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TKR Left TKR on 17 July

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Tuesday 29July 2014
A lazy and tired and lots of nap time kinda of day. Listened to my body & mind and slept in short 30 minute bursts throughout today.
11:17 pm Tuesdsy night
  • Breakfast in bed at 7:45. Showered and dressed and ready fir 9:15 PT
  • Had taken 1 Valium. & 2 Solpediene 30 minutes before PT and this really helps
  • PT concentration on increasing flexion and at 95-100%
  • Ten minute walk after PT snd then bed to rest, ice , elevate and get morning drugs including long acting OxyContin
  • Slept until 11:15
  • Up for short walk in the garden and stretching and picking more damsons off the trees to have after lunch
  • Great laughter at our lunch table with Jack & Sean & Elizabeth.
  • Elizabeth is my roommate and the lads are are lunch & tea partners
  • Short 5 minute walk after lunch
  • Rest, ice ,elevate and 1 Valium and 1 Oxymore in preparation for afternoon PT
  • 2:45 PT using pedal bike for 3/5 minutes and getting full rotation
  • Have to practice walking with operated leg in a straighter position, as it had been bent for so long to avoid continued limping
  • More rest,ice and elevation and one visitor for 15! Minutes about 4:30
  • Have all visitors on notice that 15 minutes is my self imposed limit for visiting time,
  • As rehab centre us about 10 minutes from my home & most if my visitors are living close by , no guilt that they have traveled any great distance to see me and many of them have said that really appreciate the 15 minute time limit. Ad when they usually visit in hospital never really sure how long to stay
  • Tea time 5;30 -6:15 and had 2 Solpediene at meal time
  • 5 minutes on pedal bike and set of exercises
  • Two visitors at 8:00
  • Settled for bed about 10 pm - catching up with emails& phone calls and BoneeSmart
  • Tomorrow is another day
  • Wishing all a good night, if its night time where you are
 
The idea of rehab sounds much better after hearing you describe it.
Cabin fever is a distinct problem for us choosing the at home option.
And an onsite coffee shop sounds even better.

Is it hard to get into that centre? If it was here in Oz, it would have a waiting list two decades long!
 
@Reebok
Yes, there is also an on- site coffee shop (2:00-5:00) serving freshly home baked apple tarts and fruit scones. Just the smell alone is therapeutic !
Caritas is hard to get in snd always a waiting list, the minute I knew my surgery date & expected day of discharge rang them to book in and luckily was able to get a shared 2 bed room ( all shared rooms are FREE with PT x 2/day,)

all delicious home cooked meals- simple meals like Mum or Granny would make. Spaghetti would be considered exotic. Today lunch will be either roast chicken, potatoes &2 veg or Plaice. Tea will be either meat salad ,sandwich or scrambled egg or beans on toast.

It is a very comforting place and you feel well minded, have another week here and then back to reality.
To make the transition will go out with husband for an hour or so over the weekend.

Take care of you
Cathie
 
Beans on toast is one of those English things I just can't imagine eating. Is it just like baked beans put on toast?
 
kneeper said:
Beans on toast is one of those English things I just can't imagine eating. Is it just like baked beans put on toast?
Click to expand...

@kneeper

That's exactly what it is. It is a very quick and nourishing snack, great for lunch with an egg!

Peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches?.....

Actually I prefer peanut butter, Nuttella & banana toasted sandwiches - ticks all the boxes!

Mike
 
PB&J is my standard standby bag lunch b/c I always have some on the shelf. I think I had nutella years ago--I may have to check for it next time I'm at the store.
 
I would often have the peanut butter, nuttella & banana sandwich when I get back from the gym - it stops me raiding the cupboard for biscuits and cake (most of the time). It is also sort of healthy or so I am told. Either way it tastes good
 
@kneeper @IrishMike
Yes, Heinze Baked Beans heated in the microwave till hot. Onto 1-2 slices of hot buttered or dry toast. Also I sometimes add a grilled tomatoe on the side or as @IrishMike suggests topped with a poached or fried egg. Real Irish comfort food. And as I child my Mum would serve this at Tea time during Lent.
Yummy ! Yummy ! Yummy !
Will have to try Mike's peanut butter & banana & Nutella sambo !:loveshwr:
 
:groan: :good-bad::alarm:
@Reebok @IrishMike @Gingiebot @tiredwife @bball78 @Jozilla
Wednesday 30 July 2014
It had been an up/down and all around the circle kind of day
  • Before morning PT @9:15 am did about 3 minutes on the pedal floor bike to loosen up
  • Good session got to flexion on my own to about 95%
  • Rest, ice, elevate for 30 minutes and then 10 minute walk around the garden
  • Rest, ice, elevate 20 minutes snd then 10 minutes of bedside exercises
  • Lunch at 12:30 and short 10 minute walk
  • Valium and 2 Solpadiene at 1:30 pm
  • Second PT session at 2:50 for ten minutes concentrating on stretching snd flexion
  • Leg now very stiff and lead like
  • Short nap with leg iced & elevated
  • Two visitirs at 4:00 - short walk in garden with them , but leg stiff snd swollen
  • Tea time at 5:30 and 2 Solpediene
  • Rest, ice elevate until 7:30
  • Husband in and went for short 5 minute drive to get ice for the Cryo Cuff
  • Can hardly walk. Leg stiff, stiff , stiff
  • Settled in bed & waiting for night meds
Tomorrow is my 2 week post-op anniversary. Hoping that the corner is turning. Have to accept good and less good hours in terms of what my knee is telling me.
Can you ice & elevate too much ?
Should I be doing more than 3 ten minute walks each day ?
Any flexibility tips from fellow BoneSmarters?

