Surgery tomorrow, 9/27

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lily and maggie's nana

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I am so happy to have found this site. I am having bilateral TKA tomorrow. I am not afraid, I think you get to the point of choosing between living with the pain and discontinuing all the activities you love or taking the plunge and knowing it's for the best. I am 58 years old, and have tried all the standard remedies, now this is my last resort. I know it will be a tough few months but I am up for the new life it will reward me with. I am a mother of four (adults) grandmother of two, and a high school teacher. To be honest, the toughest part so far has been preparing for my leave of absence from work. My doctor has said that I should be able to return to work in three months, so I am planning on going back to school after the winter break. Thank you so much for all the information posted here.
 
Hi, Nana!

Good luck tomorrow!! I just had my LTKR done on 9/19, so I'm just on the other side of the surgery part.

Is your house all prepped? Do you have your walker, your toilet riser (I found this to be a help), and a shower/tub transfer bench? Do you have a good support system at home? Did you fill you freezer with tasty meals?! In my case, it was all of the above plus removing throw rugs, rearranging the sofa location a bit so my walker could get past, and picking up numerous cat and dog toys. My husband works from home, so I'm lucky in that respect.

And I get what you mean about preparing for your leave of absence from school! I was a lab tech at a college in CA when I went out for 8 weeks for a hysterectomy - it took days to get things ready just for someone else to take over my work. Prepping class schedules, tests, quizzes, and trying to give little pointers to your substitute is really tough. And you can't help but thinking about it all when you're at home.... It comes with the territory...

So take some time to relax today. Be kind to yourself. And look forward to the day when you can walk without pain!!

KGeb
 
Hi Mrs Nana (for want of your own name...) welcome to BoneSmart.

BTKR works fine, please see my own recovery progress from the link in my sig below.

Three months should be about right, so no bother there. If you have to be on your feet all day, then it might prove stressful but if you can sit a lot I'd say no problem given a stress free recovery.

The Mantra

- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it.
- If you won't die if it's not done, don't do it.
- Don't stand if you can sit; don't sit if you can lie down, don't stay awake when you can go to sleep

In the first month in particular, doing nothing is the most proactive part of recovery. Lots of relaxing, TV, rest. Easy peasy if you're an idle person like me (oh sorry that's 'idle slob', just an ell missing), tough if you're active. But necessary.
 
Thank you kgeb. My husband is retired, and daughter and family live close by, so I have support for home. I have been cooking and filling my freezer with my homemade soups, so that's off the list, too. I am going from the hospital to a in-patient rehab, so anything I don't get or have arranged from them my family will get before my return. I am considering renting a recliner but haven't decided yet. SO I am packed and ready to go. It's not that I am looking forward to it, but I am looking forward to getting this part of my life behind me. Thanks for your good wishes and good luck in your recovery! (as far as taking care today, I am off for a mani/pedi :))
 
Roy, I am looking forward to reading your diary. I am bringing my Kindle with me to the hospital/rehab, and they have wifi, so I will have lots of time. Thanks- I like the easy-peasy part :)
 
Re the recliner thing I had no need of one BUT it's important to have something high enough that you can get out of! You'll see in the diary that what I did was to raise my couch by putting books underneath. Perhaps your husband can rig something up? The only other piece of kit I found absolutely vital was a toilet seat riser.
 
Good luck Nana. I had my LTKR on 28th July, its been a hard slog but I am working through the pain and trying to get on with life as best I can. Can only agree with Roy on the elevate and ice [bags of cheap frozen peas are great] I join this site after my op and it was a revelation, there were people just like me all at different stages. Its good to come on and have a moan and get some sympathy. I get none at home for sure. xxxx again good luck
 
Good luck! Sounds like you have a good outlook, and a good plan.
 
Sounds like you're set to go. I'll look forward to your first post on the recovery side.
 
Hi Nana and welcome to boneSmart. Sounds like you are ready. For me i put my couch up on bed risers that I picked up at Wal.Mart. They are great and made getting up and down so easy. Will keep you in my prayers for a successful surgery and an uneventful recovery
 
Thanks for all the good wishes. I have to be at the hospital at 9am tomorrow. I spent the day trying to get in a mellow state of mind:SUNsmile:. Here goes nothing!
 
All the best today Nana! See you on the other side!
 
I am sending healing prayers and good thoughts your way today....

~K
 
You sound well prepared, Nana. Good for you. You may well be out of surgery by now. I wish you a non-eventful recovery and look forward to your first post on the other side :flwrysmile:
 
Hi Nana,
I am at 2 days post LTKR and going home from the hospital tomorrow. I, too, was apprehensive to have the surgery, but I wanted quality of life again. I know that I have a long road of PT ahead of me, but am feeling good thus far. Hope that it all turned out well.
 
By the time I read this Your will be on the side of recovery. I do hope everything went great. Welcome to the site and do let us know how you are doing on the other side. :puppysmooze: Tashia :bicycle1:
 
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