Bilateral TKR I Made It! (KneedKnees)
- Thread starter KneedKnees
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United States
OP
OP
KneedKnees
senior
Hi All ~
It's been awhile, and the news is better than it has been! Though things are not completely resolved, my Dad is better and is at a new rehab center, after a week's stay at the hospital. The place he was at prior to this was not keeping "up" on his care, and he had lost 20 lbs. in the three weeks he was there. They were not feeding him if he didn't seem interested in eating by himself, so when no one from the family was there, he didn't eat. He had no energy, and they "gave up" on him with PT since he wasn't making any progress because he was so weak.
He went to the hospital and they gave him a feeding tube (now placed in his stomach). They feed him during the night, and he's actually eating regular food on his own during the day (w/some help). They care enough to feed him a pureed diet that he can eat, and he's doing well. He's been sitting up and looking better.
This past Monday and Tuesday were the kind of days that perhaps I'll look back on in the future (20 years from now!) and laugh, but when they happened they were horrible. I drove all over and then ended up not having the keys I needed to get into another car, and I put something in e wrong car and it wasn't where I needed it when I needed it, and I was completely beyond being able to even think straight! It was just crazy...
Things are MUCH better!!!
And...for a few minutes here and there, I DON'T think about my knees! There are still aches and pains now and again, but on the whole, they feel pretty good! YAY...
We're hoping that Dad will be coming home before too long. He really wants to - gets his coat and tries to put it on to leave. I just hope we can get all of the caregivers lined up and make this work for my parents. Please keep praying for good results!
Just quickly checking in with you all...and hoping everyone is doing well. Thank you for your continued support!
It's been awhile, and the news is better than it has been! Though things are not completely resolved, my Dad is better and is at a new rehab center, after a week's stay at the hospital. The place he was at prior to this was not keeping "up" on his care, and he had lost 20 lbs. in the three weeks he was there. They were not feeding him if he didn't seem interested in eating by himself, so when no one from the family was there, he didn't eat. He had no energy, and they "gave up" on him with PT since he wasn't making any progress because he was so weak.
He went to the hospital and they gave him a feeding tube (now placed in his stomach). They feed him during the night, and he's actually eating regular food on his own during the day (w/some help). They care enough to feed him a pureed diet that he can eat, and he's doing well. He's been sitting up and looking better.
This past Monday and Tuesday were the kind of days that perhaps I'll look back on in the future (20 years from now!) and laugh, but when they happened they were horrible. I drove all over and then ended up not having the keys I needed to get into another car, and I put something in e wrong car and it wasn't where I needed it when I needed it, and I was completely beyond being able to even think straight! It was just crazy...
Things are MUCH better!!!
And...for a few minutes here and there, I DON'T think about my knees! There are still aches and pains now and again, but on the whole, they feel pretty good! YAY...
We're hoping that Dad will be coming home before too long. He really wants to - gets his coat and tries to put it on to leave. I just hope we can get all of the caregivers lined up and make this work for my parents. Please keep praying for good results!
Just quickly checking in with you all...and hoping everyone is doing well. Thank you for your continued support!
Retsel
member
Good to hear from you again, I have been wondering how your Dad is doing, glad to hear things are going better. It would be good if he could come home especially since he is feeling better and can enjoy being there.
Good to hear too that your knees are doing good. Encouraging news is always good!
Good to hear too that your knees are doing good. Encouraging news is always good!
karmigirl
post-grad
KneedKnees,
Great report for your Dad and you, keeping fingers crossed that everything keeps improving. And I will prayer that he will be able to return home asap, and you keep forgetting about your knees:biggrin::biggrin:
Great report for your Dad and you, keeping fingers crossed that everything keeps improving. And I will prayer that he will be able to return home asap, and you keep forgetting about your knees:biggrin::biggrin:
MsHeidi
graduate
I'm glad things are looking up, KK! I hope you have a loving and peaceful Thanksgiving!
So good to hear from you, hon. You're obviously still moving at warp speed, but it does sound like things are better. You and your family are still in my prayers.
