Bilateral TKR I made it! (Lisabon)

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I used the power lift recliner that my dad had after his stroke. It was a god send. I slept in it for probably 3 months. It was the only way I could sleep, because with both knees done, sleeping on my side was NOT an option for awhile, and on my back in bed was too flat. I used Zofran with the Percocet, because it made me really nauseous too, and that cured that problem. Be sure to watch how often you go to the bathroom. I was on iron twice daily due to blood loss, and with the percocet, having a BM was pretty much impossible. It can become a real problem. Stool softeners help, and use laxatives if you need them. You really do not want to get impacted like me--the fix for that is gruesome!
 
Lisa,
I am very surprised that they told you the strongest thing you could have was the Percoset. When I was there I was on the timed release Oxycontin and Dilaudid. From what I understand Dilauded is a stronger pain med than the Perscoset. The Percoset messes with my stomach too, but the Oxy + Dilauded did not mess with my stomach. Yes it did make me mentally loopy, it did a great job with the pain.

Maybe our Bonesmart mom Josephine or another pro can step in with info about pain meds

Are you still scheduled to go home Sunday? It you don't feel like you can handle it really push for more days?

Hugs,
Kathleen
 
Kathleen,
I am still on the timed release of oxycontin as well as the Percocet now. The doc offered me diluadid but I just remember in the hospital that it not only made me loopy, I think it made me onry and paranoid to boot. I really want as clear a head as possible right now since I don't really have anyone with me to act as my medical advocate other than my husband but he's really not around much to be involved since he has to take care of our son and work.

I actually felt better for this morning's OT session. I was at about a 6 on the pain scale. By the time I left, however, I was more like a 9.5! I'll see how the afternoon session goes. I have some time to rest and ice and getting another dose of Percs soon. So if all is well for the 2:30 PT session, then I'll stick with this med schedule. If not, I might have to look at diluadid. I'm just really reticent to go back to that drug.

As for my release, I am NOT going home on Sunday. I still haven't gotten on the stairs yet. So they are not ready to send me home just yet. I'm hoping by Thursday I can go home as long as I continue to make progress like I did this morning in OT.

Hugs back at ya!
Lisa
 
Lisa,
I am glad to hear that you are getting better pain management. I understand the need for a clear head. We seem to have opposite reactions to the meds. Perc gives me the feeling that Dilaudid gives you.

As much as you want to be home with your family, it seems like it is a good thing you are staying a few more days.

Kathleen
 
Lisa, the chair you picked looks nice and soft and comfy. I had a big comfy recliner before my present one but it got to the point that I really had to struggle just to get up so the lift chair has really helped me and will be great after surgery.

It's a disappointment not to be going home tomorrow but you get the benefit of the extra PT for a few more days. Hope your new recliner will have arrived and will be there when you get home.
 
Oh look, binkie's chair is 'toes above nose' in recline!

aflagsforworship.co.uk_jo_pic_images_chair1.jpg





Lisa, I would very much advise against that chair. It's the type that doesn't bring the leg flap up horizontal to the seat so your legs are down about 30-40 degrees. For a knee that's not good and means you'll always have a struggle trying to elevate your legs properly Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain

aflagsforworship.co.uk_jo_pic_images_chair2knk.jpg
 
Lisa,
I got a Lazy Boy recliner that totally reclines where my toes are above my nose like Binky's. It has been a wonderful investment. We paid $499 for it. I love it!!
I hope you soon find the right combination of pain meds. Keep us posted!!
 
Lisabon ~

I'm glad you're going to stay longer - until you feel confident going home, especially since your husband isn't around a lot! Conquer the stairs, get some stamina built up, and rest as much as you can, so you're ready to go Thursday if that's the day they have set for you to go home. You'll do great! :thumb:
 
Well we opted to not go with that big recliner. Too bulky and takes up too much room anyway. Hubby went to a Med Rehab store in our town and they have one they can rent us relatively inexpensively month-to-month and it's apparently idea for ortho rehab patients. So we'll try that and then decide in another month what we want to go. I like the one Binkie posted but it is just way out of my price range. I can only afford to spend a few hundred dollars. So I'm p-utting a permanent choice on hold and using this rehab recliner for the first month and then see where that takes us. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
 
I think rental is just fine, Lisa......it makes sense to me.
 
Made some good progress in PT today. Took my first steps up about six stairs (short ones though) and back down. Had to use both handrails. My house has ony one bannister so it in now way replicated realoity. But I think the main idea was just to start the movement of going up stairs.

Okay, now time to vent. So if you don't want to hear poor me whining, just skip the rest.

