PKR Having LTKR and praying for a successful outcome…”

[Doupie]

Also as you can see from the time of this post my wonderful sleep pattern did not last. Did I sleep too much yesterday?

 

[SusieShoes]

I'm not one to do nothing and 2 weeks of this is killing me.

One of our advisors says the following about letting your knee heal.

When you are icing and elevating and watching telly you are not 'dossing around' you are 'engaging a carefully considered proactively designed heuristically programmed dynamically structured recovery program'.

Don't think of this early part of your recovery as lying around doing nothing, but as your number one job. For now. It's your job to make sure your knee recovers well. Your part is to do a great job, just like your employees do. You will get back to the work you love much quicker that way!

 

[Doupie]

Oh @SusieShoes I love that quote.....
I just printed it and put it in my bathroom on the mirror, so I can see it every time I go in there!
Thank you sooo much!!!

 

[SusieShoes]

Well then, that quote needs proper attribution! Give credit to @Roy Gardiner. He said it first.

 

[Doupie]

I’m going to my OS today to get my staples removed, I can’t wait. I’m also going to ask for the surgical report so I can know exactly what took place in the theater. I sent a letter detailing my poor treatment during my stay at the Clemmons Medical Center to the Director of the hospital, nursing staff, my OS and patient relations. It still angers me how they kicked me out of the hospital sick and in excruciating pain. I haven’t heard a word from any of them, well my OS staff/PA did apologize that they were not advised of my condition so basically they are blameless in their minds....

 

[SusieShoes]

Your OS and company may be blameless if they knew nothing about it, but now they do know and I'm glad they apologized. Better yet, they are aware their patients are being discharged prematurely and without notifying them! I hope the hospital acts on your complaint. Sending someone home the way they did you was completely counter to good patient care.

Hope your staples removal goes well. Bending knees usually feels better without all those staples!

 

[sistersinhim]

Getting your staples out is a big improvement! It is also telling you that your knee is slowly healing, one step at the time! Wait until you bend it that first time with those staples out!

 

[Doupie]

@sistersinhim you are sooo right, getting these staples out was a blessing, I feel sooo much better. My knee is still stiff but my rom is 0-110 and that was at 3 weeks. I'm exercising on my own and getting out a little bit more, I just hate I can't drive...UGH Being chauffeured around is no fun, I hate bothering people. Only 9 more days before I get my release to drive, but I can't wait any longer, this is really killing me.....

When does this stiffness going away? If my knee wasn't sooo stiff I know I could do anything, well at least I think I could.... But guys this stiffness is no joke. I want to use some heat too loosen it up but my PT guy says not to use heat it will inflame my knee. All I know is the hot water in the shower makes it feel so much better and my exercises are easier to do. Has anyone used heat without problems?

 

[Mutti3]

I used warmth on my knee when I took a bath but I was over the 8 week post operative. Able to get in/out of a tub. I still have slight stiffness at 8months that is decreasing. You are very early in your recovery!

 

[Doupie]

I'm not sure what is going on with my incision, it looks good except at the bottom, it's not closed and is a little puffy.

 

[sistersinhim]

My stiffness was the last to go. I think it was around 3 to 4 months. Heat will cause your knee to swell enough more making it more stiff. Heat feeds inflammation. Ice is the best thing for a swollen knee. And remember, even if you don't see much outside swelling, you still have a lot inside. There's not a lot of room inside that area, so any fluid will make it still. I suggest icing and elevating as much as you can.

@Josephine, would you look at Doupie's photo of her knee?

 

[Celle]

I'm not sure what is going on with my incision, it looks good except at the bottom, it's not closed and is a little puffy. See.....

Let's ask @Josephine what she thinks.

 

[Josephine]

It looks okay to me. You're only 4 weeks out. I think it's just a stitch site that hasn't healed properly and is oozing. But it will heal in a couple more weeks. I suggest you cleaned it with a sterile gauze and cover it with a bandaid for a while.

 

[Doupie]

Thank you sooo much. PT told me to leave it open. I wanted to clean it with hydrogen peroxide and put nesporin on it and bandage it up but he said no. My dress irritates it something awful so I did put a band aid on it. @Josephine you are amazing....
I read your thread again and can’t believe how well you did with your surgeries, it’s freaking remarkable. Thank you again for all your support!

 

[Josephine]

Hydrogen peroxide is not the best thing to clean wounds with - it's a little too rigorous. Sterile saline (salt water) would do just as well. And never, ever put antibiotic things on it - that's how we ended up with MRSA and the like.

There's also no harm in a little bandaid as they come ready sterilized!

And what, in the name of all that's holy, does a PT know about wound dressings? Nothing!

 

[Doupie]

@Josephine when can I take a bath

 

[Josephine]

Have you got a shower? It would be better to use that because then you wouldn't have the trouble of getting into and out of the bath! But I would say now!

 

[Doupie]

I have been showering but I love my Dr. Teal’s epsom salt bath. I can stay in the tub for 45 minutes to an hour, reading and relaxing. I really miss relaxing this way. Candles and music and I’m soooexcitec that I can do this one evening this week...yay....

 

[SusieShoes]

Baths are lovely; they come with special considerations post-TKR, though.

Can you get in and out of the tub easily? If yes, that's a good sign! You don't want to twist your knee extremely just yet trying to get out. Even worse is being stuck in the tub and having to call for help to get out!

In your incision 100% fully closed? Should be at two months, but do be sure. Not everyone's is!

How will the heat affect your knee? Heat can increase swelling. Yes, heat makes muscles relax and feels wonderful. If your knee swells, though, you will be in more pain and possibly lose ROM (temporarily, until the swelling goes down).

If you do decide to test drive your new knee in a tub, please let us know how that turns out. Lots of members and lurkers love taking a bath!

 

[Jockette]

One of our members did a test drive of getting in and out of the tub while they were dressed, and no water, to see if they could do it.

If that works and you decide to go for it, consider some way to elevate your leg a bit, that might make you more comfortable while soaking.