TKR Puffin is soaring into the sky

[Titianlady]

Ohhh, Puffin, I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time. I'm another one that is very pain med tolerant, and had a terrible time with pain control in the hospital and post op at home. Nothing worse than not being able to get comfortable, I sure know.

I know it doesn't do anything for your pain, but it WILL get better dear one. In the meantime, huge hugs for you. I certainly understand.

 

[leejaa]

Oh puffin, I am so sorry that you are having such discomfort. Try to sleep whenever you can even if it is in 10 min intervals. Is there any way you can set up something downstairs for recovering so you are closer to your family and do not feel so isolated. I realize, right now you are not able to get back down the stairs but maybe soon. I set up my recovery downstairs just so I was more in the main living area and not so removed but for me also since the bathroom and kitchen are downstairs. Have faith. You have gone through so much, I believe, you will get through this also.

 

[Hopper]

Puffin this must be the worst time for you - things will get better little by little. You have no brace, your leg can go flat and you are using your butt muscles. Wow!
That's big progress. You are tired and uncomfortable so these wee steps forward are overshadowed for you.
Let your poor leg rest and heal. I do hope you can get some cat naps in. Being isolated upstairs is very hard. Time goes slowly I know.... I resorted to putting breakfast tv on in the background to help give me company despite never watching it before in my life. I was desperate!
Chin up Puffin - let's see if by Friday things are still going slowly in the right direction. I just know they will be!

 

[puffin]

The swelling is just so painful at the moment and it's made a lot worse by the fact that I seem to have sprung a leak at the moment and need to get up from my bed 1-3 times every hour for toilet trips. These continual trips have made the knee very sore and it is hard to put proper weight on it.

I think I may have bone-marrow oedema as it hurts deep in the bone with a terrible feeling of pressure

 

[My way]

Good morning puffin. I hope you start to feel better today. I was thinking of you you last night and hoping the swelling that's putting pressure on the staples is settling. As to you springing a leak, why does that happen when we just want to sleep?

 

[puffin]

@Josephine or anyone else with good advice on TKR recovery - I could do with a little reassurance that I am doing OK in my TKR recovery.

I am 8 days out of a TKR using a rotating hinged implant – a Zimmer NexGen – my surgery was on Monday June 3rd and I was discharged from hospital on Friday June 7th with ROM of 83/0

Since I came home on Friday some considerable swelling has come up above my knee with a fist sized swelling (I think it is a tourniquet swelling) and at the side of the knee where it has become rather numb.

In the adrenaline rush of being home again – I climbed the 17 stairs to the upper floor of my house as I wanted to get into my electric Tempur bed - but have lost a little ROM since then and have not been able to go back down the stairs – I can still get the 0 extension but am unsure whether I am at 83 still owing to the additional swelling since I came home – but I seem to have reasonable bend when I do heel slides

I am comfortable up here as there is plenty of space and I have been taking my meds, doing the simple stretching programme that they gave me at the hospital, taking some walks up here with my walker not to mention doing an exceptional amount of stand-up/sit down training as a result of a need to go to the toilet 1-3 times each hour.

There are still some things that I cannot do myself and I don’t know when I will get this movement back again – are any of these things any cause of concern?

• I cannot lift my own leg – either as leg-lift exercises or to get in and out of bed so have to have help
• I am struggling to put weight on the TKR leg – to be honest it feels a lot like the weeks after the original accident in 2010 when I had a broken leg and bone-marrow oedema – although I CAN hop around for about 5 minutes at a time on the walker.
• The swelling is very painful – especially with needing to visit the toilet so often – however the swelling if not red or angry
• The staples are very prickly and uncomfortable – but I need to keep them for another 1½ weeks
• I cannot use crutches as a result of not being able to be weight bearing on the TKR leg

Does this sound like OK progress for 1 week out?

 

[new knee in June]

Dearest Puffin,
I am not an expert, but that looks very swollen do you ice? Hopefully Josephine will get back
to you with your questions Please take care & I will check back on you later
Sincerely,
Diana

 

[My way]

OOOHHH! Puffin that looks so painful! Has the swelling started to subside? On the positive side there doesn't seem to be any redness and the bruising looks like it's starting to fade. I hope you are feeling a little better today. i'll check back later.
Wanda

 

[referee54]

In the adrenaline rush of being home again – I climbed the 17 stairs to the upper floor of my house as I wanted to get into my electric Tempur bed - but have lost a little ROM since then and have not been able to go back down the stairs – I can still get the 0 extension but am unsure whether I am at 83 still owing to the additional swelling since I came home – but I seem to have reasonable bend when I do heel slides

You, in absolutely no way, have damaged the implant, but I would imagine, in your zeal to conquer MT Everest and get to the bed, that yo have inflamed some of the soft tissue that has become rather angry.

I can still get the 0 extension but am unsure whether I am at 83 still owing to the additional swelling since I came home – but I seem to have reasonable bend when I do heel slides

Not a big deal at all---please remember that many folks lose some ROM when they get home---and that gaining ROM is not linear---there will be setbacks here and there---"The roller coaster ride."

