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Karen:
Your experience is amazing and I hope mine is as positive.
The only thing that worried me about it was your quick discharge from the hospital. I live on my own and I'm worried about how I will do without assistance. I wonder how other single people do it. I guess I am assuming I'll hire a home health type person for a few days but I'd prefer to stay a little longer inpatient and be in better shape when going home. My mom was in the hospital a few days after surgery and then sent to rehab for about 5 days. She went home alone at that point and did well. She had PT come home for a while also.
Karen:
Your experience is amazing and I hope mine is as positive.
The only thing that worried me about it was your quick discharge from the hospital. I live on my own and I'm worried about how I will do without assistance. I wonder how other single people do it. I guess I am assuming I'll hire a home health type person for a few days but I'd prefer to stay a little longer inpatient and be in better shape when going home. My mom was in the hospital a few days after surgery and then sent to rehab for about 5 days. She went home alone at that point and did well. She had PT come home for a while also.
I'd like to hear how other single people managed.
If you don't have a friend or family member who can stay with you for several days, first I would talk to the surgeon about your sitch and see if he can keep you for a day or two longer. Alternatively, talk to him about going to rehab.
I stayed with my sister for a few days and then a friend of hers stayed a couple of days. As far as getting around, she could probably have stayed alone; however, she had a machine to bend her knee a few times a day and an ice therapy machine as well. Both, were fairly bulky heavy and probably would have been hard but not impossible for her to maneuver. If you go home alone, make sure you know about all these things you need and aren't running around at the last minute looking for a medical supply store to rent them from. She also had a machine that provided some kind of electric therapy.....TENS machine I think.
And, definitely make sure your surgeon orders home PT so you don't have to worry about transportation for that.
Prepare your home. Figure out the best place to enter/exit with least amount of steps and room for a walker. If you have a level walk way to your mailbox, its good to take that walk everyday. If not, have the PO hold your mail for a week, or ask a neighbor to get it for you. Some places you may be able to get them to temporarily deliver to your door.
Move furniture out of the way if necessary to make a path for the walker and to encourage you to walk around as much as possible. Put things you will need in easy reach so you don't have to reach high over your head or bend/stoop to get things like dishes, food, towels, etc.
Think about your clothes. The easiest thing to navigate is dresses, like a sun dress, t-shirt dress or even a house dress. Slip on sneakers are good.
Make food ahead of time that you can just reheat. Have something waiting in the fridge for when you come home.
As for hiring a home health care aide, that is always an option, but you really don't need anyone with health experience. Any kind of personal assistant would work.......housecleaner, dog walker lol, responsible teen who babysits, etc. Check your neighborhood Facebook or Nextdoor for references.
Thanks, Blondy---all great suggestions!
I have a little experience with this since I was treated for breast cancer here and had multiple surgeries.
The big difference was that mobility wasn't an issue but bending, stretching, lifting etc. was.
I did really well preparing my place and having everything in place I needed.
I live in an apartment I chose specifically with a tkr in mind--no stairs, and had safety bars installed in the walk-in shower and bathroom. If I decide to move back for the surgery, I'd find a place that had these features or have them added.
My breast surgeon kept me overnight given my living situation instead of discharging me, so hopefully the knee surgeon will have some leeway. I would prefer not to have a stranger with me at home and would rather stay in a hospital or rehab. I guess we'll see. My mom did well at home but she had a longer hospitalization/rehab. I wasn't in the area yet and my sibling, who lived 10 minutes away, wouldnt stay with her. So even if we weren't estranged, no help would be forthcoming, I'm sure.
I would hope PT at home would be available and given the months of COVID, I'm used to delivered food, groceries, prescriptions, etc. I guess I just worry I might fall or have difficulty getting up from a seated position. Mobility issues mostly. The hospitals do so much of this surgery--they must have resources and guidance also. Thanks again for your help!
I've never heard of anyone NOT having pain after knee replacement surgery!
That is astounding. Maybe others have heard of a painless knee replacement surgery.
Many or at least some people need to go and stay/reside in a rehab facility for a number of days after the surgery.
After surgery, did you have physical therapy at an out-patient physical therapy place or in your home with a physical therapist coming to your personal home?
They told me after the nerve block wore off to expect some pain. It never happened. I went home after 23 hours. I go to PT, 3 days a week at a facility. Almost 3 weeks out and I can walk unassisted.
I asked my surgeon why I didn't have any pain. He told me the robotic helps. Not as much cutting. I have heard from others who also said they have no pain.
I have not taken any pain relievers in a few days. I stopped OXY after 5 days as I did not need it.
