Sissy's not a scaredy cat the second time around.

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SissyG

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I am an oldie but goodie returning because I am having a RT. TKR on 4/3. I had a PKR on my left knee a few years ago and know what to expect but still I am such a chicken...same old fears creeping back into my pre-sleep time and middle of the night awake time. :sleep: (I wish)
I put off going to the orthopedic doctor as long as I could because I knew what he would say...bone on bone, no other options but TKR.

We were on a cruise during the holidays and I had to go up and down way more stairs than I wanted to and consequently my knee became painfully inflammed and I had to cancel some of the tours and activities we were booked on...I promised my hubby then that I would make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and get his opinion.
When I finally got into see the doctor at the clinic I wanted to go to he confirmed that I had to have the surgery it would have been my normal way to put it off as long as possible but we have an around the world trip planned for Sept, Oct and into November this year and no way was I going to cancel. The first surgical opening was 4/3, and I could hardly believe I heard myself say I would take it..so unlike me. This board was my lifeline before and after my last surgery and I am still in touch with all the bonesmarties that I met then on facebookIt was through one of them that I got the info for my new orthopedic clinic, we bonesmarties have to stick together.:friends: . I just wanted reintroduce myself, say hi and meet you all.:flwrysmile:

Sissy
 
Well, hi Sissy! It's so good to see you though not under these circumstances of course! And I so agree about us BoneSmarties sticking together. Jamie is presently in hospital have had her second knee done this very day but I'm still around! :wink:
 
Hi Jo, Thanks for the welcome, although I wish that I wasn't here for this reason as well. I am a little less skittish than I was last time before surgery but after having atrial fibrillation after surgery last time I do have my fears. My cardiologist tried to reassure me on Tuesday that just because I had afib in the past did not make it any more likely that I would have it again.After testing he told me my incident was a stress related incident and not caused by a heart defect, so this is somewhat comforting except that I know I will be stressed by the time I go into the hospital, I have 3 1/2 weeks until surgery to go, trying to learn as much as I can and do what ever I can to keep mind and body busy. Sissy
 
Welcome back. Doing it the second time I also found it easier. Please keep us informed how things are going. take care. Tashia
 
Welcome back! I am sorry to read that you need another knee replaced---but I am so very glad that you have returned to the fold, so to speak.

Please keep us posted and let us know what we can do to help you out!
 
Sissy, half the population of any western country has a-fib at some time or another! It's about as serious as a dose of hiccups. Don't let it worry you.
 
Jo, that is a very reassuring post....I have to admit it has been a worry for me and stress like that is what I need to avoid. I am trying to realize that some things are totally out of my control and as long as I take care of what I can do and get myself prepared in all ways for this surgery that is all I can do.
 
I just got hold of this and thought you would be the perfect person to post it to! :wink:
doctors know.JPG
 
SissyG I just realised you posted this in the Social Room! How could you?

I moved it to the Knee Pre-op Forum
 
I just got hold of this and thought you would be the perfect person to post it to! :wink:
doctors know.JPG
OMG, Jo, did you see the size of that needle!! That scares the heck out of me!:yikes: :shocked: I really, really used to have needle phobia, but now I just don't watch :ok: and it's all good. :yes!: And thanks Jo for putting me into the right place..I can count on you to set me straight. Things are a little different on here than they were back in 2009. xo
 
Sissy Just received my tentative surgery date today--April 27. Since my OS is a new surgeon joining the group I guess they are doing a lot of rescheduling. Was told that my date would be finalized before my next appointment on April 1. Maybe since my appointment is on April Fools Day--this will all be a joke and my OS will tell me I don't need this surgery! :heehee: Did your new recliner get delivered today? Guess I am going this weekend to look for one--I want a small one since I will be putting it in my bedroom. Just signed up to join the "April Rainbows". Since your date is early in April, I am counting on you to lead the way!! :friends:
 
Recliner delivered and in place in my bedroom and Robert and I are taking turns sitting in and playing with the remote control...cleaned out my nighstand and made room for all my after surgery necessities...nook, yahtzee hand held game, altoids and crossword puzzle book etc. My recliner is not a huge one but it seems to be very comfy. April Fool's joke indeed...LOL, so at least you know you have a few more weeks to get prepared mentally and find your recliner and have it delivered. I have already put my surgery date on "April Rainbows" it will be good to be able to stay in touch and compare notes for support.
 
