TKR Timetolive's Nov 9th TKR Post -OP<<

[Timetolive]

@newlybionic, Marian, I am still entertaining the Poop Fairy. At this point, I could grab him by the neck and wring his little scrawny neck like a chicken on Sunday morning on the farm! ( I realize not everyone will get that, but if you grew up on a farm or your Granny did, then you would know someone had to wring the chicken's neck so he would be served up after church on the most special of days. Momma said they always had the wings and chicken gravy with biscuits for Sunday breakfast and then a full meal wth fried chicken for lunch.) Having some blood now. Realllly getting tired of this. I have a gastro appt on the 28th and was hoping to make it until then. She knows my history and that my brother has Stage 4 Colon Cancer, so she has always been careful with me. If I have any more blood, I am going to call my GP.

Yes, I am very lucky to have found love the second time around. We all have our dark days and having someone special to help you see the light is a true blessing. That someone can be your spouse, your significant other, your child, sibling, friend, or that special furbaby - just being open to love allows it to happen. Now.....I am NOT loving the Poop Fairy ANYMORE!!!!! hahahaha!

 

[Timetolive]

@macduf387 , Madeleine, my week will be full of good things! You just deemed it so! Thank you. Ice is our friend - I can't believe I was not allowed to use it right after surgery. Ice, Ice, Baby.....there's an earworm for you... Pleasant dreams.

 

[samp]

How do you do the sitting at work? You are such a trooper.

My knee felt so stiff and full of metal (metaly) today after my first full sit down day at work and I work from home so I iced in almost normal fashion. Do you prop it up? Just tough it out?


I have decided to take your poop fairy. Enough is enough for you ma'am and I could use his help.

Wishing you a better day on Tuesday!


RTKR - 08DEC15

 

[KarriB]

Are you able to elevate/ice while you work?

 

[jojo9610]

I'm so sorry you're still dealing with that darn poop fairy. I sure hope you have a better week. Don't work too hard!

 

[Timetolive]

Good morning. Thanks everyone. I only worked 5.5 hours yesterday and I don't work every day. I normally only work one day a week, but since I missed 7 weeks, and it is the end of the year, I need to work more and get caught up. I had to wait to go in until my digestive issues had settled. I have a great boss and no pressure. Other than the swelling, I did ok. I was glad my husband had driven me though.

@samp , be careful what you wish for! Ha! Are you taking stool softeners and Miralax? They really helped me before the diverticulitis and all of this started.

Blessings to all.

 

[samp]

Are you able to elevate/ice while you work?

kind of. it's just super uncomfortable (the elevation) the just sitting here is definitely not working I get ridiculously stiff.



I've been on the Miralax boat I have to go get more. I have more week of meds then I'm done with them all except aspirin, I'm hoping that helps :(


RTKR - 08DEC15

 

[Timetolive]

@samp , you can take the therapeutic dose of Tylenol for pain. It does help some. Good luck.

 

[newlybionic]

It's amazing how going to work for a short time can wear you out so completely. Then I come home and can't fall asleep!

 

[Glamg1979]

Hi Janis, totally get the chicken reference. I was about 6 or 7 years old when I saw my grandfather do it. I was mortified and refused to eat the poor fried chicken. We were visiting my g-parents in Georgia but we lived in Boston where the chickens were in the grocery store like they should be
Time for the poop fairy to spread her wings and fly away from you. Wonder what in the world is going on! Are you still taking the probiotics? When my son was younger he was hospitalized for persistent diarrhea and it turned out that the drs had given him too much antibiotics, for chronic ear infections, and it literally wiped out his intestinal flora. I remember him being on Tagamet, reglan, steroids, citracel and probiotocs. All we could feed him was rice, water and bananas and then slowly reintroduced foods. Very long and scary recovery because he was only 20 months old.
Don't know but if it keeps up if I wouldn't wait until the 28th, maybe they will call you if there is a cancelation.
Hang in there!

 

[KarriB]

I certainly hope you are feeling better before the 28th!

 

[Timetolive]

@newlybionic, Marian, you are so right! Doing anything seems to wear me out - I even need to sit and rest after my shower! Probably a lot has to do with the intestinal issues also.

@Glamg1979, yes, I am still taking the probiotic. I am so sorry your little son had to go through that. It must have been terrible for you to watch him suffer so. I also think chickens belong in the grocery store! We sell beef at the farm I do books for. When we have the hayrides in the Fall, the children want to know what the cows' names are - I told them to never tell me which cow we are eating! I am a softie when it comes to things like that.

Thank you Karri.

