TKR gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!
- Thread starter gr82cu2
- Start date
United States
ljrfrm
graduate
@gr82cu2 Hopefully it's nothing but I think it's a good idea to run it by the doctor's office. It's great that you sent the photo so they can see what it looked like. It's always better to be safe and double check to see if they feel they want to see you or not. That said, I actually still have a few very small scabs on my incision. And both the OS and PT are happy with it and thinks it looks great - both told me that sometimes it takes time for it to completely heal up. I actually just got the all clear to swim, since up until now it wasn't all the way healed. SO, hopefully the fact that it's a bit opened isn't anything.......but better to not worry.
OP
OP
gr82cu2
post-grad
I never heard anything back. Guess if I don't in the morning I'll have to call. Blah!
Minnie's knees
post-grad
@gr82cu2 you might as well call because you know @tiredwife will continue the nagging 
but only because we care.
but only because we care.
OP
OP
gr82cu2
post-grad
@tiredwife They just called from my OS office and said it most likely is a stitch trying to work it's way out. They said to keep it dry and covered until it is healed over (it already is) and to call if there is any redness, excess warmth or change in the discharge.
wolf woman
member
@gr82cu2
Hello Janet! So glad they called you back! I was just getting ready to nag you as well. For some reason, I missed the post about that little bit of fluid. Frankly, it would have scared me enough to call right away. Happy that they think it's nothing to be concerned about. Please keep us posted. Mary
Hello Janet! So glad they called you back! I was just getting ready to nag you as well. For some reason, I missed the post about that little bit of fluid. Frankly, it would have scared me enough to call right away. Happy that they think it's nothing to be concerned about. Please keep us posted. Mary
jul
member
OP
OP
gr82cu2
post-grad
No worries, everyone! It was covered in a tiny scab by the next morning and seems fine now. Please, don't worry!
OP
OP
gr82cu2
post-grad
@tiredwife I know you are! 
I'm a worrier by nature and really, I'm not concerned about this. Truly, I'm not. I will keep an eye on it for sure though.
I've been in tears a couple of times today. I'm just so tired of being down and out and off my feet. I want to do things without being exhausted and in pain!!!!!! We are working on painting the trim on our house. The past 2 days we've been scraping and getting it prepped. 90 minutes and I'm done!!!! And that is with sitting for the lower parts where I can scrape while I sit. Kent has been up on the ladder doing the higher places. I even had my ice wrap on today and still it got to be too much. I just keep hearing my OS saying his knee patients are his happiest patients. But when do they feel that way? I knew this was not going to be a quick recovery but I did think after 8 weeks it would be better than it is. I feel 80 yeas old and I don't like it. I'm so stiff and my joints hurt. It's such an effort to just walk from one room to another. But, a lot of that has nothing to do with my TKR. It just seems like that is magnifying all the other things somehow. Sorry, just needed to vent there for a minute. Tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I keep telling myself that and hoping it will be true.
I'm a worrier by nature and really, I'm not concerned about this. Truly, I'm not. I will keep an eye on it for sure though. I've been in tears a couple of times today. I'm just so tired of being down and out and off my feet. I want to do things without being exhausted and in pain!!!!!! We are working on painting the trim on our house. The past 2 days we've been scraping and getting it prepped. 90 minutes and I'm done!!!! And that is with sitting for the lower parts where I can scrape while I sit. Kent has been up on the ladder doing the higher places. I even had my ice wrap on today and still it got to be too much. I just keep hearing my OS saying his knee patients are his happiest patients. But when do they feel that way? I knew this was not going to be a quick recovery but I did think after 8 weeks it would be better than it is. I feel 80 yeas old and I don't like it. I'm so stiff and my joints hurt. It's such an effort to just walk from one room to another. But, a lot of that has nothing to do with my TKR. It just seems like that is magnifying all the other things somehow. Sorry, just needed to vent there for a minute. Tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I keep telling myself that and hoping it will be true.
Janet, I know it's frustrating to be in a lengthy recovery, but you really are very early in this process. I'm not surprised at all that trying to do something like sitting and scraping the house would irritate your knee. You know, there's a reason we tell folks not to try and go back to work before 12 weeks. Basically you're doing that by trying to do home projects. You can do it, but just be prepared that it may slow your recovery and cause you unnecessary pain and swelling. That stiffness you're feeling is from swelling and it's a form of pain. I wouldn't expect to be that happy camper until at least 6 months. That's the point where most people say they are starting to feel somewhat normal again and sometimes even forget they had a knee replacement.
tiredwife
alpha
@gr82cu2 I know you want to feel better now, but in a year how do you think you will be? Now ask yourself how would you be in a year without the surgery? You would be in a lot of pain, and not be able to do anything. It will get better. Your body is zapping all your energy to heal your knee. You just have to increase your activities a little each week. Hubby gets tired really easily too. We have been making our trips to get groceries short. First trip he had to sit down before we were done, next week he was able to get through the shopping but had to go sit in the Blazer while I paid, next trip he actually made it through the whole thing. Little increases in activities. You don't have to apologize for venting, it is perfectly okay to do so!
