Micheles Uni is June 17

[michelel]

Hey yall, well my uni on my right knee is June 17.  I just got home from my preop appt and CT scan, and a joint replacement class.  My uni will be done with robotic assistance.  Its called MAKOplasty.  The hospital I will be going to is the only hospital in NC who uses robotic assistance.  I am nervous about hte post op pain, but I am ready to be out of this everyday pain, and limited functionality.  I will be starting a post op diarly as soon as I can after surgery.
PEACE & LOVE
Michele

[ghost]

Michele,

I'm right behind you and having patellofemoral resurfacing/unicompartmental replacement on 7/21.  Good luck and keep us posted.  BTW will you be an in patient?   I was told that mine would be done as an outpatient.  Scares the sh...t out of me.

Sue

[Caroline109]

Good luck, Michele!!! I just saw in the newspaper that our local hospital just received as a donation a surgery robot and the article said it will be doing a lot of surgeries (prostate was mentioned, can't recall if knees were) and it looks like a very exciting technology. It was donated by the father of a HS friend of my son's, who was the man who gave the founder of Subway the money to start the business. I bet it will be a lot of help to people locally and the one in your area will be of great assistance to you, among others, lol!


Good luck again!

[michelel]

Thanks Sue and Caroline, I will be ptient, if pain is well controlled I will be able to go home after 1 night, if not 2 nights.  ood luck to you too and deff keep us posted.  Caroline I am thankful for the use of the robotic assisted, i think i am anyway, let you know for sure afterwards, lol.

Michele

[Peg Leg]

Hi Michele,

I have been wondering what you had decided to do!  Where are you having this done?  Is it your medial compartment?  I am having my surgery a week after you on June 25th.  I'm having a BiCompartmental replacement with the insert being custom made for me.  Sounds like we are both going to be on the cutting edge!  I hope things go well for you and you get the relief you're looking for.  I was told I will be in the hosp. 2 or 3 nights depending on pain control.  How long do they expect you to be in therapy?  I'll be pulling for you! Keep us up on how you're getting along!

peg leg

[michelel]

Hey Peg Leg, I was wondering about you too. Well I am having it done at Wake Forrest baptist Medical Center.  My OS Dr. Gary Poehling is suppose to be really good, He does 5 to 6 unis a week.   That sounds like a he has a lot of experiance ya know.  I guess its "cutting edge" especially being robotic assisted.  I watched a video on the MAKOplasty and it looks cool.  I forgot all about asking how long PT would be.  I know that PT wil be coming out to my house 3 times a week for 2 weeks, then I resume PT at the office. I had to go to a joint replacement class it lasted like 2 hours, it was informative but loonngg.  I am having something like a block the numbness last like 48 hours.  I was  like wait I dont want to know anything, I want to be out cold. The lady teaching the class was like no youre asleep with medication put into your IV, you wont know anything, that you just dont have the breathing tube.  They also said they use that block, then they want use to ask for pain meds when your pain reaches a 3, and they would give you a pill for pain the if needed IV pain meds,  I dont know but I am getting pretty scared about post op pain.  I have read some things on here about how bad the pain is, and I have a readlly low pain threshhold nad a high tolerance to meds.  I really sucks, I guess Im just a wimp.  I know that my knee hurst bad now, so looking forward to a successful surgery.  Im gonna start a post op diary as soon as I can afterwards.  I wsish you all the luck in the world and a speedy recovery.  I will be looking for your future post.

PEACE & LOVE
Michele

[cboden51]

I'll sure be praying that all goes well for you.  I think the trick with the pain meds is to stay ahead of the pain- just ask for it when it is time- don't wait for the pain to get our of control.

Best to you,

Connie

[Papa]

Hi Michele,
I agree with Connie, stay ahead of the pain and don't be afraid to ask for meds at the very first sign of pain. When your in situations like this, your mind can tend to override the truth that your body is telling you. The key. especially with a high pain med tolerance, is to communicate with the staff. there may be a meds that you haven't had that could work well for you. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Stan

[michelel]

Hey Stan and Connie, thanks for the encouraging words and the advice.  I am deffinatley gonna ask for the pain meds as soon as I feel the first pain. 3 days away, OMG it hasnt been feeling real, its starting to now, and its scary.  Thanks again.
PEACE & LOVE
Michele

[Peg Leg]

Michele,

I had a femoral nerve block and a sciatic block; they were awesome!!  By the time they wore off, I was on a morphine pump and that baby rocks!!  I have a high tolerance for pain meds, too, and it takes so much to help normally.  But I have to say the morphine pump was the bomb.  I have to be in at least 2 nights to have that and since I have a bad track record with pain control, I suppose he will use that again.  Everyone is right in telling you to stay ahead of the pain; once it gets a hold of you, it takes a long time to get it back under control.  You will be fine and this will be behind you in no time since it's only 3 days away.  Keep us posted and GOOD LUCK!!!!

peg

[michelel]

Thanks Peg, I am deffinatley gonna see about that morphine pump.  I guess I need to tell them right from the start about my high tolerance to pain meds.  And I will deff ask for po or IV pain meds as soon as I feel any pain.  Thanks Peg, and keep us posted on your dilema too, ok?
PEACE & LOVE
Michele

[ghost]

Michele,

Good luck on Wednesday, I will be thinking about you.

Sue

[michelel]

Thanks Sue I appreciate that.  You have been very helpful to me through all this. Thanks.
Michele

[digginit]

Good luck, Michele!  Day after tomorrow, huh?  So it'll be a little rough for a little while, but the time will fly by, and next thing ya' know you'll not even notice that ol' kneebone.  Heck, I just had my TKA the other day, and here it is 8 1/2 months later.  Whoosh!

I was very fortunate where pain was concerned.  It was never intolerable.  In the hospital I had epidural Fentanyl PCA, which I really liked.  It made me itch like the dickens though.  Clawed the bujeez out of myself.  He started me on high-dose ibuprofen in the hospital, and I think that made as much a difference in my very smooth recovery as anything.  I kept it up until after our ski trip (5 months post-op), and I tapered it over a month or two.  Now I finally don't take anything, and the knee is GREAT!

I'll wish for smooth sailing for you. 

~dig

[michelel]

Hey Dig thanks alot.  Wow skiing 5 months post op TKA thats impressive.  I believe I read your post referring to that ski trip.  Yea day after tomorrow, Im getting scared you know post op pain.  But Im thinking if you tolerated the pain well with a TKR surely I can handle it with a uni. Thanks again dig.
PEACE & LOVE
Michele