# The count down to a bionic me begins



## Golden Horse

I got the call yesterday...my knee gets replaced on 10th October, perfect timing, last show of the year is 28th September! Have so many emotions, glad it's going to be done, scared witless about the whole thing. Now to get through the next few weeks, got to be show ready, really want to do well, it is our Heritage Provincial Finals, we are in two divisions.


LOL, at the same time the 'good knee' has patella tendinitis, so needs to be rested and exercised...Oh well, time to get serious...


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## horselovinguy

Sending healing thoughts & prayers for you along with a prayer for gifted surgeons and medical team be yours that day.
Till then, remember to take your guardian angel with you in all things you do...
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## SwissMiss

Exciting and scary news all wrapped in one!!!

But perfect timing indeed! Did you ask for an October surgery?


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## Caledonian

I can understand your mixed feelings. Keep focusing on the future - painless knees, extra mobility and shows. In no time, you’ll be right back in the saddle.


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## Golden Horse

SwissMiss said:


> Exciting and scary news all wrapped in one!!!
> 
> But perfect timing indeed! Did you ask for an October surgery?



Well yes! I was first put in the list last November, and was told the wait was 8 - 10 months, which was fine by me. Then I got a call in April saying you have a date on 9th May...cue PANIC. What about my shows, flying to England for a wedding, we are in the middle of buying a house, and most of all Golden Horse, she's just not ready (Canadians should get that one) I was told that they would only offer me one more date, in June, and if I turned that one down I would be off the list, and would have to start all over again. I asked for 24 hours to think about it, that same day my coach announced she was selling the place and moving...Well decision made, if she was moving away I would get one last show season in...Spoke to the scheduling lady again the next day, and she told me that if I asked the surgeon nicely, they could return my paper work to him, and he may resubmit with an October request..So I did, and he did!!

Our system is great sometimes...


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## Woodhaven

Sending all kinds of positive thoughts your way and also good luck at the show. I'll be cheering for you.
When we are young we have a right knee and a left knee, as time goes by we have a good knee and a bad knee, then as more time goes by we have a bad knee and a worse knee.:smile:


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## Golden Horse

Woodhaven said:


> Sending all kinds of positive thoughts your way and also good luck at the show. I'll be cheering for you.
> When we are young we have a right knee and a left knee, as time goes by we have a good knee and a bad knee, then as more time goes by we have a bad knee and a worse knee.:smile:



Thanks, and I guess next stage is an old knee and a new knee!


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## Acadianartist

You'll be fine. Think positive! The show will keep you from dwelling on the surgery too much, and you'll be back on track by spring. You got this! Wishing you a great show and an excellent result with the new knee!


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## Golden Horse

Acadianartist said:


> You'll be fine. Think positive! The show will keep you from dwelling on the surgery too much, and you'll be back on track by spring. You got this! Wishing you a great show and an excellent result with the new knee!



Thanks, I'm thinking positive, and fully believe that following the pre and post surgery instructions really well.....I'll try and be good....


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## carshon

Sending healing thoughts to you. Glad you get 1 last show in


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## Golden Horse

Lol don’t know how that show will go, was schooling leg yields off the centre line yesterday, going to the right...great, going to the left......nothing, just kept going straight! Lesson tomorrow see if we can fix that....


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## Captain Evil

Here's one of the things which I love about Canada: Healthcare. 

Here is what that surgery would cost in the U.S.: 


In Canadian dollars that would be...

$59,234.17 - $92,142.05

If we could convince the Canadian government that we can still be useful and worthwhile citizens at 61 years old we would move in a heartbeat...

But that is not the only reason I love Canada, just a really good one.

PS: good luck with it Golden Horse! Everyone I know who has had that surgery is out dancing now!


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## QtrBel

Sending healing jingles and many good thoughts your way! Hoping for the best ending to this show season and many more to come!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

Hang in there Golden Horse! It will come as it should. Sounds like the timing is going to be excellent for your show seasons and giving you time to recuperate. I've got an elbow surgery coming up (nothing NEAR as major as knee replacement) and I'm hanging in there until our championships in Oct are over. Then I'm going to see if I can get it done before the end of the year so I don't have to pay more deductibles.

Hoping you get the best possible outcome!


