When you ask somebody to help you with a minor task and they reply ....

[milkman]

Just realize that it's not that we don't want to help, it's that the Doc put the fear of God in us, that if we break the breast bone on our own, it's a helluva mess for them to clean up, and the recovery time is double or triple time. I got antsy as can be trying to stay "physically quiet" for 6 weeks. Had my surgery right in the middle of building a new house.

And FWIW on the knee replacement guys, I had mine done 7 1/2 months ago. I'm just now getting back to about 90% usage out of it. I'll wait til I'm on crutches before I have the other one done. Recovery is a B__t__h! Some people recovery quickly, but most that I've talked to had a rougher time of it than anticipated. And God help you if you don't do the rehab as scheduled. It's even worse!

That's exactly why I had both mine replaced at the same time. One recovery time and no dreading getting the other one done. Compared to shoulders and hips, knees are a, what you said.

 

[Doofy]

That's exactly why I had both mine replaced at the same time. One recovery time and no dreading getting the other one done.

That looks sooo painful! A little touch of gout in my big toe lays me up for a week or two. I couldn't imagine your pain.

 

[LouNY]

I had my right knee done 3 years ago,
I wish I had done it much sooner.
They had me up and walking before the nerve block wore off.
Had one night of poor pain management in the hospital,
after that it wasn't to bad.
The PT was kind of a bear at times but I was home and using a walker in 3 days,
after a week just a cane at times. I was driving in less then a week and climbing into the tractor cab after 2 weeks to drive.
It was a tad bit rough at times but not real bad.
My doctor did prescribe one of the mechanical devices to flex your knee for you, I forget what it's called at this time,
and I used it more time and further motion then the minimum suggested.
When my first one was done we had talked about doing the other in 6 months after have the one done the other got much better
and I haven't had it done yet. It is starting to bother so I may in a year or so.
The constant pain before the replacement was worse then the recovery for me.

 

[duffer]

The constant pain before the replacement was worse then the recovery for me.

My pain before the surgery was NOTHING like the pain afterward. Even though I thought the before pain was bad.

You have my deepest envy, and joy that your recovery was good.

That's 1...

 

[milkman]

Sure enough, the pain after surgery is worse than the pain before, but the good thing is, there's an end to the after surgery pain, just gotta suck it up for a while. It was late in the evening when I got out of recovery, but the next morning I got to walk down the hall and back then second morning I got to do stairs. The morning of the fourth day, I passed a bowling ball, hate that the pain meds are so constipating.

 

[ovrszd]

Nothing to feel bad about. No way you could know.

It痴 only a 12 week (FULL) recovery time and they値l be better than before.

Maybe they値l even show you their 奴ipper scar. I love mine. Way cooler than a tattoo.

Chicks love scars.

 

[jaxs]

I spent 5 days out of town and furnished tools to help a "friend" fix up a house he purchased for his mom. He promised to give me 50 hours of his time in return. Every time I called him to set up a project,he already had plans. Come to find out "plans" was to go fishing.
His mom lived in house less than a year before he flipped it.

 

[bunyip]

I passed a bowling ball, hate that the pain meds are so constipating.

I remember that after a barium meal, tears streaming down my face and teeth marks in the toilet seat, my description at the time was giving birth to a cannon ball.

 

[the old grind]

I spent 5 days out of town and furnished tools to help a "friend" fix up a house he purchased for his mom. He promised to give me 50 hours of his time in return. Every time I called him to set up a project,he already had plans. Come to find out "plans" was to go fishing.
His mom lived in house less than a year before he flipped it.

Nowadays the promise is all you get. That's a great answer, and you might have known already. So, can I have my sticker now?

 

[dougtrr2]

I had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders within a year. After the surgery on the first one my pain level was 8-9. The second one had pain levels of 4-5. I asked the doctor why and I loved his answer. "Darned if I know, by the MRI the second one should have hurt worse" I like an honest answer.

They were overly optimistic on the recovery. It was a full year before I felt like I was back to normal. But consider how as we get older it takes longer to recuperate from any over exertion. In your twenties you are good to go the next day. 30-40 it takes a day or two rebound, and 50 and over it could take a week to recuperate from being stupid and working like you were a kid.

Doug in SW IA