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TKR 21 June 2016 & 18 October 2016 Life Begins Again

Just finished my 2nd set of daily exercises, propped my knee, surrounded it top and bottom in my fav Colpacs, and reclined myself against my bedrest pillow (stay away sciatica!) as I reflect on my gratefulness for a successful surgery. Taking in slow deep breaths, I imagine taking a long slow walk on a Colorado mountain trail, stopping to look at wild flowers and feeling the warm sunshine on my face. It will come . . . Today is my 11th day post op and I am grateful to my home PT, who guided me through my first full week home. She set me up in a daily routine of rehab exercises 3x a day. I thought I was elevating enough, but she encouraged me to elevate much higher keeping a straight line (like Bonesmart's pic). I make sure I see my entire foot above my knee when I recline or am lying flat. She also observed that I wasn't icing cold and long enough - with my Colpacs, I just need one thin layer between the Colpac and my leg. (I was so afraid of frostbite that I used too many layers.) Within a few days just by modifying these two things, the frightening black and blue bruising along the backside of my leg began to subside and ALL swelling in my calf and foot disappeared! I put on a sneaker just for fun and it fit! I read Bonesmart articles talk about how you can't bend if you're swollen, but it didn't occur to me how much a little fine tuning with elevation and thoroughly icing would help. After today's 2nd set of exercises, I actually dangled my legs over the edge of the bed and gently kicked them back and forth. Ah, it's the littlest things . . .
 
Amazing how much we appreciate actually any stretch of sleep now- lol! Seven hours- that's magnificent!! Hopefully you can repeat that tonight!
 
Thx @Suz I'm getting ready for my 3rd set of exercises followed by icing and to sleep around 10 pm. I'm actually a bit anxious that I won't sleep tonight. Crazy, huh?
 
Don't worry about when you sleep right now. Take it when it comes. You will start to get more and more full nights sleep as you recover.
 
It sounds as if your home PT is a keeper, @TML . Don't worry if you miss a couple of times of doing the exercises. once a day is enough, as you're exercising your knee whenever you walk to the bathroom and back. You're making great progress.
 
I had my surgery the same day!! TLKR!!!! Sounds like your doing GREAT!!!!!!! I can't wait to keep hearing about it!
 
Thx for your encouragement. It helps so much. @Yhurt, my surgery buddy, I'm anxious to find your thread and hope you're doing well. Today I've been exhausted even though I slept fairly well last night; however, my sciatica is hurting tonight so I've got one Colpac on the outside of my surgery leg and one on the nerve root on my derrière. My second set arrives from Amazon on Tuesday. I'll feel like my entire body's on ice!!! I'm whining here now that I've got my new knee pain under control but the sciatica is killing me! Poor me
 
TML said:
Taking in slow deep breaths, I imagine taking a long slow walk on a Colorado mountain trail, stopping to look at wild flowers and feeling the warm sunshine on my face. It will come.
Click to expand...

I went to Colorado for the first time late last summer (for the Jeep Jamboree in Ouray) and I *loved* it! Can't wait to go back and hike.

I hope your recovery continues smoothly and you get out there in that tremendous beauty you have.
 
I haven't been to Ouray in years, beautiful country. That sounds so fun!
 
How did you do last night? When I wear Ice packs, I have to put a jacket on...while everyone else are in tank tops...lol !!! I hope you are doing okay!!!!
 
Lol. I have a sheet and fleece blanket over my highly elevated feet. It must look absurd in 95 degree weather! Slept sitting up, which is more comfortable with my sciatica, sitting on my Colpac. Lol
 
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It sounds like you are doing great with what you have been handed. I love your visualizations. I think I'll go to sleep tonight thinking about the beauties of Colorado. I hope you have a good rest and that sciatica stays away!
 
TCL,
I too have had my first ever sciatic nerve flare ups (on my calf) since tkr 3 weeks ago plus hip pain to boot. I guess nice for the knee to have company in the pain dept. Both respond to changes in gait luckily, gotta focus on bending the knee each step the same.
I hope sleep continues to go well for you.
 
I'm so happy to share great news from my 2-week post op appointment today: OS was pleased with scar's healing, said my ROM was fabulous (he didn't measure just watched me bend it), and was amazed with the lack of swelling! Showing me today's detailed X-rays, he smiled and showed me how perfectly the prothesis looked within the bone. He said my knee will only get better and I will never have arthritic pain in this knee again! I have so many to thank, including a big shout-out to everyone at Bonesmart for their helpful information and continuing support.

Rehab has only begun and I have much work to do but this has been a great day. We also discussed the sciatica, which remains very painful. He switched me to Flexeril, a different muscle relaxant, that I'll try for awhile. If it doesn't help, I'll go in for an injection. @tpellerin sorry to hear it's affecting you as well. TKR and sciatica together are a challenge, especially that calf pain, which is so close to the knee.

Back to elevation, icing (my derrière included) and 1 benedryl at bedtime . . .
 
Congratulations on your good 2 week report! bonesmart is a blessing to all of us! Never have I met more caring people!
 
Happy to hear you had a good f/u appt and your ROM is doing so well.
Best of luck with your rehab! maybe PT can show you some exercises to also help your sciatica.
 
@TML that's a great report... I take flexaril as needed for my back problems and it helps me, it also makes me very sleepy.
 
TML said:
Found a position sitting against my bedrest pillow that didn't aggravate my sciatica.
Click to expand...
Good news! I found I needed to change positions a lot over the course of the day and night.
 
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