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Oh @hegel

I think in your heart you know what the answer is but you are trying to please everyone which I completely get and am guilty of too. And I think it was actually YOU that gave me wise advice a week ago about taking care of me and doing what was best for me and my knee? :heehee:

That is a lot of travel and in a position for periods of time. And can they accommodate your elevating and sleep/sitting needs? Will it still feel like Christmas for you if you don’t go?

Christmas is about being with people but this year you got a gift of a new knee
:box:
 
If it was me I would not go. It will be hard on you this early in recovery and the setback may not be worth it.

Been there, done that, though not with a flight.
 
Thanks guys; I talked to my brother and mom and I'm staying put. This could be done but the pain and tiredness would be pretty bad I think. Plus I want to move forward in recovery, not sideways or back.

I'm trying to get back into a normal sleep rhythm, so no nap today--and I'm groggy! I'm still only sleeping an hour and a half at a time for no reason! New habit, I guess. This is a ridiculous recovery process!
 
If you go and feel miserable you won't enjoy the holiday.
 
I wouldn't go, of course, that's just my opinion. I think you'd be very uncomfortable and not able to enjoy your time there. Can you put it off til the summer time? That would give your knee a lot more time to heal. You're only 1/6 of the way healed now.
 
This would have been one of those "I'll put up with the pain and setback and be miserable out of obligation to my family" sort of trips. But they don't really want me to to that. Since it's all in my mind, I'll stay home and make steady headway I hope to the happy pain free new knee that lets me sleep. Oh and walk.

part of me feels like I'm emotionally shallow because I'm not willing to suffer to see my aging mother. That's really what's driving this.
 
There comes a time when we have to put our health first. It can be hard not to feel guilty about that, but please try not to feel guilty. You can call and talk to her. Recovery is temporary. Pushing too much at the wrong time can make the temporary recovery last longer.
 
Jeff. As a mother - I would NEVER want my child to ever put himself at risk for me. You are not shallow. There is going to come a time when you are needed and you will have to be at your best. Harming your recovery will put that in jeopardy.

So you travel to see her in a few months when you are better and can do more with her and it helps break up the long drawn out winter blues. She gets 2 christmases - one with your brother and one with you.

It’s hard. No saying it’s not. But you have gotten this far.
 
Thanks again guys. For many years my job has required that I be at home and away from my family at Christmas. This year for once I'm not working but still can't make it. As you know, Christmas can bring emotional stress--and guilt feelings--to people who aren't participating in the general family revelry. I've come to terms with this but it always kicks up to a degree anyway. To be honest I'm always also relieved not to have to fly and then drive in bad weather at Christmas...which again makes me feel guilty...ay yi yi!!!

Okay I'm done!!!
 
I know those guilt feelings! It seems we can’t win no matter what we do!
 
hegel said:
I'm under pressure to travel this Christmas. This would involve an hour and a half plane flight and then a three hour drive one way. I would be the passenger (if I have to drive there would be no way I could do this.) I'm divided on this--mostly reluctant but I don't want to offend people.

I'm just shy of two months out from surgery. I still need over the counter pain meds and a half oxycodone at night. I ice several times a day and night. I'm out on short trips to the grocery store etc. and on my feet in my small apartment. Two days ago I went on a flat 20 minute walk and it was overkill--I had pain for two days. I was back to icing a lot from that. So I have limits for sure.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Great thread. I'm enjoying your updates.
Try not to feel guilty about not traveling to see family for Christmas. I'm doing exactly the same thing (staying home/local instead of the usual trip). I could suffer through the long drive, but I'm also wary about blood clots as well. Flying would be even worse (more cramped, no breaks). Also, once you are there, you can't "just go for a walk" if you need to escape the family for some periods.
 
I think it's easy to get the "holiday blues" when we are in recovery and can't visit family like we might otherwise do. I am also staying put this year - too soon to fly comfortably across the country to see my folks (who are in their 80s) right now. Hoping to get there for a good visit in the summer. You have to take care of your health first. Hope you have a good, guilt-free holiday.
 
Plans change, as you know.
We were looking forward to spending the night at our son's house. It's only 20 min away. Not a huge travel like you. The last few years we've done this since we're in a temporary apartment. Son's home is decorated and it feels like Christmas. This year he may have to stay here if Hubs isn't up to going.
Not fun, but we do what we have to do, right?
Hang in there.

How is your knee?
 
beachy said:
How is your knee?
Click to expand...

My pain level has gone way down over the last two days since I started to really take it easy--at my surgeon's urging! And just in time because my stomach is really barking from taking all of the ibuprofen and aceteminophren and oxycodone--ulcer like pain. I'm now off the Oxycodone entirely (yay!) and only took 325 mg of acet this morning--and my knee is fine! Ice during the night and early morning hours and twice during the day.

So now I need to get my stomach back functioning. I started Prilosec yesterday because the other antacids weren't working. But now, when I want to start hitting my little 20 minute wooded walks in the nearby park, I can't, in case I end up needing ibuprofen or more. Stomach has become number one, then hopefully next week I can resume extending my walking.
 
Gotta watch those nsaids! I was popping Alleve when I was working and ended up with chronic gut issues. I'm forbidden to take them or aspirin. Can you take shorter walks?
 
I thought that I heard that acet. is easier on the stomach than ibuprofen--which addresses swelling, unlike acet. But I don't know for sure.
I'm trying to use ice for swelling and leaving the ibuprofen alone. Maybe I can get by without acet. tonight--sort of doubtful. I do always have food in my stomach when I take this stuff, but I've used a lot over the last 7 weeks!
I do go grocery shopping with no swelling resulting.
 
hegel said:
I thought that I heard that acet. is easier on the stomach than ibuprofen--which addresses swelling, unlike acet. But I don't know for sure.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by "acet."?
 
oops sorry, acetaminophren--however that's spelled.

edit: one day later and my pain is back up for no apparent reason...roller coaster time!
 
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I agree--especially with your stomach symptoms leave the ibuprophen alone. FWIW, I recovered with knee #1 with NSAIDs and knee #2 without and my swelling took the same amount of time to go down with both.
No NSAIDs anymore due to an NSAID induced ulcer.
 
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