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Knee Infection* The girl with the two fake knees

Had a much kinder poop fairy visit me today. Leaving for home soon, and I can't wait to be back in my own bed!!

Jen
 
As Dorothy said, "There's no place like home!". Finally, peace and quiet for you.
 
Home is the best place for you. I'm glad you will be there soon and get your leg up with ice and catch some sleep.
 
I am home, thankfully! The hospital I use has what I call "the ramp of death." they have hired people who specifically use electric wheelchairs to push people up and down this ramp. The big problem is that admissions is on one side and everything else is on the other side of the ramp. Really bad engineering decision. So, to end an already horrible hospital stay, I was almost dumped off the wheelchair on the ramp on the way out. So, a very appropriate end to my stay. I'm definitely going to be writing letters to the powers-that-be about what I experienced.

Very glad to be home. I am finding that it is a lot harder to get up from sitting now than the last time, for obvious reasons. But, if I take my time, I can usually figure it out fine. So far, I've come into the house (which was super easy), changed my clothes, and laid down with my ice machine. The exhaustion has started to hit me big time. I never slept more than 2 hours a night for the last 4 days.

Pain is ok when I'm motion, a 0 at rest, and maybe a 3-5 when getting up off something short. The RTKR is so swollen. So much so, that I think it's the most swollen body part I've ever had. I'll post pics once I'm on my laptop again. The bruising is also much more pronounced too. It's not going to be pretty.

I feel pretty good overall, especially when I don't think about the last few days. So glad to be home!!!!

Thank you for your kind words and support! It was most helpful and useful.

Jen
 
Home, Sweet Home!! Don't overdo. And get sleep whenever you can. You need it!
 
I'm glad you're home safely, Jen. :yay:

Not the best hospital experience! Certainly, write it all down and let them know.

Now you're home, you can rest, ice, elevate, medicate and sleep on your own schedule. I'm sure that will help a lot.
Best wishes.
 
Glad to hear you made it home, that was pretty scarey about the ramp? I believe you were in the same hospital my mom was when she broke her hip! I didn't have a really great experience there either!☹️.
But now you are home and can really have things your way and start to heal. Rest, rest rest, ice and elevate and take the meds, you're on your way!
Blessings
Lene


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Here's one picture that compares both knees. I can't believe how swollen the right one is!!! Can't wait to get the vac off next week!!

[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees


And another showing the bruising...
[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees
 
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Oh Jen, you are so swollen. Bless your heart. Did you have a wound vac for your first surgery? That takes the place of stitches, doesn't it?
 
Can you ice your leg with that wound vac on, Jen? I do hope so!
Lots of rest, ice and elevation should help with the swelling.
 
Glad that you're home. Hopefully your swelling will abate soon. I'm sure your agenda includes lots of rest, ice, elevation and medication. Good luck!
 
I just can't believe how bad the swelling is! And it's ironic because that one nurse who made an issue out of locking the leg elevation on my bed was more concerned about doing that than allowing me to elevate and get rid of swelling. To me, this is way more important than ROM (and more achievable and necessary at this point in time). Definitely not letting that issue lie. She will not be allowed to do this to another patient anytime soon if I have anything to say about it.

I spend all of my time resting, icing, elevating, and doing exercises (a few here and there, don't worry!). I can get up a lot better now with a lot less pain. Both legs feel very capable of doing when they are supposed to do. At this point, I'm happy, but I know I have a lot more work to do.

I had PT come in today for the first time and it went well. I was measured at 86/13, so not too bad at this point. I know my left knee will also benefit from joint recovery and I'm looking forward to that too. I am walking around a bit to the kitchen and exercises are much easier. I don't feel like my knee is going to collapse any longer. Can't lift my leg on its own yet, but it will get there soon! The visiting nurse will be coming tomorrow to do the assessment. The last time I had the wound vac, they took it off at a week post-surgery. Tomorrow will be 6 days, so maybe, if I'm lucky... It is waterproof, so I can do anything with it. I shower with no covering and nothing gets wet. I can also feel the ice through it, but I am icing the sides a lot too where there isn't any covering. I'm a bit anxious about the swelling.

I had a shower and I feel so much better! I've been keeping in my comfy clothes and trying to stay comfortable. The ride home from the hospital was great! No pain in or out, nor when I went up the stairs. I am absolutely not allowed to do anything for myself because either my mom or dad already has it for me! I keep telling them I need to be independent, but it doesn't work. Oh well, not a bad problem to have!! I do really appreciate it though, and I make sure to tell them that. They have both said it's hard for them to feel useful, so they overdo it. I'm very lucky to have them.

I got the name of the president of the hospital and I will be contacting him in writing to let him know about my experiences last week while an inpatient. I don't expect any resolution for myself, but if I can prevent anyone in the future from being treated or from feeling like I did, it will be worth it. I'm also going to talk to my OS and his PA's to let them know my displeasure about the way I was treated and that it wasn't fair to be told I couldn't use the bed to elevate my leg, and that the protocol isn't even consistent among the PAs there. I am very persuasive, I don't back down easily, and good at making my point, so I hope they are prepared to address this. I had a good cry about it with my sister today, which felt good. (It just so happens that one of her friends is one of the hiring managers at the hospital. She knew exactly who the two aides were that I was talking about....if that tells you anything...)

So, other than the swelling, I feel good. I am not scared to walk correctly because I know NOTHING bad is going to happen to either knee. I am going to work on quad sets and not do too much. Ice is my best friend, so is my Oxycodone and Metaxalone! For me, even though the pain and swelling has been so much worse for this knee (my less decrepit one), I feel I am ahead of the game when compared to this point in the last surgery. If I'd had a better hospital experience, I would dare say that I'm happy!! :)

Jen
 
You know what's ahead and the best path to get there. Have a good night's sleep. :sleep:
 
Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me @KarriB

I slept no more than 2 hours a night in the hospital, and that is being really generous. I had insomnia before surgery anyway, so NBD. Anyway, I slept ZERO MINUTES my first night home from the hospital! In fact, I've only slept for 4 hours since I've been home! Ughhh!!! I have lot of books to read to get to my goal # read this year, so that's what I've been doing.

I also seem to have weird hallucinations or movements when I do doze. Like I'll wake up talking to someone from my dream, or I'll be doing something I can't yet, like running, and I'll shout when I wake up! Really weird, but kind of funny... :)

Sleep is a fickle lady!

Jen
 
@KarriB

I have close to 400 books on my kindle and I've always been a reader with no problem finding something I like. But....I love getting recommendations from others, especially if it is something they really enjoyed. I want to read the Confederacy of Dunces next, then I am up to book 4 in the Outlander series yet to read. And the Magician's trilogy. Have to re-read Harry Potter yet too. But I am always ready for a new book or series!!! I read many different genres, but I like historical fiction, psychological thriller, mystery...not too big into science fiction or straight romance, but I'll try anything at least once. Looking forward to suggestions!!!

Jen
 
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