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Bilateral TKR I Made It! (KneedKnees)

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Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

KK,

Thanks for letting us know the good news so soon. Everyone has been worried and very concerned. So very happy that everything has come out so well for your Dad and you. Will keep the hugs and prayers coming your way.

Keep us posted when you can.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

That is good news for sure!! :yay: I will continue to keep you and yours in my thoughts! :grouphug2:
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

You deserve sitting with your legs up. I am glad everything went so well. Thought about you today and how things were going.
Laurie btkr 7/22/11
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

I'm so happy to hear the surgery went well. Sometimes these "bad" things can be a blessing in disguise. I'm so glad they were able to identify and repair his heart problems now.

I will keep the prayers coming for you, your Dad and your whole family. I know this is a lot for you to shoulder, but you have done a GREAT job!!! I hope you can take some "me time" now.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Congratulations, KK! I'm so glad to read that your father's surgery was successful. Hopefully, things will settle down a bit for you now. Get some rest. {{{{{{{hug}}}}}}}}
 
That's good news. And it is amazing how quickly these things arise and are dealt with. About 2 years ago my bil had a massive MI with three arrests on the way to hospital. A mere 20hrs later he had had 3 stents in and was sitting up in bed looking like nothing had happened! Amazing!
 
Oh that is such good news to read KK. I wish your Dad all the best for a good and speedy recovery. You should try and take some time out and put those legs up. Have a good weekend and again so pleased it all went well :cat-kittyandsmiley:
 
I'm back at school today, which is good - mostly! I'm very tired; from all of the stress during the past several days, but also from the lack of sleep and the unusual physical demands that have pushed me way too hard! Between sitting for long periods of time at the hospital, to walking miles because the hospital lay-out is like a cross-country course, it's been a marathon for me. And my body is complaining about it. Plus, I've had a migraine that I just can't seem to shake. If it's not gone later when I get home, I'll take my meds for it. It kept me awake from about 3:00 AM until I got up.

My legs are very sore today - probably a combination of extra work at PT, lack of sleep and sitting for so long at the hospital. I'm hoping the get some rest this evening and tomorrow, however, my daughter needs a homecoming dress for next Saturday, and because of our schedule for next week, we have to find it this weekend. Yippee....love shopping with a 16 year old! :hissyfit:

Last night when I took my sister home from the hospital, I went to unlock the back door so I could get in the house after I put her van away, and I left the front door unlatched. Both of her cats got out, and I was only able to retrieve one. Isaac was okay, but Shayna was outside. They're both all black cats, and I could not even see her. (It was raining and windy and around 50 degrees.) I had to leave without finding her. I worried that she wouldn't come back, but this morning, when my sister's caregiver arrived, Shayna was sitting at the front door waiting to come in! Thank God! :cat-kittyandsmiley:

My father was gotten up this morning and did some walking. Completely amazing! I will be going to see him later - I'm anxious to see how he's doing. They said he would be moved out of ICU later today if he continues to improve. (His blood pressure was still a bit low and they were trying to address that.) He's such a quiet man, and somewhat a loner - so this attention and need to interact with others is so much different than what he enjoys! I think this recovery is going to be difficult for him, as well as for those who care for him.

Please continue the prayers - he's got a long road of recovery. Again, I can't tell you how much I appreciate my Bonesmart friends/family. You guys and gals have been so caring - thank you! :friends:
 
I am so glad your dad is doing better. I will continue to pray for him through out his recovery.
Please take care of yourself. You have had to do so much so early in your recovery. I hope you can rest more this weekend.
Greda
 
Good Evening KK, So pleased your Dad is on the mend, it's amazing what they can do with heart surgery these days. My Father-in-law is waiting to have a big heart op, he is 80 and we are all quite worried as he is not too healthy with one thing and another.

I'm glad the cat came home - you didn't need another worry!!!

Positive thoughts of recovery flying over to the US for your Dad xxx
 
Kneed--glad to hear the surgery went well. healing thoughts for you and your dad
 
Went to visit my Dad this afternoon, and while he's doing well medically, I know something is bothering him, because he won't eat. He also doesn't want to take his pain pills, and we all know how important that is. Since he's such a quiet person, he really doesn't want to talk to anyone about it, and so he doesn't. You can ask him why he won't eat, and he just won't answer. This is very disheartening. After all he's gone through this week, it seems as if he's giving up, instead of seeing that he's been given another chance. I've tried several times to find out what's bothering him, but he just won't open up about it. Please continue to send those prayers that he take his pain pills, and begin to eat and drink...

Greda, Jazyb and Kneeper ~

Thank you for your continued prayers. The power of prayer is amazing, and we've felt everyone's prayers, from next door to halfway across the world! :prayer1:

 
KK, just the realization of becoming a "heart patient" is stunning, scary and incredibly depressing, speaking from my own experience. Does he have a clergyman he would talk to? I'm sorry to hear about the added stress for you and your family. I hope he adjusts to the new reality and participates in his recovery. My best to you.
 