Good night to all and to all a good night
 
You could probably be doing less than 3 ten minute walks a day. The fact that you can hardly walk at the end of the day is a clue. And you could be icing and elevating for longer stretches--maybe 30 mins-1 hour.
 
@marmora In my opinion you can't ice and elevate too much. If your leg is swelling you aren't elevating enough. Once your leg starts swelling and gets hurting it is telling to stop activity for awhile. A swollen leg won't bend or straighten very well. I think you are overdoing it. Your muscles and tissues are trying to heal, you need to let them.
 
Agree on you can't over do on icing and elevating.....as I learned with both my knees...."the knee is in charge"....

Patience is a virtue in TKR recovery!!!!!

Hang in there, you are doing quite well!'


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart®
 
I agree with the others , you cant ice too much , as I did so for 16 hours a day. Plus elevation ! I believe you may be doing just abit to much. Rest , rest , rest. Bonesmart mantra. However we are all guilty of ODIC. A good sign of over doing it , is increased swelling external and internal, which may result is decreased flexion. You are doing great ! Dont set yourself back by over doing it. You knee sustained serious trauma and needs rest. Light exercises only. And dont allow a therapist to manipulate your knee. Best of luck , Iceman
 
Day 14 post -op and getting there with a few little hiccups - mainly stiff & swollen leg only after sitting for approximately 30minutes at lunch and tea time and after playing Bridge for about 45 minutes this evening,

Any one have any tips to help with stiffness after sitting. ?

Thursday 31 July 2014 Update
  • Clips out after morning PT - didn't even feel them being removed.must be one the lucky ones that found it pain free. 41 clips removed and stri-strips applied & water proof dressing
  • Leg. & knee area feel less tight over the incision line.
  • Increasing flexion to approximate 95% and both the PT andI are happy with that. Practice up/ down stairs and don't think will be a problem when back at home next week.
  • Finding using the pedal floor bike really good to loosen the tightness in the knee using the 3/5 minutes three times per day. Will order one from Argos do that I can continue to use it at home.
  • Did not need any pain medication last night,although woke up to spend s penny at 1:30 & 4:30'am without pain- only to go to toilet any discomfort relievd by Iced Cryo cuff
  • Allowed to walk within the rehab facility with one cane, but suggested to use two canes when walking in the grounds & gardens
  • This is a bank Holiday or 4 day weekend in Irelsnd
  • Will only have PT in morning as they will close at 1pm on Friday and will reopen on Tuesdsy morning 5 August at 8;45 am
  • Will be responsible for my self directed PT programme over the weekend
  • Husband & I plan on 1-2 short excursions maybe to a local coffee shop ( although I am off coffee, tea & caffeine for 15 days) or walk near the sea to slowly get ready for re- entry to the real world when I am discharged on Wed 6 August.
  • Valium and 2 Solpeidine starting to hit, so will finish
  • Hope the intermittent stiff leg after sitting will sort itself out
  • :walking:
 
@marmora Yep, I finally got around to posting a photo. I hate being on that side of a camera.

Sorry, but stiffness will be around for awhile. AT 9 weeks now hubby still gets stiff when first standing up, but loosens after a few steps.

Wow, that is a lot of staples! Glad they are out.
 
You sound so good. Yes the stiffness lasts a while. I don't have any suggestions yet for that but at a couple months out I would put my heating pad on my thigh - not anywhere near the knee! It is a form of pain so make sure you take your meds. And one day you will not notice it anymore! Sweet Dreams!
 
@marmora Sounds like things are moving right along for you! I am only at day 10, but my knee sure gets stiff after sitting too. We eat in the dining room here at rehab, and by the time I get through with my meal, my knee is so stiff & hurting, I can barely get up and moving again! I do some gentle heel slides when I get back to my room & ice & elevate! The machine called NuStep is the best thing they have here for working thru knee stiffness. Also have numbness in my toes, but think that is due to a neuropathy problem I've got. So anxious for staples to be removed Aug. 5! They do hurt now!
 
:walking:Friday 1 August 2014 ( ? Where did July go ?)
@tiredwife @DianeJ @Jozilla
Just had morning PT with a 5 minute start on the floor pedal bike & getting full rotation. Then followed with my PT with stretching and flexion exercises for another 10 minutes. Now elevating, resting on bed & my 'can not do without' Cryo icy cuff on my knee. Will keep this on for 30-45 minutes and then get up and go for 5-10 minute indoor walk. As it's a bit drizzling outside. :chillpill:
So rest is the plan for the moment.
Hope you all have good day with less pain & more flexibility.
Catch up again later .
Cathie
 
@marmora

I sit for a living (accountant) so found the stiff knee an issue from day one.

At home
I would, when sitting, would lift my leg with my hands and gently let the leg swing (move) backwards and forwards every few minutes. This would help reduce some of the stiffness and also quietly help the flexion - as time goes on I would bend my leg further back.

At work
I have an office chair which you can raise or lower. I raise the seat a little higher than normal so that my leg can swing just above the floor. I then try to remember to gently swing my leg every now and then. I am swinging my leg as I write!

These are just suggestions and is dependent on how your knee feels but give it a go it might work.

Take care

Mike
 
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