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TKR Ollie's Adventure

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@Ollie, welcome, I have been reading your posts. I am 13 weeks post op, due for my 12 week check up tomorrow and boy! Is it a long road!! I thought I was well prepared for surgery as I have had many ops including a double fusion but nothing prepared me for this, except maybe this forum in a way. I found sleep at night eluded me until about week 7 until I finally managed to lay on my side with pillows supporting my knee. The swelling is still persisting, with that tight band feeling. My operated knee is still 2inches bigger than the other one. I am trying to get back to 'normal' and although I was walking without my stick I am starting to get a pesky limp so I think I will have to use the stick again and walk more accurately. I get so annoyed with the super sharp pain on the inside of my knee when I walk for more than 15-20 minutes, which stops me in my tracks. I still ice several times a day for long periods of time but the swelling doesn't budge. I no longer have pt, they don't really use it much in the UK for tkrs but I do all the exercises I have been given, including the exercise bike where some days I can make full rotations and other days it just won't play ball with my request. The one thing I didn't lose sadly was my appetite and kept my calorie intake down a couple of days a week so as not to pile on too much. I have put on 5lb in 13 weeks which I guess isn't too horrific in the grand scheme of things. I long to go back to my fitness class again but having gone back for the first time again today I realize I have a way to go yet before I am capable of these exercises. I wish you well with your recovery. Take one day at a time, there are good days and bad ones but they do get easier. Enjoy the recuperating for a while. I am trying to picture myself 8 months down the line when hopefully I will be more than halfway there. Take your pain meds on the clock not as and when and be really really patient. Take care. Lori :)
 
Thank you, @lori107!! I am doing pretty well today. This was my second PT day of the week and it was a bit tougher than day 1. Came in a bit stiffer and of course worked that out nicely. By the end of my session, I felt pretty good. Had pushed a bit harder - without pain - and got good encouragement from my Therapist. Got home and went to the ice and elevation - will get done walking in this afternoon. OH - I was also good and hungry for lunch today!! That has been fairly rare the last couple weeks - my appetite has been pretty spotty. Was nice to be hungry. Of course had a nice nap after!! Gosh, but naps feel good!!

Also slept good last night. Took a melatonin - I think it helped!

Right now I have a kitty in my lap - the third one to get a turn today!! The fourth one came by to say hello, but he won't stay. Not sure why. . . My lap isn't quite right for him, I don't think. Soon. . . :-)



Ollie. LTKR June 10, 2014
 
Tougher day today - cat wrangling and lost focus on pain management!!

OK. . . All of you 'veterans' out there can laugh at me. . . I know exactly what you're all going to say/think as you read this. . .

Had a restless night. That should have been the warning flag. . . So I went outside for a short walk around the parking lot. Kim went out to water our planters and the kitties all came out to sniff the breeze. This is our usual AM thing. After my walk, which felt very good, I sat for a bit on the patio and watched the watering ritual and the kitties snooping along the fence.

SUDDENLY - one of the cats - Casey - took a runner around the end of the building. Kim went after him. I waited for a few minutes and then gathered up the remaining 'good kitties' and lured them into the house. They are suckers for treats, luckily. I went through the house to the front door and there, desperately trying to catch the wayward Casey, was Kim. The air was full of wondrous blue language. I went down the steps (carefully and correctly) and helped round up the poor cat. Actually I was really trying to save Kim from spontaneous combustion. It took us about 15 minutes to get him out of the window well and out from under the shrubbery. (Ni!! For all you Monty Python fans. . . )

So. . . I was whipped by the time we got everyone back where they belonged. I got my leg up, ice wrapped , and leaned back to rest. It was at this time that I took my Tylenol dose but I forgot to take my hydromorphone . . . And that is when the day began to slowly fray.

After lunch I noticed that I wasn't feeling as good as I had felt earlier in the day; I wasn't in pain per se. . .but had an overall uncomfortable feeling. Took a short nap, but it didn't help. The melt down came on suddenly and as it started, I realized my mistake. Kim brought me a pill and thankfully, in about 10 minutes, I began to feel much better. She is getting so much better at understanding the random emotions; she just kept telling me that it would be OK, and if I'd cut loose with some choice words I'd feel better. It kinda helped!

As I enter this post, it is about five hours later and I feel so much better. I hope sleep is better tonight and meltdowns stay away tomorrow. . . And the dang kitties behave themselves!!


Ollie. LTKR June 10, 2014
 
How have things been going since the glitchy day?
 
