TKR Susie-Q's 2nd TKR Recovery Thread

Thank you so much @patriciad !!! I managed a fairly decent BM a bit ago (6 hours after MofM) but it was still a lot of effort. I have been eating prunes and fresh plums, taking Miralax, drinking prune juice (all of these daily) and finally did a dose of MofM. All that for still a ton of effort to get anywhere. I will definitely try that, I've seen it in the stores so I know it's around.
 
I’m right there today. Had same day surgery on Tuesday and in lots of pain today. Don’t remember it hurting this bad last year but my hubby assured me it did. Cannot pick my leg up without assistance at all. PT came today and took drain out and changed the dressing then wanted me to pick up my leg and hold it as long as I could. I was almost in tears by the time he was through. I too started doubling up on my pain med today. Hoping tomorrow is better!
 
@VSing Yeah, I don't know how they expect anyone to do any type of quad exercise when that muscle is completely useless in these early days. My pain is definitely under control now and I can probably back off to 1 oxy every 3 hours but I want to wait until after my nerve catheter comes out in case I have an increase in pain when that blocker wears off.

Well, Milk of Magnesia definitely works, you just have to be patient! 4 days worth is ready to exit NOW! (sorry for the TMI). Also, I checked my cupboard and I have the Smooth Move tea already! One of my kids bought it at some point and my daughter remembered. So now I have an arsenal to combat the constipation! I won't take the MofM again unless it's an emergency.

@VSing that quad pain WILL go away when you have caught up on your meds. Better days are ahead probably in a few hours or at least tomorrow. I am feeling so much better, even able to do some exercises, very gently, of course.
 
“One of my kids bought it at some point and my daughter remembered. So now I have an arsenal to combat the constipation! I won't take the MofM again unless it's an emergency.”
Have everything crossed that the tea helps!
Also hoping that the pain eases over the next few days so that you can cut back on the Oxy.
Good night sending you good sleep
 
Well this is interesting...... Some time during the day today, either when I was straining in the bathroom or straining doing a leg lift, I had some very light bleeding start from the nerve catheter center. It spiraled out very slowly over the course of the day and finally leaked out of a place where the edge of the bandage was close by. I called the phone number on the paper and was told to just put a gauze bandage on it and wrap my leg with an ace wrap. I'm taking it out tomorrow anyway so he said to leave it in one more night "to get one last good nights sleep" :thud: He said the pain shouldn't be too bad but agreed with me to not cut back on the oxy just yet.
 
Day 5

I did not remove the nerve catheter today because there still appears to be medicine in it. It's not a flattened toilet paper roll but more like a deflated lemon/golf ball. I've kept the wrap on to absorb any blood or fluids that might be leaking out. When I called to ask about it they said if it's the size of a golf ball it has about 12 hours of medicine left.

Today's word of the day is TIRED. I've take a nap in between every dose of oxy when I feel sleepiest and I just feel tired. Doggy went to work again with my daughter. Hubby went to pick up a refill of oxy for me and he also went to Costco and the grocery store. I've taken my Miralax and prune juice and also had a couple of cups of the Smooth Move tea. I feel like I'm always on the verge of a bowel movement and I've gone a few times so I'm not eating any prunes or plums at the moment. The pain has been kept pretty under control. I did my full exercises this morning but only really some stretches this evening. I'm taking 1.5 oxy every 3 hours. Not sure if I will need 2 each time or not this evening.
 
The first 3 weeks can be rough. Sounds like you are handling it well and have a good, supportive husband.
Fatigue can last a very long time, even months. Your body has been through major trauma and it’s whole focus is toward healing - that takes a lot of energy.
Try to pace yourself, take naps as needed and hang in there.
 
