MUA Ruby's Tuesday--July 11th, 2017<

[Ruby9297]

Thanks for all your feedback, friends. No blood clots were found as a result of the ultrasound. However, just getting into and out of the car and on the examination table was so excruciating that I wish I had just stayed home and rested. I feel that I may have caused some damage by forcing my leg to bend to get into the car. My husband went to Walmart and purchased a wheelchair for me just for this outing. The leg rests couldn't be adjusted to meet the needs of my left leg, so it also caused pain. I honestly felt so dependent and helpless, and realized I am essentially housebound, and that's depressing. I'm really hurting a lot. And to add insult to injury, my brand new ice machine that I just got this week, leaked all over me while I was sleeping, so it's no good anymore. That's a waste of $182 bucks! We found a small tear in the pad. My PT came over before I went for the ultrasound and said I should not do any exercises until clots are ruled out. She told me to just do ankle pumps and gentle knee bends to comfort level. She is the only like4th PT sent to work with me, which does not bode well for developing trust and relationships. I'm not sure I really like having all these different people sent to me the time.


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[Celle]

I'm sorry you had such a bad day, Ruby. I'm glad you don;t have any blood clots , though.

Send the defective ice machine back and ask for a refund. If it broke down so soon, it's not fit for purpose and they should refund you you or replace it free of charge.

The first month after a TKR is always hard and you are basically housebound, because that's what your knee needs. Things are going to improve, though.

Did you realise that you don't have to accept having lots of different PTs coming to your house? As long as you do the ankle pumps, bend your nee a bit, and walk to and from the bathroom every couple of hours, you don't need any other PT. You're the boss in that situation, so just phone and ask them not to come.

 

[knit2tog]

I am so glad a clot was ruled out. They are nasty (been there done that, but not connected to TKR). I would question why they are sending out different PTs. It is important to establish a working relationship with them to let them know your boundaries if you choose to have PT. That is hard to do when there are so many. That alone would make me start looking for another agency.

 

[nensi]

Dear @Ruby9297, it's a bummer when all kinds of things converge on you at once when you are in such a delicate needy state. Even the tiniest issue is too much to deal with. Those are the moments where I miss my mom the most. Moms are just so good then, they are so intuitive and start helping with little things one by one and help to restore your well being. Without being asked. Even though they help so much I doubt if our DHs can touch that.
So maybe you can chip away at what seems to be a mountain of blues bit by bit yourself. DH can arrange for return and replace of your ice machine, right? That is an essential part of your recovery plan. And maybe we can exchange kitty pics in the social room ? Because you have a kitty avatar I am wondering about that - I'll start a thread and tag you in it.
We'll get through this !

 

[Ruby9297]

Oh wow! Please help! How much pain and swelling is too much? I have a picture of my legs next to each other, which shows the difference in size, but I cannot post pictures on here without being told the files are too big. I havespoken to the nurse and my surgeon this and have been told to rest, ice, elevate and makean appointment in the morning for an ultrasound to rulel out a blood clot . I'm in pain too,. The meds aren't helping much. I'm exhausted and uncomfortable. If this is normal, I'll ride with iT, but if not, can someone tell me what to do?

Thanks

 

[nensi]

Ruby is this a new post ? I thought that you already had An ultrasound and that a clot was ruled out?


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[Happydale]

Oh my, Ruby, you are in a rough place!! I am trying to muster my very best advice for you, which is directed at a head adjustment and not about medical care. I can SO relate to your downward spiral of your thoughts and feelings and I firmly believe the antidote is some positive energy. When I was recovering from my RTKR, I had lots of wonderful caregivers - daughter, partner, niece, and friend. And then there was my sister, who was my emotional cheerleader. She was the most important person to help me when I started going down. If you have someone like that in your life, time to make a phone call! Once those negative thoughts take hold, it is hard to shake them.

Talk with yourself - "I know this is temporary", "I will get through this", "My leg is swollen, but it's been through a lot and my body is working on returning to normal", "Every cell in my body has a job to do, and each one is working to address my knee recovery". Remember that research has clearly shown that nearly everyone undergoing TKR ends up happy with the results.

One special BoneSmartie nicknamed "Tabbycat" recommended that I listen to spoken meditations on YouTube. I had never meditated, or listened to such a thing but I love them now! Go to YouTube, search for Jason Stephenson spoken meditation, and choose one of his topics that relates to either anxiety or recovery or sleep, Lay back, close your eyes and listen. These are so helpful to get you to relax and readjust your thinking!!

You have an arsenal of things to address discomfort and pain - pillows, drugs, elevation, foot rubs, moving around, or a funny or engrossing tv show or movie, etc. When one doesn't work, try another. But most of all, do whatever you can to relax yourself. When you have negative thoughts, your body tenses up, and when that happens, everything hurts more.

You are not alone. This is temporary. You will get through this. Hang in there, my friend.

 

[nensi]

@Happydale you are an angel - I'm gonna bookmark this post - maybe a good post for in the post-op blues thread @Celle ?


