Need a reality check....

[Weezy]

Hi all....I've been reading lots and lots of the older postings here, and boy, I'm sure glad I've found you all. However, I'm still struggling with the whole thing and need a reality check from those of you who are further along in recovery.

The facts:

I'm now at 2.5 weeks after having a TKR on my left knee.

I'm down to taking just a couple of hydrocodone/APAP pain pills a day(one morning, one night) plus one muscle relaxant at night (I'm terrified of becoming addicted).

My ROM is 90, straightening is down to about -6.

I haven't driven yet--feel too groggy most of the time and I'm really tired.

I'm feeling guilty because I'm not cleaning the house, going up and down stairs (haven't even tried them yet) and going grocery shopping with hubby.

I'm REALLY struggling with feeling so "laid up" and keep thinking that I should be out and about now. I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that this was major surgery and it impacts my entire body...and I'm also REALLY REALLY struggling with the issue of taking pain meds vs. toughing it out.

Any words of wisdom from you veterans?

Thanks!

Weezy

 

[JenniferG]

Stop feeling guilty, Maybe that is just your way of sensing it's time to try something. Don't worry about house work, save stairs for PT. don't use stairs for exercise is what I was told for 6-8 weeks. If you have to do them then minimally. You could ask PT for help with them. I'd shoot for the shopping trip. Then you would have the cart to lean on if you need. Pick somewhere small, no walmarts. My first outing was walgreens (small one). I think I was at about 2.5 maybe three weeks. I did go to church at 2 weeks.
As far as meds, if you hurt take them. 2.5 weeks is way early to worry about your meds. Think about it, less than 3 weeks ago your leg was sliced open, bones sawed, and hammered and wierd thing were glued and drilled in. Then you were sewn/stapled back together. To get better you have to move and if you hurt you wont. So see, you're OK.
I'm at 8 weeks.

 

[edk]

2.5 weeks - seems so long ago I'm at about 8

First your numbers are pretty good. What everyone seems to struggle with is the
hyperextension - and -6 is something to drink a toast to. The 90 is OK and should
get better with therapy.

Second, I would expect you to do most things at 2.5 weeks but to tire easily. That
is you could wake up in the morning and do a couple of hours of chores then eat lunch
and nod off from exhaustion for a 3 hour nap. Or, a stroll around wal-mart might
exhaust you. Your body was assaulted and is spending a lot of resources recovering
let it. For me the issue was not honey I need to lie down for a couple of hours, but
rather people who felt you were now a cripple and wouldn't let you do anything.

Its way to early to worry about addiction - and at 2 narcs a day you are off them
more than on. You need have pain controlled in order to do all those nasty things
in PT to get your 90 ROM to 110

 

[gatiger]

Weezy, listen to them. Take your pain meds so that you don't hurt and feel more like doing stuff. If you really want to drop one, then drop the muscle relaxer. That's probably what is making you groggy. Nobody is going to give you 'bonus points' for dropping the pills so take them if you need them. I'm around 20 weeks and took 2 Friday due to the weather and my job. As for your numbers, at 2.5 weeks they sound good to me. Let the therapist 'teach' you how to do the stairs first and don't worry about 'what you should be doing'. There are no rules for this, no schedule and no comparing what you do to someone else. We are all different and we all have our own pace.

 

[Jamie]

Everyone offered such good advice, Weezy. Listen to their voices of experience and stop beating yourself up for not doing more. I took hydrocodone for 3 weeks and then Darvoset for 3 more weeks before I was ready to get off the pain meds. You MUST have pain relief to be able to stretch and move to gain ROM. You didn't say what kind of therapy you are in.....what is your therapy schedule? How many times a week? In home or outpatient? And.....heaven forbid....if you are NOT in therapy, I think you need to discuss that with your doctor. A good therapist shows you exercises to do so that you will gain the most movement possible. Taking it easy is important, but you also need to spend some time each day working those leg muscles and the joint to build up muscle strength and prevent scar tissue growth. This is where the pain meds come in cuz sometimes all that movement flat out hurts. But it definitely gets better with time and then you can do more and more. You should notice a big difference at about 4 weeks and another at 8 or 10 weeks. It sometimes helps if you thing back to where you were a week ago....two weeks ago, etc. There is improvement!! You are still just barely out of your very major surgery! I hope all of our postings help in some way and please continue to write about your concerns and feelings. Expressing them to folks who have been there really helps! It certainly did (and still does) for me!

 

[Josephine]

Whatever you do, DO NOT feel guilty about housework left undone.

