TKR Winner winner, chicken dinner! Bionic Liz's new RTKA

[Celle]

Wow, Liz! That is frightening.
What a blessing that you know how to do CPR. You've saved his life.
What a blessing that you came home when you did.

My prayers and best wishes are with both of you.

 

[BARBRI]

Way to go girl!!

 

[Jamie]

Oh my gosh! What a story. My prayers are out for both of you. Congratulations on being a true life saver. And now your thread title is even MORE meaningful. It's a true "Winner, winner....chicken dinner!" In fact, a very, very BIG chicken dinner! ((((HUGS)))) to you both.

 

[Pumpkin]

Sending positive thoughts your way. How lucky you walked into the room and were able to act quickly. Your knee will recover, just need a little TLC.

 

[L.I.T]

Thank you guys so much. Thank you for the prayers, thank you for the support. He seems to be doing well - he's still on oxygen (6 litres) and his O2 sats are 92 - he is dozing in and out of sleep, but completely alert and oriented when awake. We have no idea how this happened except for maybe a genetic predisposition. He's always been very healthy, active, and has none of the risk factors. I just can't be more amazed (and thankful) that he is alive. I am pretty certain that the CPR didn't do anything - except perhaps annoy the heck out his body! But at least it was something to try. And somehow, he beat the odds.

I would say good night, but I think (for the first time in months) I would actually like to stay awake!

Until tomorrow - and thank you, again!

 

[PolarBear60]

So glad he's doing well, and good for you for doing the CPR. I'm decades out of certification, but this serves as a reminder to do it anyway when the need arises.


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[Cratchit]

Liz, it's all been said. You're amazing! Salutary lesson to all to learn CPR. And of course your CPR was effective even if only to annoy the bejabers out of hubby's body! What a terrible shock for you both though. So pleased your hubby is progressing well and relieved you have a diagnosis because at least you know what you're working with.

Huge hugs to both of you

 

[Spex10]

Oh @L.I.T.! Only you would say that! However, I hope you really can have a good night's sleep -I bet you really need it. Suspect that you'll be swimming in adrenalin though so will be wide awake but there'll be a slump later.
Thinking of you. If I was there I might even venture a (small but sincere) hug.

 

[newlybionic]

Liz I'm glad you came home when you did. That must have been very frightening for both of you. I pray that he is feeling better soon.

 

[Grammy211]

Wow, I can't imagine going through all that myself; I probably would have panicked and froze. You are amazing and strong! So happy that your hubby is doing well and hopefully will be home soon! You truly are a great inspiration to me!


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[little red canoe]

You did good.. CPR done right does not always break ribs.. Young ribs are more elastic. I have broken many but also not broken many. What is hard is that it was your hubby... not the same as a stranger nor your neighbor.

He definitely needed CPR as agonal respirations are not effective and if it was a PE the cardiac rhythm is almost always a pulseless one..

Good reminder to get your CPR certs folks.. Its never too late and as LIT shows, a bionic knee is not a good reason not to get involved. Training takes the panic mode away. You might get the details wrong but that is OK. ( wish I had kept up my instructors cert now!)

I found out through just a more planned kneel down that I can indeed kneel without pain.. ( except one instance on the beach I knelt on an oyster shell!)

So now LIT is it his turn for you to wait on him? Wishing you all the best!

 

[Celle]

Best wishes for your husband's continued improvement, Liz.
Probably it was illness that made him such a grumpy bear for the last few days.

Give yourself a hug and a big pat on the back for acting as you did - and don't forget to look after yourself and your knee.

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T Hey Liz, just thinking about you and your hubby! Hope you're both doing better today! Prayers and hugs have been going your way! Take care!

 

[Red's Mom]

OMG Liz! You are amazing. Your his guardian angel!

I'm glad hubby is stable. Thank God you came in the door when you did. This whole thing shows us all what is truly important. Each other. Not the clutter, not the dust, not the state of the house, not the current state of our knees, but EACH OTHER!

Prayers will continually be lifted for you both.

Please be gentle with yourself and those people who "healed in three weeks". We all know that's a bunch of . Things start to get more normal as time goes on but at 12/16 weeks I'm still not totally normal as evidenced by (AEB) the fact that I'm elevating and icing right now, AEB I tire out after <5 hours of activity, AEB my house is still not looking normal, AEB I only walk the pups for 15 minutes, AEB I sat while stirring my turmeric paste for 5 minutes etc, etc, etc.

