PKR ShedEnd's road to recovery<

[ShedEnd]

@ShedEnd have you got glue on your wound? It looks shiny and glistening.

Anyway, that first photo looks awful ! It's a raging erythema caused by a sensitivity of your skin to medical adhesives. You need to have those Steri-strips off and the wound cleaned of any spray or whatever it is you have on there. It also needs to be exposed to the clean fresh air to dry and heal. Don't leave it as it is.

You're also pretty nearly 2 weeks out so the wound should be good and healed by now.

If you were referring to the top picture, there was nothing on the skin when that picture was taken. My wife cleaned the skin yesterday with a wound wash to clean the excess adhesive off, but nothing since then. The shiny and glistening was from the liquid leaking out of the blisters.

Doctor called back with instructions to take the strips off, put some nonstick gauze on it, and wrap it in an elastic “Ace” bandage. I’m following his orders for now, but just because if anything adverse happens we can say we followed his orders exactly.

 

[sistersinhim]

Why not try the ACTIVE Scar Shield that is on the upper banner. That stuff works great!

 

[Jamie]

I'll second the post above! Scar Shield is best when applied as soon as possible after your surgery. It is a natural antimicrobial solution that kills bacteria on contact. It's great for reducing inflammation and will give you a great start on your scar's smooth healing.

Since you're just newly out of surgery, I think I can get you in our 2nd round of Scar Shield testing and have the product sent to you at no cost. Would you be up for this? You'd need to start the application immediately upon receipt of the product, apply it 3 times a day and take photos of your wound every three days. Please tag me with your response like this: @Jamie

 

[ShedEnd]

Well, the good news first - the irritation around where they taped my incision is nearly cleaned up, and I’m able to move around with only a bit of the stinging remaining. I think two or three more days and it will be completely recovered and only have fresh, pink skin around the incision.

But now for the new. I seem to be developing a rash on most of my body. My operated upon leg has been a bit itchy since the operation, but today after my shower I noticed that i had a rash on my chest and back, as well as both legs. I have never had any allergies before, and I haven’t reacted to the minimal jewelry I wear, so I doubt it’s due to the implants. Just wondering if the reaction on my knee set my whole body up to be sensitive to any and all irritants.

Thoughts?

 

[sistersinhim]

Will you post a photo of it and tag Josephine so she can take a look at it and advise you?

 

[ShedEnd]

I don’t think it will show up in a photo, and it is definitely less visible now than it was right after the shower. I’ll check again tomorrow when there is better natural light to see if I can get a snapshot of it.

 

[Jockette]

The warm shower probably brought it out more. I’ll tag @Josephine to discuss it with you.

If it isn’t one thing, it’s something else, isn’t it? That’s how it was for me.

 

[Josephine]

so I doubt it’s due to the implants.

Oh no - it's nothing to do with the implants!

Just wondering if the reaction on my knee set my whole body up to be sensitive to any and all irritants.

And no to this as well. It really doesn't work like that.

 

[ShedEnd]

Rash was due to the iron supplements my OS had me taking. Stopped taking those and the rash went away.

Had my first outpatient PT session on Wednesday, and I could barely walk yesterday. Going back today, and if they don't really phase back on what they have me do it will also be the last outpatient PT session I will attend...

 

[NavyGunns]

@ShedEnd, just remember you are the boss. You tell them what you want to achieve and what to focus on. If they refuse, walk out!

 

[ShedEnd]

Second PT session went well. Told them that I was in a good bit of pain after the first, and they took the time to go through what we did to figure out where the line was. Feel a good bit better after the second one. They are still in the "must get xx degrees" mindset, but I've made it clear that I'm not going to cater to that thought.

Not going to go to the 3x a week for 6 weeks the OS wants me to. Not paying that much money to do what I can do at home for free...

 

[Jockette]

I like your approach!

 

[NavyGunns]

@ShedEnd, way to take control of Your recovery! Just remember why a lot of PTs get hung up on ROM by certain time frame. It’s great when you find one that is more focused on the patient and how they feel and whether progress is being made and not in some arbitrary set of numbers.

 

[kneeper]

Not going to go to the 3x a week for 6 weeks the OS wants me to. Not paying that much money to do what I can do at home for free...

