Become an Insider

PKR JennyLynne- On the other side!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Just one day older, my new knee settled down a lot today! I know there will be more opportunities to question my decision for TKR, but I hope we can both look back and be delighted at the outcome in a few months!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
I took all three Colase in the morning.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
I'm hoping good old fashioned prunes will work when I get home today.....
 
It seems like percoset was exactly what I needed- have not had any searing pain attacks since i started it yesterday afternoon. I haven't taken any Valium, I think the nurse gave me that because of how upset I was?

Percoset certainly makes me drowsy- I slept for 4 hours, up for 10 min, and back asleep for another 5 hours.

Home PT this morning.... I'm nervous!!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
The "I cant believe I signed up for this" phase will soon be replaced by the "I cant believe I waited this long to do it " phase. the first week is rough but you will see gradual improvement and one day will have zero pain...gradual PT with stretches and leg lifts at first before any heavy duty stuff.....the knees are a blessing..

Vinny
 
Just had home PT... What a humbling experience! Nerve block is coming out tonight and I hope it makes it all easier, because right now I literally can't move my quads!

My extension was practically zero, but that's due to being in this immobilizer. Flex was 84. Whole thing was surreal, with a mostly numb leg.

Pt will be coming MWF, so hope to see small improvements along the way. This is hard work!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Any advice for getting in and out of a very high bed? My husband has been helping but I need to be able to do it myself ASAP, as he will be in and out this weekend with my 3 yr old, and wont be around next week.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
How I was able to get in my high bed myself is I would sit as far back as I could and the use my good leg to lift up my operated leg. Just hook your good leg under the ankle. It works wonderfully!!!


Brenda
 
You can also roll up a sheet and use it to lift you leg. I have a yoga strap that works well.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Just got up for the first time without the immobilizer. My quads are mush, I can't believe it. It was a tough walk to the bathroom and back, and getting back in bed was torture. I can't lift my leg at all right now and holding something was hard because I needed both hands to push myself back. This big high fluffy bed is not serving me well! And of course the guest room bed is a platform bed- practically on the floor.

It will get easier.... I just have to tell myself! In good news, I can finally directly ice my leg... Ahhhhhh!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I have a very high bed. My family built a little step for me to use and put the Walker around the step, so I had something to hold onto and used the non-surgical knee to go up the step. I also had a leg lifter to help me get my leg up, I couldn't do straight leg lifts for over a week. I'm holding onto the step to use with my next TKR.
 
@KarriB maybe I could use the little stool my son uses to brush his teeth? Do you step backwards onto it?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I think that little stool will work---I also like the idea of putting the walker around it so that you don't fall in the process. A dog leash will work as a leg lifter and so will a rolled up towel.
 
I did step forward onto the step. It was really like a box with no bottom. They put it together in an hour or so because I hadn't considered getting into my bed. It was not quite as wide as the Walker, then they placed the Walker around the box, so I could hold onto the Walker and step up. I sat on the bed, swung my leg up with the leg lifter. Whatever you use be sure it's solid and not going to fall over. We first tried a one step stool we picked up at a medical supply, but it wasn't high enough for my bed. It has a handle on one side.
 
Below is a photo of what we tried first. It didn't work for my bed, but I do use it in my kitchen now.
 

Attachments

  • [Bonesmart.org] JennyLynne- On the other side!
    image.jpg
    8.4 KB · Views: 209
I have a leg lifter strap but I can't scoot back into bed without both hands, so I can't support my leg in the strap. I feel like there's some obvious solution that I'm missing!

In other news, my husband is ready to kill me because I burst into tears doing my exercises and wanted to stop, but he is a competitive athlete type who thinks I just need to push push push. Grrrrrrr!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
another question... Doing heel slides while in bed... I can barely pull my heel back an inch. Cannot do a leg left at all. Normal, 4 days post op?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
One of the experts will reply, but I think that's normal. I couldn't do leg lifts for over a week. I cried when I couldn't do them while in rehab and I cried when I did them two days after getting home ( 12 days after surgery) I wanted to call my PT and tell her! I only did heel slides using a sheet under my foot to pull while sitting in a chair, so it seems normal to me.
Tell your husband pushing through will just aggravate your knee, cause more swelling and less mobility in your knee. At this point I think Bone Smart will tell you to rest, elevate and ice...
 
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it Here is an article for DH.

You may want to have him watch a video of a TKR, you just had the ends of your bones sawed off, hammered, screwed, cemented, bent and straightened, soft tissue cut, then pulled back to see your knee.
Here are some photos you can show him, TKR surgery - WARNING: real life photos If that is not enough, he can watch this, warning graphic live surgery, and not for the faint hearted.
broken link removed: https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3347931048322867705#
Here is a cartoon of a TKR if he does not like the graphic photos.
broken link removed: https://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/
You are recovering from a major surgery, not an athletic injury.

Leg lifter strap, use the strap to help bring your leg into the bed before you scoot back, once you are in bed thant scoot to a comfortable position.
Heel slides and leg lifts, you can have DH help or use a towel or sheet as KarriB has suggested. Your leg should start waking up soon.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 1,197 (members: 1, guests: 1,196)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom