Bilateral TKR I Made It! (KneedKnees)

[KneedKnees]

BTKA - August 5, 2011

At times, I didn't think I'd make it to "this side" of the knee replacement website! It always seemed so far away - "at the end of summer", "just before school begins", "after vacation". The last two days before vacation (July 27 - Aug. 4) were endless, but ever since then, it's been a roller coaster, and I'm finally getting my "footing" (lol)!

For those of you who may have followed my thread in the pre-op forum, you'd know that my husband, daughter and I had planned a vacation to fly to California to visit some colleges for our daughter. (5 of them). I was very concerned about the amount of pain I'd be during the visits, as well as during the sightseeing, and while it wasn't exactly perfect, we got a lot of information, and are confident she'll make a good decision. Plus, we got a great picture of me with my feet up on the dashboard of the rental economy vehicle, with ziploc bags filled with ice draped over my legs trying to bring some relief!

We flew home on Thurs., Aug. 4 and got to our house about 9:00 PM. We unpacked, I packed my hospital bag, took my Hibiclens showers, and went to bed. The alarm went off aroudn 3:30 AM for me to get up, take my Hibiclens showers and get ready to leave for the hospital at 4:30 AM. I had to be there at 5:00 fro 7:00 AM surgery!

The anesthesia was a breeze, and the next thing I remember was confusion, which stayed with me for two days. Not doing well with narcotics, I was given Vicodin and Celebrex, which seem to do pretty well, but I still feel a little confusion (that's why we don't drive!). I think the confusion helped me through those days of pain - because I was completely useless! My pain level was 10+. They awoke my at 4:00 AM the first day following the surgery to put me on the passive motion machine. Two hours per foot. By the end of 1 1/2 hours I was in tears, and 15 minutes later was begging them to take me off the machine. They did - and switched to the other leg. I gave up at 1 1/2 hours on that leg as well. After that, they were much better in the machines - and again, I think the confusion from the meds helped me through it!

Now my resting pain level is 4-5, which is much better that my pre-op 7-9. My knees are still stiff, but I'm good about doing my exercises, and will be going to PT twice a week until at least the 2nd week of September.

I'm walking well, going up and down stairs, and resting a lot! This is forcing me to rest - which is very good for me! (I spent the whole summer getting ready for my sub at school who will be there until Sept. 9!) Now I can rest a little so when I go back on Sept. 12, I'll be ready!

Thank you for your support!

Kneed(ded)Knees (lol )

 

[Jamie]

Re: I Made It!

Welcome to the good side of surgery, Kneed.....you've done it!!!

You know, that "confusion" you feel is probably what some people call a "doped up" feeling. It's what the meds are supposed to do....help you rest as much as possible. Your pain meds should be keeping you very comfortable....not a 4-5 when you are resting. The exercises are fine (assuming they are not too aggressive), but the stiffness you are feeling is pain and swelling which you are going to have for a while.

Are you taking the Vicodin on a set schedule every day and through the night? I'm assuming you are taking the Celebrex (200mg) once a day. How frequently are you resting with your toes above your nose and ice on both knees? It should be VERY frequently during the day. You can even sleep with the ice. It really helps with pain.

I don't think I caught before that you had plans to go back to teaching on September 9th. Hon......you may find that is not workable for you. You will only be a tad over 4 weeks out from having BOTH knees replaced. I do hope you have a Plan B in case you are not ready. If not....I encourage you to start talking about one now with your principal. I can't say that I remember anyone with BTKRs who went back to a demanding job that soon.

I am glad you made it through your trip okay and the surgery too. But now it's "you" time!!! Time to put yourself first and allow yourself the right to do so. Your body will not heal one day faster than it's ready to.

I look forward to reading more about your recovery. I know you are one determined gal and you're going to get there!!!

 

[referee54]

Re: I Made It!

Welcome to the "other side"! I completely understand how you feel---I was on OXy and I felt doped up and out of it for some time.

I would also be somewhat concerned about a 4-5 on the pain scale---you should have minimal pain if the meds are doing their job correctly. Please keep icing/elevating, and resting; when in doubt as to what to do, repeat it---ice/elevate, and rest.

Take it as easy as possible---Jamie is absolutely correct about "you" time---you need to let your body heal, and this is of great importance. Your body needs you to rest and relax so it can focus its energies on the healing process.

I am glad to hear that you have joined the ever-so-elite BTKR club! Hang in there, there will be great rewards down the road!

I also agree with Jamie about returning to teaching at such an early date. I did it at eight weeks---it was do-able but I paid the price for it in stiffness and soreness by the end of the day---looking back, I know that it slowed my recovery down. I would talk to your principal or your superintendent and see what can be done.

Please keep us posted as to how you are doing. Again, welcome to the better side---you will get there and be pain-free at your destination.

