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Bilateral TKR LauraLeigh's NEW knees!

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Sounds good. Glad everything is going so well.
 
One problem we didn't anticipate when I came home: my new rollator walker doesn't fit through the bedroom door! So we put the smaller, cheap walker in the bedroom and I use the fancy one when I go out to the kitchen & living room. Luckily I had two walkers! I'm sure I could turn the big one sideways to get it through the bedroom door but the bathroom door is even more narrow and that big walker would be too hard to maneuver in our small bathroom.

I am missing those nice big safety rails the hospital bathroom had - I have a set of freestanding support arms but they always feel unstable when I'm trying to push up my full weight on them. I make sure my husband is standing by to give extra support every time. He's going to a medical supply place this afternoon to see if he can find something better.

We're getting a toilet platform that is a sturdy base the toilet sits on that will raise the height by about 4 inches. Once we have that installed in our other bathroom, I can use that one when I'm in the living room or kitchen. It will be easier to get up in there because I'll have the countertop for support on one side and my extremely sturdy bathtub rail on the other side.
 
Yes, it's always interesting to see what adjustments we have to make at home. I missed the triangle thing over the bed that I could use to pull myself up and, of course, the adjustable bed. It sounds like you have an adjustable bed since you said you raised the foot of the bed. I slept in my recliner for weeks with my CPAP on a chair beside me. I was just more comfortable there. I'm still having trouble getting my feet under the covers in bed but at least it's warmer now.

You'll be surprised how soon you won't need the walkers. I think I used mine less than 3 weeks before I changed to just a cane. I didn't have a great set-up in my tiny bathroom - raised seat but no room for frame or grab bars. I was able to manage by using the towel bar on the shower door and my cane or the door frame on the other side. One suggestion someone else came up with that I wish I'd known was to put baby powder on the toilet seat so it's easier to get off of it.

You've already figured out the most important things - icing and elevation. Don't over-do but do get up and move around frequently. Hope you have a great recovery.
 
@VancouverUSAgal, I'm the one who mentioned the baby powder trick the other day - it's been a great help to me too!

I've been feeling so much better since I got home - 2 full nights of my comfortable bed and no one bugging me throughout the night has made a world of difference! I do have an adjustable bed and it's the greatest - I can elevate my toes above my nose but still keep the knees straight. I'm still not sleeping through the night but I rarely did before the surgery. My bladder wakes me up every couple of hours so I have to get up and go down the hall to our front bathroom. That's actually been good for me - I get up and eat meals at the kitchen table and go to the bathroom every couple of hours which gets me moving. In between I'm either in bed or in my recliner, reading, watching TV or a DVD and most importantly napping. I quickly discovered I can't be in the recliner if my husband's not home because it tends to slide when I get out of it. We have laminate wood floors and felt feet on the furniture legs so they don't scratch.

When I'm at the kitchen table I've been doing heel/toe raises and heel slides. When I come back to bed after a jaunt to the loo, I do glute sets, quad sets, ankle pumps and circles. Tomorrow is my home health PT evaluation so we'll see what that brings.

This is how I spent a good deal of my time yesterday - pure bliss!
[Bonesmart.org] LauraLeigh's NEW knees!
 
Love those kitties! Your monochromatic world looks very peaceful - I'm so glad that you're finally able to nap, do gentle stretches, read, watch movies/TV, and heal. I'm sure you're glad to be back home and on the way to recovery.
 
You sound much better and the kitties are gorgeous!
 
Had my first home health PT visit today. The guy was very nice - he didn't hurt me at all. He was impressed with my extension and flexion but did not measure them. He had me do a few gentle squats holding on the the counter, some side steps at the counter, short arc quads and straight leg raises. I didn't feel any real pain during the session, just some discomfort at doing things I haven't done for a while. Afterwards I did the rest/ice/elevate thing and took a nice nap in my recliner. So far so good!
 
