Knee Replacement

[phill1174]

Has anyone had a knee replacement before? Long story short I found out my dad is having one next month. I found out after bidding so I couldn’t bid around it. I’m wondering how long after the surgery was the hospital stay and the process of getting home.

I got two 7 day trips back to back which is pretty much 14 days on the road with this surgery being right in the middle of it. I’m not sure if I need to raise the red flags now and try to get a PLOA approved or drop FMLA to help my mom get him home after the surgery or if it’s just a nothing burger.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

Has anyone had a knee replacement before? Long story short I found out my dad is having one next month. I found out after bidding so I couldn’t bid around it. I’m wondering how long after the surgery was the hospital stay and the process of getting home.

I got two 7 day trips back to back which is pretty much 14 days on the road with this surgery being right in the middle of it. I’m not sure if I need to raise the red flags now and try to get a PLOA approved or drop FMLA to help my mom get him home after the surgery or if it’s just a nothing burger.

A nurse a few years ago, at a hospital that I worked at got both her knees replaced. She was out for a year, six months for each knee. So, maybe six months. But I don't have MD., or DO. behind my name. But I hope that this helps.

 

[SteveC]

I’ve had partial knee replacements on both sides. Know a lot of people that have had knees done as well.

One of mine I was overnight at the hospital, the other I was home same day. Friend just had a complete knee a month or so ago, and she was home the same day.

My experience is that you can hobble with crutches right away, but need to keep off from it as much as possible to not aggravate it. (My first go-around I overdid it big time, making three trips up to our third floor bedroom and back the first day home, not realizing how much the pain killers were masking things. Paid for that mistake big time…)

Bottom line from my experiences is that while he will probably be self-ambulatory to move around when absolutely needed (bathroom trips, etc.), he will need a lot of ancillary assistance bringing food, books, getting mail, whatever, so he can keep off the leg and let things heal. Elevate it and ice it.

For your dad I’d say a lot will depend on his current physical capabilities, as well as your mom’s, to determine if you should be there to help or not.

 

[Bob Ridpath]

I should have done my right knee a dozen years ago as a younger man. Two dogs that need walking and pain management works ... enough, but having a bad knee (or two) is life-changing. I won't do it now at 72.

Not doing it when you can is a mistake, for sure.

Based on family and friends' experience, you're looking at 4-6 months to return to "normal" after surgery.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

I had one last year. One overnight at the hospital. Occupational therapy in the morning to make sure I could get around with the walker then home. Speed of recovery based on doing what the PT peeps tell you to.

 

[phill1174]

Thanks for all the comments! Doesn’t sound like too big of a deal. Parents don’t give the whole story sometimes so I’m glad to hear it’s not a big thing. I might go in beg for a day or two of PLOA to help get him home.

He’s a firecracker so I don’t feel like it’ll hold him down long. This is the guy who was ready to go home 2 days after a kidney transplant 1.5yrs ago. And my mom is in the medical field so she’ll stay on him about following the doctor’s orders and PT.

 

[///AMG]

How old? I know people will say “OMG that is just anecdotal”, but I’ll say that the topic gives me a little concern when talking about older folks. My grandma got a hip replacement at 86 or 87 yo. She fully “recovered”, but then got some serious clotting issues in the extended aftermath, wound up on Coumadin to balance that, got unsteady, had some falls, and basically was on one very long downward cycle until she died at 91. She really never had any particular health problems until the surgery. It was probably a medically sound recommendation, but there were significant unintended consequences.

My dad got a double knee replacement at 86. I think it was a good choice for him, and he also did fully recover, but he died of a sudden advanced cancer diagnosis 2 years later at 88. I’m less willing to blame that one on the surgery, but I know that there is some data to support stressful (physical or mental) life events accelerating cancer growth. Who knows? It was incidentally the only time he had ever had a surgery, much less been admitted into a hospital for anything at all. Other than the very end with his cancer, prior to being released a few days later for palliative care back home.

I guess that is all to say, he should be careful. And that i probably wont have the big surgery if I’m lucky enough to make it to my 80s.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Doesn’t sound like too big of a deal.

It depends. In terms of getting home, yeah, fairly standard. Get you up and kick you out. Long terms, there's a lot of variety. Recovery takes a lot of work and it's not fun.

How old? I know people will say “OMG that is just anecdotal”, but I’ll say that the topic gives me a little concern when talking about older folks.

