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Post by kerryc on Aug 29, 2014 17:28:31 GMT -5
My Mom....she’s such a hoot !
She went to the doctor FINALLY the other day about her knee. She’s has min invasive surgery twice over the years on that knee. This time the Dr. said it needs to be replace. She was NOT happy!! She asked him how long he planned on living and working. She told him she was told she could live a good 10 years longer and she didn’t feel like getting her knee done just yet. (My mom is 83, great mind, but her body is starting to fall apart)
LOL the doctor told her he was planning on staying around for a good while longer. HOWEVER, waiting would not be a good idea. More damage is not better for her knee AND he told her she needed to think of quality of life at this point. She said she needed to think on it.
At home she mull it over and decided she was NOT happy hobbling around in pain. Not sure when they will be scheduling this event.
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Post by ride4fun on Aug 30, 2014 0:14:49 GMT -5
LOL. I'm glad she decided to go for the replacement after thinking it over. I think that knee replacement is almost always well worth it.
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Post by Marci on Aug 30, 2014 2:30:44 GMT -5
Good for her!!! My Moms knee finally gave out and she fell. The bruise on her face was ugly for months. It kept her bedridden after that and well she didn't last long. So keep her active.
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Post by Jenni on Aug 30, 2014 8:34:03 GMT -5
My former landlord had knee replacements at 80. Afterwards he had so much more mobility and could actually climb up in the tractor and do fieldwork again. He said he was just plain stupid for waiting so long!
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Post by Trailpal on Aug 30, 2014 21:34:53 GMT -5
My dad had his other knee replaced at the VA hospital in Indiana. He was older, in his early 80's and thank heaven my cousin went with him (she is a nurse). They did not adjust the pain killers for his poor liver, and he was hallucinating because of the over dose. However, once he got through the VA system, he was happy with his knee and had much less pain (I think no pain).
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Post by Frostym on Sept 5, 2014 7:11:28 GMT -5
I had my knee replaced almost four months ago and I have two regrets: 1) I didn't have them both done at once. 2) That I waited so long and suffered so much. If the doc believes your mom is strong enough to survive the op, then she should go for it ASAP. I LOVE my new knee and Trailpal, you're right- NO PAIN. I'm happy for your mom to have this in her future. What a great difference it will make in her life.
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Post by Mary Ann on Sept 5, 2014 14:08:14 GMT -5
Frosty, I'm so glad your knees are doing so well! That makes my day.  Kerry, is there any word from your mom about when she might do this? I'm thinking that, if it's soon, she'll have much to give thanks for on Turkey Day, and it might just be the best Christmas present to herself ever. |
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Post by kerryc on Sept 5, 2014 14:17:37 GMT -5
Well all it’s no so much the operation she is thinking of.... it’s the recovery. My dad is less than attentive or observant. The last major surgery she had was a hysterectomy. She has A-fib. and had taken the precaution and been off coumadin in preparation for this surgery. The hospital assigned a heart dr to her. She TOLD him NO - she would NOT take coumadin while she was in the hospital, they were cutting her open and taking out her uterus. They gave it to her in her IV after her operation without her knowledge, while she was asleep that night after her operation. She nearly bled to death. The nurses frantically kept packing her. She called a meeting between her gynaecologist, the surgeon AND her assiged hospital cardiologist the next day. She asked them WHAT their goals were, because what SHE was experiencing the cardiologist was NOT working for her benefit. The other 2 doctors agreed with her. She told the cardiologist to get his ASS out of her room! He was NEVER to touch her/her records again! She HAD a cardiologist and she will be using HIM even though he did not have privileges at that hospital.
In the mean time mom was very anemic. Dad was less then helpful getting her food when she needed it, at the times she needed it. Eventually was more or less how he operated.
Her fear is after the knee surgery being attached to the “knee flexor” machine at night is getting out of it to make a restroom trip. My dad is really deaf. He has really bad back problems and sleeps most night out in the recliner. SOOOO it looks like I’m going to be moving in over there at nights to help her out. I’m up for that. She stayed over at my house and iced my face through the day every 20 mins and several times through the night when I had major bone implant put in. Then a year later when I had the dental implants put in. Plus all the other times I’ve needed her nursing.
Oh on a side note.... Mom has just learned to text. Oh boy. LOL It's pretty funny some of her messages.
As for her knee replacement. Not sure when that is going to happen just yet. She's kind of a hard lady to pin down. But I will be asking, and keeping on top of this.
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Post by Mary Ann on Sept 5, 2014 20:56:24 GMT -5
She's really lucky to have you in her corner. Men seem to be so obtuse sometimes, and while they mean no harm, they don't mean much of anything else, either.  Scary what some doctors will do. Geez, what an experience! Sounds like she's a smart, assertive lady who is a force to contend with. |
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Post by Marci on Sept 6, 2014 18:45:20 GMT -5
I imagine some of the texts are a hoot.
And yeah your a good daughter to nurse her, some men just don't get it. Mark was OK when I broke my leg but just couldn't understand not being able to go down steps normally on crutches. LOL He would even show me how-but then he wasn't the one with a leg that hurt like hell to put even a touch of weight on. But I lived.
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Post by kerryc on Sept 8, 2014 15:41:46 GMT -5
Scary what some doctors will do. Geez, what an experience! Sounds like she's a smart, assertive lady who is a force to contend with. Mom is a retired R.N. who went back to school and got her Ph.D. in Neuropsychology. She worked with catastrophic head injured patients. She set up and ran the psychology department of Fort Worth Rehab hospital when it was new. It has long sence been sold, not even sure if it's a head injury hospital any longer. She has never taken guff from anyone. I was no easy cookie teenager growing up. We locked horns many times, but she comanded respect and I always knew where the line was. We both survived my teenage years and life is good. LOL |
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