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TKR The Odyssey of My Newfangled Knee

I started forgetting to take meds about a week or so ago and haven't taken anything since. I figured if I was forgetting, I didn't need them. However, my knee is mighty stiff today and I have given some thought to taking one. Maybe I'd work my knee a little harder? If it weren't for stiffness.....my life would be super easy!
 
My OS prescribes oxycodone to start and then hydrocodone. I took the oxycodone for 2-3 weeks and then sort of stepped down to the hydro. It was a couple of weeks after that I experimented with stretching doses from 4 hours to every 5 etc.

laying with a straight leg can be painful at first. Just try a bit off and on every day.
 
That is awesome! Keep up the good work. I am working on getting to 110, with outpatient PT 2 times a week. Yes, the spasms kill at nite. Have a great Sunday :wow:
 
@bdink21 welcome to the Connecticut forum. There are many who are or did have their surgery at St. Francis. It has a wonderful reputation. I had my surgery at UCONN. I liked my surgeon who was originally from Yale. I wasn't crazy about the hospital itself but I've been very pleased with the outcomes so far. As for icing and elevation before the surgery, I hear ya. Once they took me off all my anti-inflammatories is when I really realized how much pain I was in. It's amazing how much those drugs help mask the pain. I'm planning on having my second knee ext spring after this knee is as strong as it can be. Good luck and we shall be following your progress.
 
Well, here's my story: We had a friend from Austria visiting for the weekend and thought we'd take her out to dinner on Friday night to Olive Garden. Everything was going smoothly through the salad and bread sticks portion of the meal. I ordered an ice tea as much as I wanted my wine, I knew it would have to wait for another time. Everyone had their food except for one person and I was waiting for the shredded cheese (patiently, I might add) when all of sudden, there was this explosion of ice cold in my lap! The waiter had knocked over my full glass of iced tea onto my white shorts and bandaged knee. I couldn't get up fast enough! There's the table, we're on a bench, there was no where to go. Plus, my injured knee just doesn't move that fast.

Evidently, some strange sound came out of my mouth, because next thing I know there are 4 staff members including the manager there, apologizing and helping to dry me off. My shoes are soaked, my pants are soaked, but believe it or not, my injured knee is dry! I did get a free dinner out of the mess.

I'm very lucky though, because around 3:30AM my knee was killing me. I guess my attempt to bolt out of the bench, was enough to startle the knee. There is no measurable swelling today and hopefully no harm done. Just goes to show you, that even when you think you are being as careful as possible things happen. Can't wait to have my wine!!
 
@iivesfam5 I live in Waterbury. My surgeon is Dr. Robert Kennon out of Middlebury. Just had my pre-op visit with him Monday. Have to get the blood work then see my PCP. Joint replacement class is on the 20th. So much to do from here to there. So scared and yet so ready at the same time. How are you doing? Just a few more days.....

@momweb Funny that your PT is from Hartford HC at Home. I also work for them but as a hospice nurse. It's such a big service area with so many branches that I have no idea who your Alan is. I wish I did because I would request him too.
 
Sounds like your recovery is going very wel! Your ROM is great - I'm at 90 myself. I'm having some trouble sleeping but not taking anything at this point.

I'm dreaming of driving too, I'm still on my oxycodone every 6 hours, which I feel I still need at this point. I'd like to be off before I drive.

So happy your recovery is going well! Looking forward to your updates!
 
Saw the therapist today. Seems that after my little mishap at Olive Garden, my knee got set back a little as well. He figures it will take another 24-48 hours to heal the damage I did by jolting out of my seat when the ice water hit me. So, we're back to resting, icing and elevating. I'm also finding myself really tired from playing hostess to our guest even though I didn't do much and she was great letting me rest, shopping by herself, etc. But I felt I had to be awake and a part of everything going on while she was here. Today is my day of rest.

