Bilateral TKR LauraLeigh's NEW knees!

[Jozilla]

All sounds good! That first shower is the best!

 

[LauraLeigh]

It seems weird that an almost-50 year old woman is hailing peeing and pooping all by herself as great accomplishments but right now they sure are!

 

[msmechanic58]

Hahaha! How are you feeling?

 

[LauraLeigh]

Not too bad. The knees are all right; it's the hives that are driving me NUTS! Just a small sample from my arm:

My whole trunk (front and back) looks like that, plus patches on my arms, legs and feet as well. I also had 3 enormous blisters which everyone keeps telling me is normal but are really icky. Two have popped: the third is still holding on.

I've been to the bathroom every two hours like clockwork - exciting to be able to go by myself yet still exhausting. When won't it be like climbing Mt. bloody Everest just to go to the loo? I have to take off 15 things to get my legs clear, lower the bed rails, call for help, slowly drag myself into the bathroom and then do the whole thing in reverse!

 

[msmechanic58]

Bless you!!!

 

[LauraLeigh]

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
I am going HOME today!!!

My OS just cleared me to go home - and also for a SHOWER!!! He said as long as PT went well (which it did) I can go home. I'll have a shower shortly, which will be unbelievably wonderful...I haven't washed my hair since Memorial Day, believe it or not! It's going to be a challenge because I have thick, curly hair past my shoulders and it's hard to comb through at the best of times. But I've never gone 9 days without washing it before! I'm going to shed huge clumps like an Old English sheepdog.

Later today I'll have one more session of PT and then I can go home to my kitties and my comfortable bed - then maybe l will be able to get some sleep! I think I slept a total of about 2 hours last night. And even if I don't sleep, I won't care because at least I'll be in the peace and quiet of my own home...hurray!!!

 

[msmechanic58]

Great news! So glad there was no damage. I am glad to be home but still sleeping in fits and starts.

 

[LauraLeigh]

Fits and starts at home in my own bed (or even in my recliner) works for me! I just could never get comfortable in this darn hospital bed - the sheets are scratchy, the room is too hot or too cold, there's to much noise in the hall, the pillow wasn't thick enough...just nothing felt right. Plus whenever I would just start to get sleepy, someone would come in to check my blood pressure or my breathing or something. Just not conducive to a good night's sleep!

 

[EmptyHands]

Dear @LauraLeigh -

It's so great to hear that you're on your way home, if you're not already there! Your skin rash looks different from mine, but looks just as itchy. I hope it's subsided and is now a thing of the past. I know that first shower and shampoo will feel wonderful, and you'll get to sleep in your own bed surrounded by the ones you love and the supplies you need for rest and recovery. Hooray!

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

baby powder (just discovered that putting it on the toilet seat before I sit down helps immensely when I go to get up again!)

What a great idea - why didn't I think of that??? I have very sticky skin, especially if I'm warm, and I still have trouble (caution, this may be TMI) with the toilet seat sticking to my fanny and then banging down loudly when it comes loose and falls back down. I'm sure the neighbors on the other side of my duplex have found it quite annoying, especially in the middle of the night. I'm going to try the powder on my very next trip!

 

[LauraLeigh]

Works like a charm!

 

[LauraLeigh]

My lovely shower took a really long time - I washed my hair at least 4 times and had a HUGE clump of loose hair collected afterwards. I just met with the social worker about home health PT and now I'm just waiting for my prescriptions, my discharge papers and my ride. Can't wait to get home to see my kitties!!!

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

Oh, I'm so glad you're going home. Hope the trip wasn't too tiring. Just taking a shower so soon after surgery can be exhausting.

 

[Wednesday]

Everything is exhausting soon after surgery, but it's much easier when you're home. Great news!

 

[Biscuit]

Congrats on going home! I totally agree about the bed, the sheets, the pillows, etc. Just being at home will have to make you feel better.

 

[msmechanic58]

@LauraLeigh. Did you get settled in?

 

[71Beetle]

Congratulations on being home! Hope you are settling in okay. How is your rash/hives doing. It looked very sore in the pic you posted. As if you needed that annoyance on top of everything else!

 

[LauraLeigh]

@VancouverUSAgal, you're right - today was totally exhausting! I was on my feet more today than I've been since before my surgery, the trip from the room to the car in the wheelchair was agonizing, then the ride home was tough (over 30 minutes). Once we got home and in the house, I sat in my recliner, put my toes above my knees, and put on some ice packs. Bliss!

We had dinner after awhile, which I ate sitting at the table in my rollator walker. I didn't eat much because I was so tired and my legs were killing me. I headed for bed at 8:30, got in and adjusted the foot of the bed as high as it would go. Perfect! My knees are almost straight and well above my heart and I'm so comfortable that I almost fell asleep in minutes. I rested for a bit, did a quick trip to the loo and brushed my teeth, coated every inch of my body with Cerave moisturizing cream save the 9x4 patches on each knee and I'm about to lie down and hopefully get a good night's sleep for the first time in ages. With any luck, a lot of my swelling will go down overnight just from being able to elevate my legs for the first time. Good night, all!

 

[Celle]

Good night, Laura. I hope you sleep well. Rest, ice, elevate and take your pain medications by the clock.

The swelling will go down some, but it usually takes several weeks before it goes for good.

 

[LauraLeigh]

I'm amazed at how much of the swelling went down overnight. My right leg looks almost normal! The left is still pretty swollen but much improved from last night. When I went to bed, both feet looked like sausages ready to burst from their casing - today they're both almost normal. I did sleep well but got up every couple of hours to use the loo. The last time, my husband pointed out that I didn't have my CPAP on - duh! I've been known to sleep through the night when I've got my mask on. So tonight I'll stop liquids early and use my mask as soon as I lie down and I bet I'll get a full night's sleep for the first time in ages!