OP
OP
KneedKnees
senior
Thank you to everyone for hanging in there with me! I still feel badly that I haven't had time to read others' posts and comment, but time is just at such a premium right now. I'm still going from one thing to the next, and barely having time in between to breathe. And...this is the beginning of my "busiest" time of the year - both because of the holiday celebrations within my family, AND as a church musician and high school choral director! I have numerous performances coming up, which are sandwiched in between the usual Christmas preparations - baking, buying/making gifts, making my own Christmas cards, getting ready for entertaining, cleaning, etc., etc., etc. Usually by the time the final concert is over, I'm exhausted. Since I'm going into this already being tired, I imagine I'll be extra-tired when it's all over. I just pray that we won't have any crises to deal with! Please join me in praying for a peaceful season for everyone!!!
Yesterday I drove about 2 hours to pick our son up at college. I could hardly walk when I got out of the car. My knees are still stiff when I can't move them for a long period of time. However, I'm not complaining too hard, because it's just stiffness, not pain! I still want to work on increasing my ROM, because I'd like to be able to sit "cross-legged" or "Indian-style" again. I have the order for PT, but haven't done anything about it yet. Just no time...
We aren't bringing my Dad home for Thanksgiving. We think it might be too hard for him to want to go back to the rehab center afterwards. We're going to visit him, my Mom will be there while he's eating his Thanksgiving meal, and we'll eat our meal at my Mom's house in between. It's not ideal, but things are still looking OK.
The reality is...he's never going to be his "old" self again. I think quite a bit of "damage" was done from the surgery (dementia), and he just isn't himself. He sleeps much of the time, and won't eat unless he's fed. Though his personality was always quiet and somewhat remote, he's even more so now. I feel very strongly that we will be lucky if he makes it to the New Year or beyond. And I think he's okay with that, and I think I am too. Not so sure about my Mom and sister - they're hanging pretty tightly onto him being home and everything being pretty much like it was before. And it won't be! Ever. It's somewhat difficult to come to terms with, but I see just a shadow of what he was present now, and I'm mourning the loss of my father somewhat already. Every day from now on will be just a chance to love him for who he is now, and to support my Mom and sister as they come to grips with losing him. I'm beyond that panicked "how am I going to handle the stress" stage, and am at the acceptance of what will be - even though I'm sure there's plenty more stress coming! I am also at a place where I am putting my trust in God to carry me through, and relying on His plan for everyone involved.
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:3-5
Yesterday I drove about 2 hours to pick our son up at college. I could hardly walk when I got out of the car. My knees are still stiff when I can't move them for a long period of time. However, I'm not complaining too hard, because it's just stiffness, not pain! I still want to work on increasing my ROM, because I'd like to be able to sit "cross-legged" or "Indian-style" again. I have the order for PT, but haven't done anything about it yet. Just no time...
We aren't bringing my Dad home for Thanksgiving. We think it might be too hard for him to want to go back to the rehab center afterwards. We're going to visit him, my Mom will be there while he's eating his Thanksgiving meal, and we'll eat our meal at my Mom's house in between. It's not ideal, but things are still looking OK.
The reality is...he's never going to be his "old" self again. I think quite a bit of "damage" was done from the surgery (dementia), and he just isn't himself. He sleeps much of the time, and won't eat unless he's fed. Though his personality was always quiet and somewhat remote, he's even more so now. I feel very strongly that we will be lucky if he makes it to the New Year or beyond. And I think he's okay with that, and I think I am too. Not so sure about my Mom and sister - they're hanging pretty tightly onto him being home and everything being pretty much like it was before. And it won't be! Ever. It's somewhat difficult to come to terms with, but I see just a shadow of what he was present now, and I'm mourning the loss of my father somewhat already. Every day from now on will be just a chance to love him for who he is now, and to support my Mom and sister as they come to grips with losing him. I'm beyond that panicked "how am I going to handle the stress" stage, and am at the acceptance of what will be - even though I'm sure there's plenty more stress coming! I am also at a place where I am putting my trust in God to carry me through, and relying on His plan for everyone involved.
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:3-5
Mountain Kat
senior
You sound like you are handling things beautifully! I wish you a peaceful holiday season. Take care! :grouphug2:
I agree with Kat. You obviously have put thought and prayer into the situation and are facing it as a reality. That will allow you to really treasure the time you spend with your Dad now. It's so important to create those special moments that you can take forward into your life.
One thing I would suggest if you can squeeze out the time is to write down those special times....a word said, a story told, a funny thing your Dad does or says. With dementia, there can be a number of things that happen that are either poignant or downright funny. You will want to be able to remember those in years to come. I regretted not doing that with my Mom.....now I must depend on my aging brain to recall things.