I called and made an appointment with my GP for today. If this is "normal" after a bout of diverticulitis, I just want to be reassured. I am exhausted and now my hair is falling out. REALLY exhausted. My daughter picked me up some of the Protein Boost to help out and I am really trying to drink lots of fluids. At least I have a few hours every day that I can do things and not worry about the bathroom. I was hoping to be able to enjoy my birthday. My daughter is cooking and has invited our dear friends over to eat with us. I am so blessed to have her.

I had PT yesterday and after not doing any exercises for over a week, I gained ROM - now 115/3. I do think some of that is subjective since I have large thighs - there is no way you can see the bone structure in all that fat. What I did lose while I was so sick was strength. I could barely do the real step - we had to go back to the plastic 4" step up thing. I will work on that. One of my goals through this journey and one of my motivators for surgery, was - I did not want to be one of those ladies that could not get up from a seated position. I never want to be hauled up out of my chair - although my Darling did have to help me get off the couch after surgery!

Well, that is about all from here. I think we are going to the grocery store today. I need to get the blackeyed peas and turnip greens for New Year's!! Enjoy your day - it is the blessing many take for granted.

 

[KarriB]

Happy Birthday, Janis! Hope it's a great day for you, filled with friends, family and wonderful memories! I hope the GP can give you answers or reassurances. I'm off to do some cleaning/organizing which almost always means throwing "stuff" away!

 

[New England Librarian]

Hi Janis, I am glad to hear you feeling (or at least sounding) better! I also experienced hair loss following my TKR, and it is only now getting better, after 3 1/2 months. Plus I did not have the complications you did. I had hair loss after a previous surgery, but much milder and only for a couple of weeks. It's called telogen effluvium, and seems to be normal for women after any sort of trauma, including general anesthesia. Between the leg trauma and the anesthesia, I am pretty sure that was the cause for me. Alarming nonetheless! I hope it stops soon - and have a happy birthday!

 

[swmrgirl]

Happy Birthday Janis. Wishing you good health, healing and the return of your hair!

I've lost a lot of hair too. My PA tells me it's quite common, and to expect it to return to normal. I had to have a few inches cut off because it looked so thin and raggedy. I got very sick with the flu for two weeks in November. It left me very weak and a little behind the curve, but I had increased ROM after all that lying around, so at least there was one benefit from being immobile. I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Timetolive]

@Karri, thank you. My birthday is New Year's Day - I was the second baby born, so I missed out on all the prizes, but met the girl that was born first later in life and she was so nice. I am glad she got the prizes. Can you come to my house when you finish cleaning?? THAT is my goal for the New Year - clean out our house of clutter. I don't want to leave our children the mess I had when my mother died and I had to clean out 53 years worth of living from the house, barn, and 2 storage buildings. I hope you enjoy your day...

@New England Librarian, how interesting about the hair loss! I am sorry you suffered it also. Isn't it amazing the ways our bodies compensate and suffer? I read the reference you sent - thankfully, it says the hair will grow back. Did your hair come back? When I think about all that has happened since I had the knee replacement, the Xarelto bleed, nausea from the morphine, diverticulitis attack, morphine withdrawal, the severe diarrhea, and now hair loss???? It will be a long time before I think about ANY surgery!

 

[Timetolive]

Julie, @swmrgirl , thank you for the birthday wishes. New Years Day will be my Golden Birthday - so I am told. I turn 58 and was born in 1958. I am not ashamed to tell my age - I lived every one of those years! Hahahaha! I am sorry you had the flu! How awful for you. I hope you are recovered and have gained your strength back. Is your hair coming back in?

 

[swmrgirl]

I think my hair is coming back, I see feathery little hairs around my hairline, so I'll take that as a good sign. My you've been through a lot! I can understand why you wouldn't want to have another surgery anytime soon.

 

[Celle]

If I have any more blood, I am going to call my GP.

I think it would be a good idea to call him anyway, Janis. This has gone on for too long!

THAT is my goal for the New Year - clean out our house of clutter. I don't want to leave our children the mess I had when my mother died and I had to clean out 53 years worth of living from the house, barn, and 2 storage buildings.

I'm with you there! It's one of my missions, too.
We've had to do something similar for my mother and his mother when they died.
My husband is a bit of a hoarder, so I sometimes have to sneak things out gradually, or he will salvage them.

It's sad that some of the things we value won't have as much meaning for the next generation, but that's life.

 

[macduf387]

Hi Janis wishing you a very happy birthday for tomorrow I hope you get to eat a nice meal without any issues. You and my husband are the same age he turned 58 in May. Take care and I hope you are having a carefree day you deserve it.