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[VW54]

The part where you wrote about getting in and out of the car being so painful resounded with me.
I am assuming you tried getting in and out of the passenger seat. Ayayay.
At 7 weeks post op I still have trouble. And it causes pain to bend my knee at that awkward angle.
BUT until 2 weeks ago, so week 5 post op, I was riding in the back with my operated leg on the back seat.
You also had left leg operated on, so for us it's like this, ( unless you drive in UK or OZ, then reverse this) you enter behind the driver's seat: butt/behind goes in first then slide yourself all the way back so that your back is on the door of the seat behind the passenger seat. I had a big pillow at first for that.
My DH hid away the seat belt docking stations so that the back seat was easy to slide back in and my op leg was comfortable. Yes, it's not quite legal to do this but it's up to you. You could just leave one set to buckle up in the back without the part that goes across your chest. I managed that too at week 3.
To exit reverse procedure...hold on to front and back seats and scoot out. Perhaps driver can stand by with the walker or crutches as you stand up upon emerging.
I hope you can do this without car sickness. I know some patients must sit in front.
All the best wishes going out to you once again.

 

[Ruby9297]

So, it's 5;15 in the morning, and like my own male Florence Nighingale, my husband, Bill, woke me up for my 3:00 am dose of Norco. This of course also turned into a needed toilet visit--not a simple task these days,--(more excruciating pain), and the decision to move back to the recliner for the remainder of the "night".

For the first time since surgery, I slept in our bed, rather than the guest bed or recliner. It's too high-32 inches-- but but using an aerobics step and the leg lifter strap, I have figured out a way to get up there.

Since yesterday's trip to the hospital, I now suffer the most intense pain ever, even if I move just a little bit. And yes, I went in the back from the deuvers side. This morning's wee hours were no exception. My husband has now spent what seems like hours massaging knotted muscles all over my leg, from my ankle to the top of my thigh, which greatly alleviates pain. The deep massage makes the pain dissolve away better than any narcotic or pharmaceutical muscle relaxants. But I can tell he is exhausted.

He does what I need without complaining , but I can can see the lack of sleep and worrying about me is taking a bit of a toll on him. He sure to took that ,"in sickness and in health " vow to heart! I am beyond fortunate to have him! So yes, yesterday was a nightmare , and I've no doubt that there will be countless more days ahead that will rival yesterday for sucking ,but having a loving and devoted care giver will make this possible.

I have not read much on this forum , or anywhere else about muscles seizing up Like this. Is it just me? Is it normal? Did I miss something ? It's bad. For those of you who have been. Around the joint replacement block a few times, maybe you could enlighten me. Thanks

 

[rubyyarn]

Oh, Ruby, it sounds like you have been to Hell and back! The suggestions to improve your mood are all good. Anything to get you out of that fear/pain spiral. It is fear that makes the pain so bad.

If you have seen the doc and he says everything is OK, just believe him for now. Keep up with the pain meds. Read this forum...a lot.

The New Age folks say that you get more of the thing you focus on, so if you focus on pain or bad luck, that is what you will get. And if you focus on the things that are good, you will get more of that. Example: focus on the feel of your husband's hands and ignore the cramp as much as possible. Say "I want to feel happy" rather than "I feel miserable". The 174hz noise seems to work pretty well. I put the 10 minute one on the other day (YouTube) while napping. By the time I woke up it had gone into one that was supposed to go 9 hours. I never noticed the change.

Good luck getting a handle on this. There is nothing worse than being scared and in pain

 

[SusieShoes]

I've read a few threads from people who've had muscle spasms. They've mentioned massage as helping, along with muscle relaxants like Flexeril, and heat application (not on the knee, but above or below the joint). I haven't this issue, so don't have any wisdom to impart. Just best wishes you find a solution soon!

Some people have lots more swelling than average. It's not fair, but it does happen. If your doctor says everything is fine, try to relax and see what remedies help. Elevation is important, as is icing. About your ice machine: RETURN it. Absolutely. That is a defective product. In the meantime, use whatever ice application you have at hand, even if it means buying some giant bags of frozen peas and using those until you can get something better. Your swelling is what's causing your pain, so anything you can do to alleviate it is pure gold.

 

[Happydale]

I hope you feel all of us pulling you to a better place! If you read through lots of threads from lots of different folks on this forum, you will see zillions of things we're all worried about. And they almost always turn out to be just that - worries - not anything serious.

Don't allow yourself to think "this is terrible". Substitute it for "this particular moment is terrible". You can't call it a terrible day (not that you did) until the whole day is over. And no doubt, you are going to love your husband even more deeply when this is over. I hope there is someone else who can spot him for a bit - it's not too much to ask of a friend or neighbor, and a short break can make a big difference to a caregiver.

Lastly, I love me a nice little hot water bottle for comfort. Avoid the knee, but anywhere else that feels good to counteract the ice. Promise: This too shall pass!

