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Main Boards => Prayers/Concerns/Honors/Ailments => Topic started by: Doc Nock on December 07, 2015, 04:32:00 PM
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I'm facing what many have faced: Total Knee Replacement...
I live alone so the recuperation might be a bit of a challenge... but I had things lined out well...people from my church volunteered to get me to/from PT after discharge, which was huge since one cannot drive.
Now, last evening in the dark, I smacked both shins and opened up a small sore spot on both shins. Word is that any break in skin on the legs and surgery is postponed...fear of infection... seems it ought to be manageable, but... their call, not mine.
That isn't what I need! See the surgical assistant tomorrow after lunch, so it might be a very, very short appointment.
God's will, not mine. Either way, surgery or postponement, I could use a few prayers that I do all I can/should do and have sense not to do anything I shouldn't do! I'm more then ready, so hoping it goes off without a hitch, but likely not.
Thanks in advance!
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Prayers that all goes well and for a speedy recovery.
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:pray: Praying to God for wisdom and guidance for doctors and nurses in this deal...It will be fine Doc.
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Doc, Prayers sent. Praying all come off without a hitch.
Denny
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Prayers sent had my knee replacement in July most important thing is therapy therapy therapy it will be fine :pray: :pray:
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Well Doc......it's time. Keep your head up and your eyes on the prize, when it gets done do the PT and push yourself.....yea it hurts but you can do it. If you don't have the set backs like I did your gonna be fine and ready to go. I'll be thinking of you.. :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:
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Amen and Doc turn the lights on when you head to the bathroom in the middle of the night :knothead:
Seriously Praying for God's best for you.
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Praying for you buddy. God bless, Scott.
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thanks Gents...find out in couple hours if they'll put it off due to barked shins (skinned up) or figure by Monday it'll be healed...
Going to be weeks of coordinating this and that shot in the kiester if they pull the plug.
Galen, there isn't ONE 2-way switch in this house anywhere and from the back "man cave" to the kitchen, there is no light. I've learned that path well in a year, but forgot momentarily I had the infrared heater positioned just right to keep the t-stat happy so's not to run Auxiliary heaters on heat pump.
Alas, machts nicht! Their call in a while... from all reports, they don't even shave the leg, but use a close cutting "clippers" to avoid any nicks or cuts...and I got hide peeled off.
Were I a betting man... :(
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You'll get more than a "wee bit"! You'll do fine... I was back home in less than 24 hours. Your surgeon/anesthesiologist will make the call, but if you get a vote, the spinal block as opposed to general is the way to go. I was allowed to discharge with crutches which is not the norm, but you need to have a walker when you go home...it makes the showering thing simpler. If you only have a tub, get one of those benches you can straddle the side with. I had to give myself a months worth of daily blood thinner shots, but got pills with the hip. Go with the pills, no need to become a pin cushion. The compression hose were the worst part of the whole ordeal, they had to evolve from a medieval torture device. I'm sure the church will "mother" you... let 'em, but have lots of microwave stuff on hand anyway. Godspeed my brother! The upside is you'll get invited on lots of bear hunts...all your hunting buds will know they can outrun you.
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LOL, Richard... I know that bear joke!!! :)
Well semi-good news: I saw that surgical assistant and showed the barked shins right off. He snapped pics and showed surgeon...
They're saying that it will be ok but if Monday AM way early, they check and see ANY signs of infection, surgery is off.
I tried to clarify...IF THERE is sign of infection? That was the consensus. I go back Friday AM to see if it's worse... but final call if not worse will be right before OR call!
I won't be doing the spinal. After lamenectomy back surgery and all that scar tissue and some other things at this age exacerbated by a spinal, I will eschew that route and go general... I haven't got sick to the stomach ever before...here's hoping!
Given all the food allergies, I told church folks to NOT bring food...I won't risk it. Surgeon's Assist made it very clear to the hospital that there is to be NOTHING that might set off a reaction...I'll judge that when it comes time to eat!
Thanks to all for well wishes, prayers and happy thoughts! :thumbsup:
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Best of luck, Dave. You'll be back on the dance floor before you know it!! Prayers are on the way.
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Prayers Sent. Best Wishes.
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: you got this
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Originally posted by zarch:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: you got this
WEll, brother, I truly embrace your well wishes, but I don't "got this"...God does! My wishes are but smoke...
Whatever shall be...will be!
See Surgeon's assistant tomorrow on the scrapes on shins, but final call if ok tomorrow, goes down to the wire Monday AM a t 6:30 prior to OR!
