TKR Here I go again!

[Spex10]

I seem to be managing OK on my own albeit at snail's pace and with lots of advance planning along the lines of 'where will I position my stick while I empty the dishwasher'. Sometimes I abandon my stick altogether for the wonderful ability to use both hands to carry something. Wild eh?!
I've not been outside since OH went but walk up and down and round and round the flat. I do find that the best way to tackle aches and pains. Still can't face icing right now. Swelling has continued to reduce which is satisfying.
One dark moment yesterday, the PT said to try to sit with both feet a similar distance from the chair--ouch and double ouch, I won't be trying that again soon.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I prop my cane in the kitchen by the doorway where I can get to it if needed but it's not in my way and then use the counters as "canes" to navigate. I haven't yet walked without my cane, or the bathroom and kitchen counters, as balance. I do shower without it, but it's right by the door so I can get to it if needed. It's mostly for balance now, but sometimes I lean on it more if my knee is hurting. My OS wants me to use the cane at least until I hit the six week mark, and since he was the one doing the work inside my knee, I'll go along with his plan. He did say I can use counters in the kitchen and bathroom so I do that. I'm not ready yet to abandon my cane anyway.
I forget-do you have an ice machine? Because if you do maybe you could start with just cold tap water in it and see how that goes. Or, if you have ice packs, you could let them defrost a bit and wrap them in a cloth before using. Maybe that way you could get some benefit of icing, and maybe your knee will even grow to like it. It is such a nice way to help reduce pain and swelling that I would hate it if my knee couldn't stand it.

I noticed today that when sitting on the edge of the bed my knee was almost to an L shape when bent. I don't have a clue what the number is, and don't want to know, but it was a little better than it has been. But I hear you on the ouch-I tried to move it a little more and it hurt too much. I won't try that again soon either...lol. I'll just keep letting it do what it wants to in the way of bending for now, and not try to push it.

 

[Spex10]

I don't have an ice machine. I have a selection of gel packs which I use when I can face it.
I'm usually quite pleased at the angle of my knee when I sit on my quite high bed and let my leg just dangle. Slowly, slowly with this flexion business is the best way for me I reckon.
I may even get back to work today. Don't worry, I'm a writer and it's up to me whether or not I produce something. Currently not writing another novel but there's a continuing appetite for short stories for magazines. Plus I enjoy writing them!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Can you let them warm up a bit before using so they're not so cold? I have gel packs along with an ice machine, but don't use the gel packs much. I do notice they don't stay icy cold for very long, so if you took them out of the freezer and let them melt a bit maybe it wouldn't bother your knee so much.

 

[Spex10]

But they don't seem to make much difference anyway. They don't reduce pain /discomfort and the swelling is going down by itself. The walking and using muscles seems to help to pump away excess fluid.
Are you awake very late or very early btw?

 

[Jockette]

Are you awake very late or very early btw?

I’m awake very early today, it’s 4:40 am here in Delaware, USA.

I was never crazy about icing, but I did it up until about 6.5 months. It always made my leg feel so stiff when I’d get up to walk afterwards. It took months before I thought of letting my knee warm up after taking the ice pack off before I got up to walk! (I’m a slow learner!)

 

[Spex10]

Gosh @Jockette! That is early. It's 10.05am here. I've been up since 6 doing various jobs and just lying down to elevate just now. Hope you manage to catch some zzzzs soon.

 

[Jockette]

I think I’m up for the day. My husband and I don’t have good sleep patterns, so we don’t fight it, just get up if we can’t sleep. It’s been like that for us for years.

That’s why the lack of sleep after surgery didn’t bother me, it wasn’t any different than before surgery.

For me and how I will sleep—every night is a surprise! It’s also why I avoid morning appointments as much as possible. Sometimes I’m up until 2-3 am so will sleep later in the morning on those nights. Whatever. Thankfully we are retired so don’t have much of a schedule.

 

[SusieShoes]

Don't worry, I'm a writer and it's up to me whether or not I produce something. Currently not writing another novel but there's a continuing appetite for short stories for magazines. Plus I enjoy writing them!

I’m a writer, too. It’s kind of the perfect job for when a knee replacement comes into the picture. Set your own schedule, and consider the whole ordeal as research!

 

[Jockette]

I think I’m up for the day.

I did go back to bed a slept some more.

 

[Spex10]

Swelling really seems to have reduced. Hooray. But... it still feels very stiff. The bit at the bottom of the scar which must have been stapled on to an area of shin with very little cover feels stuck. It's just not as freely mobile as the rest of the scar. Not much I can do about it I suspect.
I continue to walk about when it feels too uncomfortable to sit and increasingly don't have to use my cane.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing super for being less than a month out! Getting around without your cane is good news indeed!

 

[Spex10]

Quick query:when I elevate (which I do lying down and propping my keg on 3 pillows in the approved way) my knee becomes very hot. Why is this? Is it blood vessels reforming /healing or is it a bad thing?
I go and ice my knee after an elevating session. I don't have an ice machine such as the US people seem to have and use gel packs. After that my knee feels better.
The most comfortable thing though is just plain walking up and down.

 

[Crazedred]

Still maintaining what seems to me to be a good bend. It's now exactly a week since the op.
My left leg is quite achy today. The quads are sore as though I'd been doing a workout. It occurs to me that yesterday I started to be able to lift the new tkr leg on to a stool or the bed without helping it. I flex my quads while resting and pedal my feet up and down a lot. Have I just built up lactic in my thigh muscle?
My leg seems very strong and stable which is great.

That’s the best feeling!

 

[ms_b]

I don’t have an answer, really, but that does happen to me as well. Strange, isn’t it?

 

[KarriB]

Can you use the gel packs while elevating? I did both, the ice machine and later gel packs. They just stayed on my knee while I elevated without too much trouble. The knee can stay warm for a few months because it’s healing.

 

[Spex10]

It cools down once I stop elevating. I'm very stiff and have fused vertebrae in my lower back. It's a massive palaver just manoeuvring myself onto the bed then getting my leg up on to those pillows at the right angle. I couldn't realistically manage to balance the gel packs too.
Will just have to persevere. Things are going OK though.

 

[KarriB]

I also had a hard time elevating in bed, it was hard on my back. But I did find a comfortable way in a chair with an ottoman. My back (full of arthritis) does better when I sit straight up rather than slouched. Even if you just prop your leg up (not toes above nose) and add a gel pack you’ll see a difference. In fact after the first month I just propped my leg up on the ottoman and didn’t use pillows. It’s like a double whammy when you can prop it up and ice at the same time.

 

[Spex10]

Well its my one month anniversary. So far so good is the main thing. It all seems to be going so much better than last time. Maybe because I'm a bit more relaxed about it all and, generally, have lower expectations but I'm not complaining.
I'm glad I refused all opiodes from the first. Paracetamol and swearing helped and I've reduced both of these!
Of course I'm not out of the woods yet. I'm not due to see the OS for another 4 weeks so won't be able to drive until he says so. So I'll sit back and run my life by remote control. I'm getting strangely used to a life of comparative leisure. Hope I can spring back to normal in time for my busy autumn and winter bookings!

 

[Jockette]

Paracetamol and swearing helped and I've reduced both of these!

I had to reread that and realized, yes, that’s what I thought I read.

I’m glad you feel things are going along well, it’s so scary the first time not knowing that what’s happening is indeed “normal” and worry about everything.