Fall, surgery, 3 months in rehab facility

[eggcited2]

Well, 2 weeks ago this coming Tuesday (Nov. 6) I went out to feed chickens and such. Was walking across the cement driveway we have, slipped on wet leaves and fell down. Went down on my left knee - which I had a total knee replacement Nov. of 2011.

Called 911, rescue took me to hospital, x-rays showed what I already knew: broken leg. I broke the femur (thigh bone) at where the artificial knee was at.

My surgeon did surgery the next day and was able to rebuild the bone around the artificial knee. He did not know if he would be able to do that until he got into the leg and see if he could find enough bone to keep the original knee thing. However, I can not put any weight at all on the broken leg for 12 weeks. If the repair gets messed up, he will have to do surgery, cut away bad damaged bone, put in another kind of knee replacement. It is one that has very little success when used, but the only kind that can be used in that case. If he does happen it would not be successful, then they would have to take the leg.

I am in a rehabilitation facility for the next 12 weeks/3 months.

I have ok days and not ok days. It is hard to keep the fear down about the leg healing right. Also hard to keep my spirits up about being in here for 3 months - which means: Thanksgiving, Christmas and my 40th wedding anniversary. Plus the fact 3 months sounds like forever.

 

[onedoodle3]

I am so sorry all this has happened..If I were close to your area I'd decorate your room for the holidays and do something special for your anniversary. It's hard to be away from home during those times...We will be praying for you and I hope you have a quick recovery.

 

[bluesub]

Oh, so sorry. Is there a craft you've been meaning to learn? Can you make something for the holidays to give to people. I learned how to make beaded snowflakes and have a lot of fun (when I have time), making them.

 

[newfoundland]

Oh what a shame, and so easily done I know. Could you not be allowed out at all, even for a day at Christmas? Are you in traction or could you cope at home for a short time? Christmas is still a few weeks away and you may be stronger by then. Will people come to you at Thanksgiving? Perhaps they will celebrate it in the rehab unit. Some times Just have to be lived through I find. Good wishes for a speedy recovery and keep your chin up.

 

[SillyChicken]

Hope you heal quickly!!

 

[sezjasper]

God bless you, you are going through so much right now! It is humbling how life can change in the blink of an eye. Three months does seem like a long time, but you have much to do! Don't worry about keeping the fear down...of course you're afraid, who wouldn't be? Holding it in will only eat you up inside. Get it out--talk with your family, friends, doctors and staff at the rehab! You can't control the course your recovery will take, but you can use this time to make plans: you may want to make some changes at your home, you may think of things that you could adapt to be better suited to your needs as you recover. Any plans you can make, however minor, will put you more in control of the situation and help boost your confidence to get through this. Think your way through all the possibilities...ok if this happens, then I can get around it by ..... By the time you get home, you will know what you need to do to meet any challenges you may face. As for the holidays, why not celebrate right there in the rehab, and then set another date for when you are home and celebrate again? Whatever you can't do the way you want, you can still do the best way you can with a little creative thinking. Don't lose heart, but remember that sometimes, the best medicine is a good cry and a strong hug from someone you love. You're in my prayers

 

[oldrooster]

Is this a rehab facility only or a nursing home with a rehab facility as pert of it? why I ask is most of the rehab places in my town are part of a nursing home facility and if you are allowed to leave your room you can go attend whatever activities offered to the nursing home residents (at lest most of the ones here you can do that from my understanding) also I guess you have Internet available there hence your post so try to find some free on-line classes or research projects to do. net flicks might be an option for 3 months watch movies and TV shows you wanted to see but missed.see if your library has an outreach program (most do) for people in the facilities like you are in read! also some have a/v departments so music books on tape and movies among other things could be borrowed from there.and as others have posted learn to sew (I mean knitting and crocheting among other types of similar skill set hobbies). are their craft/hobby stores in your area maybe you can paint by number or learn a new craft or hobby from a kit. perhaps if you are interested in ham radio or computer programing a "for dummies" or other book can be studied so when you are out you are set to go on it. Don't look at this as a negitive think of it as a positive to be able to learn something new and a way to be more thankful for the life you have had before and will continue to have in three months.

 

[theoldchick]

Oh my. Loss of mobility is one of my worst fears. You are in for a difficult time. All I can say is get on the phone and keep in contact with your friends. If they don't call you, you call them. Keep your hands busy. Humans are happy when their hands are creating something. Painting, writing, sculpture. I mean who doesn't like art class? And stay as physically active as you are allowed.

I wish you the best.

 

[oldrooster]

Here is an idea write your christmass news letter you've put off like most of us for years and have someone copy it or print several copies on a printer and have them buy a bunch of christmass cards and address them and birthday/aniversary cards for the year to come just plop a stamp on them when it's time to mail them and your work is done.....

 

[eggcited2]

Thanks for the good wishes and suggestions. It is a rehab that is part of a nursing home. We are a different wing than the full time residents.

I have went to bingo once. They have it and a couple other things, but my occupational therapy is during that time of day. They have bingo, card games for an hour every other week, and I think board games once a month. I don't have any therapy on the weekends (physical nor occupational) so can go to bingo on Saturday. We have private rooms with our own bathroom and shower, television in each one of our rooms. We have our meals in community dinning room for our floor. The other residents are very nice and it helps what bit of time we get together in the dinning room for meals. I'm not in traction. I'm in a wheel chair most of the time I am up/out of bed. I use a walker for transfering only. They are working on building up the strength of the good leg. I hop on it when I use the walker. No weight at all on the broken leg. Since I fractured the bone so bad and it was at the site where the artificial joint was put in last Nov. of 2011, the doctor had to surgically rebuild the bone. That is why I can not put any weight at all on that leg. Sorry if this comes across as one big long paragraph, the silly computer has stopped recognizing the "enter" button to drop down from paragraph to paragraph.