PAULCH WIFE SUE

paulch

hi this is sue pauls wife thank you all for your concern over knee replacement.im begining to feel a bit scared .like will i hear anything going on as having spinal block (not looking forward to)i dont have to be in to 11am so looks like im in afternoon slot.whn i leave hospital will i be able to walk out on crutch or will they put me in wheelchair.paul is a dab hand at cooking/cleaning/never mastered washing machine thou.love sue x

stickywicket

Hello Sue and welcome. I've had a spinal block but I wasn't exactly awake. I do recall half-waking up at one point and trying to join in the conversation about golf :? I felt no pain, only mild interest in what they were talking about and then they shoved me under again

You'll almost certainly be on crutches when you leave. They ensure you can walk with them and do a few stairs before letting you out.

The first time I went into hospital I left post-it notes everywhere explaining how things worked and making everything as easy as possible so, for the washer, I just told him how to use one all-purpose, programme and suggested splitting the wash into dark and light colours. There were no disasters

barbara12

Hello Sue its good to have you on board..
Its really normal to be scared, I was petrified when I had my hip replaced, and did say to my hubby, you will never get me to the hospital.
But off I went and was surprised how the time passed they come and take all your details and put the stocking on the leg you are having done..then the anesthetist will come and see you, they took me to a room for the spinal and my legs just felt has though they weren't mine..I also had mild sedation and don't remember a thing, pain after the op differs for everyone I hadn't much at all , so I just carried on with the cocodamols I was already on..they get you out of bed soon has mine was the morning after because I had a late op..and like SW says they make sure you can do stars before they discharge you so it will be on crutches...with knees they also measure the bend you have whilst on the bed, and will give you exercises to do at home..good luck with it all..x

dreamdaisy

Hello Sue, it's lovely to meet you and I hope we can help. I have always been knocked out for my major ops (no joint replacements as yet, though) but was fully awake for my double carpal tunnel op - I could feel a little but every sensation was dulled and muffled so it wasn't that bad.

Post-op with my big ones I was given a morphine drip which I could trigger when needed (but not before a dose was due) and that helped for the first 24 hours. After that is was just paracetamol or cocodamol (I use these at home) and it was all bearable. I suspect it will be a different kind of 'hurt' from your current one but the deeper healing takes time, your surface scar may be done in a couple of weeks or so but underneath takes longer as tissue and muscle fibres take longer to 'connect'. They will get you out of bed pretty quickly (it is good to get moving) but the staff will be there to help you. It's hard to say how soon you will be allowed home but now is the time to start planning how you two will manage.

I wish you very well - please keep in touch and let us know how things are going. DD

hileena111

Hi Sue
Both my THR's were done under spinal and a light sedation
I heard nothing at all....vaguely aware that things were going on but didn't really know what
I had mine done in the morning and thy had me up for a few steps that night then the next day it started properly...In on Fri out Mon morning
Although I was walking OK on crutches the nurse insisted she take me down to Peters car in a wheel chair with me holding the crutches. She made sure I knew the right way to get into the car and that was it...crutches after that for the next week then got rid of one.
They wont let you out {like others say} before you can do the stairs.
Good leg{un operated one} goes to heaven, the bad one to hell is what I was told my first THR....so the un op one goes up a step the bad one is down below {hell} lol and then it joins it on the same step
The second one I was told.....GBS?????? George Bernard Shaw
Good leg, bad leg, then stick
I said that wasn't what I had been told the first time??? Oh yes we had to stop using that {heaven hell} because we offended some people :?
They are easily offended is all I can say.

Love
Hileena

stickywicket

As I recall, George Bernard Shaw wasn't averse to offending people either

frogmorton

Welcome Sue!!!

Lovely to meet you

I have had nothing other than a baby under spinal :shock:

The advice you have received though is very reassuring isn't it?

I wish you all the best and would love to hear how you get on

Love

Toni xxx

paulch

hi its sue pauls wife.been for pre assesment for op today feel a lot more at ease now everything been explained better .nurses were really nice .saw doctor really dishy i swear they are getting younger.they said after op for coming home they will arrange transport for me as i think it will be to much for paul.they are suppling me with a tall chair to sit in and wheelie trolley to move things ie dinner.had plenty of tea given to us and as paul had to go for another app at western hosp at southampton they gave us each a bag with sandwiches juice and fruit in so we didnt go hungry .they said privided nothing major happens i will go in 28th this month love sue xxxx

stickywicket

I'm so glad you feel happier about it, Sue, and how well you've both been treated! Remember we're still here if you have the wobbles

hileena111

Hi
You are being treated well
Hope it happens on the date you were give

Love
Hileena

GraceB

Hi,

I had a partial knee replacement 5 years ago aged 49. It was hard work afterwards but I knew that when I begged for the operation. Yes - I begged, I was that desperate.

Above all else, make sure you keep asking questions. You may think they're silly but ask anyway. I took a typed list of questions to my pre-op appointments and also when I was admitted so I was still asking questions then.

Listen to the physios, the consultant but above all listen to your body. Your Husband can help with encouragement, counting your exercises and if he can, by peeling veg, etc. It all helps. Make him your cheerleader!

What I would say is make sure you don't overdo things. If help is offered, take it. Break tasks down into manageable/small chunks. It's frustrating very - but you will get there.

Change bed linen just before you go in, get non-perishable goods stocked up. Ready meals can help short-term. When you get visitors, if they ask can they do anything say so. I had visitors taking my hoover up and down stairs as I couldn't do that! I hoovered by using an office chair to scoot about on upstairs. If I'd had two hoovers one would have been on each level. (We live in a bungalow now).

