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TKR 11/11/2014 - my recovery journal

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@sandbar525 congrats on the INR. I am moving in the opposite direction from you on that. I get my next one tomorrow. I do think we are about the same on things.

I did 2 sets of PT this morning including 2 times on the bike for a minute each. Just woke from my afternoon nap and I am stiff and swollen again. It will be hard to get much more movement in today other than just walking around the house. You are right, that helps a bit.


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@LaxMom Hoping to try the recumbent bike at PT tomorrow. The stationary bike I have at home is upright and PT advised not trying it just yet because it is too hard to get on right now. The lower entry point on the recumbent will be more "knee friendly". I was wondering about your experience in standing still. I find that I can't stand in one place (like at kitchen counter to make a sandwich). I haven't ventured a shower yet because I'm nervous about ability to stand in one place for very long and don't have a shower bench for back up. Any thoughts?
 
Hi @sandbar525 - I have the Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike and love it. I agree it is easier than an upright and one of the things I like about this bike is there is nothing in the middle to step over, just slide in and sit. I do just one minute at a time and I do not actually turn it on, so there is no tension. The trick is to get your foot with no shoe far into the peddle, and if you cannot go all the way around, just go forward and back to your limit point. Sooner or later, the foot goes all the way around.

I find I have no problems standing upright even with no crutches. It is the thing that has surprised me the most. I thought I would buckle or it would hurt, but I think I can actually stand in one place longer now than before the surgery. Same in the shower. I do have a shower chair in my tub and I get onto it much like you would get into the passenger side of a car. I do have to swing the leg over the side, but we can do that now. Today I started and ended sitting and got out from the sitting position. But, for most of my shower I actually stood because I knew I could and it felt safe and comfortable.

I mentioned in one of my posts on my own thread that I think one area of benefit for me is that the hip surgery recovery may have strengthened both of my legs. Prior to surgeries I was very much inactive. But after the hip, I was doing PT and many of the exercises are the same - quad sets, ankle slides, etc. I do think the one good thing for me is going into this surgery with stronger, more stable quads. On the other hand, the anemia is still horrid, which is one of the reasons I do need a shower chair. I do not want to pass out in there!

Hope that helps!
 
sandbar525 said:
I find that I can't stand in one place (like at kitchen counter to make a sandwich). I haven't ventured a shower yet because I'm nervous about ability to stand in one place for very long and don't have a shower bench for back up. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I am almost four weeks out and still have trouble standing in one place to do anything. Walking around the house seems fine, but anytime I need to stand still, I don't feel very stable. There's no pain or anything; it's just that I have this intense urge to SIT. Maybe it will improve with time and confidence.

If you can manage it, a shower chair is a fairly cheap investment in safety. Also, as Minnie's knees said to me yesterday, it's best to be sure someone is there when you are in the shower in case anything happens, or in case you forget your towel! :giggle:
 
I had surgery on the 12th and I have an upright stationary bike.. but what I do is set a dining room chair behind the bike, adjust the distance of the pedals in front and use it like a recumbent bike. That is actually how they have the bikes at my PT set up.... It works great. Easy to get sat down and easy to adjust the distance. Also, I can't stand still hardly at all.. it hurts to stand still. It hurts to walk too... but standing still is the worst.
 
You are really very soon out of surgery. Just try a little bit every day. You'll find that you can stand longer bit by bit. I had a bath bench which I used to get in and out of the tub-shower. It was also great in those early few weeks to have for the backup/security blanket as your energy etc takes a while to come back.
 
@sandbar525, shower chair for sure! I got the one from "Essential Medical Supply" with back and padded arms, thru Amazon. Sturdy, works great. I also installed one of those dual shower head thingys with the hose. Good stuff! That first shower feels sooo gooood.
 
Thanks so much everyone. @Clipless @kneeper @hbacres @Princess Tia @LaxMom Your comments have been extemely helpful. My knee feels very strong and it is wonderful not to have the arthritis pain but Princess Tia nailed it when she said she just had the intense urge to sit! I'm sure it is an energy drain as suggested by Kneeper. Think I'll send my daughter out to track down a shower chair for me this weekend. Again, this is just one more example of the wonderful service this site provides. Sweet dreams and hugs all around! :)
 
The energy drain thing is strange but I suppose your body is still repairing itself . My surgeon said expect 12 -18 months before patient feel "right" with things. It's a slow road - guess it's a matter of chugging along, one day at a time ,slow and steady wins the race kind of thing. :upright:I am thinking of you pedalling away:wave:at PT today. Last minute shopping here today . I don't like shopping , the knee hates walking slowly so we won't be out long but has to be done.
Have a good day everyone.
 
