# waitin for the surgeon



## rottiman (May 30, 2012)

Sitting in pre op waitiñg to get a new left knee joint.  Been waiting for 4 years for this but wil be glad when it is done.  Wish me luck.....................................


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## Jack Straw (May 30, 2012)

Best of luck and may I suggest PT, PT and lastly plenty of PT (Physical therapy) oh and take some pain medication if you need it.


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## firebroad (May 30, 2012)

Ya brought that dirty old phone into the pre-op?  And to think they won't even let me have my wedding ring
Good luck, hope you wake up comfortable.


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## GAMMA RAY (May 30, 2012)

Good luck Rotti!


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## fossil (May 30, 2012)

Never text while anesthetized.  Hope all goes well and you're up and about in no time.

ETA:  Let Percocet be your friend for a couple or three days...don't chase the pain, stay out in front of it.


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## thewoodlands (May 30, 2012)

Good luck Rotti, hope all goes well.

Zap


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## GAMMA RAY (May 30, 2012)

fossil said:


> ETA: Let Percocet be your friend for a couple or three days...don't chase the pain, stay out in front of it.


 
Great advice...no reason to be in pain those first couple days. Take the pain pills as directed.
I learned that the hard way after my neck fusion.


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## pen (May 30, 2012)

Best of luck!  Finger's crossed!  Looking forward to seeing your first slurred pain med induced post with good news


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## certified106 (May 30, 2012)

Good Luck, I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. My next door neighbor had both of his knees replace and after it was over with he said it was worth it. Make sure you stick with the PT.  Here is to hoping for a speedy recovery!


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## firefighterjake (May 30, 2012)

Good luck and a speedy recovery Rman.


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## firebroad (May 30, 2012)

[quote="certified106, post: 1126463, member: 15045" _*Make sure you stick with the PT*_.[/quote]
Probably the most important thing you can do!

Rotti? Rotti? Aww, bet he's in la la land by now...


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## GAMMA RAY (May 30, 2012)

firebroad said:


> Rotti? Rotti? Aww, bet he's in la la land by now...


 
I love it when they give you the Versed and say "now count down starting with 10...9...8...."


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## firefighterjake (May 30, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> I love it when they give you the Versed and say "now count down starting with 10...9...8...."


 
I never get very far . . . and when I "wake" up I always end making more of a fool of myself than normal by attempting to sing . . . very loudly.


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## Jack Straw (May 30, 2012)

I had my knee operated on and they had had this huge needle sitting on the table next to me and I kept wondering, what they were gonna do with that damn thing? ..... I drifted off and I still don't know what it was for. I did wake up in the operating room.....I can't sleep anywhere


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## firebroad (May 30, 2012)

Nobody ever told me to count down; the last thing I ever remember is the doctor telling the anesthesiologist to hit me with another shot. Yum.
'Course, when I woke up after they took the mass for biopsy, I felt REALLY rested.  But everyone else was laughing like hell.  I found out later that Twilight Sleep is NOT really sleep, that you are indeed awake, but cannot remember anything as it is amnesia drug.  Creepy.  Wonder what gems of wisdom I blurted out...


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## GAMMA RAY (May 30, 2012)

Nothing is worse than knowing everyone in the O.R. when you are having surgery.....
and they are all gonna see you naked....at least for a short amount of time...you hope!


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## ScotO (May 30, 2012)

Good luck Rotti, and like others said, get PT as soon as you can.  It'll make it easier for the next scrounge.....


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## firebroad (May 30, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> Nothing is worse than knowing everyone in the O.R. when you are having surgery.....
> and they are all gonna see you naked....at least for a short amount of time...you hope!


Well, now I know what they were laughing at...


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## Jack Straw (May 30, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> Nothing is worse than knowing everyone in the O.R. when you are having surgery.....
> and they are all gonna see you naked....at least for a short amount of time...you hope!


 
That explains the laughter.......(too slow dang it!)


