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TKR Braunzie's Journey on "The Other Side"?

You are doing great, Braunzie. I wound up removing the wonderful bandage my OS put on two days after I came home, because my written discharge instructions (from my OS) told me to change it. I've since thought that was the wrong thing to do, and next year, when I have my other knee done, I'm going to clarify.

That pulling you're feeling may be swelling from all the activity you're wisely taking a break from. Things will settle down. It's such trial and error about what's too much to do and what isn't.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
@Braunzie, I have six at home exercise that I'm supposed to do 3-4 times a day plus get up and walk around at least once an hour. I was not prescribed a cryo or CPM machine. So it's ice bags and my own moving for me. I'm just almost a week ahead of you in recovery, and I don't think I'm doing quite as much as you. When I go to out patient PT, I feel fine while I'm there, but the next morning I'm very, very stiff.

My hubby went back to work six days after my surgery. I think he was glad to be back to his normal routine :yes!:
 
I am getting PT as an inpatient at a skilled nursing center (only got approved for 6 days here). I had light PT in the hospital on Saturday, and none at all after the transfer on Sunday. Started back up Monday, and I have been sore every day since. The PT here is not overwhelming and the therapists are great. I think it's just like my doctor said ... there are times that it's going to hurt. I just got up and walked down to the nursing center for meds and was sore. However, after a fairly uncomfortable night, I feel pretty good right now lying down. Sometimes I think I just have to walk to ease the discomfort (makes no sense, I know). I am hoping to get back on the CPM when I get home later this week. I had it in the hospital, and I thought it helped with the stiffness.

Above all .... it's a marathon, not a sprint.
 
Day 11 Post Op-0
Wow.. I thought I knew before, but I'm "relearning" the saying "patience is a virtue". Seems like progress is so slow, even though reading everyone's post, I don't think I'm experiencing anything that everyone else hasn't. I'm very fortunate that I'm sleeping relatively well at night. I'm elevating and icing over night. I'm not generally a "back sleeper", in fact, I'm a stomach sleeper - boy, WHEN can I think of being able to do that again?? I have found that with my right leg elevated, it's much more comfortable to have a pillow folded (like a tent) under my left knee.. it kind of offsets my right. Hahahaha! Getting ready for sleep every night is SUCH A PROCESS!!

Still very reliant on the walker.. "Dont' leave [bed] without it!" :snork: I know the day will come eventually when I can graduate to either crutches or a cane..

Did my PT exercises this am and my daughter (who helped my yesterday) says I'm doing better than yesterday, but I find them REALLY hard. I am very careful not to do anything that hurts my knee, so I stop any single exercise when necessary. I do push to do as much as I can, but by the time I'm finished, I am exhausted. There is one where I have a rolled towel under my knee and I'm supposed to tighten my quads to lift my ankle and hold it. UGH!!! My quads are NOT a willing partner in this.. I tighten and can't even move my ankle. (In fact, when I went to the outside PT the first time, they had to show me how it was "supposed to work" with my left knee. OHHH!! THAT's what is supposed to happen! - kind of funny, but kind of sad at the same time.. ) The other one that is most difficult is placing a rolled towel under my ankle and relaxing to work on my extension. This I'm supposed to hold for 3-5 minutes (if possible). I don't even think I made it to a minute today.. :sigh:

After having overdone my PT before and paying the price, I find that I'm actually AFRAID that I'm going to hurt myself. And I feel so torn between what I'm being expected to do "by prescription" vs the direction and advice I'm getting from this forum (which actually I trust more). By nature, I'm a "pleaser", I'm one who "follows the rules", does the "right thing" and I always did my homework .. (I know.. sounds like such a "do-gooder"!) Seems the "rules" in this circumstance are very "murky"..

I'll try more again later this afternoon. I know it will get better over time. I have outside PT tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it. But it's part of the process and I'll get through it. One day at a time.. :dubious:
 
My knees feel stiff and sore, and I feel like I am doing worse every day. But my stamina has improved and my range is also improving every day. The PT is a lot of work. I do about an hour in the morning, then about 30 minutes of OT. This afternoon's PT session was almost 90 minutes - but a lot of that was walking.

I do feel like the incision is pulling, but the therapist says that it's actually my quad activating and working (since that's the muscle that was most affected around the incision site).

Another patient who had her knees done separately said that the pain will be different on different days - both the amount and location. And then one day, it just stops hurting.