Hi Sissy, I am one month on the other side. I saw your post and it caught my attention because I also have the "travel bug" and had my LTKR so that we could continue to travel. We went to Hawaii last June and I was miserable walking around. I know that my family also had a hard time of it watching me limp....We are planning on going to Germany with side trips to London and Paris this coming summer. My OS said that I will be ready to go....Keep your goal in mind. A trip around the world would work for me! :happydance: Vickie
 
Hey Vickie, So you are one month on the other side and traveling this summer...that is so encouraging to me, I was hoping I was not being overly ambitious in thinking we could leave on such a long trip in September...we have to stay in touch :friends: so I can hear all about your trip and how your knee liked Germany, London and Paris.
I see you are also from Oklahoma...I live in Cookson on Lake Tenkiller in what part of OK do you live? I hope your recovery is going well and each days is getting better and better. xo
 
We live in Tulsa! Lake Tenkiller is only an hour from our house. Are you having your surgery done in Tulsa? My doc said that I may feel some jarring in my knee from the cobblestone streets in Germany, but other than that I should be ok. We haven't finalized our plans yet because I want to give it just a little more time to make sure everything works out. It is a small world and interesting to meet someone on this site that lives so close by. If I can give you any reassurance or answer any questions that you may have, let me know. Since you have already done this before, I bet that you will do great! Vickie
 
I am so glad that I asked in which part of OK you live, I agree it is a small world..maybe we can meet sometime....My surgery is going to be at Oklahoma Surgical Hospital, it's in one of the big towers at Oral Roberts on 71st and my doctor is with Eastern Ok Orthopedic Clinic . Where was your surgery? The hospital will let my husband stay in the room overnight with me. I am so glad because he would have had to stay in a hotel because we live so far from the hospital he wouldn't want to go home and I didn't want him to be that far away from me the the first night. Our cruise, flights and hotels were booked and paid for last fall way before I knew I had to have surgery..so we were really concerned that we might not be able to go. I am pushing forward and thinking positively ...not only that I plan to enter Petra in Jordan riding horseback....Indiana Jones style.
 
We actually live near 121st and Yale, so Oral Roberts University is only 10 minutes from our house! My doc is at Tulsa Bone and Joint. They use the new St. John's Broken Arrow Hospital. The entire 5th floor is dedicated to hip and knee replacements. I was very happy with that hospital....My husband had a surgery where you are going a year ago and we were pleased with that one too....Which Cruise Line are you going with? Maybe someday when my husband retires we will be able to go on a world cruise too. We have been on 10+ cruises and really like it. Our dream trip would be to Egypt, but with the way things are going over there, it may be a long time before we make that trip.....I would really love to see Petra. I met a woman from Jordan a couple of years ago when I went to China and she was telling me about all of the wonderful things to see and do there. She was an American that met and married a Jordanian man when she went to school there....Until my husband retires, we will go on one amazing trip per year (plus a couple of get-aways to Las Vegas). When my knee got hurt, it was going to stop all of the wonderful plans that we had worked many years for and I just couldn't live with that. The cartilage was slowly disintegrating in my knee. I could have waited a little longer to get it fixed, but it would have meant that I would just be sitting in a chair watching the world go by...Will you have about six months recovery time before your trip? Once you get on the ship, you will have access to all the ice you need and can use their exercise room. On days that you are too tired, you can stay on board and do your own thing or book excursions that will fit how you are feeling that day. I just don't see why it can't work out....I asked my Dr. If we would have a higher chance of getting blood clots with our new replacements vs regular flyers. He said our odds do not increase. Everyone needs to do ankle pumps and get up and walk around on the flights.....I'm sorry that I have just gone on and on, it was just really great to meet someone that has the same hobbies! I would love to meet for lunch sometime when you are in Tulsa. I need a little more time though. I'm still not driving myself around because I'm taking pain meds at this time. Shouldn't be too long though before I can get out there again. Vickie
 
Poof, I sent you a personal message because I feel we have much more than knees to talk about.
Sissy:flwrysmile:
 
Exactly six months from today we have flights booked to fly to Rome to begin our round the world adventure.:happydance: I am trying my best to think postive thoughts and not let any doubt enter into my trip planning. I talked to the surgery coordinator at my OS office yesterday and the hospital is supposed to call today to schedule my pre-op orientation and labwork. It's getting real now. :yikes: I woke up about 5 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep..what was on mind you ask:what:, I was debating if we had put my new recliner in the best spot in our bedroom for after surgery, I just kept going over and over it's location and it kept me awake...it's completely on the other side of the room from the bathroom, but it's next to a slider to the deck and it would be really nice to have that view, but It would be so much easier only a few steps away if it were on the side closer to the bathroom that first week home, but then if I leave it where it is I will have to walk more steps several times a day to get there which is probably a good thing...:whistle: ....hmmmm, what to do?
 
Sissy you will do fine on your trip--we're both in the same boat--I had my first knee replacement end of June 2011 and went on a cruise in November 2011 and did fine. Now I'm dealing with my other knee just like you and saying a knee replacement is better than dealing with this daily pain I'm having. I have another problem of lymphedema that is holding this one back and the pain is almost unbearable at times. As you know, you do get through all the pain and problems and then disappear from this forum. Good luck.
 
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