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Having my first Knee Replacement July 9th 2014**Nervous

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For my husband I typed up a list of his meds and the times to take them, and put it on the fridge. I don't think we could have kept up with it otherwise. Now - 17 days out - he is off some of them and takes the others when he needs them, like before PT, before and after bed.
You might find it is better to put the wedge pillow under your mattress so your foot can't slide off of it.
We lucked out in that his PT is very gentle - don't let your PT push you to pain.
If you have stairs in your house crutches would come in handy, but you might get by with a cane. Just make sure you have sturdy handrails. Best of luck.
Oh, if your doctor has you in TED hose you might want to buy an extra pair. That way you can hand wash one pair (and let it hang dry) while you have a pair to wear.
 
@tiredwife That is what I will do but put it on my ipad notes as don't have a laptop and imagine after surgery I won't be sitting at my desk right away. I did buy a wedge its 10 inches I figured I would be in the recliner with it as my legs would be elevated. I only have about five stairs to get in the house. I don't even see my surgeon until July 3rd so I am practicing the exercises to strengthen my muscles. I hope it is an okay thing to do. I hope your hubby is doing well and feeling better and better every day
 
madinana said:
I don't even see my surgeon until July 3rd so I am practicing the exercises to strengthen my muscles.
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One thing that will help you is if you work on strengthening your upper body. you will be using your upper body muscles for a while to hoist yourself up and out of chairs, the recliner, the bed, etc.
 
@madinana My husband only naps in the recliner but sleeps in the bed. I know some people sleep in their recliners, but he is more comfortable in bed. We don't allow the cats in our room, so he won't be jumped on while sleeping. Exercising is great, do both legs and upper body. Be prepared for your leg to feel like dead weight. It was a week or so before my husband could do straight leg lifts on his own ( a common problem). My husband naps a lot even with sleeping well at night - you will be tired. It is odd, he would try and try and try to do something and then all of the sudden he could do it - one minute nothing and then suddenly "wow I can lift my leg!" He has been overdoing it (very much the way he always is), it caught up to him today - his hip hurts for some reason, so he is taking it easy this afternoon.
 
tiredwife said:
Be prepared for your leg to feel like dead weight. It was a week or so before my husband could do straight leg lifts on his own ( a common problem)
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Very true---immediately after surgery, the leg does not wish to cooperate.

tiredwife said:
My husband naps a lot even with sleeping well at night - you will be tired.
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Yes---your body is busy healing and sending large amounts of energy toward the surgical site, and the pain meds also take a toll on you, too.
 
madinana said:
@kneeper I am use to the pain, but the sharp stabbing in my knees bring me to halt and then can only walk tiny and I mean tiny steps.
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I may have been unclear. I blame the drugs.:heehee: (As you see, I'm not far out from tkr #2) I simply meant to imply that you have handled pain before and you can handle the post surgical pain. And that won't be the same as what you're dealing with now.
 
Several bilateral people on here went straight home. I was in the hospital for 3 days and came home with husband and teenage son. We had neighbors and friends brought us good for 2 weeks. I had a friend come to clean the house for me twice.

But - you know yourself better than anyone and know what you can handle. I don't think I would be willing to do a second if I did only one. ;)
 
@mark2667 I wish you the best, can't say I am excited but am preparing, will look forward to see you on the other side and uh me too :rofsign:
 
@msmechanic58 they told me 2-3 weeks in rehab---which is actually a nursing home, so that is why chicken out I thought one at a time, I wish I knew if I could handle both and do only once, we will see. I just did not want to be away from home that long and told my sister I am so fussy with food I would probably starve to death and she said to me just think new knees and new you :rotfl:
 
@madinana On narcotics you will probably not want to eat much anyway. My husband has lost about 10 pounds.
On another note - prune juice works a lot better than stool softeners (trust me - you will need something).:heehee:
I read everything I could by people who have been through TKR before my husband went in for surgery. It helped us to be prepared. Just remember if you overdo it your knee will swell and then you can't bend it or straighten it much. Better to do a little at a time, you don't have to do everything all at once. Spread it out throughout the day.
Keep us posted. Don't be afraid to ask any question you may have.
 
I had BTKR's and did go to rehab for a week but that was partly because of problems I had the first 2 days after surgery. I can't imagine why anyone would really need to stay 2-3 weeks unless they had complications. The rehab (basically a nursing home) would have liked me to stay longer (that's how they make their money) but I told them I was leaving if I had to sign myself out. Once I could go up steps and get into/out of a car, there was absolutely no reason for me to stay. I went home and did fine.

I'm not a real picky eater but yes, the food wasn't great. However, as someone else said, most people don't have any appetite when they're on the strong pain meds.

If you want to get both knees done at once, I would not let those concerns stop you. I'm glad I got both over with at once.
 
@madinana You are very welcome. My husband is just over 2 weeks out (May 28th) from surgery so everything he has been through is still fresh in our mind. His next knee will probably be done in August. This recovery has not stopped him from wanting the 2nd one done. There is pain, but with the meds it is tolerable - if the meds they put you on don't work don't be afraid to ask for different ones. He was on norco and flexeral at first but it wasn't working so they put him on percoset and flexeral and that works good. At this point I don't have to do much for him. I make sure he is safe in the tub for his shower and I make some of his meals (That won't last long though because he is a better cook than me):wink:. Oh, your doctor my put you on injections of blood thinner. It was easier for me to give them to my husband than him give them to himself, just remember to clean your hands (or the hands of whomever gives the shots, clean the area, and don't touch the needle or let it touch anything but the cleaned spot. It is really a tiny needle; my husband, who hates needles said it wasn't bad at all.
 
@tiredwife I give my self shots once a week for my RA so that no problem I guess one more wont hurt. Do you have to do blood thinner every day?
 
@ madinana My husband had to have 2 shots a day for the time he was in the hospital and then 2 shots a day for 9 days after. They are given in the stomach.
 
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