Wahoo! And it may not seem that way to you, but the 7 weeks seem to fly by....

"can do 3 sets of 10reps of 100+ lbs. on seated leg-press, with just the new knee. I could do lots more weight! "

Wow, faron, that's fantastic. I'm enjoying your progress reports. It's inspiring to read how far you've come in such little time.

Wow, to those of us at home with our original knees that was a fast 7 weeks. Reads like it's going well. Good for you.

So happy for you! Keep up the good work and positive attitude!

Wow, that's terrific! Do you do the weights at gym, or PT? How often?

I think it's a go for my dad's surgery on Wed, he was tested yesterday and though he is allergic to Novocaine he's not allergic to the knee block (he's also no allergic to penicillin which he thought he was all his life b/c his mom was). No word on whether he was tested for Lyme or if it's even a concern.

Mom and Dad are still insisting that all he needs is a walker and cane but I'm sure PT will tell them if he needs other aids and I am ready to collect them from Sr. Center(s) and to install grab bar(s) as necessary.

Thanks for the nice comments guys!!

Ajsmama-
Had 6 weeks of PT @ one of the clinic branches that has a large rehab-gym. It was 3x/wk for 4 wks, then just 2x/wk for the last two wks. So I'm done with the "organized" PT because of my awesome results! I kinda miss all those machines!

It wasn't all weight-work obviously....
* PT-Lady stretched-out leg at start of session.
* Usually it was 3 different weight-machines 1st: Seated leg-press, seated leg-extension, seated hamstring curls.
* Then off to balance exercises, & small stair-steps.
* Next, the band around legs @ knee-level, squatting down some, & moving laterally with wide movements.
* Lastly, 10min+ of seated step-machine with rowing handles. The last 2 weeks were treadmill!

Yes....walker & cane are the essentials!

Faron

Yay! Great progress!

I don't know what they plan on for PT after he gets out of the hospital (Saturday? Surgery Wednesday). I hope they have a setup similar to yours, with machines, and don't just have him do PT at home.

So when are you going back to work fulltime? Darn, it's too late to clean those gutters now - but maybe DW will have you putting up the lights soon ;-)?

AJS-
Good to hear he'll get "repaired" Wed.!!!
I went back to work half-days last Monday the 10th!
Doc said NO ladder-work THIS Fall anyway!

For most surgeons around here, 2 nites is "the norm" for knees, but not all the time. I was in 3 nites...only because I almost passed-out moving around after a muscle-relaxer pill was suggested & tried the previous overnight, & earlier that a.m.! They said it can help the pain-meds work better a while after the nerve-blocks wear off the next day...so I tried them.....
>>> Never again!! Had to stay an extra night 'cuz of that dammit!! I was FINE...but just as a precaution!

PT-
Yes...I'm DAMN glad there's SO many choices in town here! 2 of them are within a mile of my house!
* I'm VERY glad for the "Structure" of PT in a Non-home setting.
* It obviously forces you to "go thru the regimen" of better exercises, under supervision.
* Would I have done as good @ home, in the "on your own"-regimen? NO WAY IN HELL. Gotta be realistic too...:-)
* I wonder if I could've went to the Bison weight-room!?!??
* THAT would've been something!!! TONS of weights smashing around, & machines banging.....GLORIOUS!!! ;-)

Also-
* It wasn't just "PT @ the Gym and I'm done"-kinda program!!!! Can't stress that enough!!!
* Gym-PT was IN-ADDITION to the normal home-exercises/stretching! I did the home ones EVERY...DAMN...DAY.
* It IS a commitment on many levels...& I have to thank my WONDERFUL DW for all her behind-the-scenes help!!!

MY Successful recovery statements:
* Was it hard? Hell yes.
* Did it hurt? Oh Hell yes.
* Seem like you're not progressing much? Yep!
* Wanting to ease back? Every damn day!
* Dreading PT sometimes? Often!
* Sick of the Walker & Cane? Oh yeah!

Then....after 2-3 weeks...things start to change...fairly rapidly!
My legs are stronger now than b4!!!
I've talked to lots of people with a family-member who had knee(s) done. The ones who WORKED at recovery are fine.
Those who didn't do much........welllllll......

