Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the welcome, Eleanor. I wasn't nervous about it till today after talking with my cousin's wife last night, who is a nurse. She's also hysterical and scared the bejesus out of me. Then I realized that I hadn't done enough research on line, so I did some more, and got kind of discouraged. I'm on another group and I know that info from patients is invaluable.

Ann

Re: Rotating platform knee?

Welcome Ann. I had a THR in May 25th and am doing pretty well. I can't help you with you question but I just wanted to say this is a great group and there will be someone who can help you I'm sure. They have answered so many of my questions that I feel so much better now and I just joind this past weekend! Good luck when you have your TKR. Eleanor>> I just joined the group, will be having TKR in the next couple of > months. Has anyone here gotten the rotating platform knee? How do you > like it?> > Thanks.> > Ann>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your encouragement. Yesterday I talked with the doctor's surgery scheduler. Although she's not a nurse, she's had contact with all of his patients after their TKR & she was more positive, so I feel better.

One thing I hadn't thought about was the fact that I live alone & that I might need someone here, but it turns out that in those cases, they send you to a rehab center, which hopefully my insurance will pay for. Also my insurance does pay for in-home care, but only up to 4 hrs a day. Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks. One of them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very traumatized by my long absence. The other one has something wrong & needs medicine. So someone needs to be here. I would love to be in a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day. And then there's the visiting PT 3 days a week.

I'm curious if any of you live alone & how you handled the post-op period. Did you go it alone at home? Were you able to fix meals, even if they were just a frozen meal? Is it insane to have your bedroom upstairs? I don't have a bed to set up downstairs, although maybe I could rent one.

Thanks.

Ann

Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

I wasn't nervous about it till today after talking with my cousin's wife last night, who is a nurse. She's also hysterical and scared the bejesus out of me. Then I realized that I hadn't done enough research on line, so I did some more, and got kind of discouraged. >>> Ann regardless of the cases your cousins wife might've mentioned to you which made you nervous~ you have 2 remember their body is not your own... hench your experience will be your own! Some do have complications... but the majority have lil to no complication when it comes to these surgeries.... you think positive! And don't worry until you have something 2 worry for... even then one has 2 remember worry will change nothing~ there is a reason & purpose for things being as they are. You cross one bridge at a time... and take it day by day! Life is still good when the unexpected happens~ it's all in how you look at matters. So keep your chin up and if you go 2 having a bad thought about things.... you owe it to yourself to counter that thought with a good one to follow.

[Guest guest]

I would find it very hard to have a bed upstairs. Stairs were one of

the last things I could do. I imagine you could get along with 4 hours

a day. Maybe they could prepare your meals. when I had my first one

done after the church provided meals we had meals on wheels from the

senior center for a month. This time hubby did the cooking. I am sure

Meals on Wheels is not just for those over 60. I would encourage you

to have a commode by the side of your bed. That is a great help as it

is taller than most toilets.

On Aug 10, 2006, at 12:40 PM, Ann wrote:

> Thanks for your encouragement.  Yesterday I talked with the doctor's

> surgery scheduler.  Although she's not a nurse, she's had contact with

> all of his patients after their TKR & she was more positive, so I feel

> better.

>  

> One thing I hadn't thought about was the fact that I live alone & that

> I might need someone here, but it turns out that in those cases, they

> send you to a rehab center, which hopefully my insurance will pay

> for.  Also my insurance does pay for in-home care, but only up to 4

> hrs a day.  Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a

> rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks.  One of

> them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very

> traumatized by my long absence.  The other one has something wrong &

> needs medicine.  So someone needs to be here.  I  would love to be in

> a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by

> with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day.  And then there's the visiting

> PT 3 days a week.

>  

> I'm curious if any of you live alone & how you handled the post-op

> period.  Did you go it alone at home?  Were you able to fix meals,

> even if they were just a frozen meal?  Is it insane to have your

> bedroom upstairs?  I don't have a bed to set up downstairs, although

> maybe I could rent one.

>  

> Thanks.

>  

> Ann

>> Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

>>

>>

>> I wasn't nervous about it till today after talking with my cousin's

>> wife last night, who is a nurse.  She's also hysterical and scared

>> the bejesus out of me.  Then I realized that I hadn't done enough

>> research on line, so I did some more, and got kind of

>> discouraged. >>> Ann regardless of the cases your cousins wife

>> might've mentioned to you which made you nervous~ you have 2 remember

>> their body is not your own... hench your experience will be your

>> own!  Some do have complications... but the majority have lil to no

>> complication when it comes to these surgeries.... you think

>> positive!  And don't worry until you have something 2 worry for...

