Eat better, live better
Looking back a year after my total knee replacement, what have I learned? I realise I’m fortunate. I didn’t have a terminal illness or a long term chronic condition but end stage arthritis in one knee that could be fixed. Before the operation, my world had narrowed and now it has widened out again and
After my total knee replacement, I took this photo from my hospital bed at 4am the morning after surgery. I had been wide awake all night and the dawn was symbolic. It felt like a new beginning in my life The philosophy in the unit was that patients in the unit – were not ill
The day of the total knee replacement finally arrived. I had to be at the hospital for one o’clock in the afternoon with the operation scheduled to start imbetween 3 and 4pm. This meant that I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything after six thirty in the morning. I made myself a schedule so
The week before my total knee replacement, I took things very carefully. There was to beno falling down leading to cuts and bruises and no gardening leading to scratches and insect bites as they can be a cause of post-operative infection. I kept very busy socially so that I just didn’t have time to dwell
Two weeks after the outpatient consultation, I received a letter saying that my operation would be at the end of June. Pre-operative assessment The next step was a two hour assessment at the hospital. Beforehand, I filled in a health questionnaire and another booklet about arrangements for my care after the operation and the layout
At the start of 2018, I had an empty diary which felt uncomfortable. -I didn’t know when my outpatient appointment for my total knee replacement would be or when the operation would be -I didn’t like to admit it but my knee was painful and my limp was getting worse -I had deleted a year’s
I wanted to be in the best shape possible for my total knee replacement as it would lead to the best possible outcome. I knew that medical advice was to walk and exercise within the limits of one’s pain. I also knew that rehabilitation after an operation is easier if you have a good level of fitness beforehand.