I took my nerve catheter out this morning. Piece of cake. They are right in that removing the clear tape is the hardest part and that was easy. I didn't even feel the wire come out of my leg. I cleaned it up and put a bandaid on it. Today's goal will be to take a shower. It's funny, I haven't taken one since Monday but I really don't feel any grosser than I did on day 2 or 3. I have a walk-in shower and a shower chair. Hubby will help me. I can tell he's getting fatigued with taking care of me. He's quiet (after I told him I needed a break from the constant update on politics) and he doesn't pop out of bed at every med time during the night, only if I ask him for specific help. I'm making sure to be very patient with him and thank him for his help. Today is going to be a different routine as my daughter is home from work with chills and a fever (she's staying in her room) so he will have to dog to take care of too. Luckily Daisy is being very calm, I think she knows to give me space. Hubby can walk her.

Another sad addition to the story. I found out yesterday that a friend who had been on her 3rd round of chemo for colo/rectal cancer died yesterday. Complications from blood clots and a stomach infection. She is our breeder friend who we got our precious dog from. So sad. A few of my girlfriends want to get together to just commiserate and plan something for the husband and I offered my house. I certainly don't want to travel anywhere but figured they can come here and I can sit on my patio chair with my leg up and visit for an hour or two. I'm sure it will tire me out. I won't be going up to visit the husband, they will. I also told them I'm not much of a hostess these days so don't expect much out of me. They understand and know about my surgery. I have a card and little something I can send with them for the husband.

I ended up having to take 2 oxy at 6am, I was so stiff and sore! I know we are stiffer at night because we aren't up moving around and boy is that painful. I did walk around a little at 3am just to get things loosened up. Propped up on my couch recliner with an ice pack and I'm very comfortable. Speaking of which, it's time to get up, make some smooth move tea and get some ice packs for my knee.
 
Another question. My antibacterial waterproof incision bandage is supposed to be removed Monday (7 days post-op). I have a square bandage on the side of my knee where the drain was that is covered with clear plastic tape. There are a few drops of moisture/condensation under the tape between my skin and the gauze. Should I be concerned? Just leave it there until Monday? Remove it before my shower today?
 
Get together with the girls is postponed until we find out what my daughter has.

Another interesting thing. It's amazing how intuitive my lab is. She's home today but is very calm and gives me space. Not pestering me at all for a walk or attention. She's just lying in her bed sleeping/watching me. I can imagine that with the walker and hospital smells she knows something is going on and to switch to "nurse" mode.
 
Another question. My antibacterial waterproof incision bandage is supposed to be removed Monday (7 days post-op). I have a square bandage on the side of my knee where the drain was that is covered with clear plastic tape. There are a few drops of moisture/condensation under the tape between my skin and the gauze. Should I be concerned? Just leave it there until Monday? Remove it before my shower today?
It's hard to say whether you should remove the square bandage. Were you directed to keep it intact until Monday? If it is already compromised (meaning moisture will be getting in and soaking the gauze), I would call your provider. A wet bandage is breeding ground for bacteria.
I also would not take the chance of getting it wet in the shower. I would sponge bathe until that area is either A) Redressed properly B) Healed enough where water/soap from a shower will not compromise the integrity of the wound healing. That is all up to your provider.
Sorry to hear of your friend's passing. Take care.
 
Ok, warning on all the efforts to combat constipation, they can and will backfire on you!! It's a good thing it was shower day!! All those prunes, prune juice, miralax, stool softener and smooth move tea caught up with me and now I have the opposite problem!! Yikes! You can go too far and I did.

Good news is, I feel great after my shower. And I took off the bandage from the drain. My leg is very bruised on the outside part.
 
Daughter got a Covid test but we won't find out the results until Tuesday. It's frustrating because she can't work but she feels crappy anyway so......

Another interesting thing..... I had 3 people tell me they'd make meals and bring them by. It's now day 6 and there has been no info about anything. Nobody even asking when to bring anything or if I still want/need anything. One is my sister and the other my best friend! They've all been in touch to ask how I'm doing but crickets on the meals they all promised. Not that we need anything, we are fine. I just find it funny how people promise and then quickly forget that they did. :chinstroke:
 
Susie-Q, been following your story and sounds like you are doing okay at this point, given the timing. I had the digestive issues, too, after TKR #1 in 2016, but this time, not taking Oxycodone, only Tramadol, I had nothing of that issue, so that was sure a win...

