinning out of control--me too! so, at least we now have the date and will need to figure out the details and logistics of his at-home recovery. it's going to be difficult, at best; however, we've opened the lines of communication about this and, as always, we'll just keep on truckin'. just to let you know, i tend to be a bit sarcastic at times(the new yorker in me)--but we'll need support and will pay it forward. thanks', alf
 
Glad you are here!! I'm 10 weeks out, and would NEVER have made it without this group!!! There is always someone online to talk to here!

Good luck,
Hess
 
thanks for the replies. i feel better already! DH surgery date is changed to 9/15 at the hospital we really like (it's also a bit more convenient as far as location). stress is mounting but i know we'll get thru this.
why do we have knees?
 
Dear alf, welcome to BoneSmart. If you have any questions we're eager and willing to answer them - to the best of our ability!
 
Welcome :)

....15 weeks out for me and planning to schedule my other knee soon...this group is fabulous...you can ask anything....all the stuff you forget to ask OS or PT (or think is too small)--we'll happily discuss anything from pain control to stool softeners in great detail (by the way, we are in favor of both!).
 
Oh so correct, Gretchen!
 
thank you all for your supportive responses. DH and i have his pre-op appt. w/ OS tomorrow (Weds) at 8:30 a.m. I have a slew of questions for him and if i forget anything i know i can reach him. he's not only a great surgeon but he's very compassionate (sp?) as well.

tensions are high here at our little abode--DH is just a little freaked out about his 9/15 surgery. i wish i could wiggle my nose and make things easier for him. on a selfish note, i hope i can do my best for/with him. the man can be CRANKY and stubborn! i may have to duct tape him to our bed and the recliner we're borrowing from our son.

i know we'll get thru this with flying colors but right now i don't know what the colors are!
as for the reasons we have knees--"never mind".
alf
 
Gotta say, for me, the hardest part was before the surgery. Scared to death, so many questions, things I think I needed to have control of. Not saying rehab and pain after was nothing but before was harder. Point is... it gets better.
 
Gotta say, for me, the hardest part was before the surgery. Scared to death, so many questions, things I think I needed to have control of. Not saying rehab and pain after was nothing but before was harder. Point is... it gets better.

I totally agree with Jennifer. My RTKR was last Friday (five days ago) and I'm now home and convalescing. My husband has been a pure trooper and he deserves a HUGE medal for putting up with me. I'm used to being VERY independent and this surgery makes you completely and totally dependent on those around you for a while. Because I am so dependent, I get cranky. I just make sure to tell him several times per day how much I truly appreciate all he is doing for me, even if I don't show it sometimes.

Pre-surgery was the scariest part for me, too. I was TOTALLY freaked about everything, I'll tell ya, and nothing anyone said made one whit of difference for me. Now that I've been through it, it's not as scary anymore.

Humor helps a TON. I learned to joke with the nurses, with PT, etc., and it makes everything so much easier. I joke with my PT, "You be careful, I've mastered the high kick. If you aren't nice, I'll kick you right in the toenail!"

Look for posts on how to prepare your home for post-surgery. Right now, the most useful things I have on hand are my elevated toilet seat (can get them at Walmart) and a simple, non-stretchy winter scarf I had. I use the scarf as my "leg lifter" which enables me to get in/out of the recliner and such all by myself. I loop the scarf over my foot and then can lift my leg up onto my very high bed by myself with the use of it.

At the hospital, the most used item I had was BABY WIPES. You can use them from head to toe, and they certainly helped me when I needed to "freshen up" after the catheter was removed, etc. I used them to wash my face, as well. It was nice to be able to be "independent" and take care of those needs myself. Every little bit of independence is HUGE.

Hope that helps some!
 
Yeah - moisties. Best thing since sliced bread! I buy them in bulk!!
 
Hi Alf... good luck to you and your husband. I was where you are this past May. DH had a RTKR. He was pretty calm, I was very frightened. Heaved a deep sigh of relief once he was in recovery. Doing for him for the few weeks he was helpless at home, wasn't easy but we both managed. If turn around is fair play, he'll be doing for me when I have a RTKR the end of Sept. Team work is the key!

Kim... thanks for the hint on bringing wipes. I hadn't thought of that. Like you, I'm totally freaked about my upcoming RTKR. And, you're right, nothing anyone says makes me feel less fearful. And, like you I've always been independent, so I'm not looking forward to being needy. But I have a great DH, so I know I'm in good hands... just wish he knew how to cook. Oh well, there's always take-out.

Sandy
 
I think the most helpless part for me was not being able to lift my own leg--the leg lifter thing really hurt for me. I was determined, though. By the time I was home 5 days, I could lift it with my other leg, and in two more days, I could lift it independently. That made me feel much better.
 
I think the most helpless part for me was not being able to lift my own leg--the leg lifter thing really hurt for me. I was determined, though. By the time I was home 5 days, I could lift it with my other leg, and in two more days, I could lift it independently. That made me feel much better.

*grins* I couldn't lift mine for a week--not because of pain/muscles but because I had had a femoral nerve block--and my brain/leg would not reconnect. The home PT assured me it was not uncommon and it would come back.

It was quite funny as my hubby and PT would need to do my leg lifts by pulling it up for me. Hubby, an otherwise bright guy, would say things like "Gee--just focus and raise it." It sure felt good the first day it started to reconnect and I could actually move it (an inch) myself :)
 
Hearing about hoe the femoral nerve block made it so you couldn't move your leg for hours, days, a week makes me very glad I had the spinal. My pain after was minimal and controled well with what ever drugs they gave me. I was moving my legs in the recovery room and doing leg lifts, heel slides and pushing for extension on my own the whole time in the hospital bed.
 
Wow, I had the spinal with the femoral nerve block, as well. They wouldn't allow me out of recovery until I could wiggle the toes on both feet after surgery.

I do remember receiving the femoral nerve block, as they did that before they took me to the OR. There was no pain at all (that I can recall, anyway), but the anesthesiologist did tell me that my leg would "jump" a bit as they "probed to find the correct nerve." ...and jump it did! LOL Very strange, as if I was having strange muscle contractions. Again, no pain that I can recall at ALL while they did this.

I do remember them telling me in recovery to go ahead and wiggle my toes. They said, "you won't be able to tell if you are doing it. Just imagine you are wiggling your toes, we'll tell you if you are actually moving them."

It took a LONG time for them to finally say, "There they go!" (although time is relative when you are in the "in between world" of awake and asleep.)
 
I had a spinal also--would have welcomed the nerve block with the pain I had afterward. Even without it, however, I still could not do a straight leg lift for a while--and I was doing Pilates leg work prior to the surgery. The darn quads would just quiver. Then one morning, it just went up--all the way. Go figure.
 
Yeah I was happy with the femoral nerve block. Zero pain until it wore off.

I just found the not being able to lift the leg for a week amusing :)

By the way I could feel things and wiggle my toes; but the brain commands for lifting just took awhile to kick in.
 
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