TKR Carole’s recovery thread

[kneeper]

Yeah, I had a few "hangers on" but mostly they just came off naturally but each seemed to have its own schedule. ;)

 

[LindaO]

Some healthcare providers use a type of sticky adhesive to help the steri-strips stay on but not all. That is probably why some stay on better than others. I have learned that once the ends start curling, you can clip the curly ends off, and then when the doctor says it is ok, remove them. A little alcohol on the adhesive helps to loosen it if they are really stuck good but don't get the alcohol on your wounds.

 

[luvcats]

Interesting. I didn't get steri-strips. Just staples.

 

[sewhat]

Interesting. I didn't get steri-strips. Just staples.

On my first knee, I had staples. When they took the staples out, they put steri strips on. My second knee has glue. I'll find out Wednesday whether I get steri strips or not.

 

[Carole4815]

Interesting. I didn't get steri-strips. Just staples.

Steri-strips seem pretty useless to me, but then I'm not trained in such things so I just let my surgical team do what they think is best. I had staples with a thick waterproof dressing over them for the first week. I was told I could shower with it, yeah right? I was too wobbly to dare take a shower at that stage.

Then the dressing was replaced by a non-waterproof dressing; no more showers. I think a week later the staples were removed and the dressing was replaced by steri-strips, and showers were once again allowed.

I am supposed to remove any steri-strips that remain, tomorrow. The incision scar beneath looks really good to my untrained eye, and seems to be healing quickly.

 

[Jockette]

My steri strips were so annoying! Originally I had a waterproof bandage and no shower restrictions. At 2 weeks my stitches came out and on went the steri strips. They looked really dumb and quickly began to fray and peel. And I wasn’t allowed to shower until after 3 days. I was not a happy camper.

 

[Carole4815]

My Home Health nurse told me that tomorrow I should take off any steri-strips that hadn't fallen off. So, I couldn't help it.... I took them off just now instead of waiting another 10 hours until midnight.



It looks pretty good to me! Thumbnail attached. Ignore the adhesive residue which I am sure will be gone soon. I am glad the steri-strips are gone. Like you, Jockette, I thought they were annoying (and ugly, too). My knee is still slightly pink because I had been icing earlier.

 

[Ladyala]

That looks great!!

 

[Carole4815]

Thanks! I am such a worrier, but I have to admit that it looks pretty healthy to me, too. I hope my OS thinks so too!

I am so glad that I will be seeing my OS on Wednesday, for the first time since surgery. The reason is that I have a toothache in my farthest back molar. Also a filling that fell out of a front tooth in the hospital. Last spring I had a "look Ma, no cavities!" checkup with my dentist but oh well. I mentioned the filling that fell out to my OS at the hospital,and he said to wait until my appointment this coming Wednesday and he would let me know how he wants this handled.

Meanwhile, icing more tonight.

 

[Celle]

I think that they often put on steristrips after removal of sutures or staples as a sort of insurance policy. Most of the time, they really aren't necessary, as the wound is closed in layers beneath the skin, and the skin is mostly healed by about 10 days.
Closing surgical wounds: how is it done?

If any small areas of the skin incision are still open, a couple of steristrips will be sufficient. There's no need to cover the entire incision with steristrips, nor for them to stay on until they fall off. That's just an excess of caution.

 

[luvcats]

How awful and annoying to have dental issues crop up at the most inconvenient time possible. I hope your OS has a good solution for you.

 

[Carole4815]

[...]There's no need to cover the entire incision with steristrips, nor for them to stay on until they fall off. That's just an excess of caution.

Thanks! That's great to know and I didn't know about that before reading your post. I was a little nervous about taking them off 10 hours early, but so far so good and from what you are saying it sounds like it really didn't matter. My incision looks even healthier today than it did in the photo, by the way. I think being exposed to nice fresh air might be helping. Also my body is putting a ton of energy into healing it, I suspect.

