Questions galore! & Second Thoughts

[Bionic woman2]

I bought the Leg Elevator and Cyro Cuff and tried it out tonight and I hate it! I feel like I am in stocks!

Janis, I don't know about the leg elevator, but the Cryo cuff is gonna be your new BFF. Ladies you may even kick your man to the curb and MARRY it! lol lol Once that leg swells up and gets warm to the touch, you will be singing the McDonald's commercial on full blast concerning your cuff... "Ba Da Bababaaaah, I'm lovin it!" It definitely numbs the pain. I swear by it, I even cook with it on. What you're gonna hate are the compression stockings. Let's hope your Dr doesn't want you to wear them for 4 weeks in the blazing heat! Don't fret though, because if that were the case they would've told you at your pre op. Funny thing about them is, you miss the support once you're free to take them off. I remember about 6 weeks out after I had did too much, I came home and slapped that hose right back on my legs. Aaaaah!

Now the sleep thing is another story. I was just thinking about how I can kinda sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs (like when I was pregnant.) Or I can sometimes throw my operative leg over a blanket/pillow pile. However, if I use either of these positions I wake up with an awkward stiffness. But at least I got to sleep! Now I'm thinking I have to go back to BACK SLEEP. Boooo! That should be reserved for when you're dead tired, where you pass out and not move till morning. That is good sleep though. You know, when you wake up with sleep marks all over your body. My problem with that is back pain. Ouch!

I like to curl myself up...I never fall asleep on my back, and if I wake up and have been on my back I have a nasty taste in my mouth ,as my mouth falls open...yech...How are we going to sleep like that!?

Dinah, I never thought of that, but there are days that I wake up coughing, or w/phelm (for the lack of a TMI-less definition) in my mouth. I never attributed it to the position I slept in. I'll have to monitor that.

But let me say this ladies, when you first get out of that operating room, YOU WILL SLEEP! If not SNORE. My kids have the pictures to prove it. Yep, they paid mommy back for all the prank pics/videos I took of them. They'll probably do video this time. Hmmm, how do you lock a hospital room door?

Sigh, I'm dreading starting all over again. Am I CRAZY! I knew what to expect but I'm doing it anyway. WHY??? Because it's worth it!

We got this ladies!

 

[Ducktape]

I am 6 weeks post op and am now realizing how much my knee kept me from living a normal life. I found myself arranging activities around my knee, like parking, stairs, walking, camping, concerts, etc. I'm now thinking I should have done this along time ago! The younger and healthier you are will help in your recovery. Trust me, your knee or knees will not get better without a replacement. Hope this helps!

 

[Jsankowski]

what's the leg elevator?

the leg elevator is a cushion to keep your leg elevated. I bought it from footsmart.com. I do have a leg lifter thingy, looks like it will be handy! I could use it to lasso Tilly my Pomeranian! Anyone notice the closer you get to Knee-day the worse your knees feel! Ditzy we will get there ...one leg at a time!

 

[Jsankowski]

Cyro cuff is gonna be your new BFF

I am sure it will be, just right now it seems soooooo confining! My legs have a mind of their own and when they are aching they are moving! My husband has abandoned the bed because I move too much.

The younger and healthier you are will help in your recovery.

this is what I am planning on ... my knees are my only real issue! I am not on any medications! I am over the hill ...a bit BUT mentally I think of myself as a 15 year old! that has to count for something!

 

[Butterfly]

patbike Is that stand pretty easy to set up? This is one of the ones that makaes your regular bike into a stationary bike with no resistance, right??

 

[morningstar]

Yeah Janis Me too!! I haven't make the list yet, but I am sure it is coming! Your awareness is impressive, wise words, particularly the bit about your role being not so much control as having an "influence on the outcome". I think you have got that spot on!


Ain't that the truth!!


Yes, I am worried about that too! I am worried that mine is expecting my recovery to be faster than it is going to be. When I try to gently point this out to him, he tells me I am being negative, when I think I am being realistic! I am also concerned that he will blame the slowness of my recovery on my not working hard enough on PT omigawd!!
I am sorry that you had such a ghastly time with your sinus surgery. It sounds just miserable. You may be less mobile this time around, but hopefully less uncomfortable...lets hope so. Maybe when Craig sees how much assistance you will need in the early days, he will be happy to be of use to you, and will come up trumps! He may have felt powerless to help you last time. I am inspired by others who have described their recovery as a time of letting go and letting the healing take place in its own time, as has Judy B above. I guess we have to aim for that too. If we can find that calmness, then perhaps anger won't follow. However an emotional "melt down" or two seems to be par to the course! Oh well we will just have to go with the flow!!

