Bilateral TKR Recovery Diary

[Roy Gardiner]

Day 1 08.00 Didn't feel the spinal going in, time warp to recovery, no problem whatsoever. Woke about 14.45.

17.00 Now typing this veeeeeery slowly due to brain not really working. Legs bandaged; urine draining; blood draining and recycling (no Catch-22 jokes please); oxygen in nose; insulin, own blood and PCA morphine into veins.

Personal one-one-one nurse for the first 24 hours. How cool is that?

Flapping feet a lot as per doc's orders.

Feeling great, THROUGH THE BARRIER! :yes 4:


Edit: #SuccessfulBTKR hashtag added 4.Nov.14

 

[Tykey]

Welcome back, Roy!! Told you not to worry, didn't we:biggrin:

Just wait until you are standing on your brand new knees tomorrow, what a great feeling that is.

Enjoy the enforced rest!!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Yes, and welcome it was -- so I knew it in my head, although not in my heart, which still helped me be much better in the prep room than I expected to be.

Thanks all!

 

[Juliep]

Congrats Roy !! I will be following your posts as I will soon be heading into the same journey that you are now going through. I'm hoping by first of Feburary.

It will be good to hear from someone currently that has had the BTKR.

Wishing you well.

 

[srn]

Well done, welcome to the other side.

 

[Deeden]

Excellent news!

Your pain-free new life is so close now!

 

[just13]

Way to go Roy now your journey starts love to keep in touch with your posting I’m 9 weeks with my new knee it’s tough at first but just think no more pain good luck and take those meds

 

[referee54]

Congratulations on taking the first steps in your new journey!

 

[Jazyb]

Well done Roy and congratulations of your new knees. Take it easy

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Thanks everyone!

22.10 Here's a weird one (look away if you're at all squeamish).

Blood draining from both legs. Early in the day, the right leg blood fine and given back. Left leg blood has slight yellow tinge and leaves a scummy deposit in the bag. Nurse doesn't want to give the scummy stuff back to me, as one might imagine!

Later on in the day, left leg blood now looks OK.

So what's that scummy stuff all about??

 

[editor98]

Okay, that was a bit squeamish for me! But just wanted to say welcome to the good side! You're on your way!
Niki

 

[jerseychick]

Congrats on making it to the other side! Time to rest, heal, ice and elevate and take those pain meds on a regular schedule.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Just wait until you are standing on your brand new knees tomorrow, what a great feeling that is.

Day 2 03.20 Looks like they'll be holding me up; only sleep since yesterday brief dozes in the last few minutes.

 

[ruppbike]

Congrats Roy. You are starting out on a long epic ride. Follow wheels (your support team here and in person). No need to be out in the wind when you have a great team around you.

 

[Mountain Kat]

Congrats Roy! I hope you get some rest! Good luck with your recovery.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Congrats Roy. You are starting out on a long epic ride. Follow wheels (your support team here and in person). No need to be out in the wind when you have a great team around you.

I love it! Roy 'The Cavendish' Gardiner.

 

[goodasnew]

Congrats Roy on your shiny new knees! Welcome to the recovery side, looking forward to following your progress - I'll try to get your jokes if any appear!:th_heehee:

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Day2 08.40 Haven't needed any supplementary PAC morphine, good news. Charge nurse came around at 05.00 to suggest that I made sure to take as much as possible as the blood drainage was to be removed at 06.00 (goodness knows why that hour...). If you get this advice TAKE IT. Doesn't that sucker HURT.

 

[Deeden]

Look upon your knee as you would a new puppy. It will nip/hurt you at times, unexpectedly, even though you look after it. It will keep you awake at night for weeks - so when it's quiet, get some sleep yourself, at any hour of the day or night. It will need exercise(s) and training. In the early days you will be unable to think about anything else and you may wonder at times what possessed you to get it, and curse the breeder/surgeon. You will be obsessed by how your puppy/knee is progressing compared to other people's puppies/knees.

Then one day you will realise that it is quiet and well behaved for a while. Eventually when it's completely settled down it will be a great companion and make your life loads more fun!

 

[Tykey]

It's 11.27 now, have you been walking yet??