TKR ACK! OMG! TKR on May 29th

[bottomshollow]

Elisea, I am wishing you a knee that does not look like this and nights of doing this

instead of this

. Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Janet2012]

I know my knees don't like sitting a whole lot. All that knee impingement and gravity going on.

 

[1ELISEA]

Elisea, I am wishing you a knee that does not look like this and nights of doing this

instead of this

. Take care and keep us posted. We care.

I may be tired but that gave me a good smile!

 

[1ELISEA]

I know my knees don't like sitting a whole lot. All that knee impingement and gravity going on.

Hmmmmm hadn't thought about that.

 

[1ELISEA]

Wish me good luck everyone.
My appointment with my surgeon is this week. I find whether I can finally ditch the crutches after several weeks of being back on them.

 

[bassplayer]

Good luck!! Hope your checkup goes well!

 

[1ELISEA]

Thanks bassplayer. Hoping, hoping, hoping, hoping............. I so want off the crutches. And that would also mean that everything is now A-OK with my knee.

 

[1ELISEA]

Elisea, I am wishing you a knee nights of doing this

instead of this

.

Well, here it is another sleepless nights. I have tried everything except prescription sleep aids. I am sooooo tired of being tired.

 

[1ELISEA]

Please anyone, any ideas to get sleep? It is getting really tiring being tired, and not sleeping. If there are more suggestions in the library to help, I am tooooo tired to look and guessing that I've tried most of them. Looks like it is about time to get up now anyway.

I'd really rather not use sleeping pills if at all possible, my family members have had strange responses to them, lots of nightmares, etc.

No suggestion is too strange at this point like perhaps standing on one foot while doing jumping jacks and ... hmmm... well, maybe not that one.

I wish I had the harpist from the hospital in Montana with a view of Glacier National Park that LucyBelle mentioned, that might be enough to let me sleep.

 

[ChrisO]

Elisea,

Ok try these things... Cool off. Take a nice soak bath but don't keep the water too hot. Ice your knees till they a good n cool then ditch the icebags to the floor till later.

Get a fan, use it for the white noise and to help you stay cool while sleeping.

Eat the foods that make us sleepy at thanksgiving. Foods high in triptophan. Try a turkey sandwich at night with a glass of milk or red wine.

Melatonin is helpful to many. It can be found at Walgreens and in health food or herbal/supplement stores.

Go to bed to sleep, don't read or watch TV in bed. We are supposed to be bored in bed. Resist the urge to get up just listen to the fan.

Try to control nightime pain. Get comfortable, try a body pillow to hug or support you.

At this point sleep is so necessary, if you need a nap take one but try to take it early. Have your siesta at noon not 4.

I wash my hair at night or shower then sleep w a light sheet w the fan on. Sometimes it helps. I break the no reading rule all the time as I read my I pad at night.

Best of luck fellow sleepless friend.

ChrisO

 

[Lori-M]

Poor Elisea! I agree with Chris on the Melatonin; I swear by the stuff. I use a fan too now that Seattle finally has summer. I can't speak to the rest but the triptophan and/or milk or wine sounds good to me! I put my radio on a timer at low volume and it adds to the fan's white noise and seems to help. I hope you get some rest soon! And best of luck at the surgeon this week! Eyes, fingers and toes crossed that you can ditch those crutches!

 

[thegiftlady]

Hi 1Elisea,
...just some food for thought.
I'm managing my SIL's recoup from a lifetime of wrongs due to ignoring her body [all unrelated to knees and hips but sleep was an issue].

She too was suffering from sleep deprevation ... after weeks watching her up all night, I deduced it was due to her pain [her Vascular surgeon was Rxing her meds]. With no relief in sight I got a Pain Management Dr in to see her. He gave her Rx's for 2 different drugs. They helped her find sleep rather quickly. She is not doped, just under a different family of drugs. She is like a new person.

When I had my THR my PT was too aggressive. I learned, you are not supposed to have real pain from your PT. I did not know that. I thought I was supposed to "work through the pain" like when I was young and exercising to get fit. Wrong, not with joint replacement. I overdid it so, I sprained my quad 8-10 weeks out.

