TKR My TKR Was Worth It!

[hawk2go]

Anyone else feel brain fog at ten days post op?

I had a full line-up of books to read and for weeks just didn't have the energy/motivation/attention to read a single of them. I mostly watched bad movies and slept whenever I could those first few weeks. I starting working in my 5th week, so I guess my brain was clear enough to get some stuff done by then. IT will all come back for you in time.

As to sleeping on either side, it was quite a chore to pull myself from one side to the other. It took way too many painful movements and fussing with blankets and a somewhat stubborn leg and twisted pajamas. I called it a cage fight and engaged several times each night. Early on I realized that if I took one 5mg oxy when I woke around 2am, I could sleep for 4/5 hours straight. I got my OS to prescribe 15 pills to get me through 2 weeks. It was a true gift.

 

[benne68]

Anyone else feel brain fog at ten days post op? I am writing my fifth novel since retiring a year ago and normally writing gives me much joy. Just can’t think straight right now.

Yes! I had brain fog for more than a month -- it continued for several week after I stopped taking the opioids for pain. I'm also a writer and did try to tackle some work about three weeks out. When I looked back on it later, I laughed out load at how bad it was!

Don't worry; this too shall pass with time!

 

[kiwicurls]

Hawk2go, you described the battle with the blankets so well! It is indeed a cage fight.
Benne68, I had to laugh about your attempts to write: I stupidly went through a few chapters of my latest work, edited them , read what I had done yesterday and shook my head in disbelief.
It’s bad enough trying not to make errors here before posting. I loathe texting.
Onwards and upwards.
By the way, how do you highlight names when posting? I noticed them in blue but not being a social media person at all, I don’t know what to do.

 

[Jockette]

You highlight a name by adding the @ sign first, then the name, no spaces.

 

[kiwicurls]

Thank you @Jockette

 

[kiwicurls]

Another day drawing to a close and I feel ok, all things considered.
The sweetie darling woman from the care at home place (I won't give it the proper name) phoned me and asked a million questions again about my progress.
Was I in pain? Score out of 10? This question always annoys me as pain is so subjective. A 10 for one is a 7 for others. I just told her it was tolerable and she said I needed to take more tablets.
She then suggested I load up on pain killers before my next physio visit, as the physio was sure to start an intensive exercise program which would be very painful indeed.
Oh yeah?
Somehow I cannot see my nice physio doing anything of the sort, but you never know.
My husband says to take no notice of this idiotic woman. She really shouldn't be saying things like this.
When she first phoned she told me she was a physio herself and now did all of the case management and office work.
Maybe they put her on the phones because she was incompetent in the actual real world?
Now you can all see my nasty side. Sorry.
I'm off to watch last Tango in Halifax.

 

[Jaycey]

My husband says to take no notice of this idiotic woman. She really shouldn't be saying things like this.

Have to agree with Hubby. She should not be saying things like this or even suggesting you "load up" on medication. Physio should never be intense post op. You are not in training - you are healing.

I'm off to watch last Tango in Halifax

I watched the entire series during the first lock down. Entertaining and the last episode was filmed less than a mile from where we were living at the time.

 

[glidefloss]

She then suggested I load up on pain killers before my next physio visit, as the physio was sure to start an intensive exercise program which would be very painful indeed.

Sure sounds like a psycho physio to me!!

I hope your recovery is coming along well and you'll be over sweetie darling soon enough!

All the best!

 

[Suzola]

@kiwicurls I am 10 days out, I think. I have to write down everything. If I set an alarm for 3:30 I have write down why I set the alarm and what I am supposed to do. And what the next steps are so I know I’m following the plan. Some is the meds I think and some is the anesthesia. I draw little bottles of water that I color in as I finish them, whatever I can do.

What kind of books do you write?

 

[kiwicurls]

Good morning everyone.
Had a bad night, despite taking the tapentadol. Better today and my exciting goal is to sit in the sunshine and attempt to shave my legs.
Just wondering: how long is it before you can fit your leg back into a pair of jeans? I normally wear dresses but winter is approaching and I do like my jeans on the colder days.
Interesting conversations in this household just now. Husband has just been fitted with hearing aids…
“Hon, I can hear the tinfoil ripping off the roll!”
“Hon, I can hear it when i comb my hair!”
I can’t imagine what it must be like but he’s very happy. He’s always spoken very loudly and now, overnight he’s speaking normally. Ah, life is good.

 

[Jockette]

Just wondering: how long is it before you can fit your leg back into a pair of jeans?

I guess it would depend on how tight your jeans are. I wore mine home from the hospital the evening after surgery. Obviously, mine are not tight.

 

[kiwicurls]

Mine are tight ( to hold in the flab, of course).

 

[kiwicurls]

Everyone is coming for lunch here today, including an adorable but totally psycho border collie puppy. Wish me luck!

 

[Jockette]

I hope whoever has the border collie is able to control it well. Keeping it on a leash while in the house might be a good idea. You don’t want it to bump into you!

 

[kiwicurls]

@kiwicurls I am 10 days out, I think. I have to write down everything. If I set an alarm for 3:30 I have write down why I set the alarm and what I am supposed to do. And what the next steps are so I know I’m following the plan. Some is the meds I think and some is the anesthesia. I draw little bottles of water that I color in as I finish them, whatever I can do.

What kind of books do you write?

Don't worry, your brain fog will lift. I only write down what medications I've taken and when. Try not to get too anxious. As they say on Bonesmart, just relax. It will all be ok.
As for my books; Fiction. My first two are about a student nurse training in a hospital in the 1970s, popular with older nurses looking for nostalgia!
The others are a mix of romance, supernatural and life in small towns. Just humorous, light reading, nothing special.
Hope your day goes well.

 

[kiwicurls]

I hope whoever has the border collie is able to control it well. Keeping it on a leash while in the house might be a good idea. You don’t want it to bump into you!

No worries. The pup (belonging to my daughter) is the niece of my own adorable, placid border collie and will be taken straight outside to play with her auntie!

 

[kiwicurls]

A question, if I may?
I can walk without the walker but due to foot and shoulder issues my orthopaedic surgeon wants me to use it for 4 weeks. Says it will keep my gait on track.
When I walked a few steps alone (just to see what it was like), it felt like one leg was shorter than the other, very weird indeed! Any comments?

 

[Jockette]

If your knee was bone on bone before surgery, it might have caused a misalignment, and the TKR surgery has corrected that, and that might be what you are feeling. Give it some time for everything to settle, the feeling should improve. If it doesn’t, mention it to your surgeon. When do you see him again?

 

[kiwicurls]

Yes, it was definitely bone on bone so you’re probably correct.
The surgeon sees me in three weeks.
I might phone the surgery tomorrow though as there’s a patch of ooze under my dressing. Had staples out a week ago but the orders were to leave the dressing intact for another 10 days. It just concerns me that I can’t really see what’s going on under the waterproof dressing. However, there’s no signs of infection so perhaps I should stop fussing.

 

[Jockette]

A phone call will give you peace of mind, or get an action if needed.