Knee Infection* Right TKR revision from staph infection<

@Josephine you think that's enough ice? Lol

members pic.jpg
 
new chewing gum to help with the poop fairy. has anyone else had this?
 
I love the photo with all the ice packs! One of the nurses told me to chew gum with sorbitol, so I did, and it worked! No constipation. Wishing you well with your recovery.
 
I'm glad it's all over, which I'm sure you are, too.
 
Back home and resting knee is a little painful and swollen but that's to be expected. Icing and elevating and taking meds as prescribed. I got very little sleep last night as the pain kept me up all night and my friend restless leg syndrome came back with a vengeance.

The surgery took around three hours. The reconstruction of the new ligament went very well she also removed the plastic spacer and replace it with a larger one for better stability. The knee is nice and straight no more buckling to the right. The incision is glued but this time around the incision was 2 inches longer than the last two surgeries. I did have some concern as I noticed a discharge of blood on the adhesive bandage but I was assured there was nothing to worry about.

I started physical therapy right after surgery and I have to wear a knee brace for six weeks. I see the OS in six weeks and if all goes well by then I should be on my way to a full recovery.
 
It's good to be on this side of surgery. I hope everything goes well in your recovery.
 
@TimeBuster, sounds like you’re doing well. I’m so glad to hear that. Keep your chin up, surely you gotta be on the downhill slope now.
 
One of the nurses told me to chew gum with sorbitol, so I did, and it worked! No constipation.

Your right, chewing gum stimulates bowel movements I was told. When it was time for meds I was handed a piece of gum and I ask what's this for? At first, I thought I had a case of bad breath and the nurse was being kind in offering me a piece of gum. I was surprised when she said chewing gum helps with bowel movements. You learn something new every day LOL

By the way the poop fairy hasn't come as yet but I'm getting close LOL

Starting day 4 icing and elevating. I'm not surprised that I lost my ROM that I work so hard to achieve. Prior to this surgery, I was at 125/0 when I left the hospital Wednesday I was measured at 55 flexions and -5 extension. No biggie it's just another goal to look forward to.

Another issue I am having is keeping this stupid knee brace on. The straps to keep the brace in place goes over my incision. Right now my incision is not a happy camper. They say that no two surgeries are the same in my case three surgeries. My last two surgeries I didn't have any issues with my incision but this time around my incision is super tender to the touch. Anyone has any words of wisdom how to keep the knee brace in place around the incision I would gladly appreciate it.
 
Good to hear how it’s going. Sounds like you need suspenders for that brace. I don’t know whether a layer of moleskin would help. After all the trauma it’s not surprising that incision has said “enough already”.
 
By the way the poop fairy hasn't come as yet but I'm getting close LOL

I remembered about day 4 into the great poop stoppage to eat prunes, or as my son called them biggah raisins. I think they helped. Started with four. And yeah, they taste like big raisins.

Not sure about your incision issue. Maybe an extra layer between the brace and incision? I’m sure you’ve tried that. Maybe someone at the OS’s office would have a suggestion.

Keep up the good work!
 
@lopat Thank you for the wonderful advice. Called the OS office have an appointment for Tuesday morning they're going to fit me with a new knee brace.:happydance:
Lol. You’re welcome. It’s what I would have done. Happy to help. For great days ahead.
 
Starting day 6 so far so good. I say that with caution with my luck and (Murphy's Law) I don't want to jinx any progress LOL Swelling has gone down tremendously and my pain level is around a 1. As far as pain medication goes, taking one 5 mg oxy at night and Tylenol every six hours during the day. 325 mg of aspirin as a blood thinner 2x a day. Light exercise and of course, icing and elevating for 60 minutes 4x a day. Restless leg syndrome is starting to subside thank goodness. Still sleeping on my comfy recliner and my duration of sleep are getting longer as the nights go by. Starting to get back some of my ROM (range of motion) that I lost during this past surgery.

I took a few unassisted full weight bearing steps on my new knee yesterday and I have to say my knee feels super strong and most of all, pain free. Putting in a larger spacer was a good call on my OS part. I can feel the difference before and after replacing the spacer. Before my knee felt wobbly, unstable and locking when my knee was all the way back. Now I feel confident it's not going to give out.

Waiting to heal is so hard. We all know that it takes time, but sometimes it feels like eons. I remember after my last two surgeries wondering how long the incision would need to heal, then the internal muscle and soft tissue, then my strength and so forth. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep, I felt so impatient. I wanted to be well again, to be able to stand, walk and have my strength returned and get on with life.