Age is only one factor. I was two month shy of my 74th birthday when I did mine. I got kicked out of PT and was back on the tennis court after my 60-day follow-up visit with my surgeon. I've heard very different stories, even from people a lot younger.

No guarantees. All we can do is do what we need to increase our chances for a good result.

 

[Bob Ridpath]

How old? I know people will say “OMG that is just anecdotal”, but I’ll say that the topic gives me a little concern when talking about older folks. My grandma got a hip replacement at 86 or 87 yo. She fully “recovered”, but then got some serious clotting issues in the extended aftermath, wound up on Coumadin to balance that, got unsteady, had some falls, and basically was on one very long downward cycle until she died at 91. She really never had any particular health problems until the surgery. It was probably a medically sound recommendation, but there were significant unintended consequences.

My dad got a double knee replacement at 86. I think it was a good choice for him, and he also did fully recover, but he died of a sudden advanced cancer diagnosis 2 years later at 88. I’m less willing to blame that one on the surgery, but I know that there is some data to support stressful (physical or mental) life events accelerating cancer growth. Who knows? It was incidentally the only time he had ever had a surgery, much less been admitted into a hospital for anything at all. Other than the very end with his cancer, prior to being released a few days later for palliative care back home.

I guess that is all to say, he should be careful. And that i probably wont have the big surgery if I’m lucky enough to make it to my 80s.

It depends. In terms of getting home, yeah, fairly standard. Get you up and kick you out. Long terms, there's a lot of variety. Recovery takes a lot of work and it's not fun.

Age is only one factor. I was two month shy of my 74th birthday when I did mine. I got kicked out of PT and was back on the tennis court after my 60-day follow-up visit with my surgeon. I've heard very different stories, even from people a lot younger.

No guarantees. All we can do is do what we need to increase our chances for a good result.

Mine is in the nature of personal choice only, not a blanket recommendation. My only encouragement is to do it earlier rather than later and it is based anecdotally, for sure.

Some days are worse than others (somehow weather dependent) and I'm super careful on stairs. Still able to walk my two pups and the crew next door twice daily, albeit not as far as once I did, and yes, sometimes it is uncomfortable. Only other surrender - so far - is driving the hundred feet next door for driveway to driveway when I look after the crew up there rather than walking both ways.

Circumstances differ, certainly. My Mom passed at 96 after two full hip replacements done under emergent circumstances years after she fractured them. Libby, next door, is 93 now and has had three hip surgeries over the last 15 years or so, all of them done as emergencies. It was the recovery and physical therapy which were onerous and lengthy.

Anyway, a good medical team will be worth more than gold in terms of decision-making and moving forward.

Best wishes as you choose your very best future.

 

[phill1174]

How old? I know people will say “OMG that is just anecdotal”, but I’ll say that the topic gives me a little concern when talking about older folks. My grandma got a hip replacement at 86 or 87 yo. She fully “recovered”, but then got some serious clotting issues in the extended aftermath, wound up on Coumadin to balance that, got unsteady, had some falls, and basically was on one very long downward cycle until she died at 91. She really never had any particular health problems until the surgery. It was probably a medically sound recommendation, but there were significant unintended consequences.

My dad got a double knee replacement at 86. I think it was a good choice for him, and he also did fully recover, but he died of a sudden advanced cancer diagnosis 2 years later at 88. I’m less willing to blame that one on the surgery, but I know that there is some data to support stressful (physical or mental) life events accelerating cancer growth. Who knows? It was incidentally the only time he had ever had a surgery, much less been admitted into a hospital for anything at all. Other than the very end with his cancer, prior to being released a few days later for palliative care back home.

I guess that is all to say, he should be careful. And that i probably wont have the big surgery if I’m lucky enough to make it to my 80s.

65, still works and moves around so I don’t think recovery will be a daunting thing for him.

I have heard stories about surgeries to improve QOL exacerbating other issues. Him and my mom talked about that a few years ago. Kinda worked itself out as they wouldn’t let him get the surgery while waiting for a kidney anyway.

 

[///AMG]

65, still works and moves around so I don’t think recovery will be a daunting thing for him.

I have heard stories about surgeries to improve QOL exacerbating other issues. Him and my mom talked about that a few years ago. Kinda worked itself out as they wouldn’t let him get the surgery while waiting for a kidney anyway.

Oh yeah, i think that is probably closer to the ideal age for him to do it. My dad should have done it when he was that age, would have saved him a lot of pain later in life.