Knee Infection* The girl with the two fake knees

[newlybionic]

Skip the quad sets for now. a few ankle pumps when you think of it will be okatpy especially if your pain is at a 9.
The hospital where I had my revision did the same thing with the bed and also refused give me any extra pillows.
If the medications you are getting for pain right now aren't working you might want them to restart the iV so you could get some meds through that route.

 

[BBCG]

Oh, Jen! That is terrible that they allowed you to go SO long without pain medication! That's inhumane!! Awful! Wish I was there to go get them to fix it! Grrr, says the mama Bear... I also had an IV inserted when my pain was really bad, too, and I think Toradol was what it was, though I was out of it enough, I'm not sure. When I swa that KarriB wrote that name, it sounded right. My husband wasn't around at night so I had to be my own nighttime advocate and one night someone had pulled the plug on my call button, so call as I might, no one came. I finally figured out I'd have to scream or make my way to the door... that's what I did, not being a screamer. Finally dragged myself over to the door and opened it and caught the attention of a nurse assistant in the hall and told her I needed HELP! Got her to help me back into my bed and call for help and I wouldn't let her leave until she got me some help. Next morning when my OS came in I told him what had happened and asked if there was something he could do to make sure that I wasn't left in the lurch like that! So, will be sending you comfort and healing and peaceful rest thoughts tonight!

 

[sistersinhim]

I am SO sorry you are going through this. Raise Cain!

 

[KarriB]

I found having so many helping with restroom etc. a loss of modesty, but I'm glad they were being so careful and not allowing me to fall. The first time I got out of bed after both surgeries the pain was so incredible I sobbed, you are not alone in this pain. After that first time it wasn't so bad and the nurses raised the bed for me to get out, so I could slide out, then lowering the bed for me to get back in. I do hope you give the OS and PA and piece of your mind.

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry you've had to go through all that pain and stress, Jen.
For sure, let your surgeon know all about it. In fact, write it all down, two copies, one for him and one for you to keep.

You've had enough surgeries to know what works for you and if you want the foot of the bed elevated, your surgeon should allow it.

 

[ACDCJen]

Today is better, thankfully!! I got the ok from the PA (a different one in the practice) to allow the bed to move at the bottom. So much better! I had my oxycodone increased to 7.5 every four hours. I also have Roxycontin, tramadol, and oxycontin as needed. They felt so bad for me because of yesterday, they are being very diligent with my pain meds. I think I may be on top of the pain again.

I hate being in the submissive position. I had trouble getting out of the recliner to go into the bathroom. I finally was able to get up by using my good (11 weeks old today) knee. So, no more recliner for me!! It's so humiliating. But, then I took a good walk and it hurt way less.

Been doing my exercises too. My quad seems to be igniting a bit now!!

Sleep is poor. Going to doze a bit before Mara arrives.

Jen

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you're finally doing OK. When will you go home?

 

[KarriB]

I'm happy to hear today is better!

 

[lene']

Hi Jen, glad to hear things are better today. It is critical to get the pain meds right so you don't suffer, but I will say that the worst thing about having my bilateral has been getting up and down from sitting to standing and visa versa! In the hospital getting out of bed to get to the bathroom was EXCRUCIATING! And getting down on the commode was as bad. But what Kari said, when you get out of the bed, have it put up high so you have as little effort to stand as possible and lower it to get back in so swinging your legs up is not that brutal. To this day, getting up from sitting is still painful...it is the cut tissue pain. Now it only lasts for a second or two but when I first had surgery it was BRUTAL!!! I am at 8 weeks today and still the transition is a bear!!! And I have pretty good quad strength, but they cut so much and you can feel every pull.

Things will get better for you slowly, but right now you are almost like bilateral.
Lean over from your waist if you can to help getting up. When you have one good knee I think it is hard to know just how hard your repaired knee is working. When both are bad, you know it!

Hopefully you will go home soon and feel better there. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[julesm86]

Welcome to your new knee! I hope the pain is staying under control! Hopefully you'll be released soon to start healing at home. Eleven weeks apart~you're very brave! Praying all goes well!

 

[ACDCJen]

Even with all the fits and starts I'm having, I'm still glad I got it done. I'm walking a little better. The PT told me to tighten my quads when I walk and it has really helped my knee more stable. I did go for a long hallway walk today, but I am restricted by hip/back pain as to how far I can go. Saw the PA and my OS today. My OS knew nothing about the med mix up yesterday, so he would have stepped in if he had known. The PA sloughed his reponsibility off, but he did adjust my meds. Got the end of the bed unlocked, and discussed pain management. I've been pretty consistent aroumd 7-8 and that is way too high. I def want it controlled before I go home.

