Please Help Me

[JILLBALES]

My best friend is scheduled to have both knees done at the same time, with minimal hospital stay and no physical therapy(and no drugs).

My mother has had both done, but seperately, and told him that it will be sheer hell to do them together.

He lives alone and thinks that he will be fine on his own, and I have told him that I will not "Be His Nurse" if he does them at the same time.

I need to stop him from doing 2 at once because when push comes to shove he knows that I will be there, and I want to stand my ground on this one.

Sincerely,

Jill Bales

 

[Josephine]

First of all, is he having a minimally invasive surgery and/or a mini knee which means only half of it being resurfaced? If this be the case, then the recovery period certainly is much quicker and less problematic.

Secondly, having two knees done at once is certainly not "sheer hell". The amount of pain experienced by patients is not all that much worse than having one done. They have the same amount of analgesics post op and make the same rate of recovery and rehabilitation. And he cannot possible have "no drugs" at all! He will need a lot of pain killers for several weeks no matter how well he does.

I suspect he has only heard part of what he has been told and that, like a lot of people, his memory is being very selective in what he remembers!

So far as his coming home, whether they do one or two knees he is going to need a fair bit of help getting meals, having showers, doing his housework and laundry. It could be six weeks if a mini, 10-12 weeks if a traditional replacement, before he begins to get his independence back and he will need a carer in that time, first a nursing aid and then a house keeping kind.

If you are not prepared to help him then you need to tell him outright and tell him that he needs to organise some help for himself. Best of luck!

 

[Lee]

I had TKR Aug 20, right knee only, MIS, Oxinium. I had been contemplating doing both knees...Am I glad I didn't do that! Though I'm in good shape and have had a relatively quick recovery, I was helpless for 3 or 4 weeks and couldn't drive for 6 weeks on doctor's orders. I don't know how I would have functioned without wife's help. Your friend has no idea what he's up against.

 

[referee54]

I had both knees replaced on November 7th---I knew both would have to get replaced, so I chose to have both done at the same time. I am now driving after 5-6 weeks, and I am glad that I had both done at once---anesthetically (if that is indeed a word!) I was going to be knocked out; recovery---therapy---and time off the job etc...

My wife was indeed a saint through all of this, but i don't think that it was really that bad---I still have trouble sleeping, yes, but it is now Decmeber 21st and I am walking on my own or outside with one cane---and i will be going back to my teaching position after Christmas.

Your friend will need some help at home; bury his pride---it is OK to ask for somebody to help you. My retired mother came over for about four hours a day, and she cooked a few lunches for me, too.

I guess what I am trying to say is that i had two done at once---it wasn't all that bad---it was a horror show---but I did get some assistance from my wife and my mom.

Tim C.