Knee doing well - Hand surgery went well.

Yes, Judy would have been a wreck ( mentally and perhaps physically) if she had to drive in the snow that is out there now. Looks like 3-4" and still coming down.
Feeling good this morning, but my sleep cycle is off. The hospital room I had had no outside light, and I lost track of day/night. I woke up fully rested at 2AM. I'll reset my body clock over the next day or two.
 
We got 5-6" total. Since I was home, feeling good, and not using a walker/cane/crutches....why not shovel the steps and driveway. I called my daughter, who lives a mile away, and she said she would walk over ( cut from the same cloth as her old man). I got the shovel and broom out and started to clear the steps. By the time she came, I had quit and had gone inside to wait for her. I did the steps, the walk to the cars, and from the cars to the garage. I left the drive for her to shovel. We staged a few photos with a walker for fun. I just shoveled it like normal. All without any supporting device or pain medicine.

While I was outside, the PT people called and said they wouldn't be coming because of the snow....Shator didi, na didi.

Here are some shots from my room immediately after recovery, and of todays" PT" workout.





The above phrase in Farsi means roughly I won't tell if you won't tell. It translates as I saw a camel....I didn't see a camel.....or as Sgt. Shultz would say. "I saw NOTHING!"
 

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I love that first pic
Good one Stacy!
So it is true what they say: Guinness is good for you!
 
I just ran across your knee replacement post.
My orthopedic surgeon is telling me 1-2 years and I'll be ready for my right knee to be done.
It's good to hear yours went so well but I'm still stressin about getting it done.
Hope your speedy recovery continues well.
 
I am doing well this morning. Up at 6AM, washed up and did a series of PTs, tidied things up for the maids at 9, and then went to the computer to answer emails and knifemaking questions.

Sure, it feels "sore", but they cut it in half five days ago. The worst discomfort isn't from the knee replacement itself, but from the tourniquet they put on the thigh while doing the surgery. It was worse last time. Feels like you took a hard block from a 250# linebacker right in the thigh.




My advice to anyone having a joint replacement ( or any surgery) is this:
If you smoke - QUIT. You will never do yourself a bigger favor. It will really help in recovery. If you drink more than one drink a day, cut back for a while.
1) Start preparing for the surgery and recovery long before the actual date. If it is something you know is coming "eventually" make the needed changes a year before it.
2) Do physical arrangement tasks, like adding hand rails to both sides of the stairs, and rails on porch steps, etc. Strengthen any weak or shaky places in existing stairs, steps, rails, etc. Look around for "trip" and "fall" potential places and move or correct as needed.
3) Loose at least 10 pounds. Every pound you are not hauling around in your PT and recovery will be well appreciated by your new joint...and you. If needed, loose 30 or 40 pounds. In many cases that weight is what has caused the damage. Take a good look at your current diet and decide if now is a good time to make it healthier. No need to become a health nut, but Perrier is just as tasty as a coke, and 200 calories less. A nice mixed greens salads is just as filling as a big scoop of potato salad.
4) A month or more before the surgery, meet with your selected physical therapist and get printouts of the regime they use. Learn the exercises and stretches, and start doing them. Going into a surgery with built up Gluts and Quads will make recovery much easier and faster.
5) Post-op, don't just do a series or two of your PTs each day, but make them an all day event. Every time you get up do a few side extensions of the leg. Every time you sit down, do a heel slide or two. Every time you lay down or stretch out in the recliner, do a few leg lifts ( these hurt the most, and are the most important IMHO....do them!). Sure two sets of 10 reps a day is good, but doing fifty over the waking hours will be even better....and easier
6) Eat well and drink LOTS of fluids. Take your medication on time and as directed. Take pain meds if needed, and taper off as soon as you notice that you don't really feel all that uncomfortable.
7) Put you inspirometer at some place you pass all day. The kitchen counter or bathroom sink works well. Every time you are there pick it up and do 10 breaths. This is especially good for people like us who have breathed a lot of crap we shouldn't have.
8) Be a TEAM - You , your Doctor, the Therapist, and the Nurse will get you well much better and faster as a team effort. If you are married, be sure to make your spouse a part of that team! First, tell the truth. If it hurts, say so. If you ate/ drank/did something they may not approve of, tell them anyway. If they give you advice or instructions, follow them. If you have ideas or suggestions make them.
9) Keep good records. Keep a file folder with all their paperwork and instruction sheets in it. The top page should be your warfarin/Coumadin sheet. Mark each days test and dosage with a big "check" after taking the pills. Sounds silly, but you can easily remember that the nurse did the test and said that you need two pills today....but can't always remember if you took them. If in doubt, dump the pills out and count the bottle. The warfarin sheet of records will show how many you should have taken up to now, and if there are two more than that ....you haven't taken them yet.

