TKR my knee on the other side

[robynhood]

Marie sounds like a perfect day to me. You have to do everything in moderation and then ice and elevate. I caught up with a lot of things i had been meaning to do but never got round to. I finished knitting a cardi for my daughter. Read the pile of books mounting up in my bedroom, and generally enjoyed the ME time we never seem to have time for. Days are always nicer when you have had a better sleep arent they and that little bit of sunshine this morning certainly helped. HAPPY HEALING x x

 

[jensen01]

thanks pat i am enjoying the rest whilst i can i am usually active all day never finding time to sit down so this is HEAVEN for me i have stuff to do to keep busy if i want but enjoying the little zzzzzzzzz durning the day for now and moving around inbetween i wish the weather would pick up its bank holiday this week end we might go for a drive in to the country side and fish n chips if i feel up to it i hope so i love the fresh air .

 

[Baystater]

Marie,
So glad to read your post, you got a good night's sleep and are able to get out and enjoy the spring sunshine. I think the first week is a huge adjustment, but then you turn a corner and everything just starts to feel BETTER!

I still sometimes sit there and think "I did it!" And every day I see little improvements, you will too I had my 4 week post op with my surgeon yesterday and he said you can continue to improve ROM until about 7 weeks, then it gets harder. So that means you have plenty of time to gently increase it, and PT will certainly help. Right now elevating and icing are so important, that shiny new knee is still brand new!

Heidi

 

[Baystater]

p.s. and fish and chips helps too! YUM!

 

[landoz]

Yummo fish and chips and a day out in the sunshine sounds like heaven Enjoy Marie

 

[mbjensen001]

DAY 9 POST OP today i visited the pysical therapy at the hospital the physio was a lady and very gentle and not too pushy i have only 70 rom which she said will improve over time with excersize she has booked me in for some hydro therapy sessions aswell so i was very happy with my first visit ,when i got home i was tired and exausted and slept for a couple of hours tomorrow the nurse will call to snip off the ends of my stitchs so i now feel things are moving forward still getting around on crutchs rest elevate and ice are my best friends right now .

 

[Baystater]

Wonderful! It just takes a gentle PT to make you feel like you can do it and that is such a good feeling The hydro therapy will feel great too. Do you feel like every day things get better? I started feeling that way towards the end if my second week.

My home PT just left, I just loved her. She came 3x a week and really helped me, but today was her last visit. Insurance here in the states pays for 5 weeks or so then they want you to actually go to PT. I'm not driving yet but she said I could try a short drive by the weekend. My OS said I need to be able to go up a step with the operative leg (in my case my right leg, so my driving leg.). She showed me today I could do it, actually had me walk up a flight of stairs normally and not one foot at a time. Yippee! Driving was my last hurdle!

Keep up the good work Marie!

Heidi

 

[mbjensen001]

hello heidi , yes every day feels different and getting better each day thats good the pt comes to your home to see you over here in uk we have to go to them they sent a medi-car to pick me up and bring me home the folks there was really nice its a gym where you do circuit excersize a little bit of every thing eg bike ,treadmill etc and all at your own pace i first had 1-1 with the physio just doing gentle stretches and then next week start the circuits and just build up each week thats great you may be able to drive soon i miss not been in the driving seat but hopefuly it wont be too long our independence will be back with us . congratulations on your flight of stairs yay .

 

[landoz]

Good work Marie good to see you have a kind PT! I can't wait until I can drive but I will be patient for now!

 

[Baystater]

I was wondering how you get to PT - a car picks you up? I think I like the UK system because at least you get to get out of the house! I know I've said this a million times but my biggest problem in this recovery process has been the boredom

Right before my surgery I took my car to the car wash to wash off the winter's grime, then brought it home and parked it in the garage. It has sat there now for over a month! I'm so looking forward to the independence of going shopping, just short little drives. Sounds like heaven!

 

[mbjensen001]

DAY 10 POST OP ... hi every one hope all is well with the TKR mine is doing well bruising and swelling is going down nicely with lots of rest ice and elevate the nurse called today to do a wound check and snip the ends off the dissolvable stitchs i was quite suprised at the wound it looks neat and tidy the nurse said its looking good she put on a clean dressing and will call again next tuesday knee is still stiff and doesnt bend much 70 ROM hopefully with PT therapy it will increase last night i new i would be restless the worst is between 1-5 am with aching and throbbing and stabbing sensations i decided to put a few drop of lavender oil on the pillow and at the side of my temples and it did work i had a little more sleep than usual well today is another lazy day and i am enjoying the rest the week end will be the same VERY LAZY .

 

[Baystater]

I think lavender is the official scent of TKR recovery! A friend of mine gave me a lavender solid perfume stick (the brand is L'Epi de Provence) and I've been putting a little on my wrists every day - it's very calming.

Sounds like you're settled in for a nice weekend, relax and enjoy!

Heidi

 

[kneeper]

Lazy is good at this point.

