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TKR Swmrgirl Is Up For Air

Hubby seemed very proud of his speed vacuuming. He did the entire house in under an hour. I don't think the dust bunnies or dog hair were askeered of him. Not one bit. LOL (I couldn't complain, because it was that or nothing.)

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My hubby is a sweetheart but I keep telling myself that I WILL rest and not nag or follow after him cleaning up his messes!! Going to practice patience and deep breathing. My daughter told me she would come over and do the "real" cleaning as needed. Bless our spouses and family. ❤
 
I'm an anomoly, my house was never as clean as it was while I recovered from TKR. My best friend is OCD, she cleaned every day, reorganized my kitchen cabinets and basement as well as dusting, vacuuming etc. lucky for me we live about 2 blocks from each other.
 
Happy Friday!!!

I haven't posted in a couple of days, so here's a little update. My sweet, well intended husband booked too many people to come to the house and help this week. I think he felt guilty that he had to go back to work, so he over-compensated by making sure that someone was with me most of the day, which was too much of a good thing. Since none of them have been through TKR, it seems as though they had the impression that I was a complete invalid. By Tuesday, which was the two week mark, I was doing very well on my own, and the revolving door started feeling like an intrusion. I flipped out at the end of the day and told my husband that I would ask for help on an as-needed basis from now on. It was exhausting. On a good note, I ended up hiding in my bedroom a lot, and got quite a bit of rest.

In other news, I got up this morning and my right leg was feeling nice and loose, so I sat in a chair and was able to flex it quite a bit more than I had. There's so much emphasis on early ROM that I was starting to feel discouraged since I was hovering around 70-75 for the past two weeks. All the rest, elevating, and icing has paid off, and I'm able to bend to about 90 without much effort. Flexion is another story, but I believe that will come in time too. I've asked my PT if we could go by feel and sight, rather than measuring for the next week, and she thought that was a good idea.

I've reduced my oxycodone by more than half, and find that 50 mg Tramadol 2x/day and 1000 mg Tylenol/4x a day is quite adequate, and soon I hope to be only taking the oxy at night.

Today is my first post-op OS appt, so we'll see what he says.
 
Miralax works like a charm, @KarriB. It's been the main topic of conversation at my house for the past two weeks:heehee: Small victories and all that...

OS said I'm doing well. ROM 4/90, which I really didn't want to know, but he felt the need to tell me. He wants me to move to a cane, but I'm only ready to do that at home. I feel like people give me a wider berth with the crutches, and I don't quite trust my knee. No driving or swimming for four more weeks, so I guess I'll just sit around and watch bad movies. I had someone come and clean the house while I was out, and now I'm in heaven.

Thank you, dear ones, for the encouragement and support, it really makes all the difference.
 
I went straight to a cane in the house because I just didn't have space to maneuver a walker around the house. I did use the walker going to PT for a while though. Again, happy to hear everything is "moving" along. :egypdance:
 
I understand the hesitation to go to a cane. I'm at 4 weeks out today and have been using a cane for about a week and in the last few days really reduced meds. I feel like my gait is much better with the the walker than it is on the cane. So make the move when you are ready
 
I think you're doing wonderfully. Good report from the OS!

I love your avatar. Do you, or did you do, synchronized swimming? I had a semester of it in high school, but was no Esther Williams. It certainly was fun, though.

Sorry about the weird indentation ... I must have hit a key or something and can't get it to stop. Computers are *not* my forte.​

I'm sure your husband meant well, but I understand how taxing the revolving door of eager helpers must have been. All I wanted to do at that point was to *try* to nap or sleep, keep the ice packs cold and on my elevated leg, and take my pain meds on schedule with a bit of food. I live alone. I had friends spend the night over at my house for the first couple of days I was home, and handed out keys to folks I trusted. But I told everyone at church and people whom I would have had to be polite to through gritted teeth that I wouldn't be able to accept calls the first two weeks. I set up a Caring Bridge account so my friends and I could keep people updated and get their well-wishes without having to deal with those well-meaning but misguided and occasionally judgmental folk. And I set up a Care Calendar, or talked with close friends, to coordinate occasional household help, meals, and rides when I was discharged to outpatient PT and still on strong pain meds.
 
I used Facebook to keep friends updated and only my close friends and family came by in person for the first few weeks. While in rehab the 2nd time I coordinated my visitors because I was getting too many at a time and my parents felt they should be there every day. Hospitals are big and rough for my 80+ year old parents, so by scheduling visits I was letting them off the hook a few wintry nights. I did worry about the toll my ordeal took on my mom and dad. It's hard to see them worry.
But how sweet of your husband to inundate you with caregivers/visitors! It is hard to be patient when you are not feeling well.
 
Hi @swmrgirl! Sounds like you are doing very well with your recovery :flwrysmile:. Was very sweet of your husband to arrange so much help for you, but also understand how daunting it can be too!
I had surgery Wednesday and my hubby is amazed at how well I am getting around. I think he was expecting the "total invalid" thing too. I am using crutches since our place is too small to accommodate the walker, but I do have one for going out.
Think my husband is more worn out than me and I believe it is due to his worrying about the surgery. Friends and family said he was a nervous wreck in the waiting room, and he later told me how scared he had been that something was going to go wrong. Hubby used to be a first assist in the OR to an OS and knew exactly what was going on during the surgery, blow by blow!
Keep up the good work (aka rest, elevate and ice) during your recovery.
 
It's been a few days since I checked in last...feeling like I need a life preserver :/

I spent most of last week crying, not even sure why.

My husband took me out for a drive on Saturday and I sat in the car while he ran some errands. I felt like I was seeing the outside world for the first time. Unfortunately, both hips and hamstring on the left (non-TKR side) became very uncomfortable after about 40 minutes. On Sunday I could hardly walk and stayed in bed icing and elevating TKR, and heat on the hammy. I had to increase pain meds too. Did the same yesterday. Is that unusual to spend two entire days in bed at a month out? I'm feeling behind the curve.

Today I am weak and shaky, not sure what that's all about. I cannot imagine how people go back to work only a month after surgery! I'm just hoping I can go back after 3!
 
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