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TKR Home after TKR surgery yesterday

Jean, I'm 1-week post op from RTKR and a little over 4 months post op from LTKR. Both knees had been bone on bone for many years, so OS operated on most painful knee first. I tentatively set up 2nd surgery at 2-week post op appointment, which OS said I could always cancel (his waiting list is approximately 4-5 months). Both PT and OS said I'd be physically ready and, surprisingly to me, I was! I could only rehab 1st knee so far due to failing of 2nd and was really happy going into surgery last week to finish the job. I feel like this surgery was part 2 and now I can fully rehab my entire body. This second recovery is going well, although I'm still in the very early stage.
 
Hi Jean,
I had my second done 7 weeks after first. I feel like my first was ready to take over (I was walking without cane, had 122 flexion, and was in very little pain). I went in to first knowing I was doing a "staged bilateral", so I was expecting it. I originally had it scheduled for 4 weeks after first, but circumstances intervened and I'm really glad I waited.

The pros are (theoretically) is that both knees can be recovered in about the same time, I got it over with, decreasing dread time, and my knee 2 was very painful bone on bone. I needed the same recovery period because of my work.

Would I do it the same way if I had it to do over again? I'm just at 2 weeks for #2, so I'll have to get back to you on that. So far, the answer is yes, but better prepared for knee 2 advancing more slowly than knee 1, and the physical/emotional. Impact of having two huge surgeries so close together.

I'd recommend not making a decision right now. See how you feel in 2 -4 weeks. I think you'll know by then. Just focus on taking care of your new knee right now :)


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16
 
Jean3600 said:
My current mood is: "I'm done with this". It's been less than 2 weeks since surgery, so I think I'm just in a funk...and I'm impatient
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You're not kidding you're impatient! Only two weeks and you're already champing at the bit? You have 6-10 weeks more of this yet so you'd better get yourself in hand!

Besides which, think back to how long you've had these bad knees? Most likely a number of months ir not many months, yes? And you expect it all to be over and done with in less than two weeks? I am afraid it just doesn't work like that!You must remember the tortoise and the hare!
 
Josephine, thanks for your reply. I believe I do have myself in hand now. I knew that I was being impatient at two weeks. I knew going into the surgery it was going to be a long recovery period. The tortoise and hare analogy you used was what I had been experiencing.

But sometimes it really can "get to a person" no matter how hard they try to stay focused.

Having had supportive response from several people on this forum I felt the security of expressing things to those who had been through the process, the recovery and successful moving forward. I was wondering if others had felt the same, and how they gathered themselves to soldier on with an upbeat or positive attitude.

Kind regards.
 
I think you should go ahead with it and schedule . It's not going to get any better and you can cancel and reschedule if needed. I am 3 months out now from btkr and still have some of the same issues as you! Good luck and let us know. [emoji5]

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
"had been through the process, the recovery and successful moving forward. I was wondering if others had felt the same, and how they gathered themselves to soldier on with an upbeat or positive attitude"

Jean-- I am just on the other side of a very dark downward emotional turn -- it started about day 6 after surgery and lasted until day 14. I was extremely anxious, hypervigilant for complications, very sensitive to everything and cried several times a day (I am not a crier). I convinced myself I had a wound infection despite having no symptoms. I knew I was out of hand emotionally, but couldn't seem to stop it. What worked for me was writing here and reading (sometimes multiple times) the responses, letting myself feel what I was feeling - knowing it was NOT permanent, distraction (Funny TV) and lots of prayer, prayer, prayer. Very important turn was that I started making myself eat high protein, complex carb foods - 3 meals a day plus snacks. That made a huge difference and in hindsight I realized I had been eating less than 800 cal a day due to loss of appetite. At day 14 I started feeling much better emotionally. Now I'm keeping up with healthy diet, distractions and prayer . I don't have friends in this city, but I make it a point to talk on phone with one of my distant friends daily. Also I read here a lot -- that really helps.

I hope that is helpful. Hang in there. You will feel better soon. The only way out is through it, but you've got all of us with you as you go.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16
 
There are many factors that go into this post-op blues.

I would go up to my front window and watch the world go by. I never actually wept, but I did feel down in the dumps.

The pain meds, the isolation, the lack of our independence, the slowness of recovery, and the "odds and ends" that occur---such as cramps, constipation, restless legs, etc---all factor in to it.
 
I did the same as Tim, stood a few minutes at my picture window, watch the world go by and think about what everyone else was doing while I just elevated, iced and rested. Sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees. I forgot that if I hadn't had my TKR I'd be sitting at home because I couldn't do much without being in pain. Give yourself another week or so, then try getting out to a favorite nearby restaurant for lunch. Lunch is always best because it's not crowded. The catch is you need to prop your knee up while having lunch out. I did this when I needed to have a normal moment and just get out of the house for a bit.
 
Looking back for me, were these factors that I thought brought down---the pain meds---I was taking Oxycontin, and I was in a cotton ball all the time. I could not think clearly---and I did think very very slowly.

The slowness of recovery---and even the slowness of the lifestyle---just getting out of a recliner after my BTKR was a slow process---glaciers move faster than I did.

The lack of independence---and I would say that all of us have prided ourselves on our independence---and suddenly, I had to count on others for some of the little things that I could not do.

Loneliness---my wife was at work, and I was alone for most of the day---my two children were away at college. I could not drive anywhere for a while, so I was stuck there---alone. While I wanted to get out, I knew I was not ready physically for that yet.)

