TKR beth1954's Recovery Thread

[jeano]

@beth1954 Take that 12" wedge and make it taller. Set it down so the right angle is at the back and then put a pillow or cushion or two UNDER it, and wrap a beach towel or big bath towel or a folded sheet around the whole stack and pin it with some big old safety pins so it is tight and keeps a wedge configuration. Now you have a bigger, stable wedge that has some weight at the bottom. Lean another pillow against that steep angled face so your leg has plenty of length to rest on, and pull the whole mess as close to your butt as you can manage and I guarantee you'll have better elevation and that your toes really will be above your nose even if you are sitting. Probably give you a hamstring stretch at the same time. I struggled with pillows and wedges for a couple of weeks and finally hit on this strategy.

 

[beth1954]

Well my surgeon was the usual "man of few words" today. As for the swelling: that just happens. As for the leg twitches: muscles, nerves regenerating. As for ROM: I showed him what I've got and he looked at it and said "well you aren't going to break any records."
We left the house at 9:00am and got back around 1:30pm. I was worn out.
The new PT lady came by today. I like her. I think she will make me push myself a bit w/o hurting myself. She had me do some heel slides and leg lifts, ankle pumps.....it didn't seem like much but my muscles are complaining tonight.
As far as the elevation advice-- the way I have the wedge right now it seems awfully high to me. I was having a really hard time sleeping with such elevation. And my operated-on knee wants to kind of lay on its side to relieve that extension feeling. I don't know what the answer is at this point.

 

[referee54]

Well my surgeon was the usual "man of few words" today.

I have found that many surgeons are the same way---they tend to lack the "bedside manner" that others have---but then again, they do the surgery, and that is their specialty, not talking.

As for ROM: I showed him what I've got and he looked at it and said "well you aren't going to break any records."

It is not about breaking any records---recovery can take place at a snail's pace, but it is still recovery! Slow and steady---that is what gets it done!

We left the house at 9:00am and got back around 1:30pm. I was worn out.

Understandably so---two weeks removed from traumatic surgery and out and about for four and one-half hours! It would wipe out a lot of folks that did not have such traumatic surgery!

I think she will make me push myself a bit w/o hurting myself.

This is great---never take the PT exercises past the point of discomfort---and if she continues to allow you to follow the mantra, she is indeed a "keeper."

As far as the elevation advice-- the way I have the wedge right now it seems awfully high to me. I was having a really hard time sleeping with such elevation. And my operated-on knee wants to kind of lay on its side to relieve that extension feeling. I don't know what the answer is at this point.

Remember to keep the leg elevated "toes above the nose"---and there are excellent article in the forum library that can help you with this: Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain

 

[beth1954]

Thank you, referee! Once again my situation has been put into perspective. I shouldn't expect anything more from my surgeon. He's really excellent at what he does and that's the most important thing. My daughter and I were talking about him and we decided that he is for sure a bit arrogant, but we also think he is a tad bit shy and just socially awkward.
After all the running around yesterday I had PT. she was easy on me because we told her I had been up and around for almost 5 hours. But last night my muscles in my surgical knee really hurt. I totally forgot how hard it is to recover from this. Last night I just laid in bed and cried for awhile. Sometimes that's all I can do.
Well it's another day...hopefully it will go well.

 

[leejaa]

A good cry can be very therapeutic especially after a long day. You will get through this and you have proof with your other knee. I hope today is a more relaxed day for you. Sending healing thoughts your way and some hugs. Lee

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like today it's icing and elevating for you.

 

[beth1954]

PT came today and it was very productive! She had me walk around the house and lifting my surgical leg a little higher when I walked... I did toe lifts, marching in place lifting my surgical leg as best I could, she also had me lift my surgical leg til I could rest it on a footstool then kind of lean forward to give it a stretch...... I could really feel it in my muscles that I had done something but nothing was really painful. I felt good about it when we were done. My incision was tender when we were done I guess just because it had been stretched a bit. I'm icing and elevating as we speak.

 

[icep707]

beth ! sounds like you are doing well . pat yourself on the back. Hope your Christmas was as well as it could be considering the circumstances. Next year this time you will be on a ladder putting up Christmas lights and stuff. that's my goal for next year. I purchased a whole lot of Christmas decorations last year after Christmas at a Rite Aid at 75% clearance and it just sat in the garage my knee hurts cause im 40 days pre op anyway im rambling . keep up the great work way to take charge!!!

 

[Ziggysmom]

Sounds like you are doing great, Beth! Keep up the good work! I will do leg lifts in your honor today...

 

[beth1954]

I am still having problems elevating. I am doing it as instructed but it is making my leg hurt! It hurts above my knee, in my knee, below my knee and in my ankle. I didn't have these problems with my right knee 4 yrs ago. I can ice but I can only elevate for short periods of time. The pain is just too bad.

 

[saltyal]

Hmmm.... maybe you're applying a titch too much extension while elevating? ..... I for one am way more comfortable with a bit of flexion when I've got my leg up, otherwise I just can't rest.

 

[beth1954]

At first I was definitely getting too much extension. When I made it so that my knee hung over the top a bit, it solved that problem. It gets pretty painful and it happen w/in ten minutes or so of elevating. I'm still fighting the swelling of course. It hasn't been quite as swollen today as it has been though. Then today I got the last stubborn steri strip off and it took a patch of skin with it!! It even started bleeding. It still smarts a lot. Feels like a fairly bad burn or something. Always something I guess.

 

[beth1954]

I have a question about PT and swelling. I am still having a lot of swelling- on a daily basis. When my knee is swollen, does it hurt for me to do PT exercises? Sometimes it is very tight feeling and my skin feels so tight I swear it's going to pop open. So when it's like that should I be doing PT? The flexion exercises for sure are extremely difficult. I have PT tomorrow and I'm so afraid I will be swollen up.

 

[saltyal]

The worst thing I did in the early post-op days was PT, especially flexion exercises...... If I were you I'd do myself a big favour by just lounging around and literally chilling instead of going to PT

 

[beth1954]

Saltyal: Wow! I just posted on your recovery thread about this very thing!!

 

[beth1954]

I know this sounds silly but there is so much pressure to do PT and to really go at it HARD that it's difficult for me to be able to tell her that I want to "chill." I think she will peg me for being lazy and uncooperative. They expect us to just work through the pain.

 

[beth1954]

Pain meds question: I've been reading in different places on bonesmart about not cutting down on pain meds too fast. I started with oxycodone 10/325's every four hours. My surgeon wanted me to start cutting back. I saw him at 2 weeks post op. I am 3 weeks post op and I am taking one oxycodone (10/325) every 7 hours. In your opinion(s) have I cut back too much?

 

[Jozilla]

Hi Beth - I am also three weeks. I am taking one to two 5 mg percoset every four hours. Can you cut yours in half and take every four to five hours? I am not a medical professional but You will still get some pain relief more evenly this way. My best to you! Hope this helps.

 

[beth1954]

That sounds like a good idea. I think I may try that! Thanks Jozilla!

 

[Jamie]

There is no set answer about how much pain medication you need. You need whatever it takes to keep your pain at manageable levels through the day and night. If that one pill every 7 hours caused your pain levels to spike up above the 5 level (on a scale of 1-10), then you did cut back too much.

You are VERY early in this recovery process!!! Please don't try to cut back on pain medications until you are really ready to do so.