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Worried About Upcoming Surgery

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truhdz

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Jun 23, 2009
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I am new to the group, my apppointment is for Aug 6th and I feel that I am riding a rollercaster with my nerves. I talk my self in and out of the surgery 100 times a day. I read the good and horror stories and is keeping awake at night. I am glad to find a place to communicate with others that are in the same boat.
 
Re: Aprehensive

Welcome Truhdz
Why not start your own thread so we can keep up with you and you can ask all the questions you want to.
Everyone here is so nice you will get a lot of well wishers and great advise.

You will be just fine and you will be so happy you did it.
 
Truhdz, I have moved your post to it's own thread so it will get more visibility and you will have more responses.

It is quite normal to have the feelings you are experiencing. Please feel free to use this forum to talk about any questions or concerns you have. BoneSmart has a large and caring group of folks who are here with the sole purpose of supporting folks like you.
 
Hello We have all been there/ You have to have a sense of humor or you'll go crazy.....lol. Anyway you will be glad you had it done. I see your going to Houston. I live in Austin. Pretty good ways away....There are some members that had their surgery in Houston. Sure they will post soon. Hang in there , join in, and relax. You will be just fine..............
 
Welcome Truhdz! I believe we all second guessed our decision at one point or another.

Take time for yourself and prepare. This site is a great place to start. Everyone really cares and because we have been through it, we have lived it. Jo, Jamie and the others are great! I think Gringo had his surgery done in Houston. He could probably give you some pointers.

My advice is to listen to your surgeon and do your pt. Finish projects before your surgery or you will fret getting back to them. Finally, relax for the sake of your sanity!
 
Welcome Tru!!! Only 100 times,huh? We've all been there!! You will be amazed how much better you will feel....both mentally and physically, after your surgery! And welcome!!! :)
 
Oh boy - did we ever! Yes, even me who has worked in this field nearly all my life! You'd think it would have helped but it didn't! I found my salvation was in focussing on other things like planning for my homecoming and getting stuff in to make things easier. My very, very best buy was an Aircast Cryo-Cuff (Google it!) though I believe some hospitals issue them to their patients in the US. I had to buy my own but it was the very bestest thing I got in. Don't know what I would have done without it.
 
truhdz-
Welcome to Bonesmart! We've all had those feelings of terror. Believe me, waiting is the hardest part of all of this--if you weren't scared you wouldn't be normal. As Jo said, use this time to prepare your home and yourself--it will help the time pass. Also, hang out with us--we're LOTS of fun!
Blessings,
Irene
 
Just another thought...make sure your bathroom is handicap friendly when you get home. Mine wasn't. My precious husband redid it. Unfortunately he pulled the existing shower out before he found out the one he purchased was the wrong size. Had to wait weeks for the special order to come in. Long story short, I did cat baths out of the downstairs bathroom sink and had to wash my hair in the kitchen sink with the sprayer. Couldn't manage the stairs to go to the bathroom up there. Felt so good when I was able to actually shower. Couldn't take one at the hospital because my blood pressure would drop 50-60 points every time I stood up. (bad reaction to sulfar antibiotic)

Would at least recommend a hand rail installed next to the toilet for safety. They are pretty reasonable and easy to install.

Also make sure you have extra ice packs so you can change them out as needed. Wal-Mart has them for cheap, so stock up.
 
Thanks, I will probably have to do the same and use the downstairs sink, upstairs baths have tubs.
About the stairs, how soon were you able to go upstairs?
 
Was able to do stairs one at a time before I left the hospital. Have stairs coming in the house. Stairs were not the real issue, it was fatigue. The real test was church since the youth meet in the basement. Their stairs are very steep and about 26. Built up the courage and did those around 5-6 weeks. The whole group stopped and applauded for me and welcomed me back. They do wipe me out though so I do them only on Wed. nights. Thursday I spend time icing and elevating to help with swelling.

Some days, even now I have to do one at a time. Speed isn't important but safety is. I only do what I feel comfortable with. That changes from day to day with amount of activities I have done. You will have good and bad days. That is normal.

Let your body tell you what and when you are able to do. That's the best advice I can give you. I know it sounds vague, but it's true. Your body will let you know what is safe and when it's okay. I just don't go upstairs for 2 reasons. 1) The children's bedrooms are up there and I like to keep my blood pressure down. They are slobs!!! 2) I have everything I need downstairs including my bedroom, so there is no real need. I take showers, not baths so not necessary to go there. Although it was tempting to while I was waiting for the new shower.

