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TKR Kayak59's Recovery Thread

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The trouble with iron supplements is you may have to increase your stool softeners for a while. Perhaps you had a little extra blood loss during the first operation. Hopefully your blood will be Popeye-strong by the next surgery!
 
It IS hard when you have to walk differently! What seems to come naturally (the way you have always been walking)has to be unlearned and then you have to learn all over again.Yay! for fresh air! I have only been out for doctor visits and will go today for PT. I think I might just have to make a trip to the deck and take in some fresh air today.

I am sorry about your blood. At least they caught it before your next surgery. I guess eating lots of iron rich foods would help also. Meat, beans, and Popeye's spinach! :dancy:

Your countdown is getting smaller and smaller on the pre-surgery number! Anxious or excited? What will you do differently this time?

How is it working out trading your lapcat for your laptop to work? :kitty:

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
 
Neither anxious nor excited about the 2nd surgery although I do just want to get it over with. The good progress I've made on the right leg will probably be back tracked as I won't be in shape to work too much on that. I'm hoping I don't have quite the same reaction to the narcotics as I did last time -- low blood pressure, low oxygen, low sodium, low iron, and a few others things. And yet, I may not have any choice so we'll see. Will take that over the pain. One thing I realized after I left the hospital was that I had never once been in my hospital room chair. I guess that is because I was a bit light headed most of the time. The PT definitely kept hold of me anytime I walked! I am not sure if I will do anything different this time. I'll have to see how my right knee holds up.
 
I was on iron pills for a few weeks after surgery. It was the culprit of my bathroom issues.
 
I give you credit for having the second knee done so quickly! I too felt like I had to relearn to walk again after my surgery. The iron supplements will help bring up your levels. As others have said increase whatever your currently taking for bathroom issues. I'm actually surprised they discharged you with such a low iron count and not have told you to take a supplement. I had low blood pressure due to conscious sedation meds and epidural I was kept an extra day on an IV because of low sodium levels. It took more than 4 weeks before it finally got up to normal. There are many different pain meds and maybe your OS can come up with something that won't cause you those side effects. It might be a good ideal to check with his office. Have a wonderful Thansgiving!
 
Hope everyone had a nice and pain free (as much as possible) Thanksgiving!

I am SO thankful for having a nice physical therapist. Went to my sister's house with my brother and his family yesterday. Ended up staying WAY longer than I expected and I think my Mum actually eventually told my brother to take me home. (Leaving his wife & son to be taken home by someone else.) Usually I am my parent's chauffer and we leave early because they get tired, but they were staying at my sister's for a few days and of course, I wasn't driving. I brought my ice packs and was able to keep my leg up although not elevated, and ended up resting for a couple hours in their bed but still did not get to my bed until 10:30. Then up to start work this morning at 7am.

The left side of my knee was really hurting yesterday and even more so today. My PT saw the strain in my face when I was doing seated leg lifts so she really abbreviated the session. Told me to continue working on my gait (butt clenched, knee turned out, toes in - all required for my proper leg/body alignment) and using the walker even though my leg felt strong enough because she could tell from the musculature -- or lack thereof -- that it wasn't and it could give way and cause a nasty fall. Not really a hardship and it is more difficult to concentrate on walking properly when just using a cane anyway. I'm not putting my weight on the walker but just by resting my hand on it, it keeps me balanced. (And yes, I am taking my maximum strength Tylenol at the designated intervals.)

11 days pre-op. I am becoming increasingly aware of how I am using my left leg to compensate for my right leg in various activities and that I will soon not be able to do that -- so trying not to. But, as people get simultaneous bilateral TKRs and cope, I'm sure I can do it too -- especially as I do have 123° flexion on the right. I am a little more worried about the effects of two general anesthesias in less than 5 weeks but, for the time being, I'll try to persuade myself that my 2nd knee will go as well as the first and if not, I'll deal with that at the time. I am also very thankful for a supportive boss -- especially as I am a contractor. He is well aware that I could have more trouble after the 2nd knee and I may need more time off. He said he really appreciates that I did take so little time off and recognizes that it is not easy.

I am and will be very thankful that I have had such an easy time with this first knee regardless of how my 2nd post-op experience turns out.
 
Sounds like you had a nice time in the arms of a loving family. I am sure your second will go as well as the first. It is prayed about! Yay! for good therapists. Will you still be under the care of this therapist right up until the 9th and then with the new knee? That would make for a nice transition since she knows you ad your physical strengths and weaknesses.
 