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## Golden Horse

Captain Evil said:


> Here's one of the things which I love about Canada: Healthcare.
> 
> Here is what that surgery would cost in the U.S.:
> 
> 
> In Canadian dollars that would be...
> 
> $59,234.17 - $92,142.05
> 
> If we could convince the Canadian government that we can still be useful and worthwhile citizens at 61 years old we would move in a heartbeat...
> 
> But that is not the only reason I love Canada, just a really good one.
> 
> PS: good luck with it Golden Horse! Everyone I know who has had that surgery is out dancing now!



Having been born and lived most of my life in the UK, and now we are in Canada, I only know this form of healthcare. There are issues of course, nothing is perfect, but I give thanks for what we have.


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## Golden Horse

So it seems that maybe waiting until now was a push....

Riding became harder and harder, the Provincial finals I was hanging on to ride in, did not have great results. Funny how you actually need to do more prep rides to get anywhere, and I just couldn’t. I has rides I had to cut short because of pain, then one memorable day when I went to leg yield right and nothing happened.....nothing! She just kept going straight.

Now I am days away from surgery and saying “bring it on” the early onset winter here, with damp, cold and snow seems to have accelerated things....and I am so ready for this.


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## PoptartShop

You got this!


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## SilverMaple

Best wishes or an uneventful surgery and quick recovery!


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## Golden Horse

So I now have a bionic knee! It was replaced on Wednesday am, still in hospital yet, still have my morphine pump, but that gets taken away today, such a scary thought. I know pain pills will work but it’s not the same as having the pump whenever I need it.


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## knightrider

Hope all the healing goes smoothly and you are back on your new horse in no time.


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## carshon

sending more healing thoughts your way @Goldenhorse I hope the pain subsides quickly and the healing and rehab bring you relief


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## greentree

Golden Horse said:


> So I now have a bionic knee! It was replaced on Wednesday am, still in hospital yet, still have my morphine pump, but that gets taken away today, such a scary thought. I know pain pills will work but it’s not the same as having the pump whenever I need it.


Here’s to quick healing!!


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## SwissMiss

Wishing you a smooth and quick recovery!


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## AnitaAnne

Golden Horse said:


> So I now have a bionic knee! It was replaced on Wednesday am, still in hospital yet, still have my morphine pump, but that gets taken away today, such a scary thought. I know pain pills will work but it’s not the same as having the pump whenever I need it.


Congratulations!! Work hard and walk, walk, walk! 


BTW there are no PCA's (pain pumps) used anymore here for knee and hip replacements. Has been almost three years since we used them, and the patients do better now  Surgery on Wednesday would mean discharged home on Thursday.


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## tinyliny

AnitaAnne said:


> Congratulations!! Work hard and walk, walk, walk!
> 
> 
> BTW there are no PCA's (pain pumps) used anymore here for knee and hip replacements. Has been almost three years since we used them, and the patients do better now  Surgery on Wednesday would mean discharged home on Thursday.





yeah, I was gonna say that the Canadian system is generous. In US, you have open heart surgery, you get morphine ONE day. and only one day. After that, you have to like get down on your knees and BEG for pain relief.


the whole Opiod addiction epedemic has made it very difficult for those that genuinely NEED pain relief to get it. it's pretty crazy.


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## Golden Horse

I guess it’s why we stay longer, because they can give good pain relief as an inpatient, by the time you leave your need for high hitting pain pills is reducing.


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## AnitaAnne

tinyliny said:


> yeah, I was gonna say that the Canadian system is generous. In US, you have open heart surgery, you get morphine ONE day. and only one day. After that, you have to like get down on your knees and BEG for pain relief.
> 
> 
> the whole Opiod addiction epedemic has made it very difficult for those that genuinely NEED pain relief to get it. it's pretty crazy.





Golden Horse said:


> I guess it’s why we stay longer, because they can give good pain relief as an inpatient, by the time you leave your need for high hitting pain pills is reducing.


I might not have explained well. The patients do much better WITHOUT the PCA's and all those narcotics! They do fabulous on our pain management system and folks coming back for second surgeries are AMAZED at how much better they are now! We get them up and walking within two hours of arrival to the floor. So many less complications without the narcotics. 

It is a fabulous system and I can highly recommend it. Those PCA pumps had so many problems and bad side effects. 

The patients are not suffering in pain without the PCAs. They are walking and exercising and thriving. 

Patients go home POD #1 with home health for therapy for two weeks. By the follow up appointment (two weeks) many are walking without a cane or walker!!


