PKR Having LTKR and praying for a successful outcome…”

[Doupie]

You guys are awesome and I loved this board...
The information that I have gleaned from you guys has impowered me to take control of my rehab. I’m only allowing PT to come in once a week, boy he was not happy and said it wouldn’t work if he couldn’t come 3 times a week, so I said well don’t come, he then changed his story and said ok, but quipped that I wouldn’t make much progress. Told him that was fine and that my knee healing properly and with as little pain as possible was the most important factor, nothing else.

Additionally my Fiancé finally figured out how to fill and use the Iceman machine, it’s wonderful for icing. It was never really that cold in the hospital and I kept telling them something was wrong with the machine. They dismissed me and would only put a small amount of ice, telling me that I needed to be patient and let it cool down. He tried to do what he saw them do, filling it with more water than ice, but yesterday he bought 3 big bags of ice and loaded it up with ice and then water...AWESOME

 

[Mutti3]

You can use 4 16oz frozen bottles of water. Put in machine, fill with water to level. I kept 8 bottles frozen at all times to rotate. Works excellently!

 

[Jockette]

The information that I have gleaned from you guys has impowered me to take control of my rehab.

I love it, you go, girl!! Tell that PT how it’s going to be!

Before I found Bonesmart I didn’t know I could do that, or how it should go. I was shocked the first time my PT force bent my knee. Finally at about 4 weeks when it was taking 2-3 days to recover from PT I googled stopping therapy and thankfully found Bonesmart.
The rest, is history!

I’m glad you got your ice machine working. I didn’t have one. I may have to get one if I do this again.

 

[Smythe89]

Ah, you sound so much better!! Yay I’m so glad you were able to get things worked out.

 

[Doupie]

@Mutti3 that is a great idea and my fiancé just put 8 bottles in the freezer. He’s an engineer so fixing something like this is up is alley. The hospital didn’t give us any information on the iceman machine so he went online and downloaded it.

Yes I’m able to walk with a cane, but sometimes I still use the walker. Thanks again for all your advice, love and support....

 

[Jockette]

I actually preferred my walker over my cane. I felt much more stable with it. And when I needed 2 hands to do something, the walker took care of itself, my cane did not stand alone so I had to put it somewhere or hand it to someone.

 

[Marguette]

It's pretty obvious he hasn't had a knee replacement himself. He's dreaming!

My surgeon said it would be brutal for the first six weeks and you should start feeling more like yourself after three months.

 

[Doupie]

Ok guys, now that I have the pain under control and managing PT, what can I do about the stiffness and tightness in my knee, or is that something that needs to go away with time? Will it get better when they remove all these staples next Friday? I had a normal bowel movement thanks to my apple/prune juice totty I've been drinking all day. They gave it to me after I had my last son and was in ICU, it doesn't taste that bad but it really works.....

 

[Jockette]

The tightness and stiffness will go away as the swelling goes down. It can take a while so try to accept it.

Glad your prune/apple juice worked well for you! I think I used that concoction, too. (I don’t remember, it’s been a year!)

 

[sistersinhim]

Told him that was fine and that my knee healing properly and with as little pain as possible was the most important factor, nothing else.

You are a smart lady! With an attitude like this you will do great in your recovery!

That stiffness is normally the last thing to go. Even when the swelling outside is gone, you will have swelling inside that will keep you stiff for a while yet.

 

[Smythe89]

That stiffness is such an odd feeling, isn’t it? Like the kneecwants to bend but the skin won’t stretch enough to allow it too

 

[Doupie]

OMG the stiffness is no joke, if I didn’t have that I’m sure I could bend my knee like normal. I don’t understand if the PT person knows this, why do they trying to make me bend my knee? It just seems so crazee to me....

 

[Jockette]

Most of them have never had a knee replacement. They have no idea what it feels like. And, they missed the class on swelling!

 

[Doupie]

Guys, I have another concern, in the hospital I was given an enteric baby aspirin 81 mg, but it tore my stomach up thus causing the nausea and vomiting during my overnight stay. So my doctor discontinued the use and the reason he was making me take it was as a blood thinner. So now that I'm not on a blood thinner, am I at a higher risk for blood clots? I'm going to call my doctor's office tomorrow if you guys think I should. My sister was alarmed when I told her I wasn't on any blood thinners. Not sure if this is a big issue or not?.....

 

[sistersinhim]

I think as long as you are active you should be fine. Just be sure to pump your feet and get up and move during the day, if only a few steps, to keep your blood moving at least once an hour. If you aren't comfortable doing just that, then you should call your doctor and ask his opinion.

 

[Doupie]

Sistersinhim you were right, my PT asked my doctor and they said as long as I'm walking and not laying in the bed all day I am fine without blood thinners. I have not been sleeping that well, I thought I should try to stay awake during the day, so I would sleep during the night, but that didn't work. Last night I woke up at 1:05 am in pain and took 2 dilaudid, and for the first time I slept until 6:30 am, I was so happy I couldn't believe it was morning, I had resigned myself that I would not sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time, so 5 hours straight made my day!

Today I slept even more....I got my lounge doctor today and it is fabulous.....
My assistant brought it at 11:00 and placed in on my bed. Not sure why I am sleeping so well lately but I slept like a dead person today, all afternoon about 4-5 solid hours, didn't even wake for the phone. If you haven't purchased one of these, please do, they are awesome. I guess my body is trying to catch up on my loss sleep.....

 

[Doupie]

 

[Doupie]

This is much better than a bunch of pillows.....

 

[Jockette]

I may have to get one of those! Did you get the regular width or the extra wide?

I love the wedge I have but it’s designed for just one leg, with like a trough cut into it for the leg, but I’m also putting my right leg up on it and that is putting pressure on a seam and it’s starting to separate. It’s slmost 15 months old, so I guess it won’t last forever.

And I read on another thread you’re getting married in August. Congratulations! My son was married that same day last year!

 

[Doupie]

I believe mine is regular width. I purchased this on ebay for $90 and that includes shipping, it was much higher on Amazon, it is really worth the price.

I'm planning on going out today for a lunch meeting. My Rotary club provides grants for different charities in the area and I'm on the awards committee. I'm excited about getting out but a little scared as well. It's only for an hour, may be an hour and a half. When I had my hip replaced I went to a real estate closing on day 5 and my recovery was a piece of cake. I really thought I had a high tolerance for pain, but this knee surgery is making me re-think that...LOL I printed Josephine's recovery chart so that I can chart my recovery.

I'm not one to do nothing and 2 weeks of this is killing me. My fiance' had an emergency and had to go out of town on Monday, so I've been taking care of myself with the help of my assistant. Being a Realtor allows me to work from home and I've actually been working on deals since last Saturday. I realize that my recovery depends on me doing nothing and resting my knee, so that helps. How do you guys handle this? I have really good employees and they are doing a great job, but I feel guilty not doing my part.....If I'm being honest, I really miss my work and my old routine.....