>>>>>> There's only a narrow window to "make a good comeback". MAKE THE MOST OF IT, or you're basically SCREWED.

Faron

I know you were working on it a home too, you've been dedicated to making the best recovery possible - of course you wanted to make sure that the knee was BETTER than before the surgery.

There's only so much I can "nag" him, not having gone through it myself. Judging from the pre-surgery exercise routine (or lack thereof) I am afraid Dad will not keep up what he has to at home, any PT outside (with weights or not), or PT visiting home, will help b/c he will not keep up on his own. But I'll ask his brother who had both replaced at the same time to "check in on him" by phone regularly, maybe that will motivate him. I'm really worried that if he slacks off, the knees will be worse (though I don't know if that's possible) than before.

Oh, TG at their house is going to be soooo much fun (not)! But Mom will need some relief by then (so I'm cooking, she can run out and visit her sister or something while DD and I tend to Papa).

Ajsmama-

Yeah...I had forgotten all my preaching here on the PRE-strengthening importance too!

I'd better let you get on with all the "Rush to Surgery-Day" preps! I'll check here, & my emails if you want, for any questions you guys may have. I'm thinking of your crew down there (Texas???), & wish you all the best!!!

Remember-
His recovery/quality-of-life will be determined DIRECTLY by what HE does...OR DOESN'T...do, in the next Month+.

Faron

My zone shows in Gardenweb but apparently not THS. We (and my parents) are in CT. DH is from TX.

I'll email you with any questions, I hijack way too many of your threads. I'm not doing anything to prep for Dad's surgery, just TG dinner LOL. But DS went to dentist today (DD and I go tomorrow, new dentist since old one retired), he needs a consult and X ray with oral surgeon b/c his wisdom teeth are partially erupted and he may need to have 1 or all out. Just scheduled the consult for Dec 2, we'll see when surgery is. Poor kid, best time to do it might be over the holiday break. When I had mine out I looked like a chipmunk for a week and I don't know how long it took before I could open my mouth enough to put a spoon in, much less chew. DS got my eyes, and my teeth apparently (DH never got his wisdom teeth)!

Dad's coming home tomorrow!

Good good good!!!

Now the "REAL" recovery begins....!

Faron

I emailed mom your first post on this thread after I stumbled across something online with surgeon saying "patients begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel" at 6 weeks "when they can put weight on it". I don't think they want to hear any more from me, she was very terse in her reply saying that "Dad already has a lot of flexibility and is walking further than he could before." - a day after surgery.

He WAS superbad, shuffled everywhere. He claims he can walk the full flight of stairs to his bedroom now but Mom won't let him. But he's on Oxycodone and I think a morphine drip (something injected into IV) so we'll see. He says pain is bad, no worse than the pain he's been having but continuous instead of stabs, so he asks for the meds. But at least he knows it's temporary.

He says he can walk w/o walker but PT says he has to use it to keep his feet pointed out straight in front instead of walking duck-footed. Mom says hospital rules are he has to use walker but he just picks it up and carries it (she compared him to rebellious teen). So we'll see once he gets home. I told her he has to use the walker if that's what's forcing him to point his foot straight instead of to side, b/c he doesn't want muscles to pull the new joint out of alignment. PT is literally "trying to keep him in line." But we'll see.

I talked to him 2x yesterday, he was telling me how his brother who had both knees done was walking 14 miles/day to keep up with hunting guide and guide told him most hunters have to stop and rest more often, he was amazed that 70-yr old could keep up with him. Dad thinks he's going to be the same way but he's a couple years older, has never been in as good shape as younger brother, and isn't as dedicated about doing exercises (as we saw pre-op) or doing what he's supposed to (as with the walker) though I hope he will change post-op.

He also has neuropathy in feet (it's not diabetes), dr thinks it might be b/c of scoliosis so might get better after back surgery (which he might really need anyway).

Sorry to get so long-winded here, but I don't know if you got my last couple of emails through GW?

Ajsmama-
Yes, got your emails. Did you get a reply or 2 from me?

I couldn't have picked-up my walker for walking, OR gone without it! I never had issues with foot-forward angles though.
Sounds like he's gonna have to at least partially change his tune though! :-)

STAIRS with no help????
No. way. in. hell.....
Using good leg only...yes but even then...and I'm only 53 & pretty strong. I think I was a MONTH b4 I could that, even WITH a cane!!! I did have extra MCL-work done though, but STILL....

