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TKR New Left Knee . . . Check!!

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Wow! Really??!! I've been an editor for the Marine Corps Gazette for over 13 years. My husband is a retired Marine--he did 24 years. And our oldest son is now a captain on active duty out in Yuma, AZ. What a small world! I feel like you're family!
 
Well, you KNOW we ARE family!!! After all that time with the Corps, I was considered a "civilian Marine" and proud of it! I loved working with Marines. My dad was a career Air Force officer and I started working for them first, then switched to the Marine Corps after 3 years. I had a LOT of different jobs as I worked my way up and adored every minute of it.
 
Yep!!!! Happy Birthday to you and your family as well. Semper Fi!
 
Well, I'm convinced that I must have been sleeping so well since my surgery because of all of the drugs. I've always been able to easily fall asleep, but then would wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning and not be able to fall back to sleep for a VERY LONG TIME. But since my surgery, man, I have slept like a baby! At least 8 hours every night, with a wake up to take meds and being able to fall right back to sleep. All of this even with a few hours of nap time during the day.

However, last night I woke up at about 2 a.m. and was still awake tossing and turning at least until 5 this morning. I have been able to cut way back on my pain meds over the last week or so, so I'm thinking all of that great sleep must have come from the drugs. Dang! I was so hoping that was going to last! :sigh: Niki
 
Niki,
I have not as a rule had trouble sleeping. However, in the past several weeks I have been having a lot of problem going to sleep. It's been since I have cut back on my drugs as well. It's very frustrating I hate not being able to sleep. It's not the pain that keeps me awake I just don't go back to sleep. I told my OS's nurse and she suggested several things, such as a shower in the evening, Tylenol pm or benedryl. I haven't tried benedry as I don't have any. I may try to go out today to get some. I hate it when I don't sleep at night than I am sleepy and want to sleep all day. Hopefully this is just a phase and will get better in time. It is miserable. However, it is another one of those things that we can expect according to what they say here on Bone Smart.

Good luck I hope it gets better for you real soon.
 
Even though you are able to cut down on your pain meds during the day, you may still need to take them at night to sleep better. That can go on a while. After all, when you sleep, you are inactive so long that little aches and pains can creep in.

If you don't want to take prescription pain meds, try 1000mg of Extra Strength Tylenol when you find yourself waking up in the night. You can take that same dose every 4 hours up to 4000mg in 24 hours.
 
Hi Niki
Well that does sound impressive! And it must be great working in an area that all your family are committed to and so worthwhile.
I started as a junior reporter on my local weekly newspaper and worked my way up to editor in chief of a series of 12 regional papers. Over the years I worked on different publications including London's oldest daily newspaper Lloyd's List - all about finance and shipping. Along the way I brought up our two children and finished working for the group I started out with!
Sadly my husband died nine years ago and I left the business determined to do something new. I went to university and am now a London tourist guide - currently resting obviously!
 
Oh wow! That must be interesting! What area do you work in?
 
Carolyn, sorry to hear that you are having sleep issues too. I think I have to agree with Jamie this morning! I had a rough night last night. Slept more than the night before, but I kept waking up because I was very, very uncomfortable. My husband is out of town this week, so my daughter-in-law is taking care of me in his absence. I think when she restocked my ice machine last night there was way too much water and not enough ice. The cold did not last long during the night and I woke up with a very hot knee this morning. Felt much better after getting more ice on that baby this morning!

But I am also thinking that I may need to go back to taking 2 hydrocodone when I go to bed so that I'm feeling comfortable throughout the night. Definitely willing to do that at this point if I need to. I may give it one more night now that my daughter-in-law and I have discussed the ice and water ratio for the ice machine. She was really surprised when she felt how hot my knee was this morning! :snork:

Diane, that is quite the career change! Good for you. I'm sorry for your loss. What a way to pick yourself up after a tragedy. I have no doubt that you are going to handle this recovery just fine! :ok:

Three more days till my doc visit! :yahoo:Niki

P.S. Love the new avatar, Jo!
 