If I can help in any other way please let me know. Feel free to PM me. I wish you every good luck with your surgery and please make sure either you or your Husband update us.

Take care.

GraceB

dreamdaisy

Hello again Sue, I am pleased that you are feeling easier about things now - fear of the unknown is not uncommon but the surgeons and staff are familiar with people's worries and concerns and it sounds as though you have a pleasant group working with you. Here's to the 28th - I'm off to brew up to celebrate! DD

paulch

:roll: hi everyone its sue pauls wife,just like to say big thank you for all your comments and suggestions they have been really helpful.they have put my mind at ease a lot .chap at work just returned from having knee done as well so been talking to him,going to lidls today to do big shop then paul and i going sainsbury next tues for big shop aswell.i have plenty of volenteers for shopping after knee even friends at work love sue xxxxxx

stickywicket

That sounds like a good plan, Sue. I'm so pleased you have a lot of offers of help. Do make use of them

paulch

HI Sues husband here, just a update sue had her total knee replacement yesterday afternoon all went ok i met some of the team, although they still did not have a bed for her, but they did the op anyway. She is in ICU at the moment only bed available mind the care is 100%.she been on morphene too

dachshund

Hello Paul
thank you for letting us know how Sue is. I hope she has a speedy
recovery.
I've had my tkr 12 years.
take care both
joan xx

stickywicket

So, stage 1 complete and all well. That is good news, Paul. Please give Sue my best wishes when you see her. I hope you, too, are doing OK. Thanks for the update.

barbara12

Hello Paul so glad to see Sue has got the op done and is being looked after..I do wish her well and don't forget we are always here for a chat..

paulch

:roll: Hi All Sues husband here, she has asked me to update you all.
Sue never got out of ICU as no beds but i am sure this made her recovery better, she was sent home saturday afternoon by hospital transport.
She is able to get about with 2 crutches but in pain has got morphene suplphate, blood thiners she been given replacement wound plasters , and is to have staples out next monday.
She askes any suggestions on how to get comfortable in bed with knee.
tc all

stickywicket

I bet you're both glad she's home, Paul, and all does sound to be going well.

Getting the knee comfy in bed is difficult at first as you mustn't put a pillow under it as that will encourage it to never straighten properly. Once the exercises have done their job the knee will feel more comfortable but, until then, I think it's just a matter of trying to get it to heal asap with the rest, elevation, ice and exercises.

I don't know how morphine works (I usually came home with cocos) but I did used to try to space my pain relief so that I could take some going to bed and more in the night if needed. During the day I just distracted myself so that I didn't need them as much.

dreamdaisy

I am pleased to read that she is home and that is all is as OK as possible. I think with the knee it's a case of grin and bear it, of course it's going to be sore (oh OK then, downright painful ) but as the days and nights go on this will ease. Keeping it straight is important, as is exercising it, but hopefully with the pain relief she will get through these early stages: it takes years for a replacement to be granted but it can't be sorted out in mere days.

Distraction is always my preferred method of pain control, I have puzzle books on the go in every room, and will soon be broaching an impossible jigsaw. At night it's my Kindle that keeps me diverted from the various pings and twangs of arthritic joints.

I wish you both well. DD

paulch

hi its sue pauls wife.had op 28th jan (wed) came home on the sat was in a lot of pain to start with.was taking morphine tabs but now only taking paracetamol.i have managed to get up and down stairs ok.i am finding it a bit hard with exercises as knee still stiff and feels tight.still putting ice packs on it too.any suggestions???did any off u feel a bit depressed as i keep crying .i find sleeping a night better lying on back (more comfy)paul has been a great help with cooking but i have done some aswell love sue xxxxxxx

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's lovely to hear from you and I am pleased that you have reduced the pain meds to paracetamol (that is progress, although it might not feel like it).

I have not had replacement joints but I have had other major surgery and yes, I think it entirely normal to feel a bit down and teary for some time afterwards. Surgery affects the whole body, including our minds and emotions, it can take a great deal out from us. All my ops involved general anaesthetic and that can take some time to clear from our systems (I remember sleeping a great deal for around a week or so after the ops). It takes years for our joints to get into the state they are when replacements are offered and the recovery won't happen in mere weeks. When you are in the middle of it all it is hard to see the wood for the trees, and it is easy to become a little lost in it all, so come and talk to us and I hope we can help.

I wish you very well indeed. DD

dreamdaisy

Hello, we're a few more days on now and I hope all is going as well as possible. DD

Helenbothknees

Hi Sue,

I only just found this thread as I'm not often on this site these days. I had a bilateral TKR (both knees replaced) in July 2012. It was absolutely the best thing I've ever done and gave me my life back.

Concerning the depression...sounds normal to me. I didn't get that, probably because the pain lasted for ages with me and I was still taking codeine at the stage you're at now. With me the main problem was constant, draining fatigue. Surgery seems to hit everyone a bit differently.

Other than that I did LOTS of exercises. As I understand it, the important thing is to stop scar tissue forming, and you only have a shortish window of time to stop that happening. So do your exercises even if you don't feel like it. Other than that, rest and let your body heal...unless you feel like doing things, in which case go ahead.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the recovery. At the time I had mine done, there were about half a dozen of us on this site who'd all had TKRs, and comparing notes was a lot of help. You should find our posts from way back if you do a search, or I published mine and a bit of extra stuff in an ebook if you're interested; if so, message me and I'll give you the details.

Good luck! It gets better....