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TKR Grandma Chris gets a new knee!

Thanks! So happy I found Bonesmart when I did. This community helped me so much when I had my hip replaced and it's proving so with my knee. I've had a little nap now and I feel better.
 
What a great sleep I had last night!! Wow - settled in to my nest (recliner) around midnight and didn't wake at all until 5:30 this morning. Longest stretch I've had, I do believe. And best of all, I wasn't in agony! I was stiff for sure, and I had to hobble to the bathroom very quickly, but I feel good. How wonderful! Today is one full week since I've had my surgery. Beyond very occasionally, I have not been checking for ROM or anything like that. I've said a million times that I'm taking meds every two hours and so I get up and walk around every couple of hours for 5 to 10 minutes. Yesterday I was able to get my own morning coffee, toast for breakfast, changed the ice bottles in my ice machine, and I even unloaded the dishwasher! Yay me! I am swollen of course, but not horrendously so. Yesterday, a couple of bruises showed up on the inside of my leg. Also yesterday, I had what felt like a froggy in my throat. I tried to clear by coughing but that wasn't working. Then I tried the take a very deep breath, push it out slowly and completely until no air left in my lungs. I did that five times and at the end I should have been coughing like mad. I was not - a few minutes later, without really thinking about it, I cleared my throat and got that pesky frog out of there. I guess it was much more superficial than I thought. Plans for today include a shower this morning, visit from a friend later morning and I guess I'll have to do a little work on trying to bend a little. My first out of hospital physio appointment is for Thursday. Have a great day all!
 
Glad that you had a good night sleep. It makes a difference doesn't it? I slept for about five hours last night which was great although I did wake up very stiff and sore so getting to the toilet in time was a challenge but I made it. Had to take some trazadone to help the pain settle and then dozen for another couple of hours. It looks like you are recovering well.
 
A good night's sleep can't be bought, it's a blessing! Glad to hear you got one last night. I hope they continue!
 
Well, I've been having a struggle with the poop fairy. Not a struggle actually - she was here last Thursday and I really didn't feel the need until late yesterday. Let me tell you, that's too long! I have been taking a couple of stool softeners daily and last night added a gentle laxative. That was not enough! All day, I've been cranky and struggling. Finally, my efforts paid off and I won't be too graphic about how it all went down. All I need to remember is don't let this go on so long again, buy a disposable enema for in case, maybe take four stool softeners daily, instead of two. Don't wait until day 4 after success to finally take a laxative. Sorry if this is TMI. I hereby resolve to eat a couple of 'Get up and Go' cookies daily.
 
No, it's not to much information. Constipation is a common problems whenever on pain meds. We're here to help each other and your experience is important. What works for you just might work for someone else, too!
 
Had another good night's sleep last night, lights out at 1130 and didn't wake up till 4. Up for a pee, meds and back to sleep until 7:30! Not bad for immobilized on a narrow recliner! I shall try heel slides using an aluminum pie plate today. I've not been doing any actual physio yet, just sometimes when supported by my walker I will try to lift my leg behind me. I do that in front of the mirror to see if there's any improvement. Not really yet but I'm still very swollen. Tomorrow is my first hospital outpatient physio, I want to be able to tell them what I've tried. Walking with the walker is a lot easier than it was. My kitchen is quite small so in there I generally manage without the frame. I steady myself on the countertop. Also I am trying not to put all my weight on the frame. My new knee doesn't mind the weight!
 
Yippee! Another good night's sleep!
 