>> even then one has 2 remember worry will change nothing~ there is a

>> reason & purpose for things being as they are.  You cross one bridge

>> at a time... and take it day by day!  Life is still good when the

>> unexpected happens~ it's all in how you look at matters.      So

>> keep your chin up and if you go 2 having a bad thought about

>> things.... you owe it to yourself to counter that thought with a good

>> one to follow.

" It is risky to go out on a limb but that is where the fruit is. "

[Guest guest]



Thanks for the info.

When I had a partial meniscectomy, I scooted up & down the stairs on my seat & was hoping I could do this after a TKR, although scooting does require that you hold your leg up enough to keep it from hitting steps, and I wonder about my ability to do that. My understanding is that you get plenty of PT while still in the hospital, so maybe the thigh would be strong enough after that to allow scooting down the stairs?

I'm hoping to not have to take much pain medicine. I hate pain meds. Of course, there's a threshold of pain beyond which I'd probably be begging for it.

I will call meals on wheels & see if they accommodate TKR patients. Thanks for reminding me.

Thanks for the commode suggestion.

Ann

Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?I wasn't nervous about it till today after talking with my cousin's wife last night, who is a nurse. She's also hysterical and scared the bejesus out of me. Then I realized that I hadn't done enough research on line, so I did some more, and got kind of discouraged.

>>> Ann regardless of the cases your cousins wife might've mentioned to you which made you nervous~ you have 2 remember their body is not your own... hench your experience will be your own! Some do have complications... but the majority have lil to no complication when it comes to these surgeries.... you think positive! And don't worry until you have something 2 worry for... even then one has 2 remember worry will change nothing~ there is a reason & purpose for things being as they are. You cross one bridge at a time... and take it day by day! Life is still good when the unexpected happens~ it's all in how you look at matters. So keep your chin up and if you go 2 having a bad thought about things.... you owe it to yourself to counter that thought with a good one to follow.

"It is risky to go out on a limb but that is where the fruit is."

[Guest guest]

On Aug 10, 2006, at 3:40 PM, Ann wrote:Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks.  One of them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very traumatized by my long absence.  The other one has something wrong & needs medicine.  So someone needs to be here.  I  would love to be in a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day.  And then there's the visiting PT 3 days a week.I'm faced with the same situation, except that my cats don't need meds.  I'm also lucky in that my sister lives 9 doors down and will take care of them when I'm in the hospital.The problem is that one of my cats is a bit nuts (severely traumatized as kittens).  I went away this past weekend for 5 days and there was a bad thunderstorm and I came back to a cat who acted just like my grandma used to when she went "off her rocker".  And that was after 5 days.  I may need a kitty shrink if I have to go to rehab.You might check with local vets to see if they have a tech who is willing to come in and do your cat's meds.  It costs some but they're generally good.  We got one, though, who was a 17 year old girl and left the cats with no food for a day and a half, so be careful.The postings are helping - I've been in such unbearable pain in both knees after my trip that for the first time I'm actually looking forward to having replacement.  Hopefully reading all of the posts will somehow desensitize me so I don't get my usual visceral reaction when I read about/think about knee surgery, where I literally have to go lie down because of the pain. Z

[Guest guest]

I must say that with both of my knee surgeries I couldn't believe how

easy they were compared to others. I took my pain meds and did exactly

as my doctor told me and I did well and the relief of the pain I have

been living with was gone immediately. I don't even really think about

the fact that I have artificial knees.

On Aug 11, 2006, at 6:38 AM, Z wrote:

>

> On Aug 10, 2006, at 3:40 PM, Ann wrote:

>

>> Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a rehab center, my cats

>> will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks.  One of them is very dependent

>> on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very traumatized by my long

>> absence.  The other one has something wrong & needs medicine.  So

>> someone needs to be here.  I  would love to be in a rehab center,

>> just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by with someone

>> coming in for 4 hrs a day.  And then there's the visiting PT 3 days a

>> week.

> I'm faced with the same situation, except that my cats don't need

> meds.  I'm also lucky in that my sister lives 9 doors down and will

> take care of them when I'm in the hospital.

>

> The problem is that one of my cats is a bit nuts (severely traumatized

> as kittens).  I went away this past weekend for 5 days and there was a

> bad thunderstorm and I came back to a cat who acted just like my

> grandma used to when she went " off her rocker " .  And that was after 5

> days.  I may need a kitty shrink if I have to go to rehab.

