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TKR CaliGirl's post op journey.

I'm now 16 days post-op. Realized I haven't posted in a while and wanted to check in so I can look back in future and measure my progress.

Amazingly, I'm sleeping through the night. I'm getting at least 6 hours of sleep at night, in bed. I do have to get up once or twice to pee, but I'm able to fall right back to sleep. I do take an oxycodone before bed, and I wake up when it wears off. Depending on my pain level I'll take either a whole oxycodone or half of one, and doze off and on for another couple of hours after that. I'm still stuck sleeping on my back. I've tried to position myself on my side (both sides) with a pillow under my good knee, under my surgical knee, between my knees, etc, but can only stay like that for a few minutes before my knee complains.

My surgical leg is moderately swollen all the time, no matter how much rest, ice, and elevation it gets. My surgeon said it's normal, and my PT said to just keep doing what I'm doing and it will resolve with time.

I barely have any bruising. Just one inch and a half bruise a couple of inches above the top of the incision. I still have the steri strips and dressing on my knee, but it looks really good.

Physical therapist measured my flexion at 88. He didn't measure my extension but said I'm at at least 0. I'm a bit double jointed, so tend to go into the negatives.

The physical therapist has me walking outside - a little further each time. He has me pick up my leg like a march for each step. God only knows what my neighbors think seeing me walking down my street like that. Lol. He was concerned about me going up my stairs backwards, so we worked on that, and I can now go up my front steps forward. I am able to bear a lot more weight on my surgical leg now, which makes that possible. I'm able to take a few little steps without the walker - but only when I've got a counter or something else to grab onto if needed.

I have enough flexion in my knee to get in and out of my husband's compact car. Getting up from low ish chairs isn't difficult as long as I have something to hold on to.

The physical therapist encourages me, but doesn't do anything that hurts - and never pushes on my leg. I quite overdid it when he came on Monday, and had to use the chair lift feature of my recliner for the first time on Monday night. I will certainly let him know and we'll throttle way back today.

I've got my first post op social outing planned. My friend is picking me up Saturday morning and we're going out to breakfast for a fundraiser to support her daughter's drill team. The restaurant is close by, and I'll prop my leg up the whole time. I'll also bring an ice pack. It will be great to get out. I'm definitely getting stir crazy.

Now that I'm feeling better (especially since I'm not doped up on pain meds all day) the frustration of not being able to do things is kicking in. I want to do the laundry, but have no way to carry the laundry basket, nor can I get down to my garage where the washer is. I want to empty the dishwasher, but have no way to walk and carry clean dishes. The frustration is that I'm feeling well enough to do these things, but I'm not physically capable.

So at just over 2 weeks post op I'm doing amazingly well - much better than I thought I would be.

In other notes, Miralax is my best friend. Also, when I went to see the PA last week I was on pain meds. He prescribed me Norco 5-325, but I forgot to ask for a refill of Zofran (th anti nausea med that's made it possible to take the pain meds). On Monday I was told the surgeon was out of the office (he does surgery Monday and Wednesday), so they would ask him on Tuesday. Well, Tuesday came and went with no Zofran called in to the pharmacy, and I have 1 left. I'm calling my PCP today. Hopefully he'll call it in for me. It's not like I'm asking for pain meds. I am very frustrated that it's so difficult to get anti nausea meds.
 
@CaliGirl, it sounds like you're doing great for two weeks out! I can certainly understand about wanting to do things you feel like doing, but unable to physically. How frustrating. But, at least you're wanting to do them. That shows improvement right there! I sure hope you can get your Zofran. I know what it's like to not be able to take pain meds without throwing up! My dentist gave me hydrophone/acetam for after my oral surgery last Friday and I took one. That's all I was able to take. I had to fight not to throw up! Not something you want to do when you've had oral surgery! At least the doctor should be able to call in your Zofran since it's not a narcotic.
 
