TKR Di's Recovery Thread

[NightQuilter]

Welcome to the bored-with-recovery club Newbie! But, I suspect I am not alone in advising to enjoy it while it lasts. Your knee must be your guide to its recovery and trying to do too much will simply agitate and aggravate tender new healing and will ultimately slow your recovery further. Sleep is good! Have you tried baking or cooking - not too long on your feet, but it will get you moving around. Find some good computer games to keep your mind active ... words with friends for example. It does feel like a painfully long time, but your knee appreciates you taking it easier for awhile!

 

[KarriB]

@NightQuilter a tattoo artist sat beside me at a wedding yesterday. I almost asked her about putting a tattoo around my scar. Little kids look at my scar with wide eyes, so I've always wanted to add shark bites to my TKR scar. No one would ask about it then. My scar is large and ugly because of the second surgery.

 

[NightQuilter]

That's an interesting idea @KarriB - especially the shark bites!! I've heard of women who have had mastectomies getting their chests tattooed. I personally am not into tats and have embraced my scars as personal badges of courage! They still show more than some folks, but I am fine with that. When kids look at mine, I use it as a chance to talk to them about the marvels of science and medicine ... particularly girls who might think about those fields.

 

[KarriB]

I have no tats, but think if I were to get one that's what I'd do. My friend said I'd probably get an infection from it.

 

[newlybionic]

Hey Newbie! Congrats on the bike. You're about ready for the Tour de France!

My PT has been having me on the bike when I first started and amazingly I went around right away. I couldn't do it at all with the original TKR. I guess I was a gig show off that day. I payed for it right away as I was barely able to walk out the door.

 

[ACIM]

Here's one for you all: found out yesterday that one of my co-workers at the YMCA is having her 2nd knee replacement done tomorrow. SHE SAYS SHE'LL BE BACK TO WORK IN TWO WEEKS!!


Believe me, I will be following her "progress" every step of the way. Hope she doesn't make ME look like the wuss that I am, lol
This woman is ONE TOUGH COOKIE. She never really took to me when I was working with her- I believe she just felt that I was some dainty, feminine little princess ( my my, how looks can be deceiving) and she is built like an NFL linebacker. Too bad- I bet we have more in common than she knows...besides, I did try to befriend her but to no avail.
She has had a very tough life.
I really DO WISH HER an amazing recovery but I somehow suspect she'll not be back in two weeks...then again, with her, you never know. She just might come back in two weeks, in total agony, and won't tell a soul how miserable she really is...I'll keep you posted. Maybe I should go see her in the hospital?

 

[NightQuilter]

Oh my, that hurts just to think about Newbie!

 

[sistersinhim]

I think it would be a nice gesture to go see her in the hospital. Maybe she's untrusting and needs someone to show her that they care. If nothing else, it'll probably make you feel good for doing it!

 

[Celle]

I have a friend who went back to work one week after a knee replacement. He boasts about it, loudly.
However, he doesn't tell the whole story:
He went to work in a wheelchair.
His wife drove him to and from work.
He was grumpy and irritable at work and his co-workers wished he had stayed at home.
He wouldn't take pain medications, as he thought they were "for cissies." Consequently, he now talks about the "awful pain" of having a knee replacement.
Apart from when he was at work, he spent all his time resting in bed, with his wife dancing attendance on him.
His wife was a washed-out wreck within a month.

Youo can try to advise your co-worker, but she will probably still do it her way.

 

[ACIM]

Celle, sistersinhim, NightQuilter,
Agree with everything...I may or may not go to hospital. I need to get her last name. Since surgery is tomorrow I'd probably go see her on Thursday-

1. Will let you know

 

[Celle]

Di, there's no need to tag us all - we're reading your thread, so we'll see what you've written. I've removed the tags.
If you start a post with several tags, it makes it difficult for people reading on a phone, because their small screen only shows part of your post and what they'll see is mostly the multiple tags.

 

[newlybionic]

Newbie if she's already a grouch at work just think what she'll be like if she goes back to work in two weeks! I would check with her as to whether she would want visitors before you go.

 

[KarriB]

One of our aides had PTKR and was back in 2 months.

 

[newlybionic]

@KarriB I used a walker for the first two months postop my original TKR. Was she getting around with nothing at two weeks? That's unbelievable.

 

[KarriB]

Probably, she has never used any type of device to walk. I never would have known she needed a TKR or PTKR as she doesn't walk with a limp and is having the other knee done this week.

 

[ACIM]

@KarriB
Did you say she was back in two weeks or two months? One of your texts said two months and the following text from Ms. Bionic said two weeks...anyway, don't think I'll visit my co-worker in the hospital. Just realizing that, instinctively, she would be uncomfortable with it.

Meanwhile, got a "lovely" call from my OS office this morning telling me that my insurance company had contacted them to "let them know" (does this stuff really happen??) that I had used several different doctors for my pain medication after surgery...it was explained to me by my OS office that this makes me "look bad" to any doctor the next time I might need pain medication (really???)


I was upset and went off on a tirade to this poor nurse on the other end of the phone- told her in no uncertain terms what my insurance company could go do with itself!! And then went on to defend my position, my nightmare of getting adequate pain mgmt. treatment after surgery...got off the phone and cried, blaming myself when I've done nothing wrong.

Is this standard practice for your doctor's office to call to tell you this? Who does it help? Why do I need to know this?

Can I contact my insurance company to combat their ridiculous assumptions? Would it help in the future if something happened to me?

 

[Suz]

I agree with you on not going to see her in the hospital Newbie. I guarantee you she wouldn't be a 'tough cookie' there however once the spinal & nerve block wears off! And from what I've learned here- just because you breeze through your first replacement is no guarantee you'll do so on the second! I wish her the best- but I hope she doesn't come back to work bragging and making things uncomfortable for you!

And as for your insurance company, no surprise there. From my view of things it's no longer about quality patient care- it's all about the money. You pay in those high premiums 'on time' and are treated with unbelievable carelessness when you're in need of their promised quality healthcare. SAD!

 

[newlybionic]

The only thing you'll get from the insurance company is more frustration if you attempt to call them so I wouldn't worry about it. My company de decided that I was getting too many prescriptions for pain medications. They wouldn't let the pharmacy fill a valid prescription from my OS. I had to pay for the medication since they wouldn't cover them.

It's totally crazy here in the US as they try to limit pain medications because of drug addicts. The only ones suffering are the people who have valid need for them. The addicts will always get them .

 

[KarriB]

She had her PTKR and came back in two months, still on pain meds and is having her second knee done this week. But she will have a longer time to recover because of the summer and this knee could be a full or a partial. I went back at 3 months part time and was taking pain meds once a day when I got home.

 

[ACIM]

@KarriB
Yeah, okay. Two months I could see, but TWO WEEKS?? Omg, would her OS even release her to work after just two weeks?

How many more working days for you? You're almost there!

@newlybionic
I think everyone who's seen my thread pretty much knows what an insane nightmare I've been through with the lack of pain mgmt. treatment.
Have my last f/u appt. (at least for one year) with my OS on June 2nd. I dare him to bring this topic up! Afraid I'll chew his head off! But know I won't. What's done is done...no use rehashing anymore.