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TKR LindaO's second verse - Both Knees Done Now<

@knee53 youve found the right place to seek advise. I've asked a moderator to help you set yourself up here and get you the awesome information on how to do TKR recovery the BoneSmart way. All I'll say is that the mantras work. If you follow the mantras your pain should not be unmanageable. Good luck to you.
 
Well the swelling has improved a lot! Even though there is still a lot there, it isn't as painful as it was. Really trying to keep it elevated and will work on that this weekend as well. So off I go to ice and elevate!
 
You're improving nicely! Great that the swelling is coming down. That will bring your pain level down, too.
 
:cheers: Here's to ice and elevation. Still doing it (not as much of course) but it is the non drug of choice.
You're doing well and you will continue to get better every week.
 
Hi Linda! Glad to hear you are feeling better. It takes a few days but icing and elevating does work!


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Hi Linda, I wanted to check and see how you are doing. I hope the ice and elevation is helping! I feel like I've tried several different ice strategies. I have the machine but find the sleeve doesn't fit my knee very well. It's a little big and it doesn't adjust well and I have places I can out fingers in and it isn't even close to my knee. I made the ice bags recommended on here and they were pretty amazing. That's the alcohol and water mixture. They were actually so cold that I had to out a light blanket in between knee and bag. I also sprung leaks a couple of times even with double bagging. My latest attempt was I ordered off Amazon what they use in PT on me. I got two of them so one is always ready to go. They were only $21 apiece and well worth that not to hassle with leaks, etc. if you want info on what I got I will post. I think you are doing your second knee later in May, is that right? My right knee is May 3. Hang in there.
 
I created some ice packs but instead of double bagging, I used the seal a meal bag which seems a little stronger with less chance of leaking. We were also given a nice knee wrap with 2 gel ice packs and 2 extra to always be ready. That has been awesome! Yes, good Lord willing, my 2nd knee will be May 22. Betticu, your May 3rd date is coming up soon!
 
I tried the alcohol and water mixture at first, but the bags sweated so bad, I gave them up and went to the cold water circulating machine. I also kept gel packs in the freezer along with frozen bottles of water for the machine. Whenever I needed ice, it was there! Amazon had some clay cold/hot packs, but they were too heavy for a new surgical knee. After a few months, I could use them and they stayed cold for hours.
 
Enjoy your ice and elevation Linda. It sounds like you have turned a corner! :yahoo:
Try to stay out of the IODIC that will be your next challenge!:ice:
 
Ice and lots of it has been my go to relief. Better than any pain killer.

Good luck too you seems like it's going well
 
After 3 weeks, finally got my bandage off! Incision looks really nice with no staples used! OS was pleased with everything except my flexion. He said if I am not at 120 degrees flexion by next visit (May 17th), he will not do the other knee which is scheduled for May 22nd. So I guess the next few weeks will be pushing to get from 90degrees to 120! I must have faith that I can do it! Wish me luck!
 
Linda, be careful to not overdo that push for ROM. The last thing you need is to have spend 3 or 4 days icing because you made your knee mad. Slow and steady, slow and steady. I will say that I saw a lot of difference between weeks 3 and 5. In the last week, both my flexion and extension feel better. I am not measuring because I'm no longer going to PT, but I can just feel that I can do more every day.
 
Wonderful that you don't have staples or stitches to be removed. That is a good step to skip! I had 35 staples and 34 hurt coming out! Of course, it was almost 3 weeks and my skin had grown over them. I think your doctor feels that your new knee might not be able to take over when your old one is replaced. But, to me 90* sounds good!
 
LindaO said:
OS was pleased with everything except my flexion. He said if I am not at 120 degrees flexion by next visit (May 17th), he will not do the other knee which is scheduled for May 22nd. So I guess the next few weeks will be pushing to get from 90 degrees to 120!
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Linda, it's a great pity your surgeon has that attitude. He's expecting a ROM of 120 by about 6 weeks, which is far earlier than necessary. My surgeon only expects 90 degrees by that stage and you're already there.

Now, don't go furiously exercising in an attempt to increase your ROM, because that will have the opposite effect. Over-exercising will just upset your healing tissues, making them inflamed and more swollen, which will decrease your ROM, not increase it.

Just keep treating your knee gently and, if anything, increase the amount of time you spend icing and elevating it. That will help to decrease the residual swelling and so will help increase your ROM.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.
 
Linda, just remember that old saying, "dance with the one that brung ya". Think about what got you to 90 and just keep on that path. As long as the swelling stays down you'll have ROM. I agree with Celle, 120 at 6 weeks is unrealistic.
 
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Ugh, I'm sorry you have that added stress and pressure. Just keep icing and elevating and gently sliding that knee. Don't push too hard.
 
Thank you all for your comments...my OS was wanting me about 110* yesterday much less 6 weeks! I am icing and elevating several times a day and I can only do what my knee will allow me to do so we will see how far I progress and if I am not where he wants me before the second knee surgery, then it just wasn't meant to be!
 
That is a really good attitude, LindaO. It will happen when the time is right!
 
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