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Bilateral TKR Scheduled February 2016

It is good to see you posting! That roll under your ankle sounds uncomfortable to be doing it all the time. are you doing any heel slides? Ankle pumps? How is your swelling? Are you using ice? I do hope PT gets you up and starting on your walking. Using the toilet will be so nice. You are in my prayers for continued recovery.
 
KayeKaye, did not realize you are from the Twin Cities! I am in New Brighton. Had surgery at HCMC. They also wanted knee straight - but that does not mean no elevation, just don't prop up knee so it's bent. I'd trust Mayo, they are consistently ranked one of the best in orthopedics in the US.


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LOL yes my thread was the never ending prep for surgery date. Thought I would lose weight but that didn't happen. Just got closer to bone on bone pain.

I have read all those links several times and so has my husband. He was surprised at how easy the hospital was on the rehab part.

I just can't seem to walk enough to make it to a commode or chair. Slow going I guess. I just need to be able to go the bathroom before I can leave. I hope it happens soon. I have 14! steps to get in to my house.

We had the great bed pan disaster tonight. I had two ladies helping me but they just didn't work out, no pads underneath, bed pan small and hard, didn't move, didn't dust it with baby powder. Went ALL OVER the bed. have been sitting in bed with one half sheet all night. Didn't move my leg correctly, under the shin, but instead held the ankle and left the left swinging. NOT a good night. Don't know why this was so hard. Did it at the hospital every day without any incidence. Will tell them how I need it done tomorrow. Hadn't had any resting pain, but now that is gone because the legs got twisted and shoved into her body under her arm. Don't know what she was thinking. I just let lose a big old scream and freaked them out, but not as much as I was freaked out. ugh.

Meds came in on time so that's good.

My flexing has improved every day doing nothing. From 60 to 75.
 
charmed-life said:
KayeKaye, did not realize you are from the Twin Cities! I am in New Brighton. Had surgery at HCMC. They also wanted knee straight - but that does not mean no elevation, just don't prop up knee so it's bent. I'd trust Mayo, they are consistently ranked one of the best in orthopedics in the US.
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Yea, Go Vikes!, I don't really follow sports haha. Finally half way nice outside. I wanted to do this before summer. I know I won't be perfect but I won't be this bad.
I asked the Dr. why no elevation, and he said nope, just prop up and help the straightening. I did buy the right foam elevation and it's waiting for me at home.
 
I do happen to have (bought it years ago just for no reason) a bed that raises at each end so easy to elevate legs but still keep straight. After my knee got dislocated, they could not get it straight so was especially important to not keep it bent after surgery. You will find ice and elevation are a big part of reducing swelling. Where do you live in the cities?

I don't follow sports either but am a Minnesota native.


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KayeKaye said:
I just can't seem to walk enough to make it to a commode or chair. Slow going I guess. I just need to be able to go the bathroom before I can leave. I hope it happens soon. I have 14! steps to get in to my house.
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I just don't understand why they can't put a commode right beside your bed. It would save all this hopping on and off bedpans.

Once you can walk a bit better, the trick is to allow plenty of time to get to the toilet. Don't leave it to the last minute.
 
@Josephine oops @Celle They can put the commode next to me but I still can't even stand up much enough to get to it. I had to big PT men that helped me but here they don't have that.

I'm glad I wrote about my meds getting here on time above, 9:26 pm. Now they are telling me that the previous person that gave them to me, was at 10:45 so I won't get them on time. I should have gotten them at 12:30, but can't get them till 1:45. Wow frustrating.

@charmed-life I am in the northeast metro near Stillwater, but have relatives and friends all over the metro area.
 
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@Timetolive No I am not doing any heel glides yet. I can't control my legs at all yet. I want to but it's not happening. I am scheduled to see pt here at rehab for the first time tomorrow then I will know what is supposed to happen here.
 
