The patello-femoral joint :

Home Alone after TTT??? - - Posted by sjugradgirl (sjugradgirl), 7 January 2005

Hey guys.
My TTT is scheduled for Jan. 24th.  I found out that I am not going to be able to have anyone with me for the days after my TTT. My boyfriend lives with me, so he will be there with me during the evenings and at night, but from 730 am to 630 pm I will be alone.
any suggestions?
i asked the surgical coordinator for an order for nurse visits and she said my insurance won't cover it.  anything you can tell me will be much appreciated.
Jwan
Posted by Linds (Linds), 7 January 2005

Do you have any neighbors or anything that could possibly check in on you from time to time? Is your surgery inpatient? Like will you be in the hospital at all for a dayafter or anything, or will you go home same day? If you go home same day, you will definatley have to have someone home with you for 24 hours.  Just to make sure you come out of the anesthetic perfectly okay.    Hopefully you can find someone to just check in on you from time to time... get lot's of bottles of water to have on hand and... easy foood, already prepared... that sort of thing.
hope that helps... I always had a backpack with me... after surgery to get stuff around.

Hope that helped
Goodluck
Linds
Posted by goose (goose), 7 January 2005

Hey,

I'd try to get somebody there, at least to peek in on you.  You have not idea yet  how your body is going to react to everything. From your research you are well aware that some folks are very sick after surgery, some light headed upon standing, some with a lot of pain.  There will probably be a lot of narcotic in your system from surgery itself and then any pain meds you take, so you could be a risk to yourself if you try to do to much. (Like carry and make your own food, etc)

Realistically, your gonna be in one spot only getting up to use the bathroom for the first few days, so your not doing much, but do try to get someone in.   I was glad I had people around to help, they have to do much cause I was just so doped up, but since I was soo very sick for four days it was nice to be watched over.

Maybe you have friends in the area who could come in on swing shifts?  Be on call if you need them?  Does you town have a volunteer group that visits shut-ins?  

Hope you find someone!
Goose
Posted by sjugradgirl (sjugradgirl), 7 January 2005

it was going to be an out patient procedure, but I just talked to my OS and he is going to have it become an inpatient and keep me in the hospital overnight for observations. that eases my worries a little bit.

he also said that he will be putting 2-3 screws in my knee and that he doesn't foresee them coming out ever. is this normal? thanks.

you guys are really helping me out. as it gets closer i get more and more scared.
Jwan
Posted by bajalady (bajalady), 9 January 2005

Hi there,

Screws are normal and most leave them in unless they start to bother your. I don't notice mine.

Also I used a walker and not crutches for the first weeks. Since you are going to be alone I suggest one to keep you more steady. Must less chance of falling. Put the wheels on the "inside" of the legs so it will fit through the doors.

Get a bedside potty too and set things up on a table beside your bed so you have water/sport drink and maybe some food (like power bars) and all your medicines handy within reach.

Being alone is not good at all, but it seems you don't have a choice. At the very least do have neighbors check on you. Give one you trust a key to your house.
And always have a phone ON your person.


Posted by shadehawk (shadehawk), 9 January 2005

Hi there Jwan, I agree with everyone else and just wanted to wish you good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Let us know how you are doing.

Wish you all the best.  
Posted by kctacoma96 (kctacoma96), 11 January 2005

Well... 70 days left and counting till my first TTT on the left leg.  Scheduled for March 22nd of 2005.  I was supposed to have it on March 17th, but since it's an inpatient procedure, my OS hospital schedules are done on different days.  I think the fact that my OS is my best friend's dad, I feel better about having it done.  I'm making my mom take some days of work to stay home with me a few days after it's done.  I can't imagine what it would be like home alone.  Hey I have some more questions for people who have had it done.  Once at home, how difficult is it sleeping with the brace?  Did you prop it up on a pillow or anything?  I was thinking about getting one of those pillow wedges to put under it.  Is it easier being placed in a bed, or on a couch, as far as sleeping and getting up and down?  Also, does the procedure help with hyperextension??  Thanks for the input!
Posted by anasta5ia (anasta5ia), 12 January 2005

Hey Kctacoma96!!

