hmm - thought I'd started a new thread for this but it appears not.
So I'll start the saga again. You all might remember that I had a revision for a loose tibial implant back in Sept 6th. I wasn't too frazzled as I reckoned I'd already had two TKRs so how bad could it be! WRONG! Turned out a larger knee was put in that used devices with 10cm (femoral) and 12cm (tibial) long stems! More on that later.
Surgery took 4½ hours which I was NOT expecting. Just as well they gave me three different blocks (at least the anaesthetist was well prepared!) so my pain was well controlled for the first 48hrs.
I got home on the 8th and was taken into my house in a wheelchair by two very kind ambulance men! Was I glad I'd rented a recliner armchair though! It made all the difference.
I'll skip over the next 3-4 weeks except to say that I wasn't eating anything at all.
By week 4 I was walking about the house, feeding the cats and making small meals (very small meals!) and it was all a nightmare. The carer came every morning and saw me upstairs to the shower, standing by in case I needed help which I didn't but I was grateful for her presence never the less.
At six weeks, I had to attend a follow-up appointment and took a taxi to the hospital. Best 'oops' about that was when the driver got me a wheelchair and then found he needed to wheel me around his car, not noticing there was a gutter drain in the way. One front wheel went into it and I was nearly tossed out of the chair! Luckily I was able to slam my hands on his car bonnet to save myself!
Thereafter I was able to walk around the clinic using just my walking stick but every person of my past acquaintance I passed, almost immediately remarked that I looked as "white a sheet" and when Sean (surgeon) said it too, I was finally concerned. Anyway, by this point I was feeling pretty wiped out and when I found the staff in the 'blood room' were out to lunch, I gave up and got a taxi home, planning to get the tests done at my GP surgery later.
But it was during this appointment, when he finally let me see my xrays, I realised how looong both implants were.
This also explained why I was having such a lot of pain in my left ankle! Sean apologised, saying that was probably his fault as he been 'pretty rough' with the ankle whilst trying to get the implants in! It's still hurting to this day!
Anyway, it's been 8 weeks this day and I am mobile without any aids and gradually getting back to a normal diet. Oh, and the blood tests were all normal which was a relief. I only started driving out to the shops last week but I still use the store's scooter as I am unable to walk about too much yet.
So that's a synopsyse of my recovery. Not sure if this heralds my return to the forum, I don't think I'm quite up to that yet.
So I'll start the saga again. You all might remember that I had a revision for a loose tibial implant back in Sept 6th. I wasn't too frazzled as I reckoned I'd already had two TKRs so how bad could it be! WRONG! Turned out a larger knee was put in that used devices with 10cm (femoral) and 12cm (tibial) long stems! More on that later.
Surgery took 4½ hours which I was NOT expecting. Just as well they gave me three different blocks (at least the anaesthetist was well prepared!) so my pain was well controlled for the first 48hrs.
I got home on the 8th and was taken into my house in a wheelchair by two very kind ambulance men! Was I glad I'd rented a recliner armchair though! It made all the difference.
I'll skip over the next 3-4 weeks except to say that I wasn't eating anything at all.
By week 4 I was walking about the house, feeding the cats and making small meals (very small meals!) and it was all a nightmare. The carer came every morning and saw me upstairs to the shower, standing by in case I needed help which I didn't but I was grateful for her presence never the less.
At six weeks, I had to attend a follow-up appointment and took a taxi to the hospital. Best 'oops' about that was when the driver got me a wheelchair and then found he needed to wheel me around his car, not noticing there was a gutter drain in the way. One front wheel went into it and I was nearly tossed out of the chair! Luckily I was able to slam my hands on his car bonnet to save myself!
Thereafter I was able to walk around the clinic using just my walking stick but every person of my past acquaintance I passed, almost immediately remarked that I looked as "white a sheet" and when Sean (surgeon) said it too, I was finally concerned. Anyway, by this point I was feeling pretty wiped out and when I found the staff in the 'blood room' were out to lunch, I gave up and got a taxi home, planning to get the tests done at my GP surgery later.
But it was during this appointment, when he finally let me see my xrays, I realised how looong both implants were.
This also explained why I was having such a lot of pain in my left ankle! Sean apologised, saying that was probably his fault as he been 'pretty rough' with the ankle whilst trying to get the implants in! It's still hurting to this day!
Anyway, it's been 8 weeks this day and I am mobile without any aids and gradually getting back to a normal diet. Oh, and the blood tests were all normal which was a relief. I only started driving out to the shops last week but I still use the store's scooter as I am unable to walk about too much yet.
So that's a synopsyse of my recovery. Not sure if this heralds my return to the forum, I don't think I'm quite up to that yet.