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TKR gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!

@gr82cu2 I always ran 'interference' with hubby's visitors by saying things like, 'thanks for coming but it is time for his medicine' or 'time for his exercises' or if they are really stubborn 'time for his blood thinner injection' !
Tucker still looks like he is at a good weight!
You have a great day!
 
Yeah, yesterday when the kids were here I finally asked Kent what he was going to fix me for dinner and they decided to go then. I was resting on the couch so it wasn't that big of a deal really but with other visitors earlier and phone calls and texts it was time to turn "off". Whenever anyone is here, even close family, I feel the need to be "on". There is no way for instance I could have closed my eyes and gone to sleep even though a couple of times I wanted to so bad, LOL.

Tucker is very thin. You can feel all his ribs and his spine :( He was never a fat cat by any stretch of the imagination but he wasn't boney. I always described him as muscular and he was. He was very heavy for his size. When you picked him up you didn't expect him to weight 9# because he didn't look like it. He was all muscle. Anyway, it warmed my heart a little when he came and curled up with me for a bit. I think he would have stayed longer but I had to move him a couple of times so I could reposition my leg and he didn't like that, LOL.
 
@tiredwife He seems to have days where he will throw up 1, 2 or 3 times and then he goes several days and doesn't throw up. I see no rhyme nor reason to it. He did want breakfast this morning and has kept it down. His appetite isn't nearly as big as it used to be so he doesn't eat much when he does eat.
 
@gr82cu2 the meds may be messing with his appetite, just offer food through out the day, little bits at a time. That's all you can do.

How are you doing today? I think I am on the mend! Hubby is icing as we just went grocery shopping. He is off his diclofenac for the surgery so his joints are hurting, he can still take Tylenol thank goodness.
How was the cheesecake?
 
@tiredwife That's what we do. A little at a time, sometimes he eats it, sometimes not. I think mostly he licks the "gravy" off the wet food. I tried last week to pour a little chicken broth over his food hoping he would eat more but nope! He is so dang picky! And he just doesn't understand he's sick right now and needs the calories.

I've been on the couch icing and elevating (higher than yesterday) most of the day today. Taking meds on time. I was just up to use the restroom and it feels a bit better than it did this time yesterday. I used my e-stem on the swelling setting for 30 minutes this morning after I did my e-stem exercises. I've got it back on now on the swelling setting with 22:58 minutes to go! It's weird. When you take it off and everything is disconnected you still feel the tingling. I guess that's good. It gets the blood flowing to the site. I took about a 90 minute nap and just as I was waking up younger son showed up for a little visit. He's Mr. Fixit and just fixed our bathroom sink stopper so that's good.

Wishing I could have a glass of wine right about now. :martini:
 
@gr82cu2 Maybe if you put the can food and some chicken stock in a blender and make a soup.

Sounds like you are doing somewhat better. Does your machine really help with the swelling? With all the meds I'm on right now I don't dare drink wine either. Hubby is starting to get somewhat nervous. He hate hospitals, hates needles, but will be glad to get it over with!
 
@gr82cu2 I'm catching up on your thread and am so sorry to read that you had such a hard time in the hospital with your pain! I love the picture of Tucker waking you up. How is he doing?
I haven't been on much this week as my back went out last Sunday. Luckily the doctor said it was all muscular and gave me muscle relaxers. Then the next day I went to an emergency appointment to the dentist for a tooth. He was hoping that a root canal would do the trick, but after going to the dentist that does the root canals, he said that the tooth is definitely fractured. So I have an appointment on Tuesday with the oral surgeon to have it pulled. One good thing is that my knee didn't bother me all week. It's times like that when I think maybe I should hold off on the surgery, but I know it's the right thing to do.
Make sure you keep icing and that should help the swelling. It sounds as though overall you are doing great!
Hope you have a good night. Anne
 
@tiredwife, I'll have to let you know about the swelling. I've done it 3 times today. It sure isn't worse and once I do it it actually feels a little looser, so maybe? The 2 times today that I did my e-stem exercises I followed it with the swelling setting on the e-stem plus I put ice on my knee while it did it's thing. I just finished round 2 of exercise and round 3 of swelling control. It also has a setting to use for pain control that I need to try. I think I'm going to take it with me to PT on Tuesday so I can ask and be sure I'm placing the electrodes correctly. Don't wanna mess things up while trying to make it better!

Just remind your hubby how much better his operated knee feels now and how happy he will be to have it all over with. The 2nd one will hopefully be easier because everything he will go through won't be new to him. That's how I'm going to have to look at it to get through it again.

Oh! The cheesecake I tried was blueberry something or other. It was way too sweet for me so I had Kent put it back in the fridge after about 3 bites. I'll nibble on it here and there as the mood strikes. I don't have much of a sweet tooth anymore. Have a great night Jackie!

@Yorkimom Anne, So sorry to hear about your back. Backs are such delicate things. Fine one day, not fine the next it seems. I've been pretty lucky as far as my back goes. The spinal problems I've had have been in my neck. My husband also fractured a tooth the day I had my surgery. He has to have it pulled on the 9th I think it is.

