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New knees soon! BTKR 4.23.14

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Hi @gazelle7777, thank you for sharing your story. It is very similar to how I existed with my right hip; it was just existing, not living. My feet and knees are my living and as I prepare my home and my head, I know that this is an investment in my future. I am so happy to hear what a great life you have had on the other side. :yay:

I have committed to being away for the 12 weeks FMLA will allow and will take some vacation time to phase back in to work. I'll be coming back to a busy outdoor event season, and a big shift in our management team, but my goal is to take care of myself first. Frankly, I'm tired of justifying my crazy job as an excuse for taking care of myself last in the world. Once I heal up, I have job opportunities that I can take advantage of and I count myself very lucky to have a good network.

I really believe that a strong positive attitude is as important as any other, preparation for surgery. After that, we'll see what the world brings. One door closes, another opens. :thumb:
 
Sounds like you have a good plan in place for recovery.
:thumb:

And the right priorities! (Yes, you first!!!!)
 
Happy Sunday! I taught 2, 3 hour leadership classes this week at a culinary school in Manhattan. I love to teach and had a blast reading and developing the class. Both sections went well, but after I got off the floor last night, boy, did my knees hurt! It feels like all the synvisc is gone and for the first time, I really understand that bone on bone impact. Now, I stand to teach because I'm a ball of energy and the time flew, but today's a definite rest/ice day. I received my exercise bike this week and I am still thinking about recliner (with nap position) and zero gravity recliner. I'll have to ditch my old sleeper sofa because my studio apartment won't hold it all :heehee:. If you have one or the other, I'd love your advice. Have a great day!
 
Hi, has anyone used this kind of ice wrap? I am trying to decide on which products I need; my surgeon doesn't prescribe ice machines for patient use. This has an old fashion ice pack on each side. All advice welcome. Thanks!
[Bonesmart.org] New knees soon! BTKR 4.23.14
 
After reading about all steps with a ice machine (they sound leaky) maybe Josephine's 5 lb bag of peas are sounding better and better! I think I could keep extras in a cooler for night time replacements. Any thoughts?
 
I liked the gel packs you can pop in and out of the freezer. When I used the home made ones I tended to wake up from naps to find it leaking. :(
 
I have some store bought gel packs and a couple of the ice bags the hospital used that they let me take home. I really like my homemade packs, though. I double bagged them and haven't had any leaks so far. They take awhile to re-freeze, so I made 3 for each knee. They are larger than the store bought ones so cover more of my whole knee area. And they are more flexible than the hospital ones that use ice cubes. I'm happy with them...but definitely double bag because leaks are a potential problem.
 
kneeper said:
I liked the gel packs you can pop in and out of the freezer. When I used the home made ones I tended to wake up from naps to find it leaking. :(
Click to expand...
I used them, too. I used these:
[Bonesmart.org] New knees soon! BTKR 4.23.14
They are made by ColPak and measure roughly 12"X18"

One nice thing about them (I had two) was that I could use them after my BTKR on sore parts of my body---I just used one the other night for a sore quad after exercising.
 
Wow @referee54! Those are the biggest gel packs I have ever seen! I like the idea of a ice machine, but I am not finding the long wraps like my PT has for her Game Ready machine. This is long enough to cover the entire knee area. Thank for the photo!
 
The one that I have are 12.5" X18.5" and run about $30.00 each. Since I cycle a great deal, umpire, work on a farm part-time, and fell trees and cut them and split them, I have had plenty of opportunity to use them after my BTKR!:snork:
 
@TracyW , the hospital gave me the recipe for my own ice bags. One cup of rubbing alcohol and 3 cups of water. Put in a gallon zip lock, burp it as best you can (I kept making a mess!) and then put that inside another gallon bag. I found some 2.5 gallon zip locks at the Dollar Store and made some really large ones, just doubling the recipe.
 
I used the ice machine at home and the gel ice packs when in the car. Had a couple of hours travel to the Dr in traffic and they came in handy.