It's amazing; it is healing so fast one can almost see it happen. Who would have thought a fat, diabetic, 71-year-old, white haired sedentary old lady would heal so well and so quickly after surgery. I am both pleased and astounded.

How awful and annoying to have dental issues crop up at the most inconvenient time possible. I hope your OS has a good solution for you.

Thanks. I hope so too!! But even if he doesn't..... I will get through this. I think this is one of those things my father (dead for 40 years) used to say was a "character building experience". Yeah right, Dad. I hear ya.

Tomorrow is your big day! I think I am almost as excited about it for you, as you are yourself.

 

[Carole4815]

Today is the 3-week anniversary of my TKR surgery, and also I had the last session of my home PT. And look at my ROM!!! I know it isn't the only measure of recovery, but I am still happy about it.

August 13: (TKR Surgery Day)
August 13: (No ROM measured; PT had me walk 120 feet with walker 2 hours after surgery)
August 14: (No ROM measured; PT had me walk 300 feet with walker before going home)
August 15: 68 degrees
August 16: 68 degrees
August 19: 69 degrees
August 21: 82 degrees
August 23: 82 degrees
August 26: 90 degrees
August 28: 89 degrees
August 30: 87 degrees
September 3: 101 degrees!!

Also the PT guy was very encouraging and said I had improved a lot. He agrees that I do need to work on my stamina, but he says that my energy has been going into healing, and stamina will come back in time.

He says that I can use my rollator walker inside (where floors are flat and predictable), but should use the plain jane hospital walker outdoors until my surgical knee can bear more of my weight.

After PT, my sweetie and I went out to lunch again, and then on a pleasure drive. That tired me out, so it's nice to rest a bit now and ice my knee some more.

 

[sewhat]

You go, Carole! Another celebratory meal with Sweetie. Congrats on ditching Plain Jane indoors. Now to get to work on your stamina.

 

[luvcats]

That's fantastic for 3 weeks! Especially considering the condition of your knee before surgery.

 

[Carole4815]

That's fantastic for 3 weeks! Especially considering the condition of your knee before surgery.

Thank you!!! And GOOD LUCK and my best hopes and wishes for your second TKR surgery TODAY!!!

 

[Carole4815]

Just got back from my first post-operative appointment with my OS. He thinks I am doing very well, too, especially since he knows how bad it was before surgery. He wants me to do outpatient PT three times a week for four weeks. (grumble) OK, since he has been such a great surgeon, I'll do that even though it isn't very appealing.

I told him about my toothache that developed during the past week, and how I think it may be an abscessed tooth. He put me on amoxycillin (antibiotic), prescribed more pain medicine, and wants me to see my dentist about it ASAP, to make sure my knee does not become infected.

I called my dentist's office and he is leaving on a two week vacation tomorrow morning. But he called me back and said he would see me at 8:30 AM tomorrow.

Ups and downs, ups and downs..... the recovery rollercoaster.

 

[newlybionic]

I’m glad your dentist will see you before he leaves on vacation. He will be able to take care of that toothache for you.

 

[Carole4815]

I hope so. I am less worried about the toothache (which is awful) than the possibility of an infection spreading to my knee. Mostly I hope the infection (and/or whatever the dentist does about it) doesn't affect my new knee. Trying not to worry.

EDIT: Finally got the bottle of amoxycillin (antibiotic that my OS just prescribed today) from Walgreen's and took one. Good. It's three times a day so I'll take another one around midnight and then one around 8 AM before I see the dentist.

Maybe this tooth explains why I have been feeling cold from time to time, even when the thermostat is set several degrees higher than I normally like. I haven't taken my temperature but maybe I should the next time I am feeling colder or hotter than is reasonable.

I am a grown, sane, logical, rational, strong, determined adult and also I know how TKR surgery messes with patients' emotions. Hopefully that will be enough for me to avoid freaking out right now. ​

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope you can get that tooth taken care of.