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Bilateral TKR FreeriderNC's Recovery Thread - Update

Starting 6 day of post surgery I was told by my Dr day of surgery didn't count. Each day gets a little better. Days seem short but...nights are long. My hubby has been wonderful. He looks so tired & worn out. I'm sleeping in my recliner/lift chair so he's in his I wish he would sleep in the bed. I'm getting up at least every 2 hours. Long walks to the bathroom A few of them at night but sometimes portable bedside toilet (lucky I was prepared with 2) My PT nurse came & accessed me today with a few heel slides & measured extensions & ROM He was very gentle. My regular PT will begin in the morning. 3 times a week for 3 weeks at home. Ice is my best friend. Hubby makes sure to do that regularly especially after my long walks to the bathroom We have a big house. My right shoulder & tennis elbow is suffering from pushing up to standing/lowering to sit. Pain Meds help. My tailbone feels like it may come thru my bottom. Trying to stay focused on the big picture & down the road. I don't have staples dr said Sewn up inside then glued incision with thick water proof bandage. Going to try and get shower on 7th pre-op day. We have a handicap shower with a bench. I'm thinking it will feel wonderful I'm Now Feeling like I can nap.


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Sorry you're not sleeping well. It's important to get your rest. Have you tried melatonin? They even gave it to me in the hospital. What is keeping you awake? Pain or restless legs. There are things to help with both.

That first shower was heaven! :thumb: Enjoy.
 
It sounds as if you're doing pretty well.

I'm afraid that disturbed sleep is part of this journey. That's why daytime naps are so important.
Sleep wherever you can, how you can, and whenever you can.
 
You are about a week behind me. Everyday is a minuscule improvement...I have started going upstairs at night and getting a shower before I come down in morning. I'm also starting to feel like I can go 5 hours instead of 4 between pain meds. You will want to try to overdue. The thing I had to process everyday is don't keep up with everyone else... Everyone is so different. Keep up good attitude.


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Slept better at 3 hours at one time. Didn't get the shower today because I dealt with severe constipation. Never been like that. 3 trips to the bathroom & hubby was amazing. Dr recommended warm water squirted up the ole bumpkin. Sitting on the toilet for long periods was hard since it cuts the circulation off. Finally touchdown . But the good news is I'm amazed at how well I could maneuver Getting up & down My hubby has been amazing. He looks more tired than me. The bottom of my heel gets pressure and he will hold it softly & massage it He takes care of the meals & helping assist me to bathroom. I hear him sigh with relief when he sits down from all the chores. PT came back today stretching the back side of leg very gently. He said a window of about a month to prevent scar tissue Healing & preventing that was the main priority That strength would come later on. All the long trips to the bathroom helps too I do that about every 2 hours. Sleeping in lift chair. I could get myself to a standing position on my own today Hubby right there with me. The lift chair has been awesome. I really don't know what I would have done without it. I can even use the remote to raise/lower my legs to exercise So a week today & taking one day at a time You all are awesome oh yea and Ice ice ice


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What a great idea , the lift chair. I put cushion in my recliner but it was so hard to get out of. My PT showed me a couple of days ago how to get out without my husbands help. It has been freeing! I hate bothering him because he( like yours) is doing everything. Take care


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freeriderNC said:
PT came back today stretching the back side of leg very gently. He said a window of about a month to prevent scar tissue. Healing & preventing that was the main priority That strength would come later on.
Click to expand...
That stuff about the window of opportunity and adhesions is a load of hooey. Adhesions aren't just waiting to pounce and very few people develop them. You don't have to work hard to prevent them.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Scar tissue and adhesions - what's the difference?
Just keep treating your knees gently and doing very gentle exercise. I'm glad your PT realises that the healing phase is important.

I'm glad you got the constipation sorted out. Even after eating plenty of fibre and taking a few aperients, I had to send hubby on a mission to the urgent pharmacy, for a mini enema, which I self-administered, with success.

You will probably have to keep taking something to help with constipation, for as long as you're on the strong pain meds.
 
Got a shower today & got the rat in the back of my head which was (huge as a softball) all the way to my scalp combed/brushed out with a ton of conditioner. Needed my hairdresser Need it braided up. The hot water felt amazing. Wore me out. Hubby made chicken stew soup that really warmed the body & so good He has both legs iced up Been a productive day. I went to bathroom a few times by myself My husband has been awesome as always. I don't know what I would without him. I love him so much
Cramps/spasms are getting better & the little quick stabbing pains in the knee feels like a tens unit and then turned wide open That's the best I can describe it Don't know if I mentioned my pain Meds I'm on 2mg of Dilaudid 1 every 4 hours Trying to go every 5 but I just can't at this point Taking Tylenol every 6 hours. PT comes tomorrow Not my regular one that had come twice. PT substitute She will be filling in for him. Called wanted to come next day (which was today) instead of tomorrow. I'm not having therapy 2 days straight in a row to compensate Your time! She said please don't stress I'll work something out to come on Friday. Dang tooting you will. Missed that so admiring shower due to constipation issues yesterday. Glad I spoke up because I was sore One thing that was challenging was even though we have a handicapped shower (and put a new slip mat down) It has a bench but having to step out to walker with hubby standing there I had to turn to right to step out Terrified I would slip even with mat we laid a bath towel on shower floor Just didn't feel confident doing that with him holding me. I know it hurt his feelings because he would have thrown himself under me no questions asked. I was more frightened of feet sliding to side real quickly if that makes sense He is in a recliner right in same room as mine. I want him to get in our bed cause he had aches of his Own. He is afraid he won't hear me. My cell phone lays on my chest I'll call the home phone which we have one at bedside One thing about my pain Meds it seems to make me a chatter box. I hope I added some good info. We have 2 handicapped toilets. One sits over toilet. The other we put right to the side of my recliner for night trips
I want to reply to some of the others progress but phone app is different than laptop. I read them all thru the night & love this forum. Prayers for everyone to have a peaceful night


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I'm glad you were able to have a nice shower today. Please don't let PT to push you too hard. I did and I suffered from it because I hadn't found this forum and believed everything they said. I hope you are able to get some sleep tonight and your wonderful husband too.
 
