I know that it has been a while since I have posted. I have had my surgery and am now recovering. It is a slow process, but I am coming along nicely. A HUGE thank you to my family for being such a big help and keeping me going.
I had surgery on the 14th of April to replace my right knee. It is now a titanium knee with a special plastic insert instead of cartlidge. The surgery lasted about 2 hours and I was not put completely under. I was heavily sedated and given the amnesia drug so I don't remember much of anything. I was awake into the operating room and awake when I left. That way they were able to administer pain medication that kept me going until I was awake enough to swallow new pain medication. I have a about 6 inch incision on my knee and then a drain tube was on the side of my knee. An interesting thing they did was to take the blood that was draining from my knee and filter it and infuse it back to me. That meant I was getting my own blood and did not need a transfusion. Very interesting. After 24 hours that was removed. I don't have stitches or staples. I was glued back together. This will hopefully minimize the scar. By Tuesday they had me standing up and was able to use the bathroom on my own.
By Wednesday afternoon the Dr. told me I could go home if I wanted, but I didn't feel ready. So we stayed until Thursday morning. Since the nurses weren't ready to release me Wednesday afternoon, I am glad I stayed. It would have been late by the time they got everything ready for me and Thursday was exhausting enough. I have graduated from using a walker, to crutches to a cane. I walk around the house pretty much by myself. I am VERY slow.
I have twice weekly visits to the physical therapist. I will be in therapy until July, but as much as it hurts, I know it helps. I have had weekly visits to the family doctor to have my blood levels checked. I am on coumadin for about 1 month. My levels are currently doing really good, so I get to stretch that appointment out to 2 weeks. I got to go to Costco the other day with Reed and Jessica. I rode around on one of those carts, but I was so exhausted by the time that I got home that I immediately went to sleep!!
I worked really hard for 2 weeks just the raise my leg off the bed. Now they make me do leg raises everyday. I also was able to accomplish getting me leg to do a full revolution on the stationary bike. All this was accomplished with great pain. But as Jessica says to me (all the time)"no pain, no gain"!! I have threatened to get a little doll and make it a voodoo doll of Jess and start sticking it with pins. But since she has command of my legs, I don't think I would get far. But actually Jess has been wonderful. She takes care of the meals, the cleaning, the washing as well as supervising my exercises. She is quite accomplished at this after taking care of her grandfather 2 different times for knee replacement surgeries over the last 6 months. Her pay off finally came as she recieved her acceptance to grad school at PSU. We are so excited for her!!
I will try to get some pictures up later, but for now, this gives you an update on me!
5 years ago
