@dkapustin : they should show you at the hospital how to deal with the compression hose. Ask for a spare set to take home so you can wash them once in a while. Pay attention, though - I did not realize that my spare set was only knee-high, so not very useful. I sometimes put the shorter one on the good leg, so I could wash the over-the-knee ones in turn. If worst comes to worst, the home PT person will be able to help out with instructions and taking them off.

@dkapustin I had my knees done by two different doctors and neither stressed compression stockings! I have some that I got for varicose veins and fluid retention in my legs though and if they fit right I don't think they are that difficult to put on. When I had terrible edema (fluid retention in my legs) from my cirrhosis they were difficult to put on, but then my legs were huge with fluid. I actually think I was simply not able to get them on at all.
Also, my ortho does not want his patients icing for six weeks! He feels that ice prevents the healing blood from going to the wound to heal it. I know that's the opposite of pretty much every other doctor but his success rate is phenomenal. The icing is really for pain primarily so if you can manage that then it doesn't help with much else, although I guess it might with swelling if you have a lot of that. My swelling was minimal.
JK