Pleased to report that Joelle’s surgery went off without a hitch. Left at 4:30 am, and we were back home by 2:30 pm. The procedure itself was rather short, maybe an hour and a half, but all the check in and recovery and tests to make sure she is ok to release is what took the bulk of the time. She is surprisingly mobile (albeit with a walker), but that is good because she needs to walk and do her pt religiously.
In other news, she is very goofy from the drugs. So now time to binge watch tv and using the cold therapy device.
War for Ukraine Day 1,027: A Brief Monday Night Update
WaterGirl
Great news about Joelle! How is Dad Cole tonight?
Baud
Good news.
Aimai
Blessings on you both.
Steve LaBonne
Congratulations to Joelle. Sounds like she’s with the program on what she needs to do for a successful outcome. One of my string quartet friends (who is exactly my age within a few days) has had both knees replaced, one a few years ago and the other a few months ago. She walks better than I do with my somewhat tattered OEM knees.
hitchhiker
So glad to hear that news! Another little bulb glowing in the string of lights I’m tending on the daily. Every small thing that goes the way it ought to gets to hang there, keeping me relatively sane and focused. Fuck darkness.
NeenerNeener
When my brother had his knee done in March it took him hours to shake off the anesthesia enough to be discharged. The cold therapy device he borrowed was interesting: we kept 6 or 8 full plastic 16 oz water bottles in the freezer at all times so we could switch the ones in the machine when they were no longer cold.
Kristine
Yea for good news!
eclare
Great news! Thanks for the update. What is a cold therapy device? A bag of frozen peas?
scav
Good news.
lowtechcyclist
Glad to hear Joelle is through the surgery and things are looking good for her! Doing the PT is definitely key to getting back where she should be, but she sounds like the sort who will take it seriously.
And how is your recently-resurrected father doing?
TaMara
Excellent news all around.
Suzanne
Good news! Yeah, joint replacement surgeries…. they get you up and moving ASAP. And anesthesia has come a long way in recent years, and thus recovery is easier. Good luck to her!
HumboldtBlue
Good news.
Starfish
Yay, Joelle!
karen gail
Good news about the surgery.
I am surprised how quickly people are released after surgery; my fil had hernia surgery when young man and they kept him for eight weeks after surgery.
The surgeon who did my thyroid surgery felt that they were sending people home too early but insurance wouldn’t cover longer stay.
karen gail
Good news about the surgery.
I am surprised how quickly people are released after surgery; my fil had hernia surgery when young man and they kept him for eight weeks after surgery.
The surgeon who did my thyroid surgery felt that they were sending people home too early but insurance wouldn’t cover longer stay.
Heidi Mom
Very happy for both of you!
Lyrebird
Excellent! And great recuperation wishes to Joelle and to Dad Cole
Suzanne
@karen gail: One of the great things about the ACA — that got very little attention — was a financial penalty on hospitals with excessive readmissions. Hospitals do indeed send some people home too early.
OTOH, surgical technique has improved tremendously in recent decades. As has anesthesia.
Sister Golden Bear
Glad to hear the surgery went well and wishing Joelle a quick recovery. Hope she enjoys the drugs tonight.
tobie
Glad the surgery went well. What a good sign that Joelle is already walking. May she be up and about without a walker soon.
NotMax
Huzzah!
Melancholy Jaques
Great to hear the surgery went well. Wishing Joelle the best on her recovery and rehab. PT can be painful, but it is worth it.
Miki
Yay for Joelle!
I’m a vet, and had my left knee done at the Minneapolis VA a year ago. They keep everyone overnight the first day, and I got another night to help me with pain control once the block wore off.
It’s intense surgery, and it’s gonna hurt. Take the pain meds on a schedule (I had an excel spreadsheet). Transition to an OTC that works for Joelle when she’s ready, but not before (Tylenol didn’t do shit for me, Advil did). The constipation from opioids is terrible, and a good reason to transition when it’s time. Prunes, prunes, prunes are better than Miralax, IMHO.
I joined a FB group to help me get through the first 4 weeks. It helped me keep things in perspective. We’re all different and have different recovery timelines. A year out I can walk anywhere, up & down stairs, etc. But it took me a long time to get here. (My femur fractured when they drilled the pinhole for the cutting block – I’m old and have brittle bones, apparently. It delayed my ability to bear weight, but it’s fine now.)
I’m gonna stop now except to say you’re a good man, John. Stay steady . Crazy gigantic hugs to Joelle.
VFX Lurker
Happy news. Wishing Joelle success in PT!
twbrandt
Glad everything went well. Best wishes to Joelle and Dad Cole.
Matt McIrvin
@Suzanne:
They won’t let you NOT be moving.
Another Scott
Yay! Best of luck with the recovery!
Thanks.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Ohio Mom
Woot! woot!
Thanks for updating us, Cole. Been wondering all day how the surgery went.
Matt McIrvin
@Miki: They gave me a bunch of oxycodone–I think I took one after the stuff they’d given me in the hospital wore off. Tried to soldier it out without that, and that was bad, bad mistake.
