Bilateral TKR Journey Continuing June 4th, 2012

[Dog Lover]

Hi Janet

Sorry to hear about the nausea coming out of no where. That is such a debilitating feeling. Can't really do anything u der that gets under control. Hope your new plan works. I've had a coupleof evenings with nausea, even with the scolapamine patch on.

I am still taking the MS Contin twice daily with dilaudid for break through. I'm going to start weaning of the morphine and just use Tylenol, aspirin and dilaudid. We will see how that does.

My sister is arriving from PA today to stay with me for a week. Can't wait.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

 

[Leisa]

Boy, an off day today. I had to resort to the anti nausea medication today, not sure why. I called my pharmacist and talked to her about my meds, my alternatives and how to go from one to another. I have tramadol, but have never taken it. Instead of the percocet this afternoon, I substituted 50mg of tramadol and extra strength tylenol. Lets see how that does and how I feel.

The kids are coming over for a Star Wars party. They want to watch Return of the Jedi, are coming in costume and bringing their Star Wars toys. I am wearing my robe over my clothes, have my "cane", and will be Yoda. If need be, Yoda will return to the cave and lay down.

Hi Janet, I'm still 'pre-op' and just finished your thread. It sounds like you have a wonderful attitude and are doing pretty well. (except the nausea, so sorry) It is so encouraging to read others progressing so well. I look forward to reading more as you recover.

 

[Jacky48]

Janet, what an awesome party, minus the nausea that is, and that pizza sounds great! You played an awesome Yoda, levitation and all! The kids must have had a great time!
I hope your nausea bouts subside soon, there's nothing worse than that yucky feeling!

 

[Janet2012]

Hi Janet, I'm still 'pre-op' and just finished your thread. It sounds like you have a wonderful attitude and are doing pretty well. (except the nausea, so sorry) It is so encouraging to read others progressing so well. I look forward to reading more as you recover.

Hi Leisa, I hope you do as well! I am only at six weeks, but am happy to continue to post as I think it IS helpful to others to read good recoveries, not just problematic ones. Of course, I didn't know what kind of recovery I would have, and six weeks is still early. I had a pre-op thread as well, titled Journey Started, that goes through the decision process and preparation. And some unexpected unrelated problems that came up those last couple of weeks that can be skipped over at this point. How close are you to surgery?

 

[Janet2012]

Janet, what an awesome party, minus the nausea that is, and that pizza sounds great! You played an awesome Yoda, levitation and all! The kids must have had a great time!
I hope your nausea bouts subside soon, there's nothing worse than that yucky feeling!

I actually felt okay during the party. And I was thrilled to come up with a way to play a part! Yesterday, I took Percocet in the morning, Tramadol mid afternoon, and Perc at bedtime. Today I took the Tram (with Tylenol) this morning, and will take the perc later, either afternoon or bedtime I suppose. Or both. They both work on the same receptors, so maybe switching to Tramadol isn't the same as quitting Percocet cold turkey. I haven't actually been walking around enough yet to know how I feel the Tramadol is doing. It's okay sitting here!

 

[Janet2012]

Dog Lover, hope you work your meds out as well! Enjoy your visit with your sister, but take it easy. I had overnight guests last weekend, and again during the week, and they were all welcome into my command center (bedroom) while I elevated and iced.

 

[Jacky48]

Janet, I get a kick out of your "command center" you're a hoot!!

 

[Leisa]

Hi Leisa, I hope you do as well! I am only at six weeks, but am happy to continue to post as I think it IS helpful to others to read good recoveries, not just problematic ones. Of course, I didn't know what kind of recovery I would have, and six weeks is still early. I had a pre-op thread as well, titled Journey Started, that goes through the decision process and preparation. And some unexpected unrelated problems that came up those last couple of weeks that can be skipped over at this point. How close are you to surgery?

I am about three weeks now, Aug. 6th. Just hoping everything keeps moving along. I am ready to be moving forward.

 

[RestAssured]

I am about three weeks now, Aug. 6th. Just hoping everything keeps moving along. I am ready to be moving forward.

The time will pass before you know it! Then a new chapter in your life can begin! I love life, exercising, and doing things that I could not do before surgery! After you recover, you will have "the best days of your life ahead of you!"

 

[Leisa]

The time will pass before you know it! Then a new chapter in your life can begin! I love life, exercising, and doing things that I could not do before surgery! After you recover, you will have "the best days of your life ahead of you!"

I'm excited. I can't wait to hop back on my horses, work in the yard all day and crawl on the floor again w/our babies. I hope these last few weeks pass quickly. I am trying to stay busy and get last minute details finished.

