TKR New Year, New Knee - Jan. 3, 2017<

[Ronsgirl]

Happy 4 week kneeversary to you, too!

 

[Red's Mom]

Julie sounds like things are going well! Less ice less pain??? I'd be picking at that glue so bad!! Happy week 4! Sounds like your PT is a gem.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing so well! What an encouragement to those coming up behind you.

 

[julesm86]

Such a great 4 week report! Keep following all you're learning here. This site is a godsend for all its info & amazing support!

 

[jaschembra]

@Red's Mom got my little flashlight and all my glue is gone!

@KarriB I've been using a "Seal Tight" from Amazon. Works great! Well worth the $15. But I will be happy once I can actually get it wet.

Made it to my allergist for injections today. Propped my leg on the adjacent chair while I waited the required 30 min. All together I was gone from my nest 1 1/2 hours. Was glad to be back, iced and elevated, with Netflix on!

Where do these brief bouts of nausea come from? They're like fleeting moments every so often - I've thought maybe from exertion, definitely noticed it when I first was in a car and then it was from motion.

 

[KarriB]

I think the nausea comes from exertion, others have mentioned the nausea during or right after more activity than usual. Of course, if you're prone to motion sickness it could be that. As they were wheeling me to me room after TKR surgery I got nauseous and said so. The nurses/aides gave me the dreaded bowl, but I told them to just sit me up. Laying down, watching the lights and ceiling go by spurred on my motion sickness! As soon as they sat me up I was fine.

I would've propped my leg up at the drs office also. Keep the leg up as much as possible.

Just last month I ran out of Cling Wrap! That's how many boxes I had!

 

[L.I.T]

I used to get nauseous from exertion in the beginning weeks also - just standing too long would make me light headed and sick to my stomach.

 

[newlybionic]

I think that taking pain medications just seems to make any exertion or changes in position cause to become nauseous. ( I do have terrible motion sickness though)

 

[jaschembra]

Had my first post surgery visit with my OS. He straitened my knee and lightly bent it and was happy with everything. He did say he would like to see me in another month to make sure my flex is coming along. Of course, I think he brought this up as his standard statement- "if the flex doesn't come along, I can put you under and manipulate it; however, people rarely need this done". BoneSmart was on my mind the entire time - ha! No way at 2 months would that even be considered on my end!

@RMasano I asked my OS about shaving and he said there was no problem doing so

@Red's Mom My OS's 1 month instructions do say to use a sun block on the incision for 1 year

I can now get it wet and I can start using my Palmer's Cocoa Butter with vit E to message onto the scar
My X-rays looked great. He also said I could go to the pool, but I'm going to hold on that for a couple/few weeks. I mentioned my sore hamstring behind my knee and he said to ask my PT to message it or use a scraping technique.
We also discussed my pain management the first 48 hours after the hospital and he appreciated me letting him know so he could make changes going forward - I let him know that I was completely onboard with going home after 1 night - but I was getting the extended release 12 hour oxy and IV Toradol right up to discharge - and then just Percocet at home - I needed something more - those first 48 hours were rough.

Later today-
Ah! PT had me lay on my back and hang my leg over the side - the stretch on my quad/thigh felt absolutely wonderful!

So needless to say, after a dr visit and 5 hours later a PT visit, I'm beat!

 

[newlybionic]

That certainly was a long day. I'm happy to hear your visit to the OS went so well. Enjoy your night rest.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yippee! You can shower free! And I bet that stretch really felt good. I'm going to try that.

 

[KarriB]

Two appointments in a day will tucker you out, but it sounds like it went well. I used Palmers on my scar after my PTs used it to massage and still use it on my feet everyday. I'm addicted!

 

[Red's Mom]

Julie, your doing great! I love hanging my legs over the side of the bed and swinging them. The bed is really high. If your bed isn't high enough do it on a sturdy table! I found a SPF 100 spray on sunscreen it is working great. I have zebra stripes on my knees! Are you using the cane 100% now?

 

[RMasano]

You are doing awesome!!! Get some much needed rest. I have to admit I shaved non-surgical leg a couple weeks ago, but last night I couldn't take it anymore. I sat on the couch with a glass a water and my razor and shaving cream and towel and very carefully shaved as much as i could without getting near my incision. It felt so good to not have 3 inch hairs rubbing against my pajama pants!!!

 

[jaschembra]

@Red's Mom Yes, I consider myself completely on the cane, except I do use the walker when I have to get up in the middle of the night.

Went to bed extremely exhausted and slept pretty dang good but now, I feel I am wide awake!! Hoping a little reading about my fellow BoneSmarties will lull me off to slumberland again

By the way, I told my PT yesterday that if he was slow, extremely gentle, and did nothing to cause me pain, that I suppose he can touch me now! I knew I was going to need him to start messaging my scar and tight muscles. He got a kick out of it.

@RMasano yep - I put a towel on the bathroom floor and used the wash tub they give you at the hospital to shave my surgical leg.

 

[L.I.T]

if he was slow, extremely gentle, and did nothing to cause me pain, that I suppose he can touch me now! I knew I was going to need him to start messaging my scar and tight muscles. He got a kick out of it.

Ha! Playing 'hard to get' with your PT, I love it! What a great strategy! Here I'm Utah, if I said that to anyone, they would take off running, thinking I was coming on to them!

Glad you are doing well. And congrats on shaving! It's like we are pre-teens all over again! I mean, how often in our lives now are we THANKFUL to shave!

 

[KarriB]

It absolutely slaughtered me to not shave for a month! I never thought of shaving without showering. My TKR had a brace on it, but the left was awful! It took so much energy to wash out of the sink!

 

[sistersinhim]

Have any of you noticed that your hair is growing faster on your surgical leg than the other one? Mine is. Crazy!

 

[jaschembra]

@sistersinhim I know it's not funny, but your post really gave me a chuckle and brought a smile to my face

@L.I.T Your post made me lol as well!!

 

[sistersinhim]

@jaschembra, glad I made you laugh! But, it's true!