TKR Birthday Cake and Ice Cream on the Other Side--All invited

[kimejen]

Cathy, the meds really bind us up don't they. I had a light bulb moment one day and asked hubby to buy me some salted peanuts and just had a handful everyday with a cold drink (non-alcoholic of course). That did the trick for me, everyday like clock work. Of course if you are allergic to peanuts, no help to you at all! So glad to hear you're doing so well. Well done. Jenny

 

[maddoxsmama]

17 Days post op: Good morning everyone! Still plodding along this road to recovery. I have (for the time being) conquered that constipation thing!!! And with that problem solved, my nausea seems to have diminished also. So I am considering this a good day. Still icing, elevating, and taking my pain meds. Was originally taking my Percocet every four hours but have now stretched it to every 5 hours. That extra hour of uninterrupted sleep does help. Next goal is to get to 6 hours between pills. Go for my first post op appointment on Friday morning. Have to be there at 9 a.m. At the rate I move these days and with my energy level, I will have to start getting ready about midnight in order to be there on time.!!(and it is only a 20 minute drive) Anxious to hear what my OS has to say and see where we go next in this journey.

Found a good way to help with bending my knee that I want to share. I have a wicker rocking chair. I sit in it with my knee bent and rock gently and slowly. The more I rock, the less tight my knee feels and it bends a little more. Seems to really be helping and it is very easy to do and doesn't hurt!! Hope it works for you all as well. Time for my daily miralax and juice cocktail--gotta go!! Later--wishing everyone a painfree day with our new knees!!

 

[Elliemae]

Ok, Cathy you have officially been added to my HERO list of those who have gone before me. I am a very positive person and I get so much encouragement from all of you for my own upcoming day. It sounds like, with the exception of some expected issues, your recovered has gone extremely well. Keep the good news coming...
15 more gets ups......for me.

Ellen

 

[Shellbelle]

Cathy, I had to laugh at the doctor appointment and getting ready! I have my first post-op appointment Tuesday at 11am, and I was thinking when I should start getting ready! If I skip a shower, which uses up vast energy reserves I will be ok. So, shower Monday afternoon or evening and I will be there with bells on!
Our weather changed a bit overnight, and it is a bit overcast and breezy. Feels like the coast so I am pretending to be in San Francisco while I am laying on my bed on the CPM machine. Today so far is a GREAT day!

xoxo

 

[maddoxsmama]

Ellen I truly believe I was as prepared for the surgery as I could ever be (thanks to Bonesmart). I have tried to faithfully follow all the good advice on this forum and so far it seems to be working for me. I can truly say that I have not yet had any bad pain (knock on wood). I always set my alarm and take my pain meds and it has helped me stay ahead of the pain. Wish your surgery day would get here soon, the waiting is so so hard.

 

[bottomshollow]

Cathy, I just love a truly smart BoneSmartie. You keep following that mantra and recovery will go right on being the best!!!!

 

[Ready]

Hi Cathy. Glad things are moving. One of my weaknesses is dried fruit/nut mix. I can't believe how that yummy mix gets things moving, too. Have a good visit to the OS. You are doing GREAT!

 

[landoz]

Sounds like Cathy you have it all under control now and doing so well! The rocking chairs sounds just the thing you need. In my rehab they use a skateboard with a rope over the end and gentle roll it back and forth. So I was going to ask around some of my friends if any of their boys aren't using there skateboard so I can borrow for home. The one they use is a half size one which I have seen in the dollar shops before so might even pick one up cheap.

Oops better go due in Rehab! Keep up the good work!

 

[maddoxsmama]

19 Days Post Op--Good morning everyone. Another uneventful day of recovery (oh how I love those uneventful days)! Been a busy morning--home health nurse has already been here-took blood and waiting for call from my OS to see if blood thinner has to be changed. Signed off on nurses today--yea!! PT comes this afternoon so I will be spending a little extra time doing my stretches today--seems to help my knee with some of the bending if I loosen up before hand. I have found out that it is better to do PT in the afternoon instead of first thing in the morning. Every morning I am so stiff I don't do as well and it seems to hurt a little more but by afternoon things are moving and bending a little better. The things you learn as you progress through this process of recovery.

I am sleeping (still in my recliner), icing, elevating, taking meds on time, going to the bathroom regularly, and staying pain free so I guess things are going as well as they should be. I can only wish everyone else a recovery like mine!!

 

[Shellbelle]

Hi Cathy, time post op sure is flying by! Seems like I am busy every day with something, even just resting and icing is on the schedule! I am also still sleeping in the recliner. For some reason my daughter seems to think I "need" to be sleeping in bed by now. I don't know why...unless she sees me as more of an invalid if I am sleeping here. But I rest well, leg is elevated and my back does not hurt in the morning! All good things. I am napping on my bed almost every time I do a session on the CPM machine. One side of the bed is CPM, the other side is exercise side. I am sure the transition will come when it is time and will just be a natural progression.
I am so happy you are having a smooth recovery! With all the planning we do beforehand...I laugh at what I focused on and in retrospect I think it was my brain's way of dealing with the upcoming surgery. Worry about toes and what jammies to take. But it worked for me!
I also like to have PT come in the afternoon, I agree with being a little looser and able to stretch more. I try to have at least two CPM sessions in that day also, the gentle motion seems to really soothe my knee. The PT I have now likes to massage my knee cap are in between exercises. I love her!! I will start outpatient PT the week after next. I kind like everyone coming to me right now. Although be then I may have just enough energy to want to get out for a bit. May have to do a shower on opposite days of going out for a while.
Keep the updates coming, I think about you and send hugs and love to you and your new knee.