>

> You might check with local vets to see if they have a tech who is

> willing to come in and do your cat's meds.  It costs some but they're

> generally good.  We got one, though, who was a 17 year old girl and

> left the cats with no food for a day and a half, so be careful.

>

> The postings are helping - I've been in such unbearable pain in both

> knees after my trip that for the first time I'm actually looking

> forward to having replacement.  Hopefully reading all of the posts

> will somehow desensitize me so I don't get my usual visceral reaction

> when I read about/think about knee surgery, where I literally have to

> go lie down because of the pain.

>

> Z

>

>

>

The cross is the only ladder high enough to touch Heaven's threshold.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your suggestions.

Do most people leave the hospital with a walker rather than crutches?

Ann

Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

In a message dated 8/10/2006 2:42:11 P.M. Central Standard Time, ruby2zdyearthlink (DOT) net writes:

Thanks for your encouragement. Yesterday I talked with the doctor's surgery scheduler. Although she's not a nurse, she's had contact with all of his patients after their TKR & she was more positive, so I feel better.

One thing I hadn't thought about was the fact that I live alone & that I might need someone here, but it turns out that in those cases, they send you to a rehab center, which hopefully my insurance will pay for. Also my insurance does pay for in-home care, but only up to 4 hrs a day. Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks. One of them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very traumatized by my long absence. The other one has something wrong & needs medicine. So someone needs to be here. I would love to be in a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day. And then there's the visiting PT 3 days a week.

I'm curious if any of you live alone & how you handled the post-op period. Did you go it alone at home? Were you able to fix meals, even if they were just a frozen meal? Is it insane to have your bedroom upstairs? I don't have a bed to set up downstairs, although maybe I could rent one.

Thanks.

Ann

Hi Ann, I think that if you really, really, get things worked out you can go it alone. You have to think of everything though and no way are you going to be able to do those steps. Be sure they show you how to use the walker on steps at the hospital. On my first knee I hardly made it in the house because I thought it would be the same as for my back surgery, wrong!! Anyway, also, you're going to have to have someone drive you and get you into the house. After that I would have my bed as close to the kitchen and bathroom as possible. I was at the hospital for 4 days and I could make it to the bathroom there by myself. Washing up was hard, get some wet wipes. Maybe you could stay for just a day or so longer.

[Guest guest]

I left in a wheelchair but had a walker at home. I prefer the walker

to crutches as I feel I have a better balance.

On Aug 11, 2006, at 12:52 PM, Ann wrote:

> Thanks for your suggestions.

>  

> Do most people leave the hospital with a walker rather than crutches?

>  

> Ann

>  

>> Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

>>

>>

>>

>> In a message dated 8/10/2006 2:42:11 P.M. Central Standard Time,

>> ruby2zdy@... writes:

>>>

>>> Thanks for your encouragement.  Yesterday I talked with the doctor's

>>> surgery scheduler.  Although she's not a nurse, she's had contact

>>> with all of his patients after their TKR & she was more positive, so

>>> I feel better.

>>>  

>>> One thing I hadn't thought about was the fact that I live alone &

>>> that I might need someone here, but it turns out that in those

>>> cases, they send you to a rehab center, which hopefully my insurance

>>> will pay for.  Also my insurance does pay for in-home care, but only

>>> up to 4 hrs a day.  Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a

>>> rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks.  One of

>>> them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very

>>> traumatized by my long absence.  The other one has something wrong &

>>> needs medicine.  So someone needs to be here.  I  would love to be

>>> in a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get

>>> by with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day.  And then there's the

>>> visiting PT 3 days a week.

>>>  

>>> I'm curious if any of you live alone & how you handled the post-op

>>> period.  Did you go it alone at home?  Were you able to fix meals,

>>> even if they were just a frozen meal?  Is it insane to have your

>>> bedroom upstairs?  I don't have a bed to set up downstairs, although

>>> maybe I could rent one.

>>>  

>>> Thanks.

>>>  

>>> Ann   Hi Ann, I think that if you really, really, get things worked

>>> out you can go it alone.  You have to think of everything though and

>>> no way are you going to be able to do those steps.  Be sure they

>>> show you how to use the walker on steps at the hospital.  On my

>>> first knee I hardly made it in the house because I thought it would

>>> be the same as for my back surgery, wrong!!  Anyway, also, you're

>>> going to have to have someone drive you and get you into the house. 

>>> After that I would have my bed as close to the kitchen and bathroom

>>> as possible.  I was at the hospital for 4 days and I could make it

>>> to the bathroom there by myself.  Washing up was hard, get some wet

>>> wipes.  Maybe you could stay for just a day or so longer.   

