Bilateral TKR Bubbles BTKR 9 November 2015

[newlybionic]

I've got a split household. One Penn State and one PITT!! My oldest went to Rhode Island so she doesn't count to break the tie!! Out here in the beautiful we've had snow flurries and temperatures in the teens at night. The local resorts have already started making snow!!

I'm glad you got a new insurance policy. Unfortunately we don't have a choice when we're working at large companies.

 

[skigirl]

When my insurance rejected Celebrex, they did okay Melaxacam--- it is also a pretty good anti-inflammatory.

 

[Bubbles]

@XKV8R Another bilateral! -- you know there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity? So far I'm not regretting it. I think having a top notch surgeon, hospital and rehab is critical. I very carefully picked my surgeon. Lots of research. Dr. Crossett, Shadyside Hospital, did mine. I highly recommend him. Who's doing yours? With bilateral I was able to go to inpatient rehab which I think was very important. Dr C prescribed excellent drugs which addressed all my problems ahead of time, things like nerve pain are already being taken care of. He really knows what he's doing. I've had easy access to his nurse in his office, she is very good. There's a lot more to it than the surgeon. Good luck, I'll follow your progress too. Work on your upper body strength, you'll need it!

I live east of Pittsburgh near Monroeville.

I had a busy day yesterday. Went to my first outpatient rehab for my evaluation. I had a couple recommendations for therapists but ended up with someone else. She seems young and new but I liked her, she's very gentle and soft spoken so I doubt she will push too, too hard. She tested muscles others hadn't yet and measured my ROM. I lost some from last week but we will get it back. Going back on Friday and have been exercising well at home. After my appointment I did a little cooking, my daughter brought pizza and some groceries I needed then finished what I started. By the time she left I was exhausted, hit my recliner,iced, slept for two hours then went to bed for the night.

There's improvement in my ability to get around with my walker. I didn't have any trouble going out the door and down two steps. Did it all, including opening and closing the doors, by myself, then walked across the lawn to the car. Getting in out of the car is slow but getting easier. The only thing I didn't do is put my walker in the trunk. I don't think I'm too far from being able to drive myself. Physically I'm close. I need to get off the oxy which I think need for PT but we shall see. I have an appt with my OS's PA next Tuesday. Driving will be discussed. My incisions looks great, it's healing well. I've not had any brusing which amazes me considering all the trauma--I've watched the videos.

 

[Bubbles]

@newlybionic oh the horror a Pitt in the household. You have my condolences! My husband went to CMU, not quite the same rivalry. Doesn't count either. Pitt is a n excellent school too, one of the reasons we have so many great doc's in the area. Looking forward to the backyard bash returning to football!

 

[Celle]

After my appointment I did a little cooking, my daughter brought pizza and some groceries I needed then finished what I started. By the time she left I was exhausted, hit my recliner,iced, slept for two hours then went to bed for the night

You're doing very well, but all that activity in one day was a bit too much for new knees that aren't even a month old yet.
If you read this article again - Activity progression for TKRs - you'll see that cooking isn't recommended until at least 6 weeks after surgery. Just the appointment for rehab assessment was enough really.

By the way, you don't need to do lots of exercise to rehab your knee. Just walking around the house and a few bends adn stretches are all you need.

I need to get off the oxy which I think need for PT

It's not a good idea to take pain relief just for PT, because it masks the pain. Pain is a warning sign that you're doing too much and need to back off. So, masking the pain could lead to your overdoing it or getting injured without realising it at the time.

 

[Bubbles]

Good points, thanks @Celle. Sounds like I can get off the oxy soon. I think you're right, don't hide the pain that is caused by too much whatever. I'm not having much pain unless I push too much. Doh. I'll catch on. I sure don't need an injury from overuse.

 

[XKV8R]

oh the horror a Pitt in the household. You have my condolences! My husband went to CMU, not quite the same rivalry. Doesn't count either. Pitt is a n excellent school too, one of the reasons we have so many great doc's in the area. Looking forward to the backyard bash returning to football!

These days, CMU could probably field a robotic team that'd beat either Pitt or Penn State's jocks on the gridiron. But you're right, it was never known as a big football school.

I hadn't mentioned it earlier, because Pitt hadn't come up, but I was a Pitt student for two years before transferring to Penn State, so you can just imagine how mentally confused and conflicted I am.

I think having a top notch surgeon, hospital and rehab is critical. I very carefully picked my surgeon. Lots of research. Dr. Crossett, Shadyside Hospital, did mine. I highly recommend him. Who's doing yours?

At Beaver, Dr. Yakish (who's a Pitt graduate.)

I grew up in Shadyside. Lost track of the number of times I've been in Shadyside Hospital's ER, and the number of stitches I got there. (Although, it's probably a safe guess that a BTKR will eclipse that number in one fell swoop.)

Another bilateral! -- you know there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity?

Yeah. I'll let you know around New Years which side of the line I think I'm on...

 

[Bubbles]

@XKV8R your post made me laugh, it feels good, thanks. I can just see the CMU football team. And the students, unique as CMU students are, on the sidelines controlling from computers! My husband wanted my daughter to go to CMU but she wanted no parts of it. Wanted PSU from 6th grade.

