You're the Caregiver Here's What I Need You to Know

🌐 thesurgeonunmasked.com — full episode catalog organized by topic --- If someone you love is about to have a hip or knee replacement — and you're the one who's going to take care of them — I want to talk to you. Not to the patient. To YOU. I'm a knee replacement surgeon, and I had my own knee replaced in 2021. My wife was my caregiver. Nobody told her what the next six weeks were actually going to look like, what was normal and what was a reason to call, or what I wasn't going to be able to tell her myself. This episode is the conversation I wish someone had given her before my surgery. In this episode: - What the first hard week really looks like — and why it's harder than anyone tells you - Your actual job as a caregiver — and what your job is NOT - The medication piece, where families slip up — and the simple system that prevents it - The walking job — how to be the safety net without becoming the drill sergeant - The emotional valleys of weeks two through four — including the crash nobody warns you about - When to call the surgeon, and when to wait it out - How to take care of yourself, so two people don't end up needing help 📥 Free printable medication schedule mentioned in this episode + the recovery essentials I actually recommend (cooling units, walker accessories, compression, comfort items — with discount codes where I have them): https://www.thesurgeonunmasked.com/recovery-essentials This is education, not medical advice. Your surgical team and pharmacist know your history — they should guide what's right for you. If your surgeon's protocol is different from mine, follow theirs. --- ABOUT THE SURGEON UNMASKED I'm Dr. Randall Schultz, board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Texas Orthopedics in Austin, TX. I specialize in computer-navigated knee replacement and direct anterior hip replacement. I'm also a joint replacement patient myself. 📺 Subscribe for honest, patient-first conversations about hip and knee replacement. #JointReplacement #KneeReplacement #HipReplacement #PostOpRecovery #CaregiverGuide #JointReplacementRecovery #PatientEducation