From Morningstar:I had my LTKR in 2010 and my hubby didn't know to expect or what I was going through.
He tried to help and tried to push me to do more because guys are used to having being tough and toughing
it out and they don't realize us ladies are not like that and knees are in charge.
We have to go at our own paces and do what we can when we can.
I got where I ignored what he said because I knew he didn't know what he was talking about,having
never been through it and I listened to Josephine and the advice and encouragement that others on the
foreum and talked about.
This site is fantastic and helped me allot when I had my last knee done and I'm getting ready to have the
other one done soon.
Just let him help as much as he can and don't let him run the show.
I hope that helps and I know they sometimes feel helpless but I just did the best I could with it.Morningstar
LTKR June 14th 2010

 

[morningstar]

Last night, Craig and I watched a "live," TKR on Youtube ...well he watched I could barely look! Anyway, I said to him "now you know when you are off with me I might just be in "lala land," and not really need anything but help getting up," and he said "so are you telling me I will be wasting my time taking days off from work?" Oy VEY! By the way, I do not think I shared, my husband has Aspergers. So empathy is NOT even in his makeup! Craig will be off with me the weeks I have surgery and then my Momma will be taking care of me! Thank goodness!

Thank goodness your mom will be there.
There is nothing like a mom helping us and they seem to understand more than a husband ever could.
I don't know anything about Aspergers and will be keeping you in my prayers.
I'm having a RTKR on September 09,2013 if everything goes according to plan.
This is the best website and place we could ever have.Morningstar,LTKR June 14th 2010,Efflexia shots in
my Right knee in 2012 and LTKR,September 09,2013

 

[patbike]

Butterfly Setup is easy. You just open the stand and place it on the floor (10 seconds).
Then you position your bike so that the rear wheel is in the stand. (25 seconds). Then you turn the the knob on the stand so that it grips your rear wheel on each side (60 seconds). Then you attach the resistance control to your handle bar ( 45 seconds). Then you are ready to go. Your rear wheel rest on a roller and you can change the resistance by turning the knob on the resistance control (on your handle bar) and you can also shift the gears on your bike to get the same feel as when riding. You may also want to put a block of wood under your front tire to make it level with your rear tire (optional). If you have a knobby tire it will be noisy (makes a loud humm) when you speed up. If it bothers you, you can change your rear tire to a smooth one and it will be quieter I am told, I didn't bother. I really just used the bike trainer to get my rotation back and then I immediately started using my bike on a level/flat section on the local bike path and built up distance and variable terrain from there. My recovery thread might have more detail on using the bike if you are interested.

 

[Jsankowski]

Okay I am bummed my Dad was going to be my PT Taxi because my husband works, most of my friends work and my daughter is in school ... just found out he is having Rotator Cuff surgery on Sept. 3!! I said "Dad why then and he said well, that is when the OS said he wanted to do it ... my Mom said I was being selfish. ARGH!!!!

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

No, you're not being selfish. You were counting on his help. Well, is there any chance PT can come to your home for awhile?

 

[ditzy dinah]

What you're gonna hate are the compression stockings.

Oh yes, I'm quite sure of that! I used to hate putting them on folks, they are so stiff, unyielding and tight! Never thought that one day I would have to wear them!! At least these ones, will only cover our calves right? The ones I had to fit on patients went all the way up to the top of the thigh!

Let's hope your Dr doesn't want you to wear them for 4 weeks in the blazing heat!

No! No! My worst nightmare!! I suppose the only consolation is that it sure won't be blazing heat here for the next few weeks....what's that?? I 'spose they might keep my legs warm??? My knees already will be!

I was just thinking about how I can kinda sleep on my side

Yeah this worries me, because with 2 knees done together, there will be no way I will be able to go on my side soon, and will be a problem for Janis too as she is having 2nd one done 2 weeks after the first....have to hope for plenty of that zonked out on pain killers sleep, and try not to mind, the stifness, sleep marks or the dry mouth!!

I never attributed it to the position I slept in. I'll have to monitor that.

How are you going to do that?? Set up a video camera!? He He!!

Am I CRAZY!

Yep! We all are!!! :rolleyes:

Because it's worth it!

I sure hope so!!!

 

[Bionic woman2]

How are you going to do that?? Set up a video camera!? He He!!

