TKR Sewhat's Recovery Thread

[Josephine]

I'm reading it! But I don't post much unless I need to. One look at my post count will tell you why!

However, to answer your questions

Does everyone have to play this game with the pharmacy and doctor every week?

I think this is a blight wished upon US patients. We have it much easier in the UK.

There is no way I am going to PT, so now I'll have 4 days with no PT. I think these therapists are trying to kill me. My ROM is 96 at 3 weeks and she says she wants 120 by 4 weeks!

Quit it altogether, I would. You can do the exercises perfectly well on your own and not cause yourself so much pain you need pain meds for it. Besides which 103 at 3 weeks is stunning! I didn't make that until week 5.

 

[sewhat]

I just might do that, Josephine! Today I took the steri strips off. The scar looks pretty good. I did my exercises and even went outside for a bit. Grandbaby was into everything, and hubby was out mowing, so I had her by myself. By the time she went down for a nap, I was ready for one too, but my daughter in Alaska called, and when she hung up it was time for the school bus. Oh well, tomorrow is Saturday! I'm going to try to get some laundry done. Monday my cold therapy unit comes and I can sleep upstairs in a bed! Hubby doesn't want me doing the stairs at night to change out the gelpack. I've been rereading stuff in the BS library today about exercises and recovery.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you're doing fine. Can your husband help with the laundry--such as carrying the washbasket but letting you fold? At the least, remember to pace yourself.

 

[Jozilla]

I slept with my ice machine all night. I used five or six 16 oz size water bottles. Took a little bit of water out and froze them. I put a little water in ice machine and put the frozen bottles in right before bed. They lasted almost all night and were wonderful! I think you will love it!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013

 

[cafecortado]

Hi Sewhat,
I have just been reading your thread and can sympathise on the chills you suffered. I had the same thing a few days ago when I was a few days post-op. It started with chills and chattering teeth for 3 hours and then I went hot and had a temp of 38.4 which is around 101. It was horrible. Like you they took bloods to see if there was an infection but I had no other signs so I was wondering if it was a side effect of the spinal? By the way your ROM is amazing! Well done and keep up the good work. Blessings Bernie.


Bernie UK
RTKR 22nd January 2014
LTKR 2nd April 2014

 

[sewhat]

Sounds like you're doing fine. Can your husband help with the laundry--such as carrying the washbasket but letting you fold? At the least, remember to pace yourself.

Hubby has been doing the laundry for 3 weeks. I fold and he takes it upstairs. When I go up I put it away. He has been so very helpful, cooking and serving me meals and taking me to therapy.
Today I did some exercises from the Bonesmart library and did a 15 minute walk with my crutches. We live in a rural area and the roads are gravel. My walker has small wheels so I thought the crutches would be safer. I used our house as a hub and went a block west and back, then east and back, then north and back. That way I could stop if I got tired. Hubby went with me. When I got back I had a drink of water, strapped on my gelpack and took a nap. I feel a little sore in the hip and thigh area, but other than that, pretty good.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like good teamwork.

 

[sewhat]

Sounds like good teamwork.

So far it's worked for 44 years.

 

[lori107]

@sewhat, you sound like you're doing amazing. I am two and a half weeks post op and because I have had complications with the wound things are going slowly. I have just managed to get down the stairs today for a few hours with Hubby's help but everything wipes me out. Especially as I do not sleep well at night yet. I am used to sleeping on my side as I suffer from chronic spinal problems but since the op I have not felt comfortable sleeping like that so it's not easy to get into a good position. I haven't started any outpatient physio yet as the wound is still bleeding at the middle of the suture line so I have a negative pressure dressing on it which is incredibly tight. Both of these make bending difficult but I am doing the exercises I was given to do in hospital twice a day. I also find that if I am late taking my oxynorm/oxycodine (I take both) I start getting shivery and sweating as I start to go into withdrawal. Maybe that's what you have been getting. I also feel very tired during the day and have to cat nap. Sounds like your hubby is your rock. As is mine. Take care

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[sewhat]

I forgot to mention that I have stopped wearing my TED hose. It's too hot for them. I read something in the paperwork from the hospital that I only had to wear them 3 weeks.
I also started going 5 hours between Norco pills instead of 4. Since they only prescribe 40 at a time, I've decided to stretch them. I often forget about it during the day where before I was watching the clock. I think just knowing I haven't got to go to therapy is taking stress off me.

