2 days and counting

Well they don't let you stay in bed.  Second day you are up on your feet to the bathroom, fun and games that is!  Then it is just take medication, exercise, ice packs, and patience,  you will get there . Just listen to the advice and yiu will be fine honest, I am on number two Tkr and sixteen weeks down the line,  good luck. Jackie 

Hi Deborah

I guess that you are in the USA, whereas I'm in the UK.  However, you will probably wake up with a self-administer morphine pump, a considerable bandage and a drain (which collects excess blood that can be used for transfusion (if required).  You will not be allowed out of bed until the following day and will have to call for a bed pan.  Your blood pressure and pain levels will be measured regularly.  You may also feel sick and disorientated after a general anaesthetic.  On the second day, you will be asked to get out a of bed and be given a walking frame. The bandages will be removed and just a strip left covering the wound.  Your drain should also  be removed (which will not be a pleasant experience) and so will the morphine pump.  You will be monitored closely again.  Make sure that you ask for pain relief when you need it.  The physio will show you some exercises and they will be hard.  Day 3, you will be asked to walk on crutches, which will seem strange at first...and you may be a little wobbly.  You will also be pushed on lifted and bending exercises.  You can probably take a shower, if you wish.  It will continue in this vain until you leave hospital.

Please ask if you want to know anything else.

Patsy

right TKR Dec 2012, left RKR Sept 2014

Are you not in UK sorry didn't realise just read another comment,  I had no morphine pump, no drains so perhaps different if not in UK,  

hi deborah im wishing you the best of luck with your op take all the meds they give you dont try to do without it will make you feel better and when they put you on your feet it will make the first few steps easier  going to the bathroom is a problem till they let you out of the bed i had to use a bed pan must say i hated using it men dont mind for obvious reasons  it was only the first day once they get you out of bed you should be able to use the bathroom but call someone to make sure your ok on your feet to be honest it really is not a big problem and you just get on with it  . if you have sleeping tablets take them with you some hospitals dont give you anything to sleep and the nights are endless if you cant sleep ,i did get a sleeping tablet from hospital the last time i was in and it wouldnt put a mouse to sleep i dont think it even was one so the sleeping tablet is handy if you have them

Hi Deborah!

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS for deciding to take the plunge and DO IT! I had my left knee done nine weeks ago and already have my right knee scheduled for October. I have not regretted my decision!

About the bathroom... For me there was no catheter. If I DID have one during surgery, they took it out before wheeling me to my room. I just used my call button, and my sweet nurses and aides placed me on the bedpan! (Believe me, it was OFTEN, too! About every twenty minutes to a half hour I was peeing!)

That evening, after physical therapy, I was due to begin using the bathroom in the room, but I became faint and my nurse took care if me and sent the physical therapists packing! I continued with the bedpan ALL NIGHT! Forget sleep! I was too busy PEEING!

I kept apologizing for how often I was having to call the nurses and aides for the bedpan. They kept saying it was GOOD and kept pushing me to drink the ICE water to keep hydrated.They also reminded me that I had IVs going in me that were ALSO filling me with liquid.

We all made it through the night!

The next day was a graduation day of sorts because once they got me up, standing, and taking my first OFFICIAL steps on my new knee, I was OFF TO MY ROOM'S BATHROOM for my first OFFICIAL visit! It was pretty funny, actually! I had a nurse on each arm and my walker in front. I had an aide carrying the pole with all my IV stuff. My drains were clipped to my hospital gown on the left. I really wish I could have remembered to have SOMEBODY snap a picture!

Anyway, we made our way to the bathroom. Once we got there the two nurses and the aide performed the most choreographed dance of getting me safely situated ON THE POT! Four people and a walker and a poll of IV fluids in a small bathroom is pretty amazing, but those girls and I managed to pull it off!

Once I was situated they closed the door, reminded me to pull the call switch when I was done, and then we all started our return dance to my bed!

I have to say, it was quite comical, but we got pretty efficient at it. GOOD THING because I was still needing to pee about every half hour to forty-five minutes at this point!

By day three my nerve block was removed, so then I just needed ONE nurse and ONE aide to do the bathroom dance. Once I had worked with the physical therapists enough, I was OK'd to go solo to the bathroom. On day four I was discharged to head home.

During my first couple days it was all about PEEING for me! I kept reminding the nurses to tell my physical therapists HOW MUCH WALKING I was actually DOING with all my trips to the bathroom.