I am not doing the extension exercise with the towel under the ankle. I do those flat on the mat. The therapist said I would work up to the part with the towel (and I didn't argue!)

As for the prunes ... there is this adorable little nurse's aide that chases me around every day to ask me if I have "gone yet." She keeps making me eat prunes! I understand that V8 is also good. I finally went a tiny amount yesterday - first time in a week, but I am far from "regular." The good news is that I am not in any discomfort from constipation - I've had it before. I know what it feels like. I am happy to be spared that.

I very much agree ... "one day at a time."
 
Hey Braunzie - how you doing girlfriend!!! I think I am awakening from the exhaustion. I had to cut back on my Oxy - they had me taking 12 a day and I think I was just sitting here drooling - LOL. It does not react good with my body. So I am cutting back a bit instead of two pills I am doing one on 4 doses. This way I can be awake.... I am just icing more. I love my polar ice machine - just wish it didn't have a timer. We are in the habit of running it twice so for an hour unless I need it more. I am using it about every other hour or so..... As far as the water proof bandage goes - I am so sorry that this person took it off!!! How dare they!! I would have been biotchy and said no. I had to tell the visiting nurse no when she came because she said she is supposed to inspect the incision and I said well not until I get to the doctor but my OS wrote all over the sides do not remove in black magic marker!! So she wouldn't dare!! It sounds like you are doing good. One week for me finally - this is a lesson in patience for sure!!!
 
@MsBlue - Hats off to you and all the others who have done both knees simultaneously! I can't even imagine what that would be like. How much time do you actually spend walking? I'm assuming that's with a walker? I can go for about 10 minutes and then I feel it's time to rest.

I'm curious as to how a quad activating could feel like the incision pulling.. (I'm interpreting that as pulling where the staples are?) I don't see the connection.. I feel the pulling feeling too, but didn't associate it with that. When I try to "activate" my quads, I do feel a pain around where my kneecap is. Huh... still LOTS to learn about the anatomy of the knee / leg.. More than I EVER thought I'd need to know.. hahaha! :yes:
My knees feel stiff and sore, and I feel like I am doing worse every day. But my stamina has improved and my range is also improving every day. The PT is a lot of work. I do about an hour in the morning, then about 30 minutes of OT. This afternoon's PT session was almost 90 minutes - but a lot of that was walking.

"Another patient who had her knees done separately said that the pain will be different on different days - both the amount and location. And then one day, it just stops hurting." (Not sure how to do quotes with the quote buttons.. guess I'll need to figure it out.. ) Anyway.. can't wait until that "one day"! :happydance:
 
@iivesfam5 - Hey there!! Glad to hear from you! I've been thinking of you! You must have posted when I was writing my response to MsBlue. Don't know how you're reducing your Oxy.. Funny how everyone is so different. My doc told me I could take up to 3 if I needed it, every 4 hours. I've been able to get it down to 2, but there is no way I think I could do just 1. At the same time, I've been pretty clear-headed, not sleepy, while I've been taking it as well. I can tell when I'm getting close to the 4 hour mark, as the pain starts seeping back to my knee.. I'm still taking my meds by the clock. I'll be glad when I don't have to, only because my poor husband is the one most impacted when the alarm goes off in the middle of the night. He is more impacted by lack of sleep than I..

I use the ice machine pretty much around the clock, other than when I'm walking around or doing PT. I turn it down a bit at night and keep enough fabric between it and my knee to prevent frost bite. I'm still surprised to hear yours has a 30 min timer on it.. But it IS a GREAT machine. I posted a picture of it on FB, saying it is my new best friend.. hahaha! :heehee:

My doc should have written that on the bandage.. maybe I'll suggest it to him.. It's a great idea! :)

As I told MsBlue - hats off to you for doing two knees at once. I can't even imagine it. You must be made of steel. I have never considered myself any shrinking violet, but THIS is a test of intestinal fortitude for sure! And I can only speak to my experience with one knee.

Again, glad to hear from you.. Thanks for checking in with me.. Looking forward to your future updates as well.. :SUNsmile:
 
I had time release OxyContin and took one every twelve hours.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Braunzie said:
@MsBlue

I'm curious as to how a quad activating could feel like the incision pulling.. (I'm interpreting that as pulling where the staples are?) I don't see the connection.. I feel the pulling feeling too, but didn't associate it with that. When I try to "activate" my quads, I do feel a pain around where my kneecap is. Huh... still LOTS to learn about the anatomy of the knee / leg.. More than I EVER thought I'd need to know.. hahaha! :yes:
My knees feel stiff and sore, and I feel like I am doing worse every day. But my stamina has improved and my range is also improving every day. The PT is a lot of work. I do about an hour in the morning, then about 30 minutes of OT. This afternoon's PT session was almost 90 minutes - but a lot of that was walking.
Click to expand...
Starting to feel the same thing in my incision, and the PT explanation was the same - activated quads. Doc put me back on heavy pain med (hydrocodone this time) so I can work harder to get the ROM up where he wants it. Went from mid 70s today to around 85 on my own, and to 92 assisted by PT. Sore tonight, but not drastically so. Do not want to even consider the dreaded MUA, so I'll do what it takes to reach his goal. Good for my morale to read about how hard y'all are working; thanks for the inspiration.
 
Braunzie said:
@PolarBear60 - time release! That would make things a lot easier.. no need to wake up in the middle of the night just for pain meds!
Click to expand...
But my hydrocodone was every six hours. No matter, I was getting up about three times a night to use the bathroom, so I took it during one of those times. Glad to be off whatever was making me do that. Grin.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Hit a personal milestone yesterday. Not sure how the rest of you did on this, but was FINALLY able to get in and out of bed by myself! The hard part is getting my leg elevated again with the 3 pillows and getting everything situated the right way.. WHEW! takes a lot, but at least now I feel I'm a bit less of a burden on other folks. I know it takes a lot out of me, as my knee was a bit stiffer this am.. but it is definitely progress, and I'll take it!!!:happydance: I was actually able to let my husband sleep all the way through the night last night for the first time since the surgery. He was VERY appreciative and said he felt much better this AM.. That made me even happier.. :roseshwr:

Going to PT today. Trying to be positive, but I am a bit scared.. Going in with my head held high and will not let them hurt me.. Hopefully my measurements will have improved over last time.. :fingersx:

I'll report back later!!! Hope you all are having a better day than yesterday! (I think that's the best I can hope for for EVERYONE in this forum!! :loveshwr:)

And thanks again for all the support and encouragement!! It truly helps SOOOO much!! :thankyou:
 
Congratulations on the new independence! What helps me get re-situated in bed is my cane. I first sit on the side of the bed, then slip the handle of the cane under my foot and swing it up on the bed. My PT showed me that one. Then I pile the pillows out between my outstretched legs, lie down, and again press the cane handle under my foot and haul the leg up on top of the pillow mound. Works great.
 
@Slainte - I can see how that would work! I've been using my good leg as what seems to be the equivalent of your cane. I put my good leg under the ankle of my operated leg and .. heave ho! :heehee: hahahah! I'll have to try the cane. It might be a bit easier!

Woke up pretty stiff today.. could have been a bit "too" independent yesterday.. :nah:I will learn one of these days, and of course, it was the day I had my PT appointment. My measurements were 89 flexion and 10 (still not sure if that should be -10?) extension. Slight improvement from Monday, so I'll take it! :eyebrows:
All in all, the session wasn't too bad, but I could tell I was probably not at my best because my knee was stiffer than it was yesterday. I was happy that my therapist listened to me and was sensitive to not doing anything that hurt me. When I said I needed to stop doing something, he listened.. so that was good. I was still completely whooped by the time I got home.

Changed out of my clothes, got on my nightgown, slipped into bed and elevated and iced.. and read entries in the forum. (It is a great way to spend time while elevating and icing.. :yes: )

Husband is gone tonight prepping for a BBQ / Smoked meat competition tomorrow.. He'll be manning the grill / smoker all night.. and then competing tomorrow.. Good thing one of my daughters is still ready at my "beck and call" if necessary..:)

And tomorrow is another day! Night all!!
 
I believe the extension is 10. Minus 10 would have the leg extend fully, then hyper-extend another 10 degrees.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
You're doing well, @Braunzie! How was it having your daughter at your beck and call? Was she staying overnight with you or just available by phone? It's just been me, the cat, and the fish for nearly a week now. It turns out that I didn't need any help in the night, but it's always reassuring to know someone's there, just in case.

I hope your husband did well at the competition. Man, if I did that I'd be so sleep-deprived when morning came, well, I can't imagine.
 
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