Today was a good day, @kneeper! Had PT and that felt great. I also finally moved back into my own bed and bedroom last night. WOOHOO!!!
Starting to have more 'better' days than not. . . And have to consciously fight the 'work harder to get better faster' voices in my head and sometimes on my shoulder. Being careful, taking it slow, using lots of ice/elevation has been so good for me; I know not to tempt fate, but it takes being so very mindful. For instance, I could sleep on my left side almost right away by using a pillow to help cushion my knee, but I could NOT in any way tolerate being on my right side. That was the norm until suddenly, two nights ago I discovered I could lay on my right side. That changed like overnight. Another WOOHOO!
 
Great news! I hear you on the "work harder" voices. Especially when some of those are coming from PTs etc. :(
 
Slept 9 hours last night!!! Didn't know I was that tired, but of course I was/am!!

The downside was waking up stiff and with a touch of swelling from PT. I didn't do anything that hurt, but they added a 'flipper walk' that was more challenging; at the same time it felt so good! So today my hips and quads are sore and I have some stiffness in my knee that the ice is soothing and relieving.

Everyday is an adventure!!
 
@Ollie Sorry I haven't welcomed you before, there are a lot of people on here! My hubby would be very envious of your 9 hours. He will have a few fairly good nights and then a bunch of restless ones. He uses vitamin E oil on his scar and we really have to watch one of our cats because she always tries to lick it off. My hubby is always trying to overdo it, but so far he is doing well - hoping to get his other knee done soon.
 
@tiredwife - thank you for the welcome! Tell your husband that I am fully expecting a couple restless nights to come along here soon. Nothing seems to come for 'free'! And I am always on guard for the 'doing too much' trap. I may have gotten a toe in it from yesterday, but am hitting the ice today!!

I will need my other knee done - hopefully next summer. Keep me in the loop on your husband's progress!!
 
@Ollie Hubby has a habbit of overdoing, but his progress is great, went to the surgeon today and talked him into doing his right knee the 6th of August. The surgeon really didn't want to do it that soon, but because hubby is doing so well he agreed. His doctor told him to try Ambien for sleeping so because he is off the narcotics. His right knee has been bothering him a lot this last week. He will be glad to get it done. He has been really lucky with his recovery on this knee and we really hope the next one goes as well. Ice is our friend, I often borrow his ice gel packs when my shoulder bothers me or when I have a headache. He ended up with a lot of them from each of his knee clean outs and shoulder clean outs. They would send them home from the hospital.
I hope you have a painless and long sleep tonight!
 
Ollie! My day was June 10th also...LTKR. Pleased to meetcha sister! Sounds like you are doing ok! I have the same sleep issues and sleep in my wonderful recliner when I can. I'm 4 weeks out and can walk hundreds of feet at least with my walker. In the condo I use a cane or nothing. I try to use the cane and put weight on it, as now my good knee is aching so I want to keep weight off that. My rom is 2 to 100, so PT is trying to help me with that.
I wondered if pool and spa are ok. I figured pool would be, but what about spa? Do you know? I'm concerned the heat would cause more swelling, but I bet the heat would feel super good on my other knee and hips, which are all complaining a little due to added weight on them.

So what about you? How far are you walking? How is rom? How is pain? By the way...are you in Washington? I lived in Tacoma for 3 years, and have family in Seattle.

Lets compare recoveries and see how we are doing?
 
Been a few days since I last posted. Am feeling pretty good - getting some good sleep, but napping, too. Getting that stamina back is really a slow process. So much energy going to healing and to PT; I am really close to naps all the time!! Did a short shopping trip (20 minutes) on Wednesday. I actually enjoyed it, but was done at the 20 minute mark!!

My support and partner had a small melt down yesterday (Friday) and I knew it was coming. So many things that I can't do yet, or can't do enough of yet have been weighing on Kim's heart and mind - she's been feeling pressure to get everything done. Then the cable began dropping channels. . . And I am the techie one. . . So perfect storm lead to meltdown. . . I felt bad that I didn't notice some of the things, but carefully explained how foggy my head is most of the time, that even though it's been almost five weeks, I am really not that close to normal yet. It took a bit of decompression time, but eventually it settled down. I got the cable situation solved, and made a simple dinner and let Kim relax a bit.

