Tuesday, April 5, 2011

KNEE REPLACEMENT DIARY: DAY OF SURGERY

Knowing you need to be out of bed at 4 am for an early morning trip to the hospital is not conducive to a night of sound sleep.  We both tossed and turned for most of our short night; it was rather a relief to get out of bed and get our long day started.

Ready for surgeryWhile Odel took the last shower he will be allowed until 24 hours after his staples are removed (which will be a week to 10 days), I had a quick breakfast.  Nothing for Odel – his last food and drink was prior to midnight.  At 4:45, we stepped outside into darkness and drove the short distance to Sutter General hospital (usually a 10-15 minute drive) on roads eerily empty of commuters.

5 am: Check in time.  After a brief wait in the main lobby, we were escorted upstairs to the joint surgery unit, to join another half dozen patients and their caregivers in a smaller lounge.  One by one, the patients were called, and soon it was Odel’s turn.  After he was prepped for surgery, I joined Odel where he waited on his gurney.

Between 6 and 7 am, Odel was questioned, wired to machines, and outfitted with a thicket of needles and tubes.  The big toe on his left foot was marked with a big black dot that meant “work on this side”.  Nurses came and went; the entire suite of ten curtained cubicles was a beehive of pre-dawn activity. 

Around 6:30, Dr. Mystery (that IS his name, but I think it might be spelled differently), the anesthesiologist, arrived.  He confirmed information gathered about Odel over the past two weeks of medical tests and consultations, and explained which anesthetics he planned to use: a spinal block to eliminate all feeling in the lower extremities and a light sedation that would allow Odel to respond without being totally conscious.

All wired up.6:50 am: Dr. Bargar arrived to visit with us, mark Odel’s left knee with a special pen, and give us the chance to ask any last minute questions.  We both were feeling as confident as possible, and Odel was ready to get the surgery behind him.  At 7 am, the nurse rolled Odel down the hall on his gurney, and I went in search of the surgery waiting room, where I would learn the news once Odel’s surgery was finished.

Once I knew where the waiting room was, I headed back to the car and home for breakfast and a shower.  Two hours later, back in the waiting room, Dr. Bargar arrived with fresh X-rays and the EXCELLENT news that he did a partial (medial) replacement, along with the removal of a bone spur and a “kissing lesion” under Odel’s kneecap.  As he has done each time we have met with him, Dr. Bargar consulted as though he had no other place to be, as if Odel was his only patient and he had all the time in the world to answer questions.  After he had answered all of mine, he advised me to take advantage of Odel’s recovery time to take a walk outside to enjoy Sacramento’s beautiful spring day – good advice that I promptly took.

As I stopped in the parking garage to pick up Odel’s hospital bag after my walk, my phone rang: Odel was in his (private!) room* and wondered when I’d show up!  Ten minutes later, there he was, groggy but smiling, in no pain.  Let the healing begin!

The remainder of the day crept slowly by.  I met Odel’s nurse and nursing assistant, both in and out of the room constantly, adjusting machinery, making sure he was comfortable and doing his jobs: “paddling” his feet frequently as feeling returned (to keep the blood moving) and deep breathing into a plastic doo-dad that measures his lung capacity (to keep fluid out of his lungs).  Before long, Odel made me breath into it, too – so he could glory in his ability to take a deeper breath than I can.  That guy is SO COMPETITIVE!  I can see that keeping him from overdoing his walking during recovery will be a challenge.

Pain free post surgeryIn mid-afternoon, I went home for a much needed nap.  While I was away, the physical therapist arrived for the first workout: sitting up on the side of the bed, standing in the safety of the walker, and taking two steps in each direction.  Odel’s first visitor, our good friend Ron Ulm, stopped by with magazines for Odel, and I returned in time for Odel’s first solid food, a dinner of soup, a pathetic looking hamburger, and a piece of cake.  He gobbled it down while the nurses worried that he might throw up… I can see they don’t know Odel.  :)

I left at 6, when the final matchup of March Madness came on.  Odel looked happy and drowsy in his bed, in full control of his TV remote.  It couldn’t have gone better.   As of 7:30 pm, when we talked on the phone, he had experienced NO pain, even as the spinal block dwindled away.

Now the real work begins!

* When I asked Michelle, Odel’s nurse, how he happened to score a private room, she said that Monday is the best day to schedule your surgery – most of the rooms empty out over the weekend, so those who have early surgery on Monday morning has a good chance of a private room assignment.  Good to know.

34 comments:

  1. Hallelujah! Good for Odel, Dr. Bargar, Dr. Mystery, Nurse Michelle, Ron Ulm, and especially cheering squad Laurie, for the excellent results. Now -- be sure Odel does every bit of therapy he is assigned,

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  2. Glad to hear it went well. Does anything ever get that man down? What a spirit he has!

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  3. Great post, Laurie. Thank you for all the details as they are interesting and many of us may need this type of surgery in the future and this gives us an idea of what to expect. Please continue detailing Odel's progress.

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  4. What great news! It could not possibly have gone better! We are thinking about you, Odel.

    Love, Sydney and Frank

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  5. Congratulations on the successful surgery. He looks like it was just a splinter removal! I've never known anyone so alert and happy on the day of surgery :) With that attitude, he'll be weeks ahead of his competition.

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  6. great news that the surgery went well!!..now onto the road to recovery!..take it easy!!

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  7. Great news! Thanks for keeping us updated. We hope his recovery goes just as smoothly.

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  8. YEAH! So glad to hear everything went well.

