TKR Grandma Chris gets a new knee!

[SusieShoes]

Agree about keeping your activities gentle as you figure out your new medication schedule. You may be pleasantly surprised at how well just the Tylenol with codeine works for you. By keeping your knees rested and chill, you get the most accurate picture of what the med can do.

It natural to want to show off a little, to others and ourselves!, when our knees start feeling and functioning better. We just have to rein ourselves in a little to keep our recovery chugging along instead of grinding to a halt because we--oopsies--overdid it. But a little "Look what I can do!" is good for the spirit!

 

[grandma chris]

Life is quite good today. Had a short little sleep in the night but have been icing and elevating most of the day. Swelling is down considerably and very little pain. I talked to the pharmacist who advised that even though I'm talking very low dose aspirin for blood clotting purposes, I can still switch from hydromorphone to ibuprofen as long as I keep it to lower dose. My plan is to alternate ibuprofen with T3 switching off every two hours if needed. I actually went five hours today between doses! Maybe soon it'll be time to switch to as needed. That would be good. Also looking forward to the time when I can go back to sleep in my bed. The recliner, while more easily manageable, is not quite the same.

 

[grandma chris]

As if this day could get better! I have transitioned to our pull out couch in the living room. Big pain in the butt to get it all set up but it's bound to be a better sleep than the recliner! I could even get my leg up onto the bed and then the wedge without any help! Looking forward to this night.

 

[sistersinhim]

I have transitioned to our pull out couch in the living room. Big pain in the butt to get it all set up but it's bound to be a better sleep than the recliner! I could even get my leg up onto the bed and then the wedge without any help! Looking forward to this night.

Great! I bet you will sleep much better now. Then, in a short while, it'll be back in your bed! I was back and forth from my bed to my recliner three or four times a night for the first few weeks. What a joy it was when I was sleeping in my bed only!

 

[grandma chris]

Thanks @sistersinhim! How very encouraging and supportive you are, and I thank you. I had a great sleep - right through until 530 then up for a pee and a couple T3s and back to sleep until 830! I continue to surprise myself being able to manoeuvre my leg. No trouble at all getting it onto the pullout and then onto the wedge. I really have not been doing any of the exercises prescribed by physio and that does not seem to affect things at all. Today I will try getting on and off our bed. It is very high and I had a real problem getting out of it on first night, in fact I didn't make it to the washroom! So far my recovery has been excellent. I am feeling very little to no pain. I am still using a walker mostly because I really don't like crutches. I anticipate moving to a cane soon.

 

[sistersinhim]

I didn't use crutches either. I tried them, but didn't feel secure enough, so I went right back to the walker. What is the problem with your high bed? Is it getting your new leg up on it? I used my old leg under my new leg to lift it up on the bed and then slowly let it down, when getting off the bed.

 

[grandma chris]

Yes @sistersinhim that has been the problem. I tried using my good leg as a hoist but the bed was just too high. The pain in my leg is so greatly diminished now that I think I can manage it. I will check it out today, the reward of sleeping in my own bed is a huge motivator!

 

[kmak81230]

I'll bet you will be able to lift that leg soon - I also have a high bed and finally this week (my surgery was a week before yours) I can lift it up onto the bed myself. Prior to that I either lifted with the crook end of my cane or had my spouse do it. Like you, the height made it difficult to lift with the other leg. Little victories every week.

 

[sistersinhim]

Good luck getting on that bed!

 

[beachy]

It took 2 weeks before I could lift the leg on my own.

 

[grandma chris]

I was not able to lift my leg onto my high bed yet, so another night on the pullout. I don't mind, is so much nicer than the recliner. Another good day and I was not quite as reliant on the walker today. I think I'll be ready for the cane sooner than later. Good night all

 

[grandma chris]

Well that was premature! Not a good night after all. I think I'm coming down with a stinker of a cold. Very congested, both in my sinuses and in my chest. Was icing and elevating -which I've been doing every night - but has to turn the cryocuff off. My leg was freezing. I just can't get comfortable! Poor me! Lol

 

[Jockette]

 

[Gingercat]

Hi @grandma chris hope you feel better. Here in Texas we get bombarded with Cedar fever (cedar tree pollen) which affects a lot of us. It looks like the season is just beginning. Make sure you keep hydrated and get a lot of rest.

 

[grandma chris]

Thank you @Gingercat ! In the end I got two lots of 2.5 hours each so not too bad. I've been sleeping quite well all along. Husband wants me to cut down on chores today. I already do so little! So far my recovery has been excellent and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop! Lol

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope you aren't getting a cold and pray you'll be much better tomorrow. Great news that the knee is doing well!

 

[grandma chris]

I'm tired today but doing lots of resting, icing, and elevating. I don't think it's a cold @sistersinhim, I think it's a result of very dry heated air. At least, I don't feel ill at all. Thanks for your concern.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh yes, I understand about this dry heat. It plays havoc with my poor sinuses, too! I hope that is all yours is.

 

[grandma chris]

Well I've had a tough couple of nights. I was so happy when I could move from the recliner to the pullout couch but in actual fact I've not been having such good sleeps. I was doing better in the recliner and I'm going back to that tonight. I'd love to get more than 45 minutes at a time! Feeling tired and cranky but not particularly sore, except for last night. I see my PCP tomorrow for staple removal. I will ask her for a prescription for lots more T3s as I am running out. I have a few hydromorphone left but I am hoarding them for if I really really need the pain relief. I also have a bunch of ibuprofen 600s and I take one occasionally between T3 doses. So far this surgery has not been as painful as I expected and I do keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. When do the zingers start? Tomorrow is my two week anniversary.

 

[sistersinhim]

You'll know it when those zingers hit! They aren't any fun, that's for sure! I think they start at different times for everyone. Good luck with those staples removal! Oh, and hopefully you'll get a refill on the pain meds.