>>

>>

>

" If you are all wrapped up in yourself, you are overdressed. "

[Guest guest]

My female kitty is pretty good about my being gone. She's pretty zen. She's so zen she was deathly ill by the time I figured out anything was wrong.

My other cat, the mostly Russian Blue, has the Russian Blue personality -- they tend to fall in love with one person & their companion cat and are paranoid about strangers & people they don't see much. Mine hides under the covers for hours if someone comes over (I don't have much company). He's so in love with me I really can't leave him for longer than 3-4 days. During which time, he pees all over my bed (but I've got him foiled on that one -- I put a waterproof tarp under the sheet). He's never mad that I've been gone. Every time I've gone away for a few days, he loves me more when I come back. Even having someone here to take care of them would be traumatic for him, so I'd prefer to come back here following the surgery (OTOH, I really like the idea of staying in a rehab clinic for a while -- except for the PT, total lack of responsibility!).

The best solution is if my friend can come up for 2 weeks instead of one. Her latest on that is "we'll work something out". I hope "something" is two weeks. She does live 1000 miles away, but is retired. So maybe there's hope.

Thanks.

Ann

Re: Re: Rotating platform knee?

On Aug 10, 2006, at 3:40 PM, Ann wrote:

Now the only problem I have is if I do go to a rehab center, my cats will be left alone for maybe 2 weeks. One of them is very dependent on me (he's a Russian Blue) and could be very traumatized by my long absence. The other one has something wrong & needs medicine. So someone needs to be here. I would love to be in a rehab center, just forget the real world, but maybe I could get by with someone coming in for 4 hrs a day. And then there's the visiting PT 3 days a week.

I'm faced with the same situation, except that my cats don't need meds. I'm also lucky in that my sister lives 9 doors down and will take care of them when I'm in the hospital.

The problem is that one of my cats is a bit nuts (severely traumatized as kittens). I went away this past weekend for 5 days and there was a bad thunderstorm and I came back to a cat who acted just like my grandma used to when she went "off her rocker". And that was after 5 days. I may need a kitty shrink if I have to go to rehab.

You might check with local vets to see if they have a tech who is willing to come in and do your cat's meds. It costs some but they're generally good. We got one, though, who was a 17 year old girl and left the cats with no food for a day and a half, so be careful.

The postings are helping - I've been in such unbearable pain in both knees after my trip that for the first time I'm actually looking forward to having replacement. Hopefully reading all of the posts will somehow desensitize me so I don't get my usual visceral reaction when I read about/think about knee surgery, where I literally have to go lie down because of the pain.

Z

[Guest guest]

I'm curious if any of you live alone & how you handled the post-op period. Did you go it alone at home? Were you able to fix meals, even if they were just a frozen meal? Is it insane to have your bedroom upstairs? >>> I was lucky enough 2 have hubby and 2 teens home to help out. Pluse alot of family, friends and church members stopping by... Still yet though my doc put the stipulation of round clock care for the first 30 days... or he refused to release me directly home. He merely stated you don't want 2 be someplace, need and not have available someone that is there 2 help~ PERIOD!

For me... I could cook regularly after all surgeries~ only thing was I was bad for swelling... the longer periods of steadily being up~ the more I swelled. So I learned after the first surgery to prepare ahead of time to avoid the issue in the future. I did alot of pre-cooking such as meatloaf, spegatti sauces, cakes and the like~ so that I could just add the simplier stuff that didn't take much standing preparation and not have to spend the 2 or 3 hrs. cooking an entire dinner from bottom up~ running back & forth through the kitchen. My families not much on "box eatting"... so most everything is cooked from scratch. I suppose if your a "quick fix" type cooker.... you could have a hamburger helper meal done in 30 minutes and it wouldn't be such a problem.

I personally never had much problems with the stair issue... but some patients I've known have actually ended up moving their bedroom downstairs until they've gotten to doing steps well.

As 2 yours cats... if you don't have a friend or family member that would be willing 2 help look after them during your time gone~ check with your vet.... some will board pets for a fee. Especially if you deal with them regularly... and they know about your situation.

[Guest guest]

He loves me so much, I think the peeing is he's trying to make himself feel more emotionally comfortable. If it doesn't smell like me, then he makes it smell like him.

Ann

Re: Rotating platform knee?

((((I really can't leave him for longer than 3-4 days. During which time, he pees all over my bed)))

(((He's never mad that I've been gone.)))

I have had cats all my life....I have 6 indoor only cats now. I can tell you if he pees on your bed while you are away but not otherwise......HE'S MAD! lololololol. GOTTA LOVE THOSE FUR BABIES