God bless you. You continue to amaze me with your ability to be the center of strength for your family.
One thing I would suggest if you can squeeze out the time is to write down those special times....a word said, a story told, a funny thing your Dad does or says. With dementia, there can be a number of things that happen that are either poignant or downright funny. You will want to be able to remember those in years to come. I regretted not doing that with my Mom.....now I must depend on my aging brain to recall things.
God bless you. You continue to amaze me with your ability to be the center of strength for your family.
OP
OP
KneedKnees
senior
I hope that everyone had a Blessed Thanksgiving! Sometimes things aren't quite the way we want them to be, but in the end, we need to be thankful for the little things that we tend to take for granted. I am thankful for my Bonesmart Family - those of you who have been with me in the past weeks, through thick and thin! Thank you for caring.
I am also thankful for a relatively calm day yesterday. My immediate family and I went to church in the morning (I played organ), and afterwards went home and gathered all of the prepared food and took it over to my parents' home. My Mom and sister had gone to the nursing home to spend time with my Dad and help him eat his lunch (pureed turkey and dressing, broccoli soup, pureed green bean casserole, etc.). When he was done eating, they came back to Mom's house, where we had dinner ready and on the table when they came in the door. We ate, then sat and rested awhile before we all went over to visit my Dad. He was happy to see us all - but very tired - quite common now. My son drove my sister home, and my daughter brought Grandma back to her house. We sat and talked and played a few games, while we put up their Christmas tree and decorated it. That's all my Mom wanted to do in the line of decorating so far. She wants to put out the manger scene too. Maybe some more decorations yet to come, but she's feeling guilty having decorations when Dad's not home. We're still hoping and praying to have him come "Home for the Holidays" - please pray for that as well.
My husband was putting together a standing shelf unit for our DVDs, and he stood it up, and it fell over and hit my left knee. OUCH! It was probably more of a surprise than painful, but I still cried like a baby. Sometimes little things set off the crying that has been "building up" for a long time. Feeling a little better... I think the knee will be okay!
Did some Black Friday shopping last night/this morning, and am ready to go to bed for about two days now! We also went and cut down our Christmas tree, visited my brother and sister-in-law and nieces, did some cleaning in my father-in-law's garage so his car can go in the garage during the winter, and now am finally home. (Oh, and by the way, my father-in-law came home from the rehab center on Wednesday, and fell last night and is in the hospital again! He's okay, just shaken up and feeling pretty unsure about his ability to be alone and move around his house. We have help lined up for him, but it was Thanksgiving night. My sister-in-law went and took him to the hospital.) I am extremely thankful for family members who can take care of my father-in-law, leaving me and my family free to care for my parents.
Let's all remember to be thankful for all of our blessings - family, friends, vocation, a house, clothing, food, nature, our health, love, life, and most especially, Jesus Christ our Savior!
I am also thankful for a relatively calm day yesterday. My immediate family and I went to church in the morning (I played organ), and afterwards went home and gathered all of the prepared food and took it over to my parents' home. My Mom and sister had gone to the nursing home to spend time with my Dad and help him eat his lunch (pureed turkey and dressing, broccoli soup, pureed green bean casserole, etc.). When he was done eating, they came back to Mom's house, where we had dinner ready and on the table when they came in the door. We ate, then sat and rested awhile before we all went over to visit my Dad. He was happy to see us all - but very tired - quite common now. My son drove my sister home, and my daughter brought Grandma back to her house. We sat and talked and played a few games, while we put up their Christmas tree and decorated it. That's all my Mom wanted to do in the line of decorating so far. She wants to put out the manger scene too. Maybe some more decorations yet to come, but she's feeling guilty having decorations when Dad's not home. We're still hoping and praying to have him come "Home for the Holidays" - please pray for that as well.
My husband was putting together a standing shelf unit for our DVDs, and he stood it up, and it fell over and hit my left knee. OUCH! It was probably more of a surprise than painful, but I still cried like a baby. Sometimes little things set off the crying that has been "building up" for a long time. Feeling a little better... I think the knee will be okay!
