Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

[newlybionic]

While my revision has been much better as far as less pain and how well my range of motion is doing, I definitely feel that sense of tiredness. If I try to do a few errands one day then I'm down for the count as far as exhaustion. It takes a couple of days to get going again.

We had those babies when we were just a couple of years younger too!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

more than a couple of years ago indeed............

 

[CaliGirl]

Oh, that tiredness! Just taking a shower and getting dressed is an amazing effort. Blow drying? Yeah, not happening. I just don't have the energy for that yet.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I hear you! I just washed my hair and am now totally out of breath and shaking like a leaf! Thought about blow drying it and decided it's not worth the pain and exhaustion it'll cause. Good news is I get these lame PICO unit thingies off today when the PT gets here! The batteries on them died yesterday (thank God-their incessant buzzing was making me crazy and they about gave me a heart attack every time they started the loud buzzing, especially if I was asleep). I'll get a new dressing also, which I'm hoping will be thinner than the current one so as to be able to feel the cold from the ice machine better. I haven't been able to take a shower yet-and I'm not sure if I'll get to after he changes the dressings, but at least I can wash my hair and give myself a sponge bath if I'm still not allowed to shower. I hate this stage of recovery-I have too much pain still to drop the dosage of pain meds, but hate not being able to keep my eyes open even if I'm sitting up. I have yet to watch a show without dropping off and having to replay it over and over...........lol. But I did manage to wake to my 3 am alarm and take my meds instead of sleeping through it so I didn't wake in a lot of pain this morning as I did yesterday.

 

[Celle]

Hang in there! Things are going to get better.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Wow-the PT changed all my bandages and wraps today. Then I turned on the ice machine and what a huge difference! There's very little between the machine and my knee now-just the gauze bandage over the wound and an ace bandage and the cold is wonderful!

 

[newlybionic]

That cold feels wonderful doesn't it? I'm happy your free from those pumps too. Now relax and enjoy the cold. I hope you can get some sleep tonight since it's nice and quiet now.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

 

[lovetocookandsew]

This is a bummer......when the PT came a couple of days ago, I could barely get out of bed and needed to use my leg lifter both to get out and back in. I couldn't lift my leg at all, and was barely able to walk with the walker. I expected that as it's still very early. However, today when he came, I shocked the heck out of him when he said we'd do a little walking first, and I quite easily slid out of bed with no help. His comment was, "Well look at you". Then as I started to walk, he was again shocked as I walked down the hallway with almost no effort. He had me try my cane and that was pretty smooth too. Then, to top it all off, I really shocked the heck out of him by getting back in bed by myself with no leg lifter and then quite easily did some leg lifts without any assistance. (for fun I lifted my leg really high one time.....just because....lol) He was floored. He told me he doesn't do mid-week progress reports since there's not usually much progress in just a couple of days. But he said he had to write one today because there was so much progress that he had no choice. He also said I could use the cane for short jaunts to the bathroom since I was doing so much better. (Oh, and I hadn't done any exercises at all between his visits except some walking and some easy heel slides). I attribute my progress to the BoneSmart mantra of resting, elevating and icing, little to no exercise and almost constant icing on the machine!)
Thanks, @Josephine !

Anyway, here's the bummer...my OS emailed me this evening and said no to the cane. I have to use the walker only, and he said use the walker for "some walking" for 2-3 more weeks, then begin a transition to the cane. So he wants me resting, elevating and icing a lot and doing some walking with the walker only. I'm not the energizer bunny in any way shape or form, and still have no energy or stamina, but was glad to hear I could use the cane in place of the heavy bulky walker for a short jaunt to the restroom. Oh well, I guess it's for the good of my knee......sigh.

I'm still in a lot of pain so have to take the max dose of Dilaudid every time; for breakthrough pain he told me to ice more and use NSAIDS. (I know everyone here prefers Tylenol but Tylenol doesn't do anything for pain in my body). It's a trade off-if I use enough pain meds I sleep all day, if I don't I'm in too much pain; so sleep it is.