Thanks @jojo9610 My sister got my prescription refill and I called ahead to the pharmacy to ask if they could get a supplement off the floor -- something that would be easy on the stomach. They chose a slow release iron, called "iron (elemental) 45mg" in the ingredient listing. Will look for something like what you said next time I get to a Walgreens.
 
@kayak59 Before taking another form make sure you check with your doctor as there are variations in the amount of iron your body can absorb from different kinds. They are all supplements so while your doctor sometimes writes it on a prescription so the pharmacist makes sure you are taking what he wanted.
 
hmmmmm..... I was getting bored today and decided to see if I could cycle. I have a full blown spinning cycle downstairs that I will eventually use but before my surgery, I saw this thing on TV called a "SitNcycle. Its basically a stationary cycle without the handlebars -- small and compact -- so I thought it could easily coexist in my living room. I found one on eBay for only 1/3 the listed price and thought I had a pretty good deal, but, I should have paid more attention to the height. Dorothy Hamill was in the video and I know how tall, I mean "short", she is. So yes, at 6', there is no way I can sit and cycle on it. But I can sit and cycle from my chair with it in front of me. Worked great before my surgery and made me feel a little better -- if I had to be a couch potato, at least my legs were moving.

so anyway, today I was really bored so decided to try cycling -- yes, even though my PT did not say I could yet. I had no problem and only intended to do it for a few minutes at a time but now I'm beginning to wonder if my PT said something to Nemo. Three times now, I've started to cycle and he immediately gets on my lap and stops me! Not fair! :kitty:
 
It sounds like you are doing well--you have a great PT. Your program is similar to the one that I used---the most important thing is not to push yourself. My strength varied from one day to the next and I just never pushed myself to the point of too much fatigue.

The effects of a second anesthetic are not to be ignored. I remember sitting in ski school and being absolutely exhausted. I felt that I could not even walk the one mile to my car. Then, I thought about it---I had had two major surgeries in one year. So, you will be more tired after the second knee---just take it easy and allow your body to heal. I made sure I had protein drinks to keep up my protein intake for healing.

I found that iron make ms nauseous ---do ended up taking a prenatal vitamin instead. I was also anemic---it appeared that my surgeon who told me often how wonderful he was did not even look at the labs he requested.l
 
2 more days of relative "freedom", sigh..... I can finally walk almost normally on my right leg but the quad still gives way so I use the walker in the morning and out of the house, just in case (non weight bearing). The knee swelling is almost completely gone except for the place where the bone spur caused so much damage. Hopefully that is not permanent scar tissue or something like that -- have to ask my doctor. I thought it would be healed by now even if the quad is still not fully recovered.

Very conscious now, every time I bend that left knee, that I soon won't be doing that again any time soon. So glad my right knee bends enough now to let me sleep in my normal position with one leg straight, one bent. My friends were kayaking this weekend; I so wanted to go with them. Wish I could just get this over with! Did go for a lovely massage and chiropractic adjustment this morning. No ToDos other than finish decorating my Christmas tree. Hope, hope, hope, this second knee goes as well or better than the first and I get over all the other all the other side effects easily. Not really worried about the knee at all, its the possible double whammy from the aftermatch of 2 major surgeries in 4 weeks.
 
A new knee for Christmas!!
kayak59 said:
Wish I could just get this over with!
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I always felt that waiting is the hardest part. I wish it was like on of those oil change businesses---you pull in, and get your oil changed while you wait!

Instead of waiting, you go in, get the X-Ray, get diagnosed, they wheel you down the hallway, and get the TKR all in the same day. No waiting, and you have no time for the jitters.
kayak59 said:
My friends were kayaking this weekend; I so wanted to go with them.
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You will be there!! After your recovery, you will be kayaking and savoring every moment of it.
 
You are almost there!! I know you will have a great outcome and in a few weeks, will be walking on TWO NEW KNEES! You are in my prayers for a successful surgery, peaceful and uneventful awakening, and a smooth recovery!
 
I agree that the waiting is the worse part of this whole thing. My second knee was a cake walk compared to the first. I knew the drill and so stayed in bed with my leg propped up for the first two weeks. By the third week, the swelling was down and I was able to begin strength training.

I can't believe you can still kayak!! In Montana we are skiing!!!
 
Just stopping in to wish you the very best tomorrow with your second knee! You will do great. I look forward to hearing that your surgery was a success and you are recovering with little pain and ready to walk!
 
Wishing you all the best for your second knee. :flwrysmile:
 
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