Wow @CaliGirl hang on there your doing really well this is a slow frustrating road that our knee is in charge of and will let us know if we over do things. Take care lots of love xx

LTKR 11 May 2016
 
Hi CaliGirl, that's a great update, you are making great progress by the sound of it. Your PT sounds sensible, not pushing things. It is frustrating even trying to do simple things and having to rely on someone else, I suppose this is where the patience comes in. I'm itching to get back to my sewing but there's no way I can use my sewing machine yet and cross stitching takes concentration I just don't have. I hope you manage to get your Zofran without too much difficulty, and I envy you the six hours of sleep in bed, I only manage superficial sleep on the recliner. Seems like good pain control and sleep are key to a good recovery. I have my second PT session tomorrow, bit concerned about the amount of swelling in my knee and lack of ROM.
Keep up the good work!
Love, Tabby xxx
 
Sounds like we're tracking along really close in our recoveries Gayna. All the way down to the difficulties getting scripts filled- lol! For me it's been hard to get the insurance company in sync with my surgeon- but I keep squeaking until I get some oil.. lol! I feel good about my recovery- definitely deal with the frustration of sitting so much. I have strawberries on vines now that I can't get to. But next spring at this time I'll be picking strawberries pain-free! It's worth the wait! :yes: It's exciting knowing things will continue to get better and better for us all!
 
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@Suz turns out the insurance company was the hold up for me with the Zofran.
Apparently the insurance company won't pay for a refill until 5/20. This is despite the fact that the prescription on 5/4 was for 30 pills, 1 tablet every 6 hours, as needed. So if I had been taking pain meds around the clock, that's only 7 1/2 days, but they only cover it every 15.

Thankfully the pharmacy is willing to sell me 6 tablets for $8.50, and then I can fill the rest under my insurance on Friday. Stupidity!

@Tabbycat yes, pain control has absolutely been key. I think I naturally have a quite high pain threshold, since most of the time since I've been home I haven't needed pain meds during the day. It has been nice having things on hand for when I do need it though.
 
CaliGirl said:
I'm now 16 days post-op. Realized I haven't posted in a while and wanted to check in so I can look back in future and measure my progress.

Amazingly, I'm sleeping through the night. I'm getting at least 6 hours of sleep at night, in bed. I do have to get up once or twice to pee, but I'm able to fall right back to sleep. I do take an oxycodone before bed, and I wake up when it wears off. Depending on my pain level I'll take either a whole oxycodone or half of one, and doze off and on for another couple of hours after that. I'm still stuck sleeping on my back. I've tried to position myself on my side (both sides) with a pillow under my good knee, under my surgical knee, between my knees, etc, but can only stay like that for a few minutes before my knee complains.

My surgical leg is moderately swollen all the time, no matter how much rest, ice, and elevation it gets. My surgeon said it's normal, and my PT said to just keep doing what I'm doing and it will resolve with time.

I barely have any bruising. Just one inch and a half bruise a couple of inches above the top of the incision. I still have the steri strips and dressing on my knee, but it looks really good.

Physical therapist measured my flexion at 88. He didn't measure my extension but said I'm at at least 0. I'm a bit double jointed, so tend to go into the negatives.

The physical therapist has me walking outside - a little further each time. He has me pick up my leg like a march for each step. God only knows what my neighbors think seeing me walking down my street like that. Lol. He was concerned about me going up my stairs backwards, so we worked on that, and I can now go up my front steps forward. I am able to bear a lot more weight on my surgical leg now, which makes that possible. I'm able to take a few little steps without the walker - but only when I've got a counter or something else to grab onto if needed.

I have enough flexion in my knee to get in and out of my husband's compact car. Getting up from low ish chairs isn't difficult as long as I have something to hold on to.

The physical therapist encourages me, but doesn't do anything that hurts - and never pushes on my leg. I quite overdid it when he came on Monday, and had to use the chair lift feature of my recliner for the first time on Monday night. I will certainly let him know and we'll throttle way back today.

I've got my first post op social outing planned. My friend is picking me up Saturday morning and we're going out to breakfast for a fundraiser to support her daughter's drill team. The restaurant is close by, and I'll prop my leg up the whole time. I'll also bring an ice pack. It will be great to get out. I'm definitely getting stir crazy.

Now that I'm feeling better (especially since I'm not doped up on pain meds all day) the frustration of not being able to do things is kicking in. I want to do the laundry, but have no way to carry the laundry basket, nor can I get down to my garage where the washer is. I want to empty the dishwasher, but have no way to walk and carry clean dishes. The frustration is that I'm feeling well enough to do these things, but I'm not physically capable.

So at just over 2 weeks post op I'm doing amazingly well - much better than I thought I would be.

In other notes, Miralax is my best friend. Also, when I went to see the PA last week I was on pain meds. He prescribed me Norco 5-325, but I forgot to ask for a refill of Zofran (th anti nausea med that's made it possible to take the pain meds). On Monday I was told the surgeon was out of the office (he does surgery Monday and Wednesday), so they would ask him on Tuesday. Well, Tuesday came and went with no Zofran called in to the pharmacy, and I have 1 left. I'm calling my PCP today. Hopefully he'll call it in for me. It's not like I'm asking for pain meds. I am very frustrated that it's so difficult to get anti nausea meds.
Click to expand...

