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TKR Slainte's Big Adventure

Ice packs for the drive are a brilliant idea. I am planning to bring 2 sort of flat ice packs to put in our teeny office freezer when I go back in Sept. Slainte, gotta hand it to you--sounds like you are managing at the office really well. Hats off to you--and how great that your dynamo sis is there lending a hand. Wonderful!
 
Tylenol PM. Thanks, @KarriB . I think I will raid the pharmacy tomorrow for all possible sleep aids. I do ice at work, most of the day in fact. I am using an armless desk chair with a pillow on top to elevate. I have raised it to maximum height, and lowered mine a bit. Both it and my chair have wheels, so I can kind of roll from one side of my desk to the other while keeping my leg propped up. The cryocuff is not on wheels, however, and in my haste to reach for something today I rolled too far and pulled it right off its table. Those things will leak if turned on their sides. So now the area under my chair is very clean.
 
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It's great that you can ice most of the day. I'm in awe that you're back to work in less than a month!
 
I enjoyed watching my step count grow (nice and slowly) after surgery. It's an easy way to monitor one aspect of your progress.
 
Four weeks out today. I bought some Tylenol PM yesterday, and that helped so much! In fact it was hard to get up this morning in time to get to work. I had to put my makeup on in the car! Every day gets easier at work. At first my back was not too happy about me having one leg propped up out to the side, but it has stopped complaining. Yesterday I walked a total of 1.1 miles, and am going to keep upping that a bit every day. My OS has prescribed outpatient PT for me, and wants to see me in four weeks, so I guess I will schedule some sessions so that I can find out what my flexion and extension is. My office chair is on wheels and on laminate tile, so when I sit with both legs down I gently roll up and back, stretching out that knee. I think my numbers are probably pretty good.

I am taking 1000 mg tylenol at lunchtime, and at night I take a percocet, a Robaxin, and now the two Tylenol PMs. Glad to be down to one percocet and one Robaxin a day. Will probably hang with that until I get a few complete night's sleep.

I really don't think about my knee much, except when I roll over at night. I hurt so much before the surgery that I have been limping around for quite a while, and had been reduced to using a cane for the two months before my RTKR. So all I can say is that I am so much better, and it is wonderful to be pain-free. As I have mentioned before, I feel a little guilty to have basically gotten a free ride when others have had so much suffering. But I want folks who come to this site to see that sometimes everything works out great. I will credit my rapid recovery to the very little PT I have done. I do not stress my knee at all. And now it does not stress me.

Weekends matter to me again. So glad tomorrow is Friday! Be well, my friends.
 
Great update. Don't feel guilty about having had a good recovery. I totally agree that people reading our posts should be able to see that it can be easy-ish. Just wish everybody could have it so good. Have a great weekend when it arrives.
 
Jo, so happy for you. My surgery was one day before you, but I'm not quite at your level. However, I don't think I'm far behind. I was 110/0 at physical therapy yesterday. I'm so pleased with that. I've had a few nights where I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. I was thinking of Tylenol PM...so glad you mentioned it. Keep up the great recovery.
 
Wow, what a heartening update! Three cheers for you. As you can see, we are all delighted for you. Thanks for blazing the trail to where we all wish to go. Very happy post. Yay.
 
What a good report. Good to hear things are going well! Hope it continues!


RTKA 8 June 2015
LTKA 14 Sept 2015 (sched)
 
How did PT go? I am so glad to hear you are doing so well. We all have different stories and heal in our own way and time. Pretty cool that your recovery is so sucessful :yahoo:
 
Swish said:
Jo, so happy for you. My surgery was one day before you, but I'm not quite at your level. However, I don't think I'm far behind. I was 110/0 at physical therapy yesterday. I'm so pleased with that. I've had a few nights where I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. I was thinking of Tylenol PM...so glad you mentioned it. Keep up the great recovery.
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@Swish You are doing so well too! The Tylenol pm works great for me. I am off all narcotics so I use that and have a prescription of Trazadone that I was using already. I have always had sleep issues. I still have some sleepless nights, but not as bad. I am 6 weeks and same ROM :yahoo:
 
I go to have my initial evaluation for outpatient PT Friday morning, so don't yet know how that will go.

I was planning to wait until same time next year for my left knee replacement, but tonight my husband suggested I get it done before December 31st. Like many others here, my deductible starts over January 1st. And he is not certain he will stay with the firm he is with, so suddenly it becomes a thirty thousand dollar question. I think I will call tomorrow and check my OS's calendar. Suddenly I have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach again! I feel like I rolled the dice on this first knee, and man, did I hit the jackpot. I am already back to being me. But I have read many times on this forum that no two knees are alike. Can I possibly hope to get that lucky twice?
 
Sure you can. It needs to be done, right? Do it now while you have the proper coverage to keep it from being a financial burden. There's no guarantee it will go smoothly next year, and you may be in a worse personal situation. It's probably going to be different, but that doesn't mean it will be terrible.
 
I've really enjoyed reading about your recovery. I too have the same insurance issue and may have other knee done in October. Will look forward to hearing what you decide to do.
 
@Slainte, so understandable that it seems daunting, but 30K is a lot. Think of it as getting a 30K reward for doing before 12/31. And, really, you got this. It won't be identical to the first tkr, but you definitely got this. xx Please keep us posted.
 
I guess I wasn't paying attention, lol. I am anxious to hear how it goes. Good luck with your other one. I don't think I could do this again so soon. You are tougher than me!
 
@Slainte you are doing awesome!! I just had my surgery yesterday and can only hope for such a smooth recovery.i am hoping things go great because I need my other knee done while our deductible is met too. I am thinking January, our insurance goes June 1- May 31 so I have time.
 
Joan, So glad you're feeling better. I agree with the others about having the second knee done sooner rather than later. Even though every knee is different, you now know what to expect.

I am in the same situation re insurance which is why my second knee is scheduled for mid Sept (provided I am still unemployed). If I get a job before then, I'll wait until the new insurance and disability details are settled.
 
@bdink21 I remember well being where you are. For me, by the time I was one week out I was good. Nothing much bothered me after that. I credit taking pain meds on schedule the first couple of weeks, and not stressing your knee at all. Only stretch until you feel the stretch. Try not to stand still for too long. I will be 5 weeks tomorrow. And I called my OS office this morning. Can not quite believe I am doing this, but if he approves I will get my second knee done September 3rd. Oh, boy. I will try very hard for the next 3 weeks to continue losing weight and gaining strength to be ready. Once more into the breach!
 
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