OXY-Codone???
Icky! I hated that stuff when I had my large hernia done in 9/2010!!
I tolerated HYDRO-Codone much better. I didn't have any IV-pain med however. Just the "HC" pills. When morphine isn't used soon though...reality is gonna hit. It hit ME anyway!!

Faron

No, I never got a reply that's why I was wondering if you got my emails. 2ajsmama@gmail.com

I don't know if he's even walked up a few steps in the hospital or if he only FELT like he could walk up a flight - I'm sure he didn't do a dozen steps the day after surgery. He came home last night, I went to the church dinner about 1/2 way through so I could eat with DH and DD who were working (bussing tables) and then time it to go pick up DS. My mom was in right at the beginning for take out DH said and had left Dad home (alone) first - 12 miles away. So I'm assuming he was doped up and in bed. Was doing well with (or without as case may be) walker in hospital so I'm sure he could get to bathroom only 5ft down the hall by himself. I'll probably go over today.

Yeah, in the hospital he was getting some kind of IV painkiller and I'm sure he said OC to take home. I couldn't tell over the phone he was in pain/stress the first time I talked to him but he told me when he called back and he told me pain was as bad as he's ever had and continuous rather than stabs so he's taking the meds. Hope he can keep up with it at home. No mention of ice machine, he says no grab bar needed for shower, he knows to stand on "good" leg (not that the other is that good) first when stepping over tub. So maybe your MCL was the major thing but I'm still wondering about that surgeon saying 6 weeks was when you could put weight on new knee.

But Dad's knees were bad for so many years that even with the pain (which he is thrilled that it's only "temporary") he feels like he's so much more mobile it's a vast improvement. I just hope he doesn't push himself too far too soon with things like stairs - worried that he might have tried getting to bathroom without walker, on HW floors last night while Mom was gone b/c that is something he would do. At least it's a narrow hall, he can hang onto walls but I'd be afraid of him twisting the knee.

The day before the surgery he pulled out the toilet and vanity (which was built in place) and shelves from the upstairs bathroom. Good thing he didn't get a nail in his hand or something! I told Mom she has to tie him down! Good thing is since that bathroom is out of commission now he won't try to climb stairs to sleep up there until it's done!

Hi AJS!

I think I used the shower-chair seat or back to help lean on getting into shower. I did have a handle to lean on too. This was clamped in the middle of the tub-side. The first couple weeks, I used the shower-chair frequently! It was just "safer", because I wasn't good at standing a lot yet! Also, the warm water made me tired faster.

I simply COULD NOT have done much without the walker! The leg-strength simply just ISN'T there yet....
I wouldn't trust walls!!! Hands can slip waaaayy too easily...then you're on the floor.
WOW! I'd be a nervous-wreck if I were you!

Faron

Got your email. Yes, I am a nervous wreck. The shower chair mom got was just a stool, low (under 18" I'd say) no back no clamps. She said she'd get another one at HD they had looked at when looking at bath fixtures (don't know why they didn't get it then), I'm going to return this to BB&B where she got it (after PT said he needed 1?). Mom thought it was the same model. I have no idea what they looked at.

I called today to see how things were going, had to get off line b/c they were waiting for dr to call back - they'd called b/c Dad's leg was bruised all the way up and around the thigh, thought it was blood clots. Then Dad must have felt foolish b/c he called me back and was ranting about how they should tell him this was normal. I guess they didn't have this kind of info on discharge papers. I just told him they did a lot of poking around in there, it's to be expected. But he did get Rx for another pain killer that can be taken in between (I hope they understood that correctly and it's not INSTEAD OF but more frequently than) doses of OC.

I'll call in AM, see if neighbor is building that shed roof for the HP, and at least will be dropping DD off there for a couple hours after dinner while I help the Scouts. If Mom hasn't gotten shower chair I will go out in AM and get 1 plus the hand-held shower and if neighbor isn't building shelter b4 storm I'll go do it and install the handheld shower too. Poor DD, it's her birthday and I might not be spending any time with her (she told me a month ago she'd go with me to help Scouts with wreathes, today she changed her mind but I'm committed).