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Bilateral TKR I Made It! (KneedKnees)

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Re: I Made It!

KneedKnees, I wish you lots of patience and strength as you deal with the trials in your life right now! Caring for parents is difficult in the best of times and you have many other things you have to deal with at the same time. As women and mothers, we are notorious for taking care of others and putting ourselves on the back burner. The most important advice I can give you though is that you have to take care of you! You will be of no use to your mom or your dad or your in-laws if you fall apart. Make sure you take the time to rest and don't over do anything. I agree with the others, PT may just be too much right now and I'm glad you cancelled today for your sake! Take care, I will be thinking of you!
 
Re: I Made It!

The catheterization is going to take place tonight. It's a little bit scary, especially when the doctor tells about all of the risks involved. However, it's the right step given the things that have transpired over the past few days.

I'm sitting here in the hospital room with my feet up :wink2:, but I haven't iced at all today. I may ask the nurse for two plastic bags of ice!

My emotions are all over the place right now - just as much as they were in week 4 post-op, but then they were all about me - now they're all about my parents. I am so glad I took off of work today after my 1st class and came to the hospital. My Mom really needed me to be here with her while she deals with my Dad and the problems he's having. I've been getting all teary-eyed when I look at them, because they've somehow gotten so old, while I've remained so young! :umm: I look at my Mom holding my Dad's hand and I just cry. :cry: I've known something like this would happen sooner or later, but I'm still not ready for it. But then again, are we ever really ready?

Well, it's going to be a long night. I'm going to stay here with my parents, and perhaps go home to shower and change after the procedure. Hopefully I'll get a chance to rest :sleep:, and get my pills (I have my pain med with me, but not my "others"). Once the procedure is over, I'll figure out if I'm going to school tomorrow! :rolleyes:

Please continue to pray...and thank you...
 
Re: I Made It!

Kneedknees,
You are in my prayers. We are in a similar situation. It is so hard to see the changes. Ask for ice...I am sure they will have some or can get some. Ask for an extra chair and pillows to put your leg up. I have been fortunate and have been able to stay at home for now. My husband has been there and his sister is getting there this evening and staying until the end of the week.
Take care,
Greda
 
Re: I Made It!

KK,

Know that you and your parents are in my prayers especially this evening. I know things are really rough foryou right now, but please take care of yourself, you won't be any good for anyone if you are hurting etc. Just ask the nurses for what you need I am sure they will be willing to help anyway they can.

May the Good Lord be with you and yours.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

KneedKnees.....I can tell you from experience with my parents that you won't regret one moment of time that you spend with them right now. Please take time out from work if at all possible. It will ALWAYS be there. On the priority list, it should definitely come behind YOUR health and wellbeing and that of your parents. They need you now and that's where you should be.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

KK, I have just erased a very long note that I wrote to you regarding caring for parents, priorities, loss, etc. I then realized that you probably do not need me to be telling you what you should do right now. Life is hard sometimes and we don't always get to manage it the way we would like. I do hope that you find the strength and love that you need to get through these tough times. I wish you love and peace with your family.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Hi KK, I was so sad to read your post. I hope your Dad will be ok and find the strength to battle through. I really feel for you and your Mum, it's so hard to handle emotions at times like this. Be strong :console:
My thoughts are with you xxx
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Lifting you & your parents up in prayers. Take the time off if you can to support your parents...I remember holding my dad's hand, telling him how much I loved him and that Jesus loved him more than I ever could.... that memory still comforts me & provides me with overwhelming peace.
My dad was short of 87 when he entered the gates of heaven after enduring 15 yrs of vascular dementia & Alzheimer dementia.

Take the time to rest. right now, walking is probably your best form of PT....you don't want your parents to worry about you, while you worry about them.

You Take Care!
Darlene
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Thank you everyone, for your prayers. Please continue to pray, as my father is undergoing open-heart bypass surgery right now. During the catheterization last night, they discovered a lot of blockage, as well as a blood clot at the base of the back heart artery (don't know all of the technical terms!). They felt that stenting wouldn't be safe or effective, so decided on bypass surgery. While there is not a 100% guarantee of even making it through the surgery, it is the only option, according to the cardiologist and the heart surgeon. My dad is a quiet man who doesn't like a lot of attention and justs wants to be at home, so all of this attention and busyness going on around him is just opposite what he would want. But he realize that it's the only option. I spent some time with him today talking about how much Jesus loves him, no matter what, and that God is taking care of him through all of this. We don't know what God's plan is, but know that somehow, through this ordeal, He will be glorified!

I went home to shower and change, stopped at my parents house to get my mother's pills, and picked up my sister and brought her to see my dad before the surgery. Just in case...

I cancelled my two choir rehearsals for tonight, and got a sub for school tomorrow. I've been sitting with my feet on a chair, and the nurses gave me some ice packs - however they melt pretty quickly. I have been on my feet too much, but when I have to push my mother in a wheelchair, carry my own things, and have my sister in her wheelchair alongside us, there just aren't many other options. We'll make do, and I'll continue to keep my feet up when possible. (And maybe some sleep tonight would help as well!)

Thank you again for your prayers and positive thoughts. I really appreciate them and you!
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Prayers go out to you .. keep us updated..
(((HUGS)))
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

KK,

Please know that so many of us are here praying and sending good thoughts yours and your dads way. We are also waiting to hear from you how things are going so please let us know as soon as you can. :prayer1:
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Thinking of you and your family, kneed.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Thoughts and prayers your way. GREAT BIG hugs from me too. When my wife was in the hospital after my TKR, her nurses were very helpful for me and my knee... At least you are trying to keep the legs up and some ice is better than none. Thinking of you!
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

My prayers are coming your way. I hope we hear good news from you soon. God bless you for all you are doing for your family. It is a tough job sometimes to be the strong one, but such a loving testimony to your closeness with your parents and sister. You are blessed to have that.
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

You are definitely in my thoughts and prayers. I want to pray for your father of course but also for you to have the strength to do what you need to and to have peace with your decisions. Right now, you are having to take on so much.
I wondered if there is a volunteer at the hospital who could help you with the wheelchairs (since your mother and sister are both in one).
Take care,
Greda
 
Re: I Made It! (KneedKnees)

Update on Dad: Surgery last night was successful! They ended up doing a quadruple bypass - unimaginable, since less than a week ago we didn't even know anything was wrong with his heart. The surgery took about 4 hours, and the doctors were very pleased with the results, and how well he made it through. His breathing tube came out this morning, and the balloon pump a little later. Then they removed a bunch of other tubes and machines. He has been alert and talking, however, in a lot of pain. The pain pills really help, but he's a stubborn old man and probably won't ask for any medication. They're taking good care of him here though and making sure that he's not in too much pain.

Thank you so much for all of your hugs and prayers. There have been so many people praying, all around the world, and I know that has made a huge difference! Please continue - since he still has a long recovery ahead of him.

I went to PT today, and could tell that I've been sitting at the hospital for several days! Ooo, the exercises were a little more difficult, and I had to work hard to get my numbers! I kept my ice packs at the hospital and they put the gel packs in the freezer for me (it only took me 3 days to figure that out). I'm currently sitting with my feet up and ice packs on!

Again, thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate my Bonesmart family!
 
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