With joint replacement, it's one baby step [exercise] at a time. I went back on my meds, stopped office PT and did the core exercises the PTist originally gave me from home. I walked every day and often paying attention to my gait and feet [my first PT'ist had mentioned these were my weaknesses] It took 3-4 weeks to recoup, but I got there.

Hope something here helps.

Wishing you sweet dreams in the very near future.
Joanne

 

[JMackay]

I have been sleeping in my recliner at night and it seems to work.

 

[vicledsome]

You didn't want to use sleep aids, I too have had problems sleeping and my doc suggested I try xanax. Just 1/2 before bed. Works for me. I wake easy and feel great in the morning. Don't do it every night but when I am restless I take one.

 

[blujay2]

Hi
Thanks for your support. I knew this was going to be hard, but OMG this is hard.

Fortunately, I am staying with family and they are taking good care of me. I am sure I could not do this on my own in my tri level home. I am still on my walker and except for using crutches to maneuver a few steps to get into the house, I have stayed on the walker.

I am finding that there is not enough ice in the USA to put on my knee; if stocking up on supplies, extra ice is a must. The polar ice machine is running almost 24/7 and even with a ice maker in the refrigerator door, we need more ice.

I only had surgery on Tuesday afternoon and I already feel I am behind everyone else that had surgery. Like flexion / extension should be at least 110/0. I am lucky to get it to bend enough to sit down. But the leg is hugely swollen so that doesn't help.

Well, time for my nap. I am not having problems sleeping at night like others have reported. I am having problems staying awake long enough to take a nap between sleep periods. :th_heehee:

 

[pmonroe]

I find that, even when I feel sleepy at night, when I lie down, I get this really restless, hyper feeling. I've been falling asleep watching TV, which I know isn't good.

 

[blujay2]

Hi Elisea I had my TRK done in April and I am now at the point where I can say I am glad I had it done. It is Long Term Recovery for me. I had some difficulties after surgery and ended up in the CCU for a few extra days and then transported to Reharb ( my worse nightmare). My leg also swelled up and it postpone Physcial Therapy for about 2 weeks. All behind me now, walking without a cane and take pain pills only at night (hard to find a comfortable sleeping position). I am ready to have the left knee replaced but my surgeon wants me to wait a year. Don't think my knee will hold out that long.

Take care and keep icing, resting and exercise when you can.

 

[1ELISEA]

Ahhh yes, blujay2, you quoted me above in the very early days of my recovery when I was soooooo naive about the sleep deprivation.

I was still on drugs 24 hours a day and had people waiting on me hand and foot. My how times change........

Now I don't know what a good night's sleep is anymore.......... except in emoticons..

 

[1ELISEA]

Hi Elisea I had my TRK done in April and I am now at the point where I can say I am glad I had it done. It is Long Term Recovery for me. I had some difficulties after surgery and ended up in the CCU for a few extra days and then transported to Reharb ( my worse nightmare). My leg also swelled up and it postpone Physcial Therapy for about 2 weeks. All behind me now, walking without a cane and take pain pills only at night (hard to find a comfortable sleeping position). I am ready to have the left knee replaced but my surgeon wants me to wait a year. Don't think my knee will hold out that long.Take care and keep icing, resting and exercise when you can.

Sounds like you are doing wonderfully well! Good for you! Yes, I relate to the "hard to find a comfortable sleeping position". I have about 6 pillows of varying thickness and softness I am constantly changing out during the night depending upon when that fleeting comfortable sleeping position comes around.

 

[1ELISEA]

I find that, even when I feel sleepy at night, when I lie down, I get this really restless, hyper feeling. I've been falling asleep watching TV, which I know isn't good.

Yes, yes, exactly. I get restless being in one position and have to move; can't stay in that position one second longer. I have taken to watching TV and then trying to sleep. You wouldn't believe some of the dorky shows I am now hooked on. :rolleyes: