TKR A Fond Farewell

[sistersinhim]

If you can't sleep in bed, try in a recliner or on a sofa. The important thing is to sleep. It doesn't matter when or where. When you are sleeping your body is in a much better healing mode, concentrating on that knee's healing. Just sleep, even if it's napping off and on all day. For my first couple of weeks I slept in my recliner for an hour or so, then my bed for an hour or so, around the clock. My night sleeping was awful, too, so I slept when I could. You should do the same. Taking daytime naps won't keep you awake at night. You already found that out. So, sleep away wherever and whenever!

 

[Lilli215]

Another good physio session this afternoon, she’s delighted with my progress and I’ve not to go back for three weeks, she’s given me some more stretching exercises and is quick to stress that if I feel pain I immediately stop. It’s really lifting my spirits that baby knee is progressing, as for sleep managed five hours last night, took my painkillers, topped up with an antihistamine and rubbed lavender aromatherapy oil onto my pulse points, so something worked

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow, you are doing amazingly!

 

[Lilli215]

Bit up and down today. Four weeks ago today got LTKR , today had to make journey back to same hosp to see a hip surgeon about painful hip. So the good was the knee held up not too bad, considering the journey consists of one hour ferry trip, one hour in car, restaurant for lunch then an hours wait for appointment, then back in car and ferry. Knee was aching by time I got home but not as swollen as I was expecting. Have been elevating and icing since I got home. The downer today is the x-rays weren’t conclusive re whether my hip needs replaced or not. There is cartilage attop of ball and socket but he cant tell if it’s bone on bone at bottomof hip as he says it can be hard to see on an x-ray plus I’ve got clips from an old varicose vein op obscuring the view. So it’s back into hosp in 3-4 weeks time as a daypatient for tests, to be honest I would’ve been happier if it had been an obvious replacement required

 

[Lindylee]

The thought of going back into hospital in 3 or 4 weeks can't be great. Did he say what tests? Whatever it is I hope it gives a conclusive result.

 

[Lilli215]

@Lindylee it’s to get local anaesthetic injected into the hip, I’ve to stop all painkillers 24 hours beforehand so that I’m realky feeling the pain in the hip. They inject the local (got to be done under light anaesthetic so guessing it must be a big needle!!!) then they wakenme up, if the pain has gone then he knows that it’s coming from the hip, if the painis still there then its not the hip and we’re back to square one!!!

 

[Lindylee]

That sort of makes sense, but will it determine what in the hip is actually causing the pain? I mention it because for 5 years I was told my hip pain was arthritis after x-rays, but it turned out to be a tendon problem. By the time it was diagnosed the tendon had gone beyond repair, so I was a bit miffed to say the least!

 

[Lilli215]

@Lindylee dont think so,, think all it will determine is hip or not, if it’s the hip then the hunt is on to work out what part of it is causing the pain. If it’s not the hip then who knows where I’ll get referred to

 

[Lindylee]

@Lilli215 Fingers crossed that they discover just where it is originating.

 

[Lilli215]

@Lindylee, hope so.

 

[Lilli215]

Does anybody else’s knee get agitated and twitchy in the evenings? At about 8pm every evening the new knee starts to get agitated and twitchy, icing, elevating, walking about, nothing eases it then it all calms down about 9.30. It’s driving me mad

 

[Lindylee]

No, I can't say mine does. If I've been on it a bit then it's more uncomfortable or stiffer, but wouldn't say it was twitchy. Maybe the nerves reacting to something. Can you relate it to anything you do in the time leading up to it?

 

[Lilli215]

No nothing out the norm, just elevating and watching tv

 

[Lilli215]

Bit worried this morning, got an area of pink round about my scar which wasn’t there couple of days ago, noticed it yesterday and today it seems to have spread a bit. Dear god please dont let this be an infection, the scar has been totally closed for last three weeks. Managed to get an appointment to see GP later on this afternoon, anyone else had this and it wasn’t an infection?

 

[Lindylee]

The skin around my scar does seem to change colour slightly. Does it feel hot? Pink sounds healthy to me. I'd be more concerned with red. Maybe it's an increase in blood supply as tissues heal? It's best to have it checked though. Fingers crossed that there's a simple explanation.

 

[Lilli215]

It is hot but it’s been like that since the op, I’m hoping that it is just part of the process. Will keep you posted

 

[Lindylee]

Yes, thinking about it, mine has often felt warm. Good luck

 

[Jockette]

Have you done any extra activity recently? I think my scar used to darken a bit if I overdid something.

I don’t remember my knee feeling warm/hot like many members mention.

 

[Lilli215]

@Jockette, haven’t done anything out of ordinary apart from getting out a bit more as I’m at 5 week mark. Even then it’s just getting driven to meet friends for coffee or a short stroll round supermarket with hubby. It’s not the scar itself that’s changed colour it’s the skin all around the middle of it slap bang on top of kneecap. Seeing doctor this afternoon so hopefully he’ll put my mind at ease

 

[Lilli215]

Just back from doctor and yes it’s an infection but he doesn’t think for a moment that the implant is affected. Been started on a course of Flucloxacillin so hopefully that’ll sort it out