I agree with Heidi. He may be really scared and worried about not only himself but everyone in the family that he has been responsible for all this time. I would continue to try and get him to talk about it. You probably also should speak to the nurses and his doctors about the lack of nourishment. They can sometimes help with that. He should be getting adequate fluids through his IV, so that would be one less worry for you.

He also may feel that he won't get better. So it's important for you all and for his doctors to let him have as much positive feedback as possible.
 
His pastor had a chance to talk with him this morning, and he called me later to tell me that my Dad wondered if "it was all worth it". I think the reality of the heart attacks and the surgery is finally settling in and he is scared! :scare: And, at 81, he probably knows that he's not going to live lots longer, and the whole issue of one's mortality can be pretty depressing. However, today he also ate some vegetable stir fry, by himself and he ate it as if he were actually hungry! Maybe he's actually getting his appetite back. :wink1:


His sister who lives several states away called me tonight while I was at the hospital, and she talked with him. Maybe that will be a little "pick-me-up" as well.


On the KneedKnees front, my legs have been really achy yesterday and today. Probably the sitting at the hospital, the tough PT session, and the not sleeping well are catching up to me. I hope to actually sleep through the night without waking up with a headache at 2:00 AM!

Today was also quite a treat - going shopping for a homecoming dress for my daughter! She got asked yesterday and is very excited! :wub2: We found a beautiful hot pink dress with sequin and bead trim.

Well...it's time for bed. Very sleepy :sleep:, and we have to make our bed before we can get in it. I may....not....make......it......... :sleepz:
 
Kneed ~

There has been a lost of research that has shows it is almost universal that surgical cardiac patients go through a period of depression post op. It's not only the psychological ramifications, but also the chemical/physical changes. Some surgeons actually recommend using an antidepressant shortly following the immediate post op period because the period of depression occurs so frequently. It might help your dad to know that at least some of what he is feeling is just the result of the surgery and physical changes in his body, especially since many men - particularly older men - have a difficult time accepting depression as a psychological issue, even though being faced with one's mortality is certainly worthy of psychological stress.

We know from our own experiences how "bluesy" we tend to get with our knee surgeries, and cardiac surgeries have far more impact on the body as a whole - especially if we consider that the heart is kind of like the "engine" that keeps the rest of our bodies going.
 
I'm glad to hear it, KK. I asked similar questions after my heart attack and I was just turning 50! The unexplained pain and difficulty breathing (torn chest cartilage) was extremely difficult to take. I really felt like a burden to my husband and often wondered if he would be better off without me. I think this kind of depression is very, very common, and probably more so at 81! I hope he feels better.

I hope you get some rest. I spent about three hours out in the world today and am sincerely whipped. I know you are about a month ahead of me, but I'm imaginative enough to conclude how difficult the past week has been for you. Unless, that is, there is a magical recovery coming for me in the next month! I'm glad it's the weekend for you.
 
Be sure that you are routinely expressing to your father what an important role he plays in your life and the lives of everyone in the family. Talk about specific things that he does that benefit you. Also, tell him flat out that you love him and need his presence and wisdom. Hearing that sometimes helps a person validate their purpose in life when they've had a setback like this.

You know...he may be 81, but he needs to look at things and realize that he made it this far with very few health issues. And he is lucky to live in a time where they CAN do wonderful things with cardiac problems that allow many more years of enjoyable life. This is certainly NOT necessarily the end of his life by any means. He will come to realize that more and more with a little time. Heart problems are a scary deal for anyone....and he'll eventually see that he is beginning to feel better with some time.
 
To All;

Thank you for your suggestions about the mental issues following heart surgery. You're probably right, as we have issues with that as knee patients. How much more traumatic it must be if it is a heart problem! I think you're right, that there is a sense of loss, and that he has had to come to grips with probably sooner than later.

We've talked to a few people at the hospital and they've encouraged us to offer him food, but not to push him to eat. There are days when he eats of his own accord, and days when he wants nothing to do with it. Hopefully these will even out a bit, as he prepares in the next week to move to a rehab facility.

KneedKnees News: Wow, I never thought that the stress of the past week would have such a profound effect on my mobility! I'm having much more pain, am so tired, and am uncomfortable doing my exercises because of the stiffness. :sleep: I feel as if I've really lost ROM, and am not looking forward to PT today. This is my last week, unless I'm not discharged. I'm really afraid I won't make the same "numbers" I did last week because I have so much stiffness and pain. I really have to get more rest, more sleep, and find time to elevate and ice more often. (I'm currently moderating a study hall, and am afraid that I'm going to fall asleep!!!) :sleepz:

I know that ROM can still improve after PT is over. I'm not really worried, just wish I hadn't lost ROM over the past week. I feel as if I haven't taken any steps forward - but have most definitely taken several steps backward! I hope I can change that soon... :what:
 
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