It sounds like you are successfully on your way to recovery. Thanks for the posts. I will be joining the BTKR Club in a few days. As so many ahead of me have said, the waiting is hard. It is interesting about the leg and foot cramps that you and others have posted about. I have been having these nightly, sometimes simultaneously in both legs and feet, for the past few years. Since I have just been dealing with my knees, except for the occasional steroid injections, my PCP had no idea what is causing the cramping. All my labs are always normal. I would be told to take magnesium, which was of no help. From the posts I read here today, it looks like my knees may be the culprit, especially since I have become knock kneed. My PCP told me that Flexeril and Robaxin are not recommended for anyone over 64. I have been forced to try to walk the cramps out every two hours all night long almost nightly and using hot compresses to try to get the cramps to release. I read on another thread where several people were prescribed Valium. I was hoping the surgery would alleviate the cramps. I may be in for more of the same ! Good luck to you. I, too, have been married for 46 years to a really great guy. He has been wonderful helping me to set up my recovery room on the first floor of our home. I feel very fortunate to have someone available to help me when my journey begins.


BTKR Scheduled for 12/28/2015
 
Your husband sounds like mine. We are so lucky. I don't know how any BTKR get through this without a loving supportive spouse. I am taking 5mg of oxy codeine every 4 hours but starting to feel like I can skip a couple and just take the Tylenol. My PT said don't try to be a hero. Lol it's just this medicine makes me an emotional roller coaster. I've never felt so many emotions. . I don't know how your husband sleeps so close. Tell him he needs to be brave like you and get his rest. How do your knees feel when you walk? My L knee feels so strong but my R knee still hurts in places. I'm not saying the pain is gone just when I walk it's different pain. It was good hearing from you.


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PT is right, don't be a hero. Take your meds on schedule because pain will effect your recovery. I was fuzzy, foggy, sleepy and weepy, but when the pain lessened I began to forget I needed pain medication and weaned naturally. I also began to enjoy the sleepiness as I'm not a napper normally.
 
Don't wait to take meds until the pain gets bad. I set my iPhone alarm to help me stay on a schedule. Words of wisdom from my 84 year old retired nurse mom. She is contemplating having the other knee done.


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Your mom has it right, @AThom10731
It is important to take those pain meds on a regular schedule, @freeriderNC . Playing catch-up with the pain is no fun at all. You still need to take the full dose, as prescribed, on a regular schedule.
 
If you have a bath bench, the way I did it was to sit and swing my legs out of the tub and then stand up.
It sounds like your husband is taking good care of you. :thumb:
 
Havent posted in a few days Started Day 13 and my follow up with my ortho dr in the morning Nervous to have to go down the 4 steps & get in a car Weird thing is thinking what will I wear Been in these convenient hospital gowns. Even wore one home. I'm thinking a sun dress like even if I have to wear a jacket. Just am not to step in nothing PT has been very gentle She said I was so tense & afraid of being hurt can cause cramps. I find myself just clinching my buttocks & tensed all up. The hot compresses on thighs helps cramps
I'll have ice packs both knees & compress way up too in thighs. My left leg is moving better than right. I make my trips to bathroom by myself Thru the night there is portable mostly because bladder won't wait that long Never has . I can lean over sink using Walker & Towel for padding elbows (which are pretty raw) to wipe & clean myself using the no rinse spray. Now picture this I use my hair dyer to dry myself. Keeps me from wiping too hard & gets me dry. No chaffing or irritations Works great. I have a small basket beside my recliner that has medicines ,mirror small notebook (use it write med schedule when taken ) dental floss nail file little flashlight hand sanitizer glass case & cleaner tums & other misc. I can just say it on my belly & get what I need A little snack bowl with crackers fruit bars peppermint sand such I get up during day every 2 hours at night I find myself getting up just to get off my back/butt. Guess. I'll get bandages off tomorrow Probably change Meds Right now on 2mg of Dialudid every 4 hours. Set alarm as to not not get behind (cause that happened one time ) Going to try and rest some PT at 1pm then dr at 3 busy day tomorrow I hope I'm where in suppose to be at during this recovery


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Personal care takes about all the energy you have. You sound about right to me but one of the moderators would know better. I always was very nervous about anyone else lifting my leg, which is why I used the leg lifter, so I get the clutching you're doing.
 
Just checking in on you and seeing how things are going. I am starting to feel like myself again. Husband is getting me out of the house once a day. That has been a lifesaver. PT advised me to start getting out and walking. I was fearful being around people but she suggested pushing a shopping cart to protect knees and to have something to hold. The more you do, the better you feel. I know there is a fine line of doing too much but we each have to recognize where that line is for ourselves. Hope you had a good Christmas.


L arthroscopy 5/2013
BTKR Dec 1, 2015
 
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