Bilateral TKR Recovery Diary

[Juliep]

I like what I'm hearing so far from your recovery. Hope it continues like that. I think I'll be ready for mine when it's time.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

You're doing great, Roy!!! I'm really enjoying your posts.

Look to be doing OK, yes. Glad you like them, I do wonder when writing whether anyone does.

I like what I'm hearing so far from your recovery. Hope it continues like that. I think I'll be ready for mine when it's time.

I'm hoping that mine will go well (of course I do!) and will be an positive example, because many stories on here are (understandably I guess) about people's problems, not successes.

Day 5 09.30 Lights out yesterday about 22.00, slept soundly from about 01.30 to 06.30 :yes 4: nurse confirms this as she looked in around 6 and I didn't wake.

Took myself 08.00 to bathroom using Zimmer but with no-one in attendance. Just like a normal person, but it's the first time on my feet with no-one around, a big deal for me!

On standing up with the Zimmer, there is no pain inside the knee itself. As the quads tense to provide the force to stand there is quite intense pain in the tissues (ligaments and tendons I suppose) around the knee . No surprise I guess as they were hoiked out of the way during the op. Some pain in the quads, but nothing by comparison. Calves and hamstrings unaffected and normal.

I attempt to minimise pain on standing by leaning as far forward on the Zimmer as possible then kinda rolling forward taking my weight as much as possible on my arms. Helps a bit.

At the risk of repeating myself, on reaching standing with the legs straight THERE IS NO PAIN . I suppose that this is because there are no forces going through the ligaments and tendons because I'm balanced.

 

[srn]

I'm really enjoying your posts as well, I'm so glad that you are doing well. I remember it being painful using my quads, and I only had one done at a time, especially the straight leg raises and getting my leg in and out of bed, but it gets better. Keep taking the tablets! (and icing and elevating)

 

[Jazyb]

Great to read positive posts - thanks Roy

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Day 5 13.00 Another box ticked. Without graphic detail, constipation problem now solved. Not painful, but very uncomfortable and unpleasant for a couple of hours. Stool softener at about 10.00, now completely back to normal (so far...).

 

[Tykey]

It took you two hours? :hate-shocked::wow2:
I hope you had taken a good book to read.

Not many ticks left now

 

[srn]

Get some Movecol - it was my best friend when I was taking codeine.```

 

[Roy Gardiner]

It took you two hours? :hate-shocked::wow2:
I hope you had taken a good book to read.

:th_heehee: Not two hours on the khazi, it went (little bit of graphic to follow) visit 1, few stony ooohnasty bits, softener taken, another similar visit maybe an hour later, another hour and the gates opened...

Not many ticks left now

Graduated from Zimmer to elbow crutches and proper walking sequence today

Day 5 15.45 El Hefe arrives and says going home is now a negotiable feast, maybe Monday!

Note. Whenever anything is discussed about what Mr Ireland wants done and there's more than one staff member in the room, they always exchange pointed glances. He is clearly a one-off.

 

[Josephine]

He is clearly a one-off.

You can say that again!

 

[Juliep]

It took you two hours? :hate-shocked::wow2:
I hope you had taken a good book to read.

Not many ticks left now

Whatever it takes to get it done, one or even two books. :hysterical:

 

[luvtocamp]

You are an inspiration---keep the posts coming!!

 

[goodasnew]

Good to hear your making good progress Roy, hope you get to go home soon!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Day 6 09.30 Yesterday ready for a night's sleep by about 19.30 but this is clearly too early. Dozed through the darts on the telly (you don't have to be in a bad way for that to happen) and finally went to sleep around 01.00 today, to be woken at 06.15 for blood sugar, pressure and pulse checks; then pain meds 40 minutes later; then breakfast 40 minutes after that. Look on the bright side, nice to be able to go back to sleep.

Found I could lay on either side as well as on my back, by adjusting the knees comfortably. Not so good, mind, because moving from that position later I found mildly to very painful as the knees reacted against the move.

Took a shower sitting on the special stool provided so that the knees can be kept out of the way. Bliss!

Now using only one crutch to get around in the room.

Good to hear your making good progress Roy, hope you get to go home soon!

What's stopping me now is the seated level from which I can stand up. Riser on the toilet seat, perfect. But at home we don't have any chairs high enough. And all the beds are too low. Never mind, hire or buy stuff.

 

[Tykey]

Brilliant reports, Roy.
You are over the first, slightly traumatic stage, you should now find that almost every day you'll be having faster and faster progress!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

You can say that again!

Oh yeah more stories.

Yesterday he decided that the crutches provided by the physios were incorrectly adjusted and reset them. I wonder if the physios sharpen his knives?

Remember I reported an emergency which kept me awake? He tells me - off the cuff, no prompting - that it was one of his who got a blood clot in her chest and had to be whisked off for treatment. "Must be two years since I've had one like that." he says.:hate-shocked:

Why is he telling me this stuff??:th_heehee:


Day 6 12.00 Checked out by physio; flat surface, stairs, inclines, all good to go. Next stop home!!

 

[referee54]

I am glad to her that you are homeward bound! I used pillows and such on chairs that were a little on the low side. I did by a "throne" for the toilet, which was a big aid for the time that I needed it.

 

[srn]

I did the same for chairs, I put a cushion on them and it worked fine. You could always ask some one to put blocks under the bed legs to raise it a bit - make sure it's really stable though! My husband did this before I came home, we have a wooden bed so he made a sort of 'cup' that the bed leg would fit in, it's surprising what a difference a couple of inches makes when getting up. You can buy shower stools and raised toilet seats at Argos.

 

[referee54]

I know that here in the states you can get risers for couches, chairs and beds---probably the same in the UK. My dad used them after he had his TKR's---they were fairly inexpensive for a set of four.

broken link removed: https://www.accessibleconstruction.com/services/beds/sofa-risers.html

 

[ruppbike]

I built a platform out of 2x4's with plywood on top to raise the reclyner up and that worked very well. The bed I left low and used it to provide flex stress for improving ROM. That first shower is great, I do remember that (but not much else).

 

[just13]

Sounds great Roy don’t push it let your knee be the boss like reading your posting