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PKR TexasTee finally has a new knee!

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I went out for lunch with a friend less than 2 weeks post op and was suuuper uncomfortable. Discomfort in restaurants continued for a long time, but I went anyways. Nowadays no problem.

I had no appetite at first either, but it came back (darn it!).
 
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Thanks everyone! sounds like between 2-3 weeks then ok, guess I'll suck it up a little longer! I might try just getting in and out of the car and see how that goes for some light PT later in the week :-) I can sit with my leg extended for eons but I don't do so well with it lowered, will definitely pick a fast casual service place with bench seats and bring ice.

Today has gone well with lowering the Perc - 1 every 6 hours and no issues to speak of, will keep the night time ones at 1.5 for now, right before bed and in the middle of the night. No problems, still not hungry but eating when I need to and trying to raise the protein, seems to be working great. Thankfully the hmmmm plumbing seems to be functional again so now I just have to work on patience. Uh oh...:prayer:
 
Hi @TexasTee

I'm glad you got the food/nausea cycle sorted. Paleo Banana bread sounds different but I bet it was yummy.

Be very careful at this stage you are in very early recovery to be going out too far. The worst are people they don't see your sticks and you can get knocked flying. That would cause untold damage at this stage. I agree with Ellen, that maybe put it on hold a little longer. If your chairs wrong in the restaurant that pain will hit you hard, even if you've got ice. I'm not trying to put you off but looking out for you so you don't end up in the ODIC!

You must also try to find something else to keep you occupied while recovering. The last thing you need is to get severe cabin fever that ends up triggering off anxiety and depression. As soon as you are well enough and steady enough, please get out into that world. Please don't end up living a surreal life stuck in, day in day out, completely isolated and out of touch. That was my biggest mistake of all. I'm still stuck to a degree. However, since revision my knee is doing very well.

You're a lovely caring person, please listen to Ellen, Chris, Jen, Lyn and the others. You won't go wrong if you stick with them.

Just Teresa please, have patience, you will go out soon enough. As I've said numerous times, recovery is individual. You're doing fantastically well. Please don't wreck it.

Love Nana moon 27 xox
 
Hi Ann - thanks! Yes, patience isn't my shining trait :) I'll be good though, I think my plan is to see how it goes at PT on Friday and if it's all good, will stop for a late lunch after. I think Austin is a much slower pace than England - I can't imagine having issues with being tousled while at a restaurant in any circumstance, let alone on crutches...now, in a shop near Christmas....lol.

Thankfully with the lowering of the meds I can actually read and managed to read an entire book today - nothing earth shattering but I was able to focus for more than one page in under a week so I'll take it! It will make the rest of the waiting so much nicer. I have a computer program for learning Spanish that I've meant to start for eons! This new level of meds will open many avenues for entertainment, I'm excited to get started!

Yes, thanks to all of my old and new friends I have a complete spectrum of experiences to call on! Thankfully the weather is nice enough here to go for a walk outside nearly every day and amuse the neighbors...I'm the youngest by far and the only one with a fake knee! They will all come to me for advice some day!! ;)
 
Glad to hear you are not suffering from drug brain, I hope to be able to do a lot of knitting while I recoup! As for getting out and about from the house, if you lived up here in New England you would want to stay put. We are experiencing another storm on top of the 2 feet of snow we had last week. I pray that when I go in for my surgery that the snow will be over as I can't imagine trying to walk in this mess!!
Hope you have a great day, I need to go shovel again so I can go to work, blech!
 
Teresa glad to see that you are able to lower your meds without pain...that is great...Percocet can be an appetite suppressant for some..

Vinny
 
Hi Brenda and Vinny! I think the only reason I can lower the meds is the lack of PT - I still have to see how it turns out, clearly, but from a pain perspective I'd recommend waiting to start until at least a week if not longer. My first PT is Friday so we'll see if I still think so then!

I was taking 80mg a day of perc when I came home - the last 2 days has been 30 (too low) 35 yesterday and did ok...there was more pain than when on 80 but not too much and the benefit was being able to use my brain, good trade off for me. It's a very individual thing...probably not linear, either - I'm not tied to a number though, if I need more or to add in the tramadol I was given, I certainly will.

First day I'm home solo all day - I took the suggestion made earlier and my husband bought a case of the small water bottles so I can just swap out the bottles during the day rather than try to carry the cooler around. It might not be quite as cold but it's cold enough and it's certainly getting the job done.

If not for Brenda's post I'd have said it's crazy cold here - 34 right now with a high only in the 50s...yesterday was 70! Still, a good day to just snuggle in by the fire and let the healing commence!
 
Hi Teresa so glad that you have held off PT for a bit. I had a session today as part of hosp discharge and the attitude was we can get this bent a bit more...paying for it now w pain n swelling in left knee.
After 6 days i can now concentrate enough to get back into BS. I also gad real trouble focusing... not that this was really a problem cause i was so tired. Take care of you. Cheers Maggie x

Maggie via Tapatalk
 
It sounds like you are doing very well. I am impressed that you are home alone so soon. I am not very adept at carrying things yet, though improving. Saw dr today with excellent report. I appreciate the support of this group and am really trying to listen to my body.
No need for PT until you are ready. Gentle stretches seem to be the best for me to do all through the day.

