TKR Dog lover's recovery page

[1ELISEA]

Hi all Post up day four. Its 430 am. Battling nausea for teo day bur thing we have that figured out now along with pain meds. Supposed to go to acute rehab tomorrow. But don't know if I'm ready. Knees really hurt and only walking with two PTs and walker and a few steps. The getting up and sown from a chair is painful
We will see what today brings. Will write more later when I'm mote lucid. Thanks all.

Hang in there Dog Lover. I chose to keep using the walker longer than I probably needed to deliberately practice not limping. Concentrating so hard on not limping pushed some of the pain away for a little while. Well, that and really good pain medication.

Sorry the medications are making you nauseous. Hopefully they will find the right combination soon so you will have the proper dosage of pain medication but without making you nauseous.

 

[Janet2012]

Hi DL, Are they giving you something for nausea? Someone here mentioned Zofram, which I asked for and they gave me. It does help some. I'm still taking it occasionally. You are half way through that raw first week. By the end of the first week, the acute pain of moving the legs about and weight bearing started to taper off to something more manageable (maybe it was around day 8 or 9) and then quickly improved during that second week. Now at three weeks (tomorrow), while that first time up in the morning reminds me just how dependent my pain level is on the pain medications, once taken and kept up, the day passes in relative comfort. It's close at hand DL!

 

[Jacky48]

Hi DL, You are doing well considering what you've been through, so don't push it and keep your comfort ahead of everything else! One day ata time is all any one of us can do. Just think, this is the only time you'll have to expereince these stages of recovery because you made the wise choose of doing both of them at once. Yea, for you!

 

[sunshine in nc]

Hi DL, I am glad you made it to the other side. You were very brave to do both at once, but like someone stated earlier, you will only be going thru this once. Once they get your pain meds regulated you will see great improvements day by day. I am sending best wishes your way, sleep as much as possible, ice, elevate and medicate. I pray tomorrow will be a better day.

 

[bottomshollow]

Welcome, DL, to the "other side" and the wonderful world of recovery. I may be a little rough here in the very beginning, but it does get better. Getting those pain meds working for you is essential---so you be sure it gets done! We're all here cheering for you and waiting for your next post--when you feel able. Take care, we care.

 

[Organist]

DL, positive thoughts and prayers continuing -- for about pain meds, nausea meds, and physical therapy. Try not to compare your progress to anyone else. Our new news dictate what we need to do -- it's not supposed to be painful. Hopefully your med schedule will be adjusted to take care of the pain adequately so that you can do PT that is only uncomfortable -- NOT painful. As they remind us -- particularly the first few weeks (6-12) -- "ice, elevate, pain meds by the clock, and rest". Naps are a GOOD thing.

Hope that today has improved since 4:30 am.

 

[Dog Lover]

Hi all
Thank you all for the kind words. In rehab now and am doing a lot better. Walked 150 ft today which wasn't bad at all just the getting up and down from standing is what hurts. PT is really tough but necessary and not over the top. Meds getting regulated slowly but surely. Maybe a shower tomorrow. How wonderful will that be. Also very happy to leave the dreaded bedpan behind but oh my what a chore to walk to the bathroom. Just wanted to say hi and thank you. Will get caught up reading all soon. Have a great pain free night.
Lisa.

 

[highland pony]

Sleep well You seem to be making great progress

 

[Jacky48]

DL, So glad to hear you're doing better! And, you are so right about getting up and down from a sitting and a standing position being hard! The good thing is that it gets easier every time and you feel like you're getting some place! The bathroom walk makes you think, do I or do I not have to go and the more you think the more you need to go! That too with time gets easier, but you won't know that until you get there, no matter how many times people like me say so. We say it to give you something to look forward to. I know it helped me get through the tough times, the first couple of weeks. I wish you a speedy recovery, and soon you'll be happy you did both at once!

 

[Janet2012]

Oh, glad to hear you are up and around! Yeah!!

 

[1ELISEA]

Hi all
Thank you all for the kind words. In rehab now and am doing a lot better. Maybe a shower tomorrow. How wonderful will that be. Lisa.

The shower, the wonderful wonderful shower. It is a simple thing that I missed more than I realized and appreciated once it returned. I use a handheld shower every morning now on my knee, the warm massaging water is simply heaven.

 

[Jamie]

So glad to hear you are getting up and around. In catching up with your posts it made me smile to read how your cheeriness returned after a few days. You're gonna do really well!!! Hang in there.....things do get better with time.

 

[adnil]

Hi DL, I'm just catching up on my thread reading and remembering those first weeks. I thought it would never get better but today without even thinking about it I found myself actually sitting with my legs crossed over one another. No full lotus yet but it was a pleasant surprise. It does get better.
Linda

 

[Dog Lover]

It will be one week tomorrow post op and this is the best I have felt so far. I think getting the pain meds in order has helped a lot Also no nausea is the best. Have been sitting in a recliner all day except for therapy sessions and it feels pretty good. I think I am going to graduate and walk to the bathroom on my own. Yeah. ROM and flexion are good, incisions are good and I get to take a shower tomorrow. It doesn't get better than that. I've just now felt like even looking at the iPad or phone which surprises me but I was pretty loopy for awhile. Oh, I still don't have an appetite which is getting eveyone's panties in a bunch but I'm not too worried about it but it then leads the rehab folks to worry about the bowel issue. But I feel if there isn't anything in there then it can't come out. All in due time.

