TKR Montecresto’s Recovery

[RaeRae1]

Montecresto- I’ve been reading your posts and am happy to see you’re finally doing much better. Keep up the good work (but not too much) and try to be patient. I’m getting my second knee replacement in five days. I feel ready and optimistic.
By the way, you’re really good at writing, descriptive, humorous and try to respond to everyone’s opinions. Sounds like you’re making good choices for your recovery. I love your hilarious emojis and the comment about not doling out the money for your dear wife. I hope she’s feeling better about everything now too.
Martha

 

[Montecresto]

You're doing great for 4 weeks in terms of your ROM. I hope this new medication regimen will help. Also consider how active you are. It doesn't take much at 4 weeks to make the knee angry. I like that you are using your ice machine. That should also help with pain control. Definitely ice and elevate after exercise or time on your feet getting your meals etc.

Well that’s encouraging, I’ve been thinking that I’m behind on ROM. My surgeon says when I’m done he’ll accept 120*/-2* but I’ve told my PT that my goal is 130*/0* and I’m not leaving till we get me there lol. If insurance runs out I’ll pay to continue on.

The new pain management regimen is already working. Yesterday was the first time I came home from PT and wasn’t suffering all afternoon, evening and night. In the last 24 hours my pain level has been 1/10 with the exception of 1-1/2 hours during the middle of the night when it was 3-4/10 until I could take my next pain medicine so I got up and went on the ice machine which alleviated the pain.
So, in my month out, the last 24 hours have been the best, most relaxing. I believe now I’ll make even better progress pushing through PT going forward…..

 

[Jaycey]

I believe now I’ll make even better progress pushing through PT going forward

Please don't push through anything. You are making progress. Pushing through will only set you back and cause more frustration. Slow and steady will get you there.

 

[Montecresto]

Montecresto- I’ve been reading your posts and am happy to see you’re finally doing much better. Keep up the good work (but not too much) and try to be patient. I’m getting my second knee replacement in five days. I feel ready and optimistic.
By the way, you’re really good at writing, descriptive, humorous and try to respond to everyone’s opinions. Sounds like you’re making good choices for your recovery. I love your hilarious emojis and the comment about not doling out the money for your dear wife. I hope she’s feeling better about everything now too.
Martha

Thank you Martha. The last 24 hours have been a huge relief for my wife….And she’s mentioned repeatedly to me that she’s so happy to see my countenance improved. Apparently when you’re in prolonged agony, you wear it on your face, in your body language and in word…

I’m extremely hopeful this morning, and being the weekend, I’m looking forward for the first time to doing my little home exercises without ending up crying again….

 

[Montecresto]

I believe now I’ll make even better progress pushing through PT going forward

Please don't push through anything. You are making progress. Pushing through will only set you back and cause more frustration. Slow and steady will get you there.

Well, any stretching of my knee to improve my ROM has been a push, and always will be. The difference now, thanks to my surgeon allowing me to see him before my scheduled visit at my insistence, I’m able to do the stretching that’s improving my ROM without suffering the rest of the day and night. That’s a first, and I’m thrilled….

 

[LZeno24601]

Had my knee replacement on Tuesday June 28th
Hope this is the correct place to post this…..

This is a way bigger deal than I was expecting…..

 

[Montecresto]

Had my knee replacement on Tuesday June 28th
Hope this is the correct place to post this…..

This is a way bigger deal than I was expecting…..

Yep, and that remains a fact. I’m satisfied that I will baby my left knee the rest of my life. I will never volunteer myself to such misery again…..

 

[Montecresto]

Today I have been on the recumbent stationery bike twice, done heel slides and rope pulls with ankle pumps and I’m experiencing no discomfort after completion of each. Of course there’s discomfort during. The difference before was that I paid with excruciating pain for hours after any PT….

 

[sistersinhim]

For most members, painful PT is not good PT. It causes setbacks in the recovery process, having to recover from the PT, then get back to recovering from the surgery.

 

[kneeper]

Today I have been on the recumbent stationery bike twice, done heel slides and rope pulls with ankle pumps and I’m experiencing no discomfort after completion of each. Of course there’s discomfort during. The difference before was that I paid with excruciating pain for hours after any PT….

Some discomfort during is ok, and if you're not paying for it afterward you may have found the "sweet spot."

 

[Montecresto]

For most members, painful PT is not good PT. It causes setbacks in the recovery process, having to recover from the PT, then get back to recovering from the surgery.

Well, pain is very difficult to measure. We always hear and we all use the scale of 1 to 10 rule. But honestly, I doubt a 4/10 to you and a 4/10 to me are exactly the same. It’s just all so very subjective….

But for me, this is how I feel about it. The stretching exercises are going to be quite uncomfortable, to a degree painful. But as long as I can do my stretches, which are improving my ROM and the discomfort/pain does not extend beyond the moment of exercise as I’m experiencing now, then I’m golden. I’m having no set back, I’m making progress. My Friday's PT sessions discomfort and pain was over when I walked out the door and got into my car and I went home had no pain the rest of the day and evening. At around midnight I was awakened with knee pain and I got up and walked around the house a little and then got on the ice machine until it was time for my next pain medicine, and returned to bed. Today, for the first time post op, I’ve done all of the exercise regimen that the PT has requested of me all along but could never do because of my nearly constant over 5/10 pain. It was extremely uncomfortable and one exercise in particular, even painful. But all was over as soon as the exercise was over. I’ve been in no pain at all today. Today as a matter of fact has been a delight when compared to the previous 35 days. I’m very excited at the prospect that my surgeon has handled my pain so that I can push through my home exercises and my PT with out ending up in my bed squirming and writhing and crying out in pain as has been the case from day one through this past Thursday. If the pain management regimen I’m on presently allows me to continue my PT and home exercises without residual pain as has been the case yesterday and today, I’m going to start making good progress. I’m looking forward to this week, and despite the fact that my surgeon will be satisfied with 120*/-2* it is my goal to be 130*/0*……….

