OT my exciting week

Well, not sewing related at all, but I did download a pretty shawl pattern.... lol

I made a flying run up to Indianapolis this past Monday. Tuesday my dad went in for knee replacement. He had the left knee replaced 11 years ago. The right knee had gotten so bad, we've all been after him to talk to the surgeon for about 2 years. He finally couldn't stand it any more and decided to have it done.

He's 83 and in pretty good health otherwise. The surgery went flawlessly (although the surgeon told us afterwards that he should have come in a long time ago! There wasn't really anything left of his knee. Arthritis had pretty much destroyed the whole thing.) And he's back home continuing his PT. (with Mom in charge, so you know there will be no slacking! She is 5' and 95 lbs of pure, undiluted determination!!) He did fantastic with the therapy in the hospital. The goal the therapist set for him was to walk

2000 feet before discharge. Dad did 3530 ft. the day before he was discharged, and did even more laps around the unit the morning he was released! He also did fine on the stairs. He still needs the walker, mainly for balance right now. But I don't think it will be long before he can move to a cane. :)

I'm back home now too. I stayed till the morning he was going to be released (Friday) and then came home. I didn't want to be in Mom's way when she got him home. And they were ready for it to be just them at home, alone without us pesky kids in the way. lol

It was amazing to all of us how much the procedure has changed in 11 years. He had very little therapy before they sent him home from the hospital last time. A therapist came to the house afterward, but very little was done before his release with the first knee. And the difference in his recuperation between the two really tells the tale!! He's much more confident about his ability to get around. He's in less pain. He has about half the swelling he had the first time too!! Really amazing.

I did make a couple new shirts to take with me. ;) So I guess this isn't totally OT. lol I'll try to get some pictures up of the latest projects soon. Today I'll be out in the garden getting caught up there!!

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays
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"mamahays" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:jlpbnv$r0t$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me...

Hope your dad continues so comfortably; knee replacements are standard surgery these days, but with MRSA and the human factor, you can always be happy if the treatment works out as nicely as with your dad.

And keep on sewing! (My new sewing class will start on 27. April and I can hardly wait.)

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

[...]

Sharon, that is such good news. I am also in the position of "waiting until the pain is too much" before getting serious about knee replacement. I'm hoping to put it off for at least 5 more years. By that time I'll have maybe 15 years of living left, and the knee might work until I no longer 'need' it. ;-}

Reply to
BEI Design

Don't wait till you are totally immobile. That's about where Dad was. Walking across the room was incredibly painful to him. So mostly, he sat in his recliner and watched TV, and napped. You need to do it when you feel like it's the right time, but don't let it get so bad you can't live.

It's absolutely miraculous how well he's doing. He gets his staples out tomorrow. (That will be 2 weeks from his surgery.) He has already surpassed the goals his doctor set for him and the physical therapist. ;) Of course, Mom is "coaching" him through his exercises. Kind of like a drill sgt. "coaches" new recruits. lol Good PT immediately after the operation is key. The first knee, 11 years ago, he didn't have PT for a few days after. This time, PT started in the hospital the day after surgery. Mom, Dad and I all think that has made a huge difference in his recovery.

Too, they gave him two nerve blocks in addition to the "knock out gas" (lol what the doc told him they would give him during surgery.) They have started doing that with "older" patients so they can wake up faster. Pretty slick. Made Mom feel better because that was her biggest fear through the whole thing.

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

So far so good, I have some moderate pain, but I'm moslty mobil.

When I consulted an orthopedic surgeon a couple of years ago, my biggest concern was how I was going to be able to manage, post-op. My younger DD wants me to come to her after discharge, but the PT is a huge issue. I suppose I will have to order taxis for transport to the therapist three-time-a-week.

I have never yet had surgery under general anesthesia for much the same reason. If they cannot do me under a spinal forgedaboudit.

Reply to
BEI Design

Most total knee PT is done at home, with the PT coming to you.

Even out here in the sticks (Beverley knows the general area I live in) they come. When mom had to learn to walk again, we had a PT come

3x/week for almost 6 months.

From watching a friend's recovery, she made it harder on herself by not taking the pain pills, not doing the PT correctly, and not icing the knee often enough or long enough. The thing she did correctly was water aerobics for about a year before surgery... because her general muscle tone was better, she did make a better recovery than someone who's been sitting for a year or so making up their mind.

Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

I will have to find out if my HMO offers that service. From the discussion with the orthopedic doc, it seemed that I was going to have to find some way to get to the facility.

Sounds fabulous, I hope mine will offer similar service.

I have a fairly high tolerance for pain and would much prefer to take either "none" to "as little as possible." I know, from the few times I have had to take strong pain meds, that I become extremely disoriented, and now that I live alone that could be dangerous.

Under the advice of a PT, I am doing some exercises now, hoping to build up muscle strength. But if I'm very lucky, I'll die before I need knee replacement. :-}

Reply to
BEI Design

Well, if you need any help with that, you know where to come. :^P

Reply to
Pogonip

Help with what, "luck" or "dying"?

I know your state revenue depends on math-challenged folks who believe in the former, while my state has legislation to facilitate the latter. ;-)

Reply to
BEI Design

Didja know that ties in election results are settled by a cut of the cards? We're also strong on "local option" for certain laws, like brothels. We prefer the math-challenged folks to be tourists. We're not keen on skimming or cheating, but let the law handle it now, unlike in the "old days."

Reply to
Pogonip

Dad's therapist has been coming to the house too. I think Mom is about ready to adopt Alexander. ;) The insurance would pay for in home PT for up to 5 weeks. Alexander told Dad there's no way he will need it for that long. ;) They've been taking walks outside now up and down the block. He lets Dad rest when needed, but he's also making Dad walk further each time. :)

Dad has his staples out now and he said that felt SOOO much better. He's continuing to recover marvelously. When he went for his 2 week appointment last week, to get the staples out, the nurse said he was walking so well, she thought he was there for his 6 week check up. She was really confused when he was talking about getting the staples out and had to look at his chart to figure it out. lol

And my darling, Beverly, if you needed help, you'd have it. I have airline miles. And I'd bet the rest of the pack would be lined up behind me. We'd have to set up a rotation. ;) Not only could we ferry you around, we'd keep you in stitches. LOL (I crack myself up sometimes.)

As long as you're feeling good, and the exercises you are doing now help, keep on doing what you're doing. It ain't broke.... ;)

Sharon

Reply to
mamahays

If they don't offer the service, you might get that down to once a week if you make it clear that getting to the facility is a major hurdle and follow through with actually doing the prescribed PT at home.

Where I live, it's a 200 mile drive one way to a PT facility, and they're pretty understanding about that. Someone living it town might be told to come in for PT 3 times a week, but both my husband for his shoulder and my mother for her knee were given PT assignments to do at home and allowed to visit the PT only once a week. Of course, each of them had me as a drill sergeant forcing them to actually do the home PT. :-)

Reply to
Kathy Morgan

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