Thank you for the bed trick, I've been using it a lot today. I just want to go home and shower and be in my own bed. Each time I getup, it's a bit better. It is so swollen though, even my OS was taken aback!! I'll have to take a picture to show you. It's bad!!

The good news is that my 11 week old baby knee is doing wonderfully!!! I'm excited for when both of them work like that, and even better!!

Again, thank you for your kind words, suggestions, and encouragement! It really has helped me to know you are behind me and can empathize.

Jen

 

[ACDCJen]

Pain is hovering around 5-6 right now, which I'll take because it is a huge improvement over 8-9!!! Didn't sleep much last night, but I was prepared for it. They are being very diligent with ice and making sure I have fresh water to drink....my mouth is so dry!! I should see the PA or the doctor today and I'm going to ask for a muscle relaxer and increased oxycodone for home. I feel my pain is not well controlled enough to go home yet, but we'll see how I feel later today. It feels pretty good to bend it and I'm around 90. But it is so swollen, it's not going to do much until that goes down.

I stealthily washed my hair in the sink a bit ago, and I almost feel human again!!! Waiting on the poop fairy!!!

Jen

 

[ks1960]

Jen, you are clearly made of tougher stuff than the average person. Good call to wait until you get the pain under control before you go home!!!

 

[KarriB]

I washed my hair in the sink everyday in the hospital and transition unit. Bed head is BAD with short hair! My bed at home is super high, so high that when I got home we realized I couldn't get in it! So my friends/family made a step/platform for me to use and we placed my walker around it fo stability. But the high bed made it easier to slide out of bed as I did in the hospital.

 

[sistersinhim]

Jen, it sounds like you're still struggling with your pain relief. Don't think about going home until that's controlled better. Hoping you will soon get the poop fairy to come see you. I remember what a thrill it was to finally see her!

 

[ACDCJen]

Well, I'm staying one last night in hospital tonight. Had an embarassing toilet situation today late afternoon. I was finally visited by the poop fairy, but it was painful and 3 hours long! They want to do a stomach xray, prescribe Mirilax, and to reinsert an IV to do a bolus of fluid to make sure I'm hydrated. I turned down the IV for now. I've literally been drinking a large amount of water with ice each day (at least 100oz). I hate the dryness side effect of painkillers. On that note: the PA increased the roxycodone to 10mg, and is also sending me home with oxycodone, skellaxin, and xarelto.

I'm able to get up and go to the bathroom on my own with much less pain, especially when I tighten my quads. I did a walk down the hall and back today and the stairs. I did really well, even with breakthrough pain. Luckily, my highest pain number now is around 4 and it goes down a little more each medication pass. I am very heartened about the physical process I've made so far and it makes me very hopeful for rehab once I get home. I spoke to the home health liaison today, and she is referring me to the one in my county that does not have any copay with the insurance!! The last one I had, the VNA, charged $90 each time (for very little imho). They will come in to see me Saturday. She also said PT will not be intrusive, especially since I have the recovery protocol. Good news in that realm.

I am still extremely happy with how my ltkr has kept strong and stable throughout this process. I guess it just needed to convince my brain that it was hardier than I thought.

So, one more night of attempted sleep and home tomorrow if nothing else changes.

So different than the first time!!

Jen

 

[KarriB]

I had an "unfortunate" bathroom situation with the TKR while I had visitors! Ugh!

 

[Celle]

Had an embarassing toilet situation today late afternoon. I was finally visited by the poop fairy, but it was painful and 3 hours long!

They had to give me an enema in hospital before the poop fairy would pay me a visit. When I got home, I had the same problem and I had to send my husband on an emergency trip to the Urgent Pharmacy, to buy another do-it-myself mini enema. After that, I finally got wise and asked my own doctor (GP/PCP) for a prescription for an aperient, which I had to take every day, for as long as I was taking the pain killers. I also followed the advice in this article: Constipation and stool softeners
It is important to take adequate pain relief, so we have to deal with the side effects, unfortunately.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/constipation-and-stool-softeners.4899/
My mouth was very dry while I was taking the narcotics, too. Sucking boiled sweets, like barley sugars, helped a lot.

 

[BBCG]

Am so glad to hear your pain levels are so much better today... and alas, those potty episodes do happen... drat! But, at least the poop fairy visited... And you reminded me of how dry my mouth was when on the pain meds, too... at least I was taking plenty of fluids! You are one tough customer, too, but generally, I think women tend to be tougher about these things than we might believe initially. I'm glad you felt support from the doctor and the PA, too; that can really make a difference! Sending continued good healing wishes your way!

 

[ks1960]

The oxycodone really does a number on the pooper. I did not particularly like the stool softeners, and found that a suppository worked much much better. I used one every other day for three days, and happily by then my body got with the program and carried on with business as usual.