Have a great week two.

Linda
 
Hi Maggie! My home discharge PT guy really didn't do anything, thank goodness! He had me walk up and down the hall and I walked up and down his stairs and that was that! Glad I could do all that while the knee was still numb - one day later and I would have had a much tougher time of it! I've been doing some easy stuff here at home but not even to discomfort - just until its a little too stretchy on the stupid staples and thats more than enough. Thankfully I only have the evaluation session on Friday before the staples come out - I think I'll be much more willing to go to discomfort without getting pinched and poked for it! I had a bit of excitement this AM when Chloe the English mastiff thought she might jump into bed with me - thank god she landed on my shin and not my knee! I thought I was a goner...my husband lost his marbles, he never yells and he yelled at her and the poor thing felt badly, I don't think she'll do it again.

Hi Linda @missytucker - welcome! I'm doing really well carrying things using one crutch. Generally, in the house, I'm not using any but I try to use one to carry things since I'm already less stable and my husband likes to worry. Congrats on your excellent report from your OS!
 
A suggestion for your Friday outing to therapy.....just do that and nothing else for the first real "outing." Many times you won't get any pain or swelling that might occur until later that evening or even the next day. If you try to do the therapy plus a lunch, you really do risk overdoing it. Slow steps.....if the therapy session works, then you can add a short errand next time and see how that works.
 
Slept for more than 9 hours last night - awesome. A bit stiff when I woke but was able to make myself bacon and eggs for breakfast - a first, quite exciting! Feeling really good about things. Going to attempt to switch from Perc to tramadol today - if it's too soon, I can double up but I'd really like to get off the heavy stuff, if I can. Time will tell!

Still icing almost constantly - I plan to keep that up for the foreseeable future - can't imagine getting through this recovery without it. And that's all she wrote - being at home by myself was fine yesterday, I am using either one or no crutches inside. Unfortunately we had a cold front come in so my outdoor walks are on hold but it should be warm again by the weekend. Depending on how PT goes on Friday I might attempt some sort of more interesting outing this weekend. Something to look forward too!
 
Go you! Very awesome that you were able to make breakfast yourself today. That's a BIG thing and although it may not seem like much, it is! I guess you're almost home free from the hot pocket danger zone that is Bill's forte. :-)

Good luck with the pain med switcheroo. Glad you're willing to switch back if need be. PT on Friday will be the real test, I think. If things go well, maybe reward yourself with lunch out on Saturday! A quick one! With ice packs. And a booth to put your leg up on! And then come home right after. Yes, I know, I'm annoyingly motherly. Get over it ;-)
 
Do you have a cane? I found using a cane WAY more comfortable and easy than using one crutch.

Definitely listen to your body as far as the pain meds go, as you have been doing. I think once you start PT and they are moving that leg a lot more, you'll want to have them handy! ;)
 
LOL Ellen - Yes, mom - I'll be good! All of 2 years older and so wise ;-) In this, I accept your wisdom!

Hi Kaydubs - I do have a cane, it came from world market and looks like a zebra...not sure it's medically correct! I love my inMotion crutches though, super comfortable and very stable, I'll think I'll keep it a bit longer.
 
You are amazing @TexasTee - you are doing so well.
You've listened to Ellen for nearly a year now, you might as well continue for a bit longer, she knows what she 's talking about. xxx
 
Hey Teresa.....green with envy re 9 hours. B n E for breakfast....I'll be over. Have a great day. Maggie x
 
Hi Maggie - breakfast in available 24/7 grab your sticks and come on over!! I know that I've been dealt an easier hand than most and I absolutely appreciate it, I think the ability to sleep has got to be accelerating the healing process by a ton. Were you able to see the pic's I posted of my knee? Ellen couldn't for some reason but hopefully they showed up.

Hi Lyn/Jeff - I can't take credit for anything other than the prep - the rest is a great surgeon, lucky day, and super support here and at home.

Switch to tramadol is seamless so far, I am more aware of my knee than I was on Perc but it's not pain really, just an awareness (so far!)
 
Hi Teresa
Just getting caught up on your thread. For some reason, I'm not getting alerts.
Well, I went to lunch today (two week anniversary) and it was fine. I sat at a table with feet down and no problem.
The big challenge is getting the leg in and out of the car. I use a strap to help lift my leg.
I picked up my rx at the doctors and had to go to three different pharmacies to get it filled.
Evidentally, they only get one shipment a month and if they're out, they're out.
They are not even allowed to call other pharmacies to see if it is in stock and if I call the pharmacy, they will not tell me if they have any. Crazy stuff!!
I'm glad you've been able to cut back. I'm still taking 2 oxys every 4 hours and if I'm late, my knee will let me know...
I hope you get a gentle therapist!
Karen
 
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