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TKR Knees 1 AND 2 up and running

@Josephine, could you please help me with these white spots? Should I be worried? They are the same temp as surrounding tissue (warm) and have normal sensation. I think they have been there since surgery, but am not sure-- I just noticed the stark contrast day before yesterday. They don't seem to be getting bigger.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Do you mean these?
[Bonesmart.org] Knees 1 AND 2 up and running


I haven't a clue but I doubt they are anything to worry about.
 
I had those after my first surgery as the bruising began to dissipate. Eventually my whole knee became it's normal color
 
Yes--@Josephine, those are the spots. Thank you.

Thank you, NB. Good to know that you had them, too. :)

I'm glad to know they're not some horrible circulation problem ! They might be just non-bruised areas!

I did laundry and made banana bread (thanks @dianehelen) today. I'm SO tired. I dread the PT measuring tomorrow because I think I've walked too much and my knee is more swollen. Time for ice, elevation and more reclining. I never thought sitting could become a chore. Thankfully very little pain.




Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Tell pt you're more swollen than normal and not to bother with measuring. It won't be accurate anyway.
 
Wow, banana bread. Very ambitious and delicious. However, resting is you main job now......feeling tired is your body telling you to lie down, rest elevate, ice, medicate. At one week out you are still recuperating.
 
Just thought about your brain fog today. I had started a new book and it took me more than 200 pages to realise that I read it last winter.
So your not the only one. With two anesthesia and all the meds it does triks to our minds. I have talked to my GP and he told me to give it another year.
 
Good idea, Sister. I forget I can be the boss of my care,

MamaZ, I learned my lesson from yesterday. I did way too much and today my leg is more swollen and tight. I'm back to RIEM!

Day 10. Slept so well-- I'm thankful. I woke up at 7, but then fell back asleep and slept until 9. I'm not feeling a bit guilty-- I think my body is using that sleep to work on my knee.

I can't believe it's been 10 days. Im a little worried about not doing my PT "homework", but not much. I'm believing the success I see here with NOT doing the exercises. I'm doing good with ADL's, a little laundry, and a small bit of tidying/cleaning. Last night I grilled our salmon outside myself (sitting down). Keeping my leg dependent for any amount of time makes it feel tighter and uncomfortable. I know I can't sit with my leg up forever, but I'm not sitting with it down again for a while!

I'm counting my blessings today. Being alone all day, I tend to sit around and start thinking of the "what ifs". I do not want to go down that road again. I suffered more the week BEFORE my surgery than I have come close to after surgery-- I really think I got pathologically anxious/depressed worrying about the surgery. The actual event was nothing like I had worried about, and I want to be grateful and positive. I don't want to get that worked up again with the second knee coming up.

I do feel the need to be doing something-- I've never not worked except for vacations. I want to enjoy the luxury of being home and setting my own schedule, and be thankful, very thankful, that I can take my time going back to work when I am ready. I want to focus on all the positives in my life and not fall into the pity party I can easily throw for myself at any time. For now on, I'm going to write my top blessing of the day, everyday.

Today's blessing : My husband who is super supportive, gentle and has a wicked sense of humor. Last night when I was super tired and making a big deal about the trip upstairs to bed, he gathered up my huge puke of "stuff" and said, "come on, madam, Everest doesn't climb itself". He looked like a Sherpa standing there - and I got a belly laugh to replace my whining. Thank God for him. :)




Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Tina- my brain fog made me forget to reply to you! I live that I'm not the only one rereading books. We can kind of enjoy it -- lots of "new" books and shows for FREE!


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
I feel good that i'm not the only one and I am not going crazy. :rotfl: Sorry that you felt so bad last night but this too shall past.
 
You'll be able to stand for longer periods as your recovery progresses. Most knees don't like to be down, which is why we all end up sitting for much of our recovery. I found being up in small increments was better for my knee, then elevating in between. I'd dust a bit then elevat, vacuum, elevate, make the bed, elevate, you get the idea. But I didn't start any of this until week 3 or 4.