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## firebroad (May 30, 2012)

Jack Straw said:


> That explains the laughter.......(too slow dang it!)


...And now you know what the needle was for.


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## Eatonpcat (May 30, 2012)

Good luck...Hope all goes well and you're up and around in a jiffy!

Wow...That health care in Canada, He says he's been waiting in Pre-Op for 4 years!


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## Jags (May 30, 2012)

My prediction for Rottie's first post back on hearth dot com.


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## PapaDave (May 30, 2012)

I was out and about earlier, so missed this, but Good luck rottiman.
We're all pullin' for ya'. Do the pain meds like Rick says and stay ahead of the pain.
The PT is important too. You've probably been told all this by the doc(s), but we can't resist trying to be helpful.


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## rottiman (May 30, 2012)

Well guys, its 6:45 pm and here I am sitting up in bed, all comfy with new knee in place.  Procedure done with spinal block and a femoral block.  No pain right now and I feel really good.  Will stay ahead of the pain as prescribed.  Thanks to all of you for the encouragement.  Can not believe how smoothly this has gone so far.


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## PapaDave (May 30, 2012)

Wow! Done already?
Great news--rest well tonight. They may have you walking the halls soon.


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## rottiman (May 30, 2012)

PapaDave said:


> Wow! Done already?
> Great news--rest well tonight. They may have you walking the halls soon.


 Told me physio will be here first thing in a.m. to get me moving.  Say I'll probably get the boot friday around lunch time. Its been a long day so probably be conking out in a while.  Thanks to everyone for the support.


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## BrotherBart (May 30, 2012)

Great news guy.


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## Backwoods Savage (May 30, 2012)

Great Rotti. Let's hope the recovery all goes well. I do have to add about the PT because so many make a big deal of it. My wife just had a new knee and 2 months later a new hip on the same side. She did go to PT while in the hospital but was only in the hospital 2 days for each of the surgeries. No PT after that and doctor has been well pleased. Of course she does exercise a lot but we don't have to pay for that like we would for PT. Those jerks get like $400 per hour!


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## rottiman (May 30, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Great Rotti. Let's hope the recovery all goes well. I do have to add about the PT because so many make a big deal of it. My wife just had a new knee and 2 months later a new hip on the same side. She did go to PT while in the hospital but was only in the hospital 2 days for each of the surgeries. No PT after that and doctor has been well pleased. Of course she does exercise a lot but we don't have to pay for that like we would for PT. Those jerks get like $400 per hour!


 

BS, luckily up here I am lined up to start getting PT on a out patient basis from the local hospital a couple of days after discharge.  Although the waiting lists are long for this sort of surgery up here, the follow up treatment is readily available and covered by our socialized medical coverage here in this providence.  No out of pocket $$$$ involved.


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## firebroad (May 31, 2012)

Congrats, Rotti!!
Glad you are in no pain,  it will show up when you start that PT. !!
Stay away from that hospital food.


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## loon (May 31, 2012)

Good for you Rotti  

Terry


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## muncybob (Jun 1, 2012)

Hope it all goes as planned! I'm told as long as you do what you are told...and don't do things you are not supposed to be doing!!...you'll be pain free soon and glad you went through all this.
Co-worker had both her knees done just this week and a neighbor in his 80's had a knee done a few weeks ago. Must be the medical blue light special or somethin'.


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## Jags (Jun 1, 2012)

Boss man just had his done last week.  He is not even walking with a limp at this time.


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## Dix (Jun 1, 2012)

Rotti, just saw this.

Glad things are going smoothly. PT is your friend !


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## fossil (Jun 1, 2012)

OKAY PEOPLE...volleyball in ten minutes...let's go...chop chop...Rotti, it's your serve!


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## PapaDave (Jun 1, 2012)

Well, if he can stand up, that might work. He's probably not doing any slamming at the net though.
I'm no longer crazy, so will be watching from the sidelines.
You know, I bet he's been chasing all the nurses for the last couple days. No wonder we haven't heard from him.