 

[Montecresto]

Today I have been on the recumbent stationery bike twice, done heel slides and rope pulls with ankle pumps and I’m experiencing no discomfort after completion of each. Of course there’s discomfort during. The difference before was that I paid with excruciating pain for hours after any PT….

Some discomfort during is ok, and if you're not paying for it afterward you may have found the "sweet spot."

Again, for me, I’m ok if it’s even somewhat painful, so long as it’s over when the exercise is over. The way it was before, Monday's PT caused me pain, excruciating pain the rest of the day and that night, and left me unable to do my homework on Tuesday. Tuesday was enervated recuperating from Monday. Likewise, Wednesday’s PT ruined Thursdays homework and so on. So I was getting 3 crappy, rather unproductive days of work on ROM a week. I believe, and am certainly hoping that now I’ll get 7 productive days a week in progress on my ROM. As I’m setting here writing this my leg is propped on a stool before my chair that my foot is on, my leg therefore unsupported and I’m letting gravity work on my knee to improve extension. I could not do that before. I was just always in pain. My leg will be like that for about ten minutes, several times throughout the day while the ice machine is on it and it’s uncomfortable those ten minutes, but as soon as I take my leg down to give it a break, the discomfort is gone. I’m pain free. This is doable for me. This is what I’m hoping to have for the duration.

 

[sistersinhim]

I sounds like you have found a good routine that is working well for you. Great! These recoveries are very individual. What works for one might not work for the other.

 

[Montecresto]

Well, in another first, last night marks the first night that I went to bed and slept the whole night through, save having to awaken for a few moments to two alarms to take medication, then promptly back to sleep. Also, the first night to be able to find a comfortable position on my side to sleep after 35 nights of being compelled to sleep on my back because of too much leg pain when trying either side. And I hate sleeping on my back, never do it as it always causes broken sleep anyway…

Hoping that today is another day like yesterday with regards to 1/10 or less pain and good exercise, stationary bike use and walking without any residual pain…..

Oh, and I am now walking around the house without the use of my cane….woohoo!!!

 

[InkedMarie]

Whoo hoo for a good nights sleep! It’s so important & gives us sort of a new perspective. I’m over three months out & not being able to fall asleep sooner than 1.5-2hrs is my biggest issue.

Marie

 

[Montecresto]

Whoo hoo for a good nights sleep! It’s so important & gives us sort of a new perspective. I’m over three months out & not being able to fall asleep sooner than 1.5-2hrs is my biggest issue.

Marie

Well, if you’re not still on pain medicine, a hot toddy…….

But yes, it’s soooooo wonderful. I was asleep within 15 minutes and awoken only twice by soft alarm to medicate and right back to sleep….

 

[InkedMarie]

Whoo hoo for a good nights sleep! It’s so important & gives us sort of a new perspective. I’m over three months out & not being able to fall asleep sooner than 1.5-2hrs is my biggest issue.

Marie

Well, if you’re not still on pain medicine, a hot toddy…….

But yes, it’s soooooo wonderful. I was asleep within 15 minutes and awoken only twice by soft alarm to medicate and right back to sleep….

Ha! No pain meds but maybe I do need a nice adult beverage! I’m a teensy bit worried only because I go back to work in five weeks. If it keeps up, I’m gonna be in bed at 7pm!

Marie

 

[Montecresto]

Whoo hoo for a good nights sleep! It’s so important & gives us sort of a new perspective. I’m over three months out & not being able to fall asleep sooner than 1.5-2hrs is my biggest issue.

Marie

Well, if you’re not still on pain medicine, a hot toddy…….

But yes, it’s soooooo wonderful. I was asleep within 15 minutes and awoken only twice by soft alarm to medicate and right back to sleep….

Ha! No pain meds but maybe I do need a nice adult beverage! I’m a teensy bit worried only because I go back to work in five weeks. If it keeps up, I’m gonna be in bed at 7pm!

Marie

When I was still going to bed in extreme pain every night, my wife would put on SiriusXM SPA music, light candles, incense, and gently massage my legs with lavender and other essential oils, and just softly tell me little happy stories. It was really amazing how the combination would bring my anxiety and pain level down to where I stopped moving (I’d be squirming with pain) and lay calmly, and then be able to fall asleep……

I don’t know if you have someone that can provide that kind of care for you, but if you do………

Of course for me, I’d still end up waking up eventually in writhing pain again. My poor wife, struggling to get her own rest in couldn’t very well be getting up all hours of the night and doing that repeatedly. But it sure was awesome when we’d first go to lay down for the night….

 

[Montecresto]

Another night of sleeping straight thru except for two quick alarms for medication and then back to sleep…..

Off to PT in less than an hour….
Hoping for another good experience following…

 

[Montecresto]

Came home from PT feeling really good. Had a great afternoon and early evening, little to no pain. Then about 8:00 pm, setting with the ice machine attached to my knee and running 20 minutes on 20 minutes off, I began to experience discomfort in my lower leg/ankle and foot which began as feeling numbness and an aching pain. At the end of one of the 20 minutes on cycles of icing I removed the knee wrap to get up and discovered I had it too tight. Realizing I was constricting blood flow below the wrap which set off pain and discomfort on a 3-4/10 on my scale which persisted on and off, even after going to bed and managing to fall asleep. When I awoke to my 1:00 am alarm for medicine it was finally gone. But that was a costly learning experience…..