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

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Michael,

It’s easy to see why the anesthesiologist’s bill is often as high as the surgeon’s.  That’s some potent shit they give you when they put you under!  This was my 1st experience with a spinal nerve block.  I guess everything is relative and I have no idea what this procedure would have been like without the nerve block.  But, based on all the unpleasant, long lasting, side effects; I can’t say I’m a fan of nerve blocks.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 18, 2021, at 3:18 PM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> 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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>>>> 
>>> 
>>>