Did some Black Friday shopping last night/this morning, and am ready to go to bed for about two days now! We also went and cut down our Christmas tree, visited my brother and sister-in-law and nieces, did some cleaning in my father-in-law's garage so his car can go in the garage during the winter, and now am finally home. (Oh, and by the way, my father-in-law came home from the rehab center on Wednesday, and fell last night and is in the hospital again! He's okay, just shaken up and feeling pretty unsure about his ability to be alone and move around his house. We have help lined up for him, but it was Thanksgiving night. My sister-in-law went and took him to the hospital.) I am extremely thankful for family members who can take care of my father-in-law, leaving me and my family free to care for my parents.
Let's all remember to be thankful for all of our blessings - family, friends, vocation, a house, clothing, food, nature, our health, love, life, and most especially, Jesus Christ our Savior!
Hi KK, I am glad you enjoyed Thanksgiving with your family and pleased you could share it with your Dad. You seem so organised with
Christmas trees and the decorations; it really puts me to shame :DOH:. I did actually buy some Christmas paper today but I have to confess to not being really into the whole Christmas deal :th_heehee:
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Christmas trees and the decorations; it really puts me to shame :DOH:. I did actually buy some Christmas paper today but I have to confess to not being really into the whole Christmas deal :th_heehee:
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Mountain Kat
senior
Hi KK, you just amaze me with your ability to handle everything you do! I'm glad you had a good holiday! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. :flowerysmile:
OP
OP
KneedKnees
senior
Just a quick note to say that we're taking our son back to school today - outside Chicago (River Forest), and before we drop him off, we're hitting State St. and Michigan Ave. I hope my knees behave!!!
Looking forward to some quality family time!
Looking forward to some quality family time!
srn
member
I so know what you mean about the crying that has been building up - I haven't been through anything like what you have with family members, but I cried all the way home from the supermarket the other day, goodness knows why! I sometimes think I'm going mad!
editor98
senior
KneedKnees,
Just reading through your thread makes my heart ache for all that you are going through with your family. But I also see your strength, and most importantly, I see where you place your hope! Thinking of you and praying for you and your family. Niki
Just reading through your thread makes my heart ache for all that you are going through with your family. But I also see your strength, and most importantly, I see where you place your hope! Thinking of you and praying for you and your family. Niki
OP
OP
KneedKnees
senior
SRN ~ It doesn't take much, but all of a sudden the dam breaks and the tears come. Sometimes I think it's "therapeutic" to let the tears out - we need to relieve the stress! BTW - the knee is okay - a little black and blue - but otherwise okay!
Niki ~ I'm trying very hard to just give everything over to God, since I know He's in control, and that what I want isn't necessarily what He wants! It's hard, and yet, when you know that He's got your back, it's easier to face whatever trials come your way. Just your comments and encouragment mean a lot to me! Thank you ~
Chicago was OK! I did pretty well until about 3:00 in the afternoon. We parked at the John Hancock building ($29 for the day!!!), walked a few blocks and took the subway to State St. and shopped at Macy's, and other stores along the street. Then, we took the subway back to Michigan Ave. and shopped along the magnificent Mile, ending up at Watertower Place. That's where I just lost all energy and my legs and knees started hurting. It was slow going from there, but by then we were right back next to where we parked, so it wasn't bad. I'm pretty pleased that I lasted that long before the pain and aching set in! Much better than last year's annual trip to Chicago where I was limping along the entire time. Success......!!!!!
Niki ~ I'm trying very hard to just give everything over to God, since I know He's in control, and that what I want isn't necessarily what He wants! It's hard, and yet, when you know that He's got your back, it's easier to face whatever trials come your way. Just your comments and encouragment mean a lot to me! Thank you ~
Chicago was OK! I did pretty well until about 3:00 in the afternoon. We parked at the John Hancock building ($29 for the day!!!), walked a few blocks and took the subway to State St. and shopped at Macy's, and other stores along the street. Then, we took the subway back to Michigan Ave. and shopped along the magnificent Mile, ending up at Watertower Place. That's where I just lost all energy and my legs and knees started hurting. It was slow going from there, but by then we were right back next to where we parked, so it wasn't bad. I'm pretty pleased that I lasted that long before the pain and aching set in! Much better than last year's annual trip to Chicago where I was limping along the entire time. Success......!!!!!
Retsel
member
Wow!! I am impressed that you were able to do all of that in Chicago before your knees started acting up. I can't imagine being able to do that anytime soon. Good for you!!
KneedKnees.....you are a wonder! I cannot believe all that you are able to pack into a day. God bless you for being YOU. Now.....some rest is in order, okay?
As Jamie says (try) take it easy and rest up.- Status