It's 2:45 am and I am still up. Needed to go to the bathroom again and was looking at using the lift machine that one nurse had brought to my room, telling me that it could be the right thing for me. Well the night staff said they weren't allowed to use it on me because I had not been "qualified", and they would get fired if they used it. So then asked for a commode. They were not sure if they had one. Found one, it was so small and didn't raise up high enough for me to get on without bending my knees too far down. So. Finally got to go to the bathroom via bed pan and 2 strong men. They even managed to make the bed which hadn't been done since the great bed pan debacle of earlier today. Fun Fun :blush:
My next round of meds is at 4:45 am. My legs are killing me, no one knows how to hold them gently. They are taking the legs at the heel and lifting it up, which lets the entire leg lag and sag. So I have to stop them and instruct them to hold at the calf. Wow. I am definitely at the wrong place, it feels more like babysitting than skilled nursing facility. This is for their residential aged people that live in other parts of this huge facility. I dread the idea of being moved again but I know I have to do it tomorrow. I already placed a call to another place adjacent to the hospital in another part of the north metro. Had a friend there and it was very qualified. Too bad because this place was so close to home, and so beautiful, but it is just not working out.

If I could walk to the toilet I would be home so fast.
 
Wow, definitely not the place to rehab for a TKR at least with your loss of mobility! Hope you get in a better place until you have some strength back!


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KayeKaye said:
I am definitely at the wrong place, it feels more like babysitting than skilled nursing facility. This is for their residential aged people that live in other parts of this huge facility. I dread the idea of being moved again but I know I have to do it tomorrow. I already placed a call to another place adjacent to the hospital in another part of the north metro. Had a friend there and it was very qualified. Too bad because this place was so close to home, and so beautiful, but it is just not working out.

If I could walk to the toilet I would be home so fast.
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I couldn't agree more! It's a bit late now and I'm sorry you've had to find out the hard way, but there's no doubt that this rehab place is not the one you need. You need a rehab place where they are used to looking after post-op TKR patients. You should be able to get out of bed and stand and I believe you should have been shown that before even leaving the hospital where you had your surgery.

Best wishes for your transfer to a more appropriate place to recover. Do you have someone to advocate for you and to help with your transfer?

I know this won't help you now but, for the sake of anyone considering going to rehab after a knee replacement, do check the place out before your surgery. Find out if they are accustomed to taking post-op orthopaedic patients. Go and visit the unit, assess the type of clientele, talk to them, ask what it's like, find out about PT (is there any, is it aggressive or gentle?) and what they do to encourage activities of daily living.

Please make sure your surgeon is aware of how incompetent this place is and how inadequately you have been treated.
 
KayeKaye said:
They want the leg straight out in bed, with a towel folded up under the ankle to relieve pressure to the heel bone.
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That's just cruel! I found having that made my knee really really hurt.
KayeKaye said:
They were insistent this be done to be able to bend my knee in the future, "or you may NEVER be able to bend them again."
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And that is TOTALLY untrue! Also very cruel again.
 
I hope you can get moved ASAP. You need to be getting up and moving those legs. What are they doing for your blood clot risk? Are you pumping your ankles? Please get to another place that is qualified to help you. Have you called your OS and asked them about your inability to move your legs? You are in my prayers for recovery and finding the right place for rehab. Is there someone that can help you?
 
KayeKaye,
I am very concerned you cannot move your legs after 5 days, please call your surgeon. You should be able to move your legs well enough to stand at the edge of the bed and get to the commode at this stage. Hoping today you will have the regular staff who may be more helpful, one can only hope.
How soon will they be able to move you to the other facility?

The reason they want the heel raised is to prevent sores on your heels, nursing homes are heavily fined if any resident develops pressure sores while under their care.
You need to get moving, you should be seen first thing this morning by an OT to get your up and ready for your day, then by PT who should be focusing on your in and out of bed skills. If anyone wants to work on your bend they have their priorities wrong, tell them to work on in and out of bed so you can get to the commode.

The challenge with being admitted to a skilled nursing facility (nursing home) over the weekend is no rehabilitation staff will be there until Monday. Some may have a skeleton rehab staff on the weekend who will not be able to give you their full attention.
I am appalled at how poorly you are being treated.
 
