TKR Ron's Recovery Thread

@KarriB thanks @Celle thanks for the welcome to this side as well
as the reading list @kneeper thanks. I got home Thursday afternoon about 2:20pm. They are only keeping hip and knee patients 2 nights now as long there are no complications. Was fine by me. I am now settling into my nest to ice, elevate and rest.
Ron
 
Now is the time for you to take it very easy and rest, ice, elevate and take your meds on schedule. Remember, if you do something and your knee hurts more at the time or a day or so later, your knee isn't ready for it and you need to not do it again for a few weeks. You can not force your knee to heal. But, you can slow it down by doing too much. No pain=more gain and less pain!
 
@sistersinhim I am all over taking it easy and not over doing anything. The meds seem to be dialed in for now. Leg is elevated whenever I'm sitting and ice is my best friend. This time around so far I can sleep pretty good as well. So for only being four days out from surgery things are good. However I know there is a long ways to go yet and things can change pretty quick.
Ron
 
You know the routine and you know to follow your knee's leading. You'll do just fine!
 
I did the same thing in the first few weeks, just let the pain meds put me to sleep and keep the leg up and iced. You know what to expect which is half the battle.
 
Hey, @RonL Glad are going well for you. Second time around is definitely easier. Just knowing what to expect and what to do makes for smooth sailing. Take care!
 
@MSgirl Thanks for the well wishes. I had them done as close together as my OS would do them, just so I would remember what "not " to do. Now its up to me to make sure I don't mess up.
 
It's hard not to misbehave! I'm five weeks out on #2 and doing well. Impatient and ready to be done with everything. I've messed up a couple of times and paid the price but all is good. Probably because we know how good our firsts were, it is hard to hold back. The end is in sight.
 
@MSgirl Being only 4 day out of surgery its hard and maybe even unrealistic to think the end is near. When I wake up one morning and the first thing I don't think about is my knees then the end is near. Until then we just try our best to cope with whatever is thrown at us.
Ron
 
Everything will look better a month from now and even better two months. Rest, ice and elevation are most important right now, but you know that. This isn’t your first rodeo. :thumb:
 
Had my two week checkup today along with getting the staples out. My two weeks of ice, elevate and rest have payed off. My pain is still nicely under control. I was taking 2 37.5/325 Tramacet and 2 1mg hydromorphone every 4 to 6 hours. I had stopped the hydromorphone a couple days ago. The incision looks good and feels even better with those staples out. My OS was pleased with my flexion 90° and extension of 5°. So that was about it, I go back and see him in a month. I'll probably start some physio in the next few days.

Ron
 
Those are great results! Did you awaken during this surgery too? When they were doing my pre-op, I asked if I might wake up during surgery and the anesthesiologist said he could not guarantee I would not. Then we all decided I should have a general! And it was fine.

Getting my staples out Friday (my two week mark) cannot wait!

Also have to admire your pups!
 
@Eeek Hello. I never woke up this time around. However, the anesthesiologist was quite the character, making jokes about everything. He told me he had read the notes from my previous tkr and that the anesthesiologist had a hard time hitting the right spot. Well he was having the same problem, finally he found. He kept asking me if I could feel what they were doing, I said yes. I'm thinking this is not good. Finally he say can you really feel this now? I said Yes, oh my he says they are just starting the incision. That was the last thing I heard...lol
He came by to see me the next morning, we both had a good laugh.

Ron
 
I just got home from my 6 week check up with my OS. Everything is progressing a lot faster with this knee than the one done in May. I'm only using extra strength Tylenol now, 2 in the morning and 2 just before bed. I have been lucky that I've been able to sleep on my side since I got home from the hospital. Yesterday at pt I measured 110 flexion and extension was 4. I only go to pt once a week and will probably get punted out soon. I'm able to ride my stationary bike at home now and am able to go up and down my stairs foot over foot with no discomfort at all. So all in all my OS is happy, I'm happy, so now I just carry on and get a little better each week and try not to over do it.
Ron
 
What a wonderful report you got today! Your ROM is outstanding for only 6 weeks, not to mention how good your pain level is! You are doing something right!
 
@sistersinhim From the time I came home from the hospital this RTKR has been totally different than 10 months ago when I had the LTKR. The biggest difference has been the ability to sleep 4-6 hours a night from the time I got home. I invested in a CryoCuff for this knee, sure wish I had done that for the first one. I think this has made a huge difference and helped to get off the meds. Knowing what to expect has helped a lot as well.
Ron
 
I invested in a CryoCuff for this knee, sure wish I had done that for the first one. I think this has made a huge difference and helped to get off the meds.
That ice makes a huge difference! Being able to keep your knee iced at night helps tremendously with being able to sleep. I am single, so I bought 2 ice machines, one for my bedroom and one for my den. The first few weeks I was up and down all night log and would sleep a little bit in the bed and the get up and sleep in my recliner. Having the ice ready in both places allowed me to get back to sleep faster!
 
Icing really helps with the swelling and pain. Congratulations on being able to sleep well this time out! Knowing what to expect really does make a difference, if only because you’re more relaxed about the ups and downs.
 
So today was 1 year for my LTKR and 3 months for my RTKR. I had an appointment with my OS today. I had to confess that I'd been overdoing it a tad and both knees were sore and swelling. I expect my right knee to be sore and swelling its only 3 months old but I expected a bit more out of my left knee. He wasn't surprised that my left knee was sore even at 1 year out. Both my surgeries were 3.5 hours long and very difficult. Apparently I have very large bones and they used one of the largest Stryker Triathlon implants they make for my left knee. When he did my right knee 3 months ago he used a Zimmer Nextgen. He said there was a bit more range in sizes.
Anyhow, I have to remember my right knee is only 3 months along and not the same as my left. All he wants me to do is ride the bike and lots of ice. Oh and no more mowing lawns! Life isn't quite so bad.
Ron
 

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