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TKR FitGal’s Recovery

I also had low BP in the hospital and massive swelling of the knee. BP is now back to normal.

My exercise routine consists of Two simple stretch to discomfort, hold 10 seconds, rest, repeat routines. And doing more stuff for myself around the house. I am hoping the simple exercise routines plus ice and elevation will keep most swelling away while allowing for gradual improvement.


RTKR July 15, 2019
 
UPDATE - I became paranoid and went to see the on-call OS today about my weird colors/blister bruising. Looked like the wound was leaking from under the dressing. Well, that luckily wasn't the case....the weird coloring/blister was from the Aquacell wound covering. So, now I have just gauze and an ace bandage = harder to take a shower now = bummer. BUT - right now, I'm very lucky that the incision is healing. Oh, and the doc said my swelling was normal, but I really need to work hard on my ROM. More soon!

@kneeper - Hi! Well, I'm not totally off narcotics, as I find Percocet helpful with the pain and sleeping at night. During the day, tylenol/ibuprofen seem to be doing the job. Hoping to be off Percocet at night in the next few days.

@Poctdb - I have looked at my calves and they are ok for now - but will keep watching. Since I won't have any official PT until Aug 8th, I am concerned about my progress in extension and flexion. I got a bunch of exercises from the PT at the hospital and am working with those and resting, icing, and elevating.
 
FitGal said:
I am concerned about my progress in extension and flexion. I got a bunch of exercises from the PT at the hospital and am working with those and resting, icing, and elevating.
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At less than a week post op the only thing you have to work hard on is resting, icing and elevating.

You do not need a bunch of exercises, just a little movement to keep your knee mobile.

It’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
@FitGal I'm just seconding the advice that a bunch of post OP exercises aren't needed and can slow your recovery. From 1 fit girl to another, our youth and fitness won't speed things along....my surgeon said it actually makes us his worst patients because we think we can push through, soldier on, be tough, etc etc etc. Trust me--the setbacks won't be fun, and many of us learned the hard way. I have a previous brutal knee surgery in 2015 to compare to, and the push for the numbers caused huge setbacks. For my TKR, My flexion was at 66 at 3 wks post-op, 89 at 5 wks, and is now 104 st 9 wks. My surgeon is thrilled and says there's no hurry---and he's even a reconstruction and revision specialist.

Finally, it's extremely humbling to see my youth and superb fitness got me nowhere these last 10 wks. Time, patience, ice, elevation and slowly adding activity is what made my recovery successful so far. :) It's super hard to look at myself in a mirror and see the loss of muscle tone, plus having to wear slightly larger clothes, but my eye is on the prize. :)
 
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I have pretty much kept compression stockings and ice on round the clock.i had mine done the 23rd. I knew the ice pack did not go all the way around, but I did sleep with one on back of knee and most of day today as well. I cannot seem to get leg raised as much as I need. Should have bought a wedge - do have a small foam thing they gave me at hospital they used behind my back. It seems like pillows go too flat and recliner does not lift as high as I hoped.
Have not showered yet. Hopefully tomorrow.
Curious to know how others who have had recent surgery are doing 4 days out
 
@Honey007 congrats on surgery and glad to hear form another surgery sister! I have not showered yet, maybe tonight (California timezone). I had plans to take a shower today until I had to go to the on-call OS and have him check my incision - looked like blisters, but were only from the cool wound cover they gave me. Now, I am stuck with old fashioned gauze and ace bandage - figuring out how to put my leg in a garbage bag to shower. :rotfl:

I have added additional pillows to my recliner and that helps. I have a wedge in bed but I have to put pillows on that as well. I had so much swelling yesterday I couldn't believe it. It went down a little overnight, but because of the trip to the OS, I know it will be swollen again. Ice is my best friend - but it burns a little - even with layers in between. So, I just ordered a darn $200+ ice machine to place on my leg.

My swelling yesterday forced me to take off the compression stockings, but will put them back on today (after they get out of dryer and after I get out of shower). My puppy go a hold of those stockings last night causing an immediate wash :)
 
If you $200 ice machine is an Ossur.....it is a savior......
I used it practically 24/7.....it is what ate my 50 bags of ice.
Some people use frozen 500 ml water bottles and cover them with ice to keep the circulating water cold longer.
 
Saran Wrap and plastic athletic tape work to shower also....
 
/fitgal.33861
Oh I even bought a cover to wear over your leg from Amazon. It’s a plastic ring covered with a plastic sleeve to cover the incision, but I hear the one covering it they picture on at the hospital is waterproof! I guess I won’t be needing it. Wow, so you really have had quite an adventure so far!
I spent the last day watching “Say yes to the Dress!”which must be having a marathon session. It has been oddly comforting! You will love the ice machine. They “ gave me one” at the hospital. My husband said he saw one on Amazon for around $150. I said I am afraid to see what the hospital charged me for this one! They scanned everything - every pill, q tip.. lol. It was a lovely facility however. I hated to leave.
I also picked up one of those handy grippers with the lions handle, to pick up any dropped items, a potty seat extension and a bunch of curt pyjamas so I would look and feel less like a patient. Yet, I have been in the same T-shirt and shorts since yesterday morning.! Have a wonderful restful evening- here’s wishing for better day tomorrow!
 
You seem to be doing well all things considered. No fun to react to the bandage though, I did a bit of that myself.

I was warned about bruising but my leg was only bluish for a bit around my knee then faded.