This breaks my heart @KayeKaye I can't imagine this. I had a care partner (nurse helper what they called here) while in the hospital was very rude, aggressive and just didn't need to be in that kind of job. She had No compassion at all. PT wanted them to get me out of bed to go to the bathroom. Now you know this takes time to do. After the first trip she said we Not doing this no more. Its just too much. So the next time she brought a bedpan, which is awful to be rolled to your side with Bilateral. I had 3 blood pumps on left knee and 2 on the right knee. Then she left me on it. When she finally came back after ringing buzzer twice. She spilled it trying to take it out. Now we got to change your bed. She had to get help. They did this with me in the bed. She had to change my gown too, so I'm talking to her making conversation and she is jerking on my gown taking it off (not saying nothing) I grabbed her hand and told her to go get someone else that she was in the wrong job to have no more compassion then she did. That if she would have walked me to the bathroom None of this would have happened. I also, reported her. She was totally different when she came back in the next day. Mrs Walker would you like to be bathed off this morning? So please speak up for yourself. Don't allow them to treat you like that. I pray you get transferred. Very frustrating to depend on someone else and they treat you that way. my prayers are with you
 
At the hospital I was up once a day and it was so painful I couldn't believe it. I walked with a walker out of my bedroom door and it made me so tired I slept all day and all night. I was supposed do this twice a day but they couldn't get me up. Now I wonder, I wear inside shoes all the time because of a previous foot operation. I said that I need those to walk around even when I am good at home, but they said no, the shoes will trip me up. I don't think I can do much without shoes. I will have to be more forceful about that today.

I had done research and visited this place. I know one of the nurses here. But it's not what it appeared to be....
My husband and I will research the other place today. He is appalled as well.

I am doing nothing for blood clots. At the hospital I had those leg pumps and foot pumps that I would take turns with. They start to hurt and throb as they left them on so long, even overnight. So I started the foot pumps myself this morning after being reminded by you guys here.

I should have stayed at the hospital longer before I left.
 
Sounds like you are right and you weren't ready to leave yet. I'm surprised they even let you. I didn't like the pumps with my hip but actually didn't mind them with the knee. Mine were on 24/7 for 2 days.

Do the ankle pumps every time you think of it - more important since you are not getting up and walking!


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I am amazed that they discharged you from the hospital before you could go up and down steps. I you could walk out of your room in the hospital, you just need awalker to go to the bathroom and some time. Don't wait until the last minute---call for a bathroom break every two hours until you are able to go yourself without aid.
 
Hi @KayeKaye, glad to see you are posting! As you may recall, I too had BTKR. I was not discharged until I could stand and take steps with a walker. I was uncomfortable but had no pain. At the hospital I was on regular pain medication (2 Percocet 5/325 every 4 hours) and Dilaudid as needed in between through the IV and later in tablet form. I was not shy about asking for the "extra", especially before bed. When they asked me what was my pain level I always said 6 - 7 or 7 - 8. I did not want to get to a point of unbearable pain. My OS prescribed on excellent pain control routine and had a Pain Specialist visit me. He also prescribed Celebrex for inflammation and I was given a Levanox injection (blood thinner) twice a day, booth were continued for a total of 21 days. He sent me to the Acute Rehab with an excellent combination of pain meds. Sounds like your pain is not sufficiently managed, you should not be having any pain. While at the hospital and Rehab my legs were moved frequently for different reasons and I never felt any pain. I'm so sorry you are having to endure pain! Can you ask your OS to recommend a consult with a Pain Specialist?

My OS required me to go to Acute Rehab for 2 weeks, my experience was a nightmare, I was there only 7 days and could not wait to leave. They insisted on 3 hours daily, split into 2 sessions and my meds were changed. I threw several hissy fits and was very vocal about my needs. I had written down all my OS instructions before leaving the hospital and INSISTED they comply and not change my routine. In PT, I told them right off the bat that I WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING THAT CAUSED PAIN, period. They tried to scare with "adhesion warnings, I stood firm". Even with my refusals, I left Acute Rehab with worse Extension then when I went in due to ligament pain on both knees. In retrospect, I should have refused it.

I hope you get your pain under control and that when you go home they send you with an appropriate pain management routine.
 
So now I am on oxycotin every 3 hours daytime and every 4 hours nighttime so I can sleep more. I get random Tramodol and stil Lomax (oops Levanox) shot in stomach till Wed. for blood thinner. I don't know what to change to reach the no pain level. I am so out of it I can barely type. The pain is so different, the knees don't hurt like they used to. I have a hard time standing. The pt and ot have been very gentle, they finally get it now.

Now they want me to shower but I think the surgeon said not to for 3 weeks for steri strips to stay dry. Will have to call to verify that. Got on the commode better today. YAY! Not eating much, the food is very starchy and grains. Even the veggies have been boiled to death. My daughter and husband have been running food over to me. I'm fading fast...
 
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