 

[Coachie]

Re: I Made It!

I agree with what everyone above said. You need to rest and let yourself recover. I would definitely talk to your principal and see if there is an option for you to take an extra few weeks or possibly work half days or something like that. If not, is there a way to organize your classroom so you are not on your feet all day?

What grade(s) or subjects do you teach?

I teach high school math and coach soccer and basketball.

 

[newnee]

Re: I Made It!

Glad you make it to the other side. Don'ttry to push your recovery to fast. Keep up with your pain meds and ice elevate and rest. Keep us posted on how you are feeling when you can

 

[OKMichele]

Re: I Made It!

Glad to hear that things went well. The reduction in your pain level sounds really good!. Take it easy and get all the rest you can! September is going to get here really quickly.

 

[jeauix]

Re: I Made It!

Glad you made it over safely! Once I started getting the pain under control life has been easier. Wise people on the forum instructed me to take them like clockwork and not wait until the pain was getting bad. It has helped me be able to get up more often and resume a little of daily living each day. I know that for me returning to teaching Sept. 1st is going to be a challenge and I had only RTKR on July 25. Take it slowly and use the advice from others...it is paying off for me.

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

BTKA - August 5, 2011

Thank you for all of your comments!

First - pain meds: I'm taking 200 mg Celebrex 2x daily and Hydrocodone/Apap 10/375 every 4 hours - throughout the night. Getting on this strict regemin has helped my pain level immensely. I feel as if my resting level is 1-2.

The thing that had kept me miserable, has been the addition of a UTI which has added another medication - the antibiotic Nitrofurantn (100mg 2x daily). I was on Bactrim, and was not tolerating it well. This is a little better, but still makes me VERY nauseaus! So, it's a good thing the pain is better - because I can't concentrate on anything right now, except getting through each minute...one at a time...until I feel better!

As far as returning to teaching, I'm "planning" on returning on Sept. 12th, probably for only 2 class periods, 2nd and 3rd. For both of those classes, I can remain seated for the entire class period if needed. I teach Choir and Art, so for Choir, I'm seated at the piano most of the time, and in Art, I usually move around between students, but have a chair on rollers that I can use if I need to move around.

The principal and I have already discussed what will happen if I am unable to return on that day. The people that are subbing for me will most likely be able to continue for an additional week or two if needed. :yes 4:

I mentioned to the doctor on Friday that I had some sharp pains on the outside of one knee and across the patella on the other one, when doing the heel slide, leg raise and heel lift exercises. He told me to take it easy with the exercises this weekend, rest, and "get over" the infection. I have to call him on Monday morning to report on how I'm feeling, and how the pain in my knees is. Based on that, I may be going in to see him. I also have to get an INR done. I have my 2 week post-visit on Thursday - I assume to get the staples out?

I know that these days of nausea will pass, but right now, I'm VERY "blue". I can't see past the nausea...and it's hard to remain positive, even though I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

So...thank you again to my cheerleaders! I appreciate your comments and concerns and will keep you posted.

KneedKnees

 

[Jamie]

Re: I Made It!

The blues can certainly be part of recovery. Try to rest as much as possible...that helps. Things will get better with a little time.

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

Another update and a question.....

Update: The doctor told me to take it easy over the weekend, not doing too much stretching due to some unusual pain in both knees. Due to the "rest", I will probably have to bump up my PT to 3-4 times a week for at least 1-2 weeks to recover lost ground.

My pain meds don't really seem to be doing the best job, as I'm still feeling immense pain doing the heel slide and knee bend (flexion) exercise. Other exercises are coming along alright, but those two are soooo painful, and taking the meds 45 min. prior to PT doesn't seem to help. I can't really take anything else, so I'm trying to figure out how to make do with what I can take, and still be able to tolerate the pain.

The UTI is still there, but I don't have the extreme nausea I was feeling over the weekend. I'm hoping that I can really concentrate on getting better/doing more exercises, now that I feel better. I still have "flu-like" symptoms - a bit of nausea, sensitive to touch, warm then cold, then warm again, minimal appetite, but I'm hoping that as I finish the antibiotic and am rid of the UTI the symptoms will disappear!

Question: Does anyone else have, or is it common to have, a bad taste in one's mouth following the surgery? I've had the "dry mouth" even though I drink scads of water, especially after nighttime, but also have just a bad taste in my mouth, that even brushing doesn't seem to take care of. Is this common?

Any help would be appreciated!!!

KneedKnees
BTKR August 5, 2011

 

[Josephine]

Re: I Made It!

Kneedknees, your doctor told you to rest over the weekend. You will not need to "bump up your PT to recover lost ground". Otherwise there is no point in your resting. Then you go on to say your pain meds aren't "doing their job" as you still have pain when doing heel slides and knee bends. Remember? Your doctor just told you to rest!!!! This was his way of saying that a) you are doing far too much for this early in your recovery and b) it's the reason why you are not able to control your pain properly.

