Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

[lovetocookandsew]

Yea, my PT is wonderful. She hasn't tried to push ROM or that fake 6 week window of opportunity at me at all. She's amazed though that my quads are so good that I can lie flat on my back and lift my leg from the floor all the way up with no help or support. I don't know if that's really as unusual as she seems to think, or if she was being helpful and kind.....lol. I always leave my steri strips on until they fall off-usually from the shower. But if they are really slow I will help them along. All in all, today was a tiring day but a good day.

 

[tashia]

It sounds that both of you did great today. The first trip out of the house is scary. Getting the stables does hurt, My first knee had staples. Glad you both are now resting and taking a easy. did go out and went to a wonderful store just to look around, then lunch, then I went to a game store and found a game that I use to play when I was a very young kid. It was cool to have the game again. Well I think the heat is going to move in so need to get the fans up and running and my summer cloths out. Take a easy and make sure you both rest. Tashia and the Kids

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@tashia
Pumpkin went out today, not me. I had PT at my house as I'm not yet able to go out and I have zero stamina. I can make it to the end of my deck and back, before collapsing into bed shaking like a leaf. But it'll come. oh-tashia, check your inbox. Kim

 

[tashia]

I thought you went out of the house today also. I remember the first time getting out of the house was great but also scary because I didn't want to get hurt. I still am using the walker when I go out. Around the house I don't use the walker or cane. Feels great but when I go out I feel better with it. In a couple of weeks you will start feeling better. The old saying "The Knee is in Charge." Take care. Tashia

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Thanks again, and I love your advice. It's also nice to be reminded over and over as not only is there a ton to remember, but these meds kill my memory and I always forget something. Kim

 

[Pumpkin]

I sometimes write posts, but forget to post them, go back and wonder where is my post . I have become more mindful to post my replies.

 

[JustJeff]

I love my new Berg polar ice cube! I woke up from surgery with it on and then they told me that it was mine to keep. (Lovely parting gift, indeed! )
My wife finally r embed to buy 16 oz. Water bottles so I just popped 2 of them in for the first time. I had dissolving stitches and glue. I too well get to see my OS for the first time since surgery today.

Just go as fast as you can but don't push it. I learned real quick by being on here, the knees are in control and it's not a sprint, but the same finish line is there for all of us.

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[sleenie]

You guys all sound like you are doing great. I can't really complain too much but I do. My stapke came out last week and I have the ugly steri strips. Told me to let them fall off but they are getting ugly.

My biggest pain issue has been massive muscle spams. One time I ended up in ER the pain was so bad. I stopped the oxycodone completely and feel much better. Appetite back and no more massive spasms. (knock on wood)

Trying to make do with just Tylenol which so seems to work. Little swelling anymore.

My PT is patient. I think I would kick her out if she got too agressive.

Glad to hear you are getting out. Right now I'n stuck at home which I don't ind. Appt with PCP next week.

 

[Pumpkin]

Told me to let them fall off but they are getting ugly

When my OS started to take mine off yesterday, I said "they said to let them fall off". He said "they are coming off now". Whew, I agree, not sure what this let them fall off attitude is all about????
Seems to me two weeks max would be fine. Mine were on all of 5 days, and were barely hanging on.
Glad to hear things are looking up for you.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I've had a couple of fairly good days. First, I have been pretty constipated all week and weekend-never had that before even having had something like 15 surgeries all over my body. The meds weren't working so I tried a few others which didn't work. Finally found one that worked and cleaned out the clogs. Only problem is the constipation looks like it may have triggered diverticulitis, so I am likely to have to go have a CT scan and blood work tomorrow. But I'd rather do that and get the meds for it if it's positive, than suffer the consequences if we play wait and see.......Other than that, I'm walking better with my walker, I can lift my leg all the way up and back while lying down, with no help or support at all. I learned how to go up and down the outside steps at my house so I can finally go into my garage and off the deck into my garden... I looked at some pictures today of my leg pre-op and, while it's still swollen now, it's already noticeably less swollen than it was pre-op. Only bad thing was I slept through one of my am pain pills alarms and ended up in a lot of pain. But I finally caught up to it this afternoon. I'm more alert, but can't speak in a coherent sentence. I got my staples out yesterday-it hurt like the dickens but they're out! And I get a shower tomorrow. I'm sure everyone around me is thankful to her for taking them out. Now I'll smell like a . Oh, btw, for all you stapled ones out there, if anyone tells you it doesn't hurt, they might be right. But then again,it might hurt like a son-of-a-gun. I know what it feels like for me every time so I timed my pain pills at the right time and had my knee on ice when she got here. I have officially passed the stage of wondering if I lost my sanity when I agreed to this and am now at the, "of course this was the best thing to do" stage. But I am not just patting myself on the back for doing it, I'm mostly patting all you wonderful people here at Bonesmart on your backs for helping me see the light, and thanking you from the bottom of my heart for all your care, concern, patience and advice.

 

[Pumpkin]

Like you I have had and continue to have problems with constipation,. Sorry to hear you also have to deal with diverticuitis, and dealing with a CT scan tomorrow, .
Glad to hear you are able to go and sit in your garden, and enjoy the spring weather.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I'm wondering about using an exercise peddler. I have my CPM for another week or so. I could probably keep it longer if I feel like I want it, I'm sure my PT would authorize it past the usual 3 weeks. Or maybe it's better to let it go and go to something else. Although I know there are studies that say it doesn't do anything long term, I still like it. It helps keep my knee loose, and it also helps, on days when my knee feels fat, to get it going before doing the other stuff. I also like the way I can ice it while in the CPM-gentle moving combined with ice feels so nice.........;) I'm thinking about getting an exercise peddler. When's the best time to start using one of those, how many times a day and for how long each time?

