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After knee replacement surgery
Had left knee replaced 9 days ago. Right knee two years ago. Having a problem with inflammation so hard to bend knee and exercise. Trying to ice and raise knee above heart. Doctor suggested getting compression hose. Anybody have this experience and can offer suggestions. So tired all the time from pain interrupting my sleep and painkillers. My insurance refused to pay for the painkiller recommended by surgeon so have to take one with more opiates. That's frustrating. Two years ago it was covered but now too expensive for me to use. Seems the drug companies, not our doctors are determining what we use.
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I have not been in the bathtub for about 8 years. When I first moved into my condo, I was rattled after a horrific divorce, so that evening I decided to take a nice, warm, smell-good bath. It was wonderful. BUT, when I went to get out, the bottom of the tub (a deep soaking tub) was slippery, and I couldn't get out. There I sat, new to the place, and the only person who had a key to my condo was my 29 year old son, who was about an hour away. OMG! The thought of my son helping me get out of the bathtub, totally naked, was horrifying, let alone embarrassing. Somehow, by doing my hippopotamus move, and I don't know what else, I made it out, very thankful. That was the end of my wonderful soaking tub! I cleaned it and it then became the place where I stored my off-season clothing in plastic tubs. It's showers for this old gal ever since.
Abby
That's great .... it's interesting because when I had my RTKR done it hurt right from the get-go. But, when about 1-2 years later he did a revision on the same knee .... I think it's better than it's been for many years.
Abby
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1 ReactionOh, you sure aren't. I think we should form a group of folks who had a TKR, and call ourselves ..... "the real weather reporters." We'd probably do at least as well as the pros.!
Abby
Oh yea, I've been following along with your walking ..... it's fantastic. I'm hoping to move to a lower-income housing apartment within a few months, and there are a lot of places to walk ... that's the best exercise ever! When I went back to PT for the balance thing, it did really help, but I find I still have to be careful, and (I think I mentioned this bit of craziness before) not be so "shushlich". I've always been one to scurry around doing things, zipping here and there. Can do no more! That's a real setup for me to plop.
Abby
The only thing I could think of was that I did fall on my kitchen floor about 2 weeks after getting home from Rehab. Now whether that loosened it or not, who knows. But, the revision has worked out beautifully! I could not be more pleased. And, yes, my same Surgeon did the revision. He's an excellent surgeon in that area and I felt total confidence in him.
Abby
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2 ReactionsHii Abby...... It is a shame you can't enjoy your tub. One: get a rubber mat with suction cups on the bottom to stop the tub bottom from being slippery. Must drug stores have these.
Secondly: get a local medical supply place to install grab bars. They can probably suggest where and how to place them so you can get the leverage you need to get out unassisted. When at Mayo I stayed what was then a Best Western Hotel and I had asked for a handicapped room. Along side of the toilet was a horizontal grab bar, but slightly ahead of that was a vertical grab bar. that started at the level of the grab horizontal bar,but rose to about a 1-2 feet above it's start. It made getting up SOOOOO much easier. I love it now when I go to pubic rest rooms and they have both the horizontal bar as well as the vertical one! You may want such a set up near the tub also. Of course you will have to find a new place to store your off season clothes! But sometimes they mount the vertical bar above,the horizontal bar, but it need so be further away to pull yourself away from the where you are getting up. Also if the grab bars are slippery with wet hands. lay a wet face cloth over the bar and you'll be surprised much traction you will get. @gailfaith.
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1 ReactionAll really good ideas ... but I'm renting and for the grab bars, I would have to go through the office to get their permission. I've never been much of a bath taker .... I take showers .... I guess I'm impatient to git' er' done and git' out.
Abby
Sending positive energy your way!
Hi Abby.....If you are not planning on moving in the near future, I'm sure they would let you put in grab bars.......especially if you agreed to leave them should you move, it would be to THEIR advantage for you to get them installed. Worth asking. But don't agree to anything right off the bat. Anything that would prevent a possible lawsuit should you fall !!!!!!!!! @ gailfaith.
Hi there! Thanks for the advice .... it is definitely something I'll keep in mind. It's a strange situation I'm in. I lived in a different state, in a town I loved, up until a little over a year ago .... I was in that county for 35 years. I divorced after 40 years, and bought my own condo .... same area. Two of my 3 kids live here and had been hounding me to move down here for years, and I did not want to. I loved where I was at, all my support systems are there, and I was very happy. But, finally, knowing I was not getting any younger, I decided to move down here closer to my 2 girls and their families. It was rough, to say the least. I often liken it to taking an old established tree, yanking it out of the ground, and replanting it in a foreign country .... it may or may not survive. Well, I really do not like it down here at all, although my girls are delighted and as sweet as they can be. But, this isn't really "home" at this point. I keep trying, but it's so totally different from what I was used to that I rarely go anywhere, except the grocery store, bank, and gas station. Add to that the apartment I am renting is expensive, thus I am applying at a low income apartment complex .... another change. So, I've applied for a first floor apartment, and all their first floor ones are handicapped accessible, they don't have grab bars ..... so your input is very valuable to me and I thank you. I've told my girls that I will give this area another shot by moving to these other apartments, but if I am still this unhappy and struggling, I will move back to my condo. which I am now renting out. And, to add to the mix I deal with Bipolar II/depression all the time. I've been being treated for years, so it's not something new. I'm sorry to go into such a long spiel about this, but it's a very sensitive subject for me. I love my girls dearly, and they me, but I feel like a fish out of water. I have not been able to find a church that fits, the neighbors are very few and stick to themselves, and I just generally live sad. (sorry about the pity party) But, I'll give it another go, but I can't do more than that. I don't want my last years to be living in never-ending sadness.
Abby