That came in handy as well as having my sister drive me. She would stop at the store across the street from the Drs to pick up bananas and imported chocolate which we ate in the car after the Drs appt. It was a a nice sisterly ritual. :yes::)
 
I am going to sound like one of those folks that trudged four miles uphill each way to and from school! (Through two feet of snow!)

I do not believe that these ice machines were big when I had my knees done over six years ago! I don't think ice had been invented yet!!

You little whippersnappers have it so nice these days!!!:rotfl:
 
@1ELISEA it sounds like you and your sister had a great routine! I went back and read the library article on icing and it included @BigBend's home-made ice packs as well as the cryocuff. I am going to walk over to my local medical supply and take a look at what they have. I am also still considering a lift/recliner for my recovery. I have to order soon or I won't have it in time.

I also got a call from the hospital that I tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus bacteria from a nasal swab. They've called in a prescription and are notifying my OS so he can change the antibiotics for my surgery. Very interesting, the Nurse manager told me 4 of about 12 tested positive. I am glad that I had the opportunity to take the test so I can have a healthier recovery.

I have less than 2 weeks until my last day at work (April 19th) and then the big day! I have been having some pangs of "I should wait" as work is a political minefield. I don't know what I'm going to come back to, but I do know that I have been running full blast since returning from my THR in 2012 and I need some time off. My knees seem to be giving me the opportunity to concentrate on my health.

And @referee54 I know you had snow, wind, rain and ice on those steep hills! I know something about that too! :heehee:

Have a good Monday!
 
@TracyW , just another note on the homemade ice packs. I really like them BUT they take a long time to freeze and stay cold a relatively short time when in use. I like having all manner of ice bags and these are a good tool in the toolbox. You'd need to have many sets to get you the round the clock icing that we love!!!

As far as your oral swab, my niece who is a nurse has said the same thing ... At any given point any person has that bacteria in his/her nose. She gets swabbed regularly at work (OR nurse). I'm surprised they didn't do an oral swab on me. But since they were pumping me up on antibiotics 24-7 after the surgery, maybe it didn't matter.
 
Pre Op testing today. My GP was wonderful in assuring me it would be alright. He said he had a good feeling as I have planned so carefully.

Still a good weeks worth if push between getting my house in order and wrapping up work for 3 months. I need the rest from that crazy place and my team is supporting my absence.

Waiting now on my Chest X-rays. With luck this hospital will be where I do my acute rehab after I leave the surgical hospital. There are only 2 acute facilities in Manhattan and you go where ever there is a bed.

My GP told me if I need to stay in the hospital longer to call the patient advocate and ask them to appeal my release date. I'm going to write all that down as the drugs make it hard to remember.

My knees are getting more sore. Little by little the synvisc gel is dissipating and it's a very good reminder why I'm doing this surgery.

I am definitely calmer than when I had my THR and am going to focus on staying busy and meditating this week.

I'm off after this to pick out a recliner and to do some more work around the house. I'm blessed to have so much in my favor.

Keeping all the April rainbows in my good thoughts and prayers.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®
 
Happy Easter! Well, last night was my last day of work. Stayed very late to wrap up all my programs and get my manager team ready for me to be gone for 3 months. Had my first real moment of panic, phew! I used deep breathing to calm myself. Luckily, I have so much to do between now and Tuesday night, I should be able to keep the scary thoughts at bay. :shocked:

I am thankful for Bonesmart and all of you because I don't feel alone in all this. It's funny, I got a Suzie Orman CD to create a living will, etc, but the universe seems to be conspiring against me to get those papers completed. My external CD drive at work wouldn't work, I tried my old laptop at home with a CD drive which won't connect to the internet and now I've found I have left the CD on my desk at work. :chinstroke: I'll take that as a good sign that everything is going to be ok. Thanks Smarties, I am so grateful to know I have a good, safe place to share my journey. :whistle:
 
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