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TKR CaliGirl's post op journey.

CaliGirl said:
I noticed this morning for the first time, for instance, that when I sit in my recliner my knee is fine with my feet on the floor and my leg bent.
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CaliGirl said:
So today's accomplishments: first post op shower, and ability to sit in a chair like a normal person (at least for a little while).
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All of these are the "little victories" that will, in the end---lead to a complete recovery.
 
Gayna, you are doing great! It's good that you have got the pain and sickness under control.
I use ice packs too, and sometimes when they come out of the freezer they are frozen solid, and a little bit too cold for immediate use so I get my hubby to microwave them for a few seconds and they are just right.
 
AWESOME!! Yes, that first post-op shower is heavenly! It's fun getting some of our independence back! I washed my own hair in the kitchen sink yesterday because I no longer have a water proof bandage on. I took my post-op shower while I had my water-proof bandage on. I had to change it out right after my shower and was only given a bordered gauze bandage to use after that. I believe my staples are coming out tomorrow and it's then I'll be able to shower again! We're coming BACCKKKKK!! :yes!:
 
Way to go! That first shower always is the best. I used all the hot water when I took my first one. I'm glad you're doing so well. You are definitely on your way.
 
Had a bit of a scare yesterday. I've been having calf pain. Home nurse, myself and surgeon were all pretty sure it was muscle pain, but were monitoring it.

Yesterday at 4:00 am I woke with a horrible pain in my right side (pretty much at my natural waist line) as well as the top of my right shoulder. The pain got worse when I inhaled. Was improved when sitting straight up or standing. Add that to the calf pain, and off I went to urgent care.

Doctor there took did urine (to rule out kidney or urinary tract infection) and blood tests. Told me he was pretty sure it was just muscle pain from moving awkwardly, but he would call me if the blood test came back high. He also gave me a prescription to go to a radiology place to get an ultrasound of my calf, just to be safe. After the exam I went home and took a nap.

The doctor called me to say that my d-dimer came back high, and I should skip the radiologist and just go straight to the ER, since I also need a CT scan.

So off I went to the ER. Told them about major sutgery last week, calf pain, pain when breathing in, and elevated d-dimer, and was taken in pretty darn fast.

After EKG, ultrasound, and abdominal CT, I'm happy to report I'm just a klutz who can manage to pull muscles in my sleep! No dvt, and no pulmonary embolism. :ok: It's a huge relief to know for sure.

By the time I got home from the hospital last night I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. At bedtime I took a muscle relaxer in addition to the stuff I've been taking. Got 6 solid hours of wonderful sleep:yes!: The shoulder pain is gone, and the pain in my side is much better.

Knee-wise, I was amazed to discover I have enough flexibility to get in and out of hubby's compact car. In home physical therapist is very happy with where I am (and amazed I can do leg lifts). No one has given me leg lifts to do as an exercise, just functionally being able to lift my leg up on my own is something I have been able to do since day one.

Going to see the PA tomorrow for my first post op follow up, to have the dressing removed, and get staples out.
 
Hi Gayna
You must be exhausted but relieved after all that. Huge sigh of relief that all seems to be well now. Glad you got some sleep, sounds like another busy day tomorrow, but getting the staples out is another little milestone. I'm amazed you can lift your leg too, I can almost do it, but it's painful, I reckon it'll just happen sooner or later.
Looking forward to the post op report.
Love Tabby xxx
 
Girls @CaliGirl and @Tabbycat this is quite the journey isn't it. @CaliGirl so glad all is good! That is scary stuff thinking about blood clots. I over did it Tuesday when I went out to PT, visited my students at school and went to lunch with my husband. Well I've paid for it for two days now! I got a refill on loratab from os and instead of taking it every 4 hours I'm trying to go 6. I didn't ice yesterday during the day-bad mistake!!!! Had a rough night-icing today :)
:yawn:
 
@tjcteacher It definitely is a journey - a roller-coaster, too, but overall getting better and better.

You read people talking about how they go out and do what sound like quick, simple errands and then have to pay for it. It's impossible to appreciate the reality of that until you experience it. Sorry to hear you had to pay for your outing for two days.

In the ER yesterday I was sitting in a wheelchair for quite a while with no way to elevate my leg - until they finally brought me back and put me on a gurney. By the time I got home last night I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Feeling better this morning, but my leg is still quite swollen. Last night I wasn't even sure where to put the ice pack, since I hurt from my ankle to my thigh.
 
What a scare Gayna. I would have flipped out- LOL! So sorry you had to deal with all of that as well as the additional discomfort of a pulled muscle. So glad that's all it was though! I ventured off last weekend for Mother's Day and it taught me a lesson- I'm hanging close to my recliner for now-! I've been changing my bandage out every day for a week now and my stapled incision looks good considering. Staples come out next Monday.

Slowly but surely (with a few hiccups along the way).. we're all getting there! :ice:
 
I'm so happy that every time was fine. I'm sure it was extremely frightening. Now you're back on the recovery road for your knee.
 
@CaliGirl
I'm sorry you had such a scare, but I'm really glad that nothing serious was wrong.

Full marks to your doctor and all the other people who acted appropriately and made sure that you had the right investigations and treatment, in a timely manner!
 
Thank goodness there were no clots! I'm so glad you were able to go and get it checked out. You can never be sure about something that could have been so serious. Now, you can rest your mind!
 
I'm glad you got it checked out and are ok. Sorry for the time with the leg down though. I imagine rest, ice and elevation has been your plan today.
 
Just got back from my post op visit with my surgeon's PA. He removed the dressing and said the incision is healing nicely. He eyeballed my flexion and extension and was happy with where I am at this point.

He then sent me to the casting room to have the staples removed. Most of them were no big deal, a few were kind of ouchy, and the last one was downright painful. She put steri strips on, with a waterproof dressing on top, and said my incision would heal beautifully.

PA prescribed me Norco, since I asked for something mid way between oxycodone and Tylenol.

That was definitely the most walking I've done since surgery, so it's nap time for me now.
 
I bet it feels better getting those staples out. I know that was scary. Great that you're healing nicely!
 
Yay You Gayna-!! I bet you're relieved you've gotten the staples out. Mine come out Monday- and I'm thinking things across my knee will feel better- not so tight I'm hoping! I've made the mistake of being on my feet a little longer than I should have- and boy has my knee come back and whacked me with a good dose of burning pain. It's just so hard to stay put when there seems to be so much around me that needs to be done. But there is nothing worst than feeling that day after surgery pain again. I hope your evening and weekend will be the most comfortable yet-! :chillpill:
 
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