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## Golden Horse

I simply can’t imagine a system were one has to BEG, for pain relief, just sounds barbaric was to this whimp..

This was the first time I had the pump, and that is only because to is protocol, to provide a morphine pump for the first 24 … 48 hours. No beg
Going or pleading on either side, just an agreement to change. So I went to Physio, came back, all my attattchments have gone 

Now if I need pain relief, I just got get a nurse and ask!

I guess i’m A. Odd one out, my knee freaking hurts, I walk for a while, it hurts, sit for a while it hurts. Go do my Physio and it hurts like an SOB.


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## tinyliny

AnitaAnne said:


> I might not have explained well. The patients do much better WITHOUT the PCA's and all those narcotics! They do fabulous on our pain management system and folks coming back for second surgeries are AMAZED at how much better they are now! We get them up and walking within two hours of arrival to the floor. So many less complications without the narcotics.
> 
> It is a fabulous system and I can highly recommend it. Those PCA pumps had so many problems and bad side effects.
> 
> The patients are not suffering in pain without the PCAs. They are walking and exercising and thriving.
> 
> Patients go home POD #1 with home health for therapy for two weeks. By the follow up appointment (two weeks) many are walking without a cane or walker!!


À


How do you " manage pain" when bone has been radically cut? I had minor toe surgery with minor slice of bone, and it hurt a LOT, even with opioids pain med.


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## AnitaAnne

tinyliny said:


> À
> 
> 
> How do you " manage pain" when bone has been radically cut? I had minor toe surgery with minor slice of bone, and it hurt a LOT, even with opioids pain med.


Good Question! Our research has shown that the narcotics DO NOT help with the pain from scheduled replacement surgery, that is why the pain is so high with places that use them. 

For our Knees, they are given an adductor canal block which can block the pain for up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, starting just prior to surgery, the patient starts on our pain management system, a combination of Tylenol, Mobic, Gabapentin, and Tramadol. 

After surgery they are up and walking within two hours after surgery and POD #1 put into our "boot camp" where they walk and do exercises in a group setting twice per day. 

No block is given for the hip replacements, as they do not seem to help very much. 

We also do ice packs at 20 minute intervals, top and bottom of knees after group. The CPM is also used 3xday for 2 hour each. A home CPM is delivered one week prior to surgery and they begin exercising the knee for the week prior to get the muscles "warmed up" 


But best is walking. The more they walk the better the outcome.


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## SwissMiss

@AnitaAnne, call me a stickler, but Tramadol _is_ a narcotic (aka opioid ) :wink:


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## AnitaAnne

SwissMiss said:


> @AnitaAnne, call me a stickler, but Tramadol _is_ a narcotic (aka opioid ) :wink:


Was wondering if anyone would catch me on that one :icon_rolleyes: but it is mild and a synthetic opioid. It was not a federally controlled substance but it was made a schedule IV RIGHT after we incorporated it into our pain management system...:evil:

I can't repeat what the prescription medication junkies say about Tramadol...but it isn't flattering...:icon_rolleyes:


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## AnitaAnne

But the whole reason I brought up the whole PCA/pain issue with joint replacements was to *reassure @Golden Horse that she can be ok (maybe even better) without the Morphine. 
*


I didn't bring it up to have a debate so now I am rather sorry I even mentioned it. 


I am an ortho nurse but I am too old to care if folks believe me or not :icon_rolleyes:

Good luck with your new knee


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## SwissMiss

AnitaAnne said:


> I didn't bring it up to have a debate so now I am rather sorry I even mentioned it.



Lol, I _had_ to mention it after writing about fentanyl all day long :wink: And yes, I can imagine what Tramadol is called by people that are used to more potent stuff :biggrin:


Sorry, @Golden Horse to hijack your thread 
I hope your pain subsides soon, so you can start planning rides on lovely Stella!


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## Golden Horse

Got home today 

I LOVE MY BED

Have Tylenol 3’s for pain relief, and of course ice!


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## SwissMiss

Golden Horse said:


> Got home today
> 
> I LOVE MY BED
> 
> Have Tylenol 3’s for pain relief, and of course ice!



Good to hear you are back home! And yes, your OWN bed makes a huge difference!
Ice is your friend :biggrin:


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## waresbear

Popsicles help. They gave me T3's after my ACL, didn't even take the edge off. I suffered a few days but popsicles made me feel better.