Oh the confusion! Support the team that's winning!

Shady Side would be great place to grow up. Beautiful neighborhood. I enjoy going there, shopping, eating out or just walking around.

I'm finding the recovery is rough but I expected that. This ain't no appendectomy. I know I've overdone the last couple days. I get exhausted, out of breath surprisingly fast and must seriously rest. My body demands it. Three weeks out next Monday and I still really need a walker and don't see switching to a cane anytime soon. When I'm walking I frequently feel a quick what feels like a jolt of instability causing me a little jump. Not sure what's going on but it isn't the new knees, they're strong and stable. Maybe it's weakness from my quads not holding my legs firmly enough. I'll ask about it at PT today and at my three week followup with my OS's PA tomorrow. Scary feeling.

So I'm wondering when other bilaterals stopped using a walker? I can't see myself using crutches, just seems cumbersome. What have others done and what timeframe? I know we are all different, just curious.

Thanks again for the site and all the volunteers.

 

[Celle]

I don't think there's any need to rush to give up the walker. If you feel you need it, keep using it, particularly if you feel insecure without it.

 

[kayak59]

@Bubbles, I am 18 days post op for one knee and my physical therapist told me to keep using my walker for at least a couple more days. I had a bone spur damage my right quad and even though right now, I don't have any more pain in that area and the quad feels okay, she says she can tell that the quad isn't where it should be yet. I think I was getting those same "jolts" that you experienced and she said that was a sign of the weak quad.

And I agree with you about the crutches -- no fun -- I've used them.

 

[newlybionic]

I had one knee done and I continued to use it for about three weeks and then gradually changed to a cane? If I was going to walk on uneven ground I used the walker. I used my cane even after three months when I went apple picking on uneven ground.

 

[XKV8R]

So I'm wondering when other bilaterals stopped using a walker? I can't see myself using crutches, just seems cumbersome.

At the class I went to they said crutches would be an option at some point, but a walker would be preferable. A walker will stay here you put it, even if you let go of it, while crutches will go where they want to go (like to the floor), unless you're making a conscious effort to grip them with some body part or another.

I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the prospect of using a walker. In my mind, crutches are okay, because they've always been something you used after you got hurt doing something manly, like playing football, but walkers have always been something old people needed. (Gasp!)

I guess I'm going to have to get past that, huh?

(On edit: One of the guys on the job accused me yesterday of using a shovel as a cane. He was right.)

 

[Celle]

I only had a walker for the first day after surgery. Then I was shown how to use crutches, which I found quite satisfactory. Back in 2011, I spent 4 months on crutches, both before and after my revision to TKR, so I was accustomed to using them.

It seems that walkers are used in the US, while here in NZ everyone uses crutches. And yes, there is definitely an art in "parking" crutches, so that they don't fall to the floor!

 

[newlybionic]

@XKV8R My 89 year old mother was given a walker while she was in the hospital when she as very weak. She turned to me and said "I thought only old people used this thing". I too didn't want to use a walker. I was glad I had it. Even though I was able to hold my own weight the day I had surgery I thought of it as a security blanket. It is much more secure than crutches even though I used them before.

HAIL TO PITT!! My youngest pointed out that they won. I'm not sure if Penn State played.

I would have probably been better off having them both done at one time. I never got a shower bench or an elevated toilet seat but if I had that I would have been better off going through recovery just once.

 

[Bubbles]

Bad news! I'm sitting here in the ICU of a big downtown hospital after a nifty, fast ambulance ride to get me here. I started having shortness of breath yesterday from just normal talking, called for an ambulance that took me back to the rehab hospital. They looked at me, got a CT (during which I passed out) that showed a bunch of pulmonary emboli. They sent me in another ambulance downtown where they accessed me then did two heart/lung caths. I had to lay still and flat for 20 hours while the meds in the caths worked on the clots. Not fun, sore back. Fortunately it was successful and I'm here to tell about it. What a crazy couple of days.

The knees are on the back burner for now. I'll be going to a regular room tomorrow, I believe, for a couple days then home on Coumadin. It's crazy that I could get blood clots like that while on lovonox. Now I'm on Hepburn.

Thanks for sharing all the walker experience, it's very useful. I need a nap.

 

[PolarBear60]

Wow. Scary. So thankful you're here to tell us about it.


Jean

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

 

[Timetolive]

Oh no! I am praying for you!! I am so thankful you recognized you needed to get to the hospital! Please take care my knee sister!

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry to hear about your frightening experience, @Bubbles. What a good job you called for an ambulance!

Although it must have been very unpleasant for you, it sounds as if the hospitals have treated your problem quickly and effectively. Here's to continued improvement from now on.

Don't worry about your knees. They'll probably appreciate the extra rest.
Do make sure that you're given adequate pain relief, though.

 

[Slainte]

That must have been so scary. Glad you sought and found appropriate medical intervention.

 

[XKV8R]

It's scary just reading about it. I too, am glad you're here to tell about it.

Don't do that any more, ok?