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TKR No Kneecap and a TKR Experience

Well my RTKR recovery was during the Polar Vortex! I had the ice machine going and was piled high with electric throws and blankets. It was a cold recovery for sure!
 
Brrr! I bet you were cold! I'm up now, warming up from my bedtime icing! Am so glad it's not winter time. Plus I can get outside and not have to worry about slipping on ice.
 
Yes, the ice and snow were a problem. I had major cabin fever that went along nicely with the post op blues. I thought it would be nice to be able to elevate outside on the patio, but to be honest I was too sick and tired from the infection to do much. It all came out well though. Thank the Lord!
 
Amen! And because of what you have been through, you are able to help others with that experience. God has turned bad into good!
 
Still sore from Saturday's outing, but am a little better! My night time sleeping is getting better except when I try and lay on my side. My knee still doesn't like that! When I wake up and get up and walk around, I normally can go back to sleep pretty quickly. That's a big improvement over just a week ago! I'd lay there for an hour or so before going back to sleep then.

I've been rocking back and forth on my recumbent bike. I'm only about 6" from going all the way around on a backward revolution! That's a big improvement, too! When I finally go all the way around I'll be ready to jump for joy! Well, almost! I finally ran the big vacuum cleaner in my bedroom today. It's been needing it for weeks! I have a Roombi for the main part of the house that does a pretty good job. Sooner or later it's going to need the big vac, too!

I'm off of the Oxy except for nighttime and then it's 5mg instead of the 10mg. I'm taking some 50mg of Tramadol + 500mg. of Tylenol ever 4 hours during the day. So far, it's holding the pain down enough that I'm handling it. I have my first after surgery appointment tomorrow. We'll see if he jumps on me for not doing prescribed PT. I'm doing well in my ROM. I'm happy with it even if he isn't! His office is over an hour away, so I bet I'll have to take the Oxy tomorrow when we get back. Two of my friends from church are taking me. I'll see when he says I can drive. Don't want to take the chance of being uninsured by not being released by him.
 
Take an ice pack or two with you. That will help to make the trip more bearable. You can put a couple in the cooler for the ride home. You can also take Tylenol 1000mg up to 4 times a day. That might be enough to take care of your pain altogether.
 
He shouldn't get on you at all especially since you are doing so well. Hope you get a good sleep tonight and the added bonus is you get to see 2 of your church friends.
 
I have a small cooler that I plan on putting some blue ice in and the wraps on top of that. The interstate we'll be taking is really rough and I know it's going to be a rough ride. I will also take 2 pillows. My friend has a van with a bench seat in the back where I'll be. That will be much better than riding in the front without being able to stretch my leg out like it was Saturday when we went shopping. I'll just be glad when tomorrow's over with. I dread it.
 
Yes and I really miss my church family. There has been so much going on there, that they've been unable to visit me. It will be so good to see them. They are very loving, giving women. There's nothing like having close Christian friends.
 
Keep that leg elevated in the back seat of the van, just stretch out, it's better than having your knee down for a whole hour.
For some reason pedaling backwards is easier than forward at first. I had a full rotation at about 6-7 weeks after my washout surgery. Like you, I rocked back and forth, but when it finally went the full way around I yelped in the PT room! Keep rocking it'll come.
 
My appointment is 10:20, but I probably won't get back home until after noon. I'll update then.
 
Good Luck with your appt today. Hope the trip isnt too taxing. Looking forward to hearing your good news!
 
Thank you. I think I'm doing well. Let's see what my doc says! If nothing else, I need 2 prescriptions!
 
I am eagerly waiting to see how the visit with the OS went and how well you did on the trip to and from. Keep us informed.
 
What a long day! It was almost 6 hours I was away from the house. But, all in all, it was a very wonderful day. My OS was pleased with my recovery and movements! He said the bruising is normal as is the burning skin. He didn't measure me, just had me lift my foot from sitting and then bend it back. He never mentioned me not taking PT, so nobody told on me! He gave me a prescription for PT saying I could take it wherever I wanted to. I took it and said OK. He doesn't have to know what I'm not doing! I'm still have success doing it my way! Of course, I knew I would. I always did in the past.
The bench seat in the vac was a blessing. I doubled up a pillow and took a cooler with ice packs and wraps. It really made the ride a lot easier than it would have been if I'd been in the front seat. I had to wait over an hour in the waiting room and was getting really uncomfortable. On the way home we stopped at DQ and ate lunch. That put a real hurting on me! But, it was wonderful to spend time with my two dear friends. I have missed everyone so much and looked forward to getting back.
I've been icing and elevating since being back in my recliner. I have a feeling it's an Oxy night because my swelling has increased as has my discomfort. But, I can rest all day tomorrow if I want to! God is good!
 
@sistersinhim yayyy, we both had a positive experience with our OS today. I'm so happy it went well for you.

I was pretty tired, swollen and achy also, took a long nap in the afternoon. I'm going to try the out patient PT and see how it goes :)
 
Yep, don't let them push or put weight on your knee. I had great PTs after my infection, but directly after the TKR I went to a different PT who had me doing squats and put weights on my knee for extension. I said no to the squats because they hurt but I let them do the weights which they added heat to my knee as well.

The second group was wonderful. No one pushed or bent my knee, but the PTs did have fun with my weird flexibility. At the 4 month mark I began some strength training for my knee and gait practice. So PT can be good, you just have to be a bit aggressive.
 
I'm so excited I had to get up and tell somebody! I just slept about an hour on my left side! I pulled my right leg in front of my left leg and had it bent just a little bit. It worked, at least for a while, that is! But, it's time for a pill so I would have awakened anyway! Just had to share some more good news. Maybe I'll go back now and try my side again! Another step to being back to normal!
 
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    benne68
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