There was an (in)famous gay guy called Quentin Crisp that made his name writing "The Naked Civil Servant" back in the 70s (he now lives in SF). He NEVER did house work and when asked by an interviewer how he tolerated all the dust and mess was famous for replying "Oh, it never gets any worse after the second year!"

 

[Skeet]

Weezy, I didn't clean my house at all or do any cooking, laundry, etc. I just took my pain meds, iced, did PT, watched TV and movies and slept. I felt guilty for a while, but realized I simply didn't have the ability or the energy to do anything. Your body is healing and that saps your energy. And so, if no one else is available to help you out, do only what is required to live... let the rest go. Before you know it, you'll feel great and be able to do all this stuff without pain! At about 12 weeks or so, I finally felt up to doing things. Now I'm doing fine and my house is clean again - I'm at 5 months now.

And as for drugs, use them as you need them. Don't worry about getting addicted. You can cut down gradually weeks from now, but if you need them - use them! If you are in pain and don't take meds, you won't be able to progress as quickly and easily with PT and such.

God bless you, Weezy. It is a struggle and you are only at 2.5 weeks!! I didn't even go back to work until like 11 weeks. Be patient and treat yourself like you'd treat someone else who had major major surgery!

 

[1jt@atime]

Weezy, I can't say much more then what has already been covered. Just remember that your job RIGHT NOW is NOT keeping the house clean and grocery shopping. Your job is to rest, exercise and get better. It really does take a long time.... You are doing great! Karen

 

[northman22]

Hi Weezy, I have nothing more to add other than my support. I'm 10 weeks out from BTKR and I still take a pain pill before my PT and took 2 this afternoon after shoveling dirt from my truck to flower beds. At 2 weeks I wasn't even out of the house yet, living in bed with my 2 CPM's. You are doing very well! I had -6 about a month ago but seem to lose extention as I gain flexion.

Steve

 

[Doug]

Shoot, at 3 weeks, I didn't even put the toilet seat back down....just sayin'.

 

[Pattipoo]

At 3 weeks I was so constipated that I got online and TOLD the world about it!!! AND this big fat monkey wasn't hanging in my den, it was hangin' on ME...
Patience, girl, patience!!
At 4 months, post op, Monkey is back where he should be!!

 

[Doug]

Oh no, now she's going to resurrect the monkey.
And we had one of the most frank discussions on our bowel habits I've ever had with anyone.
Felt like we were back at a potty training stage of life...

 

[Jamie]

Shoot, at 3 weeks, I didn't even put the toilet seat back down....just sayin'.

Way to put things in perspective with a laugh, Doug....it's why we love you so much!

 

[Doug]

I was so wiped out on the Oxycodone, I'm lucky I made it into the bathroom and not the closet!!!

 

[Weezy]

Now I'm laughing...both with relief and at the monkey and other comments! Thanks, everyone. That's the stuff I needed to hear to get a better grip on reality. I'm very lucky because my hubby and stepson are VERY helpful and supportive and caring, so I'm not having to fend for myself. Its just my own guilt at feeling that I'm letting them down by not being back in the swing of things already.

Having the milestones of 4 weeks, etc. to look forward to helps also, and you're all absolutely right--I'm better now than I was two weeks ago! There is progress.

PT has been in-home so far, but I'm looking forward to going "out" to do it. We have a great recumbent exercise bike that I use a lot every day for ROM, plus lots of other exercises. Fortunately, since I've been through so many knee surgeries, doing the PT for this is just a review and I'm in the habit already.

Onward and upward!

Weezy

 

[Doug]

There ya go Weezy. Jump on that thing, ride it hard and grab life again...We'll do our best to help you laugh through it.

 

[JenniferG]

Oh, and yeah, the monkey reminds me, we need a pix of your big fat monkey knees to post and eventually or sooner on of the rest of ya.

 

[Weezy]

Oh, and yeah, the monkey reminds me, we need a pix of your big fat monkey knees to post and eventually or sooner on of the rest of ya.

hmmm....a picture? Tending to be camera shy, I'll have to see what I can actually find. Getting a picture of my big fat monkey knees will be easier! Are extra points awarded for hairy and ugly?

 

[Doug]

Just go look at mine. Can't get any more hariy or ugly in a picture.

 

[Jamie]

Getting a picture of my big fat monkey knees will be easier! Are extra points awarded for hairy and ugly?

Hairy is more than acceptable. But there IS NO SUCH THING as an ugly new knee!! They are ALL gorgeous!