I think it's remarkable that our OS say post op "six months is the magic place" the same OS who pre op said "you'll be fine at 6 weeks".

Have you ever tried golden milk as a pain reliever and sleep aide? It's an homeopathic/East Indian brew like chai? It has ginger, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, oil of your choice, milk of your choice and sweetener of your choice. It is very soothing and a strong natural anti inflammatory. Personally I like to add cardamom also.

I'm sure your husbands hospitalization is adding to your stress and elevating your activity and pain level. Your strong and tough, you'll get through this. One moment at a time. We're here for you.... keep on asking for that

 

[L.I.T]

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Things turned a little more dicey yesterday, as he had some periods (SVT for the medical folk) where his heart was not handling the stress of the pulmonary emboli well . They were 2 minute episodes of rapid heartbeat that cause the heart to pump less efficiently.

Luckily, he has not had any since late yesterday afternoon - they have put him on metropolol, and we've cut back on his 'activities' (ha) of walking the 7ft to the bathroom unless necessary. Also, no more 'sitting up' unless necessary. (the portable urinal is his new best friend! )

BUT we get to go home this morning. They have given him xorelto, metropolol and oxygen to continue for a bit at home. Poor guy is going to be SO very bored. But I think he'll find a way to handle it.

So hopefully good news. And praying that we run into no emergencies. I have ordered a defibrillator and airway mask that should be delivered by Friday - just can't be too careful.

My knee. Well, what can I say, it's ANGRY with me, of course, and protests with lots of soft tissue swelling and pain. Luckily, the adrenaline if this whole fiasco has helped me not 'notice' it as much. I will say that I've done more walking and load bearing (carrying a cooler full of ice to and from the hospital 5 or 6 times) in 2 days, than I've done since I had the surgery. Swelling doesn't matter, because this girl had THINGS to take care of!

Since it appears my days of RICE are officially at an end (well *mostly*), I figure I'd better get used to this new swollen knee, and get on with life since Bill will be down for a while.

All that being said, I still feel like we were extraordinarily lucky. And very much appreciate all the thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. They help Bill through prayer, they help me through support. What a diversion on this crazy roller coaster ride! But a great reminder that life is precious - and for all the pain, knee jealousy, boredom, and frustration we feel during recovery... At least we have the blessing of life to *be able* to feel these things.

Thanks to all, and hope everyone has a great day!

L

 

[Mireille]

I'm so glad he's now doing better and finally going home. Such a scary situation! You are so right about the blessing of life, it puts things in perspective. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers. It's amazing how we sometimes find strength that we didn't even know we had. Keep your head up, this too shall pass. Tons of hugs!

 

[Spex10]

Oh yes. Keep on keeping on. We're all thinking of you and sending waves of good wishes to you both.

 

[RMasano]

Been thinking of you. Glad hubby is going home. I am sending you positive thoughts!!!

 

[jaschembra]

Yes! Prayer is good. So glad you will be coming home. Things will be easier. You and hubby can RICE together!

 

[L.I.T]

Well, so much for hubby and bed rest. He put on the extended oxygen canula and has been wandering around the house all morning - computer, ice cream maker (priorities, ya know), and recliner to open more amazon packages. He's in a REALLY angry mood. We talked about it, and he feels like he aged 15 years in 4 weeks and is unhappy.

In a nutshell, he is now going through a similar feeling we all do in recovery. He told me that he's not good at empathy, and when I would tell him how I was feeling during tkr recovery, he didn't "get it" - he just thought "well, she'll get over it". He said he understands now.

BUT, the positive side is that he's pretty stable as long as he's on his oxygen. Off it, it tends to vary some - anywhere from an O2 sat of 80-94. But since he's moving, I know things must be improving. I tried to give him all the help and support you guys have given me here on the boards... He was more annoyed, but maybe something will stick in his head, and he'll be able to use it for later.

Now, on to selfish me. My knee is not very happy - but this morning I woke up with L a little less swelling. It's warm, but not hot (yet) and that's good. But I've been relatively neglectful of it on the whole - icing when I could, but no way to elevate much, and no way to rest. Even icing was cursory, dependent on my supply of melting ice in the cooler.

Anyhow, today I checked my ROM and found I was being impeded by something 'different' than usual - my incision scar.

It seems to be tightening up, and *man* it feels like pulling a cord across my knee - it even make a wee divot on the top when I flex. I admit I have not been massaging it.... But I have been 'sort of' decent about using the silicone gel.

Has anyone ever experienced this? And is there a way to 'help' it release some?