Guest guest Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 > Hello Bill, > > Welcome to the group. I cannot speak to a TKR because I have had THRs. > > What got me about your post is that you are having surgery Thanksgiving > week. I can understand why you would want to do that, but since I have > had two joint replacement surgeries I would not have surgery the week of > a holiday because so many of the staff are going to be gone on vacation. > > The nurses, PTs and doctors with the most seniority and experience will > be off on holiday when you want them around. Many people take the entire > Thanksgiving week off. Plus, when you get home there may not be in home > PT for a week maybe until the holiday is over and your requests get > filed and addressed. That is way too long to go without PT after a > joint replacement surgery. The amount of and quality of Physical > Therapy is a huge part of the recovery in this type of surgery. > > I would be super nice to myself and have the surgery the week after > Thanksgiving when everybody is rested and in an uplifted mood, the > hospital is full of patients and the best of the best of the staff is > present. I would also take at least two weeks off of work. My first > THR I had done when I was 39 and in great shape. I took pain pills for > about a week and a half after the surgery then did not need them, but > still getting up and moving around was not one of my favorite things to > do. Healing takes time and joint replacement surgery affects the entire > body. Get a lot of books on tape, invite friends in to visit, take a > mini vacation and let your body heal. > > That's my 2 cents. > > Regards, > > Beverly in Austin, TX > > >Message: 3 > > Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 12:47:40 -0000 > > From: " Bill Victor " <wrvictor@y...> > >Subject: New to list > > > >I just found this group and shouldn't have been surprised to see > >it. More and more of us baby boomers are going to have TJR's so I > >expect this listserver will grow leaps and bounds - it's already > >good size. > > > >When I searched , this and one other site came up. The > >other one was all about having a TJRs in Phuket, Thailand where you > >can rehab on the beach afterward. Just watch out for those tsunamis! > > > >Just made the decision yesterday to do a total knee replacement > >Thanksgiving week. Open knee surgery in '71 and a couple of > >arthroscopes since. Typical bone on bone thing with no ACL. > > > >Am trying to find out what is reasonable to expect regarding > >returning to work, understanding that it depends largely on the > >individual. I sit behind a computer most of the day. Doc > >said it is not good to have the leg down, so I would have to set it > >up on a chair or something. I could also work from my bed, but am > >most effective if actually in the office. Would > >like to hear some of your experiences. > > > >They said 3 days in the hospital and a month before I can drive my > >stick shift again. I guess that is typical? > > > >Told him I want to hike down the Grand Canyon to meet a river trip > >and then float out in May. He said that should be OK without a > >backpack, but termed it an " aggressive " rehab. I'm 52 and do that > >sort of thing annually. Am I expecting too much too soon? > > > >Thx for any advice you can throw my way. > > > >Bill in Cave Creek, AZ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Wow, thanks Jane. I didn't think of that, but you are absolutely right. You have made my day with the lucid advice. What was I thinking. I keep forgetting all my hospital experiences. I am really going to rethink my approach. Thanks so much for your post; you made a difference! Gratefully, Bill > > Hello Bill, > > > > Welcome to the group. I cannot speak to a TKR because I have had THRs. > > > > What got me about your post is that you are having surgery Thanksgiving > > week. I can understand why you would want to do that, but since I have > > had two joint replacement surgeries I would not have surgery the week of > > a holiday because so many of the staff are going to be gone on vacation. > > > > The nurses, PTs and doctors with the most seniority and experience will > > be off on holiday when you want them around. Many people take the entire > > Thanksgiving week off. Plus, when you get home there may not be in home > > PT for a week maybe until the holiday is over and your requests get > > filed and addressed. That is way too long to go without PT after a > > joint replacement surgery. The amount of and quality of Physical > > Therapy is a huge part of the recovery in this type of surgery. > > > > I would be super nice to myself and have the surgery the week after > > Thanksgiving when everybody is rested and in an uplifted mood, the > > hospital is full of patients and the best of the best of the staff is > > present. I would also take at least two weeks off of work. My first > > THR I had done when I was 39 and in great shape. I took pain pills for > > about a week and a half after the surgery then did not need them, but > > still getting up and moving around was not one of my favorite things to > > do. Healing takes time and joint replacement surgery affects the entire > > body. Get a lot of books on tape, invite friends in to visit, take a > > mini vacation and let your body heal. > > > > That's my 2 cents. > > > > Regards, > > > > Beverly in Austin, TX > > > > >Message: 3 > > > Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 12:47:40 -0000 > > > From: " Bill Victor " <wrvictor@y...> > > >Subject: New to list > > > > > >I just found this group and shouldn't have been surprised to see > > >it. More and more of us baby boomers are going to have TJR's so I > > >expect this listserver will grow leaps and bounds - it's already > > >good size. > > > > > >When I searched , this and one other site came up. The > > >other one was all about having a TJRs in Phuket, Thailand where you > > >can rehab on the beach afterward. Just watch out for those tsunamis! > > > > > >Just made the decision yesterday to do a total knee replacement > > >Thanksgiving week. Open knee surgery in '71 and a couple of > > >arthroscopes since. Typical bone on bone thing with no ACL. > > > > > >Am trying to find out what is reasonable to expect regarding > > >returning to work, understanding that it depends largely on the > > >individual. I sit behind a computer most of the day. Doc > > >said it is not good to have the leg down, so I would have to set it > > >up on a chair or something. I could also work from my bed, but am > > >most effective if actually in the office. Would > > >like to hear some of your experiences. > > > > > >They said 3 days in the hospital and a month before I can drive my > > >stick shift again. I guess that is typical? > > > > > >Told him I want to hike down the Grand Canyon to meet a river trip > > >and then float out in May. He said that should be OK without a > > >backpack, but termed it an " aggressive " rehab. I'm 52 and do that > > >sort of thing annually. Am I expecting too much too soon? > > > > > >Thx for any advice you can throw my way. > > > > > >Bill in Cave Creek, AZ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 <<They said 3 days in the hospital and a month before I can drive my stick shift again. I guess that is typical?> When I had my left knee replaced, the surgeon asked if I drove an automatic or stick. I told him stick shift. He suggested before I actually got " on the road " to just sit in the vehicle and work the clutch in/out in/out several times a day. He actually put this on my PT orders!!!! They said it was a good way to build up the strength in that leg. My first knee replacement was over 20 yrs ago - back when they cut alot more than they do now. Anyhow, I used to tell the dogs lets go for a drive - they'd hop in the vehicle, we'd turn the radio on, roll down the windows and I'd practice my clutch in/out/in/out. Comical I know, but exercise is exercise and I was driving in a couple weeks. tanya TACHANKA SIBERIANS " All Four Paws Rolling " wenatchee, wa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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