LOL I meant for the days when I wake up hacking, I would try and take note of my last sleep position. But you're right, there's no way to really tell w/o the sleep surveillance... um, No thank you.

At least these ones, will only cover our calves right? The ones I had to fit on patients went all the way up to the top of the thigh!

Um, No. it's "thigh highs" for you baby, so get out your old parochial plaid mini skirt and work it! lol

 

[ditzy dinah]

the leg elevator is a cushion to keep your leg elevated.

Oh yeah, I have got in one of those. thought I would put it in the bed

Anyone notice the closer you get to Knee-day the worse your knees feel! Ditzy we will get there ...one leg at a time!

Yes Bingo on that one! I'm not allowed to take my Naproxen for the last week, and so my legs feel stiffer than ever! Yes Janis we will....one leg at a time for you...two 1/2's together for me!

my knees are my only real issue! I am not on any medications! I am over the hill ...a bit BUT mentally I think of myself as a 15 year old! that has to count for something!

Me too Janis and I'm 14 years older! so perhaps mentally I'm 25...yeah I'll go with that. Yes i do think it does count for something. I was told at the hospital I looked fit (with these knees?) and young (perhaps that's because all the other patients in the waiting room looked to be in their 70's at least), so I do think it matters...I don't think the surgeon would have offered me a bilateral op, if I didn't look fit, or if I had anything else wrong. the only medication I am on is for reflux, which protects the gut from the effects of the NSAIDs anyway. Same for you, are having totals two weeks apart, and your OS would never have scheduled that if he didn't think you could take that physically Go Well...

 

[ditzy dinah]

Just let him help as much as he can and don't let him run the show.

Wise words Morningstar and how true!..I will do my best with that one. He is so caring, and wants to protect me, he will help me loads, I know...but he will want to "fix" me...but I am determined to do as you say, and take all the good advice on this forum!!

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

there will be no way I will be able to go on my side

It's possible to learn to sleep on one's back. However, post-op is probably not ideal time. After being a lifelong side sleeper, it wasn't comfortable when I got my CPAP machine (for sleep apnea). What I did was stay on my back as long as I could stand it and then roll to my side. After about 2 weeks, I fell asleep and woke up on my back and that was it - now I sleep on my back. Occasionally if I'm not really sleepy or I wake up and am tired of the mask on my face, I'll throw it off and sleep on my side but I'm always sorry later. I wake up with the shoulder and hip on the "down" side aching terribly and that side of my nose all stuffed up. So, back sleeping has really worked out to be much better for my arthritis-ridden old body. Maybe you'll be too drugged to care! Hoping for the best for you.

 

[Jsankowski]

So I had this huge revelation today. As I am preparing for my upcoming surgeries I am doing a lot of cleansing and riding myself of things that clutter my life, get in my way and are not needed. I feel how pregnant women do when they start to nest to prepare for the baby's arrival. Yesterday, I went through my office and threw away 4 years worth of papers, sticky notes and organized my desk and shelves. Last weekend I gave away 6 bags of clothes because I rearrange my closet and drawers. Today, I cleaned the garage of boxes of stuff that have been there for years because they might get in my way. I took a chair out of my bedroom that was just a place to toss things on. I realized my new knees are a catalyst for change. I will be stepping forward into my new life

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

As I am preparing for my upcoming surgeries I am doing a lot of cleansing

Wow, hope I catch some of that urge! Actually, I did a LOT of that in the last year since I retired. Now I'm kinda feeling like I should just relax and enjoy my time before surgery (in between all the appointments).

 

[Bionic woman2]

Janis, I'm inspired to be inspired by you. This "pack-rat" is a work in progress, but I do have plans to do a little de-cluttering of my own before my next knee. You've pushed those plans a bit closer to reality. Thanks

Wish me luck

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

I love this little guy 'cause he reminds me of the last time I rode my bike, fell off and couldn't get up, had to wait there in the street till a neighbor drove by and helped me! But doggone it, I'm gonna get on that bike again and ride it. So there!

 

[Bionic woman2]

Now I'm kinda feeling like I should just relax and enjoy my time before surgery (in between all the appointments).

I was feeling that way too, with a touch of I need to get rid of this and that. Now, Janis and her OAA (Over Achievers Anonymous) self has pushed me a weetle bit out of my comfort zone. I know I won't have as much "do-ability' time after my next surgery before I have to return to work. By "do-ability" I mean, when you actually have the ability to DO the things that you see needing to be done. lol So I better get to something on my "mop" and bucket list.