Minnie's knees
post-grad
jul
member
@gr82cu2 I no how you feel just as you think gee feel great today all of a sudden you feel so sore stiff and tired.
Today I feel a bit tired a bit sick and light headed and yesterday i felt quite good apart from my leg being swollen and hurting a bit all day but i seemed ok but the change today makes it so annoying.
I hope you are ok as your other one isnt far away and I have to have my other one done as well so I hope I will feel upto it when my OS decides when it is a good time.
Julie
Today I feel a bit tired a bit sick and light headed and yesterday i felt quite good apart from my leg being swollen and hurting a bit all day but i seemed ok but the change today makes it so annoying.
I hope you are ok as your other one isnt far away and I have to have my other one done as well so I hope I will feel upto it when my OS decides when it is a good time.
Julie
wolf woman
member
@gr82cu2 Janet, seriously? Painting the house? Why don't you put on a new roof while you are at it? Okay, you have you to remember that this wasn't just your knee that was worked on, it was your entire body! I am weeks ahead of you and know full well that I could not get out and work on the house. If you think it so important that it be done right now, why don't you make a large pot of chili, soup, something like that, and invite all your caring family and friends over to get this done for you? It could be a fun time, a fall get together. The only think you can accomplish by doing this yourself if slowing down your recovery.
Our friend and neighbor has been building a garage. My hubby has been glued to that place working on it. In normal conditions, I would be too. Instead, I stay home and try to prep meals for the guys so they can come here and eat. Sometimes I poop out before it's done and they have to help finish up. See my point? This is the time we need to tap our community resources, even if that community is only a couple of blocks wide.
Please take care of yourself! You are the only Janet we have!
Mary
Our friend and neighbor has been building a garage. My hubby has been glued to that place working on it. In normal conditions, I would be too. Instead, I stay home and try to prep meals for the guys so they can come here and eat. Sometimes I poop out before it's done and they have to help finish up. See my point? This is the time we need to tap our community resources, even if that community is only a couple of blocks wide.
Please take care of yourself! You are the only Janet we have!
Mary
OP
OP
gr82cu2
post-grad
@Jamie @jul @tiredwife @wolf woman
Thanks for all your comments and input/suggestions. The thing with the painting is, and I hate to say this, but Kent just slops the stuff on and calls it a day! He won't even bother to put down drop cloths to catch drips and it drives me crazy!!! So, I feel like I have to be out there to be OCD about it all. It's just the trim on our house, not the whole house. We have a one story ranch. Not even all of it needs to be painted right now. Just the porch, around the garage door and around the south facing windows. He has a bad shoulder so he hasn't been able to go more than about 90 minutes either but we need to get this done before the weather turns. When he was working these were the kind of things I did all by myself and it kills me that I can barely do any of it now.
For the first time last night I decided to try sleeping in bed. How do you all do that? OMG I was miserable all night long. I just could not get comfortable enough to sleep more than 20-30 minutes and I was struggling to find a comfortable position again. So, I guess it's back to the recliner tonight. I graduated from the couch to the recliner last week, LOL! Mostly because I was sick of looking at my couch/bed all day long, every day.
I'm seriously considering canceling PT today. I just don't feel like going. I don't know, we'll see. Have a great day friends and take care.
Thanks for all your comments and input/suggestions. The thing with the painting is, and I hate to say this, but Kent just slops the stuff on and calls it a day! He won't even bother to put down drop cloths to catch drips and it drives me crazy!!! So, I feel like I have to be out there to be OCD about it all. It's just the trim on our house, not the whole house. We have a one story ranch. Not even all of it needs to be painted right now. Just the porch, around the garage door and around the south facing windows. He has a bad shoulder so he hasn't been able to go more than about 90 minutes either but we need to get this done before the weather turns. When he was working these were the kind of things I did all by myself and it kills me that I can barely do any of it now.
For the first time last night I decided to try sleeping in bed. How do you all do that? OMG I was miserable all night long. I just could not get comfortable enough to sleep more than 20-30 minutes and I was struggling to find a comfortable position again. So, I guess it's back to the recliner tonight. I graduated from the couch to the recliner last week, LOL! Mostly because I was sick of looking at my couch/bed all day long, every day.
I'm seriously considering canceling PT today. I just don't feel like going. I don't know, we'll see. Have a great day friends and take care.
With everything you've been doing, I think giving the knee a rest and skipping the PT session might be a good idea. We shouldn't compare recoveries, but I can tell you it is only this week that I'm feeling relatively "normal" at work with less pain and fatigue and I'm much further along than you.
