Timetolive's Nov 9th TKR Pre-OP

[Timetolive]

Not sure if the fear and trepidation will eventually give way to excitement, but I am plowing forward! The knee has been fairly comfortable (tolerable pain and swelling) and I was wondering why in the world I am doing this, then it gave out going up the steps to remind me! Ha!

What should I be doing at this stage?

What was the most helpful piece of advice (or information) you gave your loved ones to help you in recovery?

If you could go back pre-op, (if you have had surgery) what would you do differently?

Funniest thing that happened in your journey?

Best advice to get through these weeks leading up to surgery?

Thanks to any that post!

 

[waitingtogarden]

Look up the exercises you will be doing after the surgery and do them on both legs. Make those muscles stronger. It will make pt easier afterwards. Include the none surgical leg. It will need to carry you for awhile. Or actually go to physical therapist.

Eat well. Your body will have a lot of healing to do. Provide it with all the good nutrition you can.

Read all the articles in our library. Good stuff there.

Follow your docs pre- op instructions- totally.

Relax when you get nervous. Think about all that arthritic pain that will be gone. You will enjoy your new knee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Josephine]

What should I be doing at this stage? Best advice to get through these weeks leading up to surgery?

Nothing! Or perhaps cooking pies and stuff for the freezer so you just sling it in the microwave when requried.

What was the most helpful piece of advice (or information) you gave your loved ones to help you in recovery?

Leave me alone - I'll do it MY way!

If you could go back pre-op, (if you have had surgery) what would you do differently?

Nothing.

Funniest thing that happened in your journey?

Can't think of anything off hand but I'm sure there must have been - surely!

 

[Timetolive]

Chris, thank you!

@Josephine, Ha! My husband can never find what I put in the freezer! I am trying to prepare some things for Thanksgiving and soups, along with a few chicken pies. (Hey, I live in the South!) A good Southern girl always has a chicken pie in the freezer in case someone has a baby, gets sick, or has a death. hahahaha!

 

[mla925]

Getting ready: right before my surgery date I got all the routine tasks out of the way such as laundry and bill paying so I could be "carefree" during my first weeks of recovery. I followed up with the durable equipment company to get my CPM, crutches and walker delivered at my convenience. I also ordered in the things I read about here that have made recovery easier - wedge pillow, extending shoe horn. And ordered a handicap placard. It was great to have that all ready when I got home.

As far as getting loved ones to help ... I found out quickly that I needed to ASK for what I needed. I somehow thought my husband would read my mind and and spring into action whether I wanted a cup of tea or the ice machine refilled. After a few days I realized just asking would get me everything I needed.

Pre-op advice: don't schedule yourself for events for the few first weeks after surgery. Wait until you see how you feel. I mistakenly thought I could make a few social events but then needed to cancel.

Post-op advice once you get home: set alarms for every dose of pain medicine for the first few weeks. Don't skip any. It's much more important to stay on schedule than sleep through the next dose.

 

[Celle]

As far as getting loved ones to help ... I found out quickly that I needed to ASK for what I needed. I somehow thought my husband would read my mind and and spring into action whether I wanted a cup of tea or the ice machine refilled. After a few days I realized just asking would get me everything I needed.

I agree. My husband wants to help, but he doesn't know how unless I give him very specific instructions. He just wasn't raised to be nurturing or to take care of people. He's also very bad at doing things on time or at judging how long a task will take him.

I needed to tell him every time I needed anything and I had to remind him when it was time to begin preparing a meal - somehow, he seemed to think that meal preparation would take place instantly.

Given close supervision and specific instruction, he did admirably.

 

[mla925]

He's also very bad at doing things on time or at judging how long a task will take him.

This reminds me of one of the funny moments. My husband (who freely admits to being domestically challenged) made a big deal about making dinner one night my first week home "from start to finish". After a long shopping trip and lots of noise from the kitchen I was served grilled burgers with a side of fresh fruit. .. at 9:25 pm!

 

[Slainte]

Advice to loved ones: if I can do it myself, please let me.

I made a little spreadsheet in my phone to note times and doses of pain meds as I took them. You will be surprised how easy it is to forget.