:hissyfit:

For some reason even though I had a good day today and moderate pain (it's never below a 5, but I'll take that) I'm exhausted now at 8pm having just taken my percocet 2 hrs ago and doing my ice, elevation and rest for the better part of the day. I had visitors, but I was icing in bed while I visited with them. I'm wondering if I'm just having muscle fatigue from working them so much in therapy and then continuing with the quad exercises in my room that the phys therapist recommended.

Honestly, even with the oxycontin and Percs, I spend mst of my post-medication time hovering around a 6 or 7. It doesn't help too that my left leg is nearly completely covered in bruises. I don't remember being prepared for that little post op "gift". Remember to repay the favor to my surgeon by letting the air out of one of his tires at my post-op visit ..... (kidding!).

I'm also irritated that the weekend nurse who has been taking care of me saw fit to have a shouting match with one of her co-workers out in the hallway and when it was over came in my room to bring me my meds and then vent all her complaints to the housekeeping coworker bringing me some towels, I:rolleyespink: I was sitting there in my wheelchair looking up at them while they badmouthed their coworker and employer and felt like waving my hands and saying :tantrum2:"excuse me, patient here in front of you! Remember me!!!? I need ice, I need my bandaged changed, I need help getting into my bed. Ya think you could quit bitching long enough to help me out here?" But I didn't. Instead I sat there and just nodded my head as she continued to tell me how unfair her schedule was and how they expect too much from their nurses, blah, blah, blah. Really? Is this quality nursing? I'm in one of the best rehab facilities in New Jersey and the quality of the nursing here, frankly, stinks. Oh, yes and there is a big glob of betadine on the windowsill from where someone set down one of the swabs I guess and it hasn't been cleaned since it got there...... 4 days ago! My years of luxury hospitality work has made me intolerable to very basic housekeeping needs. I plan to tell them everything in my exit survey!
:hairpulling::gaah:

Phew!
I feel better now. I realize I have some post-op blues going on, not to mention medication fogging that probably cuts out some of that self-monitoring we usually do. But what I love about this forum is that you all who have been through it can relate to my experience or at least to my frustrations so this is a safe place for me to vent.

Thank you kneekeepers!
 
Well, I can offer you a cyber hug:friends: and tell you tomorrow will be a better day. Try not to let their problems get you down. You have enough to worry about.
 
Lisa, have you talked to your doc about upping the dosage of your meds? It just seems like if you are still having so much pain, then you probably need more pain meds.

Your nurse sounds very unprofessional. What a shame.
 
I'm not sure what the dosages are, frankly. I think I'm getting 10 mg of Percosets. The oxycontin is a timed release pill but i don't know what dosage. As long as I can make progress in therapy, I'm ok. I'm reticent to up the dosages because of the gi side effects I was getting earlier in the week. My stomach is very sensitive to meds. Tomorrow will be a better day!
 
Well, you're not yet two weeks out from a BTKR and you're surprised you feel exhausted after therapy, room exercises and visitors? Honey, even without all that you'd be fatigued by the end of the day! Did you have an afternoon nap? You should make it an important feature of the day - much more important than 'room exercises'!

Take a look at these and perhaps you will understand why
Energy drain for TKRs
[URL="http://bonesmart.org/public_forum/chart-representation-tkr-recovery-t12749.html"]Chart representation of TKR recovery[/URL]
 
I must admit, Josephine, I have not taken afternoon naps in a couple of days. It seems like there's just always other things taking up my time. I've got my cell phone, laptop and ipod with me and I think I'm just spending too much time trying to keep "connected" to the outside world that I'm doing it at the expense of my own needs for rest. I have only had a couple of visitors, but weekends seem to be the only times most people can visit. I'm not sleeping well at night either . So I guess I need to put the laptop down, close the lights, turn off the cell phone and just sleep today when I'm not in therapy!

Thanks for referring me to those posts. I know I read them once before, but today they seem clearly more pertinent.

Going to nappy now before PT in 2 hrs. :)
 
:thumb: Another soul converted!
aflagsforworship.co.uk_jo_pic_images_angelmqmq.gif
 
Nap whenever you can. I had a few people who wanted to visit but were very respectful that I might not be up to it. My sister acted as "gatekeeper." One thing I found very helpful in the hospital for sleeping was earplugs. They actually offered them. It always seems like the nurses' hallway conversations or the next room's tv sounds carry into the rooms. It would be like "ok, I don't need to hear them plan what they're doing for lunch" :rolleyespink: and in would go the earplugs.
I hope with a little more rest your pain levels will improve.
 
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