I love that you want to look for blessings. Another friend of mine who went through a rough TKR said she was always choosing joy. This down (not doing much) time during your recovery can be a blessing. You've always been the caregiver in your position, but now being on the other end you'll have a whole new view.

Hope today is a good one for you, with many blessings!
 
When we are used to doing most of the chores at home we do feel guilty just sitting there and watching others doing them, I felt like that at the beginning of my recovery and sometimes when my hubby was not home I tried to do a little more but then realized that I was setting my recovery back by doing too much, so I told myself that in order to be able to do more in the near future I had to be patient an just concentrate on icing, elevating, taking my meds on time and doing my heel slides an extension excercises, I gave myself permission to do nothing else. At around 3-4 weeks I incorporated a few activities in between icing and elevating.

It's OK to do nothing, you are not being lazy, you are taking care of yourself and making sure you have a successful recovery:flwrysmile:
 
Just want to say I identify with much if what you've described. Mine isn't so much brain fog though, as brain tiredness. I'll be reading or talking, then just suddenly have to close my eyes and drift off into semi-sleep.
Whether foggy or tired, maybe part of it is psychological, that we've been in such pain for so long, and so anxious and tense about the big operation for so long, and now suddenly that's all released. So we fog up for a while to give ourselves time and space to recover.
 
Thank you all. And UVA, that is a good way to frame the recovery work -- you are right (and I, like you, have been doing some housework, and I didn't even consider that that in itself may be selfish in that it prolongs my recovery). So I will RIEM and do my gentle exercises.

Audrey and Tina -- I'm so glad I'm not alone in the brain fog. I think it's getting better but can't remember :). My doc called it CRS syndrome. I was all ready to google that and do my research to correct it. He started laughing (I think he could hear my wheels turning over the phone). It stands for Can't Remember Shxt and he says it is perfectly normal!

Husband and I just finished my prescribed 1/4 mile outside walk. It is a glorious day outside. So fresh and cool with a nip of fall in the air. PT wants me to use my cane more to prevent limping. I thought I was doing well by ditching it quickly -- not so! I think I'm finally getting that this is not a process that works better by going fast.

College football season is officially under way. Uh. I may spend the afternoon upstairs icing and elevating in bed-- husband is a football fanatic . I seem to be hyper sensitive to loud noises -the TV being loud and his celebratory outbursts are almost painful!

Today's blessing -- so blessed to have the luxury of recovering in my own home (and ice machine!). And a future with knees that don't hurt or prevent me from enjoying life!


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
KarriB-- you are so right. This will make me a much better nurse and nursing professor. I will focus my students much more on the importance of little thing - kind words, a confident demeanor, taking time to get to know the patient, the meaning of "5 more minutes" to a patient in pain, and above all-- taking the patient's fears/concerns seriously, no matter how silly they seem to you. Those are the things I appreciated most about my wonderful nurses. I teach critical care nursing and those "little things" often get pushed aside -- no more!!


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
I was about to Google CRS but kept on reading, so I laugh. Hope you have a painless day or at least no to much.
 
Good morning @sheliac, I'm glad you are doing well this morning, lucky you to have nice weather, it is still raining here.

If you want to tag one of us and make sure we see your message you have to put a @ in front of our screen name, just like I did with you...it takes a little time to learn all of the trip is of this site.

I love your daily blessing, I think it's great to look for something positive each day even when we are facing challenges:flwrysmile:
 
Ok, here's my question from dianehelen's thread. You mentioned your doc has you on gabapentin. Mine too, but the prescription when I was discharged was for five days only, twice a day, no refill. The visiting nurse yesterday seemed surprised that it was only for five days. Is yours for significantly longer? And if so, did anyone discuss you the reason for the length of time of your prescription? I do have a follow up one week after discharge, so can always ask the op about it then. Thanks, Audrey
 
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