TKR Hedie's recovery thread

[luvcats]

Thinking of you this morning. How did your week go?

 

[Hedie]

Thank you for all the concerns. No I can not get Social Security, I have no pt left and can not borrow. I do not have short term disbility. My first 2 days went good. I elevated and ice all day. Got up every so often snd walked. Im not allowed to get up except breaks and bathroom. Everyone else has to come to me. My supervisor is my ice ran guy. He gets my ice packs for me. I worked half days. My boss is very understanding and worried. So if I need to leave Im to leave. We have meetings someone pushes me in my chair to the meeting. Its my left leg so I'm driving. Its actually not that bad. Except the sudden stops which i try to avoid. Of course I avoid the freeway because of traffic. Whats hurting me is the muscle spasms still. They make my leg jump and bend. I see her Mon plan to talk to her about this. When I got home from work I did nothing bur rest and elevated and ice.

 

[Benay]

Great that your coworkers are so understanding and are taking good care of you. It's the weekend so you can really rest up, ice and elevate. Sending good thoughts.

 

[luvcats]

I'm so glad to hear your coworkers are taking the best care of you.

My muscle spasms seemed to be a sign of over use, not that you have a choice. When I got horrible cramps and spasms, I used a lot of magnesium oil and it helped a lot. It's readily available from Amazon, and almost certainly other places, and it's not expensive. I spray it on my hand, so I don't accidentally get my incision, and give my whole leg a good coating. Let it sit to absorb for about 20 minutes, and then I wipe it off with a wipe. It can leave just a bit of residue that makes my skin itch after a while. I was using it several times a day the first 2 weeks.

 

[sistersinhim]

I can't believe how well you have done going back so early after a tkr! You are truly blessed with your coworkers and your boss, iceman! Do as little as you can this weekend.

 

[knee#2]

@Hedie How are you doing? Haven’t heard from you for while..I’m certain with that spirit of yours you are just fine but we miss you !

 

[kneeper]

My guess is you get home from work and crash. Heck, I did that at 12 weeks. Hope to see you this weekend in between your naps and icing.

 

[Benay]

Me too.

 

[luvcats]

Thinking of you!

 

[Hedie]

Thank you @Benay,@Kneeper,@knee#2 for checking on me. Im doing ok. I saw the surgeon Mon. My incision is not closed all the way. She wants me to do pt. I'm putting it off because Im not going to let someone push me. I go see her again Mon because the incision. Work is going ok. Today I left early because my knee was hurting. Ot was hurting because I moved it wrong, wont do that again. I get home and ice, elevate, rest. My sleep sucks but there many factors into that. I can only sleep on my side with a pillow. This weekend i plan to do nothing at all. Swelling is going down in my leg and knee. Bruises still look bad.

 

[Benay]

Happy to hear from you

 

[knee#2]

Bruising not only colorful but hurts especially if you happen to sit on wrong chair, I discovered that at daughters home, dining chair hit back of knee .. so many pillows and ice! Take care of that new knee and don’t let pt get too bossy if you do go. Hugs and best wishes! Zann

 

[luvcats]

I'm glad things are going ok.
I can utterly sympathize about troubles with side sleeping. I miss it so much!

 

[kneeper]

You might remind your OS that you are already having to be back at work when she pushes PT. A good PT can be a helpful guide but you do need to use your own judgment as well.

 

[Celle]

I think that, since you're already back at work,that is sufficient PT. Going to work can entail all these extra activities:
having to get up earlier in the morning
getting washed/showered, putting on the 'face',
getting dressed
getting a fast breakfast and eating it in about 5 mins instead of casually
getting out the car
driving to work
walking from car to office
actually being up and about and unable to take intermittent proper rests during the day
walking from office back to car
driving home
putting car away
making an evening meal
probably feeding pets and/or others
washing up and then finding it's almost time for bed!

 

[Hedie]

I saw my surgeon Monday she wants me to get my leg straight. Any suggestions

 

[lovetocookandsew]

If you mean she wants you to get to 0 extension, you will, with time. You're not even a month out and extension generally takes longer to get than flexion. Be patient, it will come as your knee heals and you walk around more.

 

[Jockette]

Your surgeon can want that all she wants, it’s not going to happen right away and she should know that.

Don’t let her impatience become an emergency effort on your part.

Your leg will straighten as your swelling goes down and your leg heals. That takes time.

 

[sistersinhim]

Swelling not only restricts bend it also inhibits extension. Once you can get that swelling to stay down, then your leg will straighten better. It's too early in your recovery to worry about anything to help with that, because there isn't as long as you are swollen. Doing exercises will only make it swell more. With all you are doing already you don't need to add a thing to your activities.

 

[knee#2]

It took me several weeks, I agree..wholeheartedly.. extension is more difficult to get because of the ligaments. But when it is healed bit more and it no longer hurts as much to squeeze down on knee and stretch it will become easier..I think it took me about 6-8 weeks before I suddenly realized it didn’t hurt nearly as much and I’ve gone from 25 degrees from straight to about 5-7. Not quite 3 months, still stiff and easy to overdo but getting there!