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## gottatrot

Glad to hear the surgery went well.

In my experience with post-op ortho patients, everyone seems to have an individualized level of pain after surgery depending on many factors. There are so many variables. 

Some people have used opiates in the past (for example, they've had a few surgeries), which can desensitize the receptors in the brain so the pain medications are not as effective. Some people's bodies create a greater degree of inflammation, swelling and pressure around the incision site, causing more pain. Some people have anxiety that makes it worse, or other chronic pain they are used to tolerating, and adding to that puts them over the edge of what they can stand. 

If people had very severe pain from bone on bone degeneration before the surgery, they will often be so used to walking with severe pain that the surgical pain does not seem worse.


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## Golden Horse

What I found funny was I was at the physiotherapy department both Friday and today, the same time as the guy who had his knee replaced the surgery right after me. He looks around the same age, but would have normal BMI, and looks fit. He has his wife with him, she is taking her role of coach very seriously...

Me well obese, look unfit, and hubby is too busy trying to get the house ready , rather than attending therapy with me.

And I kicked his butt at some things, especially the straight leg raise, felt great. One of the ward nurses said horse riders often do well, our leg muscles are good, and we tend to be determined....”who us?”


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## Whinnie

Every day will be better.


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## Golden Horse

Whinnie said:


> Every day will be better.


Lol, that is what I was hoping....but it’s swollen up a bit today, trying to do Physio is very hard, trying to work out if the transfer home, and subsequent urgent bathroom visit where I forgot to slide bad leg forward, or being in bed here.

Common sense and gut, neither of them can figure out if I need to do more or less!


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## tinyliny

gottatrot said:


> Glad to hear the surgery went well.
> 
> In my experience with post-op ortho patients, everyone seems to have an individualized level of pain after surgery depending on many factors. There are so many variables.
> 
> Some people have used opiates in the past (for example, they've had a few surgeries), which can desensitize the receptors in the brain so the pain medications are not as effective. Some people's bodies create a greater degree of inflammation, swelling and pressure around the incision site, causing more pain. Some people have anxiety that makes it worse, or other chronic pain they are used to tolerating, and adding to that puts them over the edge of what they can stand.
> 
> If people had very severe pain from bone on bone degeneration before the surgery, they will often be so used to walking with severe pain that the surgical pain does not seem worse.





I don't mean to derail GH's thread, but since we had some discussion of this, . . I'd like to ask , how recent and how much use of opiod pain relieve medication does it take to create a desensitization, and , if that occurs, isn't it rather short lived? like, say, you had been taking them a couple of weeks prior to taking them again for your surgery?





If taking them once or twice, as proscribed, caused you to develop a dulled receptor to them, then that would be terrible. It's one thing if you are taking them daily, and another if you took them some months/years ago for some legitimate reason, and now you've messed up your receptors forever.




Call me ignorant. I just want to know . 



And, @AnitaAnne, I didn't mean to come off as arguing. I am just curious. your answer regarding the regimen that you use for surgical pain had a lot of acronyms that I did not understand.


@GH. . I am glad to hear you are making them think twice about pre-judgeing us "Fluffy" persons, by appearance alone.


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## gottatrot

tinyliny said:


> I don't mean to derail GH's thread, but since we had some discussion of this, . . I'd like to ask, how recent and how much use of opiod pain relieve medication does it take to create a desensitization, and , if that occurs, isn't it rather short lived? like, say, you had been taking them a couple of weeks prior to taking them again for your surgery?
> 
> If taking them once or twice, as proscribed, caused you to develop a dulled receptor to them, then that would be terrible. It's one thing if you are taking them daily, and another if you took them some months/years ago for some legitimate reason, and now you've messed up your receptors forever.


It's complicated and difficult to predict...they're still doing a lot of studies on what causes cellular tolerance for opioid receptors and what causes it to be temporary or not. People who take opiates for short periods of time on occasion are at low risk for developing a tolerance. 
However, consider that many people who have ortho surgery are at the point where their hips or knees are very painful, and often they already have been taking narcotics, which means they're not going to be as helpful for acute pain.