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I stand corrected again doc your right you don't have this he does. And no better hands to leave this with than him may god keep you in his prayers he's got this :pray: :pray: prayers from R. I. DOC
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I stand corrected again doc your right you don't have this he does. And no better hands to leave this with than him may god keep you in his prayers he's got this :pray: :pray: prayers from R. I. DOC
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Amen zarch!!! Jesus Himself intercedes for us. Can't get a better prayer Warrior than that. :bigsmyl:
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Thanks much, Robert and Galen... Really wasn't trying to be corrective, Zarch, just reminding MYSELF of the reality...
Us German types from ole PA tend to wax a bit toward the "IF but I do this and that-- all will be well..."
I've done what I can or think has been good both with the boo-boos on my shins and my house in prep for return post-op, now I have to Let Go, Let God.
Not always easy for me!
Thanks to all for your posted and silent prayers!
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So far so good...long, long wait for 5 min look-see, but the word is as the boo-boos are now, they'll operate, but final call 6:30AM on Monday before I go to OR!
Keepin on with what I can do to avoid a delay...
Thank you Jesus
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Prayer continues
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Good luck and prayers sent!
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Back home!
Hurts a bunch... rippin up other parts of my shoulders with the dependence on a walker...
Nothing shouldn't have expected when t hey saw out bone and pound in other stuff! :eek:
Now to not get any infections, pneumonia or clots!
Thanks for all your prayers!
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Good for you.......work at the rehab, stay focused on getting better and keep a positive mind. I'll be thinking of you :pray: :pray: Stay strong my friend!!
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Still praying bro. Now use your tough heritage to forge ahead with your rehab.
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Dave,
Forgot to mention, a bag of frozen peas make a great reusable substitution for an ice pack.
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Got soft pack ice packs, Richard... but it was mentioned...perhaps by you ?
Tough heritage, Galen? That may have been more true when I was younger...now I try to avoid pain if I can...at least without the side effects of narcotic pain meds...been relying on Tylenol during the day...
Gave me hydro codone in hospital...didn't try to walk much there... so no idea how it will affect equilibrium...do know that I was in and out with bizarre dreams constantly...not looking for ward to that!
Thanks for prayers...first PT tomorrow at 11AM...doh! :knothead:
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Prayers for all to go smoothly for you Dave in your healing and PT. I hear ya on the Vicoden-I cannot take that stuff, makes me feel out of body, NOT good.
Denny
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:pray: :pray: :pray: good luck doc
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:pray: :pray: :pray: good luck doc
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The people that I know that have had the knee replacement said its painful for a while then all of a sudden the pain is gone and they are glad they had it done. Prayers continue
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Originally posted by BenBow:
The people that I know that have had the knee replacement said its painful for a while then all of a sudden the pain is gone and they are glad they had it done. Prayers continue
I'll hang my hat on that one, Galen...
Last night was BAD! Stuff they gave me with codeine tears me up...tried stuff I got after hernia surgery and it worked good night came home...
Sure didn't work last night...soon as I was flat on my back, leg, knee, ankle, etc started to pound...made me think I Had a clot or something...
Toughed it out several hours then took their stuff.
Whew! Just talked to surgeon's assistant... not much left I can take... This was one of my bigger concerns!
This too shall pass!
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Okay Dave, I'll apologize up front, but now that you're home and well I have to ask a question that has plagued me since my ordeal a year ago. That being how does one manage to get those tortuous thigh high "compression stockings" that are intentionally two sizes too small on without assistance? I will confess that my wife had to help me for the first couple of days until I got some range of movement back. She waffled between thinking she was killing me to actually wanting to kill me! How are you pulling that off? Actually "pulling them off" wasn't much of a problem, lol.. once I got them down as far as I could reach I'd grab the tops with the toes of my good leg. Was I really that big a wuss?
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Ah....haven't tried yet, but have for many, many decades worn the high compression knee high socks due to a prior accident and circulation issues while living in MT...
Picture a rain spout section. Then picture holes in either side nearest to your face with big ropes thru the holes with large knots to keep from pulling back thru...got it? Now make the rain spout out of plastic... you slip the compression hosiery rolled up over the end of the spouting, powder your foot and the inside of the spout, slip you foot in and pull up the spouting.
Haven't done the thigh high yet...still wearing the ones they put on me in the horsepistol.
They were to send me home with a 2nd pair to switch out, but did not...so I didn't take them off. At PT today, I got my other pair so tomorrow, I'll be checking that out to see i f it works the same!
Hoping they work much the same... once over the heel, it should be simple to work up the rest, as I CAN bend that far...
Getting in and out of that infernal "CPM" machine is a workout in its own right... PT said their exercises, + ice and such are more important... and the surgeon provided blow up hickeys to put over your sweats/britches (calves) and a thing for the knee and you plug into a battery operated controller.
