I'm Back!!!! 7 days after RTKR surgery report.

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Buckeye

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Hello to All!
Just wanted to drop in and say hello! I am hanging in there. I was discharged from the hospital on Sunday, 3 days after the surgery.
I was able to take a shower in the hospital right before I left to go home. That felt so good. The hand held shower and chair were very helpful.
Getting into the car for the ride home was no problem and I was able to crutch down 5 stairs to my makeshift recovery room.
The worse part after surgery was the nausea and vomiting (only 4 times total) from the general anesthetic and pain meds (morphine). I received a local pain block with a long acting anesthetic that lasted almost 48 hours. That was very helpful to keep the post op pain down.
I am taking 1 vicoden es every four hours for pain. I have discovered that when I get real sore, it's time for me to get those joints moving and blood circulating. It really does help. I am also using a CPM machine about 6 hours a day. It's set at 56 degrees now, but will crank it up to 60 later today.
I was also sent home with a Breg Polar Kodiak cold therapy unit. What a great little device. It really stays cold for about 6-8 hours.
Most of my leg from the mid thigh down to my ankle area is very bruised. I guess it's due to gravity forcing the blood down as I use it more often.
I have an appointment with PT today and am not looking forward to being tortured for 1/2 hour, but knowing that it will make my knee stronger is a plus. I'll keep you posted on the PT report.
Sending warm smiles and hugs to all. Kathy
 
Hey Kathy, great to have you back. Keep up the PT and remember that it gets better every day!!
Cheers, Ross
 
Welcome back Kathy :)

Your bruising description reminds me of how hubby and I used to daily keep track of all the lovely bruising and the changes in colors for those first few weeks. "Oh, it's down in your toes now" "Oh that lovely purple is turning bright yellow." Made me feel so gorgeous :)

When it comes to PT, just "keep your eyes on the prize"--becoming mobile and pain free :)
 
Hi Kathy... I'm 10 weeks post-op so I can definitely relate to your 7 day report. Keep plugging away... it does get better. Although I tire easily, there isn't much I can't do these days.
Sandy
 
Glad to know you're home and safe.

Regarding the bruising, did you have any wound drains?
 
Glad to know you're home and safe.

Regarding the bruising, did you have any wound drains?

Thanks to all of you for your supportive responses.
Josephine,my doctor did not use wound drains. The bruising is starting to lighten up (turning to a greenish hue in areas now).
I did go to PT today and I was told that I was about 1 week ahead regarding bending my knee to 75 degrees. I am still not too savvy about the correct terminology, etc. I do however, need to work on the flexion (keeping my knee flat on a bed or something similar). He mentioned something about 15 degrees when doing that. I will be going once a week for about a month. It really hurts when trying to keep that knee pressed down, but I am working on it.
I upped my CPM machine to 60 degrees and it really didn't bother me.
I will know for sure when I wake up tomorrow.
Sweet Dreams!
 
If you didn't have wound drains, that's why you have the bruising. It's oozing from the surgery area that has seeped into the tissues of your leg. If it had pooled somewhere you would have had a haematoma which is not a good thing to happen. Happily you seemed to have escaped that.

Only ever worked with one surgeon that didn't use wound drains and his patients were always coming back to theatre with haematomas. And wide-spread bruising.
 
Hey Kathy...


The flattening/straightening of your leg is called the "extension" and the goal is typically zero degrees. I can relate to being at 15. (I think these are usually "minus 15") It took me several weeks with each knee to get to zero. In fact, I just hit zero this week on the left, about 10 weeks post-op. Of course, that knee was a 13 before surgery! The extension is important because it allows you to walk without a limp. My PT is a body-builder and I think I dream about him jumping on my knees to flatten them :) (*laughing* and not in a good way!)

The bending is the "flexion" you'll see many of us obsess about--trying to get past 120 degrees :)

Sounds like you are doing well; it's a long haul but it is worth it :)
 
Josephine,
Thanks for the info regarding drains and haematomas. My whole leg was quite painful the first 5-6 days, but the pain is getting better each day. It is still quite bruised though. I hope I don't get one and have to end up getting that drained. I will try not to dwell on that one.

Gretchendz,
Congrats on achieving 0 degrees. You go girl!
Looks like I have much work to do on getting that to a zero. I am almost positive it wasn't at zero before the surgery. Plus the fact that my leg is so swollen probably factors in to the whole picture. I am trying very hard to keep that darn foot straight on the bed and as flat as I can bear it. Hey it's only been 9 days.
I am so thankful for all of your wonderful responses and support.
Enjoy the weekend.
Kathy
 
Don't worry - haematomas happen immediately after surgery when the wound is still oozing. That won't be the case now so I doubt you're in any danger of it at this juncture.
 
Josephine,
Thanks for the info regarding drains and haematomas. My whole leg was quite painful the first 5-6 days, but the pain is getting better each day. It is still quite bruised though. I hope I don't get one and have to end up getting that drained. I will try not to dwell on that one.

Gretchendz,
Congrats on achieving 0 degrees. You go girl!
Looks like I have much work to do on getting that to a zero. I am almost positive it wasn't at zero before the surgery. Plus the fact that my leg is so swollen probably factors in to the whole picture. I am trying very hard to keep that darn foot straight on the bed and as flat as I can bear it. Hey it's only been 9 days.
I am so thankful for all of your wonderful responses and support.
Enjoy the weekend.
Kathy

Yeah 9 days is VERY early and the swelling definitely gets in the way. I think it was a good 6-8 weeks for me getting to zero extension.

You'll be there before you know it :)
 
My doctor used this strange little drain with round disc in it that created a vacuum, I think that helped moved the blood out. It was a rather cool device. It must have worked because I didn't have much bruising.
 
Gretchendz,

Whew! I thought I was supposed to be doing better with that extension. I just need to be patient. I went to the OS today and they took a couple of xrays and I still couldn't get that darn knee down on the xray table. It doesn't hurt as much, but it still needs some work. Doc said not to worry, it's still early.
Also had my staples removed today. That feels so much better without those pulling on my incision.

Linda,
I meant to ask my OS about the bruising and why he didn't use a drain but forgot. He did say that the bruising was normal and shouldn't be a problem.
One of the nurses said that some doctors worry about infection and drains.
Did the drain help keeping the bruising down for you?
 
Yes, some do worry about that - others think that NOT having a drain causes problems too as a haematoma is very much at risk of getting infected! You pays your money and ....
 
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