TKR Pheebs52 Recovery Discovery Journey May 22

[sistersinhim]

Pain free for a few more weeks! Let's require all knee OSs and PTs to have TKRs!! Yes, yes. Much better doctors they would be.

 

[Pheebs52]

Staples will come out next Tuesday!

 

[IowaNana]

Isn't that first shower the best? And yes... exhausting! I had to go back to bed and immediately sleep... wet hair and all!

I started reading a book in the hospital, but when I got home and tried to pick up where I left off, I couldn't remember any of the characters so I had to start all over again. As my hubby says... I wasn't as clear minded in the hospital as I thought I was.

Your nights sound like mine were pre-surgery. It was nothing for me to start in bed, wake up with knee pain and not be able to sleep, so I'd go out to the couch or recliner, and possibly doze for a little while before having to get up and get ready for work. It's exhausting! I hope you are able to nap during the day to try to catch up.

It sounds like you are doing great! I love your attitude and the humor in which you are approaching your new journey!


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[Pheebs52]

Best shower I ever had IowaNana! My memory has been shot as well, but I'm rather enjoying it for now, lol. Fortunately, I am retired, so I can take naps during the day. It feels odd to do so, but hey, this whole thing is odd, right? I didn't have too many sleep issues prior to surgery but now I am making up for that. You know what they say about Karma!

 

[jaschembra]

I do know your good sleep patterns will return. Mine have quite a few weeks ago.

 

[Pheebs52]

@jaschembra, I needed to hear that, so thank you!

 

[KarriB]

I had no sleep issues before TKR and routinely got about 2-3 hours every night after surgery. Besides my infection it was my least favorite part of recovery. I didn't get up to walk around, just started in bed with the tv on. I had just begun to get a bit more sleep when the infection showed up and sleeping with an imbolizer on didn't help any. Eventually I started using Tylenol PM to regain my regular sleep pattern.

 

[Pheebs52]

@KarriB, getting up to walk actually makes my leg feel better when I wake from throbbing stiffness. Of course, unlike you were, I am not in an immobilizer; don't know how you did that! I can't take Tylenol PM but wish I could.

 

[KarriB]

I didn't lose sleep because of pain, my knee didn't hurt anymore at night than day time. Literally, I did nothing except PT three times a week and I didn't do everything they wanted me to. At home I just did the stretches my rehab PT gave me. I just couldn't sleep. I'm a side sleeper with an arthritic back. It was 3-4 weeks before I was able to sleep for an hour or so on my side. A few weeks after 2nd surgery the imbolizer actually made it easier to lop my left leg over the RTKR so I could sleep on my right side. But there was no left side sleeping for months.

 

[Pheebs52]

Are you my long list twin? I am also a side sleeper with an arthritic back, so back sleeping just doesn't cut it for me. I may look into buying a body pillow and see if that helps. I really don't know why the discomfort/pain increases at night, because I am certainly not overdoing anything in daylight hours. If anything, I'm a bit of a slug, but hey, I'm doing my best to follow the BoneSmart mantras. I think it's just due to a rather substantial amount of swelling I had/have and after lying down for roughly two hours, it begins to throb and definitely wakes me up. I certainly don't need an alarm to take my pain meds since my knee is like an atomic clock. Walking seems to help *unthrobify*, then I can try to get comfy elsewhere and hope for a few zzzz's. I wish I could watch some TV, because it does put me to sleep, but alas, it's still making me feel odd. Sometimes I find that elevating aggravates my back (sciatica) and I've had to resort to pillow reduction. No doubt this is hampering swelling reduction to some degree, but I have to go with what's most comfortable. I don't need a major back flare-up right now; eeek!

The PT and I are getting along well, but I really don't do much exercise at all on the days she doesn't come. Please, don't tell her, lol. Maybe I'll do 5 half-hearted heel slides, 5 quad tighteners and then a few tours around my small house. No housework of any sort, very little interaction with the canines unless they are sitting next to me, and just a few hugs for Mistah. I'm definitely bum material! So, the nighttime pain and discomfort really is a mystery to me, unless it is somehow drug related. I suppose it could be, but then find it curious as to why it's alleviated by walking a bit.

 

[Pheebs52]

The good part is I am whittling down my enormous Kindle catalogue!

 

[Pheebs52]

Good morning Smarties, hahaha! I'm just curious if anyone else is up and about at 3:30 A.M. EST? Hahaha, time for me to crack open the Kindle and pour some decaf coffee.

 

[JennyLynne]

I wake up every single day between 3:30am and 3:45am! I try not to check my phone because then I'm up for an hour. But there's something about that window!!


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[IowaNana]

I hope you were able to snooze a little!


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[Pheebs52]

JennyLynne, I just knew I might have some good company!

IowaNana, just had a 30 minute snooze


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[KarriB]

Have you tried icing and elevating through the night? I elevated all night, but never thought of icing.

 

[drachios12]

I am right there with you on the sleep thing. I have always had sleep issues anyway and am finding it VERY difficult to get any kind of rest. I don't think I can give you any better advice than what others on here have or will give you. I do agree with KarriB that icing and elevation thru the night gives me a better chance of getting some rest.

Hang in there, I keep hearing over and over that all of this does get better.

 

[SusieShoes]

Try elevating and icing when first you go to bed. I found that helped a lot at first. Now I sleep maybe half the night elevating and the other half side-sleeping. The side-sleeping does get better after a few weeks, but I have yet to make a whole night of it. I use a nice plushy pillow between my knees. They really like the cushioning.

 

[keefsmom]

I nod off around midnight with fresh ice and perfectly situated pillows and an empty bladder and then awake like clockwork at 3 am every night needing to pee like a racehorse. Never had that problem before but I am drinking more water these days so to be expected I guess. After a trip to the bathroom and getting new ice, I resettle, medicate, and fire up the kindle usually get back to sleep by like 4:30 and am good for another 3 hours. I'm not complaining, mind you, just reaffirming that this seems par for the course for many of us and that staying iced and elevated does seem to help!

 

[Pheebs52]

Well my friends, yes, I have tried elevating and icing with some mishaps such as leg falling off elevator pillow, (ouch) ice getting warm and wet and so forth. Now I am icing and elevating for a good 45 minutes pre-bed, so we'll see if that helps; can't hurt. I know this will improve .....eventually. It just makes the whole, healing process that much more difficult though....wah! I still have a fair amount of visible quad and knee swelling and my guess is this just doesn't like lying in bed for more than 2 hours. It certainly makes itself clear as to what it wants and that is "Get Up," and move! I am merely a soldier at it's command though my uniform is somewhat odd.