newlybionic
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
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That's good to hear. I hope your pain continues to be under control.
Revision TKR Bruising 3 years out
- Thread starter Xanaphia
- Start date
You're improving already. It's good that you were able to walk.
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
Thanks everyone 
yeah I can walk, not properly just yet, but that could be because they have so much stuff wrapped around my knee that I can't bend it. This doctor put a drain in and so he's wanted me to keep my leg straight the whole time I've been here. Last night I was finally able to sleep thru the night with no problems, nurse have me my meds at 10 and I was passed out by 1030. I am still in a great deal of pain, and probably will be for some time because of all the manipulation he did with my leg and having to cut things around my kneecap so he could put it back where it belonged (it had dislocated and started healing in the wrong spot) and put in a bigger spacer, one that is the proper size. Despite the pain I can feel the difference in my knee, it doesn't seem unstable anymore which is nice.
I haven't been able to ice it tho because the bandaging is so thick I cannot feel the cold. But there's a PA that's going to be coming in and removing all the bandaging and take the drain out, so all I'll have on it will be the regular bandage over the incision and an ace wrap so I'll be able to start icing it today.
I cannot lift my leg or move it a whole lot, I think my muscles are in shock lop
But I get to go home today I just hope they give me some pain meds before I leave cuz the car ride is about 45 minutes
yeah I can walk, not properly just yet, but that could be because they have so much stuff wrapped around my knee that I can't bend it. This doctor put a drain in and so he's wanted me to keep my leg straight the whole time I've been here. Last night I was finally able to sleep thru the night with no problems, nurse have me my meds at 10 and I was passed out by 1030. I am still in a great deal of pain, and probably will be for some time because of all the manipulation he did with my leg and having to cut things around my kneecap so he could put it back where it belonged (it had dislocated and started healing in the wrong spot) and put in a bigger spacer, one that is the proper size. Despite the pain I can feel the difference in my knee, it doesn't seem unstable anymore which is nice. I haven't been able to ice it tho because the bandaging is so thick I cannot feel the cold. But there's a PA that's going to be coming in and removing all the bandaging and take the drain out, so all I'll have on it will be the regular bandage over the incision and an ace wrap so I'll be able to start icing it today.
I cannot lift my leg or move it a whole lot, I think my muscles are in shock lop
But I get to go home today
I just hope they give me some pain meds before I leave cuz the car ride is about 45 minutes
You can get your prescriptions before you go so if you need them on the way, you have them available to you. Make sure you have them! That is really important! Also, I found putting my leg on 3 pillows with me in the back helped a lot. My ride was over an hour away and the nurse made sure I was medicated and had fresh ice. Good luck to you. I pray it is a gentle, little pain ride!
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
I hadn't thought of the pillow thing lol, but I'm sure I'll be ok, hubby is very gentle and protective of me and his truck drives real smooth.
As for the meds they are giving me, they sent the prescriptions to the pharmacy here in the hospital and as soon as my hubby gets here all I gotta do is have the nurse call the pharmacy and they will bring my meds up to my room and hubby can pay for them
It's still excruciating to walk, and I'm dreading PT but I'm going to tell them they HAVE to go easy on me, and slow because my doctor said that until it heals I have to be very careful about what I do because right now there's nothing but flesh around my kneecap and if I were to push it too hard I could dislocate it again.
I really wanna go punch my old doctor lol seriously I'm so angry at him for doing this to me. I did report hik to the hospital director because she's his boss and she said that he will have to answer to them about what I said happened and how he treated me, or lack of treatment, the need for a revision because he couldn't do his job right. I pray that something happens and he's not allowed to cut on people anymore
As for the meds they are giving me, they sent the prescriptions to the pharmacy here in the hospital and as soon as my hubby gets here all I gotta do is have the nurse call the pharmacy and they will bring my meds up to my room and hubby can pay for them
It's still excruciating to walk, and I'm dreading PT but I'm going to tell them they HAVE to go easy on me, and slow because my doctor said that until it heals I have to be very careful about what I do because right now there's nothing but flesh around my kneecap and if I were to push it too hard I could dislocate it again.
I really wanna go punch my old doctor lol seriously I'm so angry at him for doing this to me. I did report hik to the hospital director because she's his boss and she said that he will have to answer to them about what I said happened and how he treated me, or lack of treatment, the need for a revision because he couldn't do his job right. I pray that something happens and he's not allowed to cut on people anymore
newlybionic
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
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Unfortunately you will find that the doctors will never criticize another doctor and your old OS like my original OS will still be doing surgeries on unsuspecting patients. The best thing to do is to go on line where you can rate your doctor and you can write down down some specific details that will hopefully show him for the idiot and uncaring OS that I also had. Plus it sure made me better to vent!
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
Lol I hadn't thought about leaving a review about him. I did report him to the state medical review board and then I called the hospital and talked to the head lady and filed a complaint with her. She was very upset about what I had told her and she said that he WILL have to answer to them because his behavior and treatment of me is unaceptable. I'm hoping that he gets his license revoked.
newlybionic
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
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Try to just concentrate on getting better. My mom died from a fairly obvious mistake from a doctor and even with me as a nurse presenting the info to the medical board and hospital nothing happened to that doctor. They will always protect each other so just try to let the negative thoughts go. I was told by a lawyer in my own case that if the revision could fix my problems then there was nothing to sue about either.
