TKR gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!

[gr82cu2]

Thank you everyone again for all your kind words and thoughts about Tucker and our loss.

Now, back to knee talk........

Since Sunday I've had a new thing going on. When I stand with my leg straight and knee locked I get a tight pulling feeling in my quad muscle that pulls my knee cap upwards and then a tightness horizontally across the center of my knee. Is this the "tight band" of which you all speak? It feels in my quad like a cramp or something. It's very uncomfortable but as soon as I bend my knee and stretch that quad it goes away.

Otherwise, the swelling continues to diminish and the bruising is starting to fade some. This morning my knee almost feels loose and it feels sort of weird to be that way, LOL. It's like it got oiled up overnight and is moving more freely. I don't think my ROM is probably any better though.

I'm still continuing to sleep well overnight and haven't gone back to the cooling machine or setting alarm for middle of the night meds. If my bladder would cooperate I wouldn't wake up at all in the night.

 

[Pumpkin]

Sure sounds like the tight rubber band, with a quad that needs some stretching.
It is great to hear you are on your way to recovery and steadily improving. Sorry about the bladder waking you up, seems to come with getting older.
Great report!

 

[ConnieJOS]

The tight band to me feels as if I had an ace bandage wrapped really tightly around my knee making it hard to bend, but there is nothing there but a little strip of dura bond. And when I bend it anyway it burns. But with a little movement a lot of it goes away and then I can get a 127 ROM. Go figure! It amazes me that you sleep so well. The pain meds make me sleepy, but I sure don't have to set an alarm to wake up and take them. I usually only sleep an hour or two at a time. And if I've slept two hours in the same position and my pain meds have worn off I wake up hurting and stiff. I get up, stretch my legs, get my ice packs, take my pain meds, and go back to sleep. And I'm still sleeping sitting up against the headboard, or sometimes flat on my back with a couple of pillows. I'm still very uncomfortable on my side. My pain/discomfort is mostly at the top of my kneecap and on the outer sides of the joint. I think that's probably because of how crooked it was. It was some consolation to me yesterday when I remembered my OS saying "for the first 30 days after the surgery you are not going to like your new knee very much. After 60 days you probably will." It's only been two weeks today so I'm as well or better than would be expected this early on.

 

[gr82cu2]

@ConnieJOS I've always been a pretty good sleeper I don't even attempt to go to sleep at night until I can't keep my eyes open one more second. I find if I try to sleep before my body tells me to I end up tossing and turning and getting aggravated which makes it impossible to sleep. I'm still sleeping on the sofa which is fine for me, for now. I haven't slept at night on my side yet. I always slept on my left side which is my operated leg. I have managed a couple of short naps on my side by placing 2 soft pillows under my left knee and one in between. But, I've woken up in more pain from that position. I'm just tired of being on my butt/back! My pain is in the same places as yours. I hope in a couple more weeks when we're a month into this recovery we will begin to like our new knees better! I'm sure we will. I better get going on my home PT. Have a great day!

 

[tiredwife]

@gr82cu2 Morning Janet. Hubby's tight band just disappeared one day on his first knee. Then he never had it again. Knee number 1 is holding up good to all the extra stress it is getting, don't know how his ROM is on it. Right now hubby's main pain is the thigh. We have a nurse coming today to look it over, and see if she can help with his pain since the narcotic jerk spiked it up. With number 1 he had a knot in his thigh muscle due to the tourniquet with this one the knot is huge. Enjoy your well oiled knee.

 

[Yorkimom]

Good morning @gr82cu2. I can't say that was the tight band feeling for me. I couldn't straighten my leg to lock my knee for months after surgery. But I did have the tight band feeling. To me it felt like a tourniquet was on my knee all the time and I had that for months and months, although it wouldn't be constant as time went on.
You sound like you are really doing well and sleeping for such long periods!!
I can't tell you how long I used the ice machine, but I remember I used it day and night. We recently bought an adjustable bed and I'm hoping that I can sleep in it after surgery. After my first surgery I couldn't sleep in our bed and I slept in the recliner for six weeks. I'm sure I'll get another ice machine, so I'm hoping to use one at the recliner and one at the bed.