But after that, for a while I was on ALL the OTC painkillers–low-dose aspirin (as a blood thinner), ibuprofen for inflammation AND Tylenol for pain. But the combo of the aspirin and the ibuprofen made me bruise up all over in a way that actually scared the visiting nurse, so they took me off the ibuprofen, that being less essential than the aspirin I guess. So I wasn’t really taking a lot for a while. Made it through regardless–PT was essential.
Eric S.
Excellent news! The cold therapy devices are awesome.
Miki
So not a tankie, but I love this woman.
BeautifulPlumage
Great news, and may Joelle’s recovery go as well as the procedure!
zhena gogolia
The cold machine is so good.
Mai Naem mobile ¹
Glad the surgery went well for Joelle. Wrap, bag and tape the crap out of the incision and knee when she has her first shower so it doesn’t get wet. If you don’t have a hand held showerhead now would be a good time to get one.
moonbat
I wish her a speedy recovery!
kindness
John has it all planned out Mission Impossible style. Well done. Glad her procedure went well.
Joy in FL
I’m glad Joelle is doing well. And I hope your dad is, too. And your mom and you, also.
zhena gogolia
@Miki: That is great!!!
zhena gogolia
@Miki: I’m trying to think what friends I can and cannot send this to.
Eric S.
@Matt McIrvin: It depends on the joint and probably the surgery how quickly they get you moving. Knees are almost immediate. My rotator cuff surgeries had a longer wait. My memory may be off but I’m thinking 2 weeks before they put me in rehab.
TBone
@Miki: love it
Jackie
Glad Joelle’s surgery went well with no hiccups! Glad you’re there for her, JC.
How’s Papa Cole doing?
coin operated
@Miki: LOL…fun video
Wombat Probability Cloud
Yay, thanks for the update!
Miki
@zhena gogolia: Lol! Not everyone’s a Jackal.
opiejeanne
I’m so glad it went well for Joelle.
My favorite neighbor had one knee done last year, and I think is about to have the other one done soon. Her first one was very successful, and she was walking around the neighborhood a couple of days later. I was surprised by that.
Subsole
Very glad to hear everything went well!
Chacal Charles Calthrop
The best yoga teacher I ever had was a former ballerina who needed to have both hips replaced before she hit forty. Because in her mind she remembered doing amazing feats, but her body wouldn’t cooperate, she used yoga to learn how to get back to doing amazing feats. It made her a truly fabulous yoga teacher, because she knew first-hand how to get an unyielding body to do really athletic stuff, and she taught what she herself had been through.
Not saying Joelle should do this, but move. Move, move, move. Movement is medicine.
geg6
Yay Joelle! Keep up on the PT and you’ll be like new in no time. If it goes like others I’ve known with the same surgery, it will be life changing.
Tehanu
Good news, happy to hear it. Best of luck with the recovery.
CaseyL
Absolutely wonderful news! Best of luck with the PT – it really can accomplish miracles.
devore
good to hear.
Chigail
Thanks for sharing the good news!
satby
Yay Joelle! And Cole Sr.! Get well soon everyone.
And you John, take care of you as well as Joelle.
sxjames
So glad to hear everything went well! Yes, it is amazing the advances they have made in surgery techniques. In October I had a tumor removed from my kidney — surgery was at 2:30 on Monday, and I was discharged at 11:00 am the next morning (as soon as I demonstrated I could pee).
All the best to you both (and your dad)
Bupalos
What are Joelle’s politics?
I assume left of John McCain. But like if Bernie is an 8 and AOC is a 7 and J’Biden is a 5 and Obama is a 4 and Bill Clinton is a 3….
anitamargarita
Glad to hear Joelle is doing well, I hope her recovery continues. One of my sisters had brain surgery the Tuesday before thanksgiving. They lifted a section of her skull to remove a non-cancerous tumor. It took three hours, and 5 hours after she was sitting up in bed eating pizza. She came home on thanksgiving, and so far is showing no ill effects.
jame
@Miki: Shot in New Orleans!
Kayla Rudbek
Good news for a change, and I hope her recovery goes smoothly!
Joelle
Hey Juicy people! Thank you for all the well wishes. I had a good day riding out my nerve blocker. I’m starting to get a tad sore but it’s manageable. JG has been doling out his patient, kind and knowledgeable (cold therapy device ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) care. He even got me a cute lil live Christmas tree 🎄to decorate while I’m couch bound. It’s warm white ✨ twinkle lights are the perfect accompaniment to my oxycodone nightcap. Thank you again B-J community for your thoughtful, encouraging words and solid advice. Each contribution has been a stepping stone towards our success, both inside and outside the O.R.
sherparick
Glad the operation was a success and hope you feel better soon. The PT is tough, but really sticking with it makes all the difference. My wife was chasing me up and down the stairs about six weeks after the surgery as she had great PT.
Hope John’s Dad is doing better and will be home from the hospital soon.
Denali5
Great to hear the surgery went well. All the best.
rikyrah
Glad that Mrs. Cole is doing well 🤗
How about Papa Cole?🤔
Madeleine
I stopped by to check if there was news after I went to sleep and was glad to see your message, Joelle. I’m happy to find that you’re doing so well and have John’s attentive care (of course) to see you through.
Hoping John’s father is doing equally well.
Ben Cisco
Great news! Glad to hear it is going well1