PKR And Now for the Left One

Rick951

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Hi all, Today is the day. Surgery scheduled for 11:15 am. It is 7:50 am I have been checked in, I am waiting in the per-surgery holding area. Figured this would be a good time to start my 2nd. recover thread. Because of Covid my wife is staying home this time. So I am alone.
So far the day has been uneventful, hope it stays that way.
This will be my 2nd knee replacement, I had a PKR on my right knee 10/3/2018 After I figured out the hard way that you do NOT recover in 1 week, things went well.
The Left one was just as bad as the from an X-Ray point of view. It was still functional, and not in pain till early this year. So, before I got to the point that I was totally debilitated. I decided to schedule the replacement. That was early March. The first available at that time was July 1st. The good Surgeons book up very fast.
The plan at this point is PKR, but my Surgeon will decide if I need a TKR when he gets in there.
That is about all for now. I will post more after surgery.
Rick
 
Best wishes today!

Here’s a refresher course for you. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​


4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
We'll be waiting to hear from you.
 
Hello from the other side!! I am in my room. I will try to the best of my memory tr to recount the days activities.
9:30 am went to pre-op the usual questions. got all scrubbed down and into bed. The gown I had to put on was a paper /plastic contraption. The nurse told me it does not breath, so the hooked me up to a temperature controlled blower. It worked just different. It took 2 tries to get a good IV in. The down side of no liquids. Also had a 12 lead EKG, My heart was doing fine.
10:00 am to 11:00 was interviewed by the anesthesiologist. The plan Spinal with versed and propofol to keep me under. My OS stopped by for a chat. Plan to do a partial if the rest of my knee looks up to it. I expressed that my only concern, I do have some pain under my patella. Other than that, He was going to thry to cheat the incision slightly in board. I Can kneel on my1.5 year old right PKR, but it does not feel like something I should be doing. I was also informed that he was running a bit behind, surgery delay about an hour.
11:45 was taken back to the OR. I was moved to the OR bed. I was awake for the spinal. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was very strainge not being able to feel anything from the waist down.
I remember my OS in the room, said hi, then off to sleep..........:sleeep:

I remember waking up in the OR when they were moving me to recovery. I was awake for the trip to recovery, but it is fuzzy.
around 1:20pm, I think that is the first time I remember. Cant move my feet. slight response from my upper legs. The sensation of not being able to move my feet is mind-blowing!!! If I did not know it was temporary it would have bee terrifying !!!! Was able to get some Ice to chew on, so thirsty!!!

2:00pm. My feet are starting to respond. My leg mussels have all responded to mental commands.
Knee pain 0 still numb, I am sure that is a good thing!

2:30pm. able to wiggle my toes, time to send me to my room for the night.
Got to my room, transferred to the room bed. Daytime nurse tucked me into be all comfy and cozy.....
Got some Tylenol for pain. Doing fine.


4:30 PT arrived. Explained that I tried to over achieve on my Right PKR. I was NOT going to do that again! My biggest issue at the moment,, I feel like I have to PEE!!!
OK let's get you to the bathroom. Here we go first journey for the new baby knee. Carefully swing over to the side of the bed. transfer weight to the legs. so far so good. advance walker slightly forward. Move right leg, move left leg, first step complete on new knee. got to the bathroom fine. Rest of the body did not want to comply with the need to pee request.... I hate failure!!!
Back to bed, try again later. did the usual PT stuff, ankle pumps, gentle heal slides, I only got to about 60 degrees or less. The PT seemed disappointed. She told me I already got to 90 with my leg hanging off the bed. I very nicely told her I will be just fine. I measured my other knee, and I have a ROM of 135 to 140. I tried to overachieve my right PKR, that if NOT happening with my left one. She understood, Tomorrow I will show her the picture of my right if she tries to push.

5:15pm, My OS stopped by. He told my my Patella looked VERY good! He said it looked better that my right. At that point I very nicely asked, do you really remember? He said yes, he has a very visual memory. I believe him He will asked me questions during office visits that we talked about on previous visits. I also told him I was NOT going to abuse his handy-work this time around. My recovery code name it "operation turnip" Other than walking around once in a while, and going to the bathroom. I am going to plant myself in our extra bedroom, Ice, elevate, and take drugs as needed.

