phyllser

LOL! Good job, Janet! Yeah.. yesterday DD called me describing back pain she was having.. I said, go to doctor. Sounds like bladder infection or kidney infection. Today she is on two heavy antibiotics.... bladder infection or kidney infection the doctor said! Mama was right. Or... it might be her fibroids acting up. If Rx doesn't give her relief in a week then its the fibroids. Dr. recommended she go ahead with hysterectomy. Great post-op appt today w/x-rays. Hardware looks great, doctor pleased with my progress and gave me Rx for 4 wks outpatient PT. But he said I probably just need a couple of sessions for evaluation and teach me some exercises I can do on my own. So we are making plans to head south in the RV 2 weeks from Saturday!! WOO HOO!! Janet... here we come!! Too much stress yesterday and band tightened up. So I was awake most of the night.. reflux. Miserable night!

Sorry for your awful day, Janet and hope things are going better by now! TEENAGERS!! My day is going much better than yesterday. Good post-op visit with doctor. X-rays show hardware looks great. He was pleased with my progress and gave me Rx for 4 wks 2X/wk PT at local facility but said I probably just needed a couple of sessions... evaluation and give me some exercises to do on my own. So I went straight over there as soon as I got home and made four appts for the next two weeks. We're planning to leave Oct. 10th. Earl came straight home and packed all his clothes for the winter... it took him about 10 minutes! That is a very scary thing! I threatened to screen what he had in his baskets, but he escaped to the RV before I had a chance. I can only imagine. Oh, well, there's always Walmart! LOL Only a couple of hours sleep last night but it wasn't my knee, it was reflux and my stupid CPAP machine. Pulm Dr faxed orders yesterday for an automatic machine that will adjust to how I am breathing, and asked for a mask fitting. My mask is just not fitting right. Earl complained about CPAP keeping him awake again and finally moved to the living room to sleep for a few hours! Go figure! I listen to him snore all night long every night! I don't know what his problem is! To me it's "white noise" and I actually sleep better with it on than with it off. Because I got so mad at him I turned the friggin' thing off for a couple of hours... until I figured out he'd left anyway... and it was too quiet with it off! Reflux was probably a result of too much stress yesterday because all I had to eat last night was a small piece of breaded tilappia and some steamed broccoli, then a 60 cal rice pudding later in the evening.

Did not have a good day today. I guess two walks yesterday was one too many. Slept well, but increased pain today. Then DH was in a nasty mood... started with him finding he was short on his Rx meds... and it was all my fault, of course. He ranted and raved about it despite my repeated apologies... He says I led him astray when he had his Dr. appt last month and told him he had plenty of his prescription meds until we got to CA. He goes in every year at this time and gets duplicate Rx of all his meds... one copy for up here, one copy for Marine base in CA. So he only got one copy. Today he figured out he was out of meds and had to use the Rx he'd put away in filing cabinet for CA. So we had to go to Navy base and get them filled. And he pouted about it all day and still hasn't gotten over it. What a baby! He's had me in tears several times today. First when he wouldn't shut up about it this morning. Then this afternoon, he was ranting and raving about something else and I just couldn't take it anymore! He watches Fox news just about all day every day and then he is yelling at the TV and at me all day about things that are going on! Today it was the U.N. speeches. So between just not feeling good because I was having a lot of pain, and his nasty mood... I'm ready to run away. I was just thinking yesterday about how well things have been going for the last month or so. Grrrrr! I'm ready to trade him in today! Okay... finished venting. Think I will try taking a walk soon. But, may lose my dinner first. So tied up in knots that I'm not sure it's going to stay down! He's a good guy, really! And he's been taking such good care of me since my surgery... and all the time, really. I'm really spoiled in a lot of ways. But... today he is being a real JERK!!

Welcome! Hope it all works out for you. Keep us posted.

Good luck with that, Charlene. Lori... I'd like your address, too!

Didn't think about it being time-released. It is generic.... sertraline, so maybe not, but probably good advice. I have to go back and see my primary care doc soon to get new Rx for CA, so I'll talk to her about it then. Just did 2nd 1/2 mile walk of the day. Tired, hot and sweaty now, ice bag on my knee. Though it doesn't feel bad at all..just kind of tired and achey. One concern.... hate to even say it or think it, the more I walk the more the opposite hip is hurting! Hoping if I just keep it up it'll be okay. I'm going to log every 1/2 mile walk in my signature... even if I do two in one day.. just to keep track of how many times I do it.

Saw snow in Castle Rock on this morning's news! Don't get discouraged if you have a weight gain after surgery. I think the first time I weighed was a week after surgery and I was up several pounds. But I wasn't thinking about all the swelling in my leg. The next week 3 1/2 lb loss and then 2 lb this week. And now that I am able to walk 1/2 mile at a time, I'm sure I'll continue to lose faster than I was prior to surgery. You'll do the same.

