Back from the hospital

[nicholst55]

I went in the morning of the 22d and had total replacement of my right knee; got home yesterday. The staff was having some difficulty keeping my pain under control. otherwise I'd have been home on Friday. I figured I'd rather be miserable in the hospital, as opposed to at home.

The hospital staff was generally great!! There were a couple of marginal performers, a couple of outstanding performers, and then there were the rest. I have no complaints though; generally they went the extra mile to insure my health, safety, and comfort. The hospital gave me an info folder with some 'You're A Star!' cards in it, and I filled those out and gave to the folks that I felt were the most deserving.

Now, I'm learning how to walk, maneuver, etc., on a walker. Using the commode has been slightly challenging, but I think I've got that down. The raised toilet seat that we bought kept popping off my toilet, so I had my son take it off and return it to the store where he bought it.

The shower chair is working out well, and I honestly think that I pretty well have this thing licked!

[jabo52521]

Great to hear you're back home. Take it slow and easy. You'll heal up fine.

[smoked turkey]

Good for you. I know you are looking forward to walking without a cane or in pain. From the sounds of things and with your great attitude you will be up and going in a short time. Meanwhile take your therapy and do what they say. Be careful. Slow and easy is the rule at this point.

[Bzcraig]

Praying for a quick and complete recovery. Don't cheat on your PT, it will hamper your recovery.

[charlie3tuna]

My mother and her brother had knee surgery. BOTH DID EVERYTHING THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST SAID TO DO, and had no problems. From what you've written, you sound like you're doing this already. Just a word from someone who has seen the importance of following the program....charlie

[Hickory]

Exercise that knee until you want to cry and beyond the point to where you think you can't stand it.
The stationary bicycle is your best friend, after you make that first revolution you are on your way to full recovery.
What ever you do, don't give up or stop exercising that knee. If you let it freeze up you'll have to start over and suffer the pain again or spend the rest of your life with a stiff knee.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I do feel what you are going thru, the discomfort will lessen over time. I had a total left knee replacement done back in `03 as a retirement gift to myself. I now wonder why I put up with the knee and left leg discomfort for so long before I did it? Now the right knee is sounding like a bowl of rice crispies more and more!Robert

[longranger]

7 knee surgeries, 23 June TKR, I am hunting and walking 5-7 miles a day. If they gave you a CPM machine use it 7-10 hrs. a day. Half the Dr.'s don't think there is a benefit,I will say that it helped me more than not.

[kfarm]

My knees are going bad so bad that I'm afraid that it's shut my deer hunting down this year. Doc says it just a matter of time. He wants to inject fluid but I'm trying to hold off as long as I can. Guess I'm being a wimp but doesn't that hurt.

[TXGunNut]

Glad to hear you're on the road to recovery. You probably already know this but physical therapists are mean, evil and twisted individuals. Or at least, the good ones seem to be. I seem to recall one that had me lifting with one hand what she could barely lift with both. I still get chills when I see a theraband. But yes, the road to recovery for any orthopod situation runs thru PT, lots of PT.

[deep creek]

after years of knee prodlems sugeries etc .i had knee replacement sugery on my right knee feb. 2013.although the first two months sucked i asked myself,why didn't i do this sooner.I have no pain i can pretty much do what i want.I HUNT ,FISH ,TRAP no problem. I'm 69 and I'm not slowing down! i think you must stay active. or you'll have problems

[David2011]

My knees are going bad so bad that I'm afraid that it's shut my deer hunting down this year. Doc says it just a matter of time. He wants to inject fluid but I'm trying to hold off as long as I can. Guess I'm being a wimp but doesn't that hurt.

If it's Syn-Visc that he wants to inject it's not a big deal. It sounds terrible but my experience was pain free. I got a Syn-Visc injection about a month ago. The doctor first sprayed my knee with methyl chloride, a liquid that got very cold. I told him it didn't feel cold when he quit so he kept spraying it. He stopped when I told him I could feel the frostbite 3 or 4 seconds later. Next he injected Novocain. I felt a little pressure but absolutely no pain and I, too, am a wimp when it comes to medically induced pain. I'm not sure I felt anything during the injection of the Syn-Visc. It's thick so it takes a few seconds. It can take up to a month for Syn-Visc to start working. It lubricates and also stimulate the body to produce more natural joint lubricant. I'm starting to be able to bend my knee farther without the pain and feeling of pressure. I spent the weekend getting my hunting area at the deer lease ready for the season. I had little pain in the bad knee but the rest of my body feels like I put a full weekend in.

If he wants to inject cortisone that's not bad either since it has Novocain mixed in with it. I tried that before the Syn-Visc. The doctor sprayed methyl chloride prior to the cortisone injection. There was a little initial burn from the Novocain for 3-5 seconds and then no sensation at all. The relief was immediate due to the anesthetic. Unfortunately I could feel the cortisone start to wear off after about 2 weeks and after a month it was like nothing had ever been done. Many people get much longer relief than I did. My Dad got them about every 6 months until he also went to Syn-Visc recently.

I hope this helps you make a decision. It was just not a bad experience for me. Anticipation was worse than the injection and if I need another one I won't hesitate.

David