Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

I am in the hospital now wearing my new knee. It was installed yesterday and I was screaming g for most of the n ight

 

[atoll]

I am in the hospital now wearing my new knee. It was installed yesterday and I was screaming g for most of the n ight

Just a scratch Paul you got worse in Nam. You could have got kneecapped there and you would be better off now. [emoji6]

 

[Crabby48]

@Paul B
Have a speedy recovery. Once home your mind will be occupied with projects and you’ll forget about the new knee.
You can always send a super model nurse my way.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I am in the hospital now wearing my new knee. It was installed yesterday and I was screaming g for most of the n ight

I bet the nurses love you already. Rest up and be well.

 

[Chasmodes]

Hope your recovery goes well, Paul, and also, hope you have a Happy Birthday!

 

[GBRsouth]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Paul! And a tip from after my past knee surgery, a pillow between the knees while lying on your side MAY make it more comfortable. I feel for you!

Mick.

 

[Subsea]

I am in the hospital now wearing my new knee. It was installed yesterday and I was screaming g for most of the n ight

My last knee replaceent was done by the VA 18 months ago. The first three days were the hardest for me.
Physical therapy started 24 hours after surgery. I stayed at VA rehab hospital for 3 weeks. My sister-in-law had a total knee replacement with MediCare and she went home after 3 days.

 

[Paul B]

I came home yesterday and if I was a snowflake, I would say I was in way to much pain. But I found out why. A nurse came to my house at 8:30 yesterday morning to check me out and she said that in about 1 on 400 cases they don't position the epidural correctly so it doesn't do anything.
Guess who was number 400?
She said, that's why I am in so much pain. That normally keeps you numb for a couple of days but some times the person who positions that is busy so they get the guy who gives out those little plastic flowers on Veterans Day to do it.

They told me I have the record for the loudest screams,

Then the physical therapist came over. She tried to give me the exercises but since my leg is so swollen it looks like one of those drumsticks that Fred Flintstone eats so I couldn't do any of them.

 

[Subsea]

Epidermal was the most vivid memory that I have ever had of pain.

My best friend for pain management was ice, it numbed things up and reduced swelling. I even had a machine that pumped ice water around my titanium knee. It was special.

 

[Paul B]

I had a little surgical complication

 

[Crabby48]

Feel better soon. Videos like that are always a reminder of why things hurt. A little disturbing.

 

[Janci]

Feel better soon.
That 1/400 possibility was meant to be you all the time!!

 

[Subsea]

Paul,
After seeing that video, let’s not go back to the hospital.

I had an ephiphany about upflow substrate filter. I am going to complete disassembly of my 25 year old Jaubert Plenum and plumb it as an upflow filter. I think I will do it the day before your birthday,
Christmas Eve.

 

[Paul B]

. Videos like that are always a reminder of why things hurt. A little disturbing.

They could always leave it in you if you like. Sort of a fashion statement.

 

[Fin]

Sorry that this is so painful. Hoping you get to feeling better soon. From my wife's experiences, frozen gel packs and lots of them, do help. This is the top compartment of our freezer. My wife has been through the wringer with surgeries.

 

[Paul B]

Mine also looks like that. But I also have this electric thing that you put ice in and there is a cuff that goes around your knee. Ice water is pumped through the thing with an electric pump.

But the best thing I kind of invented almost exactly like Gel packs is 3 one gallon size zipper bags one inside the other. Then I get non toxic antifreeze which is sold in marina's, Home Depot of camping stores and mix half of that with half water and stick it in the bags. It forms a jell that conforms to your knee, or shoulder, thumb, nose, appendix etc.

For now it is that and drugs. Lots of drugs. The drugs must be working because I think I froze the drugs and drank the antifreeze

 

[Fin]

Yeah, that ice water machine is sweet. The wife has had those several times. We make our own ice packs to.

Hopefully the swelling will go down soon, so you can start therapy. That won’t be fun at first. Do you have home health checking in you? I know I have become rather proficient at orthopedic care over the last few years.

 

[Victoria M]

Paul GET WELL SOON FRIEND! Take your drugs, use your ice machine! It is a cool little gadget ain’t it?

 

[Paul B]

It's cool Victoria. I still have my old one from one of my shoulder surgeries.
Fin they come to my home. A nurse and a PT person (girl) are coming over in a couple of hours. Today I can take a shower so I can stop attracting cats, Yaaay. Those sponge baths don't cut it if you know what I mean. Especially when you can't stand up or walk a step.
It's a good thing I am not a Girly Man because the pain level right now is just below Horrendous and it's hard to typw while holding in the screams.

I can taks some drugs every 6 hours but of course those things completely wear off in 5 hours, that's when my wife runs away, with the stray cats.

My leg is still about as swollen as a Washing Machine and if I had a Tattoo of Twiggy, she would look like Rosanne barr.

 

[Fin]

A shower stool can help with the shower. Don't try to stand on one leg in the shower. You do not want to fall down. My wife had to progress from the stool to a transfer bench when her hip surgeries started, because our shower is in a tub. That helped a good bit and she still uses it. What sucks about all of my wife's issues is that she is only 53 years old.

Hang in there. We are all pulling for you to make a speedy recovery. Hopefully they can start to get some movement going on today in therapy. It helps to not be at the end of your pain med cycle when you have therapy.