Revision TKR My left knee story, revision complete 8/14/12, hopeful

[Jazyb]

Hi Dawn

That is such a great report to read, I am so pleased for you and so delighted that you are enjoying your progress. You deserve to have this good recovery as you have been through so much for so long - I am sending you a huge hug and a big kiss xxxx

I hope life in your house is better today, at least you have Bub to make your day. Where would we be without our beloved pets to make us smile (and they don't answer us back!). Have a good rest of the day Dawn xxxx

 

[Dhare63]

Thanks Rose and Jo! Feeling pretty happy about this knee!

Jo, hugs and kisses right back at ya! And yes, without my Bub, I would be lost. Love him to pieces! My youngest son did come visit me this afternoon, needed to talk about a problem he needs to solve with his business partner. I love that he seeks my help on these things, he is a mini me!

Take care friends,

Dawn

 

[skigirl]

Dawn, I am really happy for you too. Kelly

 

[Mimi]

Dawn, looks like you are on a great recovery track! Things are finally going your way . I am so happy for you, just remember to take it easy and don't overdo!

My daughter had her heart surgery on Thursday and is doing incredibly well. She almost got released from ICU after 5 hours, but they did not have a room. She may come home Monday. She does have a lot of pain and pain management is the big thing now. She has a high epidural that enables her to move, sit up and breathe deeply. It comes out today and then the fun begins. She has a pain management team that has seen her every day and available to her all the time.

I can't say enough for Johns Hopkins hospital. The most beautiful hospital I have ever seen with top notch Dr., nurses and staff. She needed some meds and it was given to her immediately. The Drs are there and see her every day, they spoke to us as soon as the surgery was over. She can email her Dr. at anytime and get a response. This is the tec savy place.

The surgery was necessary as they found the esophagus strangled by this prebirth vessel that turned into a ligament that encased the esophagus and then attached under her left arm ( she has a right aortic arch). It caused an aortic anurism that was removed. She was walking around with a time bomb that thankfully is gone!

 

[Pumpkin]

Dawn, Glad to hear you are doing so well.
Mimi, Relieved to hear your daughter's surgery is behind her and she is on the road to recovery.

 

[Dhare63]

Thanks for the kind words Pumpkin and Mimi, I am pretty happy but get reminded every morning that I have to keep working at it. The knee is always stiff and not straight when i get up, since I sleep on my side with my legs slightly bent. Not a thing I can do about that unless I sleep with an immobilzer, which I am not going to do. Just have to keep my routine up, ice each morning to get straight, stretching and all the other things that have been working.

Mimi, so happy to hear the news on your daughter. I was wondering how things went. It sounds like she is in good hands at a world class hospital. My niece worked in the pediatric ER there for 4 months a few years ago as a traveling RN. She was so impressed with the whole facility and she has seen some of the best hospitals in the country. I hope she continues to improve and that her pain can be kept under control. We all know how important it is to be comfortable as you recover from major surgery. Also, it's great that this time bomb was found before it went off. I have hope for her return to good health. All good wishes to you and your family as you rally around her.

Yesterday went on a road trip to get out of the house. I was able to stretch my leg out on the dash to get it straight. It was good, and felt nice to see something different. I hope to do the same thing today.

Back to work on Tuesday, not looking forward to it, but indentured servant, I am!!

In any case, hopeful that I will keep gaining strength and maintain the extension!

Be well friends,

Dawn

 

[kneeper]

Great progress!

 

[Dhare63]

Hi friends, quick update. My swelling has come down considerably. Wearing the Ted hose with the foot cutout was a great solution. I put it on right after I ice first thing in the morning. I keep it on for a few hours. My hubby noticed today and commented how much better it looks. My incision has healed beautifully, I think it looks better than before the revision! Or, maybe it's just my positive attitude, which I must say is hard to contain!!

Return to work tomorrow. Not too happy about that, wish I had just one more week. In any case, physically I am ready. I plan to take lots of breaks, get up from my desk and stretch as often as I can.

I won't be able to post as often which I will really miss. I have so enjoyed being on here several times a day to offer and receive support. In any case, I will be on at least once each day!

Be well friends, will check in later!

Dawn

 

[bottomshollow]

Ease into things at work--take frequent breaks--ice when you can and elevate a bit. Will be thinking of you--so let us know how things go. We care.

 

[Dhare63]

First day back at work. It went okay, but there is a huge difference between recovery at home with my leg stretched out & iced, wearing shorts and a tshirt, and being in my office in dress clothes, sitting out my desk crunching numbers. I did get up frequently to stretch and walk around. I got stiff quickly, but i walked it off pretty quickly. Had pt at 2:30, and I noticed my knee was more swollen than this morning. She did some massage and got me loosened up. No measurements today but with some gentle pressure I could see was still quite straight.

I am concerned that I could lose the extension I have gained, being in a sitting position all day. She assured me that was unlikely. She said to make sure I keep getting up and moving, stretch frequently. I will bring an ottoman in tomorrow so I can stretch my leg out properly when I'm not seeing clients. I have to make this work.

I admit I was exhausted. This is going to be a struggle to juggle my knees needs with the demands of my job. I just can't compromise the amazing gains I have now with a straight leg. Ugh, wish things were different!

