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TKR Back for the LTKR

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@Lauramacky Glad this one is going better than the first. You sound like you are doing about the same as hubby did on his first knee. Except your ROM is better at this stage than his was. You are 6 days behind him on his 2nd knee, so next week a quick trip to a fast restaurant should be okay if you ice and elevate when you get home. Just remember you will pay the price in some way or the other!
 
I try to select places with booths or benches so I can put my leg up, helps me last a lot longer. It feels so good to get out of the house even if it is only for a short time.
Sounds like both of you are coming along just fine. Keep up the good resting, icing, elevating, and medicating!
 
@Lauramacky - glad to hear that the reduction in the Percosets are making a difference in your mood. I really liked the CPM when I used it while in hospital on day 2 post-op and know that some OS & PTs don't feel it makes any difference. But, I felt I did gain flexibility after using the CPM.

Unfortunately, last time I used it would have been the morning I left hospital on 23 July.
Would certainly consider using one, if my PT had then available to rent.

@tiredwife Husband and I went out for Wedding Anniversary meal on 9 August and have just talked about going out again for dinner tomorrow night. Should be able to last for about an hour and a half. Have had two lunches out with the girls for about an hour and when back home, just rest, ice and elevate and knee seems to be o.k. after that.
Jackie, I have been meaning to ask you about Blood Thinning medication and pooled blood effecting swelling of the knee/ leg, that you have mentioned that has been a problem for Steve.

I am currently on daily Xarelto indefinitely and have been on some sort of blood thinner for about 40 years (Coumadin, aspirin, Plavex, heparin, etc) and have never been told about this effect with blood thinners.

Just that you can bruise more easily and to watch around sharp objects, so that you don't cut yourself or when having dental work.

Does it only effect people after TKR who are on short term blood thinning medication ?

Cathie:flwrysmile:
 
@marmora The thinners didn't cause the pooling, it just kept his body from absorbing it as well. The pooling is probably because he sewed the incision closed so tight the blood couldn't escape anywhere, he had very little blood on his steri strips and none on that bulky dressing they had on him at the hospital. His blood might have been a little thinner, and bled easier because he was on the blood thinners after the first knee. I don't know how long they cause the thinning after you stop them. It doesn't take a lot of blood behind the knee cap to cause pressure and pain. You probably hold a bruise longer if you get one. The OS wasn't concerned about it and knew right off what was causing the pressure and pain. It also caused the pain on the side of his muscle because of the pressure behind the knee cap. It is getting better.
 
Weird...I swore I posted in response here but I must've not clicked reply like I thought. I'm doing better today. I know now that I have to be on schedule with my meds and to not include anything else. I was itching and took a benedryl and I think that's why i was so down. I also tried backing off if them but right now I can't.

The good news is my PT came today and I've improved! I can feel it too....my extension is 10 and my flexion is 107. Yay! All without pushing. Last knee that in home therapist was like torture. I dreaded him coming. Oh what a difference this time.

Hope you are all well this morning. I'll check back on my subscribed posts after lunch. Time to enjoy sunshine on the deck before it gets too hot.


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@tiredwife Thank you! Yes, Definitely an ah-ha moment today. I showered myself - meaning I put on my protective shower bag for my leg myself - and it was easier to extend my leg today. My measurement is now 10/107. Hurray! Hope your hubby is doing well! Is he on a cane? I can't remember.
 
@Lauramacky pretty soon you won't need that shower bag. Hubby had a giant leap forward today. 90% of the pressure and pain behind the knee cap is gone now! He is walking around the house without crutches or cane. His flex is 114 and ext 3 today. PT said she can no longer justify coming because he is doing so well. It was just that pooled blood behind the knee cap that slowed him down, and now he is bounding forward. He still has a little pain behind the knee (not the knee cap) from the exercises to improve the extension, he has a few areas of the thigh muscle that still hurts a little. PT knew as soon as she got to the door and saw him get up and walk without anything to let her in that she wasn't needed any more. He will just continue on with his exercises on his own until we can get outpatient PT going. I am so relieved that the pooled blood is almost all absorbed now. (He is too) He will still need a cane if we go out or when he gets too tired.
 
@tiredwife That is great! That pooled blood would've worried me too but I'm glad it has resolved itself. I think all of us can get caught up in numbers or "look what I can do so soon", so I think it would be wise for him to take his cane with him even if he thinks he doesn't need it. For me, I am only comparing this knee with my right knee I had done in December 2012. I struggled mightily with that replacement. You might be interested in this. I started a blog back then about my knee replacement. Since then it's not a knee replacement blog anymore, it's only a photography blog, but I didn't delete all that was there. This is a five month report for me. You'll see how slow I was to recover. It was pure hell at times. I'm so happy I'm not reliving that experience! https://lauramacky.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/five-month-report/
 
@Lauramacky Everybody recovers at different rates, so many variables. When he was in PT for his first knee they let him really work out his other (now new)knee and that helped a lot! His extension on his now new knee was about a 1 before surgery - if a person has a worse extension it will take awhile to get it when they get their new knee. This knee wasn't in as bad of shape as his first was, he was a lot slower on flex and extension with his first knee. Extension on his first knee would get stuck for weeks. Once it was stuck at 8 and then it got stuck at 5 and then at 3. It even back tracked a few time. The second knee has been a lot better on ROM. I think it really help with his swelling that we have the end of the mattress raised with a wedge pillow under it. That way it is elevated no matter what he does. He is bad about overdoing it, and after he gets over the novelty of walking without anything he will find the wisdom of using his cane. A bit mule headed! I will look at your recovery thread after I post this. Just remember you are doing great with this knee!
 
Hi LauraMackey. I left you a note on someone's thread. Congrats on the great job you are doing with recovery! Your rom is great as well as your attitude!
 
@Jozilla...thank you so much. I'm really trying to be positive because I've had a lot of physical challenges in my life during the last ten years and I finally figured out that it's easier on me if I try to stay positive. Thank you again for acknowledging something I've been working hard on. :)


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@tiredwife My mantra in life whether it comes to recovery or having fun or whatever is balance. Being balanced is the best way I can help myself and not view things as competitive which I used to do. Now I'm happy when I see improvement from week to week but even if there was a step back or a lull, I'm still ok because that's life. My more relaxed attitude about this is really helping.


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@pumpkin...thank you! I really just wanted to share that five month report but glad I could be a diversion if only for a few minutes! Photography is my passion and I can't wait to get back to it! I miss it!


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My two week anniversary is today! Yesterday my in home therapist measured my extension at 10 so I'm improving several degrees each time now. My flexion is 100-105. I start out patient therapy next week but unfortuntely it's not until the Thursday after this Thursday. I should've called earlier to get into the rotation. I'm excited at my progress!


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