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TKR Strange New World

New problem; bleeding. Bandage has been changed 3 times. I don’t think those Zip Strips work as good as the staples do. That may affect when I get released. No problem with the knee itself, but the access port is leaking.
 
Sorry about the bleeding. Don't go home until it's sorted.
 
It’s amazing how a few weeks from left knee being done a person forgets those pains and awful days: thanks for reminding me :groan:! I’m happy you got your 2nd one done and starting recovery! Keep your sense of humor it will not only help you but all of us following your journey. I’ll be following you July 9 for my 2nd one. My first one was January 29, 2019 and it’s doing well aches and strange pains here and there but so pleased how far I’ve come!
 
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@Zommom You are about 4 1/2 months out now. For me, that is where I really began to see significant improvements from week to week. Then at about the 5 month mark the improvements really accelerated. My surgeon told me when discussing this one with me, that the minor discomforts and occasional malfunctions that still occur with the first one will go away. He said, “you will be real happy with them after a year, but even more so after 2 years.

You’re right about forgetting how bad it was. I really do not have any horrible memories, but there was definitely a reason that I came up with the really, really rotten slowly improving to just miserable sequence. I prefer to sleep on my Left side with my knees drawn up about 45 degrees. But when I couldn’t do that last night it quickly brought back memories. But those of us who have been there can at least offer encouragement to those going through those sometimes rather terrifying moments of doubt and uncertainty. I definitely didn’t read the fine print, and expected to be back up to full speed in 8 weeks or so. That’s not realistic at all, but it will pass, and will have a significant impact of our quality of life. Honestly, I didn’t really want to do the second one, but here I am in day 2 of recovery, very early in the REALLY, REALLY rotten stage, but very glad that I did it. The time will pass. This one so far has been much better and easier than the first one. There are several reasons for that, and I think it will be for you as well. I’ll be following your progress.
 
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OK - so far, so (kind of) good. A lot of things going better this time, good appetite, taste buds working, slept really well last night (except of course for the “occasional” interruptions for meds, oxygen check, vitals check, blood work, more meds and ‘are you sleeping OK”). So it’s a good strong start for 2 REALLY, REALLY rotten weeks, but maybe both really’s don’t have to be capitalized this time. One does though because of the annoying leakage which I didn’t have last time, and which will keep me at least one extra night in the hospital. My surgeon says we may end up putting a few staples in there.

Having my Left knee strong and able to serve as a “good” knee definitely makes a difference. I was originally scheduled to have the second one done March 11, but wanted to wait longer so the first one would be strong enough to be reliable. I think that was a good choice, and I am glad I did it. This is a tough journey, but I consider it well worth it. For those of you still in the early stages of the first go-round, I know how hard it is to really expect to ever walk normally again. But you will. The NOW you are experiencing is tough, but it will pass, and you will reap the rich benefits pain-free mobility once again. Even though at this time, I only have it on one side, IT FEELS GREAT!!!
 
I feel so much better having read your post. Thanks and stay well.
 
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Day 3, knee quite painful and stiff, I think maybe even a little more than the first one at this point. But other things are going better. Almost no back pain so far, good appetite, and sleeping well. Bleeding seems to be under control, and I will be moving into rehab today. Hopefully I won’t feel so much like a Voodoo Doll there. Things are progressing very well so far, and I am very happy with the way things are shaping up. That does NOT however, move TKR up even a single notch on my bucket list. It’s still below things like skydiving without a parachute and wrestling a Nile Crocodile. But at least it’s checked off. Hang in there everyone, this will eventually fade into the background and you’ll have an important part of your life back, pain-free mobility.
 
Hi Denny, just read your thread and will be following with interest. I just had revision TKR 4 years after the original, done 4 days ago on June 17th same as you. Going home today and all good so far. Wishing you a smooth recovery path.
 
OK. 2nd day at Rehab facility. First official PT session this morning, and I am quite pleased with how it went. They say that most knee replacements are here 10-14 days, and I will probably be on the low end. I have been given the OK to be up by myself in my room, and they want me walking the halls often, but must have an escort in the hallways. The first thing I did was go out in the hall by myself and get busted. (I was really close to my door:angel:.) Jogging is strictly prohibited.

@Benay, congratulations on entering the first of your two miserable weeks. I can hardly wait for the ecstasy of being miserable; that will be great! (That really sounds weird doesn’t It?) It sounds like you’re doing very well overall. Keep up the good work, and I will draw encouragement from your progress.
 
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Interesting little “glitch” last night. I was awakened by pain at 10:45, but my pain meds were not due until 11:15. So, I managed to drift back off to slumberland, and the next time I looked at the clock, it was 12:05. Great; push the call button. So I pushed the call button and laid back down. It usually takes 2-3 minutes to get a response. But within a minute a nurse walks in and says cheerfully, “Good morning. What can I do for you?”. I just looked up and said, “Pain meds.” (I definitely was not sufficiently cognizant to carry on any kind of a structured line of conversation). She looked at me kind of funny (even seemed a little puzzled) and said, “OK,I’ll try. I think we have some back there”. Now I’m puzzled (my cognizance level now being slightly elevated). I said, “Uh — you do”. So she left the room, and I turned over and laid back down, because it takes at least 5 minutes for the nurse to pull and deliver the pain meds (The GOOD stuff - Tylenol is in the 2-3 minute range). But in a mere minute, the nurse walked back in with a big smile on her face, walked over and proudly handed me . . . a bag of peanuts! She must have thought she had a real nut-case (no pun intended) on her hands. Once again, I simply said, being very careful to enunciate properly, “Pain meds”. Must’ve been my Missouri accent. But I guess it proves that when they say, “If there is ANYTHING you want or need, we’ll get it for you”, they mean it.

So, I guess I can have peanuts (Chocolate covered) with my morning coffee.
 
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One thing is quite different this time. When sitting on the edge of the bed, I can let my knee hang at 90 degrees, and slide it back to an easy 95. But when I stand, with my walker, and raise my leg, I cannot go more than 10 or 15 degrees and that is extremely painful. Last time, at this stage, I could bend it close to 90 with some pain, but tolerable. Which one, if either, is more “Normal”?
 
Both are normal, so don't worry about it.

When you're standing, you also have to use your quads to raise your leg, so expecting it to bend well too is probably too much at this early stage. When you're sitting on the bed, your upper leg is supported and so it only needs to bend - not as hard as lifting and bending.
 
@Celle OK, Thanks. I figured I was probably pushing it just a bit. These first two really, really rotten weeks aren’t going to let their reputation damaged are they?
 
  • You're sounding perky. Thank God I'm ‘miserable’.
 
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I think their reputation is safe Denny! Your issue with raising the second knee sounds more like my first, although even now I find it painful to lift my lower leg behind me when standing, yet can bring it almost to my bottom when lying down. Onwards and upwards eh?
 
OK. Worst pain night ever, including both knees, 5-6 with stabs of 10 when I moved wrong (which was just about every time I moved). I cannot put even the smallest amount of “pull” on that Quad without sending fire straight through the dead center of my knee. Very annoying, to say the least.

But it’s not all bad. I still got at least 7 hours of good sleep, maybe more. My appetite is stable, and I’m having almost no abnormal back pain. None of that was true at this stage last time. So I still have at least a 3:1 ratio of positive over negative :cheers:. So @Lindylee, Yes! Onwards and upwards; Full speed ahead, pedal to the metal, darn the torpedos, (or something like that).
 
@Benay, I see you’re in SoCal. I lived in the Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley area for about 45 years. It sure changed a lot over that time.
 
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