When I got home, it was take out pizza for dinner. I got changed into my pjs, wrapped my knee up in a nice cold package, then stretched out with my pain meds and relaxed for the first time all day. And here I am, complaining to my friends!

I know it will take time to adjust and adapt to being back at work while still rehabbing this knee. I will make it work, just need to whine some.

Will try to find my upbeat attitude. Until then, heading to bed.

Be well friends,

Dawn

 

[bottomshollow]

You'll get'er done! You've got what it takes. And, good grief!, what are friends for if you can't whine to them when things are tough. You just whine all you want to---we understand---we get it. We care.

 

[Mimi]

Dawn, you had such a big day and you did very well. Hey that is not whining, it is telling it like it is!!! You are entitled to tell us all you want. Most of us have been there and "get it".

Hope you have a restful night. Take care

 

[Dhare63]

Thanks Judy and Mimi, its so great to be able to let my hair down here.

Today at work was better, I got up, moved around, elevated/stretched my leg as often as I could, then at lunch, iced it. I also wore the compression stocking all day which seemed to help. I am still tired and needed my pain meds/ice after dinner, but now feeling relaxed and ready for bed. I'm feeling less overwhelmed than yesterday. I hope that feeling continues!

One day at a time!

Mimi, how is your daughter doing?

 

[skigirl]

Dawn, it is bound to continue! I have been working all along in my studio-=-=although I have been able to go up and lie down during the day. Maybe you need to lock your door at lunch and lie on a yoga mat with your knee up on a chair. I have continued to wear the compressing hose too. I got some black ones as well, if you wear slacks, no one can see them. I am definitely a woman who wears pants!!!

I think there would be some mental fatigue with going back to work--as well as the physical. Keeping your knee on an ottoman makes sense. My swelling at four months seemed to just disappear---I am shocked. I do have a working kneecap that is still working---so don't despair, things will work out. Kelly

 

[Mimi]

Dawn, it really is one day at a time, until one day the swelling is gone, the pain is gone and phase two of the recovery begins. That is when you can walk without any pain and exercise your knee with no thought of impending swelling or pain. That day will come, it just takes time.

My daughter is doing incredibly well. They were able to make a minimal incision at her ribs,deflate her lung and do the repair. They did find a ligament that encircled her esophagus and was strangling it. That ligament was attached under her arm.Then they found that the bump on the aorta was an aneurysm . That was removed and a teflon patch was sewn onto the aorta! Just amazing! She was operated on Thursday morning and came home on Monday. She walks around the block every day. I am overwhelmed at her recovery from all of this! And she has great pain control. She has a "team" that she can email anytime for help. Johns Hopkins was amazing in every way possible! I am so thankful for such a great outcome.

 

[Dhare63]

Kelly, what a lovely picture of you and granddaughter, you look so happy! Thank you for the encouragement on my back to work saga. The ottoman was a big help, it's just high enough to be effective. Using my gel pack to ice during lunch worked well. I did take one 5 mg oxycodone to take the edge off midday, and I will probably continue that for the rest of the week. I like the idea of laying down at lunch, I may try that today! I have been wearing slacks for the last several years which makes wearing the compression hose easy. I didn't know I could get different colors though, I will look into that. I know it helped a great deal yesterday.

Mimi, it really is one day at a time. What is blowing my mind right now, is that I am ny 3 weeks post op. I feel great, no significant brain drain, and for the most part my stamina is good. My gait is so much better than before surgery, and I guess this great outcome is showing on my face. One of my colleagues that I haven't seen since before surgery was in yesterday. He said he could see how much better I feel by the look on my face and my posture. That was good to hear! I know there will be good and bad days, so my seatbelt is on and I am prepared for anything.

Great to hear your daughter is recovering so well. She is in great hands and i am sure having your love and support is critical to her! I pray that she finds her way to a full and complete recovery!

Time to get my shower and head off to work. Thanks for being out there friends, I appreciate it very much!!

Dawn

 

[skigirl]

Dawn, thanks--yes, Avery is a delight!! I get my compression hose from Discount Surgical Stockings.com. I always buy the footless ones--but, you can always hack off the foot. I took off the edge of the last footless pair I got, it was a little tight, so Off with its Head!!! Let's hear it for stockings that do not run. I also have a natural shade of footless, but I wear the black ones most of the time. If I feel inclined to a skirt, I put on leggings which hides the compression stocking just fine.

Dawn, I also take Celebrex---there have been some studies which show that Celebrex prevents the formation of fibrotic tissue--which is scar tissue. Nothing is certain yet and there are no real signs of the ortho community jumping on that bandwagon----but I jumped at any hint of help. I have been taking it for four months, am almost at the end of my supply, will not get a refill. Kelly

 

[Mimi]

Kelly, I have been on celebrex since it hit the market 10 years ago. I don't know about scare tissue, but it sure helps the inflammation that I have. I sure know when I don't take. I have wanted to go off of it cause I have read various things about it. But my GP and heart Dr. both think it is a good drug for me. My insurance covers it, cause it is expensive.

 

[skigirl]

I had to pay quite a bit for my script---like $100 since it was an "out of network" drug. I think it was worth it, but we can't keep it up. K

 

[Pumpkin]

Dawn,
Glad to hear work was easier the second day. Hope the rest of the week goes well, then you can rest this weekend.
It must feel great to have your co workers notice how much better you are feeling.
Wishing you continued success!