There will be no problem if your stop all exercises from now until next Monday and do nothing more than trips to the bathroom and kitchen when necessary. You'll lose nothing and will actually give the swelling and pain in your knee a chance to settle down.

So, prescription for the next six days is
1. rest only
2. elevate "toes above nose"
3. ice lots and lots
4. take maximum dose of pain meds every four hours by the clock
5. NO exercises except walks to bathroom and kitchen as necessary, ankle pumps and clenching of calf and thigh muscles a few times a day
6. come Monday, resume your PT as normal - no bumping up sessions.

If your pain and swelling isn't more under control by the weekend, I'll eat my hat!

As for the nasty taste in the mouth, yes it's quite common and a hang over from the anaesthetic/pain meds/etc. Might also be aided by constipation if you have it.

 

[Jamie]

Re: I Made It!

Listen to Jo....she tells the truth!!! Slow down....this isn't a race to the finish and pushing will only bring more pain.

 

[zjrog]

Re: I Made It!

SLOW DOWN!!!! In many threads here you read this is a MARATHON not a sprint. Too much too soon is far worse than doing NOTHING...

Everybody heals differently, and in their own time.

I'm done yelling, sorry!

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

Jo, Jamie and zjrog;

Thank you! I feel better hearing you tell me to slow down! When I start to feel better, my mind tells me I should be up and moving, and I should be trying to do more. And now that the nausea symptoms are basically over, it just seems that I should be up and about.

My doctor was the one who said I might have to bump up PT, but yesterday when he called, he didn't mention it again. I see him tomorrow afternoon, and hope that he will be pleased with my progress.

I'm so amazed that surgery takes so much out of you! It just doesn't seem that it should have such long-lasting effects! However, having felt the effects of pushing too much the past few days, I know that I need to slow down. Thank you for reminding me!!!

 

[Jamie]

Re: I Made It!

"This surgery" is a huge deal....don't ever forget that!! It's a major assault on your body so that is why it takes so long to regain strength and stamina....not to mention all the actual healing to bones, nerves and soft tissue. Never, never cut yourself short with recovery. This is time you NEED to devote to yourself. No guilt, now...okay?

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

I went to my doctor visit this afternoon, after PT in the morning. By the time I got there, I was already tired!

My doctor said I was doing just fine! My PT had sent a list along of all of my ROM measurements, and he was pleased with the "numbers", and thought everything looked really good.

The nurse took out the staples and both she and the doctor marveled at how great both knees look. They said there was little to no bruising, and I'm to start putting Vitamin E on the scars to help minimize them.

I talked to the doctor about medication, and he said that there was a need to continue with the regimin that I have established until my ROM is where it needs to be. He said I probably wouldn't be able to progress if I tried to lessen the pain meds.

I'm still very tired, and assume I will be for quite awhile! I go through spells of being very uncomfortable and unable to find a position to sit in, being very warm and feeling as if I'm radiating heat, to teetering on the brink of sleep but unable to doze off. I can't wait to be comfortable again. However, I am able to walk fairly easily without the walker! I only walk without it from the living room to the bathroom and kitchen, but it's a start. My PT (and everyone else) is amazed at how smoothly I'm walking with and without the walker at 2 weeks tomorrow!!!

Thank you all for the continued support!

 

[Jamie]

Re: I Made It!

Well, I am truly impressed with how well you're doing! Just pay attention to what your body tells you. I agree about continuing pain meds. As you step up your activity, you will need them.

Keep up the great work!

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

Jamie,

Thanks for "sticking with me" through all of my posts! I may not be the most interesting case, but I still appreciate the support!

 

[Josephine]

Re: I Made It!

Everybody's interesting on here, KK. I may not post much but I always read! :wink1:

 

[KneedKnees]

Re: I Made It!

Thanks Jo!

Today I'm sooooo tired. I slept pretty well during the night, except for my alarms going off to take meds. But I can fold a load of laundry and be tired! Or eat lunch and be tired!

I'm still not completely over the nausea. My last antibiotic was taken on Thursday, and I'm assuming the UTI infection is gone. I suppose the Vicodin or Celebrex still may be causing some nausea. I'm not too upset by it, because I've actually lost weight - about 3 lbs. so far since I checked into the hospital.

The scars are looking good, as the steri-strips are falling off. I continue to do leg/ankle pumps often, but find it so hard to bend the knees to do my ROM exercises. I got a new exercise this week - leaning up against a wall with feet just a bit out, and then sliding just a bit down, then back up. This really works well on the quads. I like it, and can feel the muscles working.

I'm worried about getting the ROM back in my knees. It just hurts so much when I work on those exercises. Will it ever get easier unless I "push" myself?