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TKR Grandma Chris gets a new knee!

Home is the best place for you. Now, you are in control of your recovery! Try eating some prunes and drinking lots of water. That should help your visitor to come!
 
Good luck with going home. I hope you will have someone to help you up and down all those stairs. Don’t do too much - be a lady of leisure for a few weeks.
Take care.
 
Glad you’re home safely. My leg was bruised all over from the beginning. If you’re worried about yours i’m sure one of the advisors can help.
 
Bruising is completely normal. Your knee and leg with through a whole lot during operation. I had bruises for almost a month. They looked awful, but I knew they were just part of this surgery.
 
Bruising can appear after a bit, and change in appearance quite drastically, I think. I know mine sure did.
Happy to hear you aced those 22 stairs, well done!
 
With my first TKR I didn't get the wedge (lounge doctor) until about 5 weeks after surgery and I used it nonstop for months. I am noticing with this 2nd TKR that I am just starting to be able to use it for short periods of time one week out from surgery.
 
Thanks for your replies! I plan on posting an update at the end of every day. It's a great record if I ever need to do this again! Today I came home from the hospital, climbed 22 steps, got quite sore after. I took 2mgs hydromorphone four times after noon. May take another before bed. Well I did take one more before bed and about 45 minutes later I need to pee. I did not make it! A full bladder on the bathroom floor! Has that happened to you?
 
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The first couple of weeks I could not get my leg up on my wedge by myself, my husband would put it there for me. Also, my leg was not comfortable on it in those early weeks.

As I healed I was able to put my leg on it myself ( which is basically a leg lift) and it became comfortable.
 
grandma chris said:
I did not make it! A full bladder on the bathroom floor! Has that happened to you?
Click to expand...
Upsetting as that is, it is quite common.
Full control will gradually come back.
Until then, try going to the bathroom on a regular schedule, so that you're not rushing to get there with a full bladder.

Also, it's a good idea to "go" just before you take pain medications, so you're not too zonked out to go in a timely manner.
 
Celle said:
Upsetting as that is, it is quite common.
Full control will gradually come back.
Until then, try going to the bathroom on a regular schedule, so that you're not rushing to get there with a full bladder.

Also, it's a good idea to "go" just before you take pain medications, so you're not too zonked out to go in a timely manner.
Click to expand...
Now I find out!!! Lol
 
grandma chris said:
about 45 minutes later I need to pee. I did not make it! A full bladder on the bathroom floor! Has that happened to you?
Click to expand...
I had read about this problem on Bonesmart before my surgery and bought Depends to use those first few weeks until I got full control back.
 
I think I've decided to move to the recliner in the living room. So much easier to get in and out of! I should be able to avoid another bathroom catastrophe, lol. Today I forgot to take my pain meds when I had planned. I have now set alarms on my cell phone. I am alternating 2mg hydromorphone with 2 T3s two hours later. That means one dose of each every four hours on the two hour mark. I'm so glad I made a spreadsheet before surgery! My os prescribed 4 MG's of the hydromorphone but I am unlikely to get any more after I finish the 50 he prescribed so I'm trying to stretch them. Had a lovely visit from the poop fairy today, what a relief! I'm using the cryocuff and that is working well. Also hospital physio called today to book an appointment for next Tuesday, which is one week after the surgery. I explained about the 22 steps and got that pushes to next Thursday. A couple days is better than none. I am doing the ADLs recommend her and today after waking up and down the hall a couple times was able to write with my walke rather than shuffle and I think I got about a 70 bend. I need to check against Josephine's chart. I think I'm doing quite well! Also, still no bruising. Yay!
 
Moving to the recliner is not working out as I thought it would! I think I'm on the roller coaster now. My nest is built and I did drowse for about two hours. Then I woke up needing a pee. I made it to the toilet but just barely and I made a whole lot of noise getting there! I ended up waking my husband, who then made us a cup of mint tea and now I've taken a hydromorphone and am trying to go back to sleep. Not a lot of success I'm afraid. Well the night of surgery and the night after I had two really good sleeps and I guess I thought that's what it would be like. Back to the drawing board I guess. Our be it's too high for me to get in and out of quickly. Maybe the pilotpu couch? My siteswe has moved to the spare bedroom but maybe that's wheel I should be. It's a single bed there but it's lower to the floor. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow.
 
I kept a list of dosage and time of meds in addition to alarms on my cell phone. Those first 2 weeks are a blur. My mind wasn't functioning 100% and I didn't want to take too little or too much or forget.
It definitely is much trial and error in the beginning to find your comfy place. Rest is so important. Good luck in your recovery!
 
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