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1cruiselvr recovery diary

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Hi Lynne
Everything you are feeling is very normal and it will all get easier day after day. I think the first two weeks are the worst in this process of recovery and it's also a time of adjustment mentally and physically. I think you were very wise to cancel your PT, you can do all the gentle exercises at home - no problem. Your knee will not freeze up. Here in the UK some folks don't do any PT at a hospital /physio centre at all and they do just fine. I went for my first PT session after 10 days and my knee is doing great. Try and take it easy and enjoy your time relaxing watching mindless tv :wink1:
 
Dear Lynne,
You will be just fine if you didn't get to PT. They had me believing this "window of opportunity" about PT but when I had my first TKR I found it was OK that I progressed rather slowly with range of motion. Because I found that my knee kept improving for a whole year! This was after my PT had long ended and with just normal activity. Recovering fromTKR is a long process. If your spouse has trouble understanding, maybe he could watch a video or even a graphic description of what the surgery involves. You are doing right in taking it easy.
 
Lynne....you did absolutely the right thing by skipping therapy. Quite frankly, getting a shower is therapy enough for one day!!! When I was first taking my showers after my TKR, it would be all I could do to get the shower done. Then I'd flop on the bed in my robe for a 3-hour nap!!!
 
Jamie...I wish I had read your post yesterday. I would have pushed myself to do the shower then instead of putting it off until today before the dr's visit. Hubby has injured his back so he is going to see the chiropractor after my dr appt so its going to be a very long tiring day for me. Thank goodness for pain meds. They are going have to get me thru this long day.
I just don't understand why the professionals act like it's nothing to go to PT, get in and out of car, etc. It makes me feel inadequate, like I'm behind in the recovery process. if it wasn't for everyone on this board sharing their stories, I would not know the truth.
 
OMG - its FINE to just lay in bed - that is what you are SUPPOSED to do!!!!!!

My OS would't let me near PT for 6 - 8 weeks post-op!!!!!!! Please don't push it or b so hard on yourself!!! Try to relax and let recovery come to you which comes in weeks and months not days...take a deep breath and settle in you are in for a long ride but when you get to the end you will b so happy - you really will - it just takes time and patience - and try not to listen to your spouse - he is incorrect!!!
xoxo,
Linda
 
Lynne,
You are doing right by canceling PT. I am jsut down the road in Memphis. Where did you have your surgery done?
Taking a shower was difficult the first few times but I felt better, tough completely worn out, afterwards.
Hope your husband's back gets better so he can help you.
Hang in there, it will get better but takes time.
 
davrunner said:
Lynne,
You are doing right by canceling PT. I am jsut down the road in Memphis. Where did you have your surgery done.
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Howdy neighbor! I had my surgery done at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, TN. My OS works out of the Vanderbilt Bone and Joint Clinic in Franklin.

Yesterday was the worst post op home day. I don't know why. Maybe I was being a little to conservative on pain medication but if so, it wasn't intentional. Anyway, my knee started throbbing in the car on the way to the dr visit. It only got worse from there. By the time I got home, I was in so much pain I wanted to scream! Nothing seemed to help. Relief came when i took my sleeping pill and finally drifted off to sleep. BTW the OS assistant gave me the ROM lecture - told me that the first 2 weeks were critical and after that, adhesions, scarring, etc could set it and limit ROM ability after that. He tested me and I was at 90 which I don't think is bad for only 1 PT visit and all the pain I've been dealing with but it made me feel like i was failing ROM. I have my 2nd PT session today. I am not looking forward to the ride in the car since it was so miserable for me yesterday. I go back to see the OS in 30 days. They will take x-rays at that time to see that everything is going well. That's my big news for today. Yesterday was horrible. I'm praying today is a better day and thankful that I don't have to go anywhere on Sat/Sun. Boy this is alot tougher than i thought. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and interest in my well-being.
 
Hi Lynne,
I am not too far from you either, Jonesboro, AR. I am 11 weeks today from my TKR and life is beginning to get back to normal. In fact we are going on our first camping trip next week.

Pain control, you will learn from everyone here that you must take it on the clock, not on your level of pain. I always set the clock, took max allowed every 4 hours for the first 4 weeks.

I recommend you and your husband read the book "Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation" by D.Brugioni and Jeff Falkel....this book and this forum will answer any questions you have, it also has lots of gently exercises you do at home. I found mine on Amazon for about 16.00..best money ever spent.

I also had to start PT the day after I got home, doctor ordered therapy everyday for the first two weeks, but believe me I skipped a few!! Did not set me back at all, in fact it help with my swelling and pain to always have one day of total rest between each session. This recovery was harder that I expected, but it does end, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, right now you are still in the tunnel. Take this one week at a time, not one day at a time and you will feel more positive about your improvements.