But somehow, I started understanding that I needed to practice patience in order to heal. I was exhausting myself with my impatience and I needed that energy to focus on resting and recuperating. I refocused on smaller amounts of time, like just one day or moment by moment. While I couldn’t do anything to accelerate the process, by focusing on doing the current activity well (such as resting, eating, or exercising) it helped me see the gradual process and stop feeling so impatient and anxious.

Talking about patience LOL I think the poop fairy forgot where I live or either is on vacation LOL On top of doubling my daily dose of stool softener I added eating whole avocados 2x day for the extra fiber. Love avocados.

I was given a handful of written instructions when I left the hospital. Today I can officially remove the bandage on my incision. Can anyone say hot shower LOL Yes @Josephine I will thoroughly wash and sanitize my hands before I removed the bandage and check for open wounds and scabs LOL

Wishing all my Bonessmarty friends a quick recovery.
 
Guess what, that's right, the poop fairy came early this morning. I feel so relieved (no pun intended) LOL I removed the large bandage from my incision this morning it's healing very nicely but there is a few scabs but nothing to be concerned about. I took precautions just in case and wrapped the incision before I took a shower this morning. Took a nice long hot shower this morning, and boy oh boy, did it feel so good to finally wash the little bit of hair I have left up there LOL After showering, shaving and the poop fairy finally arriving, I feel like a new man LOL

I love my OS. I got an unexpected phone call from her this morning asking how I was doing. I told her my knee feels strong, my pain is minimal, and my leg is nice and straight but I do have one concern. When I took the bandage off the incision this morning around the kneecap when I press on it it felt squishy like a large pocket of fluid was surrounding my kneecap. She said, not to worry since we did not place a drainage tube this time around it's just a buildup of fluid from surgery and eventually the body will absorb it back into the system. I had an appointment with her in six weeks but she wants me to come in sooner to expect a call from her office to reschedule.

As we all know Medicare only covers 80% for doctor visits, surgery, hospitalization, medication, rehab facility, physical therapy, and all the extra cost one has to endure for using Medicare. I am capable and willing to pay for the 20% out-of-pocket cost through monthly payments. Unfortunately, like most of us who live on a fixed income, we live month by month and I could not come up with that amount of money all at once. It's a harsh reality but now I understand why so many seniors who are on a fix income file for bankruptcy.

Have a blessed day everyone.
 
@TimeBuster I was in a brace for a long time after my kneecap broke and we found that the faux sheepskin fabric that fabric and craft stores carry was a good cushion between the brace and the incision. Wash and dry it, then cut a nice big piece to fit over the sensitive area. My brace also pressed on my ankle bones in a painful way and encircling my ankle with more sheepskin fabric really helped. The brace tended to fall down my leg until I figured out how to stop it by lengthening the part below the knee so that it extended all the way to my ankle, which basically just stopped it from slipping.

I have an unstable right knee. I noted with interest your posting about the larger plastic spacer. I don't know if that would be a solution for me since the instability wasn't there after the TKR and developed only after I broke the kneecap and ruptured the patellar tendon, which required the second surgery and 8 weeks of immobilization. I'm scheduled to have my left knee replaced on July 22, something I have to do if I have any hope of being able to walk without constant risk of losing my balance and falling down. I am fairly nervous about it but most of my difficulties now are related to the un-operated left knee. I hope for a more uneventful recovery this time. I like your fighting spirit.
 
@TimeBuster Congrats on your visitor!:wink: I took several days off from here but I’m glad you’re doing well.
 
What an upbeat post, @TimeBuster! Your OS sounds super and not intimidating at all. Having fluid and swelling around the knee, unfortunately, is part of the after-effects of this surgery. The more you ice and elevate the more the swelling will come down. Oh and congrats on your 'visitor' :dancy:!
 
I hope your upcoming appts identify the cause.

I wonder as sisterinhim mentioned about ligament/tissues also.
I am nursing a sprained ligament, not in my new PKR left leg, but in in my formerly right “good leg” which I believe I caused by twisting it (I think I gave up the elevated commode too soon and was twisting it in the night when I got up and the leg was stiff—-commode elevator is back now and I am oh so gradually lowering the legs as the ligament heals).
My ligament sprain pain felt like the pain you described, came on suddenly, and would no longer hold my weight.
I went to the OS first thing the next morning.
I wear an OTC brace when up and about, which helps while the ligament heals.

I do pay more attention to improving my stamina now also, not only general overall strength and health, but also to the physiological stamina of all the parts of my body that have been stressed by my multiple surgeries (4 in 16 months). I underestimated the latter.

It is literally a “pain” to deal with this, but I was thankful/relieved I did not need more surgery.
I hope you do not either.
 

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