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TKR Right TKR is done

Everything you're feeling right now is normal and completely understandable. :friends:
Vent all you like, because we're here to listen.

There's really no way to know if anything your surgeon did or didn't do has contributed, but of course you're looking for an explanation. I would be, too.
 
You are not alone in this. There are many of us praying for you and wishing for your quick healing. I would be a basket case, so you are doing better emotionally than I would have been. Better days are coming and we will be with you until and after they do!
 
GingerP said:
I'm wondering why all that area has an open area tunnel under it if it hadn't been properly stitched up in surgery. I would think .... there would be a sense of being certain that everything "under" is going to heal together and stitched accordingly.
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That would seem to be the case but actually the opposite is so. If there are sinuses (open tracts) in the tissues, closing them up with sutures would be the very last thing to do. They have to be left open to drain.

In essence, the problem is not with this stitching or surgery but in your body. By which I don't mean it's your fault of course. But perhaps it is to do with your immune system, something like that.
 
I do appreciate that information. I'm terrified that he won't want anything to do with operating on my right knee. Then What WILL I do? I certainly don't want to end up the way things happened with my left knee. If my body is at fault how do I 'fix' that? With the pain I have in my whole right leg right now I really don't how much more my psyche can tolerate. I try to put on a happy face but I'm a bundle of tears inside these days.
 
@GingerP
I've been thinking of you and glad to get an update, even if it's not the news you want right yet. When I had all my issues, both of my knees had been replaced. I was doing so well before I started the antibiotics, and I went downhill rather quickly once I started to take them. Both of my knees are about 1-2 months behind where they should be, but they will get better and I'm confident yours will too. I'm so glad to hear that the infection and cellulitis is gone!!

I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble with the vac keeping suction. I have fat knees, probably way more so than yours, and I never had an issue with the drape. I know when I had my sponge and drape changed, when I turned the vac on, I pushed down on the sponge gently so that it had better suction. It kind of had to "melt" into the hole so it could get all the fluid. Not sure if that makes sense or not. Of course, mine wasn't bridged like yours was, so I could get it into the hole better.

I continue to be amazed by the fact that you are so active. I was so out of it that I was basically bed bound for 2 months! Now I've had to start from the beginning again, but that's ok. :)

Hang in there! I know you can do this.

Jen
 
@ACDCJen thanks for your support. Today when they put the vac on we had a discussion about what is best for the knee so the drape will hold. The thing with it on the joint, there is a lot of movement all day. I wondered out loud and we decided to bend my knee a bit when putting the drape on and so far it seems to feel better and holding.
My mom wants to have me stop taking her to her appts and have the County aging volunteer she has take her on Thursday take her more. I still have appts for myself 3 days a week, but it would give me the chance to get things done at work and not have more to do in her care too. I guess I'm ready for that too. I have a fit bit and today got over 4300 steps in so far and most all are painful.
My OS did give me more tramadol per script today which I appreciate. I was barely getting through a week with the number I got. I asked that when I see him this Friday we discuss how to best manage my bone on Bone pain in my right knee. I'm still doing a tramadol and Tylenol combination and occasionally I have taken an oxy codone to help. It helps somewhat but I'm still dealing with pain especially when I get up from sitting and walking. Not having my right knee done yet is not making this easy.
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. It certainly is just 1 day at a time - or maybe an hour at a time in some cases.
 
@KarriB I am trying to hold off on it because work will be full time starting the first of June. The last I had a shot it barely lasted 5 to 6 weeks. If that should be the case now, then it would cover the majority of my summer work time. I'm trying to weigh my options since I know the shots can only be given every 3 months. I have been noticing that when I walk it is usually peg-legged and not much bend in the knee. I bought a brace I can strap on my leg that fits my fat thigh but it keeps the leg pretty straight - I just don't have a lot of great stabilizing options until I can get it replaced. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
While waiting for surgery, I'm dealing with a horrible, balky knee that's gotten no cortisone or NSAIDs or any help at all. One thing that does help it, though, is.. icing. Whenever I ice it for a good 20-40 minutes, it settles down for a bit, maybe an hour or two during which I can walk a little better. Not much, I know. But if you haven't tried icing your "good" knee, it might be worth a shot.
 
@GingerP - I'm wondering if a bit less exercise would help your knee to heal. I know you feel you want to keep it mobile, but maybe try just doing ordinary activities, without trying to walk a certain number of steps each day would help.
 