PFfttttt...PnA$$ to hook up, takes 1.5 seconds to blow up the leg things and INSTANTLY lets down, (can't feel any compression) then the other one, then a lull while it struggles to blow up the bigger knee brace with ice pack and then starts over... time of compression is totally nil on the legs... I'm going to blow it off...too much important stuff to do!
BTW, the rain spout, with compression knee high, would fold up so severely it'd crack down the middle...I hear they now make them of metal!
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Well Doc, you are in my prayers for a speedy recovery and hopefully the pain subsides.
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Richard,
Sent you note about my failure to use the apparatus today... foot too swollen... rolled up, powdered foot and worked over gently!
Benadryl I take to offset codiene effects has me so loopy i can't see to type...
Off to see if I can sleep it off! :(
Thanks for prayers... Seriously... THANK YOU!
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:pray: :pray: Hang in there Doc, last week I finally went down a few stairs like a normal person. With my setbacks it's been 6 months for me but I can see some improvement finally. Riding a bike [stationary] daily and going to the "Y". Hang in there you'll make it!!!...... :pray: :pray:
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Don't do benadryl and codeine. That's a nasty combination. I wear the hose too, knee highs and I'm supposed to wear the arms too but finding ones that fit is difficult.
What you don't want is my permanent external brace that twists my knee 60° so my foot points forward. I might be able to lift 325 again but that thing is a prison at the end of the day. Do the PT, wear the thrice-cursed hose, and mixing two downers is bad. I'm praying for you.
Let me know what strength hose, some stuff is wool and is a LOT more comfortable.
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Originally posted by DennyK:
Prayers for all to go smoothly for your Dave in your healing and PT. I hear ya on the Vicoden-I cannot take that stuff, makes me feel out of body, NOT good.
Denny
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Prayers for all to go smoothly for your Dave in your healing and PT. I hear ya on the Vicoden-I cannot take that stuff, makes me feel out of body, NOT good.
Denny
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Thanks, Friends! Good to hear from all you.
Turns out, that after many discussions, I was encouraged to again try the Oxycodone I had from other surgery...
Can take 1 or 2 every 6 hrs...took one, hour later, pain had NOT let up behind knee, so took the 2nd one allowed...2 hrs later, NADA!
Got up and got two gel ice packs and wrapped around top and back of knee (behind) and laid back down... woke up with pain finally lowered.
Told surgeon today...he wants me to get to Hosp. this PM to have a check for clots done... and prescribed muscle relaxant...that is the calf/behind knee pain on operative knee where I tore the hamstring back in fall of 11'.
He thinks might be related!
We keep trying... something when 2 oxycodone won't touch the pain I've struggled with and it appears to be something that might be something else...
Can't see reason for blood clot... so figure more of a muscle spasm due to prior damage and now it's double ticked off at me after surgery!
People who had it done tell me I'm getting around way better in 7 days then they have, but they do NOT know the pain I'm in and it's hampering how much rehab I'm doing! Can't get where I need to be laying back on rehab!
Thanks for prayers and for encouragement...I can use both.
IF I'm actually moving around better then some, I guess it's living alone and having to push harder to eat, move, use bathroom, etc... so in spite of pain, I've had to DO more...
NO clots will be grand...news...Christmas present as it were!
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Praying Doc
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NO CLOT...
Turns out the oxy I have is pretty tame... and it's NOT a clot...Whew! :knothead:
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God news and praying for relief from the pain
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You have my prayers too. Smooth surgery and quick healing.
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Been thinking bout you Dave. Hope all is well and you are continuing to heal up.
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Originally posted by shag08:
Been thinking bout you Dave. Hope all is well and you are continuing to heal up.
Thanks, you li'l ole shaggy blonde pup! :)
I appreciate the thoughts and well wishes.
Staples out, range of motion INCHING along. Finally just had it with the Varied-codone meds, didn't help much and put me in a fog... last night I went with Tylenol and ice...
Wish me luck with THAT transition! :eek:
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:thumbsup:
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Been a while doc hope your inching along zarch
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Yeah we're still praying for you
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Sorry guys...didn't want to tie up band width.
Doc said a couple weeks back and 3+ week exam I was "ahead of curve" so next day I called in and said, "IF I'm ahead of the curve, put me behind the wheel!"...
They did.
I continue with PT, but 2 days/week on a self pay program... 2 days next week and I'm done...
Still feels like steppin on a rotten plum but it is able to do much... can walk well, do some steps, but it is irritating in what it doesn't yet do... Given what they did inside there (watched a utube on operation) I'm surprised I can move it at all!
God's been good to me! I have to keep pushing the envelope!
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Dave you have my prayers too brother.