One of the things in the book that really impressed me was the statement that patients are involved in rehabilitation of the knee for 60 seconds a minute, 60 minutes an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for at least 4 weeks. It is called the 60-60-24-7-4 syndrome. Your husband will have to understand the time involved in this process. Best wishes to you both, it is hard on him too, but much harder on you!! I will be following your posts with lots of prayers!

Mary
 
Thought I'd post since it's been a very days. Still dealing with most of the same issues - tired, pain, stiffness, lack of energy, difficulty sleeping. I went to PT 2 days ago and got a lecture about not doing my exercises and how my leg is going to stiffen up and then I won't be able to get maximum ROM. I listened and went home and took a nap. LOL I did a few stretching exercises yesterday and today but not as much as I'm sure they would like me to do. So I guess I will hear the same lecture tomorrow when I got back for PT. Right now I'm taking Ambien 5 mg at bedtime and 1-2 hyrdrocodone 7.5 w/acetaminophen 325 every 4-6 hrs for pain. Also taking Coumadin for blood clots and a stool softener. I'm wondering if taking Ibuprofen would be helpful. OS didn't mention it. Any relief from pain is welcome at this point. I still spend most of my time in bed reading or watching TV. Hubby is disappointed. Thinks I should be out of the bed and walking around the house with my walker by now. I'm not sure I should do this or still take it easy in bed??? It will be 2 weeks from surgery date on Wednesday. I've finally got the swelling under control I think. Probably because I'm not doing much but resting, icing and taking my pain meds. I feel like I should be doing more and I am wondering if laying around in bed is making me weak??? Such thoughts we get when we have nothing to do but think....especially in the middle of the night, right?
 
Hi Lynne, for two weeks it sounds like you are doing all the right things; resting, icing, elevating, and taking your pain meds. That is just what you should be doing and nothing more. At two weeks, I was on the couch watching TV and doing just what you are doing. The most walking I did was outside to get the mail. Don't let your husband make you feel guilty. He was not the one that had a TKR.
 
Hey---at just a week removed from surgery, you are going through the dark days of recovery. These things can take quite some time, and I would imagine that you are hanging tough, hearing from both the PT and your husband! There is no magic window for ROM---one can gain that up to a year and beyond after a TKR. Just keep icing, elevating, and resting---gentle stretching is permitted.

It is a shame that very few PT's have actually had a TKR---then they would understand what it is truly like! It is all theory to them!

Do not push your self---fight the urge to do more! Do not get out there and mow the lawn! :hysterical:Your body is still reeling from a major surgery and the trauma that it sustained is robbing you of all kinds of energy and the knee is very, very angry!

Please make sure that you stay on top of the pain by taking the pain meds before you begin to hurt. I cannot comment on Ibuprofen with the mix---I will tag Jamie and see what she has to say about it. (My first thought right now is to nix it.)

Remember also that the pain meds can bring about lethargy and a type of post surgical depression, too. You literally have to take it one day at a time and trust that there will be brighter---much brighter days ahead.

I also had sleep issues, too, and spent most of my time in the early days in a recliner. I watched Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and other shows on TVLand...
 
How many weeks after surgery do people usually move from the walker to a cane for walking aid? Right now I can't see giving up my walker. I know it's different for everyone but was just wondering about a general timeframe.
I think I might move from the bed to the couch tomorrow for awhile. That will make hubby happy. Between hubby and the PT, I feel like I'm failing in my recovery.
 
1cruiselvr said:
How many weeks after surgery do people usually move from the walker to a cane for walking aid? Right now I can't see giving up my walker. I know it's different for everyone but was just wondering about a general timeframe.
I think I might move from the bed to the couch tomorrow for awhile. That will make hubby happy. Between hubby and the PT, I feel like I'm failing in my recovery.
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I was using a walker for about two-three weeks after my BTKR---then I went to crutches, then to a cane. You are correct---everybody is different. Some here used a walker for a few days; others, like myself, needed them for a longer period of time.

As for failing in recovery---do not worry about the PT or your husband; the only person you have to really deal with and make happy is yourself.

I was lucky with my PT's---there were two sets of them and one set worked with athletic surgical issues while the other set worked on joint replacement folks. They understood how difficult recovery and PT could be.
 