    Sounds like Odel is in good hands between you, the docs and the therapists. And I agree and want to stress what Jerry and Suzy said, make sure Odel does every single exercise they assign. It only helps and it will make for a better functioning knee in the long run. At least that is what I would expect.

    And Ruth talking about Odel's spirit. I whole heartily agree. He is always smiling. What a wonderful and kind soul. I already know this about both of you and we haven't even met!

    Keep your spirits up too. It's going to be a journey for the both of you. Get plenty of rest before Odel comes home.

    Again, glad to hear everything went so beautifully.

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  9. I don't know you guys except through you posts, but can identify with the knee surgeries and recovery (having had both knees replaced in the last 6 years) Recovery will seem slow, but one day at a time proves invaluable. You will be on the road again in no time. Keep us posted.

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  10. So-o-o-o very happy to hear that everything went so perfectly for Odel's surgery. Based on what you've said about Odel, I'm thinking his recuperation will go equally well. Matter of fact, you're probably right about having to 'temper' his ambition to overdo it when walking. Maybe the PT folks can help with that!! Sending good thoughts to each of you.

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  11. Just discovered your blog...great writing! Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery for Odel. We will be following you guys from here on out.

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  12. What a difference the past 20 years have made in this type of surgery. I'm so glad for you both and hope the recovery continues to goes so well.

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  13. Let the therapy begin!! And ain't it fun? Congrats on successful surgery, Odel... the ONLY kind to have!

    Best wishes to you both.

    Nickie & Jim

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  14. Say, d'ya suppose one of those small putting greens might fit in nicely there around his bed. Here's a link to some putting greens designed specifically to fit Odel's room....:))
    http://www.dwquailgolf.com/putting.html?gclid=COvEtp7whagCFcW8KgodRkchsQ

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  15. An operation is stressful, but having good doctors and nurses care for you makes all the difference in the world. Glad Odel's (and your) experience is going well! Thank you so much for all the detail you put into your blog; when it's Mike's turn for a knee operation he'll know what to expect! Take care! (BTW - love your humor)

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  16. Great news, it's hard to keep us old Viet Nam vets down, Now what are you going to do when he starts chasing you around the kitchen with the pancake turner, you won't be able to out run him. I know you will crack the whip so he doesn't overdue. Hope the recovery goes by fast for both of you.Be safe out there, Sam & Donna.

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  17. Odel's a trooper! Best wishes for recovery and PT!

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  18. So glad it all went well. Now sleep while you can because you might not get as much once he comes home.

    I got to shower in the hospital. They taped baggies over my knee to keep it dry.

    And that private room? My nurse told me mine was technically a shared room and would be billed as such but they took out the second bed to make room for all the other equipment--wheelchair, walker, etc.--that knee replacements require to make it easier for the nurses to do their thing.

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  19. It's always a huge sigh of relief when a long awaited surgery is over and goes beautifully..We have never met you guys, but you look like some fun loving, easy going people..and Odel seems like nothing ever gets him down...Now...let the recovery begin!!!

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  20. Yay! It's onto recovery!

    Now for all the home-health nurse visits and PT providers...

    Yep. Nap now while you can.

    Emjay

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  21. Thanks for the tic-toc summary and the great picture of Odel, he look terrific! Dr. Mystery? I think that might have concerned me if he was going to be putting me to sleep!!

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  22. so glad odels doing well. really enjoy your blog speedy recovery for odel will keep him in prayer.bob in md

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  23. Congrats on a successful surgery. That is great news. But I didn't know that you liked kissing Odel under his kneecap so much that you gave him lesions. LOL Hugs to you both.

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  24. Jolly good, Odel.
    Now for a speedy recovery.
    Happy Trails, Penny, TX

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  25. So happy things went so well. It won't be too long now before you're back on the road. :)

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  26. That's great news that things went so well! On to therapy! Just to tweak Odel's competitive spirit, let him know Johnny had full range of motion 3 weeks after his 2nd total knee replacement on his left knee. That should motivate him through therapy! lol

    Ask them about the water proof bandage for Odel's knee. Sorry I can't remember what they called it, but that's what they used on Johnny. Put a new one on just before he was released and he was able to shower and everything. They are also treated with medication to help the healing. He had all his staples removed 2 weeks after surgery and has never had a lick of problem with it.

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  27. that's all great news to hear!!

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  28. Glad to see the thumbs up- a sure sign. Try to keep hin rested for a while..... Enjoy the break from the road, and make sure he doesn't overdo on PT!

    Travel safely,
    Jim Bob and Miss Bette in St Augustine

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  29. How great to hear that all went so well. Our thoughts were and are with you both.

    Kate and Terry

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  30. Onward with the recovery and PT ... don't overdo it.

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  31. I'm glad Odel did so well and appears to be on his way to recovery. We're very interested in this step by step, because Al will need the same surgery one day soon.

    I hope the pain stays away, but at least he's in the hospital and they can manage it if it should come.

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  32. Great news!! So very glad that everything went well. Odel looks great, and I know that together you will have him back to form and on the golf course very soon! Keep us posted...

    Kerri in AL :-)

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  33. Getting caught up on your play-by-play blogs. Glad surgery results were excellent and that he could watch BB and you could nap! I loved the "Dr. Mystery" reference -- I had Dr. Spear do my colonoscopy! You wonder how MDs pick their specialties.

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  34. Odel, I'm so happy that you are on the road to recovery. I say the photo of your knee after surgery, and just seeing it hurt me, too! Take care. Audrey

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