I will try to answer a few of your questions based on my TTT experiences (now mind you, I have had 6 TTTs and will soon be having #7 so I have a bit of experience dealing with these)....

As far as comfort with sleeping with the brace is concerned....Honestly, you are really so uncomfortable that you don't really notice the brace that much.  Yes, it is a pain having your leg straight, but you will feel much better with it being held straight.  Chances are, you will also be pretty groggy from the anesthesia and pain meds so as long as you keep on top of the pain then you shouldn't have too much trouble sleeping.

I always keep my leg up on about 3-4 pillows at all times....You need to make sure that the leg is high enough to help with the swelling and with having several pillows you can rearrange them so that you can find a comfortable position....not that any position is really too comfortable when you are a stomach sleeper like me and are forced to sleep on your back.

I also have found that the best place to be, whether it is the bed or the couch, is the place that is closest to everything (like the bathroom) in order to minimize the amount you will have to move around.  Usually I like my bed cause it is right near the master bathroom and I have a good wall heater in the master bedroom so that I can stay warm here when the lovely temp dips down to like 10 degrees.

Also, as far as your question about helping hyperextension goes.....The answer is no.  That is unless your OS is going to do like mine has had to and actually advance your TT when doing the realignment.  Most OSs don't do the advance cause it can cause you to lose flexion and it is aso much more difficult as the TT has to be COMPLETELY cut free and moved much more than with traditional TTTs.  With my last TTT on the right knee, my TT was moved more than 1 1/2 inches down towards my foot....I now can only bend just past 90 degrees,  but I also can only straighten to 0....I was at -20 of extension prior to this and with my shallow femoral trochleas this just would not do.

If you have any other questions, feel free to IM me.

Hugs-
Heather G.


Posted by coyote (coyote), 13 January 2005

Good suggestions from everyone here.  I had friends from my church, my kids friends mothers and neighbors stop by at different times. I also asked  before the sugery if a couple of my friends would mind calling me before they went out on errands. That really helped - hot tamales to the rescue!!-  One freind even helped chase dust bunnies that were bugging me that I could not get to. I had a wheel chair too with a leg  lift- It made live so much easier so I could sit up and eat, get around the kitchen, sit at the computer - when I wasn't on the CPM machine. I found myself ok to be left alone about 9 days after surgery. I also had and Occupational Therapist come several times to my home. She was great with pain management and self care - so if that's an option take advantage of it. She also softly massaged my leg and it felt great.

Good luck!! Cheryl


Posted by kctacoma96 (kctacoma96), 13 January 2005

I agree about how much info I’m getting from everyone's input.  Greatly appreciate it!  I found this website that has some additional information.  http://www.knee1.com/care/procedure20.cfm/40  

Cheryl, did you think the wheelchair then is a good idea to use for the first part of it?  I'm kind of thinking about renting one at first to use at school.  I was thinking back to my junior year in High School right after my 3rd knee surgery, when I had the brace on locked out semi straight.  In my English class at that time, I sat sideways and my teacher was going off on the student who sat behind me in the row and went charging towards him and rammed her knee into my leg.  I think the wheelchair with the leg raising part would be good for me to use to keep the leg up.

Heather G, I was wondering if you don't mind me asking, how you injured your knees?  How come they've done so many TTT on them?  Thanks also for your suggestions!  Hopefully once I have my first one done, I will be able to help others out from my experience.  

Posted by libertynm (libertynm), 13 January 2005

Jwan,

First of all, good luck on your surgery!!

I'm glad that your OS is keeping you overnight.  That should help.  When you get back home, it would still be a good idea to have someone check on you during the day.  Even if you are fine physically, you will find that having a visitor pop by will do a lot for your spirits.  I was very thankful for the friends that stopped by to say hello during the first 2 weeks post op.

Also, you'll probably be sent home with pain meds and they might make you uncoordinated and fuzzy headed.  One morning, I took vicodin on an empty stomach ( I quickly learned not to do that) and was so dopey that I ran a kitchen cabinet door into my head.  I quite literally opened it right into my forehead and didn't realize what I was doing until I had done it.  If you have a more serious accident, it would be nice to have someone know about it sooner rather than later.

Good luck again!!!

