KNEE SURGERY

KNEE SURGERY - PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
BY COL NC GUPTA

At 70 Years age today, Knee problem is something, many of us are likely to face in the years ahead. On instance of some, I have decided to share my most memorable experience, of a successful text book knee surgery,  I had at R&R New Delhi. Even if this experience could help one among you, it would for me, be an exercise worth its weight of penning in gold

I went to R&R in the last week of May 2016 for getting a referral for knee surgery at Max. The question I was asked was "Why Max and why not R&R." I said  "I have come from Australia and had JRC, as my first preference, but was going in for Max due to the waiting time at R&R." I was pleasantly surprised when I was given the date of 04 June for surgery and also told that waiting is now a thing of the past and JRC was performing 6 to 7 surgeries per day

My first and most important advice to all potential patients is to remember that,the moment you are wheeled out of the OT, the surgeon and his team have done their bit and your bit starts. Secondly, moment you are discharged, the staff of JRC ward and the hospital have also done their bit and the battle ahead is now "Yours and Yours Alone". Even the family members and attendants, cannot do anything for you 

Secondly, the staff at JRC should be considered by you as guides, to advice and prepare you for your battle ahead and not as instruments of help or recovery. You are likely to stay there for no more then six days, but by then, they would have trained you enough to be in a position to wean yourself away from all external help. They will even train you to climb stairs before discharge. Please remember, they can train/prepare you, only if you are ready to get trained/prepared

In so doing, the more you will push yourself in these six days, the better will be your recovery ahead. The more noise you make now, the more you will continue making. Choice is yours

The more you try and do the daily chores like toilet, sponging, sitting, walking, eating, drinking etc yourself, the better will be your recovery at home. I did not use the bed pan even once, not because I did not have the need to do so, but because I was determined to do everything myself from day one 

Back home the first and the most important task is not to employ or make use of any Aya, attendant or assistant. Your operation and condition does not warrant the need of employing any one of them. They will only slow down your recovery. Do everything yourself. Have meals in style, but on the dinning table and not in bed. Meet visitors with pleasure, but in the drawing room and not your bed room. Sit out in the morning and evenings. Things like that 

Avail the services of a good physio therapist. This is vital. The muscles that have been cut or not used over the last few months/years, have to be revived to their original glory. In so doing try and push yourself to do a little more. Do not scum to pain which is bound to be there. In case you do not intend availing such services for any reason, Please make sure you spend some dedicated extra time with the physio at R&R to master the exercises and schedule he recommends. Make notes or take photos/videos of each exercise if required. Do these excercises at least three times daily. This is the time when you could ask a family member to help you with some of the exercises

Please remember a few facts:

• If you have diabetes the healing can take a bit longer but  the above has no harm at all. Only benefits
• If you have a heart condition you could slow down the limits of exertion initially and catch up gradually
• Do not allow your weight to rise. Eat little but often. Drink a lot of fluids
• Try and stick to timings including early to bed and early to rise
• At the end of second week I was off the walker and never used a walking stick at all
• In the third week I went to R&R on my own, walking like a normal person, though slowly
• My stitches were cut in the fourth week and I went for it alone
• Keep your self mentally occupied. Not knowing what to do, I decided to call an instructor home to teach me Photo Shop. This takes your pain away
• Your biggest nightmare for the first two weeks will be the nights. This is on account of acute pain while turning. Do not hesitate in using soft pillows or taking pain killers. The pain will keep going down. It may be a couple of months before it goes away. Remember the phrase "Even this Shall Pass"
• Do not even think of using a bed pan or urine bottle to avoid going to the bathroom at night. You could have someone present in the room initially for confidence. Keep a night light on always
• Light massage over the bandage is very soothing
• Use of cold pack twice a day is the best medicine against swelling and its associated pain. In so doing keep the pack at one point for 12 minutes, nothing less and nothing more
• Stationary Cycling is good, but after four weeks
• Above all smile - With the surgery over, you have things to gain only

Seeing the results of my surgery, my 76 year old sister who lives in Dubai got her surgery done on 15 July (five weeks after my surgery). Even though her case was complicated due to existing back problem and stents, she took the above advice and has over the last twelve days, validated all my observations. Not just that; her case involved both knees as against one of mine

A word of advice to family members:

• With every passing day, the condition will improve and with it, the need of your involvement will keep reducing
• Keep the patient engaged but not pampered
• The golden rule - "Recovery can only happen outside the bed and bed room." Ensure the patient follows that

Have I missed out anything?

Please do not hesitate in contacting me for any aspect of my experience. It is only a click away

Do make and discuss with the doctor, your post operation rehabilitation plan. Things could be different for different patients. My experience may need suitable modification

Today JRC is a well oiled machine to be proud of. My and my families gratitude to them, will for ever remain  

Best Regards, NC

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