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TKR Eeek’s recovery thread.

Sleep at night was elusive during recovery for me. I had never been a napper, but napping saved my sanity! It was the biggest positive of my recovery.

Does icing your knee help with the heat wave?
 
You seem to be doing really well for just over a week and you do know that it will keep getting better. Many good wishes for a swift recovery.

We are having wicked weather here also. But with us the worst thing about it is the humidity. And, like you, not that many people have a/c in their homes. We have a window unit that I put in and that helps, plus a dehumidifier.

I think some of your grumpiness might be coming from the same place mine is. I'm tired of this "journey". It is six months for me today and I do NOT want to be told I'm only half way through. :snork:
 
@Eeek I'm guessing you don't have much hot weather in Switzerland (nor you @SherrieT in RI). We have very hot summers here, so basically every place is air conditioned. I had the a/c blasting in my hospital room; the entire hospital is, of course, air conditioned; but each room also has a separate thermostat the patient can control, plus each room has a fan on the wall. Heat and my body don't get along, so even if I lived somewhere where it only got hot a few days each year I'd have to have some form of air conditioning. Between the heat and the recovery, no wonder you're grumpy. If it were me, I'd have to constantly hop in the shower fully clothed and get wet in order to not get ill from the heat. Or maybe keep a sheet wet all day and throw it over me. We usually go away every August to escape the 100 plus degree days, but can't this year.....grrrrrrrrr.

The good news is, this does get better and before you know it, you'll realize one day that your knee hasn't hurt for a while and you haven't even thought about it. It takes a lot of patience to get to that place, and some days we just run out. Not sleeping well uses up our stores of patience sooner so we need to find ways to gather more. It's not easy, but the silver lining is it will get better.
 
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Thank you @SherrieT !
Yes, I grew up without a/c (pittsburgh) so sure! And you‘re right, it‘s like I was part way done, and here I am again almost at square 1. I want to drive and do stuff and go out, but really, the pain and mobility is so much better this time. I just had a really bad patch first few days. Last time, I was so grateful it wasn't awful. This time I am more impatient.

@lovetocookandsew - yes I hate heat. I grew up in Pittsburgh. But the last few years we were in the US, we lived in North Carolina. I got spoiled. North of the Alps, we are simply unprepared for long runs of temps in the high 80‘s and higher.

Sigh.....I sound like a whiny brat.

But the knee is doing well. And that is the main thing!
 
Here in California, my doctor suggested a temporary placard so I could save my mobility I had for the things I wanted to do. The temporary placard was good for 6 months, and when I tried to renew it I found that they had already submitted the paperwork for me to get a permanent placard. The permanent one can still be moved from car to car unlike the license plates, and although it has to be renewed, it's good for a year and a half and renews by mail.
 
@CaliCat

My parents and aunts always had the placard, so it could be moved from car to car. When my dad came to visit us in NC (he lived in PA) he always brought his along so we could park more easily for him. I think he got his after his first heart attack at 70. it really helped him enormously.
 
If I lived north of the Alps and had to deal with heat and no a/c, i'd be curled up in a fetal position with thumb firmly stuck in mouth.
 
I live in California, and they gave me a disability license plate for my car and an additional placard that I can use in our other car, or any car anywhere. The placard is automatically renewed by the DMV and sent to me every couple of years as I recall, but the license plate lasts the rest of my life and just gets put on a new car if I buy a new one. Of course, I'd have to register the new car as usual, but this license plate is mine for life.
 
It’s really too hot to curl into a ball. Plus my knee’s not quite that mobile!:loll:

It does cool down at night, and last night I had a wonderful sleep! But it is awfully annoying!
 
Both good points Eeek. It's a blessing it cools down at night. When I was a child, we would have these hot, humid summer days but then it would rain at night, cool down and windows could be opened. Not now. It rains and then it feels like trying to sleep in a sauna.
 
Laurenkate said:
it feels like trying to sleep in a sauna.
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My area feels like a steam room. I'd rather have a sauna! I've noticed my overall arthritis is worse when it's humid.

@Eeek. The only time recently the cold hurt my new knee was last winter when we had -11 degrees and I had to go out and work at the outdoor heater. The cold went all the way through to the implant and it took a couple of hours for it to stop hurting. A normal winter day doesn't hurt it at all.
 
-11? Fahrenheit? It didn’t even get that cold here - at least where I live - this winter. In the mountains, sure, but not in the populated areas.

Funny enough, I had knee #1 replaced the coldest week of the year - we had to open the window in our hospital room though, it was so hot inside! Knee#2 on one of the hottest weeks of the year. Such luck.


Ok, now I need help. My right knee itself is doing pretty well. Decent flexion and extension. Walking around the house without sticks, standing up and sitting down. But I’m having some serious muscle tightness that seems to run from the end of my butt down the outer side of my operated leg almost to my ankle. I know it’s just 10 days, but it’s a bit uncomfortable and I was wondering what I can do. I’m wondering if i need to incorporate more stretches into my day.

I’m mentioning it because I did not have this issue with knee#1, and I’m finding elevation to be a bit uncomfortable. Not doing any exercises beyond ADLs, icing about 4 hours/day, elevating when I can.
 
Was just at PT. Gentle stuff. And she gave me some exercises that are simple and gentle. Flexion at 95

Called my GP. Wound is clean and dry, staples are coming out this afternoon.
 
Eeek said:
I know it’s just 10 days, but it’s a bit uncomfortable and I was wondering what I can do. I’m wondering if i need to incorporate more stretches into my day.
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I’m so sorry to hear you’re having problems. Have you tried heat on the thigh muscle? We don’t recommend heat on the knee itself, but you can apply heat above or below the knee. Heat might help relax the muscles and improve blood flow (in case that’s part of what’s hurting).

When we get our knees replaced our bodies are put into new alignment, sometimes dramatically so. That might be what’s happening here. Your leg muscles are now being asked to move in new ways that, however minor to our perception, they find irritating and react to by tightening. Do talk this over with your GP or OS. Some members have been prescribed muscle relaxants to help deal with tight muscles.
 
Actually, I had PT this afternoon and she gave me some very gentle stretching. Helps a lot.
 
Gosh. Sounds odd but anything that helps is fine by me!
 
Eeek said:
But it turns out that the governing board for patients meds in the EU has decided that the risk of overdose is too great with the modified release versions of paracetamol, so they’ve suspended their production.
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I've never been a fan of extended release drugs because they don't manage the pain correctly. Taking Tylenol Extra Strength (500mg) 2 every 6 hrs is by far the better way. Tylenol and most drugs, are active in the system for about 4-5 hours and extended release aren't that different. So if a period of 6 or more hours is left between doses, you've gone several hours without any cover at all. Much more effective to take 1,000mg every 6 hours.
Eeek said:
But I’m having some serious muscle tightness that seems to run from the end of my butt down the outer side of my operated leg almost to my ankle.
Click to expand...
That is sciatica for sure! But it might be more than that as well. Look at this Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome
 
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