TKR Pam’s TKR PO journey

[Shewolf38]

10/15. Our wedding anniversary is this Saturday. We are planning to take a hot tub soak and go out for dinner. I’ll be 7 weeks PO, incision is completely closed, no scabs or anything like that. Has anyone else been soaking in a hot tub? Is there anything that I should do differently than I did before I had surgery?

 

[sistersinhim]

Has anyone else been soaking in a hot tub? Is there anything that I should do differently than I did before I had surgery?

Heat tends to cause swelling at your early stage. Just watch out for that. Maybe if you get out and ice immediately afterwards, you'll be OK. Just look out for your knee starting to feel tight or swelling.

 

[Shewolf38]

10/17. I’m mostly pain free since PT ended. Go figure! My hubs and I talked about it and we decided to not go hot tubbing on our anniversary. It’s just too risky for me at this point. I’m still having a hard time sleeping at night but I’m napping during the day. I’m going to start weaning myself off of naps to try to sleep better at night. I recently found out that my brother has stage 4 liver and kidney failure. He has to have fluid drained out of his abdomen weekly. He was recently hospitalized. During his follow up appointment with his kidney doctor, he was told that there’s nothing else that they can do for him. He’s past the stage for dialysis. They told my sister in law that she should consider contacting hospice.

 

[Macknit]

@Shewolf38 I'm so sorry to hear the sad news of your brother! Life is constantly bouncing around and then through us, isn't it? Prayers for your family and your brother in this tough time!

It kind of makes sense that this is all the more reason to slow down and focus on your own healing right now, PT ending is quite the blessing!! I hope you can rest and find peace during this difficult time!

 

[luvcats]

I am so very sorry to hear about your brother.

 

[Shewolf38]

Thank you for the prayers and thoughts for my brother. It’s definitely an emotional time.

I went to bed around midnight last night and I didn’t wake up until 10 am! I feel so rested today! I’m not sure if it was exhaustion or moving into a new healing stage, but I’m sure thankful that it happened. It’s going to be a good day!

 

[Shewolf38]

10/20. I’m 7 weeks PO and my husband and son have pretty bad chest colds. I’m having sweats on and off but no fever and I feel ok so far. Should I be worried about the germs going to my knee? I know that this sounds strange but I heard from someone that any little thing can cause your knee to be infected.

 

[kneeper]

This close to the surgery it is not unusual to have "hot flashes"--probably due to the meds and the recovery. You might even run a temp slightly above normal for a bit.
My OS said the germs from things like a cold don't go to your knee, but it would be a good idea to stay away from sick people just because you don't want your body having to fight an illness while it needs its energy for recovery.

 

[Shewolf38]

10/22. Good morning! I’m just over 7 weeks PO and I decided to go visit my parents a couple hours away. Hubs and son are both sick with a cold so I’ll be driving myself. I’ve driven myself around town but this is my first big drive since my surgery. Feeling excited!! I’m taking my cane just in case I need it.

 

[Celle]

I'm really sorry to hear about your brother.
I think I understand how you feel, as I heard about a month ago that my brother has a cancer in his oesophagus, with a secondary in one lung. Not good news for either of these men.

I’m 7 weeks PO and my husband and son have pretty bad chest colds. I’m having sweats on and off but no fever and I feel ok so far. Should I be worried about the germs going to my knee? I know that this sounds strange but I heard from someone that any little thing can cause your knee to be infected.

As kneeper said, it's unlikely that the germs that cause the common cold will affect your knee at all.

I’ll be driving myself. I’ve driven myself around town but this is my first big drive since my surgery.

While it's a good idea to stay away from those with colds, do be careful that you take this longer drive Cautiously. Be prepared to make frequent stops, to get out and walk a little. I know that when I started doing longer drives, my knee got very stiff and painful.

 

[Shewolf38]

My trip to visit my parents was wonderful. I was fine until the drive home. I used cruise control for most of the journey home. I’m thinking that spending so much time without elevating my leg was not a good idea. I’m 8 weeks PO and was feeling so good that it was easy to think that I was healed enough to jump back in my normal activities. This is the reason why my surgeon wants me to take 4 more weeks off work. (I spend most of my day on my feet).

 

[Shewolf38]

I have to call my doctor tomorrow. I think that I have a kidney infection. I’m going to start drinking cranberry juice right now. I’m worried about this because most kidney infections are bacterial.

 

[sistersinhim]

Many of us got UTIs after this surgery. I had my first one about 6 weeks after my TKR. My doctor said the infection shouldn't affect the knee at all. I hope you don't have either, but if you do, your knee should be fine.

 

[Shewolf38]

Many of us got UTIs after this surgery. I had my first one about 6 weeks after my TKR. My doctor said the infection shouldn't affect the knee at all. I hope you don't have either, but if you do, your knee should be fine.

Thank you so much! I can’t get into my doctor until Monday.

 

[Shewolf38]

10/25. 8 weeks PO! I can’t believe the difference between now and how much pain I was in before my surgery and the first couple weeks after. I would do this again in a heartbeat!! I still struggle off and on with swelling and stiffness after overuse but other than that no issues.

 

[sistersinhim]

I can’t get into my doctor until Monday

Can you go to one of the urgent care units? It seemed my UTI always happened on the weekends so I would go to Patient's First and get on meds the very same day.

I can’t believe the difference between now and how much pain I was in before my surgery and the first couple weeks after. I would do this again in a heartbeat!! I still struggle off and on with swelling and stiffness after overuse but other than that no issues

Yay! What a great report! Not many can say that they are glad they had the surgery done at only 8 weeks out! You are blessed!

 

[Macknit]

@Shewolf38 I agree, though each day has been different, I believe I'm at the point of also saying this was a good thing, I will have the L knee done, as needed. I feel the L one is at about the same as the RTKR one in stiffness and pain!

 

[Shewolf38]

Wowsa. I drove myself about 4 hours on Tuesday, rode with my son for about 2 1/2 hours to run an errand on Friday and today, Saturday, I rode with my husband about 4 hours to run another errand. I had to take a nap and ice my knee, as well as use a heating pad on my calf when we got home. I was feeling accomplished but now I’m feeling dumb for overdoing it. Ah well, I’m still planning to go to the apple orchard with my son tomorrow. If I need my cane, I’ll just grin and bear it.

 

[sistersinhim]

If I need my cane, I’ll just grin and bear it.

There is nothing wrong with using a cane when you need it. All it is, is an assistance device. I used mine for at least a year when I was in a crowd or on really uneven ground. It is much better to be safe than falling.

I was feeling accomplished but now I’m feeling dumb for overdoing it.

Enjoy those accomplishments and then baby your knee until it feels better. We learn what to do and what not to do through experience!

 

[Shewolf38]

I’m exactly 9 weeks PO. I’ve been released to go back to work on November 20. I learned that I will have random pain off and on due to my knee healing in different spots at different times. Now it’s under my kneecap. Nothing that I can’t tolerate but different. Some days I still need my cane, then I’ll have a stretch of days that I need no assistance. I went to the hospital late yesterday for some testing and I was asked about recent surgery. I told them about having a knee replacement 9 weeks ago and the nurse said “and you’re not using a cane? Wow, you’re doing great!” That made my day.