I've named my knee fred. No rhyme or reason, it just sounds silly & makes me smile.
 
@Honey007 Sorry to hear about your back. I had some pain there as well but chalked it up to the spinal and how I was laying in the hospital bed. Try a pillow behind the lower back in your chairs/bed to support - especially when you are elevating your leg....helps me.

My shower yesterday was a total circus. My husband was marinating steaks for the grill (at 7:00pm) and said lets go do this while the steaks marinate. Well, I had to clean and cover the spot where I had the femoral nerve block cath and put tagaderm on that....then I had to reinforce the gauze and ace bandage, then I wrapped the leg with cling and seal. Then I managed to get to the bathroom - where we have an "asian-style" step down bathtub/shower big enough for like 5-people. We thought that would be easy, as my husband could lift me in and out of the shower. Then I undressed and put a garbage bag over the leg and taped the bag to the bag with shipping tape (I know - a total circus). Then my husband basically plopped me in the shower and stood outside the shower and showered me with me freaking out because I felt a stream of water get into the garbage bag - to which my husband exclaimed that it was my terrible taping job on the bag...urghhh..

Anyway, I thoroughly inspected the leg after the shower and re-wrapped in gauze and ace bandage after trying to sponge clean right leg - to get the betadine stuff off. So, praying nothing got in that incision - we don't think so, but the mind works overtime during these situations. Nevertheless, it will be another amazon day to get a special cover for the knee.

Felt better after the shower and you will too! Good luck and have fun - as it is much better to laugh at the craziness than to cry :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @FitGal :

I was reading through you thread again and came away amazed at how active you are......might even be willing to bet you are very goal oriented. If you are goal oriented try not to make the mistakes I made. After previous surgeries (bone chip removal, meniscus repair etc) I worked aggressively to get back into my 1/2 marathon training routine I was even obsessive enough to walk a 10k wearing a boot after bone spur removal surgery. I asked my OS to order aggressive PT after my first TKR and that is what I got. What a mistake. I finally found this forum and stopped PT (with OS approval). After that my recovery actually started. In short have realistic expectations and above all listen to your knee.

Good luck
 
@Chemist Wow - a 10K with a boot! That is pretty serious! I am happy I found this forum when I did for the exact reason you stated - I will definitely restrain myself and set simple steps to get to my goals and expect a long rehab process. My first goal is to get to work Aug 20-23.... I can take back off after that, but need to get my staff settled in to the Fall Semester at USC. I don't know how achievable that will be, as I will likely need to be driven to work those days and likely will bring crutches - a "walker" or "cane" is not a good look for a LTC in the Army in front of my Cadets and Staff at USC. Crutches are a little grittier - even though we all know they are easier than the walker and cane - lol! We will see what happens, but that is my first goal.
 
A cane may not "be a good look" but tends to be more practical in an office or classroom setting. I probably would have ended up on my nose if I tried to navigate at work with crutches. Nobody on my staff ever commented about my cane, especially after I showed them a copy of the xray of my new knee.
 
If you find one I want to see a pic! I can just imagine you with your bada$$ cane & battle scars :heehee:
 
@FitGal you sound like me! My husband is so on edge I had to send him out to look for random things to keep him busy. I think he is the one having issues with seeing his wife take on the aspects of his elderly parents. This is the “ in sickness and in health” part of wedding vows that may have come up sooner than he Likes! I even had him go home the night of my surgery around dinner time as he was so miserable sitting in a loud uncomfortable waiting room while I was in surgery.
I am really independent and do not want anyone around while I am recovering. He is a super guy but does not have a delicate touch. The first night he banged my surgery side rat foot with walker and it felt like he dropped a concrete block on my knee. Then he was pulling up the compression stockings like he was trying to bag a Gazelle, just tugging with all his might over my swollen knee. Gentle means two different things if you are a knee patient or not.
We laughed that he forgot to feed me my first full day home. I admit I am a bit type A and like everything a certain way....
I think that is such a hoot with your Asian tub. It sounds very nice! And yes, a cane is a must for giving off that commanding vibe. No matter how you deck it out, a walker gives off an “ I’m recuperating vibe” they will take you much more seriously if you use a bold cane!
Thank goodness for Amazon we want from deliveries fromPottery barn pillows and lux bath products, to “ no honey that’s not for you, it’s mommys Potty lift”
 
@Ladyala you will be the first one I get a pic to of the cane :)

@Honey007 yes - Tony needs to have meniscus surgery himself but he put it off for me to get mine done over the summer. He is sleeping in another room and has given my 16 yr old son the night shift and he was supposed to take the early morning shift. Two days in a row he slept in (like we are talking hours after his "check-in"time for ice) and I had to call him on the house phone from my cell phone. And don't get me started on the "dressing' piece or making coffee out of a Keurig.... it is definitely interesting. He is definitely not nurse material; my son is not either. My parents are more concerned and checking in on me by phone and text all the way from PA - lol! Taking it in stride. How's the pain and mobility? I think today was worse than most so far. I am thinking that may be normal based on sheer healing going on.
 
Few things you can do to increase your level of independence. I got a cup holder that I attached to the walker so I could go get my own coffee. Just use a travel mug. hooked an old fanny pack we had stuck in a closet onto the walker. Let's you transport stuff while keeping your hands free. I also purchased a "grabber". One of those things that can grip things and you use a squeeze handle to operate. Helps you pick things up off of the floor and also things you can't quite reach when seated. Just a few silly things I did to give my wife a break during the early weeks.
 
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