Oh yeah , I remember those early weeks. I had never been overnight in a hospital or seriously sick prior to my TKR. So being laid up and medicated all day was like the twilight zone to me. But I tell you what , it is worth it . Just dont overdo it , especially this early on. Hopefully all your therapist will be as gentle. I also had 2 walkers. 1 for upstairs the other for downstairs. Seems so long ago but it will be 4 months this week. Be patient . This will be like a new birth when you are all healed. Iceman
 
Oh, kitties are no nice to curl up with!

I had the same problem with recliner slipping on wood floor so I bought an inexpensive rug & pad to put underneath and it keeps the chair from moving.

I don't have any hope for sleeping all the way through the night and I'm delighted if I only have to get up once or twice and can then get back to sleep. Some of it is due to blood pressure meds and a small bladder. I know where every bathroom is in every restaurant and store in town.

Well, I need to get off here and get to the pool for my exercise.
 
@VancouverUSAgal -
Ha! I knew where all the elevators - even staff elevators - were in different locations in different states where I visited on business trips. Ditto seating. When this becomes less of a habit for me, I'll know that I am approaching the end of my recovery journey. Not yet, though.
 
Well, here I am, exactly two weeks since my BTKR! I think I'm doing really well: the steri-strips were all barely hanging on so I finished the job and removed them all yesterday. My incisions look pretty good, despite the big red blotches left over from my giant blisters. I may post a pic later if I can get a decent angle.

I'm barely using the walker around the house - we have a small house with no steps so it's not hard to get around. I'm having very little pain; I stopped taking the Dilaudid today and just took my usual hydrocodone (10/325) a couple of times when I felt some twinges. I haven't really needed to ice them except after my PT sessions. I do sleep with them elevated since it does feel best that way.

My sleep isn't quite back to normal but that's because I've been napping during the day. I didn't nap at all today so I think I'll sleep properly tonight.

My home health PT guy hasn't measured my flexion/extension but he says I'm at better than 90 degrees flex on both knees and about 0 on my extension. He's going to get me walking with a cane at tomorrow's PT session.

I have my first follow up with my surgeon on Thursday and I'm looking forward to seeing my post-op X-rays.

So all in all, I think I'm doing pretty darn good - and certainly I've come a long way since a week ago when I was re-admitted to the hospital after my knee buckled. I'm still taking it easy; I'm in no rush and I know it's a long road to full recovery. I still have a long list of books to read and movies to watch - I definitely won't get bored!
 
Laura,
I'm so glad to hear that things are going well for you. When I read your posting, I couldn't believe that it's only been two weeks since your BTKR. You certainly have been on a roller coaster ride! You're following the mantras, so I hope your ongoing recovery is uneventful and that you make small improvements each day. Thanks for sharing the good news!
 
I went out for about four hours today: two doctors' appointments, lunch, and we dropped off some mini bundt cakes for the staff at the hospital who took such good care of me. I was pretty tired when we got home - it's the first time I'd left the house in a week. I did have some pain being out and about (getting in and out of the car was not much fun) but it was tolerable. I iced, elevated and napped for an hour when we got back.

My surgeon was pleased with my progress: he didn't measure my ROM but seemed happy with where I was. Both incisions look good and my home PT is going well. He didn't take X-rays this time; we will do that at my next follow up in a month. I'm just using a cane around the house now, although I did take the walker today and used it when I had to go longer distances. I also got in and out of the shower today completely on my own (although my husband was standing by just in case).

Tomorrow I plan on taking it easy to balance out today's extra activities. Now that I'm not napping during the day (usually), I'm sleeping pretty well at night. I am still taking one Benadryl at bedtime just in case...better safe than sorry! I'm taking hydrocodone for the pain, which is not needed very often. I also take meloxicam twice a day and a tramadol in the evening, all of which my pain management specialist has had me on for a while now.

I'm hoping at my next appointment I'll be cleared to get back in the pool. He said driving was up to me, but to try it out in an empty parking lot when I feel ready so I can try slamming on the brakes and make sure the knees are up to it. I figure I'll wait at least until my next follow up - I've got nowhere I need to go in the next month. Once I'm cleared for swimming I'll really want to drive - water aerobics, here I come!
 
Good going, Laura. You seem to be on your way to a great recovery.
 
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