But tolerance is not necessarily short-lived. An example is my brother-in-law who was burned as a child and on high doses of pain medications for months. In his late 40s he broke his wrist, and the doctor in ED wanted to put him under to reduce the fracture. The anesthesiologist gave him a hefty dose of anesthesia and he was still sitting there talking to us. I mentioned to consider there could be some tolerance to medications, and the Dr. looked at his burn scars and believed me. He was given 2.5x the regular dose, and that barely got him under. Later he reported his Percocets were "useless" but the doctor was not willing to prescribe more so I told him he could choose to take more and have better pain relief, but he'd run out sooner. 

I've had patients who have worked up to incredible doses of narcotics over time, due to developing a tolerance for them, doses that would easily kill other people. Which is terrible when they have an acute problem such as a trauma, because then usual doses do nothing for them, and often doctors are unwilling to prescribe higher than usual doses.


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## tinyliny

Wow. That's wierd. So, it might be a permanent state. I was told by my doc that some people metabolize opioid more quickly than others, and it appears to be genetic. I don't know if they end up becoming addicts or not. I do know that I've always had to have the dentist and doc give me a huge dose of novacain before I actually felt numb. NOt sure if that is the same thing, though.


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## gottatrot

(Sorry @Goldenhorse),
One more thing: 
Nearly everyone who takes narcotics for more than a few days will get physically dependent on them, which just means if you were taking them regularly and stop cold turkey, you'll have some withdrawal symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, feeling hot/cold, anxious, achy, and just not feeling good. So it's always good to wean off over a few days. 

That's far different from addiction, which means your mind needs the drug and you become emotionally dependent on it. Usually the medications won't make you feel "good" if they are being used to cover pain, but only if you keep taking them after the pain is at a tolerable level.


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## carshon

I have been told that knee replacements can be painful but it is always best to work through that pain and keep up with the physical therapy. That in the long run those that decide to sit and wait for the pain to subside have more long term complications. Not saying this is you Goldenhorse just that is what I have read. I will need a new knee sometime in the next 5-7 years (I am 48 yrs old) and am hoping technology moves forward fast enough that the procedure can be a partial replacement - I already have bone degradation due to my 4 previous surgeries and arthritis. I cannot take strong pain meds as I am unable to keep them down - even those given via IV make me vomit and get the shakes. So I tolerate my surgeries with Ibuprofen and a lot of meditation.


I am still sending positive thoughts for a speedy and uneventful recovery and look forward to more Stella updates.


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## Golden Horse

Oh totally @carshon, I read the same, and I totally believe it, the best outcomes are the ones that keep pushing the pain. My issue is not the pain but the swelling, it’s not hot infected type swelling but just fluid, despite ice and elevation.


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## Whinnie

OK, every day will get better after the first 10 days.


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## my2geldings

That's fantastic to hear you going already. It just goes uphill from here. I find patients go through a drastic change 10-12 days after surgery so you're in the home run now. Make sure you don't get back in the saddle to fast.


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## horselovinguy

Well, 7 days post-op should be a turning point.... :smile:

Your body is now coping and acclimating to what was done...
For those who have not been a recipient of a orthopedic doctor doing actual replacement surgery...well, there are reasons these doctors are not normally over-weight, out-of-shape physicians either. :|
Your body has been through much trauma Golden, plain and simple.
You're going to hurt and it is to be expected...
If you didn't hurt I would be concerned actually.

When I had knee surgery my therapist told me watching me whiten in pain to make sure I took pain medication 1/2 hour before therapy...it would kick in about the time he started working on me.
It made a great deal of difference = tolerance was better for what was to come...manipulation for me was brutal. :twisted:....
You might want to inquire about that from your team of therapists/medical care givers.

When my therapist actually told me the exact details of what was done to me he saw noted in my chart, my pain suddenly was understood by me and not so frightening...
Discomfort is one thing, absolute pain is something totally different...:|

I also could *not* take Oxycontin/percocet which was the drug of choice as I'm seriously allergic to it...
Tylenol #3 and #4... well, we shall not go there with how it worked!
So instead *I* was instructed to take 1 extra-strength Tylenol and 1 Advil/Motrin/ibuprofen tablet at the same time... 
Just 2 pills was all every 4-6 hours then as time progressed it went to 6+ hours and then no more was that combination needed.
That is what I took and that combination worked wonders for me...no pain.
Consult with your doctors/pharmacist before doing this...check carefully about interactions to other drugs, OTC or not...in drug combinations wrong could be near deadly!!

