Well, I've been MIA for a bit and I apologize for that. My husband had his total knee replacement surgery on the 14th of this month. It went really well, took a bit longer than expected and when the surgeon came to see me right after, his comment was, "A bit more than I anticipated from the x-rays. His knee was...a mess." When I asked if that was his medical technical term, he just repeated, A Mess.
He's doing his PT Monday, Wednesday, Thursday on site and every other day at home and is coming along really well and I'm very proud of him. Having been through all of that many years ago, long before they were doing replacements, I can verify that it's extremely painful but so worth it to fight through it all. He'll make it through the other end and be more the better for it.
Having said this, I am his chauffer, therapy coach, chief cook and bottle washer, laundress, fetch and carrier and pretty much anything else he just can't do though if I think he can, I'm pushing him to. I'm behind on the quilt and am going to try and get to the store now that I can leave him unattended and not worry about him doing something stupid. I've really got to get my batting so I can get it to the machine quilter or I'm going to run out of time for anything. I'm hoping I can get it to the store on Monday for her to pick up on her regular day which is Tuesday. Fingers crossed.
If anyone is squeamish, don't look, but this is one of the best knees I've seen after surgery. It's so much more colorful now though. The bruising will keep changing for another week or so as the scar tissue tears and heals. Can't help that. This was eight days out and it looks fabulous! I am so impressed with this surgeon.
You poor thing. I'll bet you're exhausted.
ReplyDeleteHis knee looks pretty good. I'm glad for both of you. I've got Greg convinced to get his knees done. He's got a standing appointment with his doctor sometime in April. He's going to get the ball rolling once he sees her. I'm hoping Medicare will pay for most of it.
Thank you for posting the picture. It makes me feel more prepared. While I've seen lots of sutures, it takes your breath away when it's on a loved one.
Keep us posted on his progress.
The surgery really is a piece of cake, though he was insistent he wasn't going to do a spinal. But Thing 1 worked with that OR group when she worked at the hospital so she called in a favor and packed the room with the best, and I asked her if she'd check with her anesthesiologist friend to see if they could give him a little Versed before they did anything. Versed is a wonderful drug. So he remembers being moved to the surgical gurney then waking up in recovery and that was it. It's the therapy that's a real 'bugger.' He was up walking within two hours of being in his room which wasn't too bad because the spinal is still at work for the first 36 to 48 hours but once that wears off, that's where the pain on movement really starts and you just have to push through that. The light at the end is, this too shall pass. It's not like that never ending, ultimate toothache pain he had before.
DeleteI went through it though it wasn't a replacement, they didn't do those at the time, it was a reconstruction. One day, you wake up and realize, your knee is as close to 100% as it can get, the pain is gone and the sun has risen! But getting there is tough. I would not recommend doing both knees at the same time. Some people do and depending on one's age, that can be really hard. Hubs needs the other done too, but would have never made it.
re: Versed
ReplyDeleteI know that drug. It creates memory loss. That's what they gave me when they had to attach some sort of contraption that kept my eyeballs exposed. (I had lens replacement surgery.)
You were very lucky to have someone on the "inside". It pays to stack the deck. Good for you!
A speedy recovery to your hubby.