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Ready to get rid of the pain

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carolinagirl said:
Turtlelady,

I wish you all the best. You are in my prayers!!!

Today has been ROUGH! I am in so much pain, it is unreal. I am heading for the shower and then to bed! The Darvocet needs to kick in soon!
I had to do more walking today than I normally do, and oh boy!!! Both of my legs are screaming!
I go for pre-op Wednesday. So I guess this is really gonna happen. I have suffered for so long. It feels good to know I have a light at the end of this
"pain tunnel". I have given the epidural alot of thought and I think that is the route I am going to take. I had IV sedation and don't remember anything from my foot surgery, and they sawed and used a grinder on my foot to remove a bone spur and remove bone fragments. I just really don't want to wake up in terrible pain.
Click to expand...

I can honestly say that I was never in any pain while I was in the hospital---the anesthesia people were awesome. I had an epidural---the guy said, "OK, you are going to feel alittle bit drowsy now"---and that was it---the next thing I was waking up on the way to recovery. They tell you to push the pain button every so often and do not be afraid to do it...yo will be fine...you are great hands...

Tim C.
 
Thanks referee for the info. I have had alot of nights where I can't sleep, and I channel surf all night. Hopefully something good will be on during recovery.
Maybe a Andy Griffin marathon!
I usually find something good on the History Channel or the Discovery Channel.

I am hoping that sleep won't elude me for too long. I see my OS next week for my pre-op appointment and although I asked alot of questions before,
after getting so much info from these forums, I have 100 more!
I am so thankful I found this place. Alot of my questions have been answered and some of my fears put to rest.
Have a good evening!
 
My daily routine when I was home after surgery was

Andy Griffith,
The Munsters
The Addams Family
Bonanza
Gunsmoke (two episodes)

I remember tearing apart adhesions while watching White Christmas on TNT!

Tim C.
 
TV for me in the hospital, George Lopez show... Nick at night was running a marathon. Even continued with it when I came home to my recliner.
 
Can you get GodTV? If not, try it on broken link removed: https://www.god.tv/florida
and watch the Healing revival from Lakeland Florida! Now on it's 72 consecutive night! Awesome worship, teaching and healings galore! Should keep you entertained for around 3-4 hours each night!
 
I go tomorrow morning for my pre-op visit at the hospital. I work there but where I need to go is on the back side of the main hospital. I work in one of the medical buildings. My appointment is at 10 am but with the way I am walking, I just may have to leave my office around 9:30!!! :)

My surgery is not until July 3rd, but my OS's staff told me that for these knee replacements the pre-op is at least 3 weeks before surgery. Is it like that anywhere else?
I am wondering if that is just my OS's preference. I try not to walk over "the way" to the main building as it is just to painful, but I will be doggone if I
dont' have to go over there tomorrow for pre-op then Thursday for a meeting.
I have been doing my exercises daily. Sitting at work I am constantly moving
my feet up and down, stretching.
 
In the UK it's quite common. Generally wouldn't want to see it much earlier than that because it gives time for things to change.

Hospitals are the pits for being huge, aren't they?
 
carolinagirl said:
I go tomorrow morning for my pre-op visit at the hospital. I work there but where I need to go is on the back side of the main hospital. I work in one of the medical buildings. My appointment is at 10 am but with the way I am walking, I just may have to leave my office around 9:30!!! :)

My surgery is not until July 3rd, but my OS's staff told me that for these knee replacements the pre-op is at least 3 weeks before surgery. Is it like that anywhere else?
I am wondering if that is just my OS's preference. I try not to walk over "the way" to the main building as it is just to painful, but I will be doggone if I
dont' have to go over there tomorrow for pre-op then Thursday for a meeting.
I have been doing my exercises daily. Sitting at work I am constantly moving
my feet up and down, stretching.
Click to expand...

Here in NH it has to be within 2 weeks of surgery. I had mine last Thursday and my surgery is tomorrow AM. I am anxious, excited, scared, ready, and determined!
See you all on the other side. I don't know when I will have a computer to use to contact everyone..... But I will make an effort ASAP!
Thanks for all the good wishes from everyone!
Best,
Crystal
 
Good Morning!

A quick question before I head out to work.......

When having one TKR done at the time, how long is the normal time period between the first and second surgery? I know alot depends on the individual.
Just asking.........

Hope everyone has a great day!
 
Hi CG! I'm 7 weeks today on "the other side" of a LTKR.

Re the epidural--it was great! I second the other positive comments and I don't remember a thing about the surgery.

Re side sleeping--I'm a side sleeper too, and by about 3 or 4 weeks I could SORT of sleep on my side, with my leg supported by a loooonnnngggg pillow (body pillow). It got lots easier and better by 5 weeks and now I'm pretty much back to my normal sleeping positions.

And, like all the others, sleep issues can strike! I didn't sleep much the first 2-3 weeks, then it was great, and now I'm not sleeping well again--it seems to come and go.

Glad you found this site! I wish I had found it BEFORE my surgery, but at least I found it afterwards and it has been such a sanity saver.