 

[Tamsmom]

It is nice to see you are in your early 50's, all and I ever here as well you're certainly young for this. I have not had that type of pain that you have described that I have had the pain where you just feel like your muscles are stretched out so bad and straight. I do not have a lot of pain at the incision site at this point my surgery was on April 1. That could change as pain meds change. I had a femoral artery block for 24 hours after surgery has anyone had that done? Almost 2 weeks later I hear your leg might still be waking up. I feel like I cannot move it very well on my own. When I do exercises someone has to start it and then I can keep doing it. Last PT appointment I was at 83.... My sister who is a physical therapist once that number up over 90 as fast as possible. When my leg was still asleep from the nerve block I could do that but now that it is awake there is no way. Good luck with the next few days of recovery, I'm sure we will see each other here often.

 

[kneeper]

I also started going 5 hours between Norco pills instead of 4. Since they only prescribe 40 at a time, I've decided to stretch them. I often forget about it during the day where before I was watching the clock.

That's a good sign that 5 hours is working for you. The stretching should happen naturally as you need the meds less.

 

[sewhat]

That's a good sign that 5 hours is working for you. The stretching should happen naturally as you need the meds less.

The catch here is that it's the weekend and I've had 4 days with no PT. I did a walk yesterday for 15 minutes. Today I changed the sheets on the bed. It only took 30 minutes, and that was with hubby's help! It's gotten hot here and we took off the warming mattress pad and the heavy comforter. After we were done, I discovered the bedskirt which was supposed to go on first. That'll have to wait.
We're supposed to have bad weather tonight, so hubby cleared off the stairs to the tornado shelter. I hope we don't have to use it.

 

[sewhat]

I haven't checked in so far this week. You probably thought I was blown away in a tornado. We had very high winds, but no tornado. They ended up canceling church though.
I went to PT on Monday prepared to put my foot down and quit at the first sign of force. Surprisingly, it was a good session, no forcing, just stretching . I've been taking walks every day this week, about 15 minutes, and doing my exercises. My ROM has been going down. I think I was 90 today, but my extension was only 1! I really hate that one where they prop your foot up and put a weight on your knee. Next week she has me scheduled for 4 days. I go back to OS on the 28th.
Hubby bought me a cold therapy machine. It's by Polar Products and I love it except it has a 30 minute timer. Grrrr. I started sleeping upstairs in a bed when we got it. More room to thrash around and try to get comfortable. I'm using a cane now most of the time, crutches for outside. I still have swelling and that tight band feeling everyone talks about, but today, on my 1 month anniversary, I'm feeling like I've made progress, even if my ROM isn't so good.

 

[sewhat]

Easter Sunday and I'm going to church. Hubby has left already. My daughter and her 5 kids are picking me up in an hour. We'll all go out to eat somewhere. So much easier than trying to cook. I'm sleeping better on my side now. When TKR leg is on bottom, I put a pillow in front of the knee and rest other knee on it. When TKR knee is on top, I put a pillow between my legs and rest TKR leg on it. It isn't comfortable with TKR on top for very long. I usually have to roll over and ice it after an hour or so. It's better than lying flat on my back on the couch all night though. I'm still very stiff when I get up in the morning. I do a few stretches before trying to get up. I hope I can stay awake during church, I'm sleepy now.

 

[sewhat]

I have PT 4 days in a row this week. Next Monday is my 6 week checkup with OS. Today I was so tired, just wanted to go back to bed. I guess 2 church services, out to eat, and 5 grandchildren was a bit much yesterday. At PT, my numbers were 92 and 4. I keep going backwards. The therapist tried to lay a guilt trip on me. She said she always gets her patients to the right number, but I don't want to be forced... I just wonder if she just gave it one good push if that would get me past where I'm stuck. It's so frustrating.

 

[Jozilla]

I just read your post. I think you are just doing way too much PT. the most I did was twice a week. If it snowed I didn't make up that session. I did heel slides mainly and walked around the house for my exercise. I am not saying my way is the right way but it sure was for me. My ROM was always good and improved weekly and my OS was not concerned with PT at all. He never measured me and was more interested in how I felt and what I could do with the ROM I had. Ease up on yourself - you are early in recovery and will continue to gain ROM.


RTKR - 9th December, 2013

 

[sewhat]

Whooo Hooo! I got a good 5 hours of sleep last night and didn't have to take a second dose of Benedryl to get me back to sleep. I felt so good that I went to therapy and made it all the way around on the exercise bike. I was ready to shout and holler. lol

 

[bottomshollow]

@sewhat, these "little" milestones are very BIG in how they boost our spirits and help us know that we are getting better and better.

 

[kneeper]

Awesome! Sleep and a rotation on the bike--way to go!