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TKR Lovetoread's Recovery Thread---She is home already!

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I'm worried about her, too! She posted up to the evening before her surgery and wasn't sure if there would be decent wifi at her hospital. She could have come home last Friday, I think. Wish we knew her address and you could run over and check up on her! She could live just down the street from you for all we know!

IT is the iliotibial band. It's a thick band of tissue on the outside of the knee. It's a fairly common problem with runners and with people rehabbing after TKR. My knee recovery has been rather easy (other than my low back....the knee was doing great!) so I guess it's just something I have to deal with for a bit. I'm hoping since I complained about it early, I can get a jump on the rehab for it. Not a big deal, but just one more thing, you know?
 
Carolina girl said:
I am still eating in the recliner. I read Karin Slaughter's "Unseen". This is the twelfth book in a series with some of the same characters. They are set in the Atlanta area. Be sure to start with the first one, "Blindsighted".
I am finding I am very tired at night. I am still getting up every four hours to take meds.
Click to expand...
O my goodness another Karin Slaughter fan. i absolutely LOVE her books. Like you I started from the beginning and read each each one in sequence. I was DEVASTATED when SarahS Husband died. REALLY I WAS. Its so interesting when you follow the characters lives in each book. Her novels can be quite dark sometimes. I lent some to a friend of mine who was horrified at the story lines. Not me. i cant get enough. Carolina girl
 
Lovestoread I had major issues with an IT band prior to my BTKR. you may want to read my thread in the pre op forum "Rolling pin for IT band" I tried lots of different treatments but I don't think you should try the rolling pin if it's on your operated leg. The taping was good though. I asked my PT about it and he agreed to give it a go.
Wanda
 
Thanks My Way! Good information! It is my newly-operated leg, so maybe I'll hold off on the rolling pin for now. It the tape you're talking about the same as kenisiotape? (I don't think I spelled that right, but a therapist I used a few years ago used that tape one me and it worked well)
 
Hi, My PT used a different tape. It was put on in two layers and seemed to have a lot more support than the KT tap. I can't spell it either.:rotfl: I'm not really sure what helped mine but something worked,rolling pin. pressure points, shoes? It has been niggling for the last few days so I'm saying SSShhhh SSShhhh not now and I show it the rolling pin.:snork: Not that I can use it at this point.
When I mentioned it was acting up my poor innocent husband asked if I needed him to get the pin!:yikes: I was only 10 days post op then. I'd use it alright on his head.:loll:
Wanda
 
Wanda you crack me up! So maybe if I just show my leg the dreaded Rolling pin, it might start feeling better?? I might try it! :happydance: :happydance:
 
Therapist used the "joy" stick on me today! Can you say "painful"??? Hubby used the rolling pin on me last night, but apparently was way too easy on me. Seriously, she did stop when I told her or and gave me some more exercises to do. Even though I had PT yesterday (usually its every other day, this was the only time I go two days in a row) there was still a little more progress today...2 degrees better on that pesky extension!
 
Thanks for your concern Lexie's and Love's. Homewood is back!
First time to catch up on your thread. It's been hard to have the energy to want to do too much, but today has been better. So sorry to hear about your low back pain. I too have low back problems (Lena Lamont voice - "Doesn't Ivrybody?") but so far, I've been blest on that end (Freudian slip?) I do however have a random cramp in my (Forrest Gump's voice ) buttocks.
I don't think I could be facing surgery on the other knee as soon as you are even though I've done well so far. I will certainly send many positive vibes your way for your extension.
 
Hi:

You have me intriqued by minimally invasive surgery and have been doing some reading about it and it sounds wonderful. However, I have read that it is not always recommended for overweight patients, do you know anything about this? Thanks any info. would be helpful if I did have it done I would definitely go to Rush
 
Lexismom

Rush would know after a consultation whether or not you are a candidate for the surgery and not all patients are. I don't believe it can be done where the legs are extremely bowed or there is a great deal of damage to underlying bone structures. Weight might also be an issue. MITKR is NOT Common at all. I would only use a surgeon who has done 100+ of them. Most OS's don't want to do the procedure because it does take longer and is more difficult for them to do. It also requires more training which some seem unwilling to do. I live between two cities, Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL and none of the surgeons in those cities will do it. I interviewed 4 surgeons and 3 physical therapists before deciding on my OS who is here in Fairhope, AL and has been doing these for over 10 years. Two of his partners do them as well. However, the end result is no different whether you have the traditional TKR or the MITKR. Benefits of the MITKR are in the short term only and studies further back than 2004 have shown this to be conclusively true. While it's worth looking into, and most definetly was perfect for me, just remember that in the end, you will still have a wonderful new knee even if your scar is bigger the traditional way.