@Celle I am not trying to walk any number of steps...it's just how active my day is. I go to my mom's and pick her up to take her to her oxygen appt. I push her wheel chair to the elevator and down the hall to get her to the room. I help her get dressed in scrubs then go to the waiting room and make a few bathroom runs in the 2 hrs I wait for her. Then it's getting her dressed and wheelchair back to elevator and in to the car for the trip home where I help put out garbage and other things for her. This,week I am going in to work in the afternoons. That does create all those steps.
This morning I had to have the suction replaced. The bridge was still tight but the sponge in the incision was not . The nurses decided to put the suction directly on the wound site and also upped the pressure. They also told me to keep the vac oN the floor as often as I can, elevate my leg as often as I can. My steps today are only 3400 so it's better than yesterday. It will help when someone will be taking mom to her appts next week. Yes, I do need to be good to myself more than I have been. I will still have my own wound changes and since work started before I thought it would by a month, I'm going to have to be good as often as I can.
 
GingerP said:
I'm terrified that he won't want anything to do with operating on my right knee.
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Well for certain he won't want to do any surgery yet. But I'm sure he will when this has settled down.
GingerP said:
If my body is at fault how do I 'fix' that?
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I am very much afraid I have no idea. But do remember I said "perhaps" it was to do with your immune system "or something like that".
 
Hi Ginger. Not sure if my experience can inform yours, but with my (abdominal) wound that gave me trouble -- and led to a wound vac -- the original culprit was a suture. My body rejected it. No one knows why. No other suture got rejected, just that one. I'm not allergic to any suture materials. I don't have an autoimmune disorder. I'm the normalest patient in the world and am, that one instance aside, an excellent healer.

My surgeon said there's no predicting when an oddball thing happens, and that it didn't mean my body would do it again. I told my OS about the whole wound healing/wound vac thing, and he's not concerned. Whatever caused your wound problem, I expect your surgeon isn't worried about a repeat performance in your other knee.

It's painful and difficult to live with a bum knee. No wonder you're so frustrated, even while you're doing the best you can to work through this until you can get it replaced. That day cannot come soon enough. At least you can always come here and vent if you have need.
 
I saw the wound dr today and he was encouraged with the growth in the wound. The nurse said that the depth has changed from 4.9 to 4.0 cm. So there is some growth. The dr is encouraged with the beefiness of the incision which I think is good. The real concern is the tunnel area and undermining. I'm hoping with the vac on a higher pressure and directly over the incision it is taking away the fluid that it hadn't been before and that new growth can come better than it has. The discouraging news of the day was they rented the vac for 4 months thinking that it will take that long to heal. I really don't want to be dealing with this in August yet!
I guess I can't dwell oN the next knee surgery just yet, even though I want it done soon - I have to get healed. Trouble is, it hurts with every step so it is difficult not to think about getting that surgery soon.
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and wishes. Going to work has been helpful in getting my mind off of the misery of pain.
 
Good that your incision is healing. Was he able to see if the tunnel is closing up? You don't want the outside to heal before the inside.
 
@sistersinhim the dr and nurses check the tunnel and undermining every week. I am very fearful about it all healing in the bottom areas and then the top. I have had multiple discussions about this with the staff. They are being vigilant to do that correctly.
Tomorrow I see my OS. I'm hopeful he has suggestions about pain control and may even consider a cortisone shot. Holding off until later doesn't make my life now better. I am trying to heal so I don't need double the pain right now. Maybe it's the right thing to do now.
 
You're doing a good job keeping on top of this problem and asking a lot of questions. It's so difficult when these unplanned setbacks happen. But with everyone keeping vigilant, it will get better....probably not as quickly as you'd like, but you'll get there. Hang in there!
 
GingerP said:
I am very fearful about it all healing in the bottom areas and then the top.
Click to expand...
That's exactly how it should heal up. It's what we call "healing from the bottom up". What you don't want is for the upper tissues to heal and leave holes in the deeper parts of the wound.
 
The OS was happy to see how well the tissue looks and that I am now off antibiotics. I will continue to see him every two weeks. We discussed taking the tramadol and Tylenol meds aND when it gets bad, I can add a 5mg oxy codone. I'm holding off on the cortisone shot until closer to June since he agreed I may only get 5 or 6 good weeks out of it.
Healing is hopefully happening.
 
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