 

[Shellbelle]

Hi Marie, I have just finished catching up on your recovery thread. You are doing fabulous! I marvel at all our recoveries--so different in may ways but the same common thread: a new pain-free life. More pain here for some, or swelling. Or hurdles and tears. But we go on, a day at a time with the goal in mind!
I have had anything by gentleness for any PT I had. One would actually cradle my knee in her hands and talk to it! She was wonderful. It was swollen, hot and painful and she just lovingly touched and cradled it. At the time I did not appreciate her kindness, now I do and have sent her a note telling her so.
On post op day 2 when the blocks wore off and my pain was constant and unrelenting for about 18 hrs another PT came by and gently put me in the hospital cpm ant a very low setting just so it could move a bit and not have pain from the stiffness. She rang for more pain med for me also. On my last day in the hospital she stopped by my room to just talk, and we got into a rather deep discussion on how she, as a therapist, can better help a patient who is in pain and needs help. It was a great talk. I just told her to advocate for PAIN CONTROL. Whatever form that took, make sure the patient knows to make noise when blocks wear off, and be around to order pain meds for your patient when they can't.

I am so impressed with you being able to handle stairs, and sitting in your garden. Sleep is wonderful, I have been doing most of mine in the recliner but there is just me and the cat can sleep on me here as well as in bed!!

Hugs to you,

 

[mbjensen001]

DAY 11 ...today i woke up feeling refreshed after a decent night sleep and i didnt take any pain meds during the night either my leg was comfortable i used the lavender oil again and slept on my side i seem to be able to go longer with out the pain meds now just need to work on it more to get a good bend leg and knee still swollen and bruising has nearly gone i felt really well so i decided to take my first trip out to the supermarket with the hubby this morning he did every think i just got around on the crutchs i had no pain just stiffness and a bit uncomfortable sitting in the car with knees bent but i managed it the new knee has to get used to it so now we are home a nice cuppa leg elevated with ice and very happy my new knee has done me proud i hope every one will have a good week-end and keep up the good recovery work

 

[Baystater]

I give you such credit for going to the supermarket with the crutches! I went along a couple of times with my husband but sat in the car and waited for him. Now that I can get around better I am getting braver at going into stores, usually don't even need the cane. Of course I am exhausted afterwards, still don't quite have the stamina back. Are you still able to cut back on the pain meds? I found for me it felt better when I did that because I didn't like what the meds did to me...I felt kind of dopey on them, and the constipation just made me feel worse.

How long will you have to wear the TED stockings? My OS is so relaxed about things, I love it. He told me I didn't have to wear them at all if there was no swelling in the ankle or calf. The PT kept an eye on that and said I was fine. I was on Coumadin so the risk of clotting was much lower anyway, but oh to not have to wear those stockings was like a dream come true!

Enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine - so lovely to be outside!

Heidi

 

[mbjensen001]

DAY 14 ... hi folks its been 2 weeks since my TKR and what a roller coaster its been tears , tantrums, happiness , and pain all of which is a normal recovery most of all i feel releived not to have the arthritis pain any more the knee feels strong and secure when weight bearing stiffness and swelling are still present , today the district nurse called to do a wound check she removed the dressing and said that looks great and healed very nicely and the dressing can stay off now and free to take showers happy is the word today i had 2 showers and it was so nice i am not taking as much meds during the day which i dont have much pain only stiffness and a little ache but when the night time falls upon us i really do need them and during the night aswell night time for me is not good its horrible when your tired but cant sleep and the knee feels at its worst i really hope this will pass , i still have a little nap on the bed every day after lunch for 1 hour or so and feel so refreshed after, i will need to wear the TED STOCKINGS for another 4 weeks 6 weeks in total i asked the nurse today why and she said its to prevent clotting whilst your not as mobile i finished my course of anti-clotting meds yesterday over here in the uk its protocol to wear them for 6 wk after lower limb surgery , so i hope that time goes quickly and i can feel free to wear my summer shoes .

 

[Baystater]

Yippee, showers ! Two showers! Isn't that a luxurious feeling?? I feel like I can handle anything if I'm clean...and my hair is clean.

You really sound like you're doing well, know exactly what you mean about the knee at night. I think I slept fine the first few weeks but if I woke up to go to the bathroom the knee would ache, and it was hard to find a comfortable position. Some nights a pillow under the leg worked, other nights that made it feel worse. It was like a petulant child But things settle down before you know it, the time goes by quickly.

I have found this forum so interesting in terms of hearing how things are done around the world and the different protocols. A little global knee education

Keep up the good work Marie!

Heidi

 

[Lexismom]

Wow, I am impressed with all you are doing and the decrease in pain meds. Gives hope to us who have not had our surgeries yet. Also glad you are allowing yourself to be lazy; you deserve it and I am sure your body needs a lot of rest.
Keep up the good work!!

Karyn

 

[mbjensen001]

DAY 15 ...well today has been a duvet day i didnt rise until after lunch due to no sleep again last night i just rested watching tv in bed i then got up at 3pm and went back to bed at 4.30 for a little power nap for 40 mins i managed to do a few excersize in between i am staying up til late tonight to see if it makes me tired it seems when night falls i am wide awake and the knee starts nagging at me i have to be up early in the morning and be ready by 8am because the patient transport will come to pick me up to take me to my physio appointment at the knee education school at the hospital i have finaly worked out how to upload pictures here is the xray of my new knee the zimmer nexgen and my knee wrapped in a icey cryo-cuff .