Revision TKR Tabbykit's recovery from TKR revision

Thank you @dogwalker2, roll on day 15 for me then! Sorry you are having the same problems re meds, some of the nurses seem rather bemused at my refusing opioids but better safe than sorry. I am so looking forward to going home tomorrow. The physio guy here has been great and showed my husband how to help me with the exercises.
 
Just wondering what is the best way to get home in the car (how to sit) , about 1.5 hours. They will give me ice packs to take but any advice?
 
Short trip I was fine in the front seat with the seat pulled as far back as possible. It was a large SUV, short trip so not uncomfy. For a 1.5 hour trip I'd sit in the back horizontal across all the seat, with the leg extended and iced. Interesting to see what others who had a long trip did.
 
Thanks all, will try lying maybe, not sure if husband will agree!
 
the physio guy here has been great and showed my husband how to help me with the exercises.
If this means he told your husband to push your foot back to increase your bend, don’t do it, your brand new knee does not need help to move, you will be able to do that as you heal. Pushing it further than you can move it yourself will maintain the swelling, which reduces ROM. Just move your leg gently for mobility.

It’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.
 
It's more like sitting but legs extended on the seat. Your back would be against the door. My OS suggested it to me but we live so close didn't seem to be necessary.
 
I was an hour in the car to get home. I put the fro t seat as far back as it could go and seat back rest lowered. I had a box on the floor with a pillow on top to rest my leg/foot. I also took the advise on another thread to put a plastic bag on top so your foot can gentle move a little ... worked really well with a husband driving carefully and my constant reminding to take the roundabouts gently :shocked:.
 
I also sat in the back seat for my 1 1/4 hour ride home. I had my ride bring three pillows. Two were for my leg and one for my back against the edge of the door. Of course, ice was on it for the whole time.
 
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I think horizontally across the back seat will be far less uncomfortable than the front seat. (I'm 5 weeks out, and sitting in the front seat for more than 20 minutes is still a challenge for me.) Bring a few pillows - at least one to put behind your back as you lean against the back door (make sure it's locked), and one or two to elevate your leg.... or put them where ever it helps to make you comfortable. It can also help to bring a couple of large plastic garbage bags. These can help your butt and leg slide into the seat. It makes things quite a bit easier. Definitely bring the ice, and take some pain killers an hour or so ahead to get ahead of it. Good luck with your ride.
 
Thanks all for the advice on getting home. I'll speak to my husband before he leaves home so he can bring pillows etc. @Jockette, no, the physio guy here has been good, no forcing of movement, just rather so my husband can help me do the right thing.

I have studied the BS mantra and this stuff seems OK. Please tell me if its not.
In bed I extend the leg pushing down the back of the knee (not using outside force), raise toes push heel away. Then slide material under the foot, gently bend knee up, again toes up and push heel away.

Then one pillow under calf and foot, let back of knee stretch for a few minutes. Rolled up towel under knee, with physio holding my foot, gradually relax thigh to let heel touch bed.
Do this routine 3 times a day.

Standing up he says to hold onto kitchen counter, raise up to tiptoes, then bottom out to slight squat.
Sitting on chair, heel slides on floor.

If you or anyone can give your opinion on this I would appreciate it. I feel I am already in a better place then 4 years ago after the original TKR, so trying to stay positive. Last time I had to use a leg lifter for a few weeks, but now I can mostly move the leg myself.

Bend is about 70.
 
I’m so glad they didn’t tell your husband to push your foot back under a chair. That’s what we were told and we spent a weekend doing that, “to make sure I was at 95 for my 2 week check up.” It was agony and I cried a lot but we thought we had to do what they told us. I was pretty mad when I found Bonesmart a couple of weeks later and learned how unnecessary that was.

I’m going to ask @Josephine to come look at the above exercises and advise you about them.
 
Thanks @Jockette. Am home now, in my own lovely bed. Was originally supposed to leave this morning but surgeon thought I should have extra physio (given my history). He was good, does not force anything, more about posture, gait, the importance of regular gentle movement. Measured at 5/75 which seems good for me! Got home ok, poor husband brought pillows and all kinds of paraphernalia, ended up with pillows tied in a plastic bag in the foot well, was comforting and supportive and I could keep doing gentle movements. One blip before leaving - they gave me aspirin to take home as a blood thinner. While in there iIhave been getting injections to the stomach for this. I had not asked, and they had not picked up, that i am also wary of taking aspirin since my previous surgery. I asked if could have a reaction to it, they said maybe, so I now have 4weeks supply of the injectable blood thinner instead of aspirin. At least I know I have been ok with this all week.

Sorry! Very sleepy at present! To finish the sentence, I now have I will keep updating.
 
Day 6 post op - slept better at home but hard to get comfortable. Seems I can manage 1-2 hours at a time before waking up to stretch and move pillows etc. Now dressed and downstairs for the day, and will try to get back to normal routine. Following the BS routine of ice, elevating stretching and ADLs. Taking only paracetamol round the clock plus blood thinner injection. Will post at weekly intervals after this to update in case anyone is interested.
 

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