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TKR Pescara's Recovery Thread

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@Widget1 in the hospital it took 20 minutes before I got help. Yes. I have drafted my first letter of complaints to the CEO.! My back should be getting better week by week for about 3-4 months. I had some of the stabbing pain but nothing like you are having. I'm glad you are going to see someone. After all the meds I have been on I might have to go to pain management.:doggie:
 
So nice to hear you sounding like yourself again. You had a rough ride in the hospital. We were all worried about you. Keep up the good recovery!
 
Widget1 said:
I'm still having problems with my knee - especially sharp stabbing pain inside and when it happens (it's random, maybe 10 times a day) I'm unable to stand or walk or sit and must lie down for a few minutes.
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It sounds like I, too had similar pain in my knee. It hit me big time especially at night. Sometimes I would get the pain when I was walking, and you are right, I would have to stop because the pain was so intense.

I saw the OS for my 12 week check the other day and he said I had some hypersensitivity and gave me a prescription for Neurontin. I only take 3 capsules at night, but I can't tell you what a difference! I don't have that stabbing pain at night and I haven't had any during the day either. It's only been a couple of days but I'm really surprised. Could it be nerves that are bothering you as well? Worth checking.
 
@Pescara Happy Sunday! So glad to hear your knee feels better which must make you feel better as well. Glad to hear things are getting a little better. Keep resting and before you know it you'll be up and passing all of us!
 
@Widget1 how did your appointment go? Today was my first day of having a private nurse. I want to keep her forever! She makes me eat and take my meds on time. We like a lot of the same things so it helps. She has made me as comfortable as I can and sleep when I need it. I'm stuck in the recliner so my routine is to the bathroom and back to the recliner every 2 hours. That's my exercise routine lol. My knee is getting better since I have been off it for so long. Still a little stiff and the forever numb spot but I'll take it. Next Friday is the day for taking out the staples. I can't wait. I hope the doctor can help you so you can get busy with work. :dogwalk:
 
I am SO happy to hear that you and the nurse are hitting it off. And EVEN happier to hear that you're comfortable and that you can sleep when you need it. That's wonderful! I'm sure that comfort and sleep will aid your recovery tremendously. Just curious, can you feel the staples when you're trying to get to sleep? If so, that must feel a little weird.

I'm also happy that you have someone else besides Madison to supervise your "exercise" routine of frequent trips to the bathroom. It must be a relief to have your knee feeling better, too.

You're one kind and generous person, @Pescara. No matter what you're going through, you're always keeping other Bonesmarties and their progress in mind. Your compassion and caring is so helpful to us. Thank you.
 
@Pescara - I'm so glad you had a great day being looked after by your nurse and Madison! I posted in my recovery thread that whenever I start feeling down about my knee, I only have to think of you and the hours of spine surgery you had and recovery from that in addition to your knee, and that you are my hero. You're so brave, and I cannot even imagine what it would feel like to have incisions stapled shut on my back. That's why I'm so glad when you post that you slept up to 12 hours, because it must be really uncomfortable just trying to sleep.

Next Tuesday I go the ortho outpatient surgery center and the doctor will do a left lumbar sympathetic block. He said there's a 50% chance that it will work, but 50% is much better than the 0% I've had lately, so I'll take it.

I'm still working on my Amazon handmade, and making things to sell at the winter village. By concentrating on those things I'm able to temporarily take breaks from focus on the knee pain (until the burning/stabbing pain flares up).
 
@Pescara you are so fortunate to have a nurse. After I ahd my spine surgery I had to go back to an empty apartment with no help at all. A nurse helped me in to a taxi to go home and she asked if anyone was going to be home. I said no. My mum had died a few days before, my husband had left me a year before and I was alone. She started to cry. I didn't know about Community Care. I had to ask my ex to come and change the dressing on my wound. Looking back on those days I find it amazing that I survived, but I did. I had to dig deep within myself and I found a strength that I did not know was there. Now I am married to a wonderful man and have made so many amazing friends who would never let that happen to me again.

You can do this, Katie. Things will get better and you will look back on the pain and discomfort and be amazed at your own resources.
 
