firedoc5 Posted November 29, 2008 Posted November 29, 2008 My mother recently had a knee replacement. Since I'm in IL and my folks are in LA I wasn't there for the surgery. But between my father and sister they have let me know things....little by little. My mother has always been healthy other than occasional hypoglycemic and every now and then a little low on iron. First my dad was telling me how well it went. No problems. A few days later he called me asking what it meant when an ECG showed an inverted T wave. Evidently that's one of the comments my dad over heard the doc saying. On the 22nd I called to talk to her for her birthday, but she was busy with home health being there. Got talking to my sister and she said that they had to give her a blood transfusion. Then it came down to the fact that she had two transfusions of plasma. I had to wait until the next day to finally talk to my mother. Other than being in a lot of pain, and not being able to tolerate Hydrocodone, and the Darvocet wasn't helping much, she was feeling fine. But she's the type that could have had her knee crushed and she'd just say that she tweaked it. Being so far apart is so hard. And with all that was going on, I really wish I could have been there, especially when I found out about the transfusions. I know that's not normal for that kind of knee surgery but my family, even though they had been EMT's at one time or another, couldn't give me an appropriate answer to why she needed them. I guess VNA comes everyday and PT comes three times a week. So she is getting the care she needs. And I know her being in bed just killed her during Thanksgiving. She's the typical kitchen-holic. Maybe around Easter we can go down and see my folks. Or I might have to jump on a Greyhound again for a solo trip.
AnthonyM83 Posted November 30, 2008 Posted November 30, 2008 Sorry to hear she had to go through that. My mother recently had some arthritis problems and this Thanksgiving she showed up with a cane. That was really hard to watch for me. Hope your mother recovers in good time.
emtannie Posted November 30, 2008 Posted November 30, 2008 My mother has had both her knees replaced, and had transfusions with both surgeries. (I don't know why - but at the time, which was more than 10 years ago, I didn't question it). She thinks having her knees replaced is one of the best things she has ever had done. After her surgeries, her mobilty improved greatly, and allowed her more independence. I wish your mom the best, and hope her recovery goes well.
firedoc5 Posted December 1, 2008 Author Posted December 1, 2008 My mother has had both her knees replaced, and had transfusions with both surgeries. (I don't know why - but at the time, which was more than 10 years ago, I didn't question it). She thinks having her knees replaced is one of the best things she has ever had done. After her surgeries, her mobilty improved greatly, and allowed her more independence. I wish your mom the best, and hope her recovery goes well. Thanks to everyone responding. She does need the other knee done also. But right now she says that after all she had gone through with this one, she might not have the other surgery. I don't know why they didn't do both at the same time. I know this one was really messed up. Perhaps since the one knee was so difficult, they opted out of doing the other. I don't know for sure. I'm still getting info little by little. I'll keep y'all posted. Again, thanks everyone.
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