 

[jiimbojunk]

Just nice to read such a positive post op journey! Keep up the good work!

 

[landoz]

Shelly & Cathy you are both doing so well. If the recliner works why change it! I don't know how I will go when I get home and have to deal with a normal bed. I have loved the hospitals bed being able to raise the feet and the head up and down to comfort. I have been sleeping pretty good hopefully it will continue when I get home to my bed. Take care ladies!

 

[Baystater]

Sounds like things are going so well for you Cathy! You have a good routine and an even better outlook - I think the latter really helps in this process. I can see the benefits of sleeping in a recliner - I think now that I am doing things and am more active I have more discomfort at night. Not pain, just discomfort. I seem to spend way too much time rearranging a fleet of pillows I'll get them all set and say "ahh, that's good, now I can sleep" only to say 10 minutes later "no, that's not it, that won't work." Think I better go furniture shopping before my next TKR

Heidi

 

[maddoxsmama]

Thanks to everyone for all your comments. This recovery is a very slow process but not so bad if you follow our Bonesmart mantra. I am not usually such a patient person but I start each day telling myself that my recovery has gone so well because I have been doing everything that Bonesmart told me to do. I go for my first OS post op appointment in the morning and am anxious to see what my doctor has to say. In PT yesterday, I reached 105 rom and 0 flexion. Since I have had almost no swelling in my knee, I think it has been easier for me to bend my knee. I think the ice/compression machine that my OS ordered has had a lot to do with preventing so much swelling. I am the first knee replacement patient that he has ordered it for so I am anxious to see what his opinion is. Will share all info with you guys. Later....

 

[Shellbelle]

Cathy, I will be checking in to see you your OS appointment went! I am sure he is going to give you "SuperPatient" status. That is so wonderful on your ROM!! I am at 3 on extension and probably sneaking up on zero, may be there tomorrow I have a feeling. The flexion is slower (isn't it always?) but I may be between 85 and 90 when PT comes tomorrow. I love how Bonesmart has given me the freedom of just not worrying about numbers. I can set the CPM for a flex of 110 and do that with only a smidge of discomfort, and I can't really even call it discomfort. It is more like I can tell when it gets to the 110. But the machine is passive, and the PT thinks it is about ten degrees or so behind active ROM. We shall see, all I know is that I am not worried about it, quad strength is coming back, I can lift my leg a few inches and hold it while lying on my back with a towel roll under my knee. Even that I could not do three days ago!

Almost every morning I say "I feel really good" and almost every night "it has been a great day". A few hiccups, but after what our knees have been through, both before surgery and the surgery itself...a small price to pay for all that I have planned!!

Hugs to you, xx

 

[landoz]

Good luck Cathy with your appointment I'm sure you are going to get a gold star and OS will give himself a pat on the back as well. Shelly you are going so well as well as!

 

[maddoxsmama]

Hi everyone! Back from my first post op OS appointment. First time out and about for three weeks--definitely enjoyed the change of scenery!! Everyone at the OS office was anxiously waiting to see how I was doing. My doctor, my doctor's nurse and the office manager are all former students of mine so I do get a little special attention when I go there. (Makes me feel so special!!) Sure glad they were all good students and we got along well or they could really do me in!!! My OS said I was one of his star students--everything is going exactly as it should be and my numbers are real good. Need to continue on my blood thinner for about another week and then stop that medication. He gave me another prescription for Percocet. I am now down from taking one every four hours to taking one every 6 hours. If I continue this way, I will probably try to reduce it a little more but going to wait to see how my outpatient physical therapy goes when I start it next week. Its been a good day--and with all this excitement I bet I will have no trouble falling to sleep tonight. Time for me to ice and elevate--hubby is ordering pizza for dinner-yum, yum! Wishing all my Bonesmartie friends a nice relaxing and pain free evening. Later....

 

[Grammy59]

Hey Cathy, just dropping by to see how you are doing. I'd say "Superstar"! ( There is an older movie with a girl in it that's kind of plain, but she does a "Superstar" move in it that's so funny, then my youngest clown son began imitating her, even funnier). So glad you're doing great, you are such an inspiration. You are well on your way to having "Superstar Knees"!!! Take care, and have a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day.

 

[landoz]

Wow you would have been in real trouble if you were a mean the ultimate payback! But of course you were a lovely teacher so you get special treatment instead enjoy your weekend

 

[Elliemae]

How cool is it that you taught your medical team.... Congratulations on obviously doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work and keep the encouraging word coming.

Ellen