arthroplasty

Year of the Knee – update

~ MaryG ~ 18 Comments

End of Week One of knee replacement #2 (my husband’s not mine) and I’m pleased to report I have achieved “angel of mercy” status. Oh the power of being in charge of the pain meds!

I did slip into “Annie Wilkes mode” once, when I told my husband I had unexpectedly closed the Activity Ring on my AppleWatch “waiting on his ass.” That was mean, admittedly, but at least I was putting my service in a positive light. Turns out that running up and down the stairs to get things, lugging bags of ice, filling and lugging the “polar cube,” and doing all the daily chores myself (loading/unloading dishwasher, cooking, trash and recycling, etc) burns up a decent amount of calories. I can’t be sedentary for too long.

He’s been trying his best to be a good patient, which I appreciate, but knee replacement is really pretty gruesome. The extreme pain, the swelling, the bruising, the leg full of staples…fortunately not too much bleeding from the incision (and the in-home physical therapist deals with bandage changes—phew)

I think things will start feeling better when the staples come out next week.

In the meantime, we are bingeing The Traitors with Alan Cumming on Peacock, which our daughter got us into. It’s pretty entertaining, for a reality competition show. Who doesn’t love a Scottish castle? And Alan’s outfits are over-the-top in the best way.

A lovely bouquet from our very thoughtful daughter and her husband
It’s lasted all week—and now the tulips are opening.
I might try to paint this one very beautiful rose.

Oh and with this knee, we’ve added cannabis to the pain regime. He’s finding that a strategically timed gummy can enhance and lengthen the effect of the prescribed pharmaceuticals.

Aaah, I finally turned my husband into a stoner like me. It only took 33 years.

Surgical Suites

~ MaryG ~ 17 Comments

My husband had his second total knee replacement this morning at 7am and we are back home sitting on our sofas by 12:30pm—the same day.

If you have the option to get your next surgery as an outpatient at a “surgical suite” vs overnight in a hospital, go surgical suite. I wouldn’t have said that a year ago, but now I see how efficient they are. I’ve heard that the post-op infection rates are lower as well.

Actually, who am I kidding? Nobody has options in healthcare anymore. It’s all about what your insurance dictates and insurance prefers surgical suites because they’re cheaper than hospitals. But you don’t need to be upset if they tell you can’t have your surgery in a hospital. Surgical suites are the better option, in my opinion. Same doctors, but fewer sick people. Nobody is coughing or sneezing. Everyone in the surgical suites is getting something fixed or replaced. And if you’ve ever spent even one night in a hospital, you know being at home is preferable.

Also, they’re sparkling clean. Maybe that’s because everyone leaves by 6pm and the cleaning people can do their work unencumbered.

There – I’ve said something nice about healthcare in America.

Related post:

Arthroplasty

Bingeworthy, part 2

~ MaryG ~ 11 Comments

As Shelly told me, arthroplasty recovery is gruesome. Between the bruising, the swelling, the pain and the really gross incision, it’s a major yuk…especially for the medically squeamish.

I was pretty stressed out dealing with my patient this weekend. Sadly, that resulted in me getting overly annoyed in a couple of situations. (The only one I feel badly about is the pharmacy tech at Walgreens—it wasn’t her fault that their printer didn’t work and she couldn’t give me his prescription.)

I appreciate the many great suggestions I got for Bingeworthy shows during this time of very little activity for me and my patient (aka my husband).

I am pleased to report that we have found a worthy successor to Poldark and it is…drumroll please…The Diplomat (also on Netflix). Although it’s not a period piece like Poldark, it’s got a lot of the ingredients we like: Europe; excellent actors (many of whom are inevitably Brits); good writing; good production values, and very little violence. There are 3 seasons out (22 episodes) with a fourth in production. As everyone knows, Netflix releases entire seasons at once, so all shows are bingeable.

In the non-binge department, we are enjoying Pluribus on Apple TV+. I believe they drip those out on Fridays. It’s my understanding that Vince Gilligan created the show specifically for its star Rhea Seehorn. She’s so good in it. And she’s an American playing an American (not an incredibly talented Brit playing an American—a pet peeve of mine!)

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

American actress Keri Russell in The Diplomat on Netflix
Another very good American actress: Rhea Seehorn in Pluribus on Apple TV+