Hi Toni,
I saw your paragraph in “The Rancher” about your husband’s knee replacement. My experience is with my Dad and he likely had a lot different circumstances, but I can share this with you. He was 80 when he had the surgery; it was the first time he was ever hospitalized and he was a terrible patient (stubborn and grumpy). After the surgery recovery, he was supposed to get specially fitted shoes as the surgery left the leg with new knee a little bit shorter and this special shoe would equalize it – well, because he couldn’t buy them at Kmart, he never bothered and as a result, his posture continually got to leaning towards the shorter leg side – to the point it eventually caused some very painful back/spinal problems. He was also advised to use a walking stick – but he was too stubborn to use it and always told his kids “I don’t need it” – and it became very obvious every time we saw him that he was falling a lot as his arms and shoulders were bruised pretty badly.
So, my suggestion for your husband would be to do whatever the doctor and medical staff tells him to do and if that means swallowing some of his pride, then so be it – he’s bound to be better off…Cheers, Lyle from Katy,TX
Thank You, Lyle:
Got your email before Jim came home from the VA hospital and it prepared me for him coming home. What an experience!! I’ve have been to the VA, but just never realized how many use that facility. There are thousands in that building from 8:00 to 5:00, but once 5:00 comes they are all gone. Really do not know how the VA takes care of so many with so many different medical problems in such a short period of time.
Yes he did not do everything that his doctor or physical therapist had told him, since he had been released last Wednesday, June 6th. The VA made sure that Jim had everything he needed to get back on his feet. He came home with a walker, bench for the shower, electrical device that keeps ice on his knee and much more. They even sent home all of the medications that he needed to take, so I didn’t have to go to the drug store to get prescriptions. I even got directions on how to be a “good Florence Nightingale”.
When he went back to the VA last Friday for his first outpatient therapy session, his physical therapist was not happy with him. She told him to use his walker for everything…Jim had been walking on his own, thinking that he could speed up the healing process and this has strained the muscles in his left leg compensating for the surgery. Needless to say he is in so much pain that he is now using his walker 24/7. Using a walker doesn’t mean one is “old” because there is a medical reason why one needs to use it. She did not want full pressure on the knee replacement because it could hinder the knee replacement device and the muscles in his knee working together.
Bottom line is just what you said…. do what your doctors and medical staff advise because it will make your recovery time so much easier! Healing does not happen over night!! You cannot rush it!! Rome was not built in a day; some things just take old fashion time!!
And if you are wondering…Yes…Jim is on Medicare and uses the VA. Because he was injured in Vietnam, by an RPG and it has been 45 years since his injury, he felt the VA medical facility understood what he needed.
Toni King is an advocate/consultant for those “Confused about Medicare”. Email questions to asktoni@medicaretruths.com or call 281/830-3896. Visit her website www.medicaretruths.com. *** I am seeking articles to write concerning healthcare reform and how it has impacted my readers. Please email me your situations or concerns….Thank you in advance and many blessings…Toni King
