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TKR Barnmom22's recovery thread<

I didn't shower for a month after the infection surgery, so when my OS said I could go in a pool at 7 months I was very happy! Better safe than infected, that's for sure!
 
I didn't shower until the staples were out with my first original TKR surgery and that was 2 weeks. Then I was only allowed to let the water run over it. With the infection surgery done 11-27, I didn't shower until 12-27 when the incision stopped seeping. My legs were sooooo hairy! I didn't think about an electric razor until much later.
 
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I didn't go into a pool for about the first 6 weeks. It depends upon how your incision is healing. My OS said to wait until I had no scabs and there were no open areas. I found it much easier to swim backstroke for some reason rather than freestyle. Breast stroke was very painful for me to do.
 
Never thought I'd join the overdid it club but here I am at midnight in tears from pain that is not relenting even after I relapsed and took a Percocet. My crime was letting very well meaning friends stop by for dinner and stay for three hours. They even brought the dinner! But sitting for so long so late in the day did me in. They didn't get the gentle hints I made that they should leave so I finally had to ask them to go.

I am now regretting my decision to work a few hours next week. I might cancel.

I read so many accounts here if healing but can't yet believe I will ever be free from pain.


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I'm so sorry, I know exactly how you feel, that happened to me at around 3 weeks, when my daughter and son came to visit with 5 grandchildren and we sat around the dinning room table for a couple of hours talking. I had a horrible night then. Even still now sitting at a regular chair with my leg hanging down still bothers me.

I really hope you find relief soon...is your percocet 5mg? I was allowed to take 2 if needed.
 
It's 7.5. Taking some of the sting off now. But still can't sleep.

Clara do you ever sleep? I said to myself I bet Clara will write. She's always so supportive.


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Hi @Barnmom22
I'm so sorry you are in a lot of pain. Other people can be very well meaning, but don't really understand what you are going through. You are only one month post op, right in the middle of the most difficult time. I remember feeling as if I was never going to get any sleep, but it does come back slowly but surely.
I hope you can get some rest today and some decent pain relief.
Tabby xxx
 
@Barnmom22 funny, I actually have been sleeping very well since last Saturday...I think I just got myself worked over my job, they said I could have the extra week off and now they are acting like some things, which I don't consider that urgent, can't wait one more week, so silly me was even considering going by after PT on Monday and working for a while, then I said no, it will have to wait. My boss must have a never ending amount of vacation time available and takes time off all of the time, even if there is a crisis happening at the time, so after 23 years they can do without me one more week, nightmares do keep you awake and my job has been one for a while now, haha
 
@Barnmom22 I wish I could assure you that you will be free of pain soon.....but you are just one month out so still early days for you, so not so surprising that your prolonged social event wore you out. At your stage in healing you are still in self-absorbed mode, truly, having to monitor your sensations constantly, not to mention needing to be in positions of physical comfort. Funny that your friends did not pick up on your cues! It seems many people have little idea of what recovery from knee surgery entails. I know I didn't. Perhaps this is a good test re your readiness to return to work. Your work entails intense focus on another person. It can be exhausting.
 
Night was the worse for me, I actually hated thinking about going to bed. Take it easy today, rest, ice, elevate and take pain meds if needed. I was still taking pain meds at 4 weeks and 4 weeks was when I was finally able to get more than an hour of sleep at a time. Having visitors is so good mentally, but we still need to remember there was a major surgery on our knees. Enjoy your next visitors, but do it in your recliner or chair with the leg elevated. Could your husband prepare your next visitors ahead of time concerning the length of the visit? Before my TKR I was one of those people without a clue!
 
Hi there. Are you doing any better today? Seems so random an unfair that some seem to do ok while others seem to have such a rough time. You are a month out now, so hoping any day now you will have a big turn around like clara and suz had.

Hoping for better days for you
 
uva55 said:
my OS didn't let me shower for 2 weeks after surgery
Click to expand...

HA! I win. With my hip nightmare I could not shower for 6 MONTHS! Try that, not fun. Between the wound vac and layers of dressing I could only use shower wipes & shampoo caps. New meaning to the word MISERABLE
 
@dianehelen, I bet you beat everybody on this forum! That first one afterwards must have felt like heaven!
@Barnmom22, are you feeling any better? How about your sleeping?
 
@dianehelen you won the lottery that no one would have chosen. WOW. You deserve that lovely gulf coast now, for sure.
@Barnmom22 I hope you are recovering from your crime......rest, elevate ice......you know what you need do today.
 
Hi you guys. Thanks so much for reaching out. Yes, better today. I don't know what hit me last night but it was nasty. Today I took it easy and only took one Tramadol and some Advil. Pain was minimal. But it's 6 pm here and I can feel my leg stiffening up. I do dread the nights because I seem to feel the most pain then and I wake up every two hours or so. I feel my healing would be swifter and more complete if I only could sleep. I can't sleep on side yet so that could be a factor. Any theories? Dianehelen--I'm horrified about what you went through. If the universe is fair you deserve the easiest quickest tkr recovery ever.
 
I'm so glad you're feeling better now. Nighttime is the worst. I dread it. I'm so sleepy when I go to bed and fall asleep quickly. But, shortly thereafter I wake up uncomfortable. Some nights are better than others but I'm still up many times during the night. This is a common thing from this surgery. I'm seven weeks out and still have a hard time sleeping. Others are sleeping well at this time and you just might be one of those! Oh, and I still can't side sleep for more than a few minutes, either. You should be able to before long. Many find that they can with a pillow between the knees. That might work for you, too. Good luck!
 
@Barnmom22 not sure if I've put this on your thread, but I was finally able to a few hours in a row by lopping my left leg over my RTKR. I even did this with the imbolizer on. Sleeping on my back was useless. I also move around a lot in bed. Seriously, nighttime is the worst! Many people sleep in their recliners because they can't get comfortable. This recovery is a roller coaster, yesterday was downhill for you, but it'll go up again.
 
Barnmom22 said:
can't sleep on side yet so that could be a factor
Click to expand...


Gee ONE thing I wont have to worry about. The year long hip nightmare trained me to only sleep on my back, now I just naturally sleep that way.

Barnmom22 said:
deserve the easiest quickest tkr recovery ever.
Click to expand...


Yeah well if only we always got what we deserve huh? :hairpulling:
 
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