So Golden... _hoping to hear each day is getting a little bit better._
Stronger, more sure-footed and able to get around easier...
Swelling retreating, more motion and just feeling more like you...

Looking at pictures of that new pony just waiting for you sure is incentive. 
Keep on keeping on in the healing process...it does get better and soon that saddle on the horse shall be calling your name. 
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._

_Disclaimer..._
_My comment is what I found *worked for me* in pain management._
 _I am *not* a medical professional and do not have license to prescribe or practice...._


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## horselovinguy

Now 10 days past surgery.._.time for a update Golden._


Physical therapy has begun...
_I called it pain & torture and so did my therapists _
Very hard work but made all the difference in recovery to go the route as told and do those exercises, _faithfully!_


You should be :ZZZ: better...
And :starbucks::chicken:_ {we need eating cuties!}_
And hopefully clearance for :smileynotebook:getting a real shower/bath has arrived and being "human" returned...


_*So, how goes it Golden.... 
*_

:runninghorse2:...


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## Golden Horse

Well, what can I say...I have nothing to benchmark on, so not sure how it is progressing!

On the plus side, getting good at being independent, can get about and find ways of doing things...LOL but not for long.

Still having quite a lot of pain, and looking at the fast dwindling supply of pills that I was discharged with, this will be the first time ever that I have no ‘carry over’ pills, usually I am taking far less than ordered...basing that on two previous knee surgeries, and rehabbing after my accident.

Physiotherapy is a necessary evil, still doing the first stage exercises, waiting for the local hospital to contact me to get some guided sessions, and new moves added. This is where I am trying to push, to get those extra few tenths of bend or straighten, I know how important that is. Laying here resting after my morning session, and for the first time have My Cryocuff on, boy that feels good..

Sleep is improving, typically only wake once through the night now, but still dreadfully tired a lot of the time. I now know why they don’t offer transplants to younger patients, you have to be old and dogged to make it work.

No clearance to bath yet, and slight access issue with the shower, so still washing, but just does not feel as good!


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## JCnGrace

Just now finding this thread so I'm wishing you a speedy recovery. After reading it though I'm keeping my bad knee and worse knee for as long as I can because your recovery sounds more painful. Hang in there Golden and keep doing those exercises!


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## Golden Horse

JCnGrace said:


> Just now finding this thread so I'm wishing you a speedy recovery. After reading it though I'm keeping my bad knee and worse knee for as long as I can because your recovery sounds more painful. Hang in there Golden and keep doing those exercises!



Lol, let’s be realistic, basically amputating your lower leg, then fixing it back on, is no minor undertaking, and one should think about it good and hard, it is no ‘easy’ option. Thing is with my old knee pain, it was there, it was getting worse, the pain and restrictions were growing in intensity. Now I know that everything will improve from here.


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## horselovinguy

Almost a week since your last "how I'm doing"...


At this point much should be changing from the first couple days...
Range of motion, pain tolerance, tolerance to many things improving as the muscles are now not screaming as bad in retaliation to what the surgery did to them...


So how you doing?
Have you made it to the barn yet to see that new beautiful horse waiting for you?
:runninghorse2:....


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## Golden Horse

Day 17, and been a bit up and down....

Frustrations first, I have had to get another round of hard hitter pain pills, thought I would of been off them by now, but Physiotherapy and trying to get any quality sleep still needs help.

Wins..

Well the staples are out, took 3 sessions with breaks in between, because the darn things were so tight, but that means we have a great ‘seal’ should be a neat scar.

Have been outside for walks, been helping with housework, but have ZERO stamina, so just have to push a little more each day. Haven’t been to the barn yet, hopefully in the next week. I have to say that riding seems a long long way away right now, but i’m Sure that progress will be quicker as time goes on.


Hopefully won’t upset anyone, but this is what it looks like today.


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## JCnGrace

Wow, that shows just how much your leg was really invaded! What's up with staples instead of stitches these days? Had stitches in my head once and they tickled coming out. When they removed staples from my arm I about tossed my cookies.


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## waresbear

And the staples are removed with a staple puller, looks almost the office one. I watched the nurse remove hubby's all across his chest after his lung transplant. He said it didn't hurt a bit. In fact, he said none of transplant surgery or recovery was painful, who knew? Your knee replacement is more painful than organ transplant!