Funniest thing was when I cut tennis balls to slide over the tips of my walker's legs. My dogs thought this was a nifty game. Made it a challenge to walk down the hall until they gave up trying to chase them.

 

[Timetolive]

Michele and Celle, our husbands must be brothers! Hahaha! Michele, after getting those burgers and fresh fruit, I bet you told him they were the best you had ever tasted! My husband would have then proceeded to tell all our friends how he had slaved preparing the meal, and I of course, would tell him for the hundreth time how fabulous they were! Thank goodness for daughters.....

Thanks all for the comments. It sure does make this wait easier.

 

[Timetolive]

Jo, that is so funny about the tennis balls! Did your dogs understand that mom was injured? I have my mother's walker to use. Sadly, she didn't use it much before she died. My brother drilled the holes for the legs in the tennis balls. A nice, neat looking job. She was the envy of all at dialysis for her "balls".

As fas as forgetting?? Please, my memory is nonexistent in menohell. My Dayrunner is my best friend along with my phone. Great idea to use the phone - I love the timer for icing.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Where will you have your surgery?? If I was close enough, I would BRING you that Chicken Pie and Banana Pudding!

Best advice? Exercise and strengthen both legs. Stock the pantry, freezer, bathroom and every other thing you can think of, including books or Kindle. Purchase gel pacs ( I like Chattanooga Cold Packs large size and 2 of them, one for your knee, one for the freezer). Plan to wear knit pull on soft pants. Your incision will have times it will not want anything to touch it, no matter how soft! Pick up a pair of slip on sneakers ( I like Sketchers with memory foam insoles) that can double for house shoes and PT shoes. Make up your mind that the first 4 weeks will be rest, ice, elevate. Period. Repeat. Take the pain meds. Don't try to be a hero. There are no medals involved in this journey.

And stay in touch with your BS Friends! We've plowed this ground before you. We're here to listen and help.
Hugs from the faaaaaaar western end of the state!

 

[Timetolive]

@Thesoutherncook, I will be having surgery at Moses Cone in Greensboro. The OS discharges the next day! My last surgery, between church friends and family, I ended up with THREE chicken pies! So thankful, although I could not wait to have a nice juicy steak.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

I know this is random, but do you know Donya and Rob Mullins?? Dear friend and SUPER cook and blogger from Greensboro! I had to make my own chicken pie! But I made one for us and our neighbor who had LTKR and 5 wks later RTKR and 3 weeks later double masectomy. We are 2 hrs west of Asheville ( 7 miles from Murphy) and I had my surgery in Blairsville,Georgia ( about 30 min from here).
Wow! Discharge next day?? Be sure to get those pain meds right before you go home! :rolleyes:

 

[Timetolive]

@Thesoutherncook, I don't know them, but I looked her up and what a great blog! My daughter also has a food blog, TheOnyxPlate. She is in the foodie scene, I will ask her. I am in Burlington.

Through my three knee surgeries and a foot surgery, I have not found a pain medication that does not make me violently ill, or breaks me out in hives. Yes, I have taken the anti-nausea pills and they made me so dizzy I can not function. THAT is what worries me - the pain control.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Check out mine, too. Although I've not posted in forever! TheSouthernCook.blogspot.com

I have similar problems with pain meds. Can't take anything with codeine nor oxycotins. I had that discusssion before surgery with OS ( over and over) and he gave me demerol. It worked great for me.

 

[Timetolive]

I had demerol after my foot surgery and itched from my head to my toes -even my hair itched!

Love your blog! I used to make wedding cakes before my knee injury and LOVE to cook. It shows. I am a collector of community cookbooks also.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Oh, my! Good luck with the pain meds. I'm sure there will be something you can take!! SURELY!!?? Start NOW with your OS team to figure it out!mi stayed an extra day in the hospital to get pain meds worked out!

We have cooking in common for sure!

 

[Pumpkin]

Timetolive,
For some of our international members your surgery date reads, Sept 11, 2015. Please change it to an international format such as 9 Nov 2015, Thanks!

 

[Timetolive]

Sorry! I hope it is correct now @pumpkin.

 

[Pumpkin]

That is great! Thank you!