I would go through phases where my knee wouldn't hurt and I would doubt myself for wanting the surgery. That's one of the reasons I waited so long to schedule. But eventually the bad times overtook the good and I had to get 'er done! Honestly, if I were to wake up in the morning and all the swelling were gone along with the bruising, I think I would be back to 90% of normal. I can't remember the last time my knee joint felt so stable and strong. My knees felt so wobbly so much of the time and sometimes it almost felt like my lower leg was hanging on by a thread. It was a very uncomfortable feeling even when it wasn't painful which was rare.

Tucker is hanging in there. We feel like he has at least stabilized over the past week and put his quick downward spiral sort of on hold. He isn't eating very much at all though and is skin and bones. He lays around almost all the time which isn't the kitty he was. He was always very alert and interested in what was happening around him. His breed, Tonkinese, is said the be the dogs of the cat world and I think it's true. He seems to have bad days and not so bad days but no really good days to speak of. He doesn't seem to be in any pain at all. You can just tell he doesn't feel well and sometimes his eyes look so sad. We're grateful for every day we get to have with him but when things turn for the worse we won't let him suffer. We love him far too much to let that happen.

I forget, have you scheduled your other surgery yet? I've lost track! Drugs, ya know? LOL

(((hugs)))
 
Sunday, August 3, 2014 (6th day after surgery)

I don't have a whole lot to report for today. I mostly laid :elevate:on the couch with my leg elevated and iced a lot of times. I did try out the swelling setting on my e-stem machine (? machine doesn't sound right) 3 times. I did it twice following my e-stem exercises and once on it's own. All 3 times I iced:ice: as I did it. It makes the area on your leg around your knee all tingly and it continues to tingle after it's off. Blood flow, I guess?

The bruising is much, much, much worse today! Why didn't you all tell me this would happen? LOL!! I know, I know you did! But being ever the optimist I thought that only happened to other people. I'm bruised from mid thigh at least to my ankle, front and back. I can't take my TED hose off by myself so that's as far as I could peel them back and pull them back up, on my own. My leg is sort of sausage shaped and is much bigger than my non-operated leg. MUCH bigger! My shin feels like someone beat me with a ball bat :holysheep:and when I stand, whew! It hurts! But once I get moving a few steps it dissipates to a tolerable level at least long enough to walk to the potty and back.

I'm still very happy with my incision. I think it's going to heal fine and not be too terribly noticeable. There is now only an itsy bitsy teeny weeny bit of bloody fluid seeping. Maybe tomorrow it will be dry and I can take a shower. The spot at the top of my incision that was so sore really hasn't bothered me much at all today. Before today if I bent my knee if felt like it was going to rip open. So, I guess every day things get a little better.

I took my meds :chillpill:by the clock today, full doses. Yesterday taught me a lesson :no-fin: It's far too early to be thinking about cutting back yet. I just hate being so dang sleepy all the time. I took a 90 minute nap this afternoon and was dying to take another nap right after dinner but I forced myself up to do my exercises. 48 more minutes till the next dose then I can set my alarm to take my middle of the night pills. :alarm:

I suppose tomorrow my OS will read the email I sent Friday night. Here's hoping he doesn't fire me as a patient!!! :cheers:
 
Janet, you and I are exactly on the same track after having the same surgery date. I'm swollen and bruised, front and back, mid thigh to ankle also. I don't have that fancy machine. I also don't have TED stockings, but we are for sure on the same page. I did do my exercises from the hospital PT today even though it felt like my leg was going to burst when I bent it. I also tried cutting back on the meds because I'm so sleepy all the time, and also then decided it's too early for that, especially if I am to start PT on Tuesday. When I read your post about today, most of it sounds like I wrote it! Well, I just woke up for my middle of the night meds, then off to sleep I go! Keep in touch and goodnight... Or rather, good morning!
 
:hi: @G82cu2
Good Morning Janet from a sunny & cool Dublin on Monday @ 7:45 am.
Your on day 7 post-op & I'm on day 18. Going home from Rehab centre either Tuesday or Wednesday. Went home on an afternoon release for home from 2:30 to 8:00 and it was lovely and now well prepared to tackle the 41 stairs from the ground floor to the top floor bedroom that has a shower & toilet. During the day when I am door stairs in my little recovery 'nest' there is a toilet & sink up a flight if 12 steps. So the legs will get plenty of exetcise, :hiking:

Very interested in your e-steam unit. Haven't heard of this, is it like one if the exercise muscle stimulating machine ? I had a similar unit called 'Slendertone' to tighten tummy .& hips - wonder if this could be adapted for the leg.

Take care & have a good day.
Cathie
 
@gr82cu2 Most of hubby's bruising was on the inside of his leg from knee to ankle. All sorts of colors. He is so ready to be done with this and go back to work. He will probably go back part time some time in the end of Sept beginning of Oct. He is so bored. After a few weeks of part time he will go back full time. I guess if we haven't killed each other yet it is a good sign that we will survive when he retires:heehee:. You have a good day!
 