Schedule tentatively to go home on Saturday and I am thrilled about that.

Will get caught up on all of as soon as I can. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for everything.

 

[Janet2012]

Oh, you are at that first point of seeing the light! I didn't have much appetite (still is limited), but made sure I was eating fruits and salad and had fiber bars I'd have a piece of if I took pills off meals. Regardless of how little I ate though, things got moving at a week, and we were all relieved! Enjoy your shower! I had my first after three days. Tough maneuvering at that point, but it sure felt good!

 

[Morning Glory]

It will be one week tomorrow post op and this is the best I have felt so far. I think getting the pain meds in order has helped a lot Also no nausea is the best. Have been sitting in a recliner all day except for therapy sessions and it feels pretty good. I think I am going to graduate and walk to the bathroom on my own. Yeah. ROM and flexion are good, incisions are good and I get to take a shower tomorrow. It doesn't get better than that. I've just now felt like even looking at the iPad or phone which surprises me but I was pretty loopy for awhile. Oh, I still don't have an appetite which is getting eveyone's panties in a bunch but I'm not too worried about it but it then leads the rehab folks to worry about the bowel issue. But I feel if there isn't anything in there then it can't come out. All in due time.

Schedule tentatively to go home on Saturday and I am thrilled about that.

Will get caught up on all of as soon as I can. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for everything.

Geez, I’ve heard of people losing their appetites, I sure wish that had happened to me. I remembered how good the food was with my right knee and I was looking forward to the food when I went back for the left knee. And even though I did start eating right away it still took a week for things to start moving.

Glad you’re doing so well.

 

[Dog Lover]

Hi all
Thank you all for the kind words. In rehab now and am doing a lot better. Walked 150 ft today which wasn't bad at all just the getting up and down from standing is what hurts. PT is really tough but necessary and not over the top. Meds getting regulated slowly but surely. Maybe a shower tomorrow. How wonderful will that be. Also very happy to leave the dreaded bedpan behind but oh my what a chore to walk to the bathroom. Just wanted to say hi and thank you. Will get caught up reading all soon. Have a great pain free night.
Lisa.

Hi All:

Today is post-op day 9 and feeling pretty good; just had my last PT therapy session as an inpatient because I am being d/c'd to home tomorrow. YAHOOOOOOOOO. I can't wait - I just want to get out of here; the inpatient rehab experience has been so valuable and I know I am in a much better place for having done it, but now I just have to make it through one more night; - oh, the nights are awful. I am so tired when I get into bed, I fall asleep, but I don't stay asleep - awake at least every two hours or so. Sleeping pills don't really help - I think it is all about trying to sleep on my back without bending my knees (supposed to be wearing that splint, but not really being compliance with that), have the TED stockings on, towel roll under heels, compression devices over that and sometimes the cryo cuff over that - really, how COULD anyone sleep under those circumstances????? Hopefully it will get better! Appetite not great - pain meds ok - but probably am living with a pain score of about 5 most of the time - which everyone assures me is normal at this point!
Am going home with a walker for my confidence, but also taking the forearm crutches - and actually just walked with one cane through an obstacle course (with PT holding that lovely belt thing).

The RN just came in an handed me a million RX for the pharmacy - wow! I really hate taking that many pills!

I am very thankful to be where I am right now in recovery, just need to make sure my patience stays in tact.

Happy pain-free weekend to all!

 

[bottomshollow]

HOME! it will just be so wonderful. Just being there will make you feel better. And then of course there's

to make you smile even more. Don't let yourself get carried away and do too much in the beginning. Follow that BoneSmart mantra: take pain meds on a schedule, get lots of rest (cat naps off and on all day), elevate, and ice, ice, ice. And I'm sad to say that a good nighttime's sleep

is an elusive fairy and will be for a while. But it's easier at home to be up in the wee hours. Take care of yourself and keep us posted.

 

[sunshine in nc]

Hi DL, familiar with the sleepless nights. Being at home feels so good though I dont let waking during the night bother me. I keep my laptop on the bed beside me so if I can not go back to sleep after my usually 1 to 2 hours of sleep I just surf the internet. I know its not the best sleep but I tell myself 'what else are you doing during this time', nap when ever and where ever the mood hits. Here is hoping for a speedy recovery.

 

[Dog Lover]

Hi all
First full day at home and it is wonderful. Slept in my own bed last night and it was actually a bit better as I only woke up twice as opposed to every 2 hrs in hospital. Kinda hard walking in house with walker. Will practice with crutches in house today. Don't have output PT until Tuesday so trying to do exercises.
Does anyone have a trick for doing those heel slides at home? In rehab it was on a mat but certainly can't get on floor Any ideas?

Thanks and happyain free day to all. Ps. With 105 degrees today in NC happy to be stuck in the house!