Bilateral TKR New Here

[Campervan]

Can you sleep in a separate room to hubby? I did this for first couple of months. Meant he got a good nights sleep without me fidgeting etc and so he wasn't grumpy during the day! And I was more relaxed while fidgeting - contradiction in terms I know. When I woke during the night, I'd get up and eat cornflakes and drink camomile tea. I also found a heatpack in the small of my back helped me relax. I slept in a bed every night, never slept in my recliner. In fact I didn't like my recliner at all during my recovery as I found it hard to get out of. I found it easier to lie on the couch, but I guess it'd be harder getting up after a BTKR.

 

[Jacky48]

Gayle, you seem to be experiencing what most of us do. Good thing we have our memories to fall back on and we realize how much in pain we were before our replacements. Keep up the good work and soon we'll all be having fun again, let we haven't had in a long time.

 

[AussieBill1962]

Hi Gayle,
The sleep pattern thing will get better for sure. I had the same issues up until a few weeks back. Most nights now sleeping through the night with maybe getting up once some nights. I went back to work in week 7 and have long days out of the house leaving at 5:30 and returniing at 6:30 or 7:00 so very tired. Have faith all aspects of this recovery will be better in time. Patience is all we need.

 

[GaylieKins]

Margaret I sleep in the living room in the recliner. I don't have an extra bed to sleep in since my daughter moved back home. The other bedroom is a nursery for her baby but the baby passed away last March. She was only 3 months old and we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to take down the nursery. But soon we will have to. I can set up a bed in there and get out of this recliner. The couch opens to a bed but it's so low to the ground I don't think I could get up. I experiment in the bed with hubby and have made it for 4 hours. When I get restless I just come to the living room. Jacky that is so true! When I get down I think back to how I was before surgery and right after and I've come a long way! Bill, you are having some long days! I will be off work for 12 weeks before I go back. I am a teacher and we are out for the summer which is a good thing for me! I hope I'm ready for work. I teach disabled kids and some are in wheelchairs and I have to change diapers etc. So I hope by 12 weeks I am up for lifting and pushing wheelchairs. Thanks for all your words of support. I enjoy reading the forum. It's nice to know I'm not alone in what I am feeling!

Gayle

 

[Janet2012]

Heartbreaking!

 

[Campervan]

Hi Gayle, what a sad time for you. Sometimes a reason appears that forces us to take care of something we've been putting off. Hard to bear I know, but maybe you needing somewhere to sleep is the reason to attend to the nursery. It will be sad and hard to do but its got to be done sometime. Prayers coming your way.

 

[GaylieKins]

Thank you. The loss of my grandbaby was the hardest thing I have ever had to live through and I will go on but I don't think I will ever stop missing her. And yes it is important to get that room fixed up to a bedroom. The hardest part will be convincing my husband. He didn't want to take her swing out of the living room and one day when I was cleaning I took it out. He was upset but I told him life goes on and for me to constantly see her swing was hard. He got over it and he will with the nursery. This has been one of the most difficult years I've ever had. The baby passing away and my step father who was like my father passed away a few months before the baby. Then of course my surgery. My real dad died when I was 13 and my mom died 4 years ago. So family support is lacking. Lucky for me my husband and daughter have been there for me. My brother is 20 years older than me and has cancer so he and his wife can't help me out. My brother is an amazing person and has been tough throughout his ordeal. I am finding out that I have some of that same toughness and determination as well. Only thing is patience is not one of my virtues! But when my knees start to ache then I know I have to slow down then I discover I have no choice but to be patient! I believe in prayer and I thank God every day for the strength He gives me. Thanks for the prayers Margaret!

 

[referee54]

. I need to build up some stamina. I do know when I get tired and have enough so I won't overdo. But I figure if I make one trip down and back in the driveway and get tired maybe the next day I can do one more, etc.


Gayle

Stamina was one of the last things that many of us, myself included, gained---it takes quite some time to build stamina back up. don't rush it---take your time and the stamina will return---in due time. Don't try to rsuh it; don't try to push it. Your knees are in charge.

I also had sleep issues---I would sleep a little bit and then I would wake up, as I could not get comfortable. It is indeed frustrating; I know that for a fact. Don't let it get to you---nap when you can and understand that the sleep issues will subside in time.

