[Rhodes22-list] I'm back from the hospital

[Michael D. Weisner]

Roger,

The arrythmia issues following surgery are not too uncommon as the
anesthesia and nerve blocks sometimes play havoc with cardiac rhythms. The
problem is one of getting the systems back to steady state conditions after
perturbance.

I'm glad that you are on the mend. Take the pain meds that will continue to
slow your bowel functions, so that you may fully participate in the physical
therapy. PT activity is the single most important predictor of future
outcomes.

Be well and stay safe.

Mike
s/v Wind Lass ('91)
Nissequogue River, NY

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of ROGER
PIHLAJA
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 6:20 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] I'm back from the hospital

Hi All,

My right knee replacement finally took place on Monday at Alma Hospital
after being delayed 2 weeks because of overbooking due to COVID-19
infections.  The procedure took about 1-1/2 hours on Monday afternoon.  But,
I was in the recovery room for several hours.  I had some weird reactions to
the nerve block.  As I was coming out of it, I started uncontrollably
shivering, bordering on convulsions at times.  I wasn't cold, just shaking
from head to toe.  It took 3 doses of IV Demerol to make it stop.  Monday
night, the nerve block  caused my heart rate, BP, and blood oxygen to shoot
up and down all over the map.  I was hooked up to an EKG, auto BP cuff, and
blood oxygen monitor all night, with nurses in constant attendance.
Fortunately, by Tuesday morning, they had my cardiac issues stabilized.  The
nerve block also caused my bowels to stop working for a couple of days.
But, I finally had a BM this afternoon.

Dr. Ware, my orthopedist, stopped into my hospital room early Tuesday
morning.  He said the procedure went well and that the incision looked like
it was healing nicely, with no leaking or signs of infection.  My right knee
area is swollen about 3 cm larger in circumference vs. the left knee.  With
great difficulty and a lot of pain, I can get the knee joint to bend to
about 80 deg and straighten out to about 170 deg.  I had 2 PT sessions in
the hospital on Tuesday and another PT session in Beaverton today.  All were
very painful and exhausting!  But, the therapists say I'm doing well.  I
have my next PT session in Beaverton on Thursday morning.  I'm getting
around pretty well in my walker and I've figured out how to get in and out
of the Toyota minivan by myself.  I don't think I'll be able to use our
Subaru Legacy sedan for a while because the car is much lower and the doors
are not as wide.  Obviously, I won't be able to drive for several weeks.

I am on pain meds just prior to PT and to help me sleep.  As long as I can
keep the knee joint in a neutral position, the pain is not bad.  But lifting
the leg or loading it in any way is excruciating!  At the moment, I have a
hard time sitting in the car for over an hour.  I am using my COLD machine
to sleep and several hours each day.  It helps with the swelling and pain.

So far, it's no fun; but, about what I expected.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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