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Gathering Myself Together for BTKR November 12

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@Jane B. - guess who's dozing on the sofa right now. He was in Hong Kong getting his new Visa and reached a hick-up that he had to come home to straighten out. He flew in last night after taking a "milk-run" flight to get here. No matter how old your children are they can always surprise you.
 
What a nice pre-surgical surprise! And they are always asleep in odd places after that trip!
 
@Threads That is so nice for you! I know what you mean...no matter how old they get, they are still our babies!
 
Thanks @Jane B. and @71Beetle I think, with this son, I worry more - the other two are happily married with families. Our middle son has been a wanderer, been married and divorced, had the rug pulled out from under him in the aftermath of 2008 and has generally had a challenge surviving since then. He's on his own and far away. I'm absolutely thrilled we have him home at the moment - we hadn't seen him for four years and didn't know when we would see him again. So this is special time.
 
Question to anyone who can answer. My DH has a recliner that I plan to use when I get home from rehab. However, you have to use your legs to help you sit up, there is no handle on the side. How soon is this doable after a BTKR?
 
It's the kind that I have and it was hard enough with only one knee "done" to put the chair up or down. I didn't use it much, I hit the sofa.
 
@Threads My recliner has a button to raise/lower the footrest but our sofa has to be closed with legs. I found it very difficult (pretty much impossible) the first few weeks. It probably took me about 5/6 weeks to be able to close it comfortably (although it was still difficult). I do think I remember using it though around 3 weeks out and getting away with it, although it was hard to do it earlier without help getting it closed after.

I didn't raise my recliner - and also the recliner rocks - so it was a bit difficult to get up for the first week or so. But for me at least, it was doable to get up/down without adding any kind of riser. I think the rocking part made it more difficult than the actual getting up.
 
Thanks @ljrfrm - my DH's isn't a rocker but the reclining part wouldn't keep my knees above my heart without pillows. I have this mental image of being stuck in it, knees up, ice machine attached and having to go to the bathroom, while my DH is upstairs sleeping like a baby. He can sleep through anything! Hopefully, by the time I get home from rehab, this will all be more doable. I expect to be away from home for at least 3 weeks.

All the little things you worry about as S-Day approaches ;-)
 
@Threads My recliner at the hospital was like that too - so from day 1 I had practice. Maybe the recliner at rehab will give you lots of practice :) I think you'll be fine by the time you get home. Ok, well maybe not fine - but you be ok enough to find a way to not get stuck!

You are so very prepared for S-Day, I know you will do amazing :)
 
I bought blocks to raise some of the furniture up, because it did hurt to get in and out of anything low. But it only hurt for a few days, and by the time the blocks came, I didn't need them any longer. I sent them back.

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Lifters-Mahogany-4-25-3-43/dp/B000L3OHRS/?tag=ate362da-20

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Lifters-Mahogany-4-25-3-43/dp/B000L3OHRS/?tag=ate362da-20

I honestly do not know if I would buy them again, if I were scheduled to have my left knee done.

Let's say that because you are going the bilateral route, you could possibly have a week's worth of discomfort, your first whole week home. It might be worth buying a set or two of these. They aren't expensive. My husband is not handy. They'd cost about a buck to make them.
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence, @ljrfrm! I hope I'm getting prepared.

I've just had a fun day - I was able to get two of the grandchildren together - the oldest to teach the younger skills on creating fun designs on her finger nails. They don't often have a chance to be together, so I loved watching them connect - a 16 year old & a 10 year old. It was a province wide professional development day for the teachers.
 
Thanks @Jane B. - we have some of those for our bed (not as fancy, we got them at a medical supply store) from when DH had his hip replacement. I'll dig them out and try them on the sofa. I'll give the recliner a pass until my legs are strong enough to handle it. My hubby isn't handy either ;-)
 
I went to an information session today for about to be new hipsters and knees bees! I was handed a sheet of paper at the end, because I'm special ;-) The sheet listed tips for bilaterals including ways to prepare your home. They include a wheelchair on the list that other bilaterals have found useful! That freaked me out on several levels. One, I'm not ready for a wheelchair and two, there is no way our place is wheelchair friendly. Our place is tiny but on several floors with a washroom a short walk from both the bed upstairs and the sofa main floor. Has anyone heard of needing a wheelchair after you get home from bilaterals?????
 
