Jane10 so sorry to hear you will soon need a knee replacement. I had mine done 6 months ago.
Every knee replacement is different- it depends on the reason (mine was result of a severe car accident 46 years ago!), your age, fitness, weight, and as my surgeon said, your state of mind and how determined to work very hard post op to recover movement and fitness. I asked him about being overweight - and his reply was 'well to be honest, no, it doesn't help - but you are very fit and hugely determined to work hard and get back to full movement and normal life- and that is massively more important.
I am still having physio twice a week which I now have to pay out of my own pocket- but it is the best money I've ever spent.
Swimming twice a week and exercising in warm water is also helping hugely. Not sure if you would have the space to put a blow-up jacuzzi in your garden- but for me it's been an absolute boon. Also bought a blow up cushion to put on my electric recliner to raise the level- that has helped too.
Would you be able to get one of those special wide belt that can slowly let you down into your bath and raise you later? And if hubby won't change the bath into shower (really I'd get the help of others in the family and your doctor, etc- to try and persuade him it really makes sense) - can you get a couple of handles fixed to help you clamber in and out of bath? It's very hard at first- and depends also which way your bath is facing and which knee you are having done. But whatever happens, you won't be able to bear weight on new knee at first, and clambering over bath is almost impossible- honestly.
As we couldn't fix a handle to help getting on and off the WC- we bought a frame with handles that screws into the pan under the loo seat. That was really helpful too. And we borrowed a grab handle to help get inb and out of bed from the Red Cross- and we bought some raisers for the bed and put everything in place some weeks before the op.
When I was in hospital, they put me on a KineTec machine - it is a sort of electric splint that slowly and gently helps bend and then stretch the knee- with adjustable angulation- which start at 25 degree, that you can slowly increase up to 130 degree- and I asked to rent one to take home. That was also massively helpful - maybe you could enquire about the possibility of such but have to book well in advance. I had one at home for 1 month.
For travelling in the car, we bought a circular seat to help twist around- and used a half-filled with water plastic bottle to give support for the foot/leg/knee.
Hope any of this may help- happy to answer any questions by pm or here. Honestly, it is not picnic - but if you are prepared to work hard- the door to a new lease of life xxx
Do get family and surgeon or GP to explain about getting in and out of bath when you can't weight bear (and that is for weeks, not days). If he comes with you to your next visit- just say 'I am really concerned about ... and insist it makes you panic).