TKR A Fond Farewell

[Lindylee]

Thanks Jamie, I'll remember that. It was the latest date I could find and although it doesn't give enough detail I thought it interesting that the physio exercises done at home seemed to show more benefit. It made me wonder if, like me, people did what they could with regard to the exercises and increased gradually as able instead of being pushed to do more. I took the number of repetitions etc as something to build to rather than start with and avoided those that caused pain. I should have quantified that with my post, but was in a bit of a rush. Sorry.

 

[Josephine]

It would also be better if you posted it in your own thread

 

[Lilli215]

Had an interesting conversation with a friend last night. She’d phoned to see how I was doing post op and I was mumping and moaning about how sore I was this time compared to last etc etc. She said did I not remember that first time around she had popped in at the 8 day mark and Iwas so sore I could hardly bare wearing sweat pants on the wound and was struggling to get up and down the stairs. I remember her coming to visit but genuinely have no recollection about how bad those first couple of weeks were!! Makes me feel better that perhaps second time around isn’t just as bad as I was thinking

 

[Lindylee]

@Josephine Sorry, I was responding to Lili's post. I'm not doing very well am I?

@Lilli215 That's encouraging Lilli, good to know how quickly we forget things like that. Maybe this knee will be even more successful than the first, or at least as good.

 

[Josephine]

@Josephine Sorry, I was responding to Lili's post. I'm not doing very well am I?

 

[Lilli215]

Well talk about a nesting experience- hubs is banished to the spare room for the duration but he came up this morning to collect my icing bucket and asked if I was going for a new world record in how many pillows does one person need!! Normally I sleep flat with one pillow only- by last night I was up to 7!! Two to lie on normally, one up the headboard as sometimes I can only drop off sitting upright, two running at right angle to the normal pillows so I can just flop over on to them if I’ve been sitting up without aving to move the knee and two tucked into my back to support my hip which is also due for replacement!! Actually feel quite comforted in my wee den, still not sleeping well but at least I’m relaxed in there!

 

[sistersinhim]

I was always happiest in my next, too. It was something about the security and comfort in being in my own special place. You are super early in your recovery when poor sleeping is normal. It does get better, though. Be patient.

 

[Lilli215]

@sistersinhim, yes I remember lack of sleep from first tkr. Was about 5 weeks in before I got anything close to a decent nights sleep

 

[Lilli215]

Surprise surprise I actually slept not too badly last night however this morning I’m so so tired, can hardly keep my eyes open. Presume it’s because the healing process is in full swing. Am more tired today after sleeping last night than when I’ve had a sleepless night

 

[Lindylee]

That happened to me after my first night's decent sleep. The next day I was shattered and kept dropping off during the day. I think it must just be our bodies trying to catch up on all that missed sleep.

 

[Steph]

Sleep is a funny old thing, boy do we need it to heal (as my mum always said when I was a kid), but it’s quite elusive isn’t it?

I actually had a better night last night than I’ve had since the op. I increased my gabapentin to two pills (prescribed by pain management for my back initially) and I actually got 3 hrs in the first stint, woke popped to loo, got comfy again and another 2 hrs after that. Then sort of on and off till getting up time.

I also found it so comfy to sleep on my operated side with no pillow supports, and no discomfort till I tried to move hah, then of course it was all tight.

Who knows what tonight will bring, but I think we all need to snooze as and when we can

 

[Lilli215]

@Steph, quite agree, I’m not fighting it, if I feel tired I just close my eyes. Step- daughter was in this afternoon doing housework for us (hubs is good but the heavy duty stuff is a bit beyond him- bless) and I zonked out whilst she was vacuuming in the same room

 

[Steph]

Aww just shows how tired you are @Lilli215, if you can sleep through a vacuum. I may need to borrow her, there’s a lot that seems to bypass my hubby where housework is concerned, bless him

 

[sistersinhim]

Am more tired today after sleeping last night than when I’ve had a sleepless night

Your body just wanted more and more! It's good to sleep as much as it wants.

 

[Lilli215]

Could this be a glimmer of hope— 12 days out and this morning could do all my stretching and lifting exercises with no discomfort. Even managed 5 heel slides (very small ones but best I can do) coz due to swelling in knee and thigh I’ve not been able to do any since I came home from hosp. Amazing how being able to do a small set of stretches and lifts can raise your moral so much

 

[sistersinhim]

Amazing how being able to do a small set of stretches and lifts can raise your moral so much

Oh yes, each baby step is a reason to celebrate. You are seeing improvements. Yay!

 

[Lilli215]

Bit down this evening, was so looking forward to getting my clips out today to free up the knee and hopefully start to progress with my recovery. When the district nurse removed the dressing the bottom half of my knee was quite red around the scar(hadn’t been likevthat when dressing was changed 5 days ago) she phoned the hosp where I had the op and they said as long as my temp was normal it was prob just my skin reacting to the clips. Two areas of the scar started to bleed and as I was on Fragmin Injection until yesterday they turned into gushers. So after that got sorted out the top part of the scar was gaping slightly so had to be Sterii-stripped, a dressing was applied and my knee now feels stiffer than ever!!! Been icing it and elevating all day but it’s nipping away, think it’s going to be a sleepless night tonight

 

[sistersinhim]

Are you doing better now?

 

[Jockette]

I was excited to get my stitches out thinking my knee would bend easier, but that didn’t happen. After they took the stitches out, they put a bunch of steri strips on the incision and they were worse than the stitches. And in the end, it turned that it had been swelling all along preventing my bend, not my stitches.

 

[Lilli215]

@Jockette that’s me to a T!!! I’m having my first physio appointment this afternoon and if she doesn’t recognise that I’m fairly poor with the heel slides due to knee and thigh swelling- well watch this space