6:15 pm Dinner,, Baked zete, some seemed veggies, mellon, a roll, double chocolate truffle something. It was Good!!!

6:45pm, Time to try to Pee again,,,, SUCCESS!!!!! :yahoo: I feel so much better!!

That is about it for now. I have power for my laptop, Cell phone plugged in got my ear buds to rock out to some good music!

Happy to have gotten a matched set, Right and left PKRs
Rick
 

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@Rick951 ... What an excellent report! It sounds like your surgery went very well and you’ve got a great plan for a successful recovery. Get some good rest tonight and keep us posted on your progress!
 
best wishes to a slow and steady recovery.From reading your posts, I think you know Time is our best friend in recovery process...
 
Welcome to recovery! So glad it went well, its crazy how all these things could freak you out but having btdt, makes it easier to cope. Like not being able to feel waist down, wiggle toes or move leg and yes not being able to pee! That was the worst!

Look forward to your next report!
 
@Wolvesfan @Qdogpa Thanks!! Since I have the experience of the first. I know what to do and what NOT to do. Experience is only useful if you use it!!

It is now 11:25pm. Pain is minimal if I don't move. Been doing plenty of ankle pumps to keep myself entertained. As far as heal slides go, my limit is about 20 to 30 degrees. I start to feel some pain. I stop!!! I have had a bag of ice wrapped in a pillow case on my knee since I got to my room.
I throw in a leg lift or 2 every one in a while. I have been trying to move every 5 minutes or so.
I do think my OS put less pain meds in my knee than last time. He knows I will over do it if I am not limited by pain. So that is just fine with me.
Just request my first Oxy, More of an experiment to see how much it cuts the main while moving down. I still do not plan to heal slide more than 30 degrees.
 
Hi @SpaceGirl I am doing fine! I hope you are getting better! you had a rough first couple of days!!
As strange as it sounds I am glad I remember getting the spinal, and seeing the OR before I went under. I was also glad I woke up in the OR, I missed that last time. All part of life experience.

I also just remembered,,, I can update my Signature to include my new PKR, and recovery thread
Rick
 
Sounds like it went well Rick. Very happy for you. Keep the updates coming!
 
@TKAA Yes, I am doing very well. I do have more pain than the first. So far that is fine, It is keeping me inline. I have also approached this surgery with an entirely different attitude. I am MUCH calmer, and well thought out. My expectations are much more realistic.

For the first one, I was a not well thought out and my expectations were not inline with the reality of this recovery.
 
@Rick951 Glad to hear it all went relatively well for you and that this time round you know what to do and what not to do, which is a blessing, as we all tend to stumble around in the dark on the 1st one. I'm hoping in the next year or two to be able to get my other knee replaced, and thankfully with the tools I learnt from BoneSmart, I will have a far easier beginning.. Wishing you continued success and minimum pain with your new knee xx
 
It sounds like you have this recovery licked! You know what to do and what not to do! Congrats and getting the bathroom issue worked out and the bladder emptied. I know you felt a lot better!
 
Well here I sit waiting to be discharged. Passed my PT exam. IV has bee removed. PT did not measure me but I am very close to 0 on extension Sitting in a chair I am about 90 for ROM. When doing heal slides I stop at 60. My OS said everything but the medial compartment of my knee looked great.
Bit more swilling and pain today. Looking forward to getting home and using some of the 90 Lbs of Ice I have for the Game Ready Device.
At 9:30 my OS said I should be out of here by noon, it's 10:45, not moving to fast to get rid of me.
 
Good luck on getting home and getting set up in your recovery nest!
 
Hope you have an easy trip home, and get nice and comfy in your own best!
 
Home now, third 1/2 hour session with the Game ready. Not in to much pain, went not moving. Walking is not bad. The knee is starting to feel tight.
Thanks everyone for you support!!
Rick
 
Rick, you can use the Game Ready to ice for much longer than half an hour, as long as you have some material between your skin and the icing medium, to protect your skin from frost bite. You do need to ice for at least 45 minutes each session for it to do much good.
 

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