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kneeworn made it to the other side

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Helen I just noticed your post. Great to hear from you too. No I'm not off my hydrocodone and have been taking one every 4 hours on schedule. I had added the Celebrex to see if it would help. I was taking 6 hydrocodones a day. Yesterday I took 4. I'm planning to ask for the tramadol tomorrow to use and have the hydrocodone for the night or tough times. I get so sweaty and emotional and think the hydrocodone adds to that. I will need something I can work and take while at work. A couple years ago employee health gave me tramadol for a back strain and I could use it at work.

Great to hear from you Helen and hope your doing well. I'll be glad when I can get up to speed again. I'm always in to something normally or out to sleep. Hehe!

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee scope 1982 and 2003
 
:thmb: Go for it!!! Naps rule!!
 
Even if you can't fall off to sleep it feels good to lay down, close your eyes, cover yourself with a nice blanket and just drift and relax! It can be just as if not more regenerating that a full blown nap!
 
I hope the Tramadol works for your knees too. For me, it didn't put me out there like some other pain killers. I could function fairly well with it and even felt ok about driving. Depends on the person of course.

It was good to use/have the hydrocodone for the nights when it was time for the knees to go to bed. Didn't use it nightly but nice to have.

Doing well here. Thankfully the roads are nearly melted.
 
I went to PT this morning and was able to get 107 to 110 on my ROM. That is about what I had last week. She is so supportive and feels we can get the ROM without the manipulation being in the picture as I was beginning to fear. So with her comfort this morning I was beginning to feel better. I am lucky to have her for my therapist because she listens and tries to educate me about my fears and concerns.

Next I went to the OS this afternoon. He agrees no manipulation needed. Just need to work on bending it more agressively in PT and massaging the incision area to break up the scars to help it move. He smiled and gave me a B+ on my progress. I told him no matter how much I tried I can't seem to pull it past a certain point and he said that is why we are going to let the PT help you. :th_skeptical:

When I told him my Mom was concerned I was still on the Hydrocodone he said not to worry that I need it. So I feel better there and he gave me enough for 12 more days. I am sure if I need more I can call. He said he will order tramadol later when I return to work and also gave me some more celebrex to take daily to help keep the swelling down. He told me to ice and take naps too. He said this knee is burning 1000 calories a day healing the first 8 weeks. That is why I am so tierd.

He wants me also to try to get more active to help with my stamina and movement.

So all in all a more positive day than I expected. I just knew I was going to hear I was not far enough along and needed a manipulation but I didn't. I just got positive support. He asked if I still hated him and I said no only at night when I could not sleep.:th_heehee:

I go back in four weeks so that will be week 11 of my FMLA. He said I will be suprised how much better it starts to do in the next few weeks. We talked about returning half days to work. I am to tell him how I am feeling.

I was able to ask him about the joint he took out and it was bone on bone on the medial side of the femur, tibia and back of patella. He said I got all the use out of the old knee that I could.

So for now I feel much better about my progress and outlook. As Jamie says this is a big roller coaster ride and I'm thinking I don't like them anymore. :th_heehee:

Donna
 
Oh and the cats are allowed back in my room again but for sleeping we decided to lock them out at night.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
burning 1000 calories a day for the first 8 weeks - yee ha!
 
Ice cream party. Yeah and we are getting calcium and vitamin D. Throw in some fruit and perfect.

You know my doc spent about 20 minutes with me today answering all my questions and teaching me. I'm really glad I chose him for my OS. I thought of more questions once as he started to get up so he sat back down until he was sure I was through. He even showed me how to massage it to help with the scars that are making it tight to move.

Donna
LTKR 22/06/2010
 
Starting to sleep a little better since I decided to let my body wake me up instead of a timed alarm to take my pain meds. I am still using ice as needed at night and that helps.

I'm wondering what changes will occur in PT tomorrow with the new aggressive PT order the OS gave me. I trust my therapists so we will see tomorrow. I just hope we don't stir up a lot of swelling. I'm looking forward to getting stronger.

I tried the massage before I went to sleep my OS showed me. I'm glad I've got a way to work out that stiff part that will not bend above my kneecap.