Hi Lynne you are doing fine You have to listen to your knee. i get lectured at PT but I do want I can do. I figure I am doing enough PT at home by getting up and using the restroom, making my meals, doing laundry (very small loads) and getting up and down to feed my dogs and let them outside. I am still waiting for my shower transfer bench to arrive so I can take a shower I am so tired of washing in the sink. But for the most part I am in bed icing and elevating my knee and taking my pain meds.
You are the one going through this and you know how your knee is feeling don't let anyone including dear hubby try to rush you. This is a long recovery and trying to push yourself to hard will make the recovery longer. I have not had PT for 2 days and basically vegetated on the couch and I noticed some of the swelling has gone down. You are doing fine we are both still very new in our recovery
 
1cruiselvr said:
How many weeks after surgery do people usually move from the walker to a cane for walking aid? Right now I can't see giving up my walker. I know it's different for everyone but was just wondering about a general timeframe.
I think I might move from the bed to the couch tomorrow for awhile. That will make hubby happy. Between hubby and the PT, I feel like I'm failing in my recovery.
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I don't see me giving up my walker in the near future. Don't let anyone make you feel like you are failing. You know how your knee feels and no one else can tell you where you should be in your recovery or what you should be doing. Your knee is the boss.:friends:
 
Hi Mary....glad to hear you are doing well. No laundry for me yet. But I did take a shower which felt fabulous! PT has me worried that if I don't do exactly what they say, my knee will not recover properly. I hope they are wrong.
 
Lynne, I'm going to be very, very blunt with you because I am worried about you trying to push yourself to meet the expectations of others.

Your physican's assistant and therapist are full of it! With all you're pushing to do I am amazed that your ROM is 90 this early in recovery. You need to stop listening to this stuff and do what feels right for you.

Your knee is not going to lose ROM or sieze up or anything horrible as long as you are doing at least some gentle stretching and bending each day. Honestly, at this early stage that is all you need.

Since going to and from therapy is causing you so much pain, please see about having someone come to you. Or tell your therapist to give you printouts of your exercises so you can do them at home and stop going in the car for a couple of weeks. Then you can do the exercises yourself every other day or so.

If you do keep going to the therapist you see now, be sure you take a dose of your pain meds about 1 hour before you will start the exercicses. If the PT pushes you or belittles you, tell them to stop. You are the one in charge and they work for you. Both those things are counter productive and you need to tell them so. If they get huffy, ask to see the supervisor.

Have a heart to heart with your hubby. He needs to understand that you will heal and advance at YOUR pace. Your body is in control and no one can make this process go any faster. He must not make you feel guilty by resting most of the day with ice and elevation. That is what you are SUPPOSED to be doing!!! It's how your body heals.

If he really doesn't get it, show him the video of knee replacement surgery. it shows all the hammering, sawing and moving your leg around that is done and it's guaranteed to get his attention.

Don't you DARE think about any home chores this soon!!! You are weeks away from even the smallest of household chores.

Do NOT cut down on your pain meds. Take a full dose every 4 hours round the clock. Ice and elevate constantly. Sleep as much as you can.

As for the walker, you probably need to stay with it. You will know when you're strong enough to move to crutches or a cane. It will be when you are steady on your feet and can walk with the walker without a limp at a fairly good pace. Until then you NEED this support.

Don't let ANYONE shame you or make you feel guilty. YOU are the one who has gone through this surgery. YOU know your body and sense how you feel. YOU should be calling the shots.

Okay....I'll step away from the soapbox now.......

Seriously, hon.....I care about you and I want to see you feeling like you are in control of your own recovery.
 
Lynne,

On the issue of Ibuprofen and Coumadin, you should NOT take them at the same time, both thin the blood. As for the walker you should use it until YOU feel comfortable enough to graduate to a cane or crutches. IMO 2 weeks is way to early to give it up, you need to feel steady on that knee before you give it up.

Don't let anyone try to bully you you seems to be doing just the right things for how far along you are.
 
Oh...thanks, Rose!!! I meant to mention that and forgot once I got to writing!!!
 
Hi, Lynne.
It makes me feel inadequate,
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Jamie has it spot on IMO, and her vehemence is directed not at you but at those around you who are giving bad advice or perhaps are not being as supportive as they might. Perfect advice.

- You are doing exactly the right thing in allowing your knee to set the pace.

- Rest, ice, elevation, watching telly and staying in bed are correct.

- You will not lose ROM or extension by not doing PT. Gentle stretches are all you need. Two week window :hysterical:
I just cancelled my PT appt and hubby is not happy about it. He thinks I can't get better without doing regular PT.
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- He is wrong. Your knee is damaged, not unfit. Just like you don't exercise a broken leg, you don't exercise a post-op knee. However, the idea of not doing anything is anathema to many men, it's in our nature to be goal-oriented. Hubby may react well to the idea of a 'proactive recovery programme of rest' as opposed to 'being idle' :th_heehee:

I have put in my 2p, exactly the same as everyone else's, just to show that (a) there's loads of us here and (b) we all think you're right, they're wrong.
 
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