@ConnieJOS Does this mean we are having a textbook recovery? The e-stem machine was used with a wrap around my thigh before surgery to stimulate the quad muscle to build strength and endurance. Now it is used with electrodes (I guess that's what they are) to promote healing and reduce swelling. Does it work? I have no idea! It must be an accepted practice though because my insurance covered it and it was not a cheap little deal. The wrap for my thigh was over $800 and the electronic part that controls the signals or whatever was $1375. I think people also use them for back pain and all kinds of muscle pains and strains. I'll definitely hang onto it for the long run in case it is ever needed for something else. Everyone (it seems) complains about the TED hose but they really haven't bothered me at all other than the past couple of days with the swelling being worse they want to roll down and are tight and pinchy sometimes around my upper thigh. I'm normally hot blooded, especially since they took my Estrogen away from me for surgery, and expected them to be very hot but they really aren't. They feel pretty comforting actually.

@marmora Wow!! That's a lot of stairs! Here in America we tend to forget that your part of the world live in tall houses a lot. No wonder you needed to go to rehab. You had to get yourself to the point where you could go up and down all those stairs just to go potty. Yikes! We live in what is called a Ranch house. It is all on one level with only 2 steps in from our garage. The e-stem sends electrical impulses via electrodes that stick on and stimulates the muscles to move or tingles and sends blood flow depending on the setting. It's pretty nifty but I have no idea if it is making any difference. I'll keep using it though. I'll take a picture later on when I get it on so you can see what it is.

@tiredwife My hubby retired at the end of last year. He worked from home for the past 20 years though so him being around all the time hasn't been much different, all in all. He keeps busy with his hobbies, photography and guitar and stays out of my hair for the most part. For the most part we keep different sleeping schedules. I'm a night owl and he's an early riser so I get about 3 hours at night after he's in bed and he gets about 3 hours in the morning before I get up. That's our "me" time, LOL.
 
@gr82cu2 I quit working a bunch of years ago to remodel our home. My daughter and I redid the kitchen and main bath room, built our fish pond in back, etc. We took the rooms down to bare studs and sub floor. Major remodel not just painting. Then she moved out (married and had a boy) and now remodel is on hold because I watch the grandson. I still have 2 of the bedrooms to do, I need to finish putting in new windows, and finish putting up the new siding, but I am older now and it is tougher. Once hubby gets healed we need to jump on it and get it all done. We want to sell the house in a couple of years and move to the Oregon coast. Well, enough of that - have a great day!
 
Ok, I'm starting to feel a bit guilty. So many of you have trouble sleeping at night and I'm getting a good 7-8 hours for the most part. I set my alarm for my middle of the night meds, take them, go potty and go right back to sleep. I credit my nest. It's very comfortable. I haven't even attempted sleeping in bed and doubt I will for several more weeks. I can be comfortable here without bothering Kent or him bothering me. If you didn't see the picture the other day of my nest, here it is! Maybe give it a try yourself if you are having trouble sleeping. The pillow closest to my bottom is lowest. Then stack them like stairs till you get the height you want/need. I had to support them from underneath with couch pillows so the whole stack didn't collapse. I have 2 soft pillows under my shoulders/head/neck area. The only part of me that isn't supported by pillows is my very lower back/upper bottom. Very comfy!

[Bonesmart.org] gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!
 
@tiredwife, you are my hero! I used to be able to do things like that till arthritis took hold of me. And I loved doing stuff like that. When I quit working in 2007 I fixed up our garage. With having two tinkery boys I was so tired of our garage always being a mess and not being able to find tools and things when I needed them and well, just tired of it looking like a junk pile with a couple of cars wedged in there. It wasn't a major remodel by any means but I painted the walls & ceiling. I put in wainscotting (sp?) that was really paneling sheets I had cut in half, painted the floor with epoxy and put in big cabinets so that things could be put away behind closed doors. It was awesome and still is. It's stayed neat because our boys are no longer living at home. My hubby is not the least bit handy so most fix it things I did myself. But, if you have a technology problem he's your man! Have a great day! Tucker went to sleep with me last night and visited a bit this morning when I woke up. Awesome!
 
@gr82cu2 Sorry, no need to feel guilty, hubby's lack of sleep didn't start until about his 2nd or 3rd week! Hate to be the bearer of bad news! Maybe you will be one of the lucky few though, hope so! Hubby actually got 6 or 7 hours last night (Nyquil) and is now taking a long nap. Guess it all caught up to him!
 
@gr82cu2 My mom was always a 'I can do anything' type person, so I am always willing to give it a shot. I run the electrical wires up to the box, but my husband hooks it to the box (that part scares me), Taught myself to hang and mud drywall and lay tile, install cabinets etc. I can wire, do plumbing (one of the things I hate) redo furniture, etc. In the Air Force (were I met hubby) I was a fuel system mechanic on F4 airplanes. Just the way I was raised. Parents didn't have extra money to pay someone to do it so we did it ourselves. Internet is awesome and I have a great electrical wiring book.
 
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