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## rottiman (Jun 1, 2012)

Wow, home from the hospital already.  P/T @ the hospital had me going up and down stairs before I shipped out.  Pain scale of 1 to 10 and I have not been above a 2.  Reg Physio starts sometime next week.  Meanwhile I have been given some home excercises to do thrice daily.  Then rest, elevation and cryo-cuffing lots.  plenty of time to watch the Hearth.com page.  Thanks to all for inquiries.  All is going great.


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## BrotherBart (Jun 1, 2012)

What? Those techs don't know about splitting and stacking PT?

Good to hear the good news Rotti.


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## raybonz (Jun 1, 2012)

Rottiman I didn't know you had surgery.. Sounds like you're doing OK.. PT will make all the difference,,

Good Luck!

Ray


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## begreen (Jun 1, 2012)

rottiman said:


> BS, luckily up here I am lined up to start getting PT on a out patient basis from the local hospital a couple of days after discharge. Although the waiting lists are long for this sort of surgery up here, the follow up treatment is readily available and covered by our socialized medical coverage here in this providence. No out of pocket $$$$ involved.


 

Good to hear it went well and you are the mend Rotti. My SIL is going to get a knee replacement very soon. Your words are encouraging. Heal well and don't chase the nurses.


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## rottiman (Jun 2, 2012)

begreen said:


> Good to hear it went well and you are the mend Rotti. My SIL is going to get a knee replacement very soon. Your words are encouraging. Heal well and don't chase the nurses.


 
begreen, have your SIL check out a web page called  "bonesmart.org. "  It has a wealth of information about knee and hip surgery written by people who have, are having and are going to have these procedures.  I found it extrememly helpful.  I am also just learning that it is not a wise idea to cut down your prescribed pain meds when you just get home.  Thats why I am writing this @ 1:58 a.m.  LOL  These are the type of lessons you learn when you have a hard head.................................................


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## begreen (Jun 2, 2012)

Thanks I'll pass that on. Meds are one of her concerns. She gets very nauseous on most pain meds.


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## rottiman (Jun 2, 2012)

begreen said:


> Thanks I'll pass that on. Meds are one of her concerns. She gets very nauseous on most pain meds.


 Yeah thats what was happening to me so I thought I could just bypass em......................WRONG.................., back on the Dilaudid, 2 pills and six hours later the pain has subsided and swelling coming down with religous use of the cryo cuff.  So far stomach is holding up too....................Learned my lesson.


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## GAMMA RAY (Jun 2, 2012)

Wow Dilaudid, that's some good stuff there Rotti.
Glad you learned your lesson you bugger!
Best thing is to taper down the pain meds slowly when it is time. Don't just stop them abruptly.


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## raybonz (Jun 2, 2012)

My wife took that painkiller when she had her knees done and it was not easy to get around here or anywhere in Mass. for that matter.. Very potent painkiller for sure!

Ray


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## rottiman (Jun 2, 2012)

raybonz said:


> My wife took that painkiller when she had her knees done and it was not easy to get around here or anywhere in Mass. for that matter.. Very potent painkiller for sure!
> 
> Ray


 Yup definitely cuts down your ambition rate, feels like i am in a funky hang over.  It ll get better, just have to be patient, not one of my strong suites.......!


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## raybonz (Jun 2, 2012)

rottiman said:


> Yup definitely cuts down your ambition rate, feels like i am in a funky hang over. It ll get better, just have to be patient, not one of my strong suites.......!


From what I witnessed the important part is to push yourself in the physical therapy to regain the max range of motion. After she finished the therapy she went back to do the other knee! I never did so much house work in my life lol.. Even now I try to do more to help out and most weekends I do several loads of towels and line dry, fold and bring in the house. Listen to your therapist and you'll do fine..

Ray


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