Re: Advice and or Butt Kicking needed!

[Guest guest]

::::::Aiming boot:::::::

Nah... Theresa, you're experiencing what many do postop (knees, guts,

or whatever). I got anxiety attacks preop.. then again at 8 weeks

postop, when my return to work failed. And I seem to be crying a lot

about the events of 9/11 a lot.. and I lost no one that I know of..

I'm still mourning, though. BTW.. my troubles were at 2 weeks, then at

8 weeks.. so its not always that 5 week point.. I think 5 weeks was

when I started feeling better. And... I'm a total pain-wimp, too..

and knee replacement surgery *is* one of the most painful..

I wish I could help you more, but the best I can offer is a hug & a

shoulder to cry

on..{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Theresa}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Hugs,

Liane

> Hey folks,

>

> I need some opinions here. I am in my fifth week of recovery from

> total knee replacement and have got a terrible case of the blues. I

> am beginning to realize that I am not real good at handling pain.

> The longer it goes on, the more depressed I get. Although I am

> recovering, and improving, the going is so slow, and sometimes the

> pain is such a pain in the arse that I find myself lapsing into some

> serious depression and blues.

>

> The whole tragedy in New York seems to have exacerbated my bouts of

> crying although I have not been personally impacted, and then my

> kidlet ending up with emergency knee surgery, kinda pushed me over

> the edge.

>

> As I read some of your stories, and see that those of you who come

> home from the hospital doing real well, and then seem to hit a wall

> of problems and pain around your fifth week, well that scares the

> hell out of me.

>

> I have been scheduled for surgery October 30th. I really can't put

> off the surgery for a number of logistical reasons, one that I have

> been off work on benefits for 5 weeks and it really is not feasible

> to go back to work and go off work again within the next year!

>

> So....could someone kick me in the arse or knock some kind of sense

> into me. I am having anxiety attacks...something I haven't dealt

> with in years and years....and its all around being scared of being

> scared! Laughing...does that make any sense at all?

>

> Y'all have been a great source of inspiration and information for

me,

> and I'm hoping you can help get me over this hurdle!

>

> Hugs etc,

> Theresa

[Guest guest]

Ahhhh sheesh, Liane,

Now you got me crying again! Thanks for the kind words....I just

can't tell if what I am feeling is " normal " or I am absolutely going

crazy! I forgot to laugh at myself and stop taking myself so

seriously! Thanks for sharing your experience, you know...they do

say misery loves company!

Hugs and the shoulder were just what I needed.

Love ya,

Theresa

> > Hey folks,

> >

> > I need some opinions here. I am in my fifth week of recovery

from

> > total knee replacement and have got a terrible case of the blues.

I

> > am beginning to realize that I am not real good at handling

pain.

> > The longer it goes on, the more depressed I get. Although I am

> > recovering, and improving, the going is so slow, and sometimes

the

> > pain is such a pain in the arse that I find myself lapsing into

some

> > serious depression and blues.

> >

> > The whole tragedy in New York seems to have exacerbated my bouts

of

> > crying although I have not been personally impacted, and then my

> > kidlet ending up with emergency knee surgery, kinda pushed me

over

> > the edge.

> >

> > As I read some of your stories, and see that those of you who

come

> > home from the hospital doing real well, and then seem to hit a

wall

> > of problems and pain around your fifth week, well that scares the

> > hell out of me.

> >

> > I have been scheduled for surgery October 30th. I really can't

put

> > off the surgery for a number of logistical reasons, one that I

have

> > been off work on benefits for 5 weeks and it really is not

feasible

> > to go back to work and go off work again within the next year!

> >

> > So....could someone kick me in the arse or knock some kind of

sense

> > into me. I am having anxiety attacks...something I haven't dealt

> > with in years and years....and its all around being scared of

being

> > scared! Laughing...does that make any sense at all?

> >

> > Y'all have been a great source of inspiration and information for

> me,

> > and I'm hoping you can help get me over this hurdle!

> >

> > Hugs etc,

> > Theresa

[Guest guest]

Sorry you're feeling so down. I don't know if it's helpful or not, but

I had open DS surgery (18 inch incision) at the same time as the

removal of my basketball sized ovarian cyst and both my ovaries. By

week 5 I was feeling pretty darn good and ready to go back to work

(though I waited the full six weeks I asked for)! Didn't run into any

problems or new pain. It all just kept getting better.

