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TKR KathyH New Knee

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[Bonesmart.org] KathyH New Knee
Kathy, are you elevating and icing regularly? If not, you should be; it will help the stiffness which is just another form of pain. However, the stiffness hangs around for a long, long time even as things basically get better.You're only about 5 weeks post op---so you really are not doing badly at all. Take care, keep us posted, we care.
[Bonesmart.org] KathyH New Knee
 
Hi Judy, I ice three times a day for an hour at a time. I elevate all the time while resting, which is most of the day. It's a bit hard to tell, but I think the swelling seems less today.
 
ladyj said:
I think the numbness lasts forever, Kathy. I've had it ever since the operation after my original accident, it hasn't got any worse subsequently, and I'm so used to it, it doesn't bother me.
Don't know about the blister though.
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I have a numb area along the entire left side of my incision. It's much larger than a few weeks ago. Both my PT and my OS said the feeling should come back in time so don't give up hope!
 
It takes that swelling a while to decide it will go away----but even months down the road, if you do too much you willl get some. I'm almost a year post op, and all that walking up and down the halls when hubby was in hospital caused both knees to swell some---but the left (which was my worst) more.

Numbness is an interesting thing. I have no numbness on the right knee now, but I have a fairly large area on the outside of my left knee that is still numb---but I don't notice it at all unless I touch it.
 
KathyH said:
I am wondering if perhaps I overdone things yesterday? Our walk yesterday was not a long one by normal standards, but was by far my longest since my op. I done a couple of exercises before I went to bed last night. The one where you sit with your legs outstretched - your operated knee under your good knee and you press down with your good knee. I worked that one so hard. Last night I felt like I was turning that magical corner at long last.

Wham bam, today my knee is not good. Didn't go for a walk, nor done any exercies. It is so stiff and really does ache. So is this the one step forward / two steps back famous thing? It's not fair is it?
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Join the club, Kathy, although I don't mean to be pessimistic, one good day does seem to have to be paid for by the next. It was our wedding anniversary yesterday, we went to Colchester and walked around the town, with a break for afternoon tea in the middle, then went to Dedham, (a lovely historic village in North Essex), where we went to a hotel and had a wonderful evening meal. It was great, and we really enjoyed ourselves. I probably walked about a mile and a half in total. Today I am so stiff that I feel like the tin man in The Wizard of Oz, so I have just had to take it easy whether I wanted to or not.
I wonder how long it takes for the stiffness to wear off?
I feel sure that we are both doing pretty well too!
 
Hi Kathy..
It is entirely normal for one to over-do things one day and the next day, the knee makes you pay. You walked the longest walk since your surgery, your knee is probably a little mad at you for doing so. BUT, just take your pain meds, rest, and elevate, and ice. Your knee will appreciate a little bit of love, and it will get over itself pretty soon. Keep up the good fight!
Sandy
 
I found that after arriving home (3 days hosp., 10 in rehab), just going down to the backyard and picking herbs made me feel human again--even if it was the only trip out of the house I took that day. I took taxis when I was not yet driving (or could not get a friend or hubby to drive me); it wasn't difficult to find cabbies who'd let me ride up front for the legroom. I'm lucky to live in a detached house with yard in an urban neighborhood, getting the best of both worlds. A gentle stroll around the block to the natural-foods store and the frozen-custard/patisserie/espresso bar on the corner helped me feel part of the world. I had already transitioned from wheeled walker to crutches to crutch to cane in rehab, and once home from cane to hiking stick (which I carry now and use only if I encounter uneven terrain or stairs sans railing...and to avoid angry stares should someone observe me taking advantage of my HC parking placard in parking lots or at meters). But one thing I found immensely helpful back in 1996 after tibial plateau surgery when non-weightbearing for 8 weeks was a walker with a seat. I had attached a denim sling seat to a plain, "hippity-hop" non-wheeled walker so I could sit to prepare food or make a cappuccino; nowadays, most pharmacies many discount stores carry wheeled "rollators" with sturdy seats and storage baskets. They're extremely useful if you still need the support of a walker; and you can even bring them aboard a city bus or rapid transit train. If you get tired on your strolls, you can just sit for awhile till your energy returns or discomfort abates.

And as to pallor, a BB cream works wonders. Not quite a foundation but more than a tinted moisturizer, it does even out skin tone & texture and provide UV protection (you CAN get sunburned through a window). For my fair skin, I like Olay Total Effects Tone Corrector Fair/Light or Maybelline BB Cream Light (with its SPF 30 it gives better sun protection than most liquid foundations or daytime moisturizers). L'Oreal Youth Code BB Light (not their original BB Cream in Fair, which is ghostly pale and has no sunscreen) and Garnier BB Light/Medium are a bit thicker and more pigmented, and are put to better use as foundations. In the UK, Rimmel or Boots No.7 may have their own range. (Think I saw some on layover at Heathrow). Even just a bit of BB cream, a couple of strokes of an eyebrow pencil to fill in missing hairs, a coat of mascara and a sweep of lip-balm "stain" brings remarks that "gee, you look healthier today."