Thanks, Blondy---all great suggestions!
I have a little experience with this since I was treated for breast cancer here and had multiple surgeries.
The big difference was that mobility wasn't an issue but bending, stretching, lifting etc. was.
I did really well preparing my place and having everything in place I needed.
I live in an apartment I chose specifically with a tkr in mind--no stairs, and had safety bars installed in the walk-in shower and bathroom. If I decide to move back for the surgery, I'd find a place that had these features or have them added.
My breast surgeon kept me overnight given my living situation instead of discharging me, so hopefully the knee surgeon will have some leeway. I would prefer not to have a stranger with me at home and would rather stay in a hospital or rehab. I guess we'll see. My mom did well at home but she had a longer hospitalization/rehab. I wasn't in the area yet and my sibling, who lived 10 minutes away, wouldnt stay with her. So even if we weren't estranged, no help would be forthcoming, I'm sure.
I would hope PT at home would be available and given the months of COVID, I'm used to delivered food, groceries, prescriptions, etc. I guess I just worry I might fall or have difficulty getting up from a seated position. Mobility issues mostly. The hospitals do so much of this surgery--they must have resources and guidance also. Thanks again for your help!
You're welcome.
I had forgotten that my Dad also had knee replacement and he went to rehab. Mainly, because he had some issues related to adverse reaction to anesthesia that he was prone to. He did fine there although he was older.....about 80.
I think you are right that low seating(including toilets depending on their design) could be a problem. Just keep your walker with you to help you get up even if you don't need it to walk. That should only last a few days at most, so just try to avoid low seating.
We did have a problem with home PT because even though the surgeon prescribed it, he was in the county next door to ours and for some reason I don't remember that created a problem. I would just make sure he prescribes it and call ahead to confirm they will be there as scheduled.
As for falling, just be careful, slow and think about what you are doing. Wear clothing that has a pocket you can keep your cell phone in so you can call for help if you cant get up.
Not sure if you were responding to me. But, she had a nerve block......is that the same thing? I seem to recall it lasted about a day and a half.
So, I'm sure that helped. But, I think the most important thing was not having muscles cut.
The same effect but different duration, nerve ablation lasts for months. They basically damage the sensory nerves with either cold or heat so they can't relay pain signals until they repair themselves. In fact I'm hoping to get it shortly, to delay surgery for a good long while.
Happy to hear they are doing TKAs with such little pain, as I am a (very reluctant) TKA candidate. I can hold out a few years until they perfect the newer procedures.
The great responses are giving me so much to ask about when I get to a surgeon's office (nerve ablation, robotic arm surgery, etc.). I appreciate any and all examples of new procedures I can ask about as well as suggestions for before and after surgery, rehab, etc. This forum can be a wonderful resource.
I've never heard of anyone NOT having pain after knee replacement surgery!
That is astounding. Maybe others have heard of a painless knee replacement surgery.
Many or at least some people need to go and stay/reside in a rehab facility for a number of days after the surgery.
After surgery, did you have physical therapy at an out-patient physical therapy place or in your home with a physical therapist coming to your personal home?
I never had pain before or after the surgery. What I did feel was like there were blocks of wood in my knees; an uncomfortable, unnatural feeling but not painful. I still feel that today.
I had to get it done due to insurance issues and X rays showing no cartilage left. I wonder if I jumped the gun though, since I wasn't in pain.
I think I had to stay in Salt Lake City about 10 days for the rehab, then the PT at home lasted a full year! That's why I was thankful I did them both at once.
I'll do one knee at a time--no question both would be too much. Robotic assisted surgery is being done here in Pittsburgh so I will absolutely ask about it. Your experience is very encouraging to hear. Thank you for sharing it!
You MIGHT want to rethink this. Depending on your age and fitness level/weight. I was given the option to do both at once and I jumped on it. It's such a long recovery and rehab, I'd NEVER want to go through it twice. I was on crutches the same day as the operation. I was 58 and about 135 lbs. so the doctor suggested both at once. I was back at my physical job in 3 months (seasonal job, so perfect for rehab).
I don't think robots were involved, but there was no pain regardless of whatever cutting went on. We were 6 hours from the surgical center, so I'm glad it went well...
I agree the most important question to ask any surgeon imo is how often they have performed the procedure you want done.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned is surgeons who have a heavy patient load of professional athletes. If you are in a city, with professional sports teams probably wouldn't hurt to check out the groups advertising as sports doctors.
That's great advice. I had a rotator cuff repair by a doctor who was physician to a major league football team, and the surgery and recovery went very well. I've known people who had the same surgery by a different doctor, and they weren't as lucky.
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