Up Last Night

[Skeet]

I find that a body pillow is great to sleep with. I have it between my knees and all the way down to my feet. it helps a lot. Without it I cannot sleep at all. Still struggling with sleep even at 15 weeks. I want to stay up because my legs are restless, then want to sleep in during the mornings when I should be up and at 'em. I take Trazodone to help with sleep sometimes. Not every night. Sometimes I am actually exhausted and able to sleep on my own.

 

[1jt@atime]

Skeet, I sleep with a body pillow also and my husband calls it my man pillow! he he....... I think it goes well with my new man knee. Do any of the other ladies find your new knee much wider then the original? I know it's not just me. Karen

 

[Skeet]

I have a Zimmer gender knee designed for women, so mine seems to look like the other one.

 

[JenniferG]

My 2 new ones are Journey also designed for women. But my legs are still so swollen i couldn't tell ya if they were shaped like cadilacs. Tell him your man knee is specially designed for kneeing man butt when he is out of line ;)

 

[Skeet]

Will do! But maybe the kneeing isn't for man butt.... just sayin'

 

[Jamie]

I have a Zimmer knee too and it appears to be the same size as my other knee. I asked the doc if it was the one made for women, but he said nope....my bones were too big for that one. So I guess all those times in the past when I gained weight and claimed to be "big boned" it was really true! Who knew! Actually he said he had put the gender knee in men too and he didn't like that male/female reference. I guess everyone is different and it's great for the doctors to have a choice when they're in there with your knee all sliced open. Makes me wonder if someone rolls in a big cart like a deli wagon with rows and rows of parts on display and they all ogle the parts to decide which one to use. Guess it's also another reason to get a good surgeon who has seen the innards of LOTS of knees!

 

[JenniferG]

When I went for all my pre-op testing they took many xrays of my legs, knees and hips/pelvis to see and measure things so he could order specifically for me. They even taped a specific size ball between my knees as the control size. The Xray tech showed me the pix and explained.

 

[Jamie]

Jen, that's really interesting. It's funny how the different doctors do it. Mine said he had choices and made the decision once he was in there. I guess the bottom line is you want someone who cares enough to make sure what's used is a good fit for your individual body. Sounds like we are both lucky that way!

 

[Skeet]

My doc also made the call during surgery. He had several from which to choose. Now, if they only came in pretty colors....

 

[Jamie]

OOOOOHHHHH YES!!!! Hot pink....my FAVORITE color!!! Dang, I would have liked that!!!

 

[Jamie]

Well, guys......I'm going to pop my nighttime pills and try for some sleep. Here's wishing everyone a whole bunch of good hours snoozing tonight! And a sunny day tomorrow!!! Hugs to everyone! ....Jamie

 

[Pattipoo]

I'm wired....guess I'll be up for a while.
Goodnight!

 

[Skeet]

Hugs back at ya, Jamie. Sleep well! Gosh I'd love some sun tomorrow. Best we can hope for here is a few sun breaks.

 

[JenniferG]

they showed me one of the kind I got in the office before my surg. The top part that rocks back and forth (femoral thigh component - Just looked at the brochure) was pretty black coATED LIKE A CAVIAR kitchenaid mixer color . The metal aprt is made of oxnium. Smith & nephew manufacturer

 

[JenniferG]

Goodnight Jamie.

 

[Josephine]

I have a Zimmer knee too and it appears to be the same size as my other knee. I asked the doc if it was the one made for women, but he said nope....my bones were too big for that one. So I guess all those times in the past when I gained weight and claimed to be "big boned" it was really true! Who knew! Actually he said he had put the gender knee in men too and he didn't like that male/female reference. I guess everyone is different and it's great for the doctors to have a choice when they're in there with your knee all sliced open. Makes me wonder if someone rolls in a big cart like a deli wagon with rows and rows of parts on display and they all ogle the parts to decide which one to use. Guess it's also another reason to get a good surgeon who has seen the innards of LOTS of knees!

Josephine's useless little factoids #1:
One of the first surgeons to use a metal prosthesis in the hip was one broken link removed: https://www.s2ortho.com/Pioneers/international/austin-moore.htm. Though originally intended for use in arthritic hips (for which it was an unmitigated failure!) it is still in use today for fractures of the hip. His dates are 1899-1963.

This surgeon was once quoted of the following: "The great variety of prostheses abounding today proves but one thing; that no one prosthesis is suitable for all patients."

PS, the number of different hip prostheses we had available around then was, as I recall, about 3 types each in a range of 6 diameters!

Jen, that's really interesting. It's funny how the different doctors do it. Mine said he had choices and made the decision once he was in there. I guess the bottom line is you want someone who cares enough to make sure what's used is a good fit for your individual body. Sounds like we are both lucky that way!

Josephine's useless little factoids #2:
Actually, you might jest but you are closer to the truth than you realise. How it works is this - in among the endless boxes of instruments we have to open is a box marked "Trials". In there is a plastic facsimile of every size of femoral, tibial and patellar prostheses. These placed in the bones and the leg put through a range of movements to make sure they are a good fit in all aspects. These trials are kept to one side and used to double check we get the circulating nurse (assistant) to select and open the actual prostheses. Leaving it till the last moment before implantation is a means of maintaining the integrity of sterility as the less time they are exposed to the air, the less likely they are to get contaminated.

The point of all this is that the tibial trials are all colour coded!! Blue, yellow, green, brown and black but not white as the real prosthesis is white so it's a safety feature to avoid mix-ups.

 

[Newwoman]

That's good Jo because that is sort of what my surgeon told me about my knee. He said the knees that are advertised as being for females are actually a half size knee so they have more range of sizes to choose from.
Your job must be fascinating.
Cathy

 

[Jamie]

Wow, Josephine....your post was SO interesting!!! Thanks! This definitely is fascinating medical science. We live in a wonderful time for sure.

 

[1jt@atime]

My surgeon told me the Zimmer gender specific knees do come in pink and that was part of their sales gimmick. He uses them, along with other brands. Actually, one referral I had to my surgeon was from a guy that sells Zimmer gender specific knees. Great reference as he goes into the operating room and teaches surgeons how to use his product. However, my surgeon chose the Dupuy rotating platform knee. I understand there's not a big difference between the prothesis themself but more of a comfort level the surgeon has with certain brands. Of course, we all know that chosing the right surgeon is what's important.

Knee size: I would say that I'm definitely small boned. My wedding ring is size 4 3/4 and I've got about the smallest wrists and ankles I've ever seen on an adult. I really wish my ankles were larger especially now that I'm having trouble with them. Too bad the rest of me is no longer that small but I'll get there. My new knee is definitely a different shape then my real one. Even at 6 months out, the new knee is a good inch bigger around. I kind of doubt they could make a piece of metal to look just like every knee out there. They will be uniform right down to the scar pretty soon anyway, once I get the second replaced.