Knee replacement on 1st March

Kevin, thank you!!!!  I hadn't thought of sitting on the back seat.  And what a wonderful encouragement you are:-))))  This is really what I'm hoping for after the op - it sounds wonderful!  Yes, when you've struggled with so much pain for so long, then it must be a relief when this pain after the op has a light at the end of the tunnel.  I really want a speedy recovery as fast as possible so they'll do my other knee quickly.  THEN I feel I'll gain from both.

Sorry - I wasn't clear on my post.  The hospital appointment that has come through a week after the knee one is only for a jaw problem, so that's why I was wondering about delaying it for a week or two.  But perhaps I don't need to really.  I can do what Kevin suggested and it should be fine!

Thanks Eileen.  My husband is the driver anyway, and we will make sure we can get a wheelchair at the hospital end because I know these can be quite a trek:-))))  We'll give them a ring tomorrow to check on that aspect.

Thanks Marilyn:-))))  It's funny - I don't feel anxious about the actual op but I am showing signs of stress - teeth clenching and stuff like that so it's there but underneath the surface.  I'm really concentrating on getting everything ready, getting up at ridiculous oclock on Wednesday and then being home a few days later and am determined to do everything I can on my part to make this really successful.  I'll certainly report on it and hope it will encourage others too!

I don't know whether you've been given a list of ways to prepare . .I know I wasn't!  there are some things which will help to make recovery a lot easier.  Number one on my list is the over the toilet seat, which makes it easier to get down and up from the toilet.  I didn't have one, and it was hell for the first week or so. then . . unless you have a well house trained partner, paper plates and glasses to avoid washing up.  some very soft trousers/jogging bottoms. . referably not wool . . which will be easy to roll up for massaging the scar, and doing exercises etc.  A 'cross body' bag for transporting small things around the house, like a book, glasses. . difficult if you are using two crutches. . . .some ready made meals in the freezer (maybe a bit late to start doing that now!) . . Some GOOD strong pain killers, in case you really need them . . a pair of shoes rather larger than usual, easy to put on (no laces for instance) as the foot may swell . . A high chair which will be asy to get up and down from . . ice bags or an ice machine . . There is a special thing for lifting the leg up on to the bed. i didn't have one, but many people say it's a great help.   A sense of humour which you may find you lose occasionally, but don't worry . . it will come back eventually!  Good luck with the op and I hope it all goes well. As you say, at least the post op pain has a reason and an end, so is more able to be coped with than the draggin pain of a useless knee!

Thank you so much for these ideas Martin.  My husband has been saying that it might be better to put off that appointment for a couple of weeks because it's not desperate at all.  I THINK I'm pretty well prepared for everything now, partly because the knees have been so bad for so long that loo is high, chairs are raised, recliner/riser chair is here, and my slave is ready and willing:-)))))  I'm hoping the hospital will give me the painkillers though?  I'm planning on ordering the ice cuff thingy with the bucket on next day delivery too, before I leave the hospital even, but have my frozen peas ready in case there is a delay:-)))  My stretchy loose joggers are packed ready for my journey home:-))))

Not sure how they do things in the UK, so others who have had it done there will know what pain medication they were given. Even so, it doesn't seem to be the same everywhere.  Here in Tenerife I was given a prescription for paracetamol!  Believe me I was not amused, and of course, I couldn't get to a doctor for a while to get anything  stronger.  Hopefully, they are more compassionate in the UK! Glad you have  'slave! , and frozen peas do the job very well!  Keep us up to date about how it all goes!

Gosh Martinarvelo, paracetamol would not be nearly enough, that must've been awful, the hospital sent me home with liquid morphine & codeine and paracetamol. When I came off the blood thinner I was given Tramadol, couldn't get on with it so then I had Naproxen which I'm still on I'm 5 weeks post Tkr. Nobody ever told me how painful it would be. Am looking forward to to having a good nights sleep soon . I LOVE the ice treatment which I've been doing every couple of hours 24/7 good luck to you & a quick recovery

That's the sort of pain relief I'm expecting Eileen.  The GP has been pushing all sorts of pain relief on me over the years, but all I've tended to use was the paracetamol at night, to help sleeping, but they seem very keen to cover pain as much as possible, and I think decent pain relief means you do the exercise as you're supposed to.  I suppose I'm looking at this as a challenge.  Here's hoping I still want the other one done four months later LOL! 

Yes that's right Chris if pain is controlled exercising is easier, I tried not taking them for s while & didn't do exercises much that's what made me use them. I wasn't getting anywhere

To be honest Eileen, if I'd not been reading all the posts recently on this group, I'd have done exactly the same, and looked on it as some sort of challenge not to take the painkillers, but having read the posts on here now, I won't be tempted to do that:-)  I've found this group so incredibly helpful, both for answering questions I had and also raising other points that I'd not thought of!!!

Thanks eileen. After two weeks, I managed to see the specialist and insisted on something stronger than paracetamol, but it was hard going to get him to give me a prescription . . I'm well recovered now, but still pop in here now and again!