Revision TKR Sondrals’ Revision

[sondrals]

Spent the morning sobbing after my friend informed me my surgeon is going to be so disappointed in me because I’m so far behind on my bend. Decided I’d rather be alone than deal with that. The only problem is she’s my ride to and from PT on Wednesday. I’m already hard enough on myself without people adding to it. I can’t help that it won’t bend right now, it’s swollen and it hurts. I feel like such a failure regardless

 

[Jockette]

Has your friend had a tkr? Is she an Orthopaedic specialist?

Even if the answer to both those questions is yes, she is not your medical professional, she doesn’t know your particular case, and to be very honest, she’s not much of a friend, to tell you that.

Your surgeon told you that your knee was in very bad shape. He will be understanding. And even if he’s not, we here at Bonesmart are understanding.

Try very hard to ignore the ignorant comments of “friends.”

 

[sondrals]

She had a tkr like 5-6 years ago and still has problems with hers. It kinda freaks me out when she talks about it.

I called my surgeon today to see if could use Celebrex instead of my pain meds. The pain meds, even at half of a dose are making me sick even with anti nausea meds. I’m waiting on a call back on that.

I do think she means well and I’m probably being over sensitive but it really bothered me to think I’m “not working hard enough”

 

[Jockette]

There are better ways of being helpful and supportive than saying what she did.

You are only one week out of surgery. The only thing you have to work hard at is resting, elevating, icing, and trying to help your doctor find the best pain relief for you.

I’m sure you are overly sensitive and here’s the reason why:

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Post op blues is feeling depressed, weepy, nervy, shaky, fearful of the future, anxious, overwhelmed by what is happening to you, convinced it's never going to get any better and finally, uttering that most intense of all cries "I wish I never had this done!" It arises out of a variety of...

bonesmart.org

Try not to worry. We are here for you.

 

[Jockette]

Here’s why you don’t have to work hard in this recovery:

Lose the Work Ethic While You Are Recovering!

Lose the Work Ethic!!! Article by Referee54 (Tim) Many of us have a tremendous work ethic---and for several reasons. I can still remember, to this day, my father saying to me on the morning of my first day on a “real job”, “Give them nine hours of work in an eight hour day.” I believe that...

bonesmart.org

 

[sistersinhim]

it really bothered me to think I’m “not working hard enough”

You shouldn't be working at all on a knee that's only 6 days old at all. It needs to heal some first. If I were you, I'd cancel PT for at least a few more weeks. That will give your knee more time to heal before it is stressed with PT. Just walking around your house is plenty of therapy for that newborn baby of yours. You have already had PT on your other knee, so you know what to do. Tell your friend you are going to wait and you appreciate her offer to drive you but you will wait to go. You can drive own self in the future.

 

[Macknit]

Hang in there @sondrals, I'm sorry to hear how a friend can throw you off like that! You have several reasons, to cancel PT right now, especially with what the surgeon told you about the difficult knee you had.

I'm still really struggling at the end of day, during this Holiday season...I had some issues too and I think I've just given up on sharing with anyone other than BS about how I feel or what the knee is doing!

Be kind to yourself!

 

[Celle]

@sondrals - I'm so sorry your tactless and unkind friend said that to you. I know it's hard, but try not to pay any attention to what she said - and forget about having her as your ride to PT. You don't need that sort of friend.

At only a week post-op, you don't need to go to PT anyway. You'll be much better off staying home and spending that time resting, icing and elevating your knee.

Did I tell you that my surgeon doesn't allow any formal PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house. The walking is our exercise and we increase it a little each week.

After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home each day.

His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 5 years. I think that speaks for itself.

Your knee can't bend more yet, because its swelling is making it stiff, just like a garden hose when it's full of water.
As the swelling goes down and your knee heals, it will gradually bend more, whether you go to PT or not.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal.

I've rehabbed three knee replacements and I did minimal PT. In fact, I didn't go to PT at all after my last knee replacement. That doesn't mean I lay around like a log. I walked around my house at first. Later, I walked around the garden as well, and then up and down my street. I just gradually increased my activity, but I never did anything that moved me beyond discomfort into pain.