I'm sorry about your friend and dog breeder's passing; that's tough. I hope you and the friends will be able to get together with her husband when some of the issues with Covid and various health issues all clear up... I certainly hope your daughter doesn't have Covid!

A friend set me up with something called MealTrain, which is a free service to list what you can or cannot eat, when you would need meals (how often, timing) and how many mouths would need food. In my case, it worked well, in that I got meals every 3rd day, for myself and my husband, as he cannot cook, being blind... it was fun to find out who the really creative cooks in my group of associates are! I had to beg for some recipes, so that was a great benefit.

Hang in there and it sounds like you're on a good path forward!
 
Thanks @BBCG . We'll be fine and have plenty of food. I froze some meals ahead and hubby went to Costco yesterday and got some of their easy cook meals they have. It's just funny to realize that all 3 of them have conveniently forgotten.

I'm sure my daughter just caught another virus. She works at a vet clinic and so deals with the public and she's 23 so she's been going out lately to bars with her cousin, socializing, etc. She's vaccinated for Covid (we all are) so hopefully that's not it. We will see. She had something a few weeks ago and it turned out to just be a cold but it developed into a sinus infection. This girl is the one who always seem to get run down and catch things.

My sister in law is a pediatric nurse and has had major knee surgery with the associated narcotics so she's guiding me on what to do and what not to do at this point. I think I had just overloaded my body with too many anti-constipation remedies that after the big plug was removed a few days ago it just got worse! Otherwise the oxy is a good med for me and I was able to cut down to only 1 every 3 hours today, not 2. Pain is under control with Tylenol and Advil helping.
 
Day 7

My quad has settled down and I'm able to lift my leg by myself. It still hurts but it's doable. Nothing much else has changed. Still doing exercises twice a day with no problems. Icing and elevating around the clock, maybe taking a break here and there. Regular ice or blue ice packs in the recliner during the day (front and back of knee) and the ice machine at night. Advil and Tylenol around the clock alternating every 3 hours, I did 1.5 oxy every 3 hours overnight and only 1 every 3 hours during the day. Less foggy, less tired, although still napping when my body wants to. Sleeping in 2.5 hr stretches at night but I still have to wake up at 12, 3 and 6 for meds.
 
@Susie-Q you said: Still doing exercises twice a day with no problems.

Are those full sets of PT exercises, or just foot pumps and stretches?
Twice a day seems like a lot so early on; it could be contributing to your pain?
Just an observation. Everyone is different.
 
Well, actually I'm still having pain because this is only day 6. This is not a pain-free recovery this early. I don't think my exercises are contributing to the pain. They are mainly quad sets and gentle stretches to try and get more extension and flexion. I lied and I'm only actually doing one set a day. I count my ADLs as my second set. Last evening I did have to start a load of laundry because of my anti-constipation nightmare earlier in the day. Hubby is pushed to his limit with caring for me and covering all the pet duties since my daughter is sick. I told him I'd start the load if he would clean the cat box out. He's already doing everything else including getting up with me every 3 hours at night. The pain is minimal, mostly stiffness when I get up to walk to the bathroom and back. I remember this from my last TKR. They want my pain levels to be between a 4-5, I would say they are 3-4. I'm pain free when elevating and icing. So I counted that load of laundry as my second set of exercises. I know I'm not supposed to do laundry but I'm fine and no lasting effects. It's still sitting in the basket and hasn't been folded.

My question now is.....how will I know when to cut back on pain meds? I'm scared to stretch the time too far between doses because I don't want to get behind the pain. If I stretch out the oxy dose to every 4 hours do I still need to keep up the every 3 hour alternating Tylenol and Advil? That will mean getting up even more often during the night, something I'm trying to avoid.
 
I could probably walk without the walker at this point too. When I came home I was leaning on it quite a bit for stability but now I can walk and just lightly push it along in front of me. I have a cane but haven't decided if I want to switch just yet.

I'm also realizing how much better I'm suddenly feeling today. No fatigue, no sleepiness, more energy, less pain. It will be 1 week tomorrow. :flwrysmile:
 
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