 

[GaylieKins]

Lately it seems I nap very little and sleep very little too. I have tried taking meds to help me sleep and that doesn't even help. The last few days I have hardly slept and it's getting very old. I tried sleeping in the bed again but couldn't get comfortable so came back to the recliner. I slept maybe 2 hours last night. I guess at some point I will sleep out of sheer exhaustion. I am not in pain or anything so I don't understand the not sleeping. But it is really becoming annoying! And Tim I am at least glad to know others have experienced the same thing...thanks for sharing!

Gayle

 

[HollyM]

I will be off work for 12 weeks before I go back. I am a teacher and we are out for the summer which is a good thing for me! I hope I'm ready for work. I teach disabled kids and some are in wheelchairs and I have to change diapers etc. So I hope by 12 weeks I am up for lifting and pushing wheelchairs. Thanks for all your words of support. I enjoy reading the forum. It's nice to know I'm not alone in what I am feeling!

Gayle

Gayle, I work in SPED too and am hoping that I'll be ready to go also by September! Have the same kinds of kiddos as you do with the same kinds of assistance needed. We'll get there!!!

 

[GaylieKins]

Holly I hope you are ready to go back too! Yes we will get there! I'm doing great except for the not sleeping and getting tired easily but this too shall pass!

 

[referee54]

Those sleep issues, unfortunately, are quite common. I experienced, them, as did many others here
on the forum. I asked my OS about them and he said many OS's really couldn't pinpoint why they happen---but sadly, they do.

For me, it wasn't about the pain, either, it was about comfort. I just couldn't get comfortable. I would wander around the house looking (and hoping to find) a comfortable place to sleep. I actually found this forum on a late night foray into the world of TKR's.

While it may be horribly frustrating, do not worry, as it will subside in due time. In the mean time, nap all you want---naps a a great thing! I ended up watching about every "Law and Order" re-run on late-night TV---there were nights that I would eventually fall asleep as my wife was getting up to go to work at the hospital!

 

[Jacky48]

Gayle, You are a true inspiration to your whole family! You wonder why you can't sleep?! Meds or not! My dear Gayle, your mind is in over drive! You don't have a plate full, you have a platter full! Hopefully with time your mind will allow you to rest! Right now you worry about your daughter, you worry about your husband and you worry about your brother!
Now it's time for you to worry about Gayle! You just had major surgery and it's going to take all your focus on you to recover and be the best that you can be for your family and your students! Now the only way to move on is to find yourself a comfort zone so when you get tired you can go there close the door, take deep breaths and rest! I wish you the best in achieving this quickly! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

 

[Twinkletoes]

Hi Gayle! Sounds to me like you have your recovery thing going on high! Yes, those nasty sad times come as sneaky surprises

and it seems that there isn't anything you can do to prepare for them! You just have to go with the flow. I also had never been able to find Patience, so I was thorougly frustrated at only 6 weeks post-op. That's when I found this website and it has been the Savior of my Sanity (well, what little I have of that). While you are resting, read as many threads and posts as you can. You will find all the encouragement and support needed to keep your worries from getting you down.

I was in the hospital for three days, and knew that I couldn't go home, so I was taken to a rehabilitation facility for another 8 days. What a nightmare! Not only do I not have a threshold for pain, (I'm such a wimp) I was allergic to the heavy duty pain killers. So, when I got home, I was left with Tylenol Extra Strength during the day, and one Tylenol PM at night. I did sleep in my bed, but hardly slept at all and of course, disturbed my hubby every time I tried to move and adjust my knee pillow. I'm now at four and a half months post-op but still don't sleep all that well. But, every time I get up now to adjust the knee pillow, (and go potty) I can go back to sleep for a little longer. Little accomplishments make BIG morale boosters!

Keep up with your great attitude but don't push yourself! And, be nice to your new knees!