Yes---there are certainly the "Dark Days of Recovery"---but they will pass and the roller coaster ride will continue for a while, but it does get better and better, and in the end, you will easily realize that it was certainly worth it.
 
sure understand that stir craziness or being antsy. Becareful as doing to much can set you back and make everything take longer. I was as busy as I could possible be for a while, but my leg had lots of swelling due to not elevating high enough or icing long enough. I've learned thur my mistakes, later on at about 4-8 wks or so I settled more into being comfortable at home and spending more time doing things the right way, when the time actually came for me to go back to work, I actually kind of dreaded it as I still enjoy the down time of sitting elevating and icing now. I love to shop and stuff, but right now yet I still don't have the energy level to want to spend much time doing it, sometimes I find myself passing on activities yet as work alone and daily living of keeping up a household is enough for me.
 
Update: Hi everyone!! I am now just over three weeks post op. You have all been so supportive to me and I want to give you an update on where I am in the process of TKR. I was such a whinny person, and you were all so supportive and kind.

My last home health visit and home physical therapy visit was last week. Staples came out!! YAY!! 27 of those little pieces of metal. It didn't hurt because the person that removed them told me to use a direct ice pack for about 10 minutes before she got there. Worked like a charm.

For the past five days I have been using only Tylenol Extra Strength as needed. About three times a day at most. It's usually only icing and elevating - Tylenol if it's that deep in the bone kind of discomfort..

Last week I was transitioned to a cane, and to outpatient Physical Therapy. The exercises were varied and focused on gaining strength and stability. But it was my first time out of my house in two weeks, and about an hour of PT, so I was drained by the time I returned home. Ice, Ice, laid down and feet up! It's supposed to be ten weeks of PT but the therapist said she didn't think I would need it that long because I am at 107 degree bend and it went to 112 after exercise. I'm a slow moving glacier in several of the exercises, but they were not painful or difficult, and my gait is smooth and mostly steady. That back of the knee thing still gets me flustered sometimes.

Since I have been up and around my mood has changed so my outlook towards things is not as grumbly as before. Oh! And my first shower after the staples were removed was glorious! Best shower EVER. Sink baths just aren't sufficient.

I do have to share something else - today I came home and walked straight up the steps to my front door. No step together, step together in a sideways crablike approach. I went square up to the steps, and with my cane went one-two-three. I have not been able to do this in years. I nearly cried. I actually repeated it a couple of times to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

The only thing I haven't regained is a good nights sleep. I miss that, but know it will come back in time.

Thank you fellow recoverees - your help and encouragement and advice on this journey has made me feel enabled and not alone.

Jean
 
A great 3 week report! That first shower is glorious, but so tiring! I'm glad your outlook is better, just because it makes things easier for you. Getting those little normal bits around the house helps. Also good to hear you have no after effects from PT. I will remember icing before staple removal for my left TKR! Staple removal was torture!
 
I agree, what a great three week report! Doesn't it feel good to get out of the house even if it is just for PT, and getting the staples out makes your knee feel so much better, even though some of mine hurt like crazy coming out. Congratulations on already walking up the steps normally! Wow!
 
A wonderful three-week report. The sleep will come. Getting out and about again, even if it's tiring, provides a nice emotional boost.
 
Hi Y'all!
Karri, I highly recommend the icing. I used the rubbing alcohol/water mixture ice pack. I have the icing pad that works with the ice water running through a pad that straps to the knee. However, the homemade ice pack really chills down the knee quickly and made the staple removal much less painful. I had some staples removed from my scalp once, with NO ice or any pain blocking, and it was gruesome. I didn't cry, but my husband said I nearly crushed his fingers and I held his hand. (I'm a wimp, sigh)

PolarBear and Ronsgirl, I totally agree that just getting outside of the house lifts the spirits immensely. I think it did more for me than anything else could have done. It was freeing, and I felt that I was really and truly nearing recovery enough to get on with things.

I have learned that with a new knee installed, the leg and foot are completely aligned properly. Because of that many of us have to learn to "walk" again. I have to overcome my tendency to limp along with my left knee. My PT would watch me walk and call out "you're limping again!" I found that I have to think about walking as I start out with my left leg mentally say "heel to toe - glide". (Kind of reminds me of classes when I was a young girl wherein we were taught how to walk with a straight back, tailbone tucked in and head held high, chin up. Wonder if anyone teaches that anymore. I guess I'm a dinosaur, and I would have to consider which chin to lift up.)

Jean
 
I recovered three winters ago during the Polar Vortex :snow dig:.
So I was truly housebound! I had planned for it to be fall, but my knee didn't cooperate.
 
Jean3600 said:
I have learned that with a new knee installed, the leg and foot are completely aligned properly. Because of that many of us have to learn to "walk" again. I have to overcome my tendency to limp along with my left knee. My PT would watch me walk and call out "you're limping again!"
Click to expand...
We have a saying in coaching and in officiating---"Mechanics is muscle memory." Due to your pain and your dysfunctional knee and such, you developed bad habits in order to deal with the pain and such. What was "dysfunctional" actually became "functional."

Now that everything is correct, old habits die hard, and what is actually correct at this time feels truly weird. You have to concentrate on the correct gait until it feels normal.
 
Hi All!
I had my six week visit with my OS and he has given me the all clear. No follow up visits needed. He's happy, as am I, with my progress. Still have occasional swelling after walking, so the ice machine gets turned on and I elevate. The insomnia has finally stopped, praise the Lord!

I saw an x-ray of my new knee while in the OS office. He took a photo of the xray with my iPhone for me. In looking at it when I got home I saw a bunch of little lines. Upon enlarging the photo I realized they were staples! I didn't know I had staples INSIDE my leg! Have to ask OS about that!
 
[Bonesmart.org] Home after TKR surgery yesterday
@Jean3600, as you can see, I have moved the above post from LovesGiants thread to your own thread where it properly belongs since it is about your recovery. Happy to hear that you're doing well. Follow that BoneSmart philosophy of less is more and things will continue to get better and better!
 
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