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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,126
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?

@RinaRina I had composed a whole paragraph with empathy for you, but I don't think it would help.  I just want you to know that I truly understand your pain level, for I had it, too.  I had strong pain medication and it barely touched it.  I hope somehow you can get your date of surgery closer.  I can almost feel your pain from your post.  I promise to pray for you.  **HUGS**

ETERNITY: your choice... smoking or non smoking!
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,403
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Attn: If You've Ever worked for a Surgeon?


@RinaRina wrote:

@fortune wrote:

 

If you live alone, you may have to hire someone to take care of you.  For me, this would be a serious situation because of the cost.  I guess it's hard to imagine how bad of a situation this can be.  It's also more than "discomfort."  It's agonizing pain.


 

Yes, I do live alone.  I've joined knee replacement groups, so I know what I'm in for.

At least in April it won't be snowing (hopefully) and the weather will be getting warmer.

That'll be some relief.


Smart move to join a support group!!  You will be able to get the answers to your questions plus tips for making your experience better by planning ahead (crucial for this kind of surgery!!)  And, the weather will also be in your favor!!

 

Are you able to get any pain medication that helps you deal with the pain?  My heart goes out to you!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?

I am sorry to read of your situation after finally choosing your orthopedic surgeon.  It has been 4 years since my knee replacement surgery, but I will NEVER forget my 13 years of pain, and that last year when I too, could barely walk.   I am thankful every day to be totally pain free.   

 

By the time I consulted my physician, I was truly wearing my pain. No one had to ask me IF I was in pain, their only question was how bad is it today?  My physician could see the depth of my pain, and insisted I start taking something to help ease my physical distress prior to my surgery.   Taking the pain medication for those last 8 weeks prior to my surgery was extremely helpful.   

 

Whether you can get an earlier surgery date remains to be seen.   However, you can help yourself by using a walker, or a wheelchair, if you are not already doing so.   By using either of these, you will be able to see things around your house that need to be in order prior to your surgery.  Prior to my surgery, I took up all rugs, rearranged my furniture to give me wide, clear paths, filled my freezer and pantry with food, and worked on getting myself focused.  My recovery was made much easier by my pre planning.  No one had to think about shopping, or planning meals, as I covered everything.   All I had to do was focus on my recovery. 

 

Wishing you the very best.    

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,765
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?


@RedTop wrote:

I am sorry to read of your situation after finally choosing your orthopedic surgeon.  It has been 4 years since my knee replacement surgery, but I will NEVER forget my 13 years of pain, and that last year when I too, could barely walk.   I am thankful every day to be totally pain free.   

 

By the time I consulted my physician, I was truly wearing my pain. No one had to ask me IF I was in pain, their only question was how bad is it today?  My physician could see the depth of my pain, and insisted I start taking something to help ease my physical distress prior to my surgery.   Taking the pain medication for those last 8 weeks prior to my surgery was extremely helpful.   

 


 


RedTop,

Re: PAIN

The reason why I wanted to get the surgery sooner is because my walking has become so bad, now, my other knee is messed up as well as my right hip from the lopsided, convoluted compensating I've been doing.  I can't even walk my dog, which I used to enjoy doing 2 hrs a day.  Now, I'm lucky if I can manage 20 minutes.

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."
Respected Contributor
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Registered: ‎09-13-2012

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?

I was going to suggest the waiting list.  Maybe that will pan out for you, though, and you'll get the surgery a bit sooner.  I would want to have confidence in my surgeon, so I suppose that's why you want to stick with this one.  It's better to have it done right than a couple of months earlier.  I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know.

 

Why not call this surgeon's office or another of your doctors and ask for suggestions about how you can prevent other orthopedic strains while you wait.  Would a knee brace or something like that help you in the meantime?  Best of luck!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,765
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?


@Ms X wrote:

I was going to suggest the waiting list.  Maybe that will pan out for you, though, and you'll get the surgery a bit sooner.  I would want to have confidence in my surgeon, so I suppose that's why you want to stick with this one.  It's better to have it done right than a couple of months earlier.  I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know.

 

Why not call this surgeon's office or another of your doctors and ask for suggestions about how you can prevent other orthopedic strains while you wait.  Would a knee brace or something like that help you in the meantime?  Best of luck!


 

I totally agree with everything you've said.  I'm on the waiting list, but there are 54 peeps ahead of me.  So, I'm #55.  Woman Sad  I have another app't w/ him this Thursday and will address the other issues;  a knee brace was on the list.  I'm also wondering if compression hose would help.  I do use compression knee sleeves, but they're so tight (on my swollen knee), I wonder if they're bad for circulation .... ?

