TKR Lt. knee done and now so is the Right. Recovery here I come.

[Toothfairy]

Hi Lee,
Hope you get to meet your PT person soon. Waiting and wondering is horrid.
Fingers crossed it is someone you can get on well with.
Take it easy while you are home alone,
Hugs Toothfairy x

 

[leejaa]

I am never good at waiting and especially not now but I guess it is the start of practicing patience again. Thank you for your kind words.

 

[Redbird]

Hey Leejaa,
Finally found your post. How are you doing? Sounds like you are in a good hospital . Can't wait to hear more news from you!
Just me, Linda

 

[leejaa]

Well, met my home PT Paula - she will be fine- believes in the slow and easy progress without pain and lots of ice and elevation. I feel relieved that we will be on the same page for my recovery. I will have in home PT 2x per week since she says I am right on track - my flexion is around 65 and she was not concerned about it. My extension was within 2 degrees and even 0 when I tightened my quads slightly. I am not worried about my numbers and will continue on getting the swelling down and the staples out. She left me a list of exercises- light stretching mainly and advised to do 2x/day. Having a hard time typing since my cat decided it was time to sit in my chest and get pets- very nice and restful.

 

[Toothfairy]

Great news Lee, that all sounds really positive.
It is so important to have someone you can relate to especially when they are coming into your home.
Sounds like she has been reading up,on the Bonesmart philosophy.
Take it easy and keep those stretches gentle.
Hugs Toothfairy x

 

[Redbird]

Hi Leejaa,
Good news slow and easy sounds good to me. Your cat is just letting you know she feels your pain! You go to love them! Hope you are doing ok , my staples come out tomorrow, yea! Take care and if you want to talk I'm right trying to recuperate.
Just me, Linda

 

[leejaa]

Doing OK all day, but now pain increased so took my scheduled meds. The silly network was out all day so could not get on my favorite site. Visiting nurse stopped by today, changed the dressing-well gave me pads to change the dressing -it looks good - no redness and no drainage. Plan is to have sutures out Monday and then one more visit from her and probably that is all if my suture looks good.

 

[Redbird]

Hi Leejaa,
That sounds great! Glad to hear you are doing ok! My staples come out tomorrow can't wait and than stationary bike here I come! I am now on one Percocet at night time so I can sleep better. Good to hear from you !
Just me, Linda

 

[leejaa]

I am glad you are doing so well. Looking forward to hearing about the bike ride. I am going to try to take a shower tomorrow if feeling up to it. Have a peaceful night. Lee

 

[leejaa]

Well, had my first shower - so lovely to feel really clean. Had a bad bout of constipation Mon and into Tues - Senekot alone was not doing it- took a dose of Miralax yesterday afternoon and that might have helped as well as all the grapes and oranges I ate and many salads. Today, all is OK but continuing with the oranges, salads and grapes and also trying to drink more so that I do not have this again. Well, my PT is here so will write more later.

 

[Redbird]

Het Leejaa,
Pain meds you got to love them for what they do but hate the side effects! I had that darn constipation too yuck! doing better now and hope you are too! Finally did it rode the stationary bike slow and easy , I surprised myself ! Hope you are doing ok let us know!
Just me, Linda

 

[ditzy dinah]

Sounds as if all is going well, good stuff! Yes it is a constant battle with the constipation isn't it? I am taking fibre capsules, but it isn't doing much...am scared to take more drastic stuff as I don't want cramps!

 

[leejaa]

I had been eating fruit but added salads to each lunch and dinner and besides grapes - added oranges. Also, make sure you are drinking a lot- I tend not to be a good drinker so had to set up some bottles to make sure I would drink enough.

Redbird- awesome that you got on the bike-- congratulations.

 

[Redbird]

Lee,
Yes I got on the bike myOS said yesterday that I'm two weeks a head of schedule, I ice a lot! I hope our trip to Maryland doesn't set me back. I have to back to work in three weeks yikes! Oh well better to be thankful for a job. Snow birds will be here before we know it! Keep up with the fruits and salads I love them as well! Take care!
Just me, Linda

 

[ditzy dinah]

Good advice leeja. I have been eating lots of apples, but could do with more fruit and salads. Trouble is my hubby is a meat, potatoes and bread man, so my diet has changed over the last couple of weeks. Normally we eat differently from each other a few days a week to reflect our different tastes. But I am trying to just go with the flow and relax! I am looking forward to getting back to cooking, but I know this must be gradual as it involves a lot of standing, and I am as yet too tired.
Going back to work in 3 weeks Linda? But you will only be 5weeks post op then. Surely that is way too soo? I can't imagine doing that! How many hours?

 

[Redbird]

Ditzy,
I'm a medial asst so it is a lot of getting up and down eight hour day. But that won't be for another three weeks. I'm doing great I' m just worried that the trip to Maryland is going to set me back. Tomorrow I' m planning on getting in the hot tub and pool I think that will help. Do you think support hose to the knee on the trip will be ok? Just would like about imput. Thank you.
Just me, Linda

 

[ditzy dinah]

Hi Linda, well presumably you went back to work so soon after having your left knee done? So you have the experience of that. As for the ted stockings, I have been told to wear them for 4 weeks, and you will still be within that post op period, so were if me, I would definitely wear them, ugly as they are, still a nice pair of trousers will cover them up! I have the knee high ones as seems to be common here, whereas most of our stateside friends tend to have the thigh high ones. Last night I spent my first night sleeping without them on, and that was bliss. As you are doing the journey slowly with plenty of opportunity for getting out of the car and having a little walk, I shouldn't think you will have any problems DVT wise.i guess your OS would want you to wear whatever type he prescribed for you. Surgeons it seems all differ slightly in the details! If you are worried, why not give his office a call? The hot tub and the pool sounds delightful. I have been advised not to bathe for 4weeks, so that's not a possibility for me yet either! Hope your preparations for your trip go well. Take it easy, you still need plenty of rest, I know I do!!