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## horselovinguy

Looking good GH, truly it is....
Ask your therapist about Vitamin E cream and applying it to the incision site if they have not...
You still need a bit more healing yet from the picture shown first I think...

When the therapist gets in that incision site with their fingers to massage out the pain receptors as they again make the links/connections and it pulls, itches like mad and hurts the cream feels good and helps the skin to get soft, smooth, elastic-y in feel...it also helps the fingers to glide as they massage that area...


If no one told you...sunscreen is your new friend when you get back to warm weather and shorts...scar tissue sunburns easily compared to other skin.

And hey...if your body needs some help coping yet with pain then it needs help.
There is no shame, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to being able to rest, to get the relief of pain you need to work hard and allow hands-on in therapy so you have a good long-term end goal for this surgery...
You don't get addicted to pain pills when they are truly needed...
You get addicted to pain pills when you don't need and take because you like the "feeling" they give...
If your body is in pain, it isn't getting "high", it_ is_ getting to heal and allow you to rest it requires to heal properly.
I bet you don't take as many a you did...but your body still needs some help... so allow it to continue to heal and you to make progress in that.
Could you imagine going to therapy and doing the exercises currently, which get harder and more in frequency, and allow a therapist to do hands-on directly over that incision if needed to break scar tissue without you killing them...
Yea, pain-pills are a drug, sometimes a very much needed and warranted use of them while recuperating from very physically applied body manipulations and changes done daily in therapy and on the operating table.

Feel better and keep plugging along..._each day* is *a little better._
_Honest._ :smile:
To me, it sounds like you are doing according to schedule...
Your incision looks great in color, healing quality and substance. 


:runninghorse2:...


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## Acadianartist

Hope you feel better soon Golden. My mother also had knee replacement surgery back in August and is very frustrated with the slow recover. Though she's much older than you, so harder and harder as you age. It gets better apparently, but it takes a long time. I also talked to someone who said that if they had asked, at the 6 month point, if they regretted having the surgery done, they would have said yes, but that at a year, they were really happy they had it done. It's a long road, but when you do feel better, it should be a great improvement over what you had before. I'm sure I'm just telling you something you already know, but sometimes it helps to hear it over and over! 

It is an incredibly invasive surgery, but the results are usually good. Let us know how things go!


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## greentree

Looking good! I know your stamina will come back soon. Your body is using all of its energy right now to fight off this invader AND heal. 

Use that tub of miracle balm that I sent you! Here are some before and after of a brain surgery....the doctor ok’d her to use it as soon as she left the hospital!


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## Golden Horse

I keep thinking I must be missing out on something, apart from taking the pain down several blessed notches I’m not sure what else narcotics do to a person? If it is a case of feeling good, then hey weed is legal here now!
@greentree the magic cream is actually on the table by me...but i hadn’t thought to use it on the wound here, must do that.

One thing that is annoying, my foot turns out slightly, if I had thought about it I would have asked for a slight toe in. I am hoping that Physio will straighten it up, i’m Very mindful to try and keep it as straight as possible when doing the moves.
@horselovinguy no one had mentioned sun screen, good tip. Of course my first thing will be finding out how a chunk of metal reacts to the extreme cold up here!


Just for fun, the difference between the legs!


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## SwissMiss

That is actually a nice zip you have there!

After checking/discussing it with your doc, you may want to try CBD oil (has no THC, so won't have the psychoactive properties of cannabis) for pain relief to be able to wean out opioids.
I am part of a Frozen Shoulder support group and quite a few members found pain relief with CBD oil, when opioids didn't cut it for various reasons.

Please keep us updated on how you are doing. We are all rooting for you here and sending tons of healing vibes!


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## Golden Horse

@SwissMiss I was taking CBD oil to manage the pain before, but then couldn’t get for a while. The world went a bit crazy before legalization came in, and the police were cracking down on shops that existed for ‘registered’ users, and sadly CBD oil got caught in the crossfire. I guess it will be available again now.


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## Golden Horse

Double oost


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## Golden Horse

3 weeks today...was at the Doctor this morning, explaining that I was still struggling with pain, especially for Physio, and sleeping at night...and he assures me that is quite reasonable, everyone reacts differently. Quite the turn around, he was asking me if I need to step back up to morphine....well no, but thanks for asking!