The cats loved the all clear to go in the bedroom from the OS and the first thing they all did was make a bee line for the bed when they got to go in yesterday. But we decided to lock them out still at night which makes for a more roomy quieter sleep. And we all know that is great.

Hope all the bonesmarties have a great day.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
Great posts Donna - I didn't do very well for very long with the timed wakings either - I'd rather sleep through and take it then or toss and turn - whichever way it goes. I generally don't like getting up at night no matter what and even more so now that it's cold! The cats will live. My dog would love nothing better than to slip under my covers but I do NOT let her even on a good day - although I must admit when I was having my med drama a couple of weeks ago and was panicky - I did let the dog in and we both slept like babies. Whatever makes our stories success stories.
 
Good day at PT today and all the worry about what was going to happen with aggressive ROM was for nothing. She was gentle but assisted my stretch by lifting under my knee and gently pushing at the ankle. We got 112 on the ROM for my flexion. We increased the biostep to 20 minutes and kept the recumbent bike to 10 so I even feel like I got a little cardio boost. That always helps me feel better.

I ask her about the pain I was having in my shins and she said when patients tell her that she often finds that because we aren't bending our knee as much when we walk we must flex the foot harder to walk. Working on my flexion will help that.

My poor kitty is still having ear problems and his little eardrum ruptured. We went back to the vet before therapy this morning. She added a steroid to his treatment and gave us more antibiotics. Hope he feels better soon. I know he is hurting as he ear is quivering sometimes.

Have a great day bonesmarties.

Donna
 
Great report, Donna....except for your poor little kitty. I hope that ear thing gets resolved soon.

But you, my dear, are doing just fabulous!!!
 
I got 110 in flexion supine today doing heel slides and 115 with assistance. I am making progress! My OS got 120 intraoperatively so I'm getting closer to what this knee will do.

My stamina and mood are improving.:egdnc: My need for pain meds is dropping to since I added the celebrex regularly and am able to move better. I just wait for my body to start signally it is getting time to take more pain meds.

I was talking to one of the other therapist just before I left. He said my OS did his wife's partial knee replacement and she is doing awesome. He said she had had 8 previous scopes by other surgeons and was not doing well and now she is doing great. He also told me that my OS has another degree, a PHD in chemestry and was on the board that helped develope celebrex. I didn't know that. Works pretty good too!! I think it helps me better than the Mobic I was on before surgery. The anesthesia group had me switch to celebrex pre-op due to bleeding risks with the mobic for use before surgery.

Donna :flwr:
 
You are really creeping on up there in the teens, Donna, after a lot of hard work and patience. Congrats to you!

Funny, have family member who is a researcher and did the clinical trials on C.
 
Great report, Donna!!!! Go get 'em!!!
 
I admit I took the weekend off and only did some light housework. However in PT today I started out dropping back down to 105 on the flexion. With persistence we got back to the 110 I had on my own Friday. No progress but at least no loss.

We did steps today foot over foot. Oooo scary going down and she let me use my arms to assist lowering myself. It was fun. I think it will increase my flexion and I plan on doing more at home. Anyway I will be more faithful with my homework and I look forward to more function.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
I'm still at 105 in PT today. I'm discouraged but the therapist feels the flexion is there when she pushes. When I try it feels like I get to a certain point and it feels like it turns into a rock. Of course it hurts too and she feels I'm guarding. She says I don't need a manipulation. How do I get past the pain to push deeper? I really want to bend it and its frustrating. Yesterday at home I put a hot pack on it before I really pushed. I put it on a stool behind me and tried to push down and hold but it didn't show today.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
Donna, are you noticing a big difference with the Celebrex as compared to the Mobic? I am 11 weeks out from a total rkr and took Mobic for the last month for the burning sensation in my knee and leg, but the Mobic really does a number on my stomach. I had to make sure to take a Zantac 150 with it everyday or jeez....... I see my OS next week and wanted to talk to him about the Celebrex instead.I do still feel I need some anti-inflammatory as the burning sensation has not really stopped and Motrin, advil,, alleve etc are not really helping. Just some advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks Deb
 
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