Kathleen F

Open Duodenal Switch

Drs. Rabkin/Jossart

01/02/01 - 374#

09/14/01 - 250#

http://www.webniche.com/wls/

> Hey folks,

>

> ..snip..

>

> As I read some of your stories, and see that those of you who come

> home from the hospital doing real well, and then seem to hit a wall

> of problems and pain around your fifth week, well that scares the

> hell out of me.

>

> ..snip..

>

> Hugs etc,

> Theresa

[Guest guest]

Theresa,

I sure know the feeling of having anxiety attacks before surgery. I was

using Xanax and that helped me survive those days. My surgeon told me that

he would have been concerned if I wasn't nervous about surgery. Since you

are nervous, you have a realistic idea of what to expect. You will do a lot

better than those who think they are tough and can handle pain better than

most. I got terrible depression off and on during the first several weeks

post-op. It helped a lot to talk with my mother about it and acknowledge my

feelings. My mother had bypass surgery 3 years ago so she could really

relate to having major surgery and the recovery involved. If you don't have

anyone close by to talk with, by all means come here. I know I can relate to

being sick and tired of feeling so yucky. It does get easier as time goes on

and once you are back at work things will start to stabilize. It really is

such a short time in our lives to be in pain for a lifetime of feeling good.

Knowing what the recovery was like, I would go through it again to have the

chance to be " normal. " Whine and moan all you want, we are here for you.

Kathy M.

DS 7/19/01

213 pre-op

166 today

Kathy M.

DS 7/19/01

213 pre-op

166 today

[Guest guest]

Theresa,

Ditto to Liane's message plus a little " tidbit " from another critical

care nurse. Those people who are " reasonably anxious " prior to

surgery seem to fare far better than those who are not. So, hang in

there girl, we're all in this together.

Love, Kathy

In duodenalswitch@y..., " Lili F. " <LiliFrench@e...> wrote:

> ::::::Aiming boot:::::::

> Nah... Theresa, you're experiencing what many do postop (knees,

guts,

> or whatever). I got anxiety attacks preop.. then again at 8 weeks

> postop, when my return to work failed. And I seem to be crying a

lot

> about the events of 9/11 a lot.. and I lost no one that I know of..

> I'm still mourning, though. BTW.. my troubles were at 2 weeks, then

at

> 8 weeks.. so its not always that 5 week point.. I think 5 weeks was

> when I started feeling better. And... I'm a total pain-wimp, too..

> and knee replacement surgery *is* one of the most painful..

>

> I wish I could help you more, but the best I can offer is a hug & a

> shoulder to cry

> on..{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Theresa}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

> Hugs,

> Liane

>

>

> > Hey folks,

> >

> > I need some opinions here. I am in my fifth week of recovery from

> > total knee replacement and have got a terrible case of the blues.

I

> > am beginning to realize that I am not real good at handling pain.

> > The longer it goes on, the more depressed I get. Although I am

> > recovering, and improving, the going is so slow, and sometimes the

> > pain is such a pain in the arse that I find myself lapsing into

some

> > serious depression and blues.

> >

> > The whole tragedy in New York seems to have exacerbated my bouts

of

> > crying although I have not been personally impacted, and then my

> > kidlet ending up with emergency knee surgery, kinda pushed me over

> > the edge.

> >

> > As I read some of your stories, and see that those of you who come

> > home from the hospital doing real well, and then seem to hit a

wall

> > of problems and pain around your fifth week, well that scares the

> > hell out of me.

> >

> > I have been scheduled for surgery October 30th. I really can't

put

> > off the surgery for a number of logistical reasons, one that I

have

> > been off work on benefits for 5 weeks and it really is not

feasible

> > to go back to work and go off work again within the next year!

> >

> > So....could someone kick me in the arse or knock some kind of

sense

> > into me. I am having anxiety attacks...something I haven't dealt

> > with in years and years....and its all around being scared of

being

> > scared! Laughing...does that make any sense at all?

> >

> > Y'all have been a great source of inspiration and information for

> me,

> > and I'm hoping you can help get me over this hurdle!

> >

> > Hugs etc,

> > Theresa