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Newlybionic is right, concentrate on getting better, in the meantime follow the BoneSmart Mantra.
Rest, Ice, Elevate, and Medicate on schedule as prescribed.
Rest, Ice, Elevate, and Medicate on schedule as prescribed.
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
I'm not worried about the other doctor anymore. All I really want is my life back, and this time around I believe I will. Dr Toulson said I have to be very careful with exercises, etc because right now the only thing sound my kneecap is flesh so if I do hard or strenuous exercises I could dislocate the kneecap again so until it heals I've got to take it easy, even with PT. I'm not allowed to drive until he clears me, most likely because he's got me on some very heavy painkillers. This doctor likes to keep his patients as pain free as possible. When I was in the hospital I had like 6 different things in my chart that I could choose from for pain relief. They sent me home with 3 of them, and my instructions said I could also take ibuprofen and my muscle relaxers he had prescribed before surgery as well.
I am curious, I know the incision is going to leak, but how much is too much? How do I know when something is wrong and I need to call my doctor?
I am curious, I know the incision is going to leak, but how much is too much? How do I know when something is wrong and I need to call my doctor?
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Do you have a home health nurse coming to the house? The can keep track of your drainage. You will have some, some have more, some have less.
If you have a sudden increase your discharge, it becomes red, hot, painful, and more swollen. Call your OS.
Sounds like you are in good hands, take it very easy like your OS has asked, and let your knee heal.
If you have a sudden increase your discharge, it becomes red, hot, painful, and more swollen. Call your OS.
Sounds like you are in good hands, take it very easy like your OS has asked, and let your knee heal.
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
Yes, I have home health. They're supposed to be coming sometime between Tuesday and thursday. The doctor wants the bandage removed on tuesday, which surprised me because normally they make you keep it on for several weeks. But the nurse told me she's sure he put staples in and so that's why I don't have to leave the bandaging on. If it's still leaking tho I'm going to ask my nurse to rebandage it. I've also got a sharp pain on the side of my knee (right side of my knee) in the soft area, not sure if that's normal. I imagine it probably is because even tho it wasn't a full revision (that I know of anyway, I didn't get to see my doctor) it does say on my discharge papers Device Failure Left Total Knee Replacement. Not really sure what that means and my husband can't remember what the doctor told him except dislocated knee and new spacer and something about the prosthesis but he cannot remember what was said about the device. So I guess I'll just have to ask the doctor whenn I go in on the 21st.
I've got some pretty heavy swelling going on, my entire leg is so swollen the skin is tight. The interesting thing about this revision is everything is the opposite from my original tkr. Last time I could bend my leg quite a bit but couldnt straighten it. This time around I can straighten almost all the way, but I can barely bend it. I think I've got about 80° bend. And I'm not in as much pain as I was last time
I've got some pretty heavy swelling going on, my entire leg is so swollen the skin is tight. The interesting thing about this revision is everything is the opposite from my original tkr. Last time I could bend my leg quite a bit but couldnt straighten it. This time around I can straighten almost all the way, but I can barely bend it. I think I've got about 80° bend. And I'm not in as much pain as I was last time
A bend of 80 at this stage is pretty good. Don't worry about it. Concentrate on reducing that swelling, with lots of rest, ice and elevation. As the swelling goes down, your knee will start to bend better. Keep taking those pain medications and don't worry about doing exercises (apart from heel/ankle pumps) at this early stage.
If drainage is still steeping from your incision, it makes sense to keep it covered - or else you'll be getting that drainage on your sheets and clothes. Whether you keep the wound covered or not, doesn't have anything to do with having clips. It depends on each surgeon's preferences and protocols.
If drainage is still steeping from your incision, it makes sense to keep it covered - or else you'll be getting that drainage on your sheets and clothes. Whether you keep the wound covered or not, doesn't have anything to do with having clips. It depends on each surgeon's preferences and protocols.
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
That would be gross. Yeah I'm gonna have the nurse put a new bandage on it. I'm surprised it's still draining because in the hospital they had a drain device plugged into my knee that they emptied every day.
Just to be on the safe side, why not forgo all PT until that kneecap is healed in place. That would give your whole knee time to heal. There's no rush. Right now is the time to heal, not take PT. Your poor knee has been through so much. It needs to be babied big time!
Tabbycat
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greatlakes
graduate
So glad there was a solution for you and I'll be following your recovery with best wishes!
OP
OP
Xanaphia
member
Home health is going to be here sometime this afternoon to check on me and remove the bandage. I'm going to ask if she can put fresh bandage on since its still draining. I really thought this time around would be easier but I was very very wrong. Some things are different, like this time I can almost straighten my leg but cannot bend it, last time I couldn't straighten but my bend came very quickly. They told me to take ibuprofen in between doses of the painkillers they put me on but last time i was told to stay away from ibuprofen and Aleve because they both cause bleeding and I'm on a muscle relaxer. I'm going to ask my nurse about all this today. I can get it to where it stops hurting real bad but the minute I get up my entire knee area starts cramping and burning just like last time. I really do not want to do PT because I'm so scared that kneecap will get dislocated again