 

[kneeper]

The Star Wars party was a creation of the grandkids. When they came in, I Yoda shuffled out, said, " In you must come, Pizza you must eat!". The kids dissolved in delighted giggles - they totally got it! Yoda used the force to elevate the foot rest on the sofa, so we all stuck it out together, with a few light saber battles as we went. I enjoyed dinner, Kim made arugula, goat cheese and prosciutto pizza and fresh beet and mozzarella salad. It was so good! But I'm feeling queezy again tonight.

Wonderful! sorry you got queezy later though. :(

 

[Janet2012]

Pt today. I got there early, so went to the bathroom, where there is one rail and a standard height toilet. I couldn't support myself enough going down and plopped with a sharp pain above the knee. Ouch! It felt like I pulled a muscle, but I was able to use my quad muscle okay. My incision is off center, and the pain is coming from the top of the incision and shooting up a few inches. The PT said maybe I broke an adhesion. I would take that over most other things, but who knows! I couldn't do the lunges or squats. The other new thing today is, since I'm six weeks, she could start taping my scar tissue, so we'll see how that goes.

I've tried taking Tramadol instead of Percocet for a couple of doses yesterday and today and golly darn, the Tramadol puts me to sleep! Maybe I should take that at bedtime.

 

[Cflower]

Good luck Janet. Have a speedy recovery

 

[RestAssured]

Janet,

I am sorry to hear about your mishap at rehab today! Don't they have any tall toilets? I hope you get to feeling better soon!

 

[BLAKQUEEN]

Hi Janet, I had the same thing happen to me last week when I sat in my mother's car, which sits low. I sat too fast and felt something rip in my left knee, witch is the one that doesn't bend that well ROM 8. My knee swell instantly and remind stiff for two days, I also believe that it was scar tissue. I have started to take Ultrams(tramadol) in the am and percosets at nite, they do not make me sleepy or mabe they do to a point, since I have been taking naps more. But I am used to this med since I was on it pre op without issues of sleepyness. Hope you feel better soon, your doing great.
Kim

 

[Jacky48]

Oh man Janet, I can almost feel your pain! That's what worries me the most about going out and having to get in a situation I'm not familiar with! I hope whatever happened to your leg heals quickly. I suppose we can't stay as shut-ins forever, but wow these "surprise episodes" are really NOT funny!

You mentioned taping your scar tissues, how do they do that or I should say, what do they do to do that? I have been getting this treatment where they put their fingers on my scar and slowly manipulate the underlying tissues then they put these electrode pads on both sides of my knees and send a electric current through the pads while they ice my knees, so I was wondering if that is what you are experiencing?

 

[KayeKaye]

I'm so sorry you hurt your new knee on their low toilet. That makes no sense for them to not have higher toilets at all. One of my pet peeves is going to my foot doctor and now the knee doctors, and their waiting rooms with no where to put your sore foot or knees up. What are they thinking? When I looked around the foot surgeons office almost everyone including me would have benefited from foot stools. Now I'm noticing the same thing with the knee doctors.

Well I'm taking that under advisement to go to the bathroom before all PT appointments in my future. You learn so much here, don't you?

 

[Janet2012]

Oh man Janet, I can almost feel your pain! That's what worries me the most about going out and having to get in a situation I'm not familiar with! I hope whatever happened to your leg heals quickly. I suppose we can't stay as shut-ins forever, but wow these "surprise episodes" are really NOT funny!

You mentioned taping your scar tissues, how do they do that or I should say, what do they do to do that? I have been getting this treatment where they put their fingers on my scar and slowly manipulate the underlying tissues then they put these electrode pads on both sides of my knees and send a electric current through the pads while they ice my knees, so I was wondering if that is what you are experiencing?

She manipulates the scar tissue manually also, but I haven't had any electrodes. The scar tape is pulled taut so all the stretch is out of it and then taped over the spots that have scar tissue with my knee bent. She said I could wear it for a day or so. I think it puts some tension on the scar tissue as I move around, sort of extending what she does with her finger tips. I have two strips on one knee and three on the other.

I thought of Vicki and her patellar ligament that popped when this happened today, especially when she was doing soft tissue work and said, did you feel that pop? But it's coming right from the incision, so I think it's okay, and maybe loosened something up. But I couldn't get that knee over on the bike today very well. I'll give it a couple of days and see.

 

[Janet2012]

Kaye, the toilet there actually might be a higher one, but at home I have an elevated seat over my standard one, so is higher than anything I'll find out. I would have been okay if there had been two support rails, but it wasn't a stall. Getting up, I reached over and awkwardly managed to use the sink to help. In six weeks, it's my first woops! so I've been lucky, and don't think this is serious. I'll see how it is tomorrow.

 

[Janet2012]

Knee feels fine today after yesterdays woops. Whew!