TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT
Well I’m now back home after 3 weeks in hospital for a total knee replacement. What an ordeal!!
Initially I was to have a partial replacement, but the surgeon and I had agreed that if, when he got into the knee, he thought I needed a total, he would do that. Hence, I got a total knee replacement.
I was initially quite anxious about the ‘spinal block’ and told the anaesthetist that I didn’t want to be awake. Well he took care of that – I slept the whole day of the operation (I was the first case at 8am) and all of the next day. When finally awake I was in agony. Physiotherapy starts as soon as you awake from the anaesthetic, so I was now 2 days behind with that. When the young physiotherapist came to start me on treatment, I was in so much pain that I just sat there and cried. Poor young thing, she didn’t know what to do. I then got a senior physiotherapist who looked at my charts and queried whether I had had a ‘partial’ or a ‘total’ replacement. I told her I remember the surgeon telling me (somewhere in all of my semi-conciousness) that he had decided on doing a ‘total’. She then confirmed this with him, and wrote TKR on my white board above my bed. She explained to me that the anaesthetist had not changed his record from partial to total and his sheet was on the top of my chart. Hence, I had been given pain relief for partial and not total replacement. SCREAM!!!!!!!
After getting the correct pain relief I was able to begin the physiotherapy (now 5 days behind with this). I spent 7 days in the Surgical Ward and was then transferred downstairs to the Rehab Centre for more formal physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. The hydrotherapy was a God send – my knee started to respond – I spent a half hour in the pool in the morning and then a half hour in the Gym in the afternoon. For the other times of the day I had to walk to a freezer way down the hallway and get my ice pack, bring it back to my room, and ice my knee for 20 minutes. This had to be done 4 times during the day. This felt wonderful – it helped to ease the pain and reduce the swelling. I am still doing this at home. Any other spare time in hospital was used to do the various exercises set by my physiotherapist. I am still doing these at home.
It has been quite an ordeal, but I met some wonderful women who had suffered much worse than I had after surgery – one lovely lady’s hip replacement had gone wrong and the surgeon had to go back in again.
I thank God that I have come through it not too badly, and I pray for all those wonderful women I met in hospital that their recovery will be quick and complete for them. I also pray for the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, those who bring in fresh water each day, those who deliver and cook the meals, and everyone involved with my care that God will help them continue in their good work.
I thank all of you too for your thoughts and prayers.
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Good to hear that you are back home keep up the exercises it will get better foreveryoung,
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So glad you’re doing well foreveryoung. Every week will be a better week. The most important thing is to keep up with your physical therapy so you don’t get scar tissue. In 6 mos this will just be a bad memory but you’ll be walking without pain. Good luck!
So glad to hear that you are home and on the mend—Now you are bionic!! Give yourself some time though before you start leaping tall buildings with a single bound. lol
Good to see you back foreveryoung……. Hope you are soon fully recovered you were missed take care and good luck!
foreveryoung i am so very sorry i didn’t know about your knee operation at all? I am pleased to hear it is progressing nicely now after all the trauma in the beginning. it has however put me off totally from having mine done!! take care hun thinking about you xx 🙂
Foreveryoung glad you are back home and are recovery from you knee surgery. Take care and continue with the physical therapy . My thoughts are with you.
Foreveryoung, my hubby had his done in 2003. He had the right TKR on Monday and the left TKR on the following Monday. He was up and walking the day after his surgeries and then spent 9 days in rehab with intensive physical therapy. I can attest to the level of pain he went through so I know what you mean. But he says the only regret he has ever had about it was that he waited so long to do it. It has given him his freedom back and given him so much better quality of life. Hang in there and just remember that when all is said and done, you will be glad you did it. So glad you are home and recovering.
Hi Foreveryoung, its great to see you back, and well again. i hope to chat soon,
Pete
Hi FY, So sorry to hear about your ordeal, so very relieved that you are at home and can begin the path to total recovery. God Bless! Hugs, Helen P.S> miss you in chat girlfriend!
You chatters are the greatest – thank you so much for your support and encouragement. God bless you all.
Hi Forever…thankyou for the blog….it’s surprising how many people I know who have had this op….and after all the initial bother…they have come throught it and have a much better quality of life. Hoping for a speedy recovery for you.
xxxx M
Thanks morvenna for your encouraging words.