Just to put things in perspective, I still had "brain fog" at 8 weeks (which made me less than valuable as a union-local exec bd. member, required a "cheat sheet" for running order and keys/what fret to capo my guitar at gigs, and caused me to associate co-counsel on a real estate closing). And I still get occasional sharp twinges as more neural pathways reawaken. I find that if I don't periodically elevate, I get severe ankle edema by the end of the day. At this point, my as-yet "unrepaired" left knee is hurting far more (except for startup stiffiness) than my TKR'ed right one, so as soon as my OS knows his schedule for late Dec./early Jan. we'll set the date for my LTKR.

So know recovery is an ongoing process; and not only is everyone's knee story different, but two people may have disparate progress in different aspects of recovery (one may have better flexion but longer-lasting pain, the other less ROM but less or different pain). To paraphrase the Supremes (okay, Holland-Dozier-Holland), "you can't hurry knees."
 
Recumbent is kinder to your bottom--bigger seat with back support. But I've found that it's tougher to keep my feet (especially the L one) in the pedal clips on a recumbent than on an upright bike. Given my druthers (and money and the room to keep it), I prefer a recumbent elliptical--the one I've tried and love is the NuStep 4000. But it's huge and pricey. I have a cheap recumbent right now, so that's what I use. Might buy a "training stand" and haul my mt. bike up from the basement instead.
 
Good one Jo----I think a lot of bikes end up that way!! Kelly
 
Jess, I don't think you're being pessimistic at all. It is what it is and we have to accept it. It seems it doesn't matter how much research we do before our TKRs, we are still surprised when things take a downward turn :whistle:

Happy anniversary for yesterday and it sounds like you had a wonderful day and fitted a lot in. Sorry you are feeling like the tin man today - sorry, that description did make me laugh a little :heehee: It seems like this stiffness could last a while (and here I am being pessimistic).

Sandy, believe me I take the meds and RICEing without fail every day. I take care of this knee, so I don't know why it should be mad at me :heehee: I think it's just showing off and doing a wobbly. I'll give it 100 more chances :giggle:
 
Dulcimer, that wheeled trolley with the seat sounds like a wonderful invention.

Wow, you certainly know your stuff about creams! The brain fog (haven't known what to call it, but I love that description) was unexpected, I must say. Like you say, everyone progresses differently.
 
Do most surgeons use a tourniquet and how would I know if one was used?
Just curious

Was supposed to go to daughter in laws to look after grandson today but she was unwell so she cancelled first thing this morning so I stayed in bed all day, as I'd had a couple of busy days . I didn't even do that when I was in hospital but thought i would give my knee a lovely rest and I really enjoyed it , watched tv played games on my ipad and slept feel great tonight. Hope I feel the benefit tomorrow xx
 
Doesn't it feel good to have that kind of rest, Linda? We don't do it at any other time, so why not now, when we can. I'm sure you will feel the benefit tomorrow. Hope your DIL feels better soon. Though it was a shame you didn't get time to spend with Lucas.

I didn't sleep at all well last night, feeling wide awake. Hence I slept in until 12 noon today. I think it's gonna come pretty hard when the time comes for me to go back to work. Definitely won't want to get up in the dark AND come home in the dark :boohoo:
 
Three and a half months out and my new knee still sometimes gets wobbly. Comes with the territory, a sign that the quad has not yet been restored to its pre-surgical state let alone strengthened adequately. To be expected, but accepted? Only interim--aspirations are for better strength but on a realistic timetable. Even today, I ice.

(Another Sandy)
 
Ahh, Kathy, I wish you could sleep. You and I seem to have The same sleep issue. I didn't sleep at night for 2 months! I never watched so much late night TV and old movies in my life. I stayed in my living room on a daybed. Since I just never slept more than 20 minutes most at a time, I didn't want to keep my poor husband awake all night.

I can still have sleep issues at 3 months + out. When I go to bed and just can't sleep, I get up, and come into the living room and watch tv.

I guess our bodies are so reved up with healing, we don't sleep. Go figure.

It will get better Kathy luv. I know it sure makes the days seem so long though.
 
Hang tough Kathy, ups and downs are so common during this point. I remember my swelling seemed to hang around forever. My OS put me on Celebrex which did help some. I still take it everyday. This time, after I iced, I put on the compression stocking, but I cut the foot out of mine so it was more comfortable. That really helped. Also, pt did massage to help move the fluid away. I believe it's called lymphatic massage. skigirl, she knows quite a bit on this. I'm not sure if this is what you need, but it did help me. I also rode my recumbent bike everyday which felt so good on my knee, it felt great to be moving.

The being tired all the time is what makes me grumpy. I need lots of sleep and when I don't get enough, I am just not myself. Finally my sleep cycle is getting back to normal. Now I need to get my morning routine working, I'm just slower right now. That will pass, but takes time.

Do take care and keep us posted!

Dawn
 
I too have had the raspy voice. I had an epidural and did not have any intubation so i can't blame it on that. I wondered if it could be related to the Percocet or something in the sedation. I am just over two weeks from my surgery and still having that sometimes but it does seem to be getting better. Am still taking Percocet though
 
I went to a lymphatic massage specialist. She was awesome, both in explaining why I had swelling and in helping me get rid of it. She had these "wraps" which I thought were a scam. She asked me to wear one while I was "at rest". I could not believe the difference afterwards, it was amazing. I also use compression hose like Dawn---especially when I know I will be standing a lot.
 
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