Well gotta run to pt. Yippeee!! Hope this helps.

Blessings
 
Hear, hear, it's all in that post!

Welcome Truhdz, by the way!

Here they won't let you out of hospital until you can cope with stairs. As long as there is something to grab hold of, such as a handrail, or even a crutch or cane, then stairs are not a problem. I still go down one at a time unless I make a conscious effort not to, but that is probably because I've done it for years due to the pain in my knees! I find going up is much easier.

Your TKR shouldn't stop you from going upstairs if you want to.
 
Welcome, welcome!

Here (Wisconsin), they wouldn't let me go home till I could go up and down the stairs either. I'm just over three months out and I still use the handrail on one side and a crutch leaned up on the wall on the other side.

I'm done with my PT though- all I have to do is strengthen my muscles- which I can do on my own. (and am doing!)

I didn't have any nerves going into my surgery. My doubts came in the days that followed, but I got over it (it was too late anyway!). Now I wish I could have done it sooner and I can't wait till I feel 100% again (I'd say I'm at 75% most days).

Good luck to you. :)
 
Trudhz-
I had to do 12 steps with PT in the hospital before they would release me--even though I was going to a rehab not straight home. I couldn't believe that I could do that on day 3. This surgery is truly amazing!
The therapists will ask you exactly what your home is like (and how much help you will have) and make sure you can do what you need to before they let you go. Every single one that I've dealt with has been totally focused on my needs and helping me to meet them. I'm sure you'll find the same will be true for you.
Blessings,
Irene
 
Welcome Tru! Great place to be! These folks are soooo encouraging. As everyone has said we all second guessed our decision. For me, after I had my right knee replaced I said the left knee needs to go as well...but a year from now. NOW...I am ready to have it replaced tomorrow if the doctor says!

We will support and encourage you. You found the right place
:gphg:
 
Sticker Lady said:
Trudhz-
I had to do 12 steps with PT in the hospital before they would release me--even though I was going to a rehab not straight home. I couldn't believe that I could do that on day 3. This surgery is truly amazing!
The therapists will ask you exactly what your home is like (and how much help you will have) and make sure you can do what you need to before they let you go. Every single one that I've dealt with has been totally focused on my needs and helping me to meet them. I'm sure you'll find the same will be true for you.
Blessings,
Irene
Click to expand...

On this same note- the day I went home, the PT came to my parents' house to "inspect" it and make sure I could get up from the bed, chair, toilet, and shower seat. After I got into the house, we didn't care much about steps because there weren't any inside (just five leading into the house). I'm not sure if they do that "inspection" thing everywhere, but they did for me.

My rehab was spent in the hospital, because I was lucky enough to go to a hospital that has a rehab ward. I found out that the hospital in my little town sends patients to a nursing home for rehab! My mom was in that nursing home for two weeks (seemed like A LOT longer). It was horrid and depressing and their food was awful. I'm even more thankful that my rehab was in the hospital one town over. If I'd needed more care, they had a nursing/rehab facility right there next to the hospital, which is infinitely better than the one the local hospital has.
 
Barb How are you? Trudhz-
We will all be here for you with any questions you have and will always try to help, your not alone.....
 
I am nine weeks post tkr. I was more worried about the skill of my surgeon than the operation. I interviewed him twice. The first time was more to do with him advising me what I could do instead of surgery but that if I chose surgery it would be fine. The second interview I tried to ask him if he was good. That was hard and I dont remember my wording exactly. I do remember him telling me that knee replacements are the kind of operation surgeons love to do because the outcomes are so satisfying to both the surgeon and the patient.

Obviously, not everyone recovers in the same way or in the same time frame. Here in Vancouver we candidates were given a day long orientation that included speaking with physios, occupational therapists who made suggestions about equipment that would make recovery easier, pharmacist, blood work.

Anticipate the best, and try to relax.
 
zelik said:
. I do remember him telling me that knee replacements are the kind of operation surgeons love to do because the outcomes are so satisfying to both the surgeon and the patient.
Click to expand...

That's a really interesting comment. It must be wonderful to have a 'job' which is really satisfying. I suppose many medical people would have the same sort of job satisfaction, seeing their patients get better. I must admit I enjoyed seeing my pupils succeed at their studies, when I was teaching, so that they could proceed to the next stage in their education and/or careers.

zelik, you are at the same stage as I am with my second TKR! Welcome!

Truhdz, are you feeling happier about your situation now?
 
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