@Threads It's nice that they had a separate handout after your class. I was the only bilateral at my class, and there wasn't any additional information/tips for me, other than what all the hip and knee patients got. I will say however, that I can't imagine that I ever would have used a wheelchair. I tried to get up once an hour (more or less) to stretch and move. I know my doctor wanted me to do some walking to help prevent blood clots. I set up my area in the family room with everything I needed, so the only place I ever had to walk was the bathroom (which I just worked into my hourly stretching program). I went up and down the stairs once a day - which was great practice for me. I would go down in the morning, spend the day in my recliner, and then would go up each night. Upstairs was very doable for me as well, as I only went between my bed and the bathroom. The only thing that would have been nice was a second toiler riser - as my husband spent the first three weeks carrying it downstairs each morning and upstairs at night. No big deal - but would have been less work for him to have a second one to keep upstairs. No big deal though.

For the first few weeks, I really only went out for PT or to the doctor - both of which I walked with my walker without too much pain or problems. I even went out to lunch after PT at around two weeks and just used the walker. I know some have gone shopping, and used the electric cart for that, I didn't do any trips to the store until I was able to walk on my own - which I did sometimes for a bit for exercise. I can only speak for myself, but I see a wheelchair at home to be unnecessary and something I would have never used! My doctor probably would not want me to use it either - as he had me walking from the day I had surgery, and wanted me moving!
 
Thank you, @ljrfrm! My gut feeling from my reading on Bonesmart told me this was unnecessary, but I wanted to put the question out there. Also, thanks for reinforcing that it's all doable. We'll rent a second toilet riser from the Red Cross! to make life easier. The word "wheelchair" set me off on a worry tangent ;-)

I was the only bilateral in the class as well. The handout didn't tell me anything I didn't know from Bonesmart, our community's booklet on joint replacement and the book I bought on TKR. It has reinforced that I have let my physical preparation slip with the wonderful distractions we've had in the last 2 weeks. We haven't been to the pool since we received our son's email. We'll be heading to the airport around 3:30 tomorrow morning for his 6:00 am return flight - the time has flown. I can go back to the pool a few more times before surgery.

Two weeks tomorrow - the time is passing so quickly!
 
@Threads Enjoy life! So glad you had a great visit with your son!! If you make it to the pool, great! If not, it will be there later :) I know you will have a very successful recovery!
 
Hi @Threads it's been a while since I last visited. I think it was about clothing and footwear if I remember correctly?

Anyway your op is a week today and I noticed that you're getting ready and preparing so well for it. I don't know if anyone has suggested making your bedroom and bed into your own personal island? Bottled water, drinks, snacks, hand wipes. Also recommended is iPad, TV or good books/magazines or knitting. Anything that you will be able to keep yourself occupied with. The reason that I am mentioning this is that my house sounds similar to yours. My bedroom is upstairs with the bathroom next door. The toilet has a frame around it. Anyway for the first few weeks about 4-6, I practically lived in my bedroom as it was easier for me to cope and manage that way. I did go downstairs as exercise but I overdid them so much.

Will your son be around after the op? That would be nice for you xxx

Take care you know where I am if you want to chat or ask me anything.

You're doing just great.

Love Nana moon 27 xx
 
Thanks for dropping by @Nana moon 27 - I've been spending my time on other people's threads ;-)

I have a huge pot of squash soup cooling on the stove that will migrate to the freezer before I head for bed. Soup is my comfort food, especially during our west coast rainy winters. The freezer is becoming well stocked.

I think I'll hang out on the main floor when I get home. The talk is that I will be in a rehab hospital for a bit because of the bilaterals. However, you never know until "they" decide in the hospital. Our chesterfield (sofa) is one that we had made for my short legs a number of years ago and it has cushions on the arms and back that you can unzip and take apart for dry cleaning. If we remove all the cushions on the back and sides, I can have a narrow bed. We bought a knee bolster that I can lean on in two positions. That will be my daytime hang out. It's where I "live" when I'm at home with my books, knitting, a small loom, spinning wheel (that would use the pumping motion with my feet :yes:) and all my stuff nearby. It's our living room that we live in and I don't have far to get to the washroom.

My theory is that if I go to rehab, as I've been led to believe, I'll be stronger than I would be coming straight home from the hospital. Going up and down stairs once a day should be doable.

We've picked up all the stuff I need and the equipment is waiting for me to label. Do you have access to borrowing equipment from the Red Cross like we have? I've been able to borrow crutches, a walker, raised toilet seat with arms and a tub transfer bench - all for an optional donation.

Our middle son got his visa issues straightened out and has returned to China. It was so sad to see him go because we never know when we will see him again. Luckily, we have two other sons and their families living not too far away, if we need help.

My pre-op appointment is Friday and after that I'm just going to relax and do the things I want to do. 7 more sleeps.

Thanks for dropping by to say HI.
 
Wow @Threads

You're the most organised person ever! Well done you. I think rehab is a good idea too. I'm glad you've got support off your other sons that's so nice and I'm really pleased that your sons visa issue got sorted x xx

Good luck Sandra, you'll be absolutely great xxx

Love Nana moon 27 xxxx
 
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