Much Aloha,
Nesanet
Posted by anasta5ia (anasta5ia), 13 January 2005

Of course I don't mind you asking why I have had so many TTTs....

Thank goodness I am pretty much the exception to the rule as far as TTTs go.  Most everyone just has one and in rare instances might have a revision to that one.

Well, my knees just happen to be EXTREMELY evil!!  No, really,  they are....just ask my surgeon.  He will give you a long strand of profanities attached to my knees.

My first TTT lasted for 8 1/2 years...we then had to revise that TTT as I started dislocating again.  My TT was moved to a location that should have fixed the tracking, but apparently my knees didn't read all the literature about what the optimal angle is and such cause the right one continued to dislocate.  My TT was then moved completely to the medial side of my tibia.  This worked for a couple of months and then, as my luck would go the patella then started dislocating medially.  Finally, my TT just had to be advanced towards my foot so that it would pull it back into the femoral groove and into a more normal position as I also have severe patella alta and hypermobility syndrome.  My left knee started acting up really badly during the course of all this and has been progressing in much the same pattern as the right one did.

A lot of people assume that my surgeon is not very good when they find out all the work that I have had to have done, but in reality just the opposite is true.  He is the only one who was willing to even take me on and will not rest until he has me "all better".  I am sure that my right knee would still be spending most of its time on either side of my leg.....anywhere except where it should be if it wasn't for him.

Anyway, that is a REALLY, REALLY condensed version of my story....If you want to know anything else, just let me know.

Hugs-
Heather G.
Posted by Helena (Helena KTF), 13 January 2005

As I live on my own my parents told me I could go stay with them after my TTT. Next time I wouldn't do it. I was running on my crutches from day 2 (yes ) and my parents went out almost everyday. my mom suggested I could sleep on the couch when necessary (bedroom is on 1st floor) but there was NO WAY I would do that! Any wich way but I would go upstairs! I stayed there for 5 weeks, but next time I would stay home alone . Only difficult thing is carrying plates with food. There's no way you can do that with crutches .

Good luck with the surgery!

Helena
Posted by sjugradgirl (sjugradgirl), 13 January 2005

I want to say thank you to everyone who has offered so much advice, well wishes and encouragement.

Iam winding down to a week left.  I am constantly making and revising lists as to what I should still buy in order to fully prepare myself for recovery.

So keep it coming!!! Thanks again!
Posted by coyote (coyote), 17 January 2005

I would definately get a wheel chair!! It makes your life easier and being able to keep your  leg level at all times really helps with the swelling / pain. You will still need either crutches or a walker as well. I used the walker for the first  4 weeks then switched to crutches.

Also  you can ask about an OT visiting you at home while you are in the hospital. I stayed in for  4  days.

Take your pain meds regulary and on time . It makes a big difference.

Good luck next week!
Cheryl
Posted by sso (sso), 19 January 2005

Hi,
I was alone a lot after mine, so I think I can help. You will need food and water. Before your boyfriend leaves in the a.m. have him fill a little cooler with foods you need to keep cold, and place by where you'll be stationed. Lots of bottled water and dried fruits, and energy bars should be close at hand. Almonds are great too. Lots of energy foods. I agree with the portapotty or even a female urinal. I broke my graft and these things became a necessity. Tie a pouch to your walker or have a pack of some kind to put around your neck. You can do it! Oh, and keep the phone handy.
Posted by MedicJess (MedicJess), 20 January 2005

I had my Mom fly out to me for the first week following surgery, but after that I was on my own.  I definately over-did it right after surgery just because my Mom WAS there... I hardly get to see her, so I felt obligated to go out and about with her.  Once I realized what I was doing wrong, I kept myself in bed and on my meds. I ended up being able to sleep almost 24 hrs straight with the exception of potty breaks. I would see if your boyfriend could maybe stay a day or two with you and see how you do? Otherwise you may be able to just sleep the day away while he's gone.  But a MUST is keeping a phone on you at ALL times - even when crutching to the bathroom. You never know when a dizzy spell will hit and you fall. I passed out completely for a few minutes the day after surgery, but thankfully Mom was there to catch me!
Whatever happens, good luck!
Jessie

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