TKR DLR recovery #2

[DLR]

@Josephine no offence taken.

 

[beachy]

Diane, you made the effort and at some point your friend will know that and feel the love you send.

Glad your daughters are bringing dinner to you. That way they can't abandon you in a restaurant again .

Have a blessed Easter!

 

[DLR]

@beachy thank you. Lol yes my family can't run off on me at home...and my dear husband painted my toenails today , he's a keeper
Happy Easter

 

[DLR]

14 days post op... I have finally found a pain med protocol that is working. When PT came last Thursday she told me to rest and not do any stretches until my pain level came back to manageable. Definitely something I learned the last time. This is not the time to push through pain. Rest has brought the pain under control, swelling is decreasing and bruising is slowly being reabsorbed. I am sleeping in the recliner getting between 4 and 7 hours at night. Using 1 crutch around the house, 2 at night. Be patient everyone, it’s worth it! Looking forward to getting my staples out on Friday.

 

[sistersinhim]

You got a really good strategy for your knee's recovery and it's paying off for you.

 

[DLR]

@sistersinhim 2nd time around has brought the wisdom learned by 1st time mistakes as well as less anxiety about the slow process of healing. While this knee is very different than the first and more painful from the beginning I am content to let it boss me around
Hope you had a wonderful Easter.

 

[traceys]

Hey @DLR
Been thinking about you but of course got NO notices you were posting


Sounds like tkr2 is ensuring you got to experience the full gamut of everything you missed first time around.... how thoughtful! Lol

I’m at fracture Thursday for a checkup- too bad will miss each other by a day.
Lmk if you need anything as have been wandering the region with my camera and can drop by.

Keep plugging along!

 

[DLR]

@traceys a day apart at the fracture clinic ..seriously
So close....however if you are out and about Elmira stop by, I’m at 197 First W
How are you doing? Problems making you go back to the fracture clinic ?

 

[traceys]

Yup. The hip is slipping out of socket instead of externally rotating like we thought it would and it’s causing some issues.
Dr G wants a few xrays to see what’s happening. Lol.
Just can’t catch a break.

 

[DLR]

@traceys oh no....you have had more than your share... thinking of you and praying the xrays reveal what and why

 

[DLR]

Reading through my other knee recovery shows how each knee is different. This time I average 4 to 6 hours sleep in my recliner which is great!
Pain has stayed consistent from day 2 behind the knee when any bend is attempted. I had thought it was all the black bruising at the back of my knee but that is resolving and the pain remains. It is not weightbearing related as I get the same doing heel slides or walking trying to heel toe and bend knee. Peg leg walking (a no no) gives no pain.
Sorry to be a bit down I know it’s early but would love to see a little improvement in that pain....it is wearying.

 

[Softtail]

DLR. It is amazing how one leg can present itself so different from the other. My first go around with left leg was badly swollen black and blue And so painful I could not sleep in bed for up to three weeks. Now my right leg is starting out less swollen with less pain and I am able to sleep in my bed right from the get go fairly comfortaby. I Couldn’t stand to brush my teeth for about two weeks without a lot of pain with left leg but I have no problem standing with the right.
All this just goes to show you can’t compare one operation to the next or one person‘s recovery to your own since the leg takes whatever path it seems it needs to get back to normal. All we can do is hang in there And go with the flow and I hope we get there sooner than later.

 

[Lindylee]

I've just read your recovery thread as my knees are valgus knees too and I have intermittent pain in exactly the same place, so it's been very useful to find out what it is. It did diminish, but then came back last week when I overdid things. I hope both our issues resolve soon. Good luck with the rest of your recovery. At least both are done now. I've still the second to look forward to, or maybe dread!

Very sorry to hear about your friend.

 

[DLR]

Long day at the fracture clinic...lots of people. Surgeon is happy with my knee but wants to leave the staples in for one more week. Since i trust him he’s the boss.
Stopped for lunch on our way home then came home and crashed.
Hoping to sleep tonight, last night was only 3 hours...but that is a normal part of this journey.

 

[DLR]

2 1/2 weeks post op made it to church today, a nice change from my 4 walls. I am finding walking is coming much slower this time around. Bending the knee while walking heel to toe is extremely painful on the lateral upper calf. I feel secure standing and putter around the house but proper walking is another matter. My swelling is minimal ...hurray and the bruising is resolving nicely. I suspect it is simply the reality of a 10 degree valgus knee being corrected and all the tendons, ligaments and muscles being stretched. Hoping to see improvement soon, this pain has been constant since day 1.

 

[Irish471]

@DLR , do sorry your pain isn’t letting up! I hope you find some relief soon!

 

[DLR]

@Irish471 thanks. My physio this morning said she wants me to stop all activity that causes pain, so has me walking stiff legged to allow what she suspects is the hamstring tendon attachment to heal.
I am to talk further to my OS about it Friday when I get my staples removed as this pain is unchanged since day one.

 

[traceys]

Hey @DLR
I know the area you are talking about. I went thru the same issues with going from one alignment to another. It’s horrible. Any chance of some light massage to loosen and drain the area? Keeping you in my thoughts daily still

 

[jboles]

@DLR I feel your pain, literally. I had valgus knees also. I’ve not had much actual knee pain, but that calf and hamstring pain is a, well you know what!!

 

[Jockette]

I am to talk further to my OS about it Friday when I get my staples removed as this pain is unchanged since day one.

Friday is days away. Maybe you should call your surgeon.