Short little sleep last night - no more than 4.5 hours. Oh well, I've been doing well in that department. Other score was a visit from the pf last night. Just a small one, but better than none!! I've upped the stool softeners to 4/day. Today will be my first visit to physio. I'm a little worried (maybe that's why I didn't sleep well?). So far my recovery is quite good - I am sleeping in the recliner with pillows elevating my leg. Taking my meds every two hours - sometimes go longer between. Still need them though, if I don't take for too long I get sore and shaky and then catching up is harder. I haven't had any of the zingers yet but maybe it's too early? Except for yesterday, I am not doing any actual exercise other than ADLs. When I wake up I use the walker to go to the loo, prepare my coffee using the Tassimo, make a piece of toast or whatever for breakfast. I remove the thawed water bottles from my cryo machine, put them in the freezer and replace with fresh bottles. I unload the dishwasher and then it's time to sit again. Generally walking around the apartment, doing small chores when it's time to take meds. Yesterday I used an aluminum pie plate to try heel slides. I think it was too much, judging by the way I felt last evening. I've dragged the wedge out from the cupboard where I stored it when I got back from the hospital. It doesn't look quite as daunting now. I will try it today as I am not all that comfortable with my elevation on the recliner. I cannot manage the bed as it's too difficult getting in and out of - too high. I will try the wedge on the recliner and the couch. Hopefully one of those will work.
 
grandma chris said:
Today will be my first visit to physio. I'm a little worried (maybe that's why I didn't sleep well?). So far my recovery is quite good
Click to expand...
Don't let physio hurt you today. You are doing so good, but overdoing it today can cause extra swelling and pain. You don't want that. Remember that many of us never even went to physio and our outcomes are just as good as those that did. That should tell you something!
 
Good! Please do let us know how it goes.
 
Great that it's working for you on your recliner! I used mine on both the recliner and my bed! I loved the way it helped so much!
 
Well then, that was physio! A very lovely young man named Mitch was my therapist and he did a great job. I don't feel comfortable on crutches so I brought my walker and cane. The cane was to maneuver the 22 steps to get down and back up to my place. Car was easy to get in and out of now and the hospital just a 5 minute drive away. Mitch watched me walk a little, asked how I was doing, did I have any questions or complaints. He asked was I doing exercises and I was able to tell him that I was doing some of them. He asked if he could use the towel as a sling under my thigh and I asked why? I was sitting on a table and he said okay then, could I sit at the edge and straighten my leg. I had not done any leg lifts at all so I kind of gulped and said sure. Then I proceeded to lift my leg! He said, oh you don't need the towel. I guess the exercises that I was doing to strengthen my quads before the surgery helped. Yay! He did measure and I was a 70/-5 - not bad for a week out! He was pleased and I have an appointment to go back on the 12th of December. Just keep doing what I'm doing as it's working. Thank you thank you thank you Bonesmart!! I asked if he'd heard of Bonesmart and he kind of had. I told him that as a physiotherapist, it would serve him to find out more about it. Hopefully...
 
It sounds like you got a good PT! Yay!! Lifting your leg is a big step. What a nice surprise!
 
Congrats on lifting your leg! And glad to hear that your PT was not pushy. I just started lifting my leg on my own this week. Keep up the great recovery. :SUNsmile:
 
So yesterday after physio I was a little sore. Not surprising as I do believe there was a little bit of showing off happening! I had called the surgeonss office a couple days earlier asking about a new prescription as I was due to run out of meds before the weekend. My surgeon's pa said it would not be a problem but that he would not prescribed both meds again, I should choose whichever one I wanted - hydromorphone or Tylenol with codeine. I chose the T3s but now upon sober reflection I'm a little worried. I came home with both meds and instructions to take 1 or 2 every four hours. So I've been taking 1 hydromorphone and two hours later 2 T3s. So that is something for pain every two hours and that is working great. I won't be able to do that with the single medication type, I guess unless I just take one every two hours. Maybe I'll add some ibuprofen? If I use that instead of the hydromorphone? I don't know if I'll actually need extra, just worried if I need and don't have. I see my family doctor to remove staples on Tuesday. Maybe she'll have a suggestion.
 
Being very careful with your activities, both daily and exercise/PT, will help avoid additional pain that could require stronger pain medication.

There is no rush to recover, and you can’t rush that anyway. Doing too much activity will cause set backs. At 10 days out of surgery you don’t need to be doing a lot.
 
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