Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

[lovetocookandsew]

@Josephine Thank-you for the information. Good to know.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

My revision has been scheduled for April 19th. My stomach is in knots but I know it has to be done.

 

[Celle]

That's a bit of a wait, but not too bad. Try not to worry too much. Remember that this time, with a knee replacement that is right for you, things could go better than last time.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

My OS wanted to do it last October, but we had plans for Christmas. He also doesn't want me in the hospital during flu season so we planned to do it in April. I just had to wait for his April schedule to come out so his scheduler could call me. But, considering I've been putting it off almost since I had the TKR, it's really not a long wait.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

They want me to take another knee class as the scheduler said there have been changes since my last one. I'm thinking it will be a waste of my time, especially considering they have scheduled four other pre-op appointments. Anyone have any advice about that?

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Okay, forum advisers......do you want my new pre-op posts here or do you want me to start a new thread in the pre-op forum?

 

[SusieShoes]

You’ve asked a most interesting question. You could also have both. Post in this thread with updates on your TKR and revision... and post a thread in pre-op with news or questions that would be useful (to you or members looking at TKR) about pre-op.

 

[Pumpkin]

Kim,
You can keep all your posts in this thread, or post in pre op until your revision. What ever is easier for you.
For my revision, I kept everything in my original thread.

 

[Jamie]

I suggest you just continue to post in this thread so that there is good continuity of your entire journey with this knee. At any point, you can change the thread prefix to indicate the need for a revision.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Not only is my stomach in knots every time I think about the surgery, I realized that I now have to do all the pre-surgery prep. Not only the appointments, where my blood pressure will shoot up because I have really bad "white coat syndrome" when I know I'm getting ready for a surgery, (just the smell of the hospital gets to me when I'm there for my appt's), but the food prep, etc. Ugh....not looking forward to it. My daughter today said I must be excited; I told her not at all excited but totally petrified. Because of all my problems in the past, it will be a very long ordeal. But I just keep telling myself that the chance to get my life back is worth it. I have to repeat it every time I think about the surgery. Until I had an actual date, it wasn't real so I could talk about it in the abstract, but now it's real and my brain knows the difference, unfortunately.

 

[Pumpkin]

Kim,
Don't forget to Breathe!
One day at a time.

 

[sistersinhim]

Don't dwell on the surgery, think about what you'll be like a year from now after all that healing! You'll just be getting better and better, not worse and worse!

 

[Jockette]

Not only is my stomach in knots every time I think about the surgery, I realized that I now have to do all the pre-surgery prep. Not only the appointments, where my blood pressure will shoot up because I have really bad "white coat syndrome"

I can so relate to this! I don’t have an upcoming surgery but I do have the fear of one because of some issues I’m still having at one year out, and I know I will feel just like this if it becomes a reality.

A year ago I was scared of the unknown. Now I know what to be afraid of!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Thanks, @Pumpkln . I'm breathing, but it's hard now that it's real.

@sistersinhim I agree. My problem is we don't know if this will work, which is a big part of my butterflies.

@Jockette I hear you. I think sometimes it's easier if you don't know what you're in for. But maybe that's just me.....

 

[4quilts]

I totally understand your apprehension. My thoughts and prayers are with you @lovetocookandsew .

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Thank-you @4quilts !

 

[Snoosie]

@lovestocookandsew My heart goes out to you as you head into a revision almost 4 years to the day since your TKR. I have read your thread with much interest. I deal with allergies and intolerances to food, meds, anesethia, and chemicals, blow IV lines and blister from adhesives. Staple removing excruciating due to extremely sensitive nerve endings - yep. Keloids - yep. I, too, am in the 15% or less club- if 15% or less will get it, pick me! Prior to my TKR, I made the 6 hour trip through a road travel advisory snowstorm to tell my surgeon face to face that I had misgivings about the implant and cement being used and to know that I was not some 'hypercondriac' if I went on about pain or swelling. As you know, things build up over time and there is always a tipping point; I am watching me knee.
I understand your misgivings about going at it again and the added stress you are under right now. I send you positive thoughts. "She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails." Elizabeth Edwards

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Snoosie I love the quote! Thank you for the positive thoughts. I see you recently had a TKR-I hope all is going well for you now. Yes, I do have a lot of issues that surgeries bring out; I'm hoping this time a miracle will happen and I'll have an easier time of recovery.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I'm thinking about all the things I need to do to prepare for the recovery after the revision. Doing that, it just occurred to me that one thing I won't have to worry about that I have had to deal with in the past is carpeting and a walker. We used to have carpeting everywhere, but about a year ago replaced much of our carpet with hardwood floors. I still have carpeting in the bedroom, but the hallway is now wood-that was where I had a lot of problems with a walker in the past as our hallway is very narrow. Another thing that occurred to me was the toilet-my old toilet was one of those really dumb low rise kinds where you have to practically fall onto it to get down that low (a really poorly thought out design, IMHO). I had to place the bedside commode over the toilet in order to be able to get up and down after surgery. This time around, we have a new tall toilet and it's easy to use so I won't need any additional support. Plus, after my TKR I used ice packs, but since my last surgery in May of 2016, my insurance has covered an ice machine, which is wonderful. Not major differences, but every little thing helps when going through this kind of recovery.

 

[Mutti3]

I noticed you wrote about having problem with a walker in your narrow hallway. Do you have a walker with wheels? The wheels can be place inside the walker, instead of outside the walker. That makes the walker “more narrow” I hope this suggestion can help you. Also I have hardwood in my entire house, wonderful for ambulation with a walker! Also I used my ice machine. 24/7.