I had my right knee replaced in may of 08,and while the recovery was painful for a few weeks,you can get through it as long as you follow the dr's orders and do all the therapy. HOWEVER,my dr suggested i NOT kneel on that knee,like in the garden etc,so i have this little Ames cart i roll around on to garden,and if i get near a slope or something where it might roll,i just stick one of my small garden tools under the wheel.2 mos after that surgery i was diagnosed with breast cancer,went thru all that surgery,chemo and all and i'm back out iin the yard again. My motto is"you won't know if you can do it,til you try" & where there's a will,there's a way!!! Kathi

I personally don't feel that your question is out of line. Your doctor/surgeon, of course, should cover everything with you, including all the post-surgery stuff. Pepper him/her with all your questions! My own experience amounted to two partial replacements done several months apart about five years ago. Yes, my surgeon asked me if I wanted them done at the same time, but I had a hard time imagining being off both legs at the same time. Each episode amounted to a couple of days in the hospital before going home. Yes, you probably will need some hefty pain-killers for awhile. I was sent home with a contraption that automatically bent and straightened the leg. After a week or two, it was physical therapy sessions, twice a week, for a couple of months. Those sessions were super-painful as the primary purpose is to attain full range of motion, both bending and straightening. I'd say that if tears do not come to your eyes, then you aren't putting as much into it as you should. Anyway, for me, the physical therapy was the hardest, but most important, phase of the whole experience. Since you are alone, your doctor should be able to inform you of services available to you that will enable you to recover properly. For the first month or so, you won't be able to drive, so you'll need assistance from a friend, neighbor, or some kind of paratransit service. There is another possibility that might come into play in your particular situation, but I'm not an authority in this area so check with your doctor. Upon your discharge from the hospital, the doctor may feel that your situation (living alone) warrants a brief stay in a rehab facility. The rehab facility would have physical therapists to help with that part of your recovery, and they would also teach you how to continue your progress at home alone. The length of your stay would be dependent on a determination by the rehab facility that you are capable enough to take care of yourself at home. Again, this part should be covered by your doctor and your medical insurance coverage also is pertinent. One more thing. My surgeon cautioned me not to engage in vigorous activities with the new knee. While I realize that medical advances and perhaps newer knee materials mean that your new knee will be much more durable than mine, most doctors five years ago were saying that you don't want to wear out or damage that replacement. Apparently, a second replacement was highly problematic. They don't last forever, and that weighs against doing knee replacements on younger patients. Again, things may have changed since then. Anyway, I was told: no running, brisk walking was okay, swimming would be great. While those cautions came as a big disappointment to me, the pain-free existence since then has been all worth it. Let me stop here and pass the ball back to you. Of course, everyone's experience and situation is different, so please consider what others say as well.

I am headed for a tkr after we're in our new house - will start the process - pre op appointments, etc. in January. I'm not sure how long it will take after that to have the operation...the doctors have told me to limit walking/hiking after the operation, to switch to nonweightbearing exercise like biking and swimming. I hate water, and the nearest public pool is about 20 miles from here. So - I need to look for an exercise bike, I guess. The only thing I'm dreading - I've heard that many people wind up with catheters afterwards - true? I've had them before and hated the pulling feeling whenever I moved. We're about 30 miles from the hospital where I'll go for the operation, but there is a good PT clinic in our small town, so that's good.

Women do seem to do better than men or at least the ones that I know. However much of it depends on the type of surgery that the surgeon is planning on doing and the individual doctor. There are several different methods. One just replaces the knee cap on both bones. Another cuts the bones and inserts a whole new knee. You need to talk to your surgeon, not regular doctor, on what is planned. There are many videos showing knee surgeries on YouTube. You did not say which knee. If it is the one you most frequently used to drive it will be dangerous for you to drive before at least some of the tissues heal. Keeping the leg elevated but also using it is important for healing. Along with your individual home situation. Things like, are there people there that can help you for a couple of days or must you do everything yourself. If there is no one there you probably would be released to a care facility. Some hospitals have their own areas like a skilled nursing facility. You will be asked to sit up and walk the day you have the surgery. Depending on how well you do that will help depend on when and where you go. If you do go home you will need someone there at least the first day to answer the door. Although I have not had the surgery my husband has. He was first sent to a skilled facility then released to home. The first day home it seemed like there was a steady stream of people bringing medical equipment, walker, bedside commode, icing machine, a machine that moved his leg up and down while he laid in bed, sorry do not remember the name, medical person to check his vitals and the wound. Your dog may object to your using a walker so be aware that you may need to find someone to help until the dog becomes used to it. Although your insurance may not pay for it one of the rolling walkers with a seat that you can fold down would be great. When you tire or someone wants to chat while walking the dog you can sit down and remove pressure on the knee. Husband was gifted with one and it was wonderful. A side note is that if it is rated high enough, the amount of weight that it will support, it can act like a temporary wheel/transport chair. Only temporary because the material on the wheels is soft and will be destroyed if used this way too often.