TKR Donna' s Recovery

[donnag1108]

Good Morning. Got about 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Not all at the same time but I will take it. I miss my sleep meds but for now I choose pain control over sleep. Feeling way less emotional there for a few days I cried at the drop of a hat. My poor fiance and my little dog Max they are trying so hard to help me get well. They hate the tears. Better days upon us.

 

[Newboots]

That’s good to hear re the sleep. How’s your scar feeling?

 

[Jockette]

I cried a lot early on, it’s a common side effect.

 

[donnag1108]

@Newboots my scar isn't too bothersome this morning. Still not one bruise so I suspect I probably won't get any. Hope you are well this morning!

I did have a strange occurrence this morning. I was lying in bed and rolled slightly onto my operated side and got a sharp pain behind and sort of below my right breast. I panicked for a minute because my first thought was blood clot or heart problem. This lasted maybe 5 minutes and went away with absolutely no other symptoms. I have been taking Xarelto for blood clot prevention.

 

[sistersinhim]

I am going to tag @Josephine, our forum director and nurse to address your pain.

 

[donnag1108]

Thank you!

 

[sistersinhim]

 

[donnag1108]

I'm supposed to start formal outpatient PT tomorrow. I am really on the fence about it. My OS isn't pushy about it just not sure what I want to do after reading everything here. I move around quite a bit at home and take at least two outdoor walks a day.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm supposed to start formal outpatient PT tomorrow. I am really on the fence about it.

Your knee will be your guide. It you take PT and your knee hurts at the time, or hurts and swells with 24 hours afterwards, then that PT isn't helping your knee. It's slowing its healing down. Nobody wants that.

 

[Newboots]

Can understand your ambivalence @donnag1108 . I’ve attended a few PT sessions but told them if it hurt or I had swelling I wouldn’t do it. One of the main reasons I’ve gone is that the session is a group session called the Leg Group and so you meet other recovering TKR people and have a moan with them ! Also because there’s about 8 people doing the exercises you can slack off quite easily......you do different exercises at each station!

 

[donnag1108]

@Newboots that was the kind of PT I had in the hospital. Yes alot less intensive. We will see. I look at it this way, my Doctor doesn't hurt me when I see him and hes so non aggressive and considerate of my pain and discomfort and the home PT didn't hurt me so I am certainly not allowing these folks to either. I have a huge list of places to choose from thanks to my health insurance or I may stop altogether. I always thought I had a high pain tolerance I was wrong!

A whole 5 hours of sleep! Yay!

 

[ebungalow]

Oh my gosh, I hear ya - think I slept 5 hours in a row and it feels like a major life victory

 

[sistersinhim]

I always thought I had a high pain tolerance I was wrong!

I don't remember ever hearing anyone say that they had any surgery that hurt worse than this one. This has nothing to do with having a high pain tolerance. This surgery is agony for the first few weeks.

 

[donnag1108]

@sistersinhim yes it absolutely is. I was hoping to be off my narcotic pain meds all together by now but I am not there yet and that's okay. I always want everything at once but I have learned in this case it doesn't work that way. One thing at a time. I do know I would feel very alone without this forum. My fiance has been amazing but I don't think you can really understand this one unless you have been there.

 

[sistersinhim]

I don't think you can really understand this one unless you have been there.

Oh, I totally agree. You can tell someone how bad it is, but until it happens to them, they haven't a clue. We understand and are here for you!

 

[Josephine]

I was lying in bed and rolled slightly onto my operated side and got a sharp pain behind and sort of below my right breast.

That could just be a reaction of the the pressure of the change of position on the phrenic nerve which supplies the diaphragm and chest wall. It's nothing to worry about.

 

[donnag1108]

Thanks @Josephine! No problems since.

 

[donnag1108]

First outpatient PT today. It wasn't terrible and some of the stretching felt good! There were a couple things that were painful and as soon as I voiced that we stopped. We will see how I feel tomorrow. I was on crutches the two months prior to surgery so it felt good to actually move again. It is a blessing to not have the arthritic pain from before!!

 

[donnag1108]

It occurred to me while I was getting ready for bed tonight for the first time my pain level was actually at 0! I've also been forgetting my walker today! I know I have many months of recovery ahead but so grateful for this bit of progress!

 

[sistersinhim]

for the first time my pain level was actually at 0!

Yahoo! That is wonderful!

I've also been forgetting my walker today!

It's showing real progress when you forget that walker! I was ok walking around in the house after a few weeks without the walker cause I always had something I could grab on to. But, I used it whenever I was in the public. I didn't want anyone bumping into me and knocking me down!