The physical therapist came yesterday and did all the tests and measurements. My score was a 22 out of a possible 28. Most people are in the 5-8 range when they leave the hospital. She was trying to decide if there was any real reason to send the PT ladies at all. I told her I would like them to come, as they can see things and make suggestions I might not spot.
 
as long as you have all that snow up there Stacy you might want to consider this all terrain upgrade to your walker ;0)

4wheeldrivewalker.jpg
 
Glad to hear it's going well Stacy. I don't pop in ATG very often, so I didn't know you were away for a couple days. If I'd have known I'd have stayed at least four more Adderall fuelled off the wall questions/posts. Glad to hear you're doing great.
 
Hope all goes well! I had both done almost 7 years ago and after recovering decided it was the best thing I had done for myself in a while.
 
Sorry I missed this Stacy. Real glad you are doing well and prayers sent for a speedy recovery. :thumbup:
 
Progressing very well.

Staples came out today and it looks very healed. Nurse said to get rid of the TEDs ( gladly!).
I went to work yesterday for about 3-4 hours. It was nice.
Today I did my AM PTs and went to see my knifemaking buddy. Had lunch with him and went shopping at the store. Probably walked 1/4 mile total. Felt good.

All on day ten after total knee replacement.




Only one hitch so far. I have had a small amount of ulnar compression in the right arm/hand for a while. Nothing big. Just a tingling in my pinkie and then tip of my ring finger if I keep my arm bent above 90° for too long. I just straighten it out, give it a few shakes, and all is fine. Dr. has X-rayed it before and it isn't near bad enough to do any trimming on the elbow ( where the nerve gets pinched).
I woke up after surgery with really annoying pins and needles in my right 4th and 5th fingers. I though I had probably been sleeping in recovery with my arm up, and mentioned it to the nurse, but really didn't pay much mind. No one seemed concerned. It never went away, though. By now it is a pretty much numb little finger and heel of the hand, and a slight loss of feeling on the tip of my ring finger. The doc is doing X-rays and checking it out Tuesday. Mostly a big annoyance right now, but this could be a big deal if not addressed fairly soon. Not panicking...yet....but will keep on this.
 
Next Robert Burns' birthday he'll be watching you do that saber dance !!! While balancing a haggis on your head ! Good work Stacy !
 
Stacy, hope all goes well with recovery and the elbow ends up being nothing big. Loss of any hand/arm use is a big deal for any of us. Especially those that make a living with their hands. Hope that is cleared up fast for you.

My mother went through two double knee replacements a few years ago. The second round due to malpractice by the first doc... Won't go into it. Knee replacement itself is nothing to sneeze at and recovery is a big deal. Thoughts and prayers with you.
 
H2Oknife said:
I just ran across your knee replacement post.
My orthopedic surgeon is telling me 1-2 years and I'll be ready for my right knee to be done.
It's good to hear yours went so well but I'm still stressin about getting it done.
Hope your speedy recovery continues well.
Click to expand...

My right knee has been hovering "in the zone" for awhile now. Probably next year.

Glad to hear Mr. Apelt has done so well. Best wishes for full motion and a painless knee.:thumbup:
 
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