HVe been out for a walk most days, but found out the hard way that stripping the bed, doing laundry, sweeping the floors and going for a walk was too much....so had a rest day yesterday, feeling a lot better again. The wound looks great now, @greentree have been using the magic balm

View attachment 973669


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## Golden Horse

Interesting day..

My first visit to Physiotherapy, and I was delighted to find that my favourite guy is back at the hospital, I worked with him before and after my first ever knee surgery, and for a while during my rehab after my fall. 

Not so delighted that he was concerned about the amount of swelling and a bit of funky looking stuff along the wound. Had it checked out, don’t think there is any infection, but put antibiotic cream on it, and a dressing. Have to go straight to the hospital if it shows any sign of issues, more heat, swelling, redness.

Seems I may have been overdoing it and pushing things, so have to cut things back, and look for quality, rather than quantity in movements. More icing, more elevating, some massage.....so make haste slowly I guess.


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## carshon

Take care of that knee - and listen to the physio 

The wound looks good to me but I don't know what the work requirements are. I have an acquaintance that was back on her horse after 6 weeks and she walked great and rode like she had never had surgery. But I think she was on over doer and impervious to pain


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## Whinnie

Yeah, better not to push it and be sorry later. My mother had back surgery and would not listen to instructions and paid for it dearly with a very messed up back for the last two years of hr life.


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## Golden Horse

*What a difference a day makes!*

Yesterday was our one month anniversary, me and Rodknee!

Tuesday night I hated him, such a bad night, painful swollen.....started the day tired and achey. Didn’t seem to matter what I did, just couldn’t get to feeling good. Yesterday evening was horrid, even to the stage hubby was asking if I needed to go to hospital. Said no, took a couple of heavy hitter pain pills and went to bed....and slept for 6 hours, longest sleep yet, it was still early, so limped to bathroom, went back to bed, and got another couple of hours



And



Woke up 95% pain free, and very very little swelling. Made DH serve me coffee and toast in bed, did not want to ruin the awesome feeling by moving! 

I’ve done one round of exercises so far, and walked around some, currently icing, and hoping Rodney is still in a good mood when I’m done!


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## Golden Horse

Two thoughts for today:

Sometimes trying to much is just bad, two weeks ago my knee was stiff swollen painful, that’s when my physio told me to back it off a bit. I had been following instructions too well about pushing to increase ROM. He gave me the best exercise I have had so far, sit on a high chair or stool, where you can’t touch the floor, and dangle your legs. I’m typing this sitting on our tall bench, gently swinging my legs like a kid sitting on a branch. No end goal, just dangling, and it has improved my ROM some.

Second, well 2a and2b I guess...there is no timeline for recovery from this op...what I mean is no single time line. Each op is different, each person is different and it takes as long as it takes. I’ve read about people getting back to work in two weeks, made me feel I was ‘failing’. I’ve read about people still “drooling on their PJ’s” at 5 weeks, hey I’m winning!

Well no, I’m progressing at a rate that is right for me. I’m doing as I’m told, now listening to my body, and I’m getting there.

Talking about progressing, still learning that progress is seldom linear, OK yesterday was a bounce around with one crutch sort of day, today was a use the walker start to the day. That’s OK, in every endeavor there are usually set backs before you each your goal. 

Today I will do the best my body lets me!


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## Golden Horse

7 1/2 weeks down, and things are improving so much.

There was talk of having to go back into surgery and having the scar tissue broken up by manipulation! Scary stuff, so worked even harder on my exercises, and YEAH, got pronounced as doing great at my 6 week check with the surgeon.

My range of movement is still improving, still got a few degrees to find, but it’s coming. Have progressed from my walking frame, to crutches, to one crutch, to a cane. Last week. Was cleared to walk without the cane when I feel able, which does mean I end up stranded every now and again, because I have left the cane somewhere!

I didn’t ask the surgeon when I could ride again, I figure it will before I see him again, and I can decide when I am fit. I have had one barn day so far, that was awesome, and need to start going every week now, building up my strength, and getting some therapy time. I’m hoping that I feel ‘safe’ enough soon to start ground work with her, and then to ride in the new year.

As first step, wearing breeches in the house! It helps me start feeling like a rider, and I was delighted that they actually fit....they were more than fashionably tight before!


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## Whinnie

Such good news to hear!


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## SwissMiss

Awesome news! 
And wearing breeches in the house is a great first step! They are some of the most comfortable pants anyway :wink:


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