Revision TKR Hmm. Not thrilled with the revision yet

There's hardly anything that can touch the pleasure of that first shower after a tkr! I bet that 3 hour nap felt heavenly, too!
 
I'd been feeling pretty good, considering I'd had surgery. I've obeyed the rules of icing / elevating. However the last 2 days have been more difficult. I've noticed more bruising areas, and bruises spreading out to a lovely purpleish color. I'm more tired even though I'm not doing much other than ADL's. Some tender, very tender spots on the knee also.

My appointment to see the surgeon to remove my 49 staples is Thursday. After that I'm sure it will help. I don't know what the 'plan' will be with this brace.. I foresee still having to wear it - and its not that bad except where the straps go across the staples.

I do want to give a big shout out to everyone on the boards who continually give excellent advice. I appreciate each one of you.
 
49 staples, oh my! :console2:
 
I do not know what caused my stomach to be on the march all last night. What a miserable night - I was so fed up with the brace I was ready to toss it in the fireplace. With my stomach yucky I didn't take any pain meds last night. And today I can tell it. Funny your not sure the meds are working, until you miss a dose or two, then you realize they were working. I'm grabbing some crackers and heading to bed to ice compress elevate and medicate. I'm thinking a nap will also happen!!
 
I believe this is something we all should do more often - nap. Never under estimate the value of a nap. Our bodies are healing and frankly we need naps. I use to think just work through the tiredness and you'll be fine. How very stupid of me!!! Naps, I'm already planning tomorrow's nap.
 
You sound so good and relaxed and you seem very encouraged with this revision. I’m happy for you.

I agree, naps are great!
 
The staples are out, all 49 of them. Now covered with sterile strips. I will say there were two spots that didn't look good to me, the surgeon said they were fine. Oddly though no bathing for 48+ hr. He doesn't want water disturbing the strips - I've never had that before. I do not have to wear the brace. He said "if" I felt unsure I could wear it briefly. Totally on my walker for at least 2 more weeks - no cane what so ever & always use the walker (He was very stern with that comment!)

Then he surprised me by saying its a 2 week old knee 'in theory.' However its 2 weeks old with the aid of a brace - I'm to look at today at say 1 of the replacement since I don't have the brace. I'm to elevate and Ice constantly - almost! Remember its day 1!!! Home Health is to come and I've decided I'll let them to their thing for 2 weeks then stop. I'm not going to try to do everything they ask - my heart won't be in it. I'm doing it the BoneSmart way almost.

My extension was better (totally flat) than prior to the first revision, and no pain what so ever doing that. ROM was 40, I'd been in a brace and he said it was fine. Again reminding me of this very baby knee and how many surgeries its been put through.

By the time we were home I was zapped and knee wasn't happy at all. Hubby got everything set up with the ice machine and lounge doctor (which I love) and I don't think I lasted 2 minutes before my nap began. When I finally woke up I realized it was dinner time. Hubby was looking hopelessly in the frig (it's full of everything imaginable to reheat) & he seemed over whelmed. I opened the take out drawer and handed him 3 places to choose from!! He was thrilled and win win for both of us.

The leg / knee are obviously sore, but I expected that. What I didn't expect was how good the knee itself feels. I'm going to be an over achiever at going slow and getting it healing correctly as best I can. We've got great friends who can shop for us, groceries can be delivered, pharmacy can be delivered and if I don't get out of the house in the next two weeks, when my next appointment is scheduled, I really don't care. I'm in healing mode!

Let's all have some happy healing.
 
Your OS sounds like a winner!
 
What an awesome post! You doctor sounds great. I love how he has considered how much your knee has been through.

Hugs and prayers for continued healing. :console2:
 
Amazing how a shower can wear you out!! I will say the surgeon was correct. Even though the surgery is 2 weeks ago - taking the brace off makes this knee feel like day 1 after surgery. Little walks around the house, bed, elevation and icing. Yup that's my day and I'm happy to obey the surgeons orders.
 
I know this answer, but I'm just tossing it out there. I'm so darned tired. Our routine has been to be up & about having breakfast. I make a couple of laps around the house, look out the window and am ready to lay back down. He gets my ice machine ready and I'm very content to lay there - usually a tiny nap happens. Lunch time is pretty much the same - but that is usually a longer nap.

By dinner we both take turns - I get dinner started, etc., and he finishes it up. I rinse the few dishes for the dishwasher and he does the pans, etc. I make my loops around the house, toss the ball for the dog then sit in the living room several hours. With knee elevated. Then I'm ready for bed!!

Of course there are a few other things I do, but man I feel like someone let the wind out of my balloon. This is all part of the healing process, right?
 
I can relate to that. After having breakfast and getting washed/showered and dressed I had to lie down. Today I had the chiropractor mid morning and we stopped off to pick up some groceries on the way home. After icing the leg and having lunch I went to bed for the best part of a couple of hours and caught up with some sleep. The fatigue is improving slowly, but he only takes a bad night to make it worse. Your analogy to a deflated ballon is a good one. :console2:
 
Thanks for posting that. In the past I'd read it, but I needed a refresher course.

The Home Health nurse came today to 'assess' me. It was a waste of time but a necessary evil of having insurance. When she looked at my knee incision she immediately said "OMG I've never seen such a large incision. I have to measure this." Then she apologized but said she'd just not seen one like this one. It measured 18 inches - to me it is what it is. The only question I had for her was a small area on the bottom medial side of the incision that is puffy. She gave me the standard swelling answer. I'm watching that area. She thought the knee was very swollen - of course its swollen. Plus I was sitting in a chair for quite awhile not laying with my ice & lounge doctor like what I've been doing.

Tomorrow the Home Health PT comes to 'assess' me. I've made it very well known that I'm not going to participate much. I'm just doing ADL's and walking around the house with the walker. I can tell tonight that I've overdone it with how the knee is feeling.

Hope everyone is healing well.
 
Boy, does that sounds like a long incision. Doing your ADL only is a very good idea. While not just cancel your home PT. I did.
 
I am kind of hung with having home health. Yesterday for our 1st appointment I had my big girl panties on and was going to lay the law down the the PT person. He was nice as nice could be asked lots of questions and said "here's what we're going to do - walk around your house. Then 5 seated heel slides, period. That's it." Apparently I looked at him funny because he burst out laughing. I ask if he was serious and he said "this knee has been through far too much to do "rehab" on it. So we're going to walk it and work on proper walking - with the walker 100% of the time."

Today he came we did 5 loops around the house, he measured -6 & 80 for a knee technically one week old. He stressed elevation and ice almost constantly as the knee is still quite swollen and hot. Never ever have I experienced a PT whom say we're not doing anything. I see the surgeon next Thursday and will go from there. I know I'm not ready to drive and I'm fine with that. Living in a city with lots of construction there are idiots pulling in front of you a lot - I know I can't handle slamming on the break. Taking this rehab very slowly and apparently my PT guy is also.

Almost forgot - he doesn't want me doing the 5 seated heel slides daily - just walk.
 
How blessed you are to have such a reasonable therapist!
 
Awesome therapist! :fingersx: Hoping that continues for you:thumb:
 

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