Part V: Total Knee Replacement - And the Beat Goes On
Up until about a month ago, my husband continued working hard to recover from his total knee replacement rehabilitation at home. He spent a total of 6 hours a day on the CPM (continuous passive motion) machine in addition to other exercises his therapist prescribed. Then one day we hit a major road block that put a halt to the formal rehabilitation and threatened my husband's positive recovery experience.
Feeling proud of his accomplishments, my husband met with his surgeon for a follow-up. Expecting my husband to be using a walker and ambulating at a slow pace, the surgeon was surprised and very pleased to see him ambulate with one crutch at a regular pace. Watching him maneuver the exam table and sit with his knee dangling close to 90 degrees brought a big smile to his face. Significant swelling remained and pain continued to rise to a moderate level by the end of the day when there had been a lot of activity. But my husband remained very motivated to recover so he could get back to work. So the surgeon discontinued the home therapy and ordered an outpatient PT evaluation and treatment plan.
The next day my husband contacted a couple of outpatient centers in the area and gave them the disability/insurance information so they could set up the reimbursement process. Then the phone call came telling us that it was now over 6 months since my husband worked and both his disability and his insurance benefits had been exhausted! With mouths agape, we just stood looking at each other. Here we were with a need to finish therapy in order to get back to work - but without insurance and with no income, my husband had nothing to cover the therapy. He even asked about performing therapy at home and then going to the surgeon for a follow-up, but that was unacceptable. He was in a catch-22.
The first reaction was to panic; then we stopped. We needed to focus our energy on finding a solution. I had recently accepted a position myself and was therefore in the midst of benefits transfers. Now I needed to get my husband onto my insurance as soon as possible. Then he would need to find a therapy center and get going with the therapy. So I went to work on getting this switch to my insurance accomplished.
Two and a half weeks later, my husband was covered. Today he had his evaluation for outpatient therapy. The key to his ability to continue progressing forward in the interim was his unceasing desire to heal and get back to work. Every day - several times a day - my husband performed exercises to keep his range of motion. He practiced stretches using stairs and a chair; he walked up and down the flight of stairs a couple times or more every day without fail. Following each session, he iced his knee and when the going got tough, he took some meds and elevated his leg until he was back up and about. What could have been a set back in terms of regaining function did not because of the consistent and persistent exercise my husband did on his own.
This has been a learning experience for us, to say the least. Now my husband is prepared to work on continued therapy and strengthening. He is hoping to get back to work soon. Based on our experience, we encourage anyone who must undergo a surgery or problem that may lead to more than 6 months off the job, to file for social security temporary disability insurance benefits early. Don't get caught off-guard like we did.
Part 1: Total Knee Replacement - One Man's Journey
Part II: Total Knee Replacement - The Big Event
Part III: Coming Home!
Part IV: Healing Continues
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: pain management, knee replacement, recovery, disability
Feeling proud of his accomplishments, my husband met with his surgeon for a follow-up. Expecting my husband to be using a walker and ambulating at a slow pace, the surgeon was surprised and very pleased to see him ambulate with one crutch at a regular pace. Watching him maneuver the exam table and sit with his knee dangling close to 90 degrees brought a big smile to his face. Significant swelling remained and pain continued to rise to a moderate level by the end of the day when there had been a lot of activity. But my husband remained very motivated to recover so he could get back to work. So the surgeon discontinued the home therapy and ordered an outpatient PT evaluation and treatment plan.
The next day my husband contacted a couple of outpatient centers in the area and gave them the disability/insurance information so they could set up the reimbursement process. Then the phone call came telling us that it was now over 6 months since my husband worked and both his disability and his insurance benefits had been exhausted! With mouths agape, we just stood looking at each other. Here we were with a need to finish therapy in order to get back to work - but without insurance and with no income, my husband had nothing to cover the therapy. He even asked about performing therapy at home and then going to the surgeon for a follow-up, but that was unacceptable. He was in a catch-22.
The first reaction was to panic; then we stopped. We needed to focus our energy on finding a solution. I had recently accepted a position myself and was therefore in the midst of benefits transfers. Now I needed to get my husband onto my insurance as soon as possible. Then he would need to find a therapy center and get going with the therapy. So I went to work on getting this switch to my insurance accomplished.
Two and a half weeks later, my husband was covered. Today he had his evaluation for outpatient therapy. The key to his ability to continue progressing forward in the interim was his unceasing desire to heal and get back to work. Every day - several times a day - my husband performed exercises to keep his range of motion. He practiced stretches using stairs and a chair; he walked up and down the flight of stairs a couple times or more every day without fail. Following each session, he iced his knee and when the going got tough, he took some meds and elevated his leg until he was back up and about. What could have been a set back in terms of regaining function did not because of the consistent and persistent exercise my husband did on his own.
This has been a learning experience for us, to say the least. Now my husband is prepared to work on continued therapy and strengthening. He is hoping to get back to work soon. Based on our experience, we encourage anyone who must undergo a surgery or problem that may lead to more than 6 months off the job, to file for social security temporary disability insurance benefits early. Don't get caught off-guard like we did.
Part 1: Total Knee Replacement - One Man's Journey
Part II: Total Knee Replacement - The Big Event
Part III: Coming Home!
Part IV: Healing Continues
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: pain management, knee replacement, recovery, disability
4 Comments:
Be very aware of infection from an infected cadaver bone graft, if needed; as was in my case. This has been going on for 3 years of removing everything ,IV solutions and stll being in the worst pain and suffering than I was before having it done! Put it off as long as you can!
I had both knees replaced at the same time and started playing golf the 2nd week and tennis the 3rd week after the operation. I never had any pain thanks to the drugs and I never even think about my knees anymore.
Make sure you get the right doctor who is up on the all the medical advances that have taken place. So many of the doctors today are still using the old methods they used 5 years ago. Email me and I will be happy to give you the doctors name. People from all over come to him including Johnny Bench and Peter Jocobsen.
rbuonamici@comcast.net.
I had my right knee totally replaced December 18, 2007 and I was home on Dec 21st. With the care of a physical therapist at home for a few weeks until I could get out and the assistance of my family, I made it just fine. I had a great Dr. who is very skilled at doing this and I also trust in my God who took me through this who thing with no complications. I had put it off for far too long. My right knee is able to move as much as the left, the mobility is great.
My right leg, not actually the knee but the muscles and tendons next to the knee are inflamed and the pain is a +10. My doctor gave me some point injections to help the pain and the area of inside of the knee. My question is this, diagnosed with FMS, is this a knee issue or a part of the FMS syndrom?
Post a Comment