PKR Raffs' Recovery Thread<'

[Hopper]

Glad to hear you've got that very worn out bit repaired - now its onwards and upwards!

 

[jacs65]

Welcome to the other side @Raffs, really hope you had a wonderful sleep and perhaps enjoyed breakfast.

I quite enjoyed having the catheter in as it was one less thing for me to worry about, but as I was drinking copious amounts of water it was soon out. So happy when line in hand came out too.
Enjoy being looked after by the nurses, doctors and support staff and hello to your new knee.

Hope you have a comfortable day, resting knee and watching rubbish day time TV.

 

[simryg]

Raffs, glad everything went well, you can read my account in my thread.
Lets hold hands and walz through recovery together!

 

[Raffs]

Had some sleep plus a nap earlier. Had some breakfast and lunch too. They're going to keep the catheter in possibly until 6am tomorrow. As its so hot today I'm drinking loads so the catheter is definitely a good thing! They can't take the cannula out soon enough as its annoying me. Nurse got me up for a sit down wash earlier which made me dizzy but only briefly. PT been. Can't do hardly anything as nerve block still working. She bent the knee a few times which was uncomfortable but not too bad. Then she put me into a leg splint/brace and I walked around my room using my walker which wasn't too bad. Now time for another nap!

 

[CATSMUM]

@Raffs Just make sure you drink lots today. Hope you've got air con in hospital. Was quite surprised to hear that the PT had put you in a brace.

 

[SuperSnapper]

Glad to hear things are going well. Why the brace? Just thought is it because of the nerve block? I didn't have either of those - all surgeons seem to have their own preferred approaches which differ a great deal.

 

[Raffs]

@CATSMUM no air con! Got a fan and the blinds closed so it's not too bad. Drinking gallons - glad the catheter is still in!

@SuperSnapper the brace is because of the nerve block. My leg would collapse without it apparently as I don't have full control until the block wears off. The PT wanted me to walk with my walker hence the brace. Managed 1.5 laps of my room without any probs.

Flex is only 50 but she said that's ok for less than 24 hrs out. Did a few heel slides which were painful so I stopped before it was too bad. Now back in bed icing. 20 mins max they've said!!!! Hope to get in the hydro pool tomorrow once the block has worn off and the catheter is out.

Time for another nap!

 

[Raffs]

@simryg oh yes, hand holding and waltzing sounds great! You had a tough day yesterday - 8 hr surgery!! - so you deserve an uneventful recovery. Sending healing vibes from London to LA.

 

[iivesfam5]

@Raffs glad you are on the other side..... Hope all goes well for a great recovery!!

 

[momweb]

Hi @Raffs Glad to hear all is well. I'm just a week ahead of you. I only had some soup the first night after surgery and even then good only eat a small amount. You'll feel much better tomorrow. They gave me a bedside commode for the first time once the catheter came out so I wouldn't have to walk far. For me, the bathroom was on the other side of the room. Try to sleep whenever you can. That's the tough part!

 

[SuperSnapper]

Glad things are going well for you. They seem to say 20 mins max in hospital for icing but when you get home you can do it for a long enough time for it to be really useful. Make the most of the enforced rest. You are doing well.

 

[simryg]

Wow! I haven't walked yet, only stood by my bedside and tried shifting from one leg to another.
Pt being here in a half hr, will have to walk then.
Only ate about 4 small pretzels since surgery, my husband bringing me toast, hopefully can tolerate that.
G'luck to the both of us!

 

[Raffs]

Anybody know how you know that a nerve block has worn off?? I have some discomfort but not really pain. Taking lots of meds on schedule and icing as often as they let me (20-30 mins then off for an hour then on again). It's been over 24 hrs since the surgery but I can barely move my leg at all. I can just about wiggle it along the bed side to side but cannot lift it at all. The PT seemed to think that if I couldn't do a leg raise or a short quad raise then the block was still working but I know from other posts on here that some people can't move their leg much at all for a few days. I'm worried they won't let me try to mobilise tomorrow without the brace again.

 

[jacs65]

I remember using my good leg to shift my operated leg around and on and off the bed, hooked good foot under 'bad' calf and engaged muscles
I couldn't do any leg raise straight after the op.

Don't worry about brace, it all takes time and if you need it run with it and the next day you won't need eat.

What's the hospital food like?

 

[SuperSnapper]

I used my good leg to lift the operated one at first too. After a couple of days, I didn't need to do it any more.
Don't worry about the brace, you'll get there but take it all slowly.

 

[Raffs]

Thanks @jacs65 and @SuperSnapper - have started to try to move the operated leg with the good leg around the bed and it seems to be working ok.

Hospital food is acceptable, not great, not bad. Staff a mixed bag too. Some great, some not so. Tonight's aren't that good so far......

 

[JennyLynne]

I wore an immobilizer brace for 4 days because of the nerve block I had in for 3 days. Don't worry about the brace, it's keeping you safe!! It's annoying for sure, but temporary.

But, what's the deal with no AC??


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[momweb]

@simryg Just curious...have they let you walk yet? How are you feeling?

 

[Raffs]

Well, day 2 not been so great. Very little sleep. Pain increased so took some breakthrough meds as well as the regular meds. Very sick this morning so lost most of the meds! OS wanted me to do the hydro pool but PT said no because I'm too tired, I wasn't on top of the pain and my leg was still too weak. Bit of an aggressive PT today who keeps pushing a bit too hard. I am trying to resist. Doing heel slides and static quads on my own every so often. She's also coming 3 times a day to do inner range quads, straight leg raises and extension stretches. She seems surprised that I can't do a straight leg raise yet! She put me in the brace again for a short walk with the walker and I've also taken a few steps without the brace. She's coming back again later this afternoon. Icing now but they won't let me elevate! Not fun at all today.

 

[tigz]

@Raffs I couldn't do a straight leg raise on my own for 1.5 weeks! And even now I have a bit of a lag due to weakened quads. It'll come. Don't let her force you to do anything that's causing pain, in the words of my 23 year old "You Da BOSS"!