New here. Surgery soon

[referee54]

may I also suggest a raised toilet seat with handles and also a shower seat with handles?

Definitely on both---the raised toilet seat is a big help during the early days of recovery, and the shower chair will allow you to sit in the shower and let the warm or hot water cascade on your quads so you can loosen them up a little at a time.

Another reason for the shower seat is that you will not have the stamina in the early days of recovery, so you can rest and not worry about standing or losing your balance in the shower.

 

[wagoncab]

Hello All;
What a day! We finally got home about a half hour ago. We had to be at the hospital at 8 this morning
for the class on knee replacement. There were a lot of people there. Very informative. One lady was a PT for 20 years and the other, an ortho nurse for 30 years. They passed around models of what our worn out knees
look like and then a new one. Then we had to go to another location to get all my pre op lab work done.
Now we should not have have to go back to Nashville until the day of surgery.

 

[eldon]

@wagoncab Cool! A couple of more steps out of the way. I had my pre-op labs done, but missed the class. They only hold it once a month and it was held a week before I got my packet and knew about it. Thankfully with BoneSmart, it's like I've been in a class since I joined the forum!

 

[wagoncab]

The PT at the class was talking about how different people are and handle situations. She said some people can be spouting blood, innards hanging out and will still say they are o k and can do things themselves. Then there are
others who get a hangnail and have to go to bed. I am the first one. Going to be hard for me to ask for help. I can do it myself...LOL

 

[eldon]

Going to be hard for me to ask for help. I can do it myself...LOL

@wagoncab , ooohhh, sounds like if you're not careful, you'll be a quick member of the ODIC (over done it club)

 

[sandbar525]

@eldon I thought asking for help as well as remaining stoic through any pain would be a problem for me...goes against my nature. Amazing how that flew out the window once surgery was over and I realized all of the help available to me. Trust me, I took advantage of it and hopefully you will too!

 

[SuperSnapper]

@wagoncab hi, you're now well on the way to your surgery. There's lots of great advice on here. I've learned such a lot since I joined. I've got the cryo cuff and the gel ice packs at the ready! I'm not bad with pain but prepared to take any painkillers offered and Im ready to stand up for myself if need be after reading all the advice on this site.

 

[wagoncab]

Well, I found a walker and crutches for free yesterday. We went to town and stopped at the local help center and they gave us a voucher for the stuff.

 

[1ELISEA]

We just got home from the Dr. I get a new knee on the 8th of December

Congrats @wagoncab on scheduling a surgery date.
You sound very organized and methodical in gathering things you need; good for you.

If you be so kind, would you please put your surgery-to-be date in the signature line as well as which knee (LTKR, RTKR ) for the total knee replacement. That way, we will give advice appropriate to the closeness of surgery.

Once you have had surgery and are on the other side with a new post recovery thread, just change the "to be" date to surgery date and we can provide post op care that is reflective of your recovery /post surgery time.


Here are the instructions for adding a signature!
ADD SIGNATURE
Thank you so much!

 

[wagoncab]

Done.
Thanks

 

[wagoncab]

Hi Everyone;
Just a quick check in. 6 days until surgery. I am not feeling nervous yet but I know I will.
My husband is already getting a little anxious and worried. I will know Friday what time I have to
be at the hospital. I have some meals made up and in the freezer already. May do up a couple more
things.
Now that I am finally getting this done, it seems like my knee is hurting more. I have been doing
a lot of walking the past week or so though so maybe that's why.

 

[SuperSnapper]

@wagoncab The waiting before is much worse than the aftermath when you are actually in recovery. I'm just one week and a day into recovery and it's been easier than my imaginings before - not pain free or particular fun - I'd be lying if I sais it was either but I can cope and I know I'm moving forwards.
Make sure you have loads of ice at the ready for the minute you get home and be prepared to do very little but ice, rest and a few exercises. I can't stress the ice enough . It's been the one thing that makes this doable for me.
Wishing you all the very best for your surgery and recovery.

 

[referee54]

The waiting before is much worse than the aftermath when you are actually in recovery.

As Carly Simon sang---"Anticipation"---waiting is, indeed, the hardest part.

not pain free or particular fun - I'd be lying if I said it was either but I can cope and I know I'm moving forwards.

That is very well stated! I agree!

 

[wagoncab]

I have ice packs ready. I also made a couple from some directions I found here I think. 4 cups water to 1 cup alcohol. It does not freeze solid but remains pliable and stays very cold for a long time.
I have noticed very recently that my lower back hurts on the right side. Probably due to the way
I walk with this bad knee. 5 days to go.

 

[referee54]

I have noticed very recently that my lower back hurts on the right side. Probably due to the way
I walk with this bad knee. 5 days to go.

Yep, those bad knees affect a variety of areas of our body---and the new knee will help things out considerably!

As a side note, my surgery was very anticlimactic----it was, ironically, "no big deal."

 

[Roy Gardiner]

The PT at the class was talking about how different people are and handle situations. She said some people can be spouting blood, innards hanging out and will still say they are o k and can do things themselves. Then there are others who get a hangnail and have to go to bed. I am the first one. Going to be hard for me to ask for help.

My husband is already getting a little anxious and worried.

At the risk of me coming over all Oscar Nominated here, your husband signed up for this job of looking after you, and now it's time to show he meant it, if he's a real man. He'll (correctly in my view) be pretty upset if you don't let him.

 

[wagoncab]

My Hubby is a very good guy. He will wait on me hand and foot if I let him.

 

[bottomshollow]

then by all means, @wagoncab, let him do that for you!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

My Hubby is a very good guy. He will wait on me hand and foot if I let him.

My apologies for implying he might not, I did not mean to be insulting.

So, let him. The first few weeks after TKR is the time to be selfish.

 

[wagoncab]

Quite all right. No offense taken.