 

[sistersinhim]

Many of us never took formal PT or did exercises. I am one of them. I had 11 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took formal PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I used my knee as it was intended to be used by walking around to take care of my daily needs. As I healed I was able to do more. Icing and elevation was a huge part of my recovery.

Listen to your knee. It will tell you if you're doing too much by increased pain and swelling. When that happens, I found that resting, icing and elevating helped.

 

[sondrals]

Thank you for all the support. Yesterday was really rough. My hip on my surgery side has been very painful to the point of me being in tears several times because I can’t get comfortable. Last night my bf helped get a pillow under it and kind of propped me up in bed on it for a bit which seemed to help.

My surgeons office called this morning and called in a prescription for Celebrex for me to try. My bf is going to go pick it up this afternoon and pick up a small grocery order.

Im slightly annoyed at his work, yesterday they asked why he was there. Apparently after being told his time off was denied, they approved it and he really didn’t have to be at work all this week! At least now he’s off until Sunday, possibly longer.

My leg is still pretty painful, I have a lot of bruising around the back of my knee, way more than my other knee had. I’m wondering if that, plus the swelling, is part of why it doesn’t want to bend. I‘d love to be able to sit in a chair for a bit with my feet down but I’m just not quite there yet. My thigh hurts a lot as well and my ankle. Just kind of a deep ache feeling.

 

[Jockette]

 

[sondrals]

So, something worked. I finally was able to sleep 6 hours straight last night fairly comfortably. I only woke up when I had to pee and then noticed my ice machine wasn’t cold anymore. I’m guessing it’s the Celebrex because it’s the only medication difference from last time. Just thankful something worked. My hip still hurts but nowhere near as badly. It’s amazing how lack of sleep and pain can alter everything around you. I feel so much more positive having gotten some sleep.

 

[sistersinhim]

It's amazing how much better we feel after a good night's sleep. I'm glad you got 6 hours straight. That's wonderful!

 

[sondrals]

Changed my bandage today, everything looks really good. Completely dry and no drainage at all. Pretty impressive bruising still going on and I have a bit of skin irritation from the bandage. I also found out what I have is called an aquacel bandage??? And it’s waterproof. And I could have been showering this whole time! That’ll be my first course of business tomorrow now that I know.

I did end up going to my PT appointment. Lots of ohhhhs and ahhhs over how straight my leg is now. They said I’m walking well for this point in recovery. Then the dreaded measurements 62/10. Not great but no one seemed overly concerned. I was a little disappointed because my first knee was 82/0 on the first appointment.

Did some gentle stretching and worked on my hip that’s been bothering me a little. Also discovered I’m using my hip muscles to try to bend my knee, not sure why but worked on getting my quad involved. Pretty happy with the appointment and with the holidays coming up I only have 2 more before the new year.

 

[Celle]

It's very early days in this knee's recovery - far too soon to worry about ROM numbers.
Try not to compare this knee's progress with your first knee - every knee is different, even two knees done on the same person, by the same surgeon, on the same day.

 

[sistersinhim]

Your new knee was taking on all the work while you were healing from your left knee. More damage might have been occurred while being the 'work-horse'. This means that you would have had more work done to the right one during the surgery. No two knees are the same, even on the same person.

 

[sondrals]

Oh. My. God. I got a shower tonight. It was heavenly.

We splurged and got a transfer bench for our shower because of the tight spacing of our bathroom, our shower is behind the door. It made getting in and out much less nerve wracking. Still needed some help but we managed. I feel so fresh and clean it’s amazing!

 

[jaybird]

Glad you got a shower. Those first ones feel so good!

 

[sondrals]

I also found my fuzzy grinch pjs which makes me happy. I can wear them over my brace. It’s the little things!

 

[Macknit]

Yay!! So happy to hear about the shower! I felt so good about that too! That is the type of bandage I also had...I didn't have the energy to shower until day 4 anyway, so you didn't lose too much time!

I hope you continue to get a stretch of sleep and have a Merry Christmas next week!