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Bilateral TKR Pams Mar 16, 2020 bilateral TKR

You really will do fine without PT. Everything you are doing at home is PT.
 
Day 8 pain still well controlled on Tylenol & tramadol every 6 hrs, one Celebrex & one aspirin/ day & a 5mg oxycodone at night. Low grade fever of 99.1 this afternoon - from what I’ve read that’s normal? Icing & elevating most of the day & night.
today I decided to try taking some online continuing education- wasn’t sure if I could manage it & pass the exam with the brain fog . I did it! 2 hrs of Ce completed - I need 18 every year so I figure I can get it all knocked out .
I’ve had wonderful friends bring me meals so tonight was chicken enchiladas & home made apple pie. Mmmmmmm ! Feeling very spoiled
 
pamsknees said:
today I decided to try taking some online continuing education- wasn’t sure if I could manage it & pass the exam with the brain fog . I did it! 2 hrs of Ce completed
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Yay! You did it! And with a brain fog, too. I couldn't even teach Sunday School at 5 weeks. Look at you!
pamsknees said:
I’ve had wonderful friends bring me meals so tonight was chicken enchiladas & home made apple pie. Mmmmmmm ! Feeling very spoiled
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Yummy. What good friends you have.
 
Thanks @sistersinhim ! I was pretty pleased that I did it. It was hard to stay awake thru 2 hrs of material that is challenging to learn. Of course I slept much of the afternoon after that . I am so fortunate in my dear friends. Wish I could have visited with them too but with the corona virus it was just a drop off of food
 
Day 11. I’m celebrating any progress . This is actually going better then I expected. I think all the hard work ahead of time with the exercise bike, pt exercises & building upper body strength have paid off, but most important was reading on here for months & having an idea of what to expect.

I am not doing formal PT with the corona virus so no measurements, but I can tell flexion is better as I can now comfortably sit in shower without legs crammed into the wall.

I decided to try exercise bike if nothing else just rocking. Yesterday I managed a full backwards rotation & then a frontwards one - exhausted after but no pain. Today I did10 backwards & 10 forward! I’m excited!
I had planned to order a new camera body once I was awake enough, but once I was awake enough the world had gone crazy! I’m on furlough instead of being able to use my FMLA leave time so until I feel confident of income. I won’t be buying anything. I am feeling fortunate in that I was prepared for 3 months of not leaving home.
 
@pamsknees I'm so excited for you and your bike rotations, that is awesome especially since you are your own physical therapist. Keep up the amazing job
 
You are doing really well for being just a 10 days out! Amazing.
 
Hey Pamsknees that is great you are doing so well.
I had my first followup appointment yesterday. The PA was impressed with my progress at 11 days. I also have only done my own PT, he said to keep that up and no need to come back till May.
I have been eyeing my bike and will give it a try based on your success.
Have a great day
 
That’s great @gooseisland1 ! My follow up appt is not until 6 weeks after surgery. I’m supposed to remove the dressing at 2 weeks ( this coming Mon), which I’m looking forward to & dreading . I have an unreasonable fear of it all splitting open. I can deal with eye things all day long but other gory things gross me out
 
Most of us get our bandage off by 2 weeks, so your incision will be ready for it. Actually, I had to go in to the office sooner, I forget why, and my surgeon took the bandage off early. It did not gross me out and he’d done a lovely job stitching it. (My friend said he should become a quilter! :rotfl: )

I didn’t mind looking at my own incision, but I get queasy looking at the photos our members post.:shrug: Go figure.
 
I had an aqua seal bandage. I was told to remove the bandage myself at 7 days, the incision was glued and was closed up tight when the bandage was removed. Now at 12 days it looking great and continues to heal.
 
Jockette said:
I didn’t mind looking at my own incision, but I get queasy looking at the photos our members post.:shrug: Go figure.
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I think seeing my own incision will gross me out, I will find out onMon
 
We're all different there. I didn't mind looking at mine but wouldn't want to look at others'. Sounds like you're doing really well. Full rotation! :happydance: Just keep listening to the knee.
 
Today is16 days. Everything continues to get better then I expected. Pain is well controlled on tramadol & tylenol every 6 hrs with a 5 mg oxy at bedtime. I removed my aqua cell dressing on Mon & I just have Steristrips & my legs didn’t fall off . My one concern is an area of swelling & redness at the bottom inner area of my right leg - almost looks like a second incision. Photo attached.
DDB34BFC-F80C-4A78-81F1-7AED31FEC34F.jpeg
[Bonesmart.org] Pams Mar 16, 2020 bilateral TKR
 
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Today is 3 weeks since my bilateral TKR. I think all is going well - the knees are sturdier than before TKR & pain is well controlled. I’m currently taking 1 500 mg Tylenol 4-5 times/ day & a tramadol & a 5 mg oxycodone at bedtime. I use the breg polar ice machine at night & ice packs during the day...... my bedroom is down a step & up a step so a challenge to carry the ice machines thru now that my son has gone back home. my knees are somewhat stiff when I get up in the morning or if I’m in the recliner for long, but it sure beats the pain I had before surgery! Sleep has not been an issue for me other then a few nights when I know I overdid things that day.

I have cancelled all PT as I don’t want to go anywhere & don’t want anyone in my house. My home health PT is a sweet heart & called to over to loan me a 4 wheel walker that’d make walking outside easier. She came by today, wore gloves & a mask & used sanitizer on every surface of the walker which we agreed to leave in the garage for a few days. She stayed outside about 10 feet away & watched me walk & looked at incisions. She said she can’t believe how well I’m doing.

I found out that Costco makes deliveries, same day thru instacart . What a great service - was able to order milk, fresh produce, frozen things & they texted me about any substitutions for things they were out of! Of course by the time I wore gloves carried each item inside, threw packaging away, washed all produced & eggs, used sanitizer on everything else & then put packaging out in recycle, I was exhausted so took a shower & a nap.

I am so looking forward to being able to hike and ride a bike! I’m very glad that I did bilateral - it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

I hope all of y’all are doing well too
 
Hey fellow March 16,er. It is fantastic you are doing so well. Its seems you were well prepared and are making good choices.

I continue to progress well also. I am starting to lower my tramadol usage. I have been able to get outside and do some yard work.
Have a great day
 
@gooseisland1 - how cool that you are doing yard work! Now that my pt dropped off that new walker I’m hoping to get my raised beds planted. My yard in my new house is beautifully landscaped so I hired a yard crew as I knew it’d frustrate me to be unable to care for it. I will admit I am really enjoying being able to just admire it without all the work . Right now I’ve got rhododendron blooms, azaleas daffodils, lilies & tulips 21ECE8DE-EEA4-4D19-BEF2-3907AC829F26.jpeg C53C8AC1-719A-40E0-A9D0-4E4193F642EB.jpeg CEEAD1F8-0D92-4644-A72B-EB455E888609.jpeg
 
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