TKR R TKR journey

[almostready?]

Hello everyone,
It seems I have developed an infection at the bottom of my incision where the tiniest bit of suture was poking out. I texted a photo to my doctor, and he prescribed oral antibiotics for 7 days right away. I’m dreadfully afraid of this spreading into the joint. Any reassuring words for this situation? My doc said to text again if it seems to be getting worse at all.

 

[Layla]

Please try not to think the worst. You mentioned you had an appointment just two days ago and all looked well. My guess is your OS likely feels it's superficial and the antibiotic will take care of it. I am assuming they questioned you and gave you signs / symptoms to watch for? Hopefully you're able to relax enough to let the antibiotic clear the infection and it's just a blip on the screen. Think positive, we're rooting for you!
@almostready?

 

[almostready?]

Quick update in case this helps anyone out there. The infection at my suture spot has almost cleared up with a course of Keflex. Still crossing fingers and toes that it didn’t spread inside.

 

[benne68]

Glad to read this, @almostready?. Be sure to keep the incision clean!

 

[almostready?]

It’s never without a fresh bandaid and neosporin!

 

[Layla]

Great news, almostready!
Hold those positive thoughts and stay in touch!
@almostready?

 

[almostready?]

Question for the group: my 10 year old son has his first tennis tournament this weekend. He might be playing from 8-3, and it’s an hour drive away so a very long day. If I went and got uncomfortable, I could go hang out and ice at my sister’s house which is 25 min away from where the tournament is. I would have Sunday and Monday to recover and do nothing. I’m 7 weeks out today - does this sound bad?

 

[Layla]

Hi there almostready! I think you're ready!
It sounds doable to me. If the hour drive feels confining, you can always stop halfway to get out to stretch and walk for a few minutes. You also have your sisters house to retreat to if you need a break and feel like icing, so you're not stuck, you do have options. I say "go for it" and support your son, he'll love it.
Good luck and ENJOY if you decide to go.
@almostready?

 

[Cycle-Path]

Sure sounds doable and you have a fall back plan for discomfort at your sister's place. I would recommend a good chair though. Bleachers may get old really really fast.

My wife bought me one of these right before surgery and it has been great for hanging out on my deck and reading as I recover (attached).

Yes, I'm a book nerd. Not only that I still like to hold an actual book. E-books just don't have the same tactile feel, paper smell, and soft edges. Lol.

I spent 2 1/2 hrs in my shop today making a step to hang over a dog gate, so my cat can get over it at will. The gate keeps the dogs out of that room, but it is the cats hangout. My point - I'm feeling fine and although it only took some light effort, it required a lot of moving and bumped my steps out to about 1 1/2 miles for the day.

So, yeah, you probably got this and know it might hurt. I would bring a chair, a good book, a pillow, some ice, a cane, and make the best of it. Your son will probably be happy to help out.

 

[mendogal]

Agree that you will definitely want to be in a chair that permits you to get up and walk a few minutes every .... (insert here whatever time you can currently sit in a chair)... also to avoid clambering up and down bleachers.

 

[almostready?]

Thanks, everyone! Based on your feedback I was able to go to the tournament with my own chair, and it worked out well! I was sore afterwards, but an evening of ice and elevation took care of it.

@Cycle-Path: that’s a nice thing to do for your cats! I agree with another post about hanging my leg of the end of the bed for extension. I use a heating pad on the bottom of the leg for a few min and then let it hang, trying for longer amounts of time but not going into pain.

My current freak out is about my popliteal tendon. I am pretty certain it is snagging on some new part which is causing some of the clicking and catching back there. I did that maneuver to test for it and yep, painful. I’d love to know if anyone else had this and found it got better over time without needed to get it released? I can’t even face the idea of an arthroscopic surgery in the near future - just ugh. Maybe since I’m only at 8 weeks it could settle down? I’m noticing it a lot more now that a lot of the swelling has gone down.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Great news you made it to and through the tourney!

While you're waiting for responses from others that experienced the same with the popliteal tendon, consider using the SEARCH at the top right of the page, typing in key words "popliteal tendon" and all threads where it's been mentioned will appear.
Best wishes, almostready.
@almostready?

 

[almostready?]

8 week report…I think the clicking and snapping might be getting better, or I might be getting used to it. I’m feeling optimistic. I got measured at PT today +1/128. I am riding the bike for 10 min, walking 4000-5000 steps per day, starting some more strengthening - we did 35 lbs of single leg press today. Things at 8 weeks feel pretty ok! I’m still icing and elevating 2-3 times per day. I still don’t like sitting for a long time, especially after 4pm. I don’t want to ever go off my gabapentin 300mg at bedtime bc I now sleep through the night! Just using Advil 400md 2-3 times per day now.

My PT says a lot of people notice feeling A LOT better at 12 weeks.

 

[Cycle-Path]

Good job! Sounds like we are tracking about the same. But, now I'm going to have increase the weight I'm using to assert myself. Lol. Just kidding.

Keep up the good work, but be cautious.

 

[Jockette]

we did 35 lbs of single leg press today.

Be very careful with this, it’s a bit early in your healing for the leg press.

 

[almostready?]

I think maybe it was you jockette who said only do 6 of something new which I did

 

[Layla]

I believe it was, mendogal that advised the following on another thread -

"don't do more than 6 - 8 reps of ANY new exercise. Then reevaluate in two days."

Assuming this is what you're referencing?
@almostready?

 

[almostready?]

Ah, that’s right!

 

[almostready?]

Hello - I wanted to ask about end of the day swelling. When does this go away? It really bugs me that I feel so good in the morning and then I get tight and swollen by about 4pm. This is certainly worse if I do too much throughout the day, but it happens even when I do pretty much nothing but rest. I saw some friends today and got a few comments how this “doesn’t seem normal” which made me self-conscious. The feeling of swelling and tightness is physically uncomfortable, yes, but I am also having feelings of impatience and disappointment every day when it comes on which are worse than the actual physical experience. Also, I’m wondering about use the stationary bike at this time of day to move the fluid…I don’t want to cause more swelling but maybe it would help…any thoughts?

 

[Jockette]

This kind of swelling can last for many months, and will vary from day to day depending on activity.

I saw some friends today and got a few comments how this “doesn’t seem normal” which made me self-conscious.

I know it’s hard, but try not to let these kind of comments bother you, especially if these friends have not had a TKR. Even if they have, we all recover differently.

In this year long recovery, 2 months post op is still fairly early days.

Also, I’m wondering about use the stationary bike at this time of day to move the fluid…

You can try a couple of minutes at a time, here and there, with no resistance, and see how it feels. Just go slow and don’t work through any pain.

I am also having feelings of impatience and disappointment every day when it comes on which are worse than the actual physical experience.

This is very common. We think that 2 months is a long time, but technically not in this recovery.

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Post op blues is feeling depressed, weepy, nervy, shaky, fearful of the future, anxious, overwhelmed by what is happening to you, convinced it's never going to get any better and finally, uttering that most intense of all cries "I wish I never had this done!" It arises out of a variety of...

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