My world at the moment!
Posted , 21 users are following.
Hi all
12 week post TKR
Many of you will know me from this forumI'm Irish Ann.
Everyone on this forum has been so helpful and informative and I would not be as well as I am today without you all. Thank you. Thank you.
My world at the moment is in chaos.
My one and only sister, which I have spoken about on this forum, is in hospital 50 miles away with a virulent form of pneumonia. She is quite frail, and is very ill.
My mother (she's 91) is in hospital near me for over a week, with the same pneumonia. She had given it to my sister. My mother is doing well and is responding to treatment.
My husband is in the same hospital awaiting an operation in the 'man problem' area.
He has major heart problems so anaesthesia is a problem and they are still not sure how to proceed at the moment.
He has a large inoperable clot in the back of his heart.
He also has haemachromatosis.
All three are serious and coud kill him and I dont know which bit of him to worry about the most!
But by far the worst and saddest of all is I am losing him, my husband of 47 years, my best friend to dementia.
He is slowly fading away from me. Did not remember that they had told him he had a clot in the heart. Did not tell me about the haemachromatosis nor did he turn up for the appointment that was made for him. I only found all this out a couple of weeks ago, and the haemachromatosis when he was admitted yesterday.
He will never go into a doctors surgery without me EVER again.
It was a wake up call for me, I had not realised how bad he really was, as on day to day things he is fine. But anything new he will keep asking you the same thing over and over again.
Terrible too for me was going to the doctors yesterday and explaining that he would not remember a word of what they tell him and they would need to refer to me.
I know this has absolutely nothing to do with TKR but just needed to have a rant and you are the best guys I know for that.
Thank you for listening
Ann
Ireland
5 likes, 120 replies
Annibgood
Posted
It went
Damy Annibgood
Posted
glad things are going better for you and yours! Glad mom, hubby and sister are all doing better.
now, what about you? How many weeks are you post TKR op? How are YOU doing?? As always, thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Donna(Damy )
Annibgood Damy
Posted
Hopefully things should become less stressful today.
Bringing my Mum home and meeting my sister there. She will stay over and bring her for GP visit tomorrow and take her home with her.
So only one bold child to deal with!
Knee doing ok (13 weeks).
See above for my 'squat' incident yesterday. Painful
Other than that stretching icing and taking painkillers.
How is your knee doing? You were done after me I think. How are you coping so far?
Damy Annibgood
Posted
hope ur getting some respite! Though with ur husband to take care of that may not be in the cards for you😒
I am at 11 weeks post op tomorrow. I believe I'm doing quite well. Or so my PT says.i have been going to pt 3/x week since the 5th week, so I am getting a lot of support. He, Alan, is great. He worked in a hospital for joint surgeries before he joined the exercise and physio place that I go to. It is called Active RX; exercise for strength training and pt for those 50 and older. I'm lucky, it is the only one of the franchises in. Massachusetts , where I live.
I have not been on strong meds for many weeks now. I walk ok and my bend is about 105-110 resting and w/ him pushing my leg we get to 115-122.
extension is -1. BUT, I certainly am not back to my normal energy, strength & stamina!! I do not do nearly as much in a day , as before. Also, standing in one spot is painful and uncomfortable.
im coping pretty well. My husband is able to cater to me and accepts much simpler meals than I used to make! I love to cook and we eat pretty healthy, but I do not care as much now. Which is not like me.!! But, again, I'll say I am fortunate and making the best of this situation. I just wonder when I'll feel like my old self!?
most importantly, I want you to know that I think of you, your hubby, mom and sister. If kind thoughts could help than you will all pull through! Though from what you've told us, you have a long road ahead of you w/ hubby!
no wonder you need the meds! You are having to do so much for others during a time of recuperation for yourself.
I'm glad you have this forum as an outlet, keep ranting to us.
warm regards, Donna
Damy Annibgood
Posted
elaine90714 Damy
Posted
My goodness, you described my feelings to a tee. I am 14 wks and 7 wks p/o with tkr. Had one done right after the other.
Other than being tired a lot, I used to love to cook. Even with two bone on bone knees I would fly around the kitchen. Nowadays, it's all I can do to cook chicken. I have no stamina to do anything. I just do my pt, walk a bit and that's it. It's very painful to get out of a chair, stand for any length of time. I don't take pain meds very often. Sometimes a half of vicadin but, that's rare. Maybe I should be???
Just have to hang in there and hope all comes out well in the end.
Take care
Elaine in Michigan
Damy elaine90714
Posted
I can't get over how brave u have been to have had both knees done 7 weeks apart!!!! The thought of having another one done is daunting , especially when one knows what to expect.
i have found that Aleve helps if taken regularly , only problem is that there are consequences to taking these drugs; Tylenol, Advil, Aleve . Sometimes I just don't know what choice to make. It certainly sounds like u would need pain killers at this point. I was on codeine which worked well. I cannot take the stronger narcotics. My system cannot tolerate them.
i agree, I was better off w/ the bone on bone I some respects.
lets hope that in 6 months to a years time we will be great full!
I have made a few pots of soup, as that's what appeals to me at this stage. I pace myself when I have cooking on the agenda.
7 weeks is still quite new for second knee. I have been told time and time again , to take meds so that we can move. Pt, walking, etc. is key to getting better.
good to hear from you!
damy(Donna)
liz00723 Annibgood
Posted
xx
Annibgood liz00723
Posted
Definitely did my own MUA yesterday!
Sore the rest of yesterday and today so far feels like there is a band around it!! Dont think its damaged - just angry with me!
Back on the hard stuff!
liz00723 Annibgood
Posted
My surgeon said to me when I got the MUA that you could do this yourself, but realistically it would not be possible as it would be far too painful. Think he was right by the sound of things. Now you have done it, take a wee drop of the hard stuff, or the painkillers and keep pushing to retain a good bend and straight leg.
17 weeks down the line and my leg still feels like a lump of wood at time and today my hip is sore, no idea why.
girlie night out tonight for me and I can't wait. Mind you it is a leaving do for the beautician at my hairdressers and I just started a few weeks ago going to her for reflexology. Amazing and it seemed to help a lot but she is off to New Zealand so no chance of anymore of that.
You always make me laugh and I think our knees are a hang site better than in the very early days. I remember no sleep whatsoever, hanging my leg out the bed, not being able to sit comfortably as i wanted my leg straight out and all in all everything was a total pain. Showering was a nightmare as the shower was in the bath. We've come a long way from then and I for one, could not have done it without the help of a lot of people on this forum. Have recommended this to so many people.
Liz x
Annibgood liz00723
Posted
Total lifeline. Plus when you talk to people about their problems you are inclined to not think about your own too much, especially some of the terrible stories that some of them have to tell. Nightmare!
OFG being the 'go to' for anything serious.
My Mum has gone home today. Her sister (87) is staying with her tonight. so down to one patient, but, and there is always a but, my sister is not well again, so I could have the same problem again tomorrow.
Beam me up!
Ann X
Ya know which one!