 

[GaylieKins]

Tim you are so right about the comfort when sleeping. I'm not in pain either I get achy and have to switch positions. Then I finally give up get out of bed and come back to the recliner. I tried getting on the couch but I couldn't get up and had to call hubby. I was comfortable there though and at least it wasn't the recliner lol! I find that sometimes getting up from somewhere is more of a mental thing for me I have to get my mind right before trying and yesterday I couldn't. So here comes hubby laughing at me for not being able to get up! I am gonna stay on him about taking the baby's nursery down so I can get a bed in that room. He's just been working alot of overtime lately and in the heat alot so he just isn't in the mood to tackle that for now.
Jacky, thanks for your words of encouragement. You are also an inspiration! You are right, I am a worry wart. My daughter is the main one I worry about she is too young to have been through the things she has had to go through and she really needs to get herself together. I won't go into the long sordid details but let's just say she's 18 married to a loser who won't work, who keeps kicking her out and she keeps coming back home, and her baby died at 3 months. So I do worry but at the same time we are getting ready to give her a dose of tough love because she can't keep up using our home as a pit stop and a revolving door. Only reason we haven't yet is I have had to have her take me places since I'm not driving. But I'm gonna practice driving very soon.
Twinkletoes I also went to a rehab facility for 6 days after a 3 day stay in the hospital. I had an allergic reaction to either celebrex or oxycontin not sure which but I broke out in a horrible rash all over. I only take tylenol now for pain. I felt horrible on all those pain meds and I wanted my mind back lol! I tried taking tylenol pm one night and that made me restless even more. I think I am disturbing my hubby so much when I move around in the bed so that is why I get up. I know he has to work so I just sleep in the recliner. You are so right about the little accomplishments! I take pleasure in the small ones. When I start getting down I look back to how I was before the surgery and right after and I realize I am doing great and it will just take time.
Thanks for all the words of encouragement. You guys are great! I read alot of the threads here when I get bored and have found alot of inspiring and useful information!

 

[speccybecky]

At the beginning I used to write down how I was feeling, what I could and couldn't do. I had to keep a note of what pills I took when or I got confused! When I read what I wrote at the beginning I could see that I was much improved even though it doesn't always feel like it on a bad day. Maybe this would encourage you. I also slept in a different room from hubby and had to move back as we had visitors staying, just as well as I was starting to enjoy a bed to myself! So sorry to hear of your other problems, it's hard to let our children make their own mistakes and even harder to do the tough love bit but usually it's for the best. Good luck

 

[GaylieKins]

Thanks Nancy! Yes the tough love is hard but necessary! I fortunately don't have to keep up with meds since the only meds I take are synthroid for hypothyroid and tylenol for pain. But a journal making notes of accomplishments as well as your feelings does sound like a good idea!

 

[GaylieKins]

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I posted I've been busy with family and recovery. Tomorrow will be 6 weeks since my surgery and I seem to be doing well! I've been doing my exercises and going to PT twice a week. I started driving short distances last week which was wonderful! I've also started walking to the end of my street and back every day. It's slow going but I'm making it! I think I did too much this past weekend trying to clean house. I cleaned my bathroom, used the steam vacuum on the kitchen floor, dusted furniture, washed and folded clothes, but running the big vacuum cleaner did me in, hubby had to take that over! He told me to stop doing so much but hard headed me wouldn't listen! I had to stop and ice! Then for the rest of the day and the next my entire legs were hurting. I guess I wanted to be super woman! I hate having to have people do things for me but this taught me I am not ready to be totally independent at this time. I am still having problems sleeping at night. I have started sleeping in my daughter's room since she is gone now but I still toss and turn all night and by 3 or 4 am I have to get up. I know it takes 6 months to a year to fully recover but I wonder when the sleepless nights and my stamina will improve. My stamina has improved a little but when I do things around the house or take my walk I still get the aches in my back, hip, and legs which lets me know I need to stop. I hope this gets better by August because I have to return to work and I will need to be able to walk, stand, and push my wheelchair students. I have about 7 more weeks before I return to work. I look back and remember how I was right after surgery and I have come a long way so I keep telling myself that in 7 more weeks I should have much more stamina than I have now!

 

[kneeper]

It will get better. Slow and steady if you listen to the knees.

 

[referee54]

I am certainly glad to read of your progress---walking and getting around and back to normal life is really a big deal. Take a little gently but enjoy yourself and your new knees and your new lifestyle.

I can commiserate with you and the sleep issues; I would wander around the house looking for a comfortable place to sleep. I began to dread night time, as I knew that I would get frustrated and sleep very little. I asked my OS about it, and he said that he really did not know why this phenomenon occurs.

I am very saddened to read of the passing of your grandchild. It affects everybody very, very deeply---we will keep all of you in our prayers not only now, but in the days, months, and years to come.