TKR "Knee-Day" 3 December 2013

[Lovedogs]

Yaaaa Denise!!
Very happy for you!!! Such great news!
Thanks for letting us know.
Best wishes, Paula

 

[bottomshollow]

denpucc!!!!! Now, take some deep, deep breaths, relax, and get some worry free rest.

Take care, we care.

 

[NetballKnees]

Great news about the clot Denise. So glad your pain is being handled well Shame about the sleep I will send vibes out for a much better sleep tonight

Hope your blood pressure remains at a level where pain meds can be given freely.

I hope your recovery goes smoothly, with no hiccups on the way and you are soon able to say how glad you are to have had the TKR done.

Take Care and Best Wishes ...
Ellen

 

[Giraffe]

Hi, Denise~! Glad to hear you're ok and that your surgery went well. (Sorry you had a blood clot scare)

I'm doing ok, too.......just painey and sleepy from waking every few hours............the usual.

Take care, I'll be looking forward to hearing how you're doing~!

Recovery..........Ho..~! LOL ;-)

 

[denpucc]

I finally feel relatively cognizant to update my progress! It has been 12 days since my TRKR and I have to say I feel I am doing very well. I was hoping to go to rehab after my surgery but due to BP and fever issues I had to stay longer in the hospital than expected. Once i was discharged from the hosptial my rehab bed was gone. I came home last Saturday night and after a rough few days trying to get my pain managed I am doing well. My incision looks awful but I'm told it will heal well. I've had in home nursing and PT this past week. My ROM is 100 degrees bending with -5 degrees in flexation and I have graduated to a cane. Not too shabby for 12 days out! My staples come out on Wednesday and I will see then when i can drive, etc. I believe driving will be held off for awhile since it is my right knee and i still get very exhausted after being up and about for awhile. I am listening to the BS mantras and am doing a lot of resting, elevation and icing. The anticipation of the surgery worse than the actual recovery (so far) and I can't tell you how glad I am to be on the other side.

To my fellow December Super Novas...I hope all has gone well with you. Please post and let me know how you all are doing!!! If anyone wants any suggestions on what to watch while recovering I recommend Downton Abbey (3 season), Homeland (2 seasons and just finishing the 3rd), Damages (5 seasons), Scandal (in its 3rd season), House of Cards (season 2 to start in Feb) to name a few!

Hugs,
Denise

 

[Lovedogs]

Hi Denise! So Happy to hear from....you're doing well and you have your pain under control!
Sounds like you're doing pretty darn good!
I'll be posting...not sure when....my surgery is Tues and I won't be using the computer for awhile.
Sending you restful thoughts and a continued good recovery!
Take care and Best wishes, Paula

 

[wifiwildflower]

Glad you are doing so well. My LTKR was Dec. 03. I'm doing well; I'm still having a terrible time sleeping. I'm trying to cut back on the heavy pain meds and use more ibuprofen. Staples come out tomorrow!!

 

[denpucc]

@Lovedogs - good luck with your surgery and post when you can. All I can say is "what a difference a week makes"! Last Monday I was a blubbering mess and I'm walking with a cane and pain is under control!!!
@wifiwildflower - have you asked your doctor for some mild sleep meds. I can't take ambien but am on a mild relaxer and I have to set my alarm to take my pain meds which I highly advocate!!!

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're doing well.

 

[icep707]

Its great to hear all December supernovas are doing pretty good. Im following pretty closely due to the fact im pre op. I liked when someone said that the auctual surgery was easier than the pre op jitters. or something like that. Keep it up. You ladies are doing great. !

 

[bottomshollow]

Hope you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas holiday with lots of family fellowship and sharing of gifts and lots of good food to eat.


I’ll be looking for you at the BoneSmart annual New Year’s Party. It’s been a very eventful year for most of us---and will be a very eventful year coming up for others of us looking forward to surgery in the new year.


Remember to bring food and drink to share---and pictures are always appreciated and loads of fun to share.


SEE YOU AT THE PARTY!!!!!

bottomshollow

 

[denpucc]

Update - it's been 4 weeks since my TRKR. The first two weeks were very successful. My knee bent at 102 degrees and was totally straight. The last two weeks I've lost ROM. My knee bends at 72 degrees and is at -10 flexation. My PT told me it is because of the reduced drug regiment. He is personally going to call my doc to explain that I am losing flexation and bend due to the lack of pain meds. I hope it works!

 

[leejaa]

The other thing to consider is how active are you vs how much icing/elevating are you doing. A swollen knee and it might not be visible outward swelling but inside the joint will not bend. Make sure you re read the mantra and the importance of much elevating/icing pain management. If the knee is happy than it tends to do more bending and straightening.

 

[kneeper]

Drugs should help, also icing, elevating and finding a good balance of activity/PT.

 

[denpucc]

All - I have been following the BS mantra, plenty of icing and elevating. I'm nearly 8 weeks out and my ROM has been steadily decreasing. I went from 102 degrees 2 weeks out to 85 degrees now. I've been struggling with this loss in ROM as i've been going to all my PT sessions and doing my exercises 3 days a week that I'm not at PT. My knee is so swollen and nothing I or the PT does increases my ROM. The PT tried manually forcing my knee back...I screamed and started sobbing and then I was totally embarrassed. I've spent 5 weeks trying to increase my ROM. Both the PT and OS state I have adhesions which are causing the problem. I have a tendancy to form adhesions after surgeries. The TKR was my 10th knee surgery and the prior 9 the doctor saw adhesions when he operated and the surgeries took longer to clear adhesions. When i had a hysterctomy several years back (I had 2 C-Sections prior) the doctor had to bring in a general surgeon to help clear up the adhesions that had attached to alll my internal orgams (bladder, colon, etc.). That surgery took 1 1/2 hours longer than expected. My TKR surgery on 12/3/13 took an hour longer than expected due to the adhesions I had from my 1/31/13 knee surgery. Long story short, I'm scheduled for an MUA and lookiing forward to it. I've done a lot of research and understand the pros and cons. My OS has had very successful results and I trust him. I will update you all after Tuesday!
Hugs,
Denise

 

[DogLoverx3]

Good luck to you on Tuesday! I'm sure all will go great!!

 

[referee54]

Long story short, I'm scheduled for an MUA and looking forward to it.

That's the attitude! You are in good hands and we will be thinking about you and praying for you!

 

[leejaa]

Sending good thoughts and I hope you have good results.

 

[kneeper]

Best wishes for Tuesday. I'm sure some of the MUA folks will be along to give you pointers about rest/activity post MUA too.

 

[Jozilla]

I wish you all the best Tuesday!