In case you are planning a TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT here is my update. I got excellent care at the Houston VA: Info updated as my mind clears. Okay, surgery Monday morning at 0730, up and walking same day. 3 rehab sessions Tuesday & Wednesday which they told me went very well. Went home Wednesday afternoon at 4pm (1600).
Background: I have exercised for the last 50 years and blew through the rehab in record time according to them. They had never seen anyone walk the entire second floor the day of the surgery and me not knowing I was doing anything out of the ordinary asked if they wanted me to do it twice. I've had a three time a week regimen of doing 30 squats, 3 sets (and other leg exercises + walking & cycling) and this amplified how quickly I (anyone) will recover.
Next, the entire leg is sore and that is being controlled by various meds, but the real winner here is an IV Nerve block. I feel no real pain from the knee and folks usually lay in the hospital for 3-4 days after surgery day and they take it out with 3 possible scenarios. A: It begins to hurt at a level Tylenol and oxycodone will handle it. B: It doesn't really hurt. C: it hurts like h#ll. The third one is what happened to one of my brothers.
Seeing they let me out on day 2, they refilled the IV block and I will remove it after a total of 5 days and he said the possibility of pain based on my recovery will be minimal.
I will do it again if it affects the other leg.
The only bad thing I can report is they put me in a room with a 75 year old soldier who rambled on constantly about how he had done more astounding things in 3 years as an E-4 than Chuck Norris until I finally had enough and called security to move me to another room. He got so agitated he came to the end of the bed acting in a hostile manner (which was no actual threat to me)! His story had more holes than a screen door and I can only take so much.
We got a care package of candy and surprisingly they had the old candy cigarettes - called candy sticks. It looks like a joint and I shared one with the solder in my new room and both of us laughed over them.
My advice is do as many squats as you can leading up to surgery and walk a lot.
