Got new date for surgery!!!! Aug 5

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Well finally got to the scheduling nurse at Dr. S's office.  Seems like someone was trying to fill in for her while she was on vacation.  So very long story short, she never got my messages!  So scheduled today for August 5th at 2:30pm.  Ahh!  Feel so much better with a real date.  So....I have about three weeks to get my stuff together.  Whew!  Who knew it would be that hard to schedule!

So this weekend I am off to help mom finish moving into her appartment, call Goodwill to get the furnature she does not need or want.  Then off to a DME place in Grand Rapids (I can get a discount and they have the stuff I am looking for cheaper), to get a wedge pillow, a potty seat extention and possibly a bath seat.  I am also going to pick up a hand held shower head to make life easier when I get home.

For surgery itself, it will be a LR, TTT, PFJR (patella reconstruction/resurface) and LR repair.  Any medial soft tissue work will be thrown in as a bonus if needed.

Milly

[adlottis]

Milly,

It is a relief when you have that date scheduled isn't it?  Now you have something to shoot for and can start working on what needs to be done beforehand. 

The wedge pillow was one thing I wished i'd had during my big surgery 2 years ago.  it would have made sleeping easier.  The shower seat was a life saver for me,  I used it for many weeks.

Annette

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Hi Annette,

I figured the wedge pillow would keep the leg elevated without the danger of it sliding off the pillow mountain.  I thought a shower set would be nice, standing for a whole shower was murder after the last surgery.  Got out, got dressed and tooka a nap!

Milly

[snorunner]

Hi Milly!
See you started a new post over here! Yeah for the date -- I played phone tag for 2 wks trying to get a date myself. I'm right behind you; I think I've got Aug. 24. and it will be LR and PFJR.  Hey this is to you and Annette: so do you think the potty chair extension is needed w/a chair ht. toilet? I had put in one of those about a year ago but don't know if I'll still need the extension too. My mom says yes (she had TKR). Are you guys talking about the regular height shower seats or do they have a higher one too?
--sharon

[adlottis]

The toilet seat thing I can't speak for.  i just managed, not well but i did manage.  the shower seat thing. My aunt had a shower seat that she let me borrow, i couldn't put any wight on my leg so it was awesome.  I believe it was just a normal height. 

Milly,

I can totally relate to the pillow mountain, it seemed like I spent more time adjusting the pillows than I did laying there enjoying the leg up.  My husband slept in another room for about 3 weeks for there was no room for him.

Annette

[Heathers new knee]

Hey Milly!
Congrats on the date! Betcha you feel better, huh? Just a warm and welcoming fact that there is an end to this madness. Lots to do I'm sure and arrangements to be made. Wonder if you'll be mandated on crutches for a while, too? Speaking of showers, do you have a rubber tub mat? No slippery sliding oops! That could be rough. I took showers while sitting down, too. A removeable shower head is a great gadget to have. It always cracks me up when they say you can shower in x days. Uhhh yeah...on crutches? LOL! Hope your medial side is ok!!! That seems to be the worst part here. Got some catching still going on, too. Sounds like we're gonna have truly twin twinky knees pretty soon! Git R done and hope it goes just as smoothly for you, too!

See ya!
Heather

[suehaem]

Hi Milly,

Great news.

I bet you are relieved that you now have a proper date.  Great idea with the gadget things you can't be without.

At least you can get everything together before you go.

All the best.

Sue
 
North Wales

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Yeah , it's quite a relief alright.  Doc's scheduler was very nice.  She did indicate that she may never take that long a vacation again as she had such a mess.  Turns out she never got any of my messages!  Someone was trying to fill in and help, and mucked things up good.  But I have my date so, it's all good now.

Heather - I'll probably be on crutches for a while.  Especially since I am going to beg to go back to work after three weeks.  I have a mostly desk job, so I may be able to talk him into it.  I just don't want to be out too long with no pay, since I am the only paycheck.  I do have a rubber mat for the tub.  I actually had to get it so the big dog wouldn't fall in the tub!  Big goof kept slipping and banging his chin.  I am nervous, but I can hardly wait.  Just about anything has to be better than this jabby, pokey, grating pain stuff.  At least with surgical pain, you know that will get better over time.  I've got to get my hinney in gear and post the picture of my "new" blue crutch.  The first one turned out great.  The second one is giving me fits!  I am going to ask for a new pair from the hospital anyway.  I think it's time for a new set.

Well best get back to work.

Milly

[snorunner]

Hi Milly!
Hey can you post your xrays ? Misery loves company, you know. Do you have to do both knees or just the one? Glad to hear you're getting kind of excited about this.....that's a big leap forward in the mental process, huh?
--sharon

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Sharon,

I think I can.  I will have to scan them first as they are paper only right now.  I think I will ask for a CD of them at my 1st post op visit.  I don't have much right now at his office.  I took the tons the hospitals had back.  No high tech stuff from them, just the big envelope.  I couldn't fit them on my scanner at home. lol  They don't look too bad, but everything has gotten worse since they were taken about a year ago.  I think the left kneecap would have been right down on the femur had I not had the LR.  I'll try to get at that tonight.

My kiddo is going back to the neruologist.  The topomax is not working, still same symptoms.  I hope we can get some answers from the CT scans.  I forgot to call the docs office last week to see what the results were.  Sometimes things get so busy I forget my name.

