RTKR November 7, LTKR Dec27

[Celle]

It is asking rather a lot of your first knee to be the strong knee so soon after surgery and it's no wonder that it is protesting a bit.
Don't worry about it, though, because you'll probably find that both knees recover together.
Your first TKR will appreciate the extra rest, ice and elevation you are giving the second knee. You can elevate and ice both knees.

 

[McKelly]

Hmm
Spoke too soon.
The PT started removing staples and my incision started to open a little. We've decided to leave the rest in for a little longer, and used steri strips to reclose the slight gap.
Was SO looking forward to a shower that didn't involve Saran Wrap [emoji53]
I've had much better control of swelling with this leg than the last, so that may be why the staples didn't hold the wound quite closed enough.
I guess that's good and bad

 

[McKelly]

It is asking rather a lot of your first knee to be the strong knee so soon after surgery and it's no wonder that it is protesting a bit.
Don't worry about it, though, because you'll probably find that both knees recover together.
Your first TKR will appreciate the extra rest, ice and elevation you are giving the second knee. You can elevate and ice both knees.

You know, I agree about knee number one getting a benefit from knee number two following so closely.
I hadn't really thought about it, but I'm definitely still having to rest...and ice...and elevate, and if I wasn't forced to do that, it might not be a priority, so thanks @Celle!
[emoji3]

 

[McKelly]

Just when I was getting used to sleeping through the night...last night I started to have an issue. I've been elevating both legs, using my polar cube on the 2wk old knee, and packs on the 9 wk old knee.
The problem is I've begun to cramp on the 2wk knee side...from having my leg elevated so much of the time.
I literally twisted and contorted for hours before I finally took an extra pain pill and dozed off in the weirdest position imaginable. Definitely not a position that's helpful in preventing swelling.
I can't seem to locate a specific nerve that's pinched or anything, but I'm not looking forward to attempting sleep tonight [emoji37]

 

[zzevi]

Sorry to hear you weren't able to have your staples all removed. I kind of had the same issue in a way, when mine where removed, I really bleed, and then I went for p/t and stressed the knee, directly after having the staples removed. I already had a pocket of fluid from removal of the drain tube to soon in the hospital, so I think that was all the start of other issues that I had trouble with weeks down the road. Glad that your surgeon stopped at that point and decided to leave it heal more. ( I wouldn't overly stress your knee at this point with exercising. I did many things in the beginning badly, in hind sight, I made some mistakes, that put me behind in healing and controlling the swelling.)
When I had my issues further on down the road that I needed a wound vac for my nurse who did my dressing changes, mentioned drinking boost or ensure to help with the healing process, she said taking in extra protein is important. So I know my appetite was off in the beginning wish I would have even been drinking those in the early days.

 

[McKelly]

@zzevi
Thanks for responding, I drank protein shakes before the operations but I DID run out, and have been meaning to pick up another case. Thanks for the reminder!
I wonder why some people have drains, and some people don't. I never had them on either knee...no idea what factors into that.

 

[zzevi]

I don't know either why some dr's feel the need for drains, while others don't. My best friend had her knee done and no drain was used, had a uneventful recovery, me I had the drain, hadn't removed to soon and had issues.

 

[kneeper]

I had a drain for my first knee but not for my second. Same OS. Go figure.

 

[sistersinhim]

It's like they experiment with us sometimes to see what works best.

 

[Celle]

It's like they experiment with us sometimes to see what works best.

No. That isn't it. Procedures change and so do surgeons' protocols.
It also depends on circumstances, according to your individual knee and what has to be done in theatre.

I had a drain for my first knee replacement, a PKR, back in 2000.
When I had my revision to a TKR in 2011 and my left TKR in 2014, I had no drain for either surgery.

Whether I had the drain or not didn't seem to make a scrap of difference to the amount of discharge I had, or to the amount of bruising.
I do know that having the drain removed was quite painful and, for that reason alone, I was glad not to have another drain.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm glad we're not be experimented on!

 

[KarriB]

I had a drain with my TKR and two with the infection surgery. As. Celle said pulling the drain was awful! But my two from the infection surgery just fell out after a few days. My dad didn't have a drain with either TKRs. I figured it was individual dr choices or the state of our knees that dictated procedure.

 

[McKelly]

Interesting. Glad it wasn't warranted in my case then. I seem to remember my mom had drains when her knees were done...she had them done together, but that was some years ago.

 

[Red's Mom]

How are you doing @McKelly?

 

[McKelly]

@Red's Mom
Thanks for asking [emoji3]
I've been struggling a bit. My 10 week old knee has not been happy about the burden of the three week old knee, but I've just today stated to hobble around the house without so much as a cane.
I made the mistake of going to Costco yesterday
(What was I thinking)
I ended up taking an extra dose of Norco when I got home and had to keep my feet in the air for most of today.
I think I'm turning a corner though.
I'm really looking forward to a shower with no Saran Wrap of any kind tomorrow.

Hopefully Hawaii is being kind to Macchu and Pichu?

 

[kneeper]

Yep, you were thinking 10 week knee instead of 3 week knee. Remember that the 3 week knee is in the driver's seat now.

 

[McKelly]

Yep, you were thinking 10 week knee instead of 3 week knee. Remember that the 3 week knee is in the driver's seat now.

You got that right @kneeper!!

 

[Red's Mom]

Keep listening to that baby knee @McKelly the toddler is feeling rambunctious! When I went to Costco I rode the handicapped cart!

 

[Jamie]

Do be sure you don't "hobble" around the house too much. That is hard on not only your knees, but other joints as well. If you're limping at all it means you still need some type of walking aid. As an example, I used my walker for about 6 weeks around the house just because it enabled me to walk a longer stride with more stability. I never "graduated" to a cane or crutches as they never seemed supportive enough for me.

 

[McKelly]

Keep listening to that baby knee @McKelly the toddler is feeling rambunctious! When I went to Costco I rode the handicapped cart!

After my first knee was done I did that...talk about a rude awakening! It was easier on my knee for sure, but people paid absolutely not one bit of attention to where they were going, or where they left their huge carts, and I was so frustrated I swore I'd never use it again.
On the other hand, I pay way more attention now to people in those carts!
[emoji3]