 

[Ruby9297]

You have all been amazingly supportive, and if I have not come across as being grateful, please know that I am truly grateful.

I am doing my best to keep a positive outlook, and have followed-through with some of your suggestions already. For example, while taking my shower this morning, I emphasized a lot of time directing the warm water to those spots on my leg that hurt so darn much. Such an improvement on the pain.

I will take up the offer to share about my four-footed nursing crew, and tell about my involvement in animal welfare, rescue and volunteer work at the local animal shelter. These are all things that do the heart good.

I am elevating with three staggered pillows, as demonstrated in the diagram posted earlier. It helps for a while, then I need a break. I think I shall try to invest in the Lounge Doctor that can be purchased online.

My current pain level is at a 3-4, down from a 9-10 earlier this morning. That alone can put a person in a much better frame of mind. My home health nurse is coming over in about 30 minutes and my acupuncturist said she will come today. She works miracles on my pain! When I had bilateral mastectomies several years ago, she worked on me in my hospital room and made life worth fighting for. I was in so much pain before her treatments that I was ready to give up.

I want to thank you all for your kind words, helpful suggestions, and willingness to share your knowledge and wisdom. I think the swelling is down a little today, but my leg has bruises showing up that weren't there before. This Is all a learning process. Thanks so much! I'll check back in later today. For now, I need to shut my eyes for a while before my nurse arrives. Thanks.


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[Celle]

This morning's wee hours were no exception. My husband has now spent what seems like hours massaging knotted muscles all over my leg, from my ankle to the top of my thigh, which greatly alleviates pain. The deep massage makes the pain dissolve away better than any narcotic or pharmaceutical muscle relaxants. But I can tell he is exhausted. He does what I need without complaining , but I can can see the lack of sleep and worrying about me is taking a bit of a toll on him.

I have not read much on this forum , or anywhere else about muscles seizing up Like this. Is it just me? Is it normal? Did I miss something ? It's bad. For those of you who have been. Around the joint replacement block a few times, maybe you could enlighten me. Thanks

I've read a few threads from people who've had muscle spasms. They've mentioned massage as helping, along with muscle relaxants like Flexeril, and heat application (not on the knee, but above or below the joint).

My current pain level is at a 3-4, down from a 9-10 earlier this morning. That alone can put a person in a much better frame of mind. My home health nurse is coming over in about 30 minutes, and my acupuncturist said she will come today. She works miracles on my pain! When I had bilateral mastectomies several years ago, she worked on me in my hospital room and made life worth fighting for. I was in so much pain before her treatments that I was ready to give up.i want to thank you all for your kind words, helpful suggestions, and willingness to share your knowledge and wisdom. I think the swelling is down a little today, but my leg has bruises showing up that weren't there before.

@Ruby9297 - Reading through your last few posts, it seems to me that you could well be under-medicated. Also, I think you need to ask your surgeon or PCP for something to control those muscle spasms.

I'm going to ask @Josephine to advise you about medications.

 

[sistersinhim]

I have a suggestion about traveling in a car. Sit on the back seat and elevate with a pillow or two. Take ice pacts to use. To get on the seat, keep both feet on the ground and have your DH pick up your surgical leg as you use your arms to scoot across the back seat. I would never have been able to sit in the front seat in those first few weeks. The back seat is so much better, and no bending!

 

[Ruby9297]

Send the defective ice machine back and ask for a refund. If it broke down so soon, it's not fit for purpose and they should refund you you or replace it free of charge.

Did you realise that you don't have to accept having lots of different PTs coming to your house? As long as you do the ankle pumps, bend your nee a bit, and walk to and from the bathroom every couple of hours, you don't need any other PT. You're the boss in that situation, so just phone and ask them not to come.

Hi Celle, after some rest and the nurse' visit, I was able to get back on the phone with Amazon. A new knee pad for the device will be delivered today for free. It came from a 3rd party, who were pretty unresponsive to my attempts to get this sorted out yesterday. Then my pain elevated out of control and I couldn't even think about calling them. But it's done now. For now, I'm going old fashioned style with a bag of ice cubes in a ziploc bag.

As for multiple PTs the same is for nurses--a different one every time. I guess I should be grateful that I even get these services, but still...

 

[Ruby9297]

Thanks @sistersinhim. When discharged from the hospital on Thursday, the two nurses who escorted us to the car had me up front, and getting in was agony. Going out yesterday, I chose the back seat, but it was still difficult I was crying in pain. I am now afraid to ride in the car. I may have to go get an X-ray today and I'm very apprehensive about that.

 

[Ruby9297]

Thanks @nensi -- I do miss my mom. She lives in Barbados. Even though she calls everyday, I miss her. It's also hard in her not being here. Love your idea of the hot water bottle. Though it's been over 100 degrees everyday this week. AC. Makes that doable

 

[Ruby9297]

@Celle, I agree. The nurse told me she was going to ask the doctor to up/change my meds because I'm clearly in a lot of pain. I may have to go get an X-ray though, and that means going for a ride in the car again//nerve wracking!