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

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi Todd,

Do they make snowshoes for walkers?  Maybe alpine skiing in the winter of 2022/23?  Seriously, my oldest granddaughter, Kaylee, got a downhill ski package for her 7th birthday on Nov 11th.  She was visiting for her birthday and I showed her my skis and boots after she opened her present.  I promised her I’d take her skiing at Cascade Mountain, near her house in Wisconsin next winter.  Her dad, Gary, and I have skied there many times.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 18, 2021, at 12:18 PM, Todd Tavares <tavares0947 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> GOOD NEWS Roger!
> 
> You'll be snowshoeing in the mountains this Winter for sure!
> 
> Get well soon.
> 
> 
> Todd T.
> 
>> On Thu, Nov 18, 2021, 10:57 AM Ric Stott <ric at stottarchitecture.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Roger - Thanks for sharing your personal story.
>> I had both hips replaced 13 years ago.
>> I suffered many of the same symptoms.
>> I’m always amazed at medical science and would not be around without it.
>> Stick with the PT and take your pain meds to get through it, especially
>> early on.
>> Don’t listen too hard to the oxycodone critics - you will come off the
>> pain meds just fine when you’re ready - when your pain is manageable.
>> I don’t think Stan has any replacement parts on/in his body.
>> 
>> Ric
>> Dadventure
>> 
>> Richard F. Stott, AIA, LEED AP
>> ric at stottarchitecture.com
>> O -631-283-1777
>> C- 516-965-3164
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Nov 18, 2021, at 10:36 AM, Michael D. Weisner <mweisner at ebsmed.com>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 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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>>> 
>> 
>>