Diary of My Second Knee Replacement

   Yep. I just had my right knee replaced. Eighteen months or so ago, I replaced my left knee (and six years I replaced my right hip). In case you are wondering I am planning on giving Lee Majors and Lyndsay Wagner a run for their money. Not that you would know that to look at me. However, I digress. Back to my knee. My First Knee is currently very happy and doing her job, this new knee is not so sure.

Cute isn't it...

I am now on Day 10 of my recovery. I am going to try to give you the run-down to date of what has been happening thus far. Warning: this could definitely boring for those of you who do not have or are not contemplating the addition of artificial joints to your life. So feel free to move on whenever you can't take it anymore!

Some things to keep in mind as you read this:  I was definitely not overconfident going into this knee surgery; in fact, truth be told, I was dreading it and had waited as long as possible to schedule it before year end, but I believed  I was emotionally prepared to handle the recovery process. I was not. In fact, this knee replacement has thrown me for a loop! Why, you ask? The pain. The pain. The Pain. Are you getting my drift?  This knee replacement is totally different from what I experienced before. Sadly, my recovery thus far has seemingly been defined by said pain. I don't want to scare anyone off, I am just trying to be truthful. Stay with me, because I am confident that the picture will change and the pain will no longer dominate my life. I am on that pivot point. I can feel it.

Pre-Op
   My surgery group, Southern Joint Replacement Institute, is the best in the Southeast. They are amazing and have a tried and true protocol both for surgery and for the rehab that is phenomenal. I know. I've benefited from it three times. Before I had my first hip surgery and then again before my first knee surgery,  I investigated all of the local doctors that conduct these respective surgeries, and I could not find anyone else who offered the comprehensive level of services that SJRI does.
    After you meet with your surgeon and determine that the joint replacement surgery is a go, several things happen. You meet with the Surgery Scheduler (Susie Ashley, in my case) and she gives you a date for your surgery (you won't be given the time because that is set the week before with Susie and the Dr.); Susie also gives you a time to come to a Joint Replacement Class, an appointment for a blood draw, an appointment with a hospitalist for a physical check-up, and a time for an evaluation by a physical therapist You feel a little like you are going back to school. You are.
    At your joint class, you will be given a notebook. Then you know that this was not an illusion, you really are going back to school. Definitely take the time to read it cover to cover. But do not obsess over the contents. There are no tests. You will just need to be aware of the fact that for the six weeks after your surgery, your life will not be your own. It will almost totally be controlled by that lovely metal and plastic artificial joint that your surgeon has implanted in your knee. It is calling the shots. Trust me on this!
    Six weeks. Get a calendar and mark it off. Make sure that you do not plan anything of any consequence (for example: Thanksgiving or Christmas-- two holidays that fell during my recovery period.) or you will regret it. I will tell you when I get through this, if my timing was as bad an idea as I think it was and is. But I am not there yet. I am in the middle of it!
   I'll be back at some point with info on the hospital stay. Headed off for a required (in my book) afternoon nap!

Diary of a Total Knee Replacement V

Ahh Food!
one of the best things about a Knee Replacement! Friends and family are kind and generous enough to bring you meals as you recover.

Just when The Husband and I thought we might start clucking at one another like chickens, a dear friend dropped this dish off for dinner. Our mouths watered for days afterward. She combined it with lightly steamed broccoli and not one, but two desserts: A Lemonade Ice Box Pie and a Chocolate Cake iced with Chocolate Ganache. When I called her afterward for the main dish recipe, she told me that it was Pioneer Woman's Shrimp Scampi. Pioneer Woman labels it an easy 16-minute meal! Wow! The recipe is getting even better! The link for this dish is below.

Pioneer Woman's Shrimp Scampi.
Divine. Need I say more.

You can find the recipe for this easy to prepare dish at the Pioneer Woman's website:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/04/16-minute-meal-shrimp-scampi/

The Lemonade Ice Box Pie this same friend brought was light and delicious! You won't believe how easy this recipe is!

Photo courtesy of allrecipe.com

Lemonade Ice Box Pie
1 Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crust
1/2 cup of cold water
1/3 cup Country Time Lemonade Drink Mix
2 cups of softened vanilla ice cream (My friend used Edy's)
1 8 ounce tub of Cool Cool Whip, thawed

Dissolve the 1/3 cup of Country Time Lemonade Drink Mix in the 1/2 cup of cold water. Pour into a large bowl. Add the two cups of softened vanilla ice cream. Stir together well. Fold the whipped topping into the mixture and spoon this into the Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crust. Freeze for about 4 hours for a ready-to-serve delicious pie. If you like a creamier pie, let sit out of the freezer a few minutes before slicing.

I really like this pie. Nothing fancy, but flavorful and easy to make. All I can say is that this pie did not last long around our house.

Some of our other dinner-time favorites have included:
Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
  This was delivered the day we came home from the hospital with a package of frozen ready to cook biscuits. The Husband pulled some sides together for a perfect and easy supper and then we ate it throughout the week sliced thin on sandwiches.
Homemade Tomato Tart
   A quiche-like dish with a melt-in-your-mouth crust and lots of gooey cheese, topped with Roma tomatoes, served alongside steamed asparagus and focacia bread. This was a nice vegetable meal that combined lots of color and taste.
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
   Chock full of vegetables and chopped chicken in a sherry based sauce, this was a pleaser as one of our adult children who was at the house decided he just had to eat with us, as well. It was not only filling and very satisfying, but it heated up well the next day for a leftover lunch.
Jambalaya
   You should probably check to make sure about the level of spice that the patient enjoys, but the nice thing about this easy dish is that it can be either hot or mild. One friend who brought it to me makes it with Zataran's Brown Rice recipe to which she adds sausage, peppers, onions, and leftover chicken or barbecue. Sometimes people hesitate to bring a spicy dish, but I always look forward to something that will jolt my palate.
Macaroni and Cheese Main Dish
  This is totally Southern comfort food to me. I really don't need much else except a green vegetable, and I am happy camper. The Daughter and I bought some gourmet frozen macaroni at the East Nashville Farmer's Market a few days before my surgery. I stuck it in the freezer for a weekend night. It was perfect.
Spaghetti
   In my book spaghetti constitutes another comfort food. The friend who brought it this time is a bit of a gourmand so her spaghetti is not just standard fare. While it is packed with fresh vegetables, her spaghetti's distinctive flavor comes from the use of sausage rather than the more traditional ground beef. Ummm delicious.

This is the second time that I have been the beneficiary of a Care Calendar, and it has been wonderful! I highly recommend it. Once you get over the initial embarrassment that you even need a Care Calendar, relax, sit back, and enjoy the experience. There is no pressure for your friends: they simply look over the list of needs on the specific dates and then decide for themselves whether or not they can participate!

Finally, here are a couple of additional things I learned from my Care Calendar experience that might be helpful for others.
 1. Label your food clearly. Not just the temperature to reheat or cook, but what the dish is and the ingredients used. It is also helpful to know whether the dish can be frozen or refrozen.The Husband and I ate something that while delicious, remains a mystery to this day!
2. Do what I call "The Stop and Drop" when delivering food. Just park your car and leave it running. Despite what anybody says to the contrary, run the dish inside, give the instructions to the family member or leave your food on the kitchen counter. On your way out wave hello to the patient and make a quick exit. I totally appreciated the folks who understood how important it is not to linger.  People who have undergone major surgery are often in a fog or might not be dressed to receive visitors!