PT brought me a little floor bike, I forgot what he called it. I can pedal all the way around for about 10 revolutions then I've had it. It feels good to go all the way around, a little tight, but feels good. My quad muscles are squawking loudly but that will go away. I'm having fewer spasms, and only a couple of decent ones at night. So we are on the mend.

Today is the 3 week mark. I measured 1 flexion of 118 which is darned good. The therapist is thrilled! I'm still taking the Dilaudid every 4 hours, not quite ready to give it up. Hopefully in the coming week, I can start stretching it to 5-6 hours. We'll see. Not pushing, what I don't have to push. Feeling good about where I am. Using the cane, because without it I'm limping a bit, so I'll keep the cane a while longer.

So, all in all good news to celebrate my hubby's and mine 30th wedding anniversary! :flwrysmile:
 
You're right that it may take a couple of days of tlc to recover from the ice tea incident. But all in all it sounds like you're doing really well. :thumb:
 
Happy Anniversary! Definitely rest up after not only the ice water incident but the added strain of having fun with a guest.
 
Thanks @PolarBear60 . We'll celebrate when all's healed later on this summer. When you've been together this long, we don't need to celebrate on the official day, as long as we celebrate. I can't believe how catering to a guest exhausts you. That was an unexpected part of the surgery. Tonight I pedaled 5 minutes on the little bike and found it quite easy. It was a little bumpy but not bad. I didn't want to push it, so I though 5 minutes was long enough.
 
This is the pedal bike I'm using at home to help increase the ROM in my knee. I know I've seen these elsewhere, and since I don't have a stationery bike, it is perfect. I may actually purchase one since I'll need one for my next knee. I change the resistance, which for now is almost at zero. I'm hoping to not have to have out-patient PT. If I keep up with my stretches and strengthen my muscles it may not be necessary. I can only hope that my right knee will behave as well. [Bonesmart.org] The Odyssey of My Newfangled Knee
 
@momweb -I bought one of those from Amazon and used it with my last knee. It's good to get started with ROM. I could hardly do 5 minutes with my 1st knee. After 6 months and working out at the gym, I started it last week with my 2nd knee to see if I could do it and it was so easy! I'm only adding a couple of minutes at a time since I can't remember if they started me on the bike at 1 month or 2 months but I'm so much stronger now it's a piece of cake. Keep up the good work - it will pay off!
 
Mine was only $20 off Amazon. Eventually I'd like to get a stationary bike but have no room for it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
happy anniversary!!!! You are so right - doesn't matter what day..... I didn't see the Olive Garden story til just now!! WOWOW!!! I hope you are feeling better quick. I have a bike - I bought it so I could ride away before and after the big day!!! I hope you enjoy it!! xxoo
 
I have a fancy pedaler with a magnetic drive, it is quieter and smoother than the bike in PT. I found it on Craig's List for $30 but the tension knob is broken, no loss I use it for ROM and spinning.

Wow, ice water in your lap? So glad you didn't have a serious set back. If your feet were down that is difficult at first too. Just before TKR I had a lovely lunch with my aunts [85 year Aunt N. was looking at TKR but it has been determined since that she doesn't need one and 88 year old Aunt B. was wondering what we were griping about, her knees are just fine!] with feet down for an hour and suffered the consequences for a good week. I still position myself so I can put feet up at restaurants but haven't needed the bailout for over a month now.

First time I stopped the serious meds it was cold turkey. The last tablet of Norco I was on was no longer helping me sleep and I wasn't waking up in pain in the middle of the night, no problem at all just dropping it cold turkey. Second time I tapered off 10mg Percoset for exactly the same reasons by taking 1/2 tablet for a week and 1/2 every other day for another week and had some mild withdrawal, soft stool and warm flashes for the whole time I tapered and another week or so. 10/325 Percoset has got to be more than twice as strong as 5/325 Norco! Doesn't really matter how far from surgery it was but I dropped Norco after more weeks on it than I had been on Percoset too.
 
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