Oh! Thank you all for such quick and caring replies! My eyes are filled with tears. I feel like I just received a huge hug! (May sound a bit silly, but it is amazing how alone one can feel after a surgery. The emotions go haywire!) I am truely appreciative that someone cares! (My poor husband has had to listen to all the whing and I feel so sorry for him!
I just got off the phone w/ my OS office and am going in @ 2:30 today to address the pain and leg length issue. Next appointment wasn't until July 2nd. Although I realize there can still be significant pain @ 6 weeks for some people, this just doesn't feel right.
Let's see if I can be a bit more specific:
I am 52, have psoriatic arthritis in both knees and hands. Legs were straight. Not much pain with walking. But could not get up my stairs. (Live in a tri-level!) Knees would give out when bending or trying to get up from kneeling down. Been getting worse over the last 5 years and GP kept telling me no big deal, just exercise more! Grrr! I finally went to OS and the xray confirmed I was now bone-on-bone w/ both. Did maximum cortisone injections into joints until I was told there are no other options. Did all my research, waited til I could get the nerve up and finally scheduled after 6 months.
TKR 5-5-09 in hospital 4 days. Pain became unbearable, relentless on 3rd day. I just laid and cried all day. The nurses seem to be rather "casual" about it, but did get meds changed several times. I was on so many different meds I couldn't keep up. I like to be on top of things and know what exactly I am taking and how often, but I was just too miserable to care. I just wanted relief. On the 4th day I was discharged. I remember them telling me my hemoglobin was off and they may have to give me some blood, but the next thing I knew they were sending me home that evening. I don't really recall the docs or nurses examing my surgery site much at all. I recall one nurse just lifting a tiny corner of the bandage and peeking.
Less than 24 hrs. after being discharged we were meeting my OS in the ER. The pain had become the absolute worst ever (Couldn't even stand if someone breathed on it! That much movement made me cry!) my husband and I examed the site., I lifted the bandage ! Low and behold it was angry red! The red was almost all to the right of the incision -about the size of the palm of a hand. (Very tiny amount of pus on bandage thankfully) The leg appeared to be now swollen 3x's the size of the first day! How they didn't notice this before I was discharged is beyond me! My tears and pain level should have been a clue. OS took one look and just said "Yup looks like an infection and put me on oral antibiotics and sent me home. SO it appeared the infection set me back. I had in home PT and that went slow. She was not very good. WOuld often leave after 10 min. . I called to be schedule for out-of-home therapy and am now much happier w/ therapist. SHe is attenetive, aggressive w/out letting me suffer, but is determmned to see me improve. (The other one was just collecting a paycheck!) For the most part I have done all my exercises since surgery. Sometimes due to pain I slack off. I know that is a no-no! I also am so afraid to take too much pain meds and be left with not enough. (Vicodin ES 7.5-750mg) I'm not sure just how long they will keep refilling meds. My bottle says to take 1-2 ev 6-8 hrs prn. I usually average 4-6 in a 24 hr period. I also take Ambien CR at bedtime. (Prior to surgery I took 2-3 Vicodin a day and the Ambien CR.)
As I stated PT is ok except the flexion part and when relaxing the muscle after holding w/ tightening exercises. Then I want to go through the roof! And as the PT was teaching me to walk correctly I cried with each step on bad leg. Same pain. IT's all in that same spot where the infection was. I could walk "my way" and avoid the pain, but I know it would cause future probs. So I am back to using the cane and trying my best to do as instructed. But the real problem may lie in the fact that my leg length appears to be off almost 1/4 to half inch. SHe said my pevis is definitley tilted. I could feel it a few weeks ago when I tried standing w/ even weight on both legs. But my husnband thought I was being silly. I had mentioned to PT before but she didn't seem to address it as a problem at the time. Yesterday she addressed because it was extremely noticeable. She had me put one shoe back on and the I was even and it seem to help the pain a slight bit. She suggested a heel insert. But wait! WHat the heck is going on here? WHat caused this and isn't this going to cause major issues with my other knee? Which by the way is now getting to be miserable to the point of having to schedule that surgery. (BUt I DO NOT want to do this AGAIN! It was too much pain!) ANd mind you, I have had ver 13 various operations over the last 20 years (mostly abdominal, but this knee pain was THE WORST!)
OK I have rambled :rant: on and on, but that's what happens when your coffee kicks in, your in pain, and your nervous. ANd I wanted to make sure I explained everything. (Which I prob left out SOMETHING!)I guess I will find out today where exactly the leg difference has been created. Ad do you think if the doc made a mistake :skp: somehow, will he be truthful about what is going on? I guess I am worried he put in too long of an appliance for my leg ... and that is what is causing the opain. I know, I know! Calm down and wait and see what the exam shows ... then PANIC!:pnc: