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MUA Ruby's Tuesday--July 11th, 2017<

when we had caregivers come in from an agency we hired on behalf of my father-in-law, also my mother-in-law and father at different times, they always wore a uniform of sorts; the kind you see nurses wearing in hospitals, matching tops and bottoms.
 
Right. Scrubs. Professional attire for nurses and even many PTS, OTs, etc. Now, I have some colleagues in home health (I'm a speech therapist) who sometimes get covered in pet hair or reek of cigarette smoke from the houses they visit. So I can imagine one might look unprofessional after a visit like that. But the too tight leggings and tank top are on her!
 
Ruby9297 said:
@knit2tig I wish I could, but I am enrolled in an HMO, so I have to go with their own Home Health Agency. The nurse I had yesterday was wearing leggings that were too tight, and covered in animal hair, and a tank top,with stains down the front--not very nurse-like in my old-fashioned opinion. Perhaps it's a a cultural thing--,I was born and raised in England, and I can't imagine a nurse being allowed to show up to work looking like that there. But I also can't imagine that this nurse's boss would be very pleased if he or she was aware that one of their nurses was representing their company in this way, it doesn't look sanitary.
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I agree that it's very unprofessional and not at all what you want.

It's your house and your knee and you don't have to have these people visiting you at all. So phone their company, and tell them you don't want any nurses to call. Tell them exactly why. It's over a week since your surgery and you shouldn't need a nurse visiting anyway. If your surgeon doesn't like that, tell him you won't have someone coming into your house dressed in a way that could introduce infection.

Take charge of your own recovery and get the care that you want and need. Do you have anyone to support you in this -Husband? Friend?
Also, talk to you OS (refuse to discuss with his unhelpful PA) or your PCP about getting better pain relief medication.
Meanwhile, look after your knee and try to decrease its pain, by doing a bare minimum of exercise and spending most of your time resting, icing and elevating. Ice is very good for helping damp down the pain.

Your knee needs time and gentle treatment to recover. My surgeon doesn't allow any PT for the first month after surgery, because he says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. His patients all do well and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the last 4 years.
 
Celle said:
I agree that it's very unprofessional and not at all what you want.

It's your house and your knee and you don't have to have these people visiting you at all. So phone their company, and tell them you don't want any nurses to call. Tell them exactly why. It's over a week since your surgery and you shouldn't need a nurse visiting anyway. If your surgeon doesn't like that, tell him you won't have someone coming into your house dressed in a way that could introduce infection.

Take charge of your own recovery and get the care that you want and need. Do you have anyone to support you in this -Husband? Friend?
Also, talk to you OS (refuse to discuss with his unhelpful PA) or your PCP about getting better pain relief medication.
Meanwhile, look after your knee and try to decrease its pain, by doing a bare minimum of exercise and spending most of your time resting, icing and elevating. Ice is very good for helping damp down the pain.

Your knee needs time and gentle treatment to recover. My surgeon doesn't allow any PT for the first month after surgery, because he says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. His patients all do well and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the last 4 years.
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J
 
I agree @Celle . The bottom line is that I find the whole thing very intimidating. Even though I'm pretty assertive and outspoken , I fear that my treatment from then won't be as careful if I make waves. People can hold grudges for a long time and go out of their way to make life miserable for those they're mad at. My mother already informed me today that she gave the assistant a piece of her mind because she didn't like her attitude. So it wasn't just my impression. I like to plan my strategy with people Like that. Don't worry. They won't get Away with their poor behavior. I just have to plan my move. And I am patient.


Ll
 
Sure, Ruby, but they won't be coming for long and you really don't need them. You don't have to put up with sub-standard care. You are the boss in this situation.

By the way, when you quote a post, you don't have to start a second post to respond. Just start typing in the box immediately below the quote.
How to use the quote feature
 
Thanks. Still trying to figure out this site. You're right. I am
The boss of this situation and they aren't coming through with their promises. As today is Saturday, I doubt if I'll get a call about my Gabapenen that I desperately need. I'll probably ha r to wait until at least Monday, but I'm supposed to be Grateful ".
 
Thanks @nensi. Pain is still there, and I am out of Percocet. Since my OA assistant proclaimed that they would not
Be giving me anymore narcotics, I'm a bit anxious .
 
Don't try to manage without pain medications. I can't remember when you're seeing your surgeon again, but if it's not very soon, phone for a prescription. Even though the PA said they wouldn't give more narcotics, they should have some "step-down " procedure and maybe they will prescribe Tramadol or suggest something else.

We've found on here that your own doctor/PCP is often more helpful about pain relief than your surgeon is, so if you get no joy from your OS, try your own doctor.
 
Ruby sorry to hear your still having trouble. And being in pain should not be at all ok
Hopefully your dr will fix things. Take care and i will pray for you. Have a blessed day.
 
You're 2w after me and I'm still on the percocet. I'm down to twice a day, but I know I'll need it at night for awhile. I hope they can give you some pain relief. 1000mg of tylenol is adequately but not 100% effective.
 
I can't believe how inconsiderate and cruel your PA is. You aren't but two weeks out! Like Cele said, try your primary doctor. Someone has to help you get through this.
 
(((Ruby))) what a terrible scenario you've been put through. Get rid of this unprofessional Home Health person before she causes you some real harm. I had to do that for similar reasons in the same time-frame, and as a result, I started Outpatient PT at just 2 weeks post-op. It was a great decision. I agree with what everyone else here has stated in regard to getting in a visit with your OS and getting an appropriate pain med Rx now! You absolutely need them, whether it comes from them or your PCP. If the OS won't agree, go see your PCP. As for your ROM, they must be joking. I have just reached 90 degrees flexion at 9 weeks post-op! Yep, a bit slow, but at 2 weeks, I was only 40 degrees. :oyvey:Like you, I had a lot of swelling. The good news is, I found it decreased significantly in the third week and I hope you will have the same experience. Things will improve for you soon, (promise) but in order for that to happen, you do need rest, ice, elevation and strong pain meds. Hang in there, you're tougher than you know!
 
I'm in so much pain, it's just unbearable and constant! I emailed my OS because I usually get a quicker response that way: nothing. Yet another new physical therapist came today-I rarely see the same one twice. He did things to my knee that no one has everything done before andvtokd my husband he should be doing this to me every day. I asked him how would my husband know to to this everyday? This is the first Time we've seen it. He measured my ROM at 67, which is improvement, but not acceptable to my doctor's assistant, who said I should be at 90 one week out. I'll be at 2 weeks tomorrow and will get my staples out.
 
((Ruby)) - I hope you hear from someone soon to get your pain managed. To echo Pheebs - you need to get rid of the home health PTs - they are impeding your ability to manage pain and most of all to recover in a healthy way. I reached 90 only once in the first two weeks - and that was passively on the CPM machine. As the advisors have said, most docs are comfortable with 90 degrees at 6 weeks -- but that will only have a chance of happening if you can keep the swelling down by not letting those horrible PTs continue to hurt you. Tell 'em you're sick and really contagious if you have to -- anything to cancel those appts.:console2:
 
Wondering how you are doing this morning . . . been worried about you after your post last evening!
 
hope everything went well getting your staples out and you could get some adequate pain relief.
 
That PT is full of baloney about 90 at one week. What planet is he from?!! Your first month all you should do would be concerned with getting that swelling down, not adding to it with PT. Call and cancel it. And then don't schedule anymore. You don't need this kind of treatment. I pray you can get your pain meds.
 
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