Hi ALL, I didn't know where to start this subject so will jump right in..Some of you will remember from the last two weeks that my DH is having knee replacement.. I have all the arrangements made, rehab, hospital ,, powers of attorney and all that... NOW,, DH, is first class in the bull head dept... No matter what the situation, he WILL do it his way.. No one else has the expertise that he has and he's even said to me that before the surgery he'll have a word with the surgeon about what HE (DH) wants done.. While this is not my problem, I gladly turn this over to those that can handle it better than I... Big question, After this is over and the recuperation begins,, in rehab first,, not worried about that, but when he comes home and the home health have visited each day, how do I handle him when he's determined to do it his way...Does anyone know if Medigold PPO and the doctor will re- admit him to rehab, or do I just let him be his usual obstinate self... Some of you remember his thoughts of last week when he wanted to order Foyley catheters, insert each night so that he wouldn't need to get up to pee all night.. Treading water here... Any thoughts will be appreciated.. I already depend greatly on your encouragement... Thanks so much Peggy
my DH had a knee replacement prior to AD ... they gave him morphine for pain in the hospital and it set him off badly. aggressive loud and plain mean. jerking out tubes and very hard to handle even in the hospital. the PT that followed was just as bad. he fought tooth andnail and didnt like what they made him do. trying to keep them OFF the knee will be hard til they are allowed and then getting them to use a cane or crutches was also difficult. i dont know how we got thru it but we did. i hope you have a better experience. i know others have had knee replacement lately here and had alot of success. but i dont know about how it will affect a full blown AD person. its not going to be easy but it can get done with right meds and good help. you may need to hire some help of your own to be there with you during recouperation times and pt. divvi
Peggy, be SURE he has a spinal rather than a general anesthesia. I just had it for my own knee replacement, though I don't have dementia - but you can search back through the files here for the threads on general anesthesia being awful on PWD. Other than that - nowadays the doctors - or at least mine - say that what you feel like doing you can do, you won't hurt your knee. I took pain meds for a few days, wondering why I needed them, the pain wasn't bad, and then the PT guy said you take it before you have the PT so you can stand that pain. That helped. If they can manage him in rehab, ask them for tips on what to do. I don't know about medigold. MediCARE WILL allow you to be in rehab, no cost, for up to 14 days I think.. The reason for PT is to get range of motion in the knee. If he doesn't do it he may have a stiff (but painfree) leg. You may be able to live with that if he resists.
Thanks, so very much. At least now I know what to expect.. I will have Home Health after he gets out of rehab so that'll help..So much can happen when they have no reasoning and seems not to care one way or the other...I will surely remember to give him the pain killers before exercise or PT.. Makes a heap of sense to me,,,, as does all the other info I get from this site... What did we do before we had Joan?? She keeps us "accepted and sane".. Peggy
wife had knee replacement an it was the worst mistake we could have made,I personally think thats when she really went down hill,funny thing tho at hospital she told me she thought it was nice of that young doctor to come in an apolige for giving her too much anesthesia.hmmm I didn't think about it at the time but when I look back on it,they needed security people,pastor,numerous docs,nurses to control her after operation,she (ex teacher) was adament about getting to school said the kids were waiting for her an she had to open doors,they even put her in a straight jacket which she chewed the straps off then bit a nurse,as I look back now I wonder if she did have a reaction to the anesthesia
Thanks, ol don, for sharing your experience.. I will, clearly be happy to get this surgery over with... DH in his infinite wisdom, believes this to be the absolute answer to all his problems..The doc's all for it,,,Clearly, I believe it won't change his balance, his slipping and sliding thru the house, his mental capabilities or anything else... So, after hearing from you all, The NH is set to keep him for as long as necessary or until I go broke.. It is of late that I know the meaning of "One day at the time".. At least now, I know what to expect...
Well peggy-you did ask. On day one post op my husband was out of bed, unassisted and wandering. Nothing and nobody could hold him down. Hospital gladly sent him to inpatient rehab. He was so determined to do everything his way that the staff wound up hating both of us. He signed himself out and I had to bring him home with home health care. He was nasty to the therapist and was soon discharged. Amazingly the knee healed well in spite of everything.
Thanks. bluedaze... perhaps there is a light at the end of this tunnel after all... I've briefed the rehab and NH people about his nasty disposition and they say they've been there and done that... I guess so.. in your case, he came home for you and home health to deal with.. One thing about this nasty disease is that from one minute to the other, things happen even on the best of days.. Get me a banana, I'm ready to swing from a tree....