Total Knee Replacement Surgery

I decided it was time to update you on my surgery.  For those of you who don’t know, it was rough!

After several cancellations I finally had the surgery on June 11^th.  Apparently, from what I have been told, my knee was worse than anticipated.  When I was given the pain medicine I was overdosed and came this close to dying.  They could not give me Narcan because it would have taken all meds out of my system.  So, they just “worked” on me. 

I was scheduled to be in the hospital two days.  Instead I was there seven days.  I do not remember the first four days.  The next three are a bit of a blur.  All I remember is they tried to get me up to walk.  On the seventh day they decided I needed to go to a rehab facility.

That turned out to be a bit of a problem.  Glad I had Renea there.  She called almost every facility in Alabama and Georgia.  Ones that were close to us.  As soon as she told them it was rehab for complete knee replacement therapy she was told they only took patients for stroke and heart attack.  She finally found one in Alabama.  In fact, it was Canteberry where her mother lives and where Jim was for his final days.  I was there for ten days.

When they took me to Canteberry Kevin called Jana and asked her if she could come down and stay to help.  Of course, she said yes.  Brian brought her down right away.  After all that happened, Brian wanted to see me anyway.  Jana and Brian brought me food every day.  I just could not eat the food at Canteberry. 

I was really sick the first few days, but eventually got better.  I received therapy twice a day.  The Occupational Therapist came every morning.  She helped me bath or shower, wash my hair, even brush my teeth.  She also helped me with my upper body strength.  The Physical Therapist came once a day; sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon.  He really worked me hard.  I was usually in tears by the time he was finished.  The biggest problem we had to overcome was that scar tissue had already started to form and it had to be broken so I could bend my knee.  It was rough, but by the end of the ten days I was improving.

It was now time to visit with my surgeon.  He was very pleased with the progress I was making.  The staples were taken out of my knee and sterri strips were put on.  I asked him how long I had to stay at Canteberry.  He said since Jana was staying with me, and I was doing good, I could go home that day.  Yea!   I also had to start outpatient physical therapy.  When I stopped to set up my appointment I asked if I could have the same therapists that I had for my hip.  They said yes.

By this time Brian had gone home.  He had to get back to work.

I am going to physical therapy three times a week.  Jana is driving, of course.  I am not permitted to do so.  I also have five exercises I do at home twice a day.  I am improving daily. I also put ice on my knee several times a day.  I know that I will be going to pt three times a week through August 2^nd.  Then I will be re-evaluated.  We are hoping I will be allowed to drive after this, and Jana can go home. 

I am using a walker.  Hopefully, I will graduate to a cane soon.  The pain is slowly becoming less.  I will be glad when it is gone!