Well, ttyl
Milly

[opie]

Yeah , it's quite a relief alright.  Doc's scheduler was very nice.  She did indicate that she may never take that long a vacation again as she had such a mess.  Turns out she never got any of my messages!  Someone was trying to fill in and help, and mucked things up good.  But I have my date so, it's all good now.

Heather - I'll probably be on crutches for a while.  Especially since I am going to beg to go back to work after three weeks.  I have a mostly desk job, so I may be able to talk him into it.  I just don't want to be out too long with no pay, since I am the only paycheck.  I do have a rubber mat for the tub.  I actually had to get it so the big dog wouldn't fall in the tub!  Big goof kept slipping and banging his chin.  I am nervous, but I can hardly wait.  Just about anything has to be better than this jabby, pokey, grating pain stuff.  At least with surgical pain, you know that will get better over time.  I've got to get my hinney in gear and post the picture of my "new" blue crutch.  The first one turned out great.  The second one is giving me fits!  I am going to ask for a new pair from the hospital anyway.  I think it's time for a new set.

Well best get back to work.

Milly

  Before returning you need to invent a way to keep the leg elevated at your desk . I tried returning before I should have and that was the major problem.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Thanks Opie, but I have.  I currently have a rolling printer cart that sits under my desk.  I can also just prop it up on the desk and pull the keyboard tray out all the way.

I've also decided that if it gets really bad, I grab a laptop and lie on the floor with my foot up on the desk.  I think I will close the office door though.  That may look really strange.  It is actually not too far from how I use the laptop at home, except I am on the couch with the pillow mountain.

If things really get terrible I do have a very understanding boss, so I could bag it in and go home.

I've had two knee surgeries while I've been here, so I've learned to improvise.

Thanks for the reminder though.  I'll make sure my "footstool" is all cleaned off.  It works nicely because I can move it with me a bit.
Milly

[Heathers new knee]

Ohhh Milly! I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, I need to tell you something. Do you have to drive to work or can you get a ride to and from? Sawbones wouldn't let me drive even with begging and pleading for a tad over 2 months. He's VERY careful with us, espec. in having TTT's. You'll probably be braced/immobilized for a while, as well. He's also cautious with pain meds and driving as should be. Perky pets + behind the wheel could=danger, danger!! Please do be careful, ok? I'd just hate to see ya stuck with no back-up plan. He may let you work as long as you can prop, keep swelling down, etc. but, he might not cut you loose on driving for a while.

Hey! I hope your daughter is ok! Still having head-aches? Think she really does have migraines? Has her vision been checked lately and "other" possible causes? Wow, I hope it gets sorted out soon for her. What a summer vaca, huh? Bummer.

Blue crutches, aye? I have a pink cane now. Betcha my daughter could hook you up with some nifty stickers, too. I always wanted to put a stop sign on mine with caution warnings, lol.

On a funny note, your doggy statement just cracks me up. He's a bad dog, huh? Roxy (my female pom) is bad right now, too. Eww, eeewww prego with a capital P and c-r-a-b-b-y. Growls at poor lil Theodore for no reason and is just not herself. She looks like a waddling little butterball and getting fatter everyday, lol. Can't wait to see how many she has in the baby bump. Pretty soon!

Sharon~
If Miily has the same x-ray CD's that I have from Dr. S, I haven't figured out a way to move them to my computer. Can only open them to look at them that way. I can, however, take a pic of the digital films and see what we get. A-bomb still looks funny but, it's a huge difference in shaving it down n' plastic attached to the back of it. Before and after can give you some insight as to what you might feel with this, too!

Be good ya'll and have fun!
Heather

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Heather -  Glad you stopped over to the thread.  I will have my hubby take me to work and pick me up.  I also have my mom and the in-laws if I need them, so I think I have those bases covered.  I hsve some ideas to prop the leg up and such, but I will definately cut back if it's too much.  I can have the doc put lots of restrictions on my return to work, even part time if he thinks that's best.  I certainly would rather drive myself, who wouldn't, but I don't have problem getting to and from work.  Usually with pain meds I try to wait until I get to work to take them so I am not driving with them and also wait until I get home.  I try to do that whenever possible.

My kiddo does not have migraines, per the neuro.  We just had her new glasses and contacts picked up a month ago.  We tried logs and such and could find no connections.  The neuro thinks they are more muscle tension headaches and gave her a different med to try.  I've got to look it up and see what side effects we need to look out for.

Poor prego little doggie.  She probably feels pretty blech right now.  It will be exciting to see how many puppies there are.  At least she can still walk er.. waddle around no?  Hope everything goes well with the puppies.  Our Booda isn't exactly a bad boy, just hard headed (literally too).

TTYL
Milly

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Hey all,

Three weeks from yesterday is D-Day.  I'm excited, scared too.  I really want this to be done so I can start getting better.  Just keep looking at my list of want to get done before then, and the list doesn't seem to budge and time flys.  Will be going next weekend to pick up some stuff, like my wedge pillow.  I will do without everything else, but I really want that.  Pillow mountain just won't cut it this time.  My biggest goals are at work and are to get out a certain amount of equipment before I go off on leave.  Got three new PCs to get out and at least one more referb for someone.  If I can get out one last referb I would have pretty much made my goal.  They just take so long to set up, then the data transfer.  UGH!

Got to get the house ready a bit too.  If I label things for my daugher she can do a good job with laundry.  I will run both kids through it this weekend and next too, so dad does not get ahold of there clothes.

Well TTYL,
Milly