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TKR Sooz Bionic Knee Journey

hey @sooz58 ! Nice to be going home to your cozy nest :)
You will be more comfortable there and with a Mom - can't beat that. Let us know how you made the transition - hope you didn't have too long of a drive.
 
Sooz I think you should read this link. It's much better to use your muscles etc to move the knee in heel slides than a sheet. Passive movement is just that. You want to begin waking up (muscles) and using your muscles instead of depending on sheet, rope, etc. You'll need those muscles when walking and using your leg in daily living, so start now with heel slides.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/heel-slides-and-how-to-do-them-properly.26903/
 
sooz58 said:
I use a sheet wrapped around my foot to help me bend my knee, but it's all on my own!
Click to expand...
My PT told me to only use something like a sheet to help hold my leg in place after I bent it to the range I could. The idea was not to *pull* the leg, but to let your muscles relax as you held a position. But not until a couple of weeks out!
 
Thank you everyone for the concern and comments, been doing some reading when i am coherent. The trip home yesterday knocked the stuffing out of me. Usually a 40 minute trip turned into over an hour with meds that needed picked up. Not ideal leg support on the trip home, not sure what I could have done different. Today has been spent laying around, wishing I could just get up and organize my stuff instead of relying on others. kind of head achey.
 
@sooz58, I'll bet that ride home felt like eternity; ugh! Did you lie in the backseat of the car with your leg extended on the bench or did you use the front passenger seat? Even if you did lie in back, that's a long, bumpy ride for a newly discharged knee.

Spending today just lying around is exactly what you need to do; good job! The *stuff* will be there tomorrow and the next day, and the next. Let others wait on you, in fact, enjoy it! It's a unique situation.:SUNsmile: :friends:

How is your pain level? Are you staying ahead of it? Hope so!
 
Welcome home! Now, your job is to rest, ice, elevate and take your pain meds of schedule.
 
@Pheebs52 @sistersinhim Staying, ahead of the pain today, late last night pain was winning, once i got it under control, I've vowed to keep it there. I sat upfront on the way home, even with taking pain med before we left hosp I was still having pain. Today is better. I find I want to do stuff for myself, it must be a learning curve for me...accepting gracefully... sometimes i feel a sensation of bands being around my leg. Feeling a bit emotional, a bit of anxiety... and pretty worthless at times... Already for bed...
 
As a very independent person I had a hard time accepting help, but in the end I learned so much from allowing others to help and care for me. I had been the one to help/care for a best friend and during my TKR our positions were reversed. We both learned a great deal.
 
No wonder you were hurting on the way home. Many of us sat in the back seat with our leg on pillows for the ride home. Hanging the new knee down is agony if done for over a few minutes. I'm so glad you got the pain under control. Don't try and cut back too soon or you'll end up having to play catch up, which is really a bad thing to have to do.

I know the independent feeling you have. I'm right there with you. I get fussed at because I want to do it myself, but doing it myself gives me a sense of accomplishment! But, you have a newborn knee. Now, is not the time to be doing things yourself. Just going to the bathroom and getting yourself snacks and drinks is going to be enough for the first couple of weeks. Let yourself be waited on by others. They will be blessed by being able to help you!
 
Oh Sooz58, I'm cringing at your ride; aarrggh! I think we all feel vulnerable after this surgery and it comes out in many different ways. Just come here and vent and that will help. None of us want to be dependent on others; it's foreign and goes against the adult grain. But, if the shoe were on the other foot, what would we tell a loved one? Exactly. At least this is temporary and you will gain a little more independence each day. I still have that tight band feeling and it's so annoying, but it's lest painful than it was. Eventually, it'll go and so will yours. Hope you get some good zzz's tonight, but wake to take your meds and ice! :ice:
 
Hang in there. Everything you are describing is normal. The first few weeks are the hardest so let those around you help you as much as possible. I'm sure if they needed the help you would be there. It does get better.
 
@Celle checking out the article. Back of my leg has really been the worst pain! Only comfy place is in bed Have a glider rocker and can sit in that a few but back of leg just really bugs me. Please tell me this is normal! Also sciatica pain!!!!! oooOOOoooo
 
Sorry about that long ride home. I rode in the front seat (with the seat all the way back) on the way home, but I'm only about 15 minutes from the hospital. That ride seemed plenty!
:sleeep: and :ice: is your prescription for today.
 
If it's mainly your calf that hurts, I think you need to get it checked, to exclude a deep vein thrombosis. If it's the back of your knee, you can ice that as well as the front.

You aren't trying to elevate with your leg completely straight, are you? That does hurt. It is better to have a slight bend in your knee.

Some people do get sciatica, unfortunately. Most of them have found that that lying flat while elevating your leg is less strain on their backs. Try icing your back, if you can.
 
@sooz58, I've had a lot of trouble with back of the knee pain, but it is finally beginning to ease up. My OS said it's common and will resolve along with everything else. I ice it when I ice everything else. I developed some sciatica-like pain that seemed to become aggravated from elevating too high. I have found two pillows work best for me (a particular two, firm) to avoid back/sciatica issues. If the bed is your comfy place right now, that's fine. Soon you will graduate to other seating; promise! Try and remember this will be your worst week. You'll get through it and next week should be a bit better. And so it goes. Hang in there! :friends:
 
Day 6
I have actually been sleeping amazingly well.
Walking around once an hour.
PT came to see me today, pleasantly surprised with them. No hands on stuff. My ROM measured at 70. No pushing beyond what I can do myself. She showed me a gentle stretch I can do in my glider, that is much easier and actually feels good.
Staying ahead of the pain!
Showered again today, it is a big stretch getting in and out as I am very vertically challenged.
The pain I feel in the back of my leg is right behind the knee, it seems to be subsiding as other areas pop up for some attention!
:flwrysmile:
 
You're doing well! Ice the back of your knee and see if that helps the pain there.
 
That first week is the roughest and you've weathered it well. I love your sensible, positive attitude. It will carry you far. I still can't get into and out of the tub easily, and I'm not vertically challenged at all... or maybe I have a high tub. But some things remain uncomfortable for a while.
 
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