Weezy
 
Hi All!!
Weezy, thanks for the sleeping info!
I had my pre-op this morning. WHEW!!!
I am having general anesthesia with a femoral nerve block for post-op pain control. Was told it would only control pain on the front of my knee, so they are giving me a self dosing pain pump to control the pain on the back of my knee. I am not too crazy about the block, only because I DO NOT want to know about it when it is put in! But the anesthesiologist told me 'YOU REALLY WANT THIS THING IN FOR WHEN YOU WAKE UP!" That was all he had to say!
Plus like you all said here, it will keep me mostly pain free for the first 2-3days.
I attended the "Joint Camp" our hospital provides. It lasts a little over an hour. Boy, do you get ALOT of info. They have the physical therapists & the occupational therapist there to give you the low down on what to expect.
There were three people there that are having their hips replaced and one other person besides me who are getting their knees done. Everyone else except me will be getting Lovenox injections twice daily that will have to be given by themselves (or a family member) if they go home after the 4 days. Lovenox is a 10 day treatment.
They told me my doc prefers Heparin then switching to aspirin before I go home.
Anyway, yesterday I was starting to have second doubts, ( I know, I know)
but after everything I have learned today, I feel better. I am glad I am not getting my hip done! I think having the knees done is the lesser of the two evils and I just base that on what I heard today. I was told I can pretty much sleep in any position as long as I was comfortable. I can turn myself, where the hips have to be turned and wear a "bed buddy" to keep the surgical hip straight if they turn on their side. Plus they have ALOT more restrictions on them.
The nurse told me today that the surgeon who is doing my knees did both of her dad's (one at the time) and is doing wonderful. In fact she said all he could keep saying was "I wish I had done this sooner".
 
My OS does Lovenox for 30 days. My insurance wouldn't pay so i stayed 1 day extra in the hospital for more doses and had an ultrasound of my legs for blood clots then switched to high dose asprin for home.
The payoff on the hip side is the recover quicker and have less PT.
Why are you having general anesthesia?
 
I did ask about the spinal and the anesthesiologist told me that he thought I
would do better with the general then mentioned something about they
worry more about DVT with the epidurals.?. First I have heard of this. But this was not the anesthesiologist I normally see for pre-op.
Believe it or not this will be my 10th surgery since October 2002! I have had the same anesthesiologist for the last 7 of them so I will talk with him the morning of the surgery if I don't catch him around the hospital before!
I ask for him each time as he is the only one who can start the IV's on me.
Even the nurse anes. can't get a vein. He has started my last 3 IV's.
I don't have any problems waking up from the anesthesia and usually do ok.

I am hoping that after I get my knees done, I am finished with surgeries for a long, long time! My body has had enough!!!!!
 
Oh you poor pet! 10 surgeries in 7 years!
[Bonesmart.org] Ready to get rid of the pain
What a marathon!

As for the DVTs, I remember discussion about this when I was working and different anaesthetists and surgeons had different opinions. In the end I think it all came down to their personal experience. Never found any papers on the subject.
 
I have a little story to tell....

Well, this morning I was getting ready to walk over to the main hospital for a meeting. Was feeling kind of down due to the pain. I got to the elevators,
(I am on the 4th floor) and while I am waiting on them to arrive, this little older lady barrels around the corner and joins me in my wait. We exchange pleasantries. As I turned and took two steps to get on the elevator, she says
"knee replacements?" "Yes ma'm"I say, "two weeks from today". She then proceeds to tell me "yes, I've had that also". So I ask her how long ago she had hers. She gives me a really big smile and says '7 WEEKS AGO"!!!
She then proceeds to lift up her leg, extend it straight out and then flex it back and forth, back and forth!!!
Ya'll, that little lady was moving like greased lightening!!!!!!
I let her know just how much of an inspiration she was to me. She said that the PT was the 'busy thing". We got off on the same floor and all I could do was just stand there leaning against a wall and watch her walk on down the hall!!! If I had not just had that discussion with her I would have NEVER known she had anything done! Needless to say, my spirits picked up!
I have been reading the posts concerning the femoral nerve block.
I hope I will not have any problem getting up and walking with it.
Like most, I think my main fear is the pain. It is getting harder and harder everyday to walk. Only two weeks to go!!!
 
What a great story Carolina girl! And you know, it really is that great on the other side. Itis amazing, I look back at the last 5 years of knee pain and the decline. The last 12 months were awful, and by the 2 weeks just before my surgery all of the sudden it gets so bad, too bad to walk. You spend all of that time going anyway and then low and behold If i had to go another year i would have been in a wheelchair. I think our bodies sometimes just know "i must keep going so I will," or "I can be done now, I'll be fixed soon, so time to quit".
 
I am counting down the days until my surgery! It has been really rough today.
We are going off for the weekend, and I have had to run some errands while my hubby is still at work. OUCH,OUCH,OUCH!!!!!

I have thought of another question. We have a Ford Expedition SUV and I was wondering how difficult it will be to get in and out of it. We have the
side steps, and I am thinking if I could get in and out of it when I was non weightbearing on my R leg, I should not have any problems with my TKR.
However, before I could bend my knees to adjust. Just a thought.
Hope all have a great weekend!!!
 
My old SUV (Jimmy) sits lower so i don't know.. And i had both knees done, so no good one to count on. What i did use was a garbage bag on the seat to slide butt on first then legs in. Sometimes PT/OT will train you how to get in a car as well.
 
I don't think you wll have any problems as long as you are doing only one knee. They will teach you to do steps so if stepping up is required, I'm sure they can teach you this in the hospital. Don't see a problem.

I'm 11 days post-op and I've been getting in and out of my daughters mini cooper the last couple of days without any problem. Can't get much smaller then that. Also getting in and out of my hubby's Honda Elephant, oh I mean Element without a problem also....
 
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