Lunch with granddaughter was very nice. Photo on FB. She LOVES Red Robin.. it's basically a gourmet burger place, but lots of other stuff, too. I got their Ensenada Chicken Platter w/1 grilled chicken breast instead of 2. Still 629 calories if you eat everything, but I didn't eat any of one of the sauces that comes with it, and it was probably 100 calories at least. I used the salsa and couple of TBSP of honey mustard dressing. It was nice to see the sorority house where she lives now. Didn't go in, but wanted to see what it looked like and where it was.

Janet, So sorry to hear about your aunt. Hope her suffering is kept to a minimum. And, yes, it's so good that you went and had that visit with her. I HATE cancer! It was so sad to watch what it did to my beloved Aunt Genny and I still miss her so much after almost 2 years. I'm feeling so good these days that I think I might start breaking my zoloft in half!! Seriously! It has made such a difference in my whole attitude, etc. because I'm so excited to be able to walk as much as I am! I already did my 1/2 mile today... Tracy walked with me last night. That was nice. We had a good talk. But I went early today because its supposed to get HOT this afternoon. So I decided to do it after breakfast and before my shower today. Then I rode my scooter across the highway and got my latte! Made a new friend on my walk, and have a new biker guy friend at the latte place!! :bored: He's worried about me riding around the streets on my scooter and said I should wear a helmet! He saw a guy have a bad accident on one once.. his brakes failed and he rolled backwards down a driveway and flipped over. Yikes! So, as soon as I get my shower, we're off to Seattle to pick up GD. Was so blessed to get a text message from her yesterday saying she was off at noon today if we wanted to go to lunch! She is sophomore at U of WA and works at a gym for tots teaching gymnastics. I think her classes start soon or maybe already did, and she knows we're heading south soon.. So... I better hit the shower and get ready to go! Have a gREAT day everyone!

Wow~ You've had a busy day already. Just a little after 10a.m. here, but I already got my walk in... 4 wks today since knee replacement and walking 1/2 mile a day has me pretty happy. Hope to work up to a mile in the next few weeks. Beautiful day here in the NW and supposed to go up to 85 this afternoon. Was blessed to get a text message from GD... sophomore at U of WA.... saying she'd like to go out to lunch with us today. She knows we're leaving to go south soon. So we're picking her up at noon and going to Red Robin. That reminds me... need to go online and look at their menu so I know what I'm ordering! Have a GREAT day everyone. CBL. Hugs!

I do a few of the yoga exercises but can't do a lot of them and they aren't my favorites. Hula Hoop I've tried a few times. Soccer is one of my favorites, though. I was getting over 100 on the advanced, but not so much this summer. Just about ready to get back at it now that knee is doing so well. And I told my PT guy that I was going to start doing the step exercises. I think if I use my cane I can do it now. One of my sisters actually did video me last summer.... boxing!! Fortunately it did NOT end up on UTube!

OH, Jackie! So sorry you're struggling with this. Sounds like Courtney has done her homework and thought this all through. I'm sure she'll be fine. We're here for you!!

I showed off for the PT guy today. I was in the back when he got here so I strolled down the hall sort of spinning my cane in front of me! He was impressed... walking pretty normal without the cane. He laughed! Flexion didn't increase a whole lot... 114 degrees. I was hoping for 120 but he said not to stress over it... just keep working at it... more BUTT SLIDES!! The exercises are so much easier to do than even a week ago it's amazing. I am really pleased with how things are going. Just 4 weeks tomorrow since surgery and I'm pretty mobile, almost completely off pain meds and really excited about how far I can walk already (1/2 mile).

Good afternoon, gals! Another great weather day and the next two days are supposed to be in the mid-80's. I'm getting anxious to start south because I'm afraid that when it ends it's going to be miserable! LOL! Like the rain came down and the rain came down.... little family joke. Oldest son was singing that incessantly on a road trip through CO when he was about 4-5 yrs old. Same words over and over and over until Earl all of a sudden erupted and not so politely asked him to stop singing! I am feeling SO good it's scary! PT discharged me today. He will ask the doc for 6 weeks outpatient PT. Approached Earl today about possibility of saving the Rx until we get to CA. I can do the exercises I've been doing on our way south. That way we could conceivably leave here Oct. 10th. Shouldn't be any problem to walk 1/2 mile, at least, at RV parks on our way down. I did it again yesterday and will try to increase it to 3/4 mile this week. It just gets so boring... around and around and around. One time I wore my headsets and listened to music on my Blackberry. Don't have a way to listen to books or I'd do that. Now that I'm walking I think I'm going to have to dig out one of my fanny packs. Blackberry around my neck swings back and forth as I walk and its annoying. Besides that.... as use of scooter lessens... I'm not going to want to carry my heavy purse either. I think I'm about ready to try walking down that driveway so I have options other than around the condo loop. I showed off for the PT guy today. I was in the back when he got here so I strolled down the hall sort of spinning my cane in front of me! He was impressed... walking pretty normal without the cane. He laughed! Flexion didn't increase a whole lot... 114 degrees. I was hoping for 120 but he said not to stress over it... just keep working at it... more BUTT SLIDES!! The exercises are so much easier to do than even a week ago it's amazing. I am really pleased with how things are going. Just 4 weeks tomorrow since surgery and I'm pretty mobile, almost completely off pain meds and really excited about how far I can walk already. Okay, I'm brain dead now... can't remember what's in all your posts! We'll be waiting to hear about Sushi Man, Karla! Busy weekend again, Janet! Hope you're feeling back to normal soon, Steph! Jackie.... hang in there with those liquids!