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."
Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?

@RinaRina   I have you in my prayers that you get in on the wait list soon.  Please stay positive and know it will all work out for the best. Prayer works miracles.

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Posts: 18
Registered: ‎01-16-2016

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?


@RedTop wrote:

However, you can help yourself by using a walker, or a wheelchair, if you are not already doing so.   By using either of these, you will be able to see things around your house that need to be in order prior to your surgery.  Prior to my surgery, I took up all rugs, rearranged my furniture to give me wide, clear paths, filled my freezer and pantry with food, and worked on getting myself focused.  My recovery was made much easier by my pre planning.  No one had to think about shopping, or planning meals, as I covered everything.   All I had to do was focus on my recovery. 

 

 

 


Good advice. I'd also suggest talking to your local friendly physical therapist (I'm a physical therapist assistant on a TCU). They can give you gentle exercises for strengthening the muscles of your affected leg. Then you'll be stronger going into the procedure  and will recover faster, as well have better outcomes.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?


@chrystaltree wrote:

I work with surgeons, not for them, everyone who needs knee resplacement surgery is in serious pain, your case isn't an emergency. Yes, they do block some time for real emergencies.  You have nothing except a visit booked with that second doctor, if he recoomends surgery, it's likely you'll have to wait until sometime in the summer.  So, unless you have a serious reason for not wanting the first doc to do it, stick with that doctor.  Call his office and speak with the scheduler.  Let her know that if the doc has a cancellation, you would appreciate it if they could move your surgery into that slot.  That's commonly done because surgeons book or time and they HATE cancellations.  It's flu and cold season, a lot of elective surgeries are cancelled.  And don't whine about pain, as I said all their paients are in pain and your surgery is already on the scheduled.  However, you can ask about medication for your pain.  Perhaps, they can adjust your meds or order something new to make you more comfortable until you have the surgery.


@Chrystaltree2

@RinaRina

 

This is good advice Crystaltree has provided.

 

I'd add a few things:  get a walker, if you can afford one or perhaps check out second-hand shops.  Get pro-active in finding out an "in the meantime" solution to taking some of the weight off of your knees.  You can do crutches, but they can be a pain in the neck; do you have a community center with a pool and spa?; make a concerted effort to lose weight, if you're over-weight (this will help); keep in mind that you are a "new" patient with this surgeon, which means you're right in there with the other "new" patients; can you take non steroidal anti-inflammatories?  If so, you might call the surgeon's office and ask to speak with he Advice Nurse (RN, NOT Medical Assistant.  Before the call, write a few things down: realistically, on a scale of 1 - 10, where is your pain level (remember, a 10 means you would jump off a bridge); describe the type of pain you have: aching, burning, stabbing, lacerating, etc.; indicate on a scale of 1-10 the level of your disability due to the condition in your knee; and ask if they would recommend a special brace that might take some of the weight of the thigh (femur) off of the shin bone (tibial plateau).  And, of course, the goal of this is to ask for and NSAID, if possible.

 

Most people ARE on waiting lists, sometimes months long.  Please know that there's a lot going on behind the scene, prior that TKA for you. Ortho practices are generally quite busy.  And, if this surgeon is also on-call for the ER (that usually means he/she has had experience in ortho trauma, that may take time on a fairly regular basis, especially if the hospital is a Level I Trauma Center.

 

I worked at a huge medical school, hospital and trained in trauma. 60% of what I did was ortho-related and we did many TKAs.  Unless your knee it's trauma related or you "know someone,"  waiting is the game.

 

Again, get proactive and got to it!

 

God Bless.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,640
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Attn: Have You Ever worked for a Surgeon?

Hope you can get it moved up, but use the time to lay in supplies like easy to prep meals for you & extra food for your pup.  Try & get a shower chair to use so you won't have to try & get down into a tub to bathe or stand in the shower, a toilet seat riser if you don't have an ADA height toilet, as it's tough getting up & down from a regular height toilet after surgery.  I slept with a cordless phone beside me on the bed & within easy reach of my couch, as I missed a few calls when I couldn't get up quick enough to answer it. 

 

I remember prior to my surgery, I was his last appointment for the day as I was still working at the time & he was on call at the hospital & had to leave right after he saw me to go to the hospital & do surgery on someone with a broken hip.