I'm also wondering how to measure my own progress in the coming weeks. I want to strike a good balance between not doing enough and doing way too much, ending up at what's just right for me. Is ROM a good yardstick at all? While my PT does measure my ROM, she doesn't push me to be at any specific number, which I love. I know that my knee is dictating what I do, but I also want to make sure not to baby myself too much-just as much as is good for me . I've read and re-read the stuff here a lot, and know that everyone's recovery is different. I think, knowing my tendencies, I want to make sure I don't go slower than my knee wants me to, nor faster. I have PT coming to my house for another week at least, maybe 2 more weeks, but when she's gone, I go to the facility for PT, and may end up with a PT who pushes too hard or doesn't push enough (although I find the latter hard to believe in my experience...lol). I want to make sure I keep on top of everything, so knowing how to measure my progress is important. I'm sure I'll get some replies with answers that should be obvious to me but I can't answer it myself right now so thought I'd ask and blame it on the drugs..

 

[Celle]

I think you're doing just fine. I'm glad you felt that the CPM machine helped - people either love it or hate it. There's probably no need to keep it any longer. Just continue to do gentle exercises without it. Gentle bends and stretches and walking around the house are all that you need now and your out-patient physio (PT) will have extra equipment when you go there, if you need it.

You're right to consider that the new PT might want to push you too much. Just lay down your rules from the start - above all, nothing to be done that causes pain or irritates the knee.

If you do too much, your knee will let you know, by hurting more and getting more swollen. As long as you keep moving around the house, it's difficult to do too little for it. Walking is really the best exercise of all.

ROM is one way of judging progress - you hope to keep improving slowly. But function is also important. If your knee starts to feel less sore, is less swollen and you feel you can generally do more with it, then you are making excellent progress.

No need to worry about being too lazy! I was one of the world's worst at doing formal exercises. I just slowly picked up my usual daily activities, walked around the garden, then up the path, then up the street. I had a sterling recovery and now, 2+ years later, my TKR knee is just fine. I can do everything I want with it, it never aches, and I hardly even think about it. It's become my "good" knee, as the other knee now needs replacing.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Had a rough day yesterday and ended up in the ER for most of it. But everything is okay and I'm much better today. I even took my very first shower! Sponge bathing and hair shampooing at the sink are okay but the real thing is so much better. I couldn't take a shower until 48 hours after my staples came out, which was Friday, but instead of showering I visited my old haunt-the ER...lol. So finally took that shower today-boy o boy did it feel nice! I had PT at home scheduled for yesterday-we only got a few minutes into it when she got really concerned about my pulse racing-it would double after 10 feet of walking-and I was having a hard time breathing, plus I was shaking like a leaf. As soon as I would lie back down everything would slowly return to normal, so she called my doctor after it happened three times. He had me sent to the ER, I had a ton of tests, and everything was good. No clue why that was happening after all the tests were negative (thank God) -it slowly went away today finally, but it was a pain. I sure am glad I have a lot of caring professionals around to take care of me. But my PT did have a chance to measure my ROM before all that started and it's up to 100. I also have, and have had, my quads working well-I could lift my leg straight up and down while lying flat, without any help or support, at the first part of the week, so I'm making progress. The hardest thing for me right now are the heel slides and knee bends. I feel like I have a fat knee and it's stiff so that'll come easier later as my knee swelling goes down. I've been able to cut out the Tramadol, and only need the Dilaudid now-but if needed I will use the Tramadol for pain if the Dilaudid doesn't cover it all sometimes. All in all, things are looking up. Kim

 

[JustJeff]

Kim, I always believed that attitude was half the battle, and you have huge reserves of it! Keep fighting! Measure your progress milestone by milestone and you'll be fine!

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[Jozilla]

Wow what a scary thing. I am so glad everything is fine. I think this surgery does weird things to our bodies. Hope you have a chance to rest up for a few days. I think you need it. Please take care!

 

[bottomshollow]

Trip to the ER

-----first shower post surgery

That makes for a mighty busy start to your week-end, @lovetocookandsew!

Happy to hear that all your test were negative and that you're fine. And I know that shower was like dying and going to heaven---who would have thought something as simple as a shower could be sooooo GREAT!


You said, "I feel like I have a fat knee...

"---- well, it is fat because it's swollen and tight. It's to be expected at barely 2 weeks post op. Just elevate and ice, elevate and ice, and elevate and ice some more.

Take care of yourself and keep us posted. We care.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Thanks everyone. It was a strange start to the weekend all right, but I sure am glad it ended well. You are right, @bottomshollow , I have a fat knee, but at least I have a matched set.....fat knee and fat head.... I am icing, I just wish I could think of a way to keep ice on all night. It gets warm as the night goes on, I wish it would stay colder a lot longer. I can't believe nearly 3 weeks have passed-it seems just yesterday I was stressing over having the surgery. And now I'm past the surgery, my staples are out, I can shower, I can get around my house, I will soon transition to a cane from the walker, and best of all, the Giants are 19-11....

 

[Jozilla]

Keep up with that positive attitude! You really are making great progress!

 

[Pumpkin]

Sorry to hear about the ER, and glad everything is OK.
You are doing great, making progress every day.
WOW I cannot believe that three weeks has almost past since our surgeries. We have come a long way!