 

[Josephine]

I attribute my progress to the BoneSmart mantra of resting, elevating and icing, little to no exercise and almost constant icing on the machine!)
Thanks, @Josephine !

You are entirely welcome! And FWIW, I was also gobsmacked!

Anyway, here's the bummer...my OS emailed me this evening and said no to the cane. I have to use the walker only, and he said use the walker for "some walking" for 2-3 more weeks, then begin a transition to the cane. So he wants me resting, elevating and icing a lot and doing some walking with the walker only. Oh well, I guess it's for the good of my knee......sigh.

Given what you've had done and when, I entirely agree with him. After all, you're only 10 days out!

 

[KarriB]

Kim, I wasn't allowed to even bend for a month. I was permitted to use a cane, but no bending and only necessary walking. I get the necessity of showing off the straight leg raises! I did that also to my rehab PTs while wearing the imbolizer.

I'm sure you are hoping this does the trick and you don't have to go through another surgery.

 

[newlybionic]

That's wonderful that you are doing so well. I hope you don't need any further surgery and your on your way to a complete recovery.

 

[waitingtogarden]

Progress is wonderful, isn't it. Just knowing you can use the cane is great. I think your OS wants the can may be you pain meds. They can make us clumsy and prone to losing or balance. Better safe than sorry.


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[Pumpkin]

Stick with the walker, the sooner you will be driving back up to the Lake.

 

[CaliGirl]

Congratulations on your progress. Being able to lift your leg really feels great, doesn't it?

I'm nearly 4 weeks out, and am just transitioning to a cane today - with the requirement that I still use the walker when first getting out of bed, middle of the night trips to the bathroom, etc. Definitely better safe than sorry.

I can truly sympathize with the pain meds knocking you out. Take the meds, control the pain, sleep, and heal now, so you're better and stronger sooner. They don't give any awards for needlessly enduring pain. Yesterday evening I woke up in my recliner and the TV show I'd been watching was paused. My lovely daughter had heard me saying that I dozed off so often that I missed the ending to a bunch of shows. She saw I was asleep, so she paused the show for me, so I could watch the end.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Thanks for all the care and support everyone! I know you're all right, and my OS is doing what's in my best interest, so my walker and I are glued at the hip for now...Here's my knee right after removing the bandages for the first time yesterday. Pretty ugly, I'd say.

 

[Celle]

Oh, that wound looks as if it's going to be fine. All the lines your surgeon had drawn are lined up beautifully, so your skin is all back exactly where it should be.

Keep up with the ice, rest, elevation and medication and you'll do well.

 

[skigirl]

Right now while you are taking Dilaudid, the walker is probably safer if you are dizzy at times.

I, however, have a small house and I found that I had to carry the walker around with me---it would not fit around the corners!! So I used it for exactly one day and then gave it back. I found that crutches worked a lot better in a small house and they were much lighter than dragging the stupid walker around with me. Crutches are more stable than a cane---which I never used. I used the crutches for two weeks and then just walked away.

Use what works for you best---taking into consideration the size of your house and the ability to use a walker vs carrying it around.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Celle Thank-you so much-I was really worried it would look awful, so I'm glad to hear your positive feedback! I'm hoping when he did the surgery, he made it so the keloids are gone for good.

@skigirl My house is also tiny, and carpeted, so it's really hard to maneuver, especially this over-sized cumbersome one with forearm supports. I can get it around corners, but it's easy to catch it going from flooring to carpeting and vice-versa so I need to be extra careful. Since I had the carpal tunnel release at the same time, I can only use a walker until he lets me use a cane as I can't put any weight on or lift any weight with the left hand. Plus, crutches and I are bitter enemies-they like to throw me and I like to hang on for dear life......lol. I am clueless as to why I tend to easily fall with crutches, I just know I'm never stable with them.

 

[Celle]

Kim, the scar on my right knee is the result of two surgeries - a PKR and then a revision to a TKR. The surgeon followed the original incision line for the second surgery. While my scar is a little wider in a few places, it isn't ugly. I hope yours ends up looking OK, too.