Yes, liquid Lortab (AKA Vicodin, Lorcet, Norco, Hydrocodone). I was NOT smart not to ask for liquid! And do take the toilet seat "extender". If you already have a high toilet, like handicap, you might not need it, but I'd take it just in case because getting up and down was quite a challenge for the first three weeks. It's just in the last few days that it feels "normal" and easy. Two hours sounds about right. I think they told me an 1 1/4 hr, but DH says surgery started at 8:15 a.m. and was over at 10 a.m. They had some kind of screen he could watch that told him exactly what was going on, which he really appreciated. The machine you're talking about is called a CPM machine (Continuous Passive Motion). I thought I was going to have one, but I didn't. However, my son-in-law did and he said it hurt. I had those compression things on my feet that kept squeezing. That felt good and keeps the circulation in your legs going. My last knee surgery (partial replacement) they were more like boots that came part way up my leg, but these were just on my feet. I had a catheter, IV, pain med pump (PCA), O2 thing on my finger, compression things on my feet! I was ATTACHED to a lot of stuff! But the 2nd morning, it all goes away. Take out the catheter... walk to the BR, IV lasted a little longer than everything else but I kept screwing it up everytime I went to the bathroom and they finally took it out, too. I don't remember when the foot things were taken off. But, I also had this knee wrap that circulated ice Water around the knee continuously. We had to buy that because my insurance doesn't pay for purchase or rental of that unit. Doctor recommended it, so we bought it. Used it at home for almost 3 weeks, too. Felt good, but I was really using it too much. Ice is supposed to be about 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off. Yes, the most important thing... move, walk, flex your feet. Don't let yourself get too stiff. If the pain meds make you sleepy, take smaller doses, but you WILL need pain med to get through this and if you don't take it you won't want to move. If you have any more questions.... PM me. Don't want to take too much space off subject, though I'm sure the gals won't mind. Jackie, it is really good to have you back!! Yes, I will eventually have to have the other knee done, too. I had a partial on it about 6 yrs ago, but ortho surgeon says the hardware is coming loose because of the weight loss he thinks. Last summer he thought it was more critical than the left, but when I saw him in the spring, it looked the same as the year before so he decided to do the left one first. He'll take a look at the right again when we get home in the spring. In fact, I think I will probably see him in Feb because I'm coming home by myself for a few days. Then if he thinks it needs to be done, I'll tell him I want it in May so I will be pretty much recovered by summer. And yes... you HAVE to do what the doctor says and the PT!! I HATE the butt slide exercise... but that's where I get my flexion back, so as much as it hurts, I'm doing it frequently! The more I move and do my PT exercises the easier it is to walk. My goal this week is three times around the "condo loop", which will be 3/4 mile. I can do 1/2 mile now. Sounds like your kids are doing great! We have a couple of grandkids a little older than that who are kind of in lala land right now! Wanting to do their own thing and not being responsible and not making good decisions! Yeah, Kari... we WILL collectively kick your butt if you don't get back on track!! Karla... are you talking those little packages of peanut butter crackers?? A little peanut butter is not a bad thing... if it's only a TBSP or two now and then and part of your day's food plan. It's actually healthy as long as it's not overdone! LOL!! That's a good pep talk for ALL of us!! 20 lb by Christmas!! WOW! That's quite a challenge but it IS doable! My next goal is getting under 200 lb! I'm so close I can taste it!

CONGRATULATIONS, GRANDMA!! That's GREAT news!

Wow! Jackie, You look GREAT!! So sweet of you to do the liquids with your daughter! Certainly understand her choice... too bad insurance doesn't pay for the sleeve. That'd probably be my choice if I had it to do over. I think in a few years it will be more accepted and insurance companies will start paying for it.