I think 3x is the standard. I thought it was too much also. I convinced them for my 2nd tkr that 2x/week was enough and I'd exercise on my own. (I did a little bit, but used my common sense about it. ) I did have a good PT the 2nd time around who took a more individualized approach.

 

[ShedEnd]

I really have no need to go into the therapists. All the exercises they have me doing I can do at home without any issue. My wife is really into pilates, and we have a full studio set up here at home. Everything they have me doing at the therapists I can do at home, and I actually have better equipment to do it on! Only thing I am missing right now is a stationary bike, but that can easily be fixed.

I have my first post op appointment with my OS on Friday, and I plan to have a nice long chat with him about how displeased I am with my care. I have a feeling that will be the last appointment I have with him....

 

[Jockette]

Do let us know how that chat with your OS goes!

I would love to have told my OS what I thought, but I have an extreme aversion to confrontation. I wish I could just view it as a conversation, but I can’t if I’m strongly disagreeing with someone.

I also felt very uncomfortable because I was following Bonesmart and not my OS’s wishes, and this surgery and recovery was a whole new ballgame for me, so I just gritted my teeth mentally at my checkups when he told me to do things Bonesmart said not to.

I also have not had a stellar recovery so I couldnt prove to my OS that Bonesmart is the way to go, I’m afraid they’ll tell me I should have “done my exercises.” (which I did the first couple of months)

Anyway, I’m now a much firmer believer in the Bonesmart approach, and also in the knowledge that’s its my body, my recovery, and with all the different surgeons’ views on what to do, I will choose what’s best for me as to how much or how little I do.

Best wishes to you as you continue on your recovery.

 

[ShedEnd]

Had what will be my last official PT session yesterday. I was pretty pleased with the way they were treating me (adjusted what I was doing to push me, but not to cause pain), but I just cannot justify the $40 co-pay on my insurance for what they are having me do. I can do everything they are doing at home, and on better equipment. My brother-in-law's wife (sister-in-law-in-law?) is an orthopedic nurse and is studying for her nurse practitioner and has volunteered to help me through the recovery. I'd rather give the $40 a shot to her to help support their family than pay that to some random medical group.

The good news was that I was able to go through all of their exercises without much pain, and my strength and endurance wasn't that bad (I could do all the exercises they gave me to the max number of reps without fatigue and only minimal rests between the exercises). No pain in the knee this morning, but the muscles are definitely tired and a bit sore. Range of motion was at 0 extension and 108 flex, which puts me right in the middle of the range the OS was looking for at this point in the recovery. Not bad considering I haven't been on adequate pain management and had a week of inactivity due to the skin issues.

Appointment with the OS is this afternoon. I asked my wife is she planned to go to the appointment with me, and her response was "yes, in case I need to bail you out of jail." I love my wife...

Edit to add: Definitely getting stir-crazy at home. OS restricted driving for the first month, but I have chosen to completely ignore that, especially since it's my left knee (with an automatic transmission car) and haven't been on narcotics since day 6 post surgery. I'm getting the itch to get back into the office, but I know that it is still too soon for that. I have gone out to run some errands, and a short trip to the grocery is enough to send me home seeking ice and elevation. Wife is pushing me to stay out of work until after Thanksgiving, but I don't know if I'll wait that long. Next week is probably not going to happen, but I'm eyeing the following week (6 weeks post surgery) to start back on a phased return.

 

[Jockette]

You are doing great. You are listening to your knee in all you try. You really don’t need a nurse to help you recover at this point, she can’t help you heal, only time can do that. Keep up your sensible approach and you’ll do just fine.

 

[ShedEnd]

You are doing great. You are listening to your knee in all you try. You really don’t need a nurse to help you recover at this point, she can’t help you heal, only time can do that. Keep up your sensible approach and you’ll do just fine.

I know, but it is a good way to steer some cash towards them without just giving it to her. I'm pretty sure it will end up along the lines of her and my 3 year old nephew will come over to the house and chat/play with my wife while I exercise. She won't actually be doing much, but changes it from a handout to pay for a service...

 

[Jockette]

In that case, go for it, it’s a nice gesture. I doubt she’ll steer you wrong, you know what to do.