Bilateral TKR May 19, 2014 bilateral knees for me

[msmechanic58]

That line may work for my family as we have built the entire house from digging out the foundation up! We also have a 40x60 foot shop started, a cedar fence, and a concrete storm shelter. Life is an adventure every day.

 

[Dutto]

Ditto on the house building but then we sold it and bought a boat for our retirement.

After eight years living on the boat around the canals of Europe we sold it and bought the current house which we deemed to be "ideal".

So "ideal" that all I have had to do in the last four years is build a conservatory, build a lean-to for shade, build a clay oven (I discovered a lovely seam of clay when digging out the footings for the lean-to), build a shed, install a rain-water recovery system, rip out a 30 yard hedge and replace it with a fence.

We also have a bit of land in France so earlier this year I fenced it in and then installed a hard-standing for our motorhome and a shed.

At the moment I am preparing a list of "Things To Do Before The Op".

So far it runs to one A4 closely typed page and the last item I added was "Cut my toe-nails." as I presume that this will be impossible for many weeks after the operation!

Looking back over the last four years I think I could do with a rest.

Best regards and hope you have a good nights sleep.

Ian

 

[msmechanic58]

Do you have a surgery date yet?

 

[msmechanic58]

Hubby had the ceiling and 2 walls done when I got home from pt. He said the folding table might be a bit short....lol.

 

[Dutto]

No on the surgery date!

The National Health Service is brilliant when it comes to emergencies or finding out what is wrong with you but quite relaxed when it comes to other things!

Yesterday I went for an audiology test and (after a lifetime of shooting, riding motorbikes and working with compressors, generators and gas turbines) surprise, surprise I have significant hearing loss.

The hearing aids will be ready for fitting in "Twelve to sixteen weeks."!! This means that I can carry on blaming my good lady for mumbling for another few months.

On a positive note, although the delay is a bit annoying, I am quite pleased that a medical professional thinks I will still be alive in twelve to sixteen weeks!

I expect my treatment to be finalised on the 11th August and a date set at that appointment. There are a number of treatments still up for discussion.

One OS wants to do a reconstruction operation on my left knee followed by a TKR in another six months and then a second TKR on my right knee six months thereafter. (Eighteen months of pain, uncertainty and recovery!!)

Alternatively, I can have a femoral distal replacement and TKR on my left knee (instead of the two operations) plus a simultaneous TKR on my right knee. This will speed things up and to put all my pain and recovery into one basket; so to speak.

The 11th August meeting is with an OS who specialises in femoral distal replacement surgery so here's hoping that he will agree to operate and set a date!

Off out for a cycle ride to keep building up the muscles in my legs!

Best regards,

Ian

 

[71Beetle]

Hi @msmechanic58! You are a crazy woman

You must accept the fact that you need to rest up before you start back to school next week.
I know it is hard to do that given your nature but you will benefit in the long run.

My latest surgery has given me no choice but to lay around a lot and it is very frustrating and hard to deal with but I want to get better. I am at 4 weeks and on my first TKR in May, I was preparing to go back to work on Monday. Unless my pain meds miraculously kick in, that is not going to happen.

Thinking of you and hoping that you get some relief from the swelling and that you relax and let others take care of you. You deserve it!

How are the pups doing?

 

[Spider]

Great barbed wire story @Dutto. Rest up before work, its going to be hard!! I'm so lucky in being able to work from home, and much of that I can do laying on the lounge if needed - not as effective but I can do it. I have been able to hold travel at bay, but that will come back at me soon, so I'm hoping I have a few more weeks. Its funny at this stage though - at times you feel like you can do everything, and then an hour later its a big 'OWWW' to put you back in your place!

 

[msmechanic58]

Rest? What does this rest mean?

The pups are feeling at home. They are managing being out of the kennel all day and not disappearing. We are still locking them in the kennel at night to help protect them until they get bigger. We have a pack of coyotes that roam through.

 

[msmechanic58]

I worked in my classroom for 2.5 hours today. I was so glad to see 4 of my little people and their sweet families! I think we will have a good year (if I can get my books unpacked! Haha!) then went to pt. Almost done there and ready to be back in the gym.

Found some pants for school that don't pull on my scars and picked up supper. I was gone from 8:45 until 5:00. Legs and knees are swollen and hot but the pain is very manageable. feeling more confident about being ready for school to start.

 

[Dutto]

Oh, well done!!

Sounds as if the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train coming the other way after all!!

Best regards,

Ian

 

[msmechanic58]

Today - not so well. I feel like I've run marathon. On a good note, the laundry room remodel is nearly done.

 

[Dutto]

I like the re-modelled laundry room; but not keen on hearing that you are feeling a bit over-worked.

I'm beginning to realise that "Get your feet up." is sound advice in the world of TKR and not just a general phrase meaning "Get some rest." so "Get your feet up!" over the weekend; and remember that no-one laid on their deathbed and thought "I wish I had spent more time at the office."

It's supposed to rain here today but I have to get out on the bike anyway to burn a few Kcals and tone up what pass for muscles on my legs!

Enjoy the weekend and don't forget to go "Ooooh!" and "Aaaah!" whenever you pass the laundry room. You know it makes sense,

Best regards,

Ian

 

[Spider]

Well done with the laundry! Be careful with the over-doing it though, and rest up before you start work.

 

[msmechanic58]

Thank you both. Only thing I'm doing today is some pick up/put away and power mopping the laundry floor. I start back on Tuesday.

 

[tiredwife]

@msmechanic58 Like the laundry room, but the folding shelf is a little low! We are remodeling our house, but it's been put on the back burner for 3 years since I've been watching the grandson. I still have 2 bedrooms to rewire and insulate. 4 more windows to replace, have the 1/2 the back and one side to put new siding up on, etc. etc. At least when hubby's knees heal he will be able to help me. I use to be able to do it on my own, but my shoulders hurt too much now when I do things over my head.
Enjoy your finished laundry room. Don't over do it. Pace yourself.

 

[msmechanic58]

It is finished and beautiful and now I have no laundry to wash. Ha!

I can come out of hiding now. We still need to put cedar into the two closets, and cedar siding on two outside walls. We also have to finish a storm shelter and my husbands shop. Lots to do here. we are paying for it as we go and doing all the work ourselves, so it moves slower than some.

 

[tiredwife]

@msmechanic58 See the folding shelf is raised. We are paying as we go too, and doing it all ourselves. Often think it would be easier to build from scratch than work around some of the dumb things the previous owner did.

 

[msmechanic58]

Remodeling is always more difficult.

 

[Dutto]

We built our old house over two years, living in a caravan and paying for it as we went along with just small temporary loans from the bank when we were waiting for business cheques to come in.

A "never to be missed" experience but also a "never to be repeated" one as well.

A favourite memory of the caravan phase was watching my wife struggle across the garden through three feet deep snow carrying a 5 gallon can full of water from the stream.

I was sat drinking whisky with a mutual friend at the time and, appalled that I didn't go to help her, ran outside to assist. In my defence I explained that I had told her on numerous occasions not to fill the can.

I suspect that I will need to plan my TKR recovery to the finest detail because someone around here may consider it to be "pay-back" time!

Take it easy tomorrow and get a good nights sleep ready for Monday.

Best regards,

Ian

 

[tiredwife]

@msmechanic58 Some of the things we found in this house would make you cringe. Like a light put in one of the ceiling of one of the rooms we discovered was a type with prongs for plugging into an outlet, it was just soldered to the wires and stuffed into the ceiling! Scary!