 

[marmora]

@g82cu2 @Yorkimom @ConnieJOS @Pumpkln @tiredwife
Knees/tight band & sleeping.

We all seem to have the same tight band issue in different forms. My started about day 2/3 post-op, after walking with cane(s) after about 3-5 minutes gets a tight band pressure like a tourniquet is being tightened with each step, it continues as long as I am walking and never really seems to ease out. After walking I will elevate and icy and that relieves the tight band feeling.
It starters about 6/7 inches above to about 6 inches below the knee and can be quite painful at times. Now at week 3+ since surgery it is getting better! but still comes when walking.

The last few days in the rehab centre I was finally able to sleep on my left side - what a relief with a small pillow between my legs ( about day 16 post-op) and now at home I can find a comfortable side position for sleeping, after I have iced and elevated with the 3 BoneSmart pillow position. I then put the 3 pillows out of the bed, refresh the ice in the Cryo Cuff, take my 2 Tylex and 1 Valium and usually get about 3hours of deep sleep until woken to go to toilet. Then refresh the icy for the Cryo Cufff and take 1 OxyNorm and sleep again form about 3:30 - 6:30 am.

Still taking a 1-2 hour after my morning 20 minute walk and at home PT exercise. (12:00- 1:00/2:00) on the couch downstairs with legs elevated and cryo cuff on And sometimes a short nap again 4-5 pm.

Have my first out-patient PT session tomorrow morning at 11:00, so know that I will find that a challenge.

Going to ask the PT about Aqua Therapy. There is a therapy pool in my area and they have a Monday & Tuesday group session 2:30 - 3:30 for knees and hips.
You do your own exercises, warm is super warm, no steps to climb, just a gradual walk into the water. The pool is part of a school complex for children with special needs and have a few special sessions open for 'knees & hips". And it cost €3.50/ $4.75 for the hour session !

Heading out now for my second 20 minute walk and will take some pain meds before to counter-act the tight band feeling.
Cathie

 

[kneeper]

It may take a while yet to be comfortable on your side, but you keep trying and pretty soon you'll find it's ok. I started with a pillow between the knees but now I don't usually need it.

 

[gr82cu2]

Re: The tight band feeling. I think we are all having the same thing going on. It's just presenting in slightly different ways, like @marmora says. It hasn't been quite as bad for me today as the past couple of days.

@Yorkimom I hope you love your adjustable bed. I would love one myself. We have a sleep number bed which we both claim as the best money we ever spent. It's only adjustable as far as softness/firmness though. I think I could sleep in it now on a very soft setting. It feels like laying in a hammock when you do that but then it is very difficult to get out of. I don't think Kent would appreciate me inflating and deflating my side of the bed in the middle of the night when I have to get out to go potty, LOL. I only gave up the ice machine because I think the water line was pulling my leg in strange ways due to it's weight. And I hated having to unhook everything to go potty in the night. It did help though in the beginning, I'm sure of that. Now I just ice my leg up real good before going to sleep and it seems to be ok with a high elevation while I sleep.

It's been cloudy, rainy and dreary here since Sunday. So depressing! Even though I can't really get out and about the sun makes everything feel better.

 

[tiredwife]

@marmora we wanted water therapy for hubby but they won't let you until the incision is fully healed, and by that time he was already use to regular therapy. I think he enjoyed the recumbent bike.

@gr82cu2 Hubby has been sleeping on his side since he came home from the hospital. Not always with the new knee on top. He was a little more cautious with the first knee. Now he is an old pro. Hardest thing for him is remembering which foot to lead off with because for 10 weeks it was to baby the first knee. He tried to practice before knee number 2 but it still confuses him sometimes, I see him stopping and thinking about which foot leads going up, which one leads going down, which one goes forward with the crutches. I guess that is one drawback to having them done so close together. Have a great rest of the day!