Today I've been really tired. Was quite stiff and sore from PT when I got up; I decided to clean cat boxes and sweep out the laundry room to help Kim out. I almost over did it. Got hot and shaky and then felt icky for several hours. Finally started feeling better after lunch, then had a long nap and feel better yet, although still stiff. Ice and elevation are my best friends, for sure! I made carne asada tacos for dinner - I think this was about the fourth real meal since I got home!! Have been quite happy with sandwiches and salads; not really had much of an appetite. Still don't, but was nice to set the table and eat from serving dishes, etc. Kim was delighted to not be responsible for the whole thing!!

And I like getting to do a few more things, feeling like I'm getting back to a bit of normal!!


Ollie. LTKR June 10, 2014
 
Hey Ollie, it is nice to be able to do a few things here and there. It makes me feel more normal too even though I know that I have a way to go yet. My knee still gets red hot (literally) occasionally. Does yours do this too? My husband asked me today how far into my recovery I am and if I'm on track. I think he's really feeling the stress of at least thinking he has to do it all (I'm turning a blind eye to a lot of stuff that would normally get done). I tried to explain to him that everyone is different. This surgery is tough on everyone, that's for sure!
 
@H2OPoloMom - my knee does get pretty hot now and then, in a couple of places. Always pretty warm when I get up in the AM, and then in the afternoon. Right now (@9:00pm) it is still pretty cool from icing. Most of my swelling and warmth is just below my kneecap and on the outside of the knee. Pretty numb there,too, but the numb area is shrinking. My quad, just above my kneecap is also quite sore - my incision goes up into it, I am sure. I ice and ice and ice as much as I can; even sometimes I ice rather than stretch, especially if the knee has been hot. I am up to about 105 flex. Hanging around 3-4 extension. PT likes my progress and is most concerned with me relearning to walk without the hobble and stiff legs!! I really have to focus when I walk and it really helps get it loosened up!

It is hard for our caregivers to understand the rollicking roller coaster that healing and rehab is. It isn't a straight track in any way, but that really isn't apparent to anyone on the 'outside' of this. I was worried prior to this that some of the tasks that I regularly do would grow very old and bothersome after a week or two. In general, I was right. My partner is impatient at times and I've had to have her read some of the articles in the Bonesmart library just to help with understanding - that the getting mostly back to normal process can take several months, and even after that, it can still be up and down. Even I wasn't quite prepared for feeling out of sorts for five weeks (or more). I am an independent person, always have been, and relying on others for help has been hard for me. I know I can't do many things on my own yet - and I also know that it is all getting a bit old for Kim. Heck, it's getting that way for me, too.

Making dinner tonight was a way to be more independent again and to take some pressure off my support team!!


Ollie. LTKR June 10, 2014
 
If I could, I would like, agree and friendly your post. I really appreciate your reassurance! Thank you:SUNsmile:
 
@Ollie...I think it is amazing you are able to cook a full dinner...I did a light dinner tonight and was worn out. I'm still using a cane...most of the time...and the walker if I have to go far, and my PT is really proud of me and says I'm doing great. Are you saying you are walking without an aid and they are worried about your limp? Maybe I'm way behind! My extension is 2 and my flex is just 102. I did notice a sudden change this week with standing..,that suddenly it was better and I didn't feel so much like 'get off, get off, get off' the whole time. But on the whole, I still feel pretty limited. I have been driving a little, which is awesome.
 
@Ollie As the caregiver I can say this forum helped me be prepared for this rollercoaster ride as well as my husband. I knew what he would go through. I would say that you should have Kim nose around the forum.
 
@Gingiebot - it was only tacos for dinner. . . And my standing was for about 10 minutes while I seared the carne asada meat and grilled a few onions. :yes: Not sure I am up to a full dinner quite yet!! I used my walker for the first four weeks but have moved to a cane, which makes doing a few chores in the house much easier. I am surprised at how much energy it takes to get small things done; but it is slowly getting better. I am sleeping longer each night and I slept really good last night after my dinner project!

@tiredwife - I've been having Kim read posts and articles all along and it has helped us have some good conversations, especially the last couple of days :console2: .

I would really recommend for everyone to have family and support read and become as informed - if not more informed - about what this surgery and recovery is really like, or what it can be like. I had done quite a bit of research and reading, but it really was thus site that gave me the most and best insights. Not that I wouldn't have gone through with the surgery - 'cause I know it will be a great thing in a few more months - but I would have prepared myself, my home, and my support team differently. :tada:
 
@Ollie It is hard to watch a loved one struggle through this recovery. You just feel helpless sometimes. You want to able to help make it better. Each new day brings you closer to full recovery.
 
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