 

[leejaa]

Ditzy Dinah, what we settled on to help with the salads he buys the bags of salads sort of pre made (not what I usually consider a salad) but I figure I have to eat the salads/lettuce that is easy for me or him to give to me. At lunch I can just take some out of the bag and put dressing on it. I also ask him to buy bags of oranges and grapes so that I can have a dish sitting around by me and nibble on it regularly.

I am not planning on cooking for a while - do not want a swollen knee and a set back. Want to keep moving forward. Have to help hubby with laundry over the week end- he needs supervision or else everything would be washed together.

Another bad night of sleep; Fall asleep at 10p, awake at midnight, back to chair , doze for a few hours at 2a -4a. I know it is to be expected and got through it last time but it is just no fun and so extra tiring. Will doze on and off (mainly off) during the day which does help. Well, maybe after the staples come out I will sleep better as they are starting to pinch more and leg more achey than it has been.

I have another peaceful day without PT or RN visiting again till Monday. Will take it easy today and hopefully leg will settle down.

 

[ditzy dinah]

I am so sorry you are having such a hard time sleeping, lee, I feared that, but to my utter surprise I have been sleeping well! Have only had one bad night so far when my legs felt really jumpy, and I just couldn't settle, and as the bedroom is upstairs and the living room downstairs I had nowhere to go! As going downstairs is still the most difficult thing for me, so I don't do it alone. Eventually I just sat up in bed and read for awhile, and hubby didn't even notice.
Had to laugh about the laundry, why do men not get the concept of laundry sorting? When I met my husband, all his white sheets were grey! So I have asked him to bring the laundry baskets up stairs and I sort it!.
He is off at the weekend, so hopefully will be doing some grocery shopping and lettuce and tomatoes will be top of my list. We have a green grocers nearby who grow their own tomatoes. The flavour is divine, so I want plenty of those before the season ends. Normally at this time of year I am buying a boxful as they get cheaper and making ratatouille and other yummy things ... But I have to let it go this year.
Cooking is my thing and I don't know how much longer I can hold out! But like you I don' want a set back , so I must keep it really simple. I have got the meat out the freezer for a shepherds pie at the weekend, and I'll let hubby do the mashed potato!!
Enjoy your peaceful day, I have been wondering how you have been getting on this week on your own with hubby back at work. I am having a peaceful day too, as my daughter had to go back to London for an art show (she's a struggling artist) and she is coming back with partner on Sunday. Actually the peace this afternoon is rather nice! Take care

 

[leejaa]

Well, doing as well as can be expected but of course I keep thinking I should be further along - must be my head is mixing up my two recoveries periodically. Sleep is the biggest issue this time - almost more so than last time of what I remember. I thought I was getting better at the sleep thing the other night, turned the air conditioner on (I like to sleep cold and have a light quilt) and actually slept in two blocks of 3-4 hrs - one session in bed and one session in the recliner. Of course, last night, was up most of the night-- slept about 2-3 hrs and then could not get comfortable anywhere. Walked around, sat up and just nothing, especially frustrating as I barely cat napped at all during the day with my hubby home.

So far, keeping the constipation at bay with all the fruit and vegetables and fiber bars. Did do another dose of Miralax the other day as well as my usual dose of Senokot morning and evening.

Note for anyone facing nausea-- in the hospital they were giving me Pepcid AC as a preventative. I had never heard of that but for those suffering from queeziness this might be something they want to try. I was not seriously nauseous in the hospital or at home either time and I know anesthesia gave me some more serious anti nausea meds also for that day.

I must say both times I had wonderful anesthesiologists - no real confusion and no feeling of anything ever being in my throat and since I had general anesthesia I know they tubed me. It was great.

Well, tired or not this morning I took a shower and had a protein bar with tea and my meds and then dozed off in the recliner- dozed I use loosely as I was out like a light for about 3 hrs. This was wonderful, That is one thing I am following - sleep when your body and knee allow - at least it is something. I almost feel human right now.

My husband says I am well ahead of where I was with my right knee and I can feel some of that also as I feel with the walker I am moving much easier. Some of this is of course since this time I know how to use the walker better and how to arrange it so I can do more for myself but overall doing well. A big reason has to be my lt knee which is trustworthy and lovely and strong and not arthritic and not trustworthy. Helped do laundry yesterday and that did tire me out but it felt good at the same time. Most of the time I ice and elevate in the recliner. Did not do all my exercises except for the ankle pumps and leg lifts and figured, all good, keep the swelling down. Leg is turning some wonderful colors, PT advised light massage upward to disperse all the collected blood under the surface and I think it is helping - a little hand lotion and just gentle motions up - of course no hand lotion near the scar.
Looking forward to tomorrow - staples come out!! YAY