 

[gr82cu2]

@tiredwife I had to stop and think the other day when going up a step. I ended up going with my bad leg by mistake. Oops!! I think I pretty much always started up stairs on my left leg before I got to the point of going up and down stairs like a toddler when the pain got to be too much. Luckily I don't have to deal with stairs at home unless we go somewhere in the car and then it's only 2 from the garage to the house.

 

[tiredwife]

@gr82cu2 hubby got to the point were he was starting to go up and down the stairs without thinking, like a big boy a few weeks before the 2nd surgery. You put him on crutches again though and he automatically wants to do it the way he did with the first knee. Very confusing! I think the stairs help with moving the leg.

 

[marmora]

@g82cu2 @tiredwife
Who would have thought a few months ago that we'd have to relearn going up and down stairs or up and down the kerb on the sidewalk - cause when you do lead with the 'wrong' foot - ouch ! And double ouch !

Cathie

 

[tiredwife]

@marmora You even have to learn a different way of getting in and out of the tub! Maybe that is why they call it baby steps!

@gr82cu2 If I don't get on here later you have a pleasant night!

 

[marmora]

@tiredwife

In and out of the tub is one less lesson to learn .

About 7 years ago we remodelled our very small family bathroom and to make more space got rid of the bathtub and put in a large walk -in shower ( so no bath tub at all in our house).

At the time, the young chap doing the tiling suggested in the politest of ways, that in years to come it would be an advantage as he was tiling the walls, to install a fold down shower seat, as he said that would be the time to do it.

At the time, I thought sure -why not ?
Boy, I am ever glad that we followed his advice !

For this surgery and past surgeries where standing in the shower would have proved difficult, it is fantastic to have the fold down shower seat!

Cathie

 

[tiredwife]

@marmora Hubby would kill to have your shower! He loved the one in the hospital, the drain was the length of the bathroom one end had toilet and sink, the far end was this huge shower area with different type shower heads, at one side was a fold down bench with a hand held shower head. It was really nice! Now he kind of struggles a little but we get him in the shower and he has a shower chair in there.

 

[gr82cu2]

We only have tubs with showers. So far, I've had to have Kent's help getting in and out because I can't bend my leg enough to get it over the tub edge. Our tub/shower has a built in bar in the center that I grab with my left hand. He holds my right hand and I have to sort of lean back and lift my entire leg over the edge to get in. Once I'm in with the left leg and holding on to the bar I can quickly get my right leg in. Getting in the car is a bit of a challenge too but easier than getting in the tub. I'm glad we don't have stairs in our house, at least for now. I think it would help strengthen the legs to use stairs. We do have stairs down to our basement but I hardly ever go down there.

 

[marmora]

@g82cu2
Hi Janet,
We all have to find a way that works for us, you & Kent seemed to have come up with a good system .
The 41 stairs from the ground floor to the top floor ( luckily there are 3 landings for rest breaks) are a good work out for the legs. But, at the moment I am avoiding the top of the house.

Cathie

 

[tiredwife]

@gr82cu2 Janet it is hard to describe how hubby gets in the tub, but I will try. We have a grab bar that clamps on the front of the tub. He steps with his old new knee (left) into the tub, then kind of turns and faces the shower chair holds the grab bar leans forward , and lifting the new knee (right) backwards into the tub. I usually have to help get the toes over the edge of it. Our tub is rather high. It would be a little funny if it wasn't so painful.

 

[gr82cu2]

It would be a little funny if it wasn't so painful.

I know, right? A few years ago I was at a home improvement show where they have the bath refitters and displays. We had really been wanting to take the tub out of our bathroom and install a walk in shower in the same space. Our bathroom is very small and we weren't interested in gutting the whole bathroom, just wanted a shower instead of a tub. In the 27 years we've been here I've never taken a bath, LOL. Anyway, I asked the guy approximately how much we'd be looking at and described what we have now. He said between $6,500 and $8,000! I was like, Get the heck out of here! We weren't talking fancy tile work or anything, just a floor pan and fiberglass surround with a door. Sheesh! We may need to revisit the whole idea though some day.

The 41 stairs from the ground floor to the top floor

I shudder every time I read how many stairs you have! Yikes! I'd get to the landing and this would be me