I cannot lift my own leg – either as leg-lift exercises or to get in and out of bed so have to have help

Leg lifts are done by the quads, and sometimes it can take a while for the quads to "wake up." IT is also quite amazing to see how much the muscles atrophy in such a short period of time---don't sweat it.

nd at the side of the knee where it has become rather numb.

Again, this is normal---the nerves have been cut and you will expect some of the numbness---but they will reconnect---all in due time.

Ice, Elevate, and Rest---and take it easy---you need to let the knee rest and recover. As you are just a week out, you are still very, very early in the recovery scheme of things, and you need to relax.

I am not sure what to tell you about not being able to put weight on your TKR leg...I remember that i was doing this rather gingerly after my BTKR, but most of the pain was surgical and did nto deal at all with the implants. Have you been in contact with your OS---ask him and tell him what is going on.

Please keep us updated as to how you are doing and to what you are doing.

 

[new knee in June]

Dearest Puffin,
I hope you are feeling a bit more comfortable today If you have any questions please
call your surgeons office That is what they are there for, they don't want you suffering in pain
Please call them & get your meds. straightened out
I will check back later to see how you are doing...........
thinking of you,
Diana

 

[puffin]

Finding it incredibly frustrating at the moment as I still have a lot of pain and swelling

On a positive side my knee seems to be bending OK although I cannot bend it as far as I'd like to as the staples really dig in and the swelling is pretty bad - although thr swelling has improved mariginally since yesterday

I am hopping around with the walker although I am still taking more weight on the "good leg" - I worked out that I had covered around 250 metres today with the walker although the stairs are still too scary to attempt

A big frustration is my inability to lift my own leg - which means that my husband has to be around to help me in and out to go to the toilet - which restricts his ability to do jobs such as shopping and trips to the Chemist

The knee still hasn't stopped bleeding - the patch of blood (see picture above) is almost 50% larger

• I doubt if the enhanced blood thinning protocoll that I am on is helping - I am supposed to take Pradaxa for a month
• I'm stuck with the staples for another 1½ weeks.

I managed to get some more meds from the GP for extra pain - it is a fast-acting morphine tablet which helps when the pain gets bad

 

[My way]

Hi, This is my daily check in to see if you are feeling better today. My poor husband saw the picture of your knee and he was and I can't print the word that came out of his mouth. Poor old thing, he's not too brave. Guess he's about to get over that. There ain't nobody else to look after me.
How are you faring today? Take care,
Wanda

 

[My way]

OOPS. Your update was posted before I sent the last message. I'm happy to hear you are getting about a little and the swelling is going down. Thank goodness you got something to help with the pain.

 

[Hopper]

Hi Puffin. I'm really sorry you are in such discomfort and I really hope things improve rapidly for you with the wretched pain and swelling.
Despite everything you keep on moving in the right direction with achievements. 250m and a bend! That's so good Puffin. Please take heart from the headway you are making - it's slow but sure you know!
It's very weird not being able to lift your own leg but seems to happen to lots of us. I agree - very frustrating. If only Dianas boys could help!
Big hugs.

 

[robynhood]

Puffin that does look very swollen. Glad its getting a little better. I will tag Josephine for you again as Im not sure if yours worked. Im sure she will be able to offer you some help and advice

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

Puffin, I hope you turn a corner soon. Are those 665mg paracetamols time-release (aka arthritis formula)? They should be taken no oftener than every 8 hrs. Have you discussed with your doctor or care team switching to non-time-release 500mg (aka extra strength) ones that can be taken every 4-6 hrs while awake? You might be able to avoid that last painful hour or two.

 

[StillShortie]

Hi Puffin, sorry I can't add anything to TKR issues but I did wonder is needing to pee so often normal for you? If not there is a chance you have a urinary tract infection - did you have a catheter during your op? If it is not normal for you it may be worth getting it checked out.

Hope your leg swelling and pain subside soon.

Shortie x

 

[tashia]

I am so sorry you don't have the pain controled. Have you called the doctor and talked about pain. I know he has given you morphine. Did he say you could talk them around the clock? I took them as often as he said and it helped so much. The swelling will go down, are you using ice? It does help so much. I read where you feel so isolated. That when you come here and post and read other stores and Social room. Right now you are in the worse time so hang in there. It does get better. Remember as long as it is swollen the bend won't be there. Please do take care. Tashia

 

[puffin]

Seem to have had a very tired and energy drain day today - but on the plus side I have found it much easier to nap today than previous days and have taken about 4 naps of 1-2 hours today

I have just done my gentle stretches today and nothing more

I have also changed around my meds a little and I find they are more effective now
- I find it better to take the ordinary paracetamol 500g every 4-6 hours than the 665g every 8 hours
- I have 2 types of morphine - the slow release that I take twice each day and then I have a small prescription for quick acting ones that I take when I am in a lot of pain - usually I take around 2 of these each day

 

[scaredinCA]

I agree with Shortie, I think you may have a urinary tract infection. You shouldn't have to urinate 2 or 3 times an hour unless something is going on. If you can't get to the doctor to have it checked, then at least start drinking lots of cranberry juice and see if it helps.