Niki
I don't know about you but I have always been a bit on the cynical side after interviewing so many people and hearing so many stories. Going to church has helped keep it all in perspective. But I have to say there is such goodwill on this forum from people I have never met that it has really helped with the recuperation. You may be on the other side of the Atlantic but I already feel a part of your story. As you say three days to go! I do hope it's a good outcome.
Josephine
I do coach tours including Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath. London tours including Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London and walking tours all round the city
 
Yay Niki,
I will be waiting anxiously to hear what the Doc has to say. Although not near as anxious as you I am sure!!

I am still not sleeping good at night, I have tried several things so far haven't found the right formula.
 
Carolyn,
I'm sorry to hear that you are still having sleep issues. Seems to be quite the common problem. I slept so much better last night! My daughter-in-law loaded up the ice machine. I went to sleep without it and lasted about 4 hours. Woke up at 3 a.m. and strapped into the ice. After about 15 minutes I was still awake so decided to take some melatonin. Before surgery I took melatonin every night, but I hadn't taken it since then cause I had been sleeping so well on the drugs. Took it last night and was asleep fairly quickly. Slept till 7:30 this morning. So all in all, not a bad night--went half the night without the ice machine and got about 8 hours sleep.

The melatonin I took is called Midnight (it may be spelled differently than that). It is a dissolvable tablet and you can take it in the middle of the night if you wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep. It's a pretty low dose of melatonin, but it seems to help. I also have a higher dose melatonin capsule that I sometimes take if I'm in a cycle of really having difficulty sleeping. Melatonin is not a drug, so I feel okay about using it. Our body's own production of melatonin really drops off as we age, so this seems to help. I'm not sure if it's placebo or truly works, but if I'm sleeping, I really don't care! :snork:
Niki
 
Hi Niki, I think we are all counting down with you for you to get the nod from your OS, I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow :thumb:
 
Thanks, Jo and Rose! I feel sure that he will tell me that I can start walking. Hope I'm not setting myself up for another disappointment! Last time, at 5 weeks, was kind of early--but now it's been over 7 weeks! Surely the time has come!

During the night last night, I experienced that "oooh, I think I did too much today" kind of pain in my knee for the very first time. It's been impossible to do too much without being able to do anything, but my husband is out of town this week. My son, daughter-in-law, and two grandbabies (3 and 1 year old) are temporarily living with us. So yesterday to try to help out, I hobbled around on the walker and cleaned up the disaster in the kitchen after breakfast while my daughter-in-law got the kiddies ready for preschool. I was home alone all day so got my own lunch, cleaned up the tornado that went through the family room, and then also cleaned up the kitchen after dinner while they were busy getting the kiddies ready for bed. I felt okay doing all of that, but it was very slow going with the walker. Anyway, about 2:00 in the morning my knee was talking to me loud and clear! At 3:00 I took two hydrocodone. I had been on a one every 6 hours schedule, but I took those two 2 hours early cause I was hurting. Last night kind of scared me cause I feel like I hardly did anything and then my knee was protesting. How am I going to get by when I can walk???:scratch: I think I have a whole new learning curve about to start tomorrow!:rolleyespink: Niki
 
editor98 said:
I think I have a whole new learning curve about to start tomorrow!:rolleyespink: Niki
Click to expand...

Yes, but it is going to be such a great big step forward! I know I am still trying to figure it all out too. I am at the point where I feel better, so I am trying not to take the meds for the breakthrough pain as often, but I feel better so I can do more and when I do more I need more meds for the breakthrough pain.... :umm: And round and round it goes! :rolleyespink:

I think we all have our fingers crossed for you tomorrow! :thumb:
 
Hi Niki I really hope you will get good news tomorrow and that ice and rest after your busy day will put you back on track to cope with a new and exciting phase of recovery!
 
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