I was a bit nauseated following surgery. The nurses gave me a pill which helped a bit. I ended up BURPING this huge BURP and afterwards was much better. Dinner was applesauce and pears and MORE WATER. Those were the only things that seemed do-able at the time.

Every room at our hospital has thus cool board with a big clock, a place for the nurse's name and the aide's name, the date, and your plan for that day. At the bottom is a list of your medications, what they are for and the time you can ask to get them again. Our hospital only gives medication if you REQUEST IT. I think the procedure is called PRN. ANYWAY, I was able to choose from three different pain medications based on when they were available TIME-WISE to me.

I really liked that I controlled what I got for pain, nausea, etc. The nurses also would let me know when physical therapy would be coming so that they could have my pain medication of choice to me in time for it to begin working prior to my physical therapy session.

My first couple days were pretty much PEEING, drinking my ice water, talking to my nurses and aides, writing in my journal, dropping off to sleep and waking up ten minutes later, talking to friends on my cell phone, sending text messages to update everyone on my progress, reading, having family visit, taking medications, physical therapy sessions, and gradually eating more for each meal.

I had a nerve block and was taking pain medications, so I can't say I was THAT uncomfortable. I am a Believer, so I talk with God all day long. I credit HIM with how calm I was throughout everything. I don't know if you are a Believer, so I won't go into details until I know if you are, but for me, I truly felt God's strength and power carrying me through each moment!

I wish you a very successful surgery!

Hi Deborah.  I'm in Canada and I was catheterized until the day after the operation.  When that came out they got me out of bed and walking with a walker and I made my way to the bathroom.  I was discharged on the second day post op.  Never used crutches thank goodness.  Went from a walker to a cane 10 days post op.  I'm five months post op.  Still have stiffness but I use my stationary bike every day and that loosens everything up and I'm good to go.  Best of luck!!!

Keep calm, breathe through any pain, keep up pain meds, might need bedpan or catheter but will get to washroom very soon depends what time you have op whether it it same or next day. Once you're on two crutches you can do most things but need someone standing by until your confident . Good luck

I didn't have a catheter - the anaesthetist asked if I wanted one and I said no. However, knowing what I know now, I would have said yes! I had a spinal and a t first peed the bed as I didn't know I was going and after that had to ask for a bedpan and peed for England! Lots and often!

Good luck, see you back on here next week.

First off enjoy your last days it will be a experience once your home. best advice get your house organized making sure all the things you need or will want are close by..also move all obstacles such as carpets and furniture I didn't do this until my walker got stuck and I almost fell.ugh I'm 6 weeks out and still very careful.have a good support system when coming home you won't want to do anything extra .stay positive and don't try and be a hero it's a hard recovery but it will happen day by day.

final advice don't let the pt people in the hospital push you beyond your comfort level they mean well but oh my they are relentless it's OK to say STOP.

I wish you the best keep us posted..now go out and enjoy the day and relax.

prayers for you

Kim

Thanks everyone for all the information. You all are so very helpful. Seems funny to be looking forward to major surgery but I've had it with not being able to walk my dog. So I guess I'll take the catheter if they offer it. Bedpans really are not my thing. Excited to be moving around soon. I'll keep posting my progress.

I'm sure  it will all go well. everybody is differnt all hospitals have there  own way of working.  I was home in forty eight hours after  my knee was done and I liked mending  at home,   Take care 

Deborah - sorry, sent this reply to Susan, instead of direct to you!

I wasn't asked if I wanted a catheter so didn't get one. I too had a spinal and it wasn't until I ran my hand across the bottom of my stomach (i.e. bladder area) and it was quite hard that I realised I probably needed a wee! But once I started I couldn't stop and it was at least eight times, during the night, that nurses/heath care assistants came to my aid. On some occasions my aim on the bedpan was a bit off and they changed my bed linen numerous times. I began to wonder whether they'd repaired my knee but made me incontinent lol! There was no embarrassment as these situations are everyday occurrences to medical staff and not once did they make me feel like I was a nuisance. In fact my whole hospital experience was wonderful and I wrote to tell them so after the event. You hear such awful stories about hospitals, and I did worry a little beforehand, but all was fine.

Just one thing.........medicines.........constipation! On about the second day I suddenly felt the urge to go. My daughter helped me to the loo and stood outside. This was at the beginning of 2 hours of afternoon visiting........by the time I came out there was 10 minutes left. I swear to God I've given birth quicker lol! Beware!!! 

Lots of good info here about what to expect in hospital. Also

have a look at the thread Tips for 'must haves' when coming home from knee surgery. There is shedload of advice on there. Good luck, hope it all goes well. x