Widget1, SaraJane, cairistona 60, momweb, without your support I would have nothing. Your friendship has been wonderful and I always look forward to your letters. My knee is still angry at me. I went to the doctor today for a weekly visit and he asked when I was thinking of when I wanted to get the other one done! He has to be nuts. If I could have moved faster I might have hit him. I'm still having trouble with this one with stabbing pain and numb spots. I finally got to take a real shower today. Not a sponge bath and dry shampoo. It took over a half hour. I finally get the staples out of my back next Wednesday then I won't have to worry about getting the bandage wet and put a dry one on. My poor husband. He has had to put up with so much these last few months. Every time I look I find a new bruise. I have lost count. My nurse is great thanks to my insurance that pays half but when left alone to sleep for the night alone in the recliner I cry myself to sleep. I know you think I am strong but there are days I don't know which is worse. My knee or back. I just keep going. You all rock and make me proud to know you. Xxx
 
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@Pescara :console2:, I'm so sorry your recovery has been so challenging. You've been through a lot, a whole lot. Tears can be healing, let them flow. Hang in there my friend.
 
{{{Pescara}}} sending you gentle, loving air hugs -- real ones, too, if they're not too painful.

@wings speaks from a compassionate heart with great wisdom: tears *can* be healing. I speak from experience. I cried during the early part of my recovery when all the different medications decided to have WWIII in my tummy. I cried on the phone to my OS office. I cried when my neighbor came over to give me the medication which had been called in. I don't think they judged me. And I felt so much better emotionally once I started crying and acknowledged to myself how gosh darn awful I was feeling. (I hope that makes sense.) Whenever you feel down, envision your Bonesmart support team -- me, Wings, @Widget1, @cairistonia60, and @momweb, holding your hand, soothing your brow, keeping you company, whatever else you need. And handing you hankies.
And tearing up ourselves at what you're going through. And sending you TLC.

Isn't it wonderful to shower? And it'll even be more wonderful once those staples are out. I'm more of a bath person myself, and remember my first bath after the surgery -- heaven!

Love to you, your husband, Madison, and Florence Nightengale.
 
Oh the heaven of that first shower. You feel exhausted after it but it is so worth it. Just remember to tell yourself that it will get better. I hope you get a good sleep tonight and feel stronger in the morning. Sending non ouchy cyber hugs!
 
Oh @Pescara every time I come and read your posts I shake my finger at myself and say, wow. look at Katie, what a trooper! Back and knee, don't know how you deal with them both. I would have kicked the doctor with my good knee as well. What was he thinking? I remember when I could shower, how wonderful that water felt. Funny how the simple things in life mean so much to us. Our husbands tend to take a lot of the brunt as we recover and yours has had double duty lately. He surely must be a wonderful man. Tell him for me how much we recognize what what's he doing for you and how special he is. Get outside if you can on any day the weather allows so cabin fever doesn't hit too hard. And don't worry about those tears. We've all had them and the anger, too. Thinking of you and sending happy thoughts.
 
@Pescara - Katie, the important part to remember is that you keep on going in your day-by-day healing & recovery process. It's never all moving ahead, as we always have days of setbacks. Your husband and Madison and all your friends adore you, and you will get through this. You had the wonderful opportunity to take a shower yesterday, and that's a huge forward step! You've also been able to have actual hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is soothing for your body. This is week 18 for our TKRs, and just think of where we were pain-wise and all the rest in the early weeks. No matter how much pain I have now, I keep reminding myself that the goal of the surgery was to remove the bone-on-bone agony, and my new knee did accomplish that. It's frustrating to have delays and bumps in the road, but we both know that the bone-on-bone pain is gone for good. The numbness on my left side actually doesn't bother me at all, and I kind of wish the rest of the knee was also numb. :)

I'm so happy that your nurse is taking care of you, and it won't be long before you can sleep in your own bed again. Hugs and wishes for magic....................

As soon as I can get my right knee and right foot issues under control and after I have the outpatient surgery procedure on my spine next week I'll be ready and willing and eager to come and visit you.
 
Maybe someone can answer a question for me. Last night I kept telling my husband it feels like I am getting poked in the back. He took off the bandage partway and found a loose staple. Seems like it came out on its own. Is this normal? I have to call the GP today since I seem to have a lot of wheezing when I try to lay all the way back in the recliner so I have not been able to lay all the way back to sleep. I have to be on a little incline. Maybe an inhaler would help. I don't smoke and still use the breathing machine I used in the hospital 4 x a day
 
It is a good idea to see your doctor about the wheezing.
Show your back wound to your doctor too, and let him/her advise you.
 
^I agree. Let us know what you find out.
 
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