Okay.... TWO laps around the condo loop just finished... 25 minutes fairly brisk walking..... for me, and not holding on to Earl's hand for dear life! All by myself. He will drive it with the car when he gets home so I can see how far that is, but I'm dripping wet with sweat.. good workout for me. I think it is probably farther than the 1/2 mile I did.... whatever day it was I did that. I forget. Temp in mid 70's today. P.S. No.... it was just 1/2 mile, but that's good. No rest stop... 25 minutes walking is good.

Pictures are great. Enjoyed seeing them. Too bad we weren't able to connect on Saturday. But, I have to agree about the cheering stations... it was great to be there and cheer on the walkers. Candice.... I can't find our CampClubUSA membership # and its quite possible it's not current. May have neglected to renew since we mostly use Passport America. Oh, well.

Don't know if this is going to work but giving it a try.

AMEN!! What an a.... hole!!

We have memberships in both... but have only used Passport America, and that one I wouldn't be without. In fact, it's because of that one that we found Sky Valley which is where we now go every year. If you decide to join that one, I will give you our membership # because we get a free month I think if someone we refer joins. I think a lot of the CampClub USA parks are also Passport America. I'm in charge of finding campgrounds as we travel, and I'm just used to using the Passport America book and forget I have the other one half the time. We also have a Coast to Coast membership. Those are a little more expensive and you have to have a "home" park. We used to use it a lot, but now we're in this routine of going to Sky Valley and generally stop at the same parks all the way south... most of which are Passport America. Coast to Coast parks are mostly off the beaten track whereas Passport America parks are usually in close proximity to main routes and interstates.

Great.... did I mention to you that I'd recommend asking for your pain Rx in liquid?? I didn't do that and I think part of my pain management problem has been that sometimes I take the pain pill/pills when there is food in my pouch and it doesn't absorb for a while. In fact, sometimes I take one around 4 a.m. if I"m having trouble sleeping and when I get up in the morning, I realize it still hasn't gone all the way down. And... in the bathroom.. if you don't have grab bars or something, or a seat extender, get a bedside commode.. rent or something, take off the bucket and put it over the toilet. Then you've got the arms to help you up and down. Otherwise, your bathroom experiences might be miserable for the first few weeks. Hope I'm not repeating myself... there was someone else on another thread about to have knee replacement, too and I can't remember what I said to each of you!!

Well, I told the PT guy today... it's not 1/2 mile walk over there and I walked 1/2 mile yesterday so maybe I should just walk over. But he said NO... not across the highway (have to cross a busy 4 lane highway). He said TAKE THE SCOOTER! But... that's two weeks away yet... so I just may try it anyway. Another thing... driveway in to the condo is VERY STEEP and I am scared to death of trying to walk it. I told Earl today that I want him to help me try to walk down it with the cane and go across the street to Albertson's. But he nixed that idea, too. He said not yet! So... I have those two things to contend with.. steep driveway and busy 4 lane highway!

Oh, yeah.. pain is an issue. But you can make it through with the right pain meds. A mistake I made was not asking for the pain Rx in liquid form. I have no trouble swallowing pills, but didn't think about it possibly taking longer for the pills to absorb if I took them with food in my pouch. Pain meds seem to be much more effective when I can take them on an empty stomach... before eating. So.. that's advice #1... they will probably send you home with oxycontin and hydrocodone. The oxycontin they told me is a long-lasting... sustained release... taken every 12 hrs. It's supposed to be the big guns but I didn't find it very effective. The hydrocodone Rx was for 1-2 every 4-6 hours. Don't let the pain get ahead of you.. especially the first few days... take it! But definitely ask for the hydrocodone in liquid. I had an old walker from the partial I had done on the right knee about 6 years ago. My PT guy didn't like it because it had only 2 wheels, and small ones at that. So the first day he was here he ordered me a 4 wheel walker with brakes and a seat. It was so much easier to walk with that. My doctor said I was to use it for 4 weeks, but my PT guy cleared me today to start using a cane. Another thing to consider... how handicap friendly is your bathroom?? My latte stand lady insisted I borrow a bedside commode that her mother had used when she had her knee replacement surgery. I didn't think I'd need it, but it turned out to be a lifesaver. I didn't use it at the bedside.. my husband took the seat off of our toilet.. which is rather low and no grab bar or anything... and he put the commode over the top of the toilet. It not only was several inches higher than the toilet, but had arms to hold on to. I just quit using it a day or two ago. I don't know what I would have done without it! I haven't had a lot of pain with straightening the leg... but my PT said full extension is usually the last thing to come with therapy.. but I was able to do that from the beginning for some reason. It is the flexion that has been a bigger challenge for me, and more painful than extension. But, it gets better with each day. I turned a big corner at about the 2 week point, and this week is even better. I would say that the first two weeks are the hardest. Best of luck to you. I'll be thinking about you.