I do disagree with Rush sending patients home on the day of surgery. I think you NEED to be in the hospital at least overnight with the ankle/foot pumping device on which helps to prevent blood clots. Also, the IV medications in the hospital get you off to a better start. I was ready to go home two days later, but not the day of surgery. Good luck!
 
I think there is still some confusion about what " minimally- invasive " actually means. I had the Verilast knee with Legion technology installed two weeks ago. Mine was quad- sparing but due to the size of my knee I ended up with a rather long incision. I am thrilled and excited to say that has not bothered me at all. I am making very good progress two weeks out and have had very little pain thanks to icing , elevation and taking meds with the clock.
 
I found the minimally invasive, quad-sparing TKR perfect for me. I'm off work for the summer, and this way of doing it fit my schedule perfectly. Not everyone is able to take months off work, and I'm one of those people. I would no doubt have to quit my job, something I am unable to do. I'll be honest and say that if I could help it, I would rather not have an 8-10 inch scar. I admit I'm vain, but then again, I don't really wear shorts any more, so it's not a deal breaker. If I had to have a longer scar I would have managed just fine. I understand the main plus of this surgery is the shortened recovery....it's still major surgery and the end result is the same.

I think a misconception of the type of surgery I had is that everyone goes home the same day. I was asked ahead of time if I wanted to spend the night. Those who opt for going home are scheduled for earlier in the day. I could have changed my mind at any time. I believe if they thought I would be in danger of being discharged so soon, they would not have let me go. Perhaps because I was fully ambulatory, having gone up and down a flight of stairs and up and down the hospital hallway, there was less chance of blood clots. Just making an assumption there. Once home to my two-story house, I made the trip up and down couple of times that day and every day after that. I got up and showered the next morning and had home PT and a visit from a nurse that day. The nurse came every other day for two weeks, as did the therapist.

As for pain, it was truly minimal. I even told the nurse yesterday that the TKR was no more painful than my arthroscopic surgeries had been. She said they hear that often, and that some say it was less painful than arthroscopy.

There are so many types of TKR 's done these days. I guess we just all have to do plenty of research and make an informed decision based on what we know. I'm assuming just about everyone is pleased with their experiences and are glad to have it done. In the end, that's what matters.
 
I think it's fabulous that you were able to do what you did. As far as the scar, I don't really care anymore. I've never had beautiful legs even when I was young and skinny. The heartbreak of heredity gave all the women in my father's side of the family (and all the men) box ankles, big calves and huge thighs. A scar or two won't really matter. I wear shorts because they are comfortable, and if people don't want to see my scar, they shouldn't look.

I don't think I could be looking at additional surgery as soon as you are though. My anesthesiologist is all over wanting me to have my left one done in October. Not happening. However, I wish you the very best!
 
You're barely a week out....you may change your mind once you see how great your new knee feels!
 
Ok, so yesterday after I did my "knee hanging off the side of the bed" stretch, I decided I would do a few stretches for my aching lower back. Since I was already on the bed, I got on my knees and did the "cat stretch" and boy, did it feel good. Didn't dawn on me until later that I had actually kneeled on my new knee! It is a Tempurpedic memory foam bed, so maybe it was softer than most. I did it again later and again this morning and it felt fine. Is this ok to do???
 
I guess if it didn't hurt, it's OK, but I would definitely be worried. Of course, I've a little less time than you.
 
I'd ask your OS and PT. My guess is that if it doesn't hurt (more importantly, if it's still okay 24 hrs later), kneeling on 8-10" of memory foam is okay.
 
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