Day 9: Good day at PT. Was able to try the recumbent bike for the first time. Sat down and slowly tried to rotate pedal forward. Couldn't make it all the way around. Stopped, sat for a second and then tried to rotate backwards. Was able to go all the way around the first try! :) Really felt great. Slowly pedaled backwards for 3 minutes and then stopped, paused and tried to rotate forwards. This time it went all the way around and so pedaled another 2 minutes forward. Added side step, lift up on toes and hamstring stretch to routine but only 2 sets of 6 each with holding hamstring stretch for 10 seconds. Then just walked around the circuit once and it ended. ROM stayed about the same 95/2 but he was pleased for 9 days out. Other than that, pretty much everything else is the same. Still fighting swelling, pain being handled with 4mg dialaudid every 4 hours with 650mg of Tylenol added every other time. Actually watched a little TV in the livingroom today but found after about an hour, I couldn't concentrate on anything and so have moved back to my bedroom where I am most comfortable. No at home PT for me today since it is an outpatient PT day but will get up occasionally to go to bathroom, kitchen for ice/snack and walk to/from front door to loosen things up. Fortunately still sleeping well (4 hours straight then med alarm and then back for another 4 hours). Feel incredibly lucky in that area. Well, that's my report for today. I hope it finds you coping with the waiting if you are pre-op and steadily healing if you are post-op. Hugs all around! :)
 
Good job on that bike, @sandbar525 . Now you are ahead of me! i think I can do more than one minute, but am just a tiny bit afraid of it. My home PT person comes tomorrow, and I am sure she will add something new.

Sleep well!
 
@LaxMom We'll see what a good job it was a little later in the day and tomorrow. Right now my pain is a little more elevated that it usually is when approaching my 4:00 meds. The 5 minutes were PT Todd's idea. I may have to modify it at next PT on Monday...we'll wait & see! :) Hope you have a great day and a restful night.
 
That is a long time on the bike! Not sure if I could do it. But, this evening, I did another minute on the bike, at 6 pm, the peak of my daily swelling, and I could go around relatively pain free. I was surprised, actually. Turning another corner, perhaps!

I do think my pain levels and swelling levels are starting to go down. I noticed a big difference today. It might be hard for you to say after the day you had, but would be interested if you experience that tomorrow.

I just got my dilaudin refill in the mail - I actually ran out of pills before it came, but luckily I could substitute oxycodone from my last surgery. Anyway, they only gave me 40 pills and no refill. If I continue at the dosage we are at, I will run out by Monday, and Thanksgiving is coming!!! I feel like I need to call again tomorrow for yet another refill. I think my doctor is trying to tell me it is time to reduce the dosage, and I think I can, but jeez louise!!! I would have like a bit more running room!!! I might try 2 mg (1 pill) every 4 hours tomorrow, or maybe see if I can skip the 2 am dose, not sure yet. So weird though! I am feeling guilty for my dosage, but it is working for both of us. I am the first person who wants to get off this darn stuff, so I am a bit insulted! Grrr...
 
@LaxMom I understand completely about the meds. I just got my refill today, too and thankfully it was for the full 60 pills I'm comfortably set through the weekend and then see the OS or PA on Monday to have my staples out...yippee!! I plan to ask them at that time how they intend to revise the pain management plan. Like you, I am anxious to get off the dilaudid but know I need some kind of step down drug in order to accomplish that. I'm glad you had oxycodone from your last surgery to fill in but it just goes to show you how wrong this 5-day at a time prescription policy is right now. I can't imagine the pain and set back that would have occurred if you hadn't had them. With the long holiday weekend coming up, are you planning to phone OS/PA to explain that you will run out by Monday? Maybe there is a step-down that they could call in for you that will take over after Monday. I hate to think you will be struggling with that issue when you are doing so well.

I don't expect to see much improvement in swelling tomorrow after the too long bike ride at PT today but hopefully will see some by the weekend. That would be so great because I don't see my ROM improving much past 95 or 96 until the swelling goes down. Fingers crossed that will happen. Your routine of 1 minute at a time on the bike sounds perfect! Good for you.

Regarding INR, you are taking 6-7mg and it's too low and I'm taking 1.25mg and hopefully tomorrow it won't have shot up again. It's a mystery. Well, hope you have a restful evening. I'll check in with you tomorrow. Sweet dreams! :)
 
Sheeeeesh @sandbar what are you doing tour de france dont be afraid to say to PT, now hold on there partner they who try to shoot before they know how get a sore foot. But good attitude - looks for gold star

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Good morning all. I wanted to post a general question to anyone who might be stopping by. When first standing, I feel a real burning sensation around operation site and things have to "settle" over the course of the first few steps. Then things level off and progress easily. Does this coincide with where I am post-op? Any and all feedback appreciated. Thanks so much. :)
 
@Legin Yes. I'm thinking it is the incision and surrounding area healing and when it has been still for a while, when I stand things pull and burn a bit. Does this sound logical?
 
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Legin THR Sep 14
 
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