@CaliGirl Thanks for the update and all of the specific info. My surgery is Monday and I'm not looking forward to the recovery time.
 
I'm glad you are doing so well, @CaliGirl . :happydance::yay:

@TKRMay21 - you don't have to quote a post in order to reply. Just scoot down to the bottom of the page and start typing in the box there.
 
Good luck on Monday. That day will be the beginning of your new life! Just be patient and follow what they say here.
 
Yesterday had my first post op social outing. A friend picked me up and took me to a local restaurant for a fundraiser for the music department at her daughter's school. I kept my leg elevated on the booth the whole time, and brought an ice pack. If it was regular breakfast out at a restaurant, I would have been fine. As it was, my friend got roped in to working the fundraiser, so I was out for nearly 3 hours. My knee was telling me loudly that was way too long for a first outing.

In other news, I discovered that Norco provides very poor pain control for me. They prescribed me 5-325. That did absolutely nothing. I took 1 and a half, and although it made me sleepy, it did nothing to diminish the pain in my knee. I will need to have a conversation with my surgeon.

Today I'm starting with a new in home physical therapist, as the one I was working with (who is wonderful) had a family emergency, and had to go out of town. He asked me to text him after a couple of sessions with the new therapist to let him know how things are going.
 
@CaliGirl let us know how you go with the new PT I have got my 1st one next Thursday but in the UK we go to the hospital to have PT after my staples are out on wenesday. But did you enjoy your trip that's the point x

LTKR 11 May 2016
 
@Dawni it was nice to get out of the house. The food was ok, but I wasn't expecting spectacular. I was really hoping to have a nice sit down chat with my friend, but I hardly saw her, since she was helping to run the event. All in all it was nice to be out in the world again.

I like the new physical therapist. She had me working more on weight bearing and working muscles to help get me back to a normal gait. She checked in frequently to make sure I wasn't in pain or pushing myself too hard - a good sign.
 
What sort of things did she have you doing if you don't minde me asking x

LTKR 11 May 2016
 
@Dawni Well, my prior PT had me walking where I would lift up my surgical knee as if I was marching, and step forward, then bring my good leg to the same place where my surgical leg is. This PT still had me lift my knee, but not so high. I had to concentrate to bring my heel down first, and move forward onto my toes, and then bring my good leg in front of my surgical leg - like how uninjured people walk, except using the walker to bear as much weight as I needed.

She also had me (standing with the walker) step back with my surgical leg and tighten my glut - hold it for 3 seconds, and put my feet together - X 10.

She also had me sway slowly from side to side (still holding on to the walker) for 1 minute. She encouraged me to put as much weight on my leg as I can comfortably manage, and to try increasing it, as it will help me get to transitioning to a cane.

The exercises I was doing and continue to do: standing at the walker I lift my knee up in front of me as high as I can, keeping my leg straight I move it to the side and slightly to the back (hip abduction), and lift my foot/bend my leg as far as I can behind me (each exercise 10 times). Sitting I squeeze a large ball between my thighs 10 times, lift the bottom part of my leg up from bent position to straightish 10 times, and then slide my foot back as far as I can go (no force) and hold it for 3 seconds 10 times.
 
I took off the dressing and steri strips yesterday. My incision looks pretty good, I think, even if it did gross out my daughter, who insisted I keep a blanket over my leg when she's in the room. This is 3 weeks, 1 day post op.

Most of it is pretty numb, but some areas are very sensitive. Thankfully none of it is so sensitive that it hurts to have a sheet or clothes touch it, as I've read others experienced. My old scar from my meniscectomy 15 years ago itches. It looks less puffy to me than it used to, so perhaps the surgeon removed some old scar tissue from underneath it - or since my knee and leg is still swollen the old scar looks smaller by comparison. The itching also could be from the adhesive from the dressing. It's just a bit annoying, not anything I'm worrying about.

I've ordered a cane from Amazon, which should arrive on Thursday. I have PT on Friday, so she can teach me how to use it then. It will be great to transition from the walker to a cane, so I can actually carry something.
 

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@CaliGirl it looks fantastic, I will be using bio oil on my scare, I used this last time on my other knee and with good results. I have my staples out tomorrow. We have come a long way on our jerney x

LTKR 11 May 2016
 
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