think I'm falling behind.....

[beth1954]

Hi everyone.......beth here
I had my surgery on the 25th of August. As most of you know it was pretty rough in the hospital with the numbing agent that he gave me before waking up from surgery not working, then I went into a-fib and was sent to the cardiac ward......then discharged w/o my OS even knowing it. Stayed home for 3 days, and then was hurried off to rehab.....series of such stupid events.......

I have home PT right now and I want to think I'm doing ok, but when I look at other posts I don't think so!
I think my flexion is at -3 degrees? And ROM at about 80. I have had a lot of swelling that comes and goes. Seems like icing it doesn't make much difference. Although it doesn't look as swollen. Went to see OS yesterday for my post-op and was in a car for almost 5 hours. It almost killed me. It's only about 1-1/2 hours to his office from home, but with the rain, traffic accidents, traffic at a stop......it took forever.

Physical Therapist took it easy on me today. Did some more gentle things trying to just stretch it out a bit. I still have alot of pain..am getting really discouraged. Crying just out of nowhere. Pain pills don't really seem to do much, even though he put me on Oxycodone yesterday.

Really down right now. I did my exercises later this afternoon and it was so painful that I was nauseous.
I want to keep a positive attitude, but it's just not there right now. I always thought I had a high threshold for pain, but this is ridiculous.

 

[Jamie]

Beth....hon....you are still way early in this recovery. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing WONDERFUL!!! Of course it's going to hurt and swell. You just had MAJOR surgery where they did things you don't even want to think about with your body. It takes time for your body to recover from all that. Plus you are taking pain meds (a very GOOD thing) that can give you fits of depression and crying. It just comes with the territory and is all part of the healing process. This is really tough surgery to come back from, but you are doing so very well!!!

Try to focus on the progress (even very small steps) that you have made so far....not the things you can't do yet. All the "can't do" things will come in time. This is a test of your patience....it takes time for your body to heal and become the "you" you were dreaming about. You'll get there. God bless you for your determination.

But...if the pain meds you're on aren't keeping you from pain, don't hesitate to call you doctor (either your surgeon or your primary care doc) and tell them it's not working. There are LOTS of options and they need to keep working on it until you find what works for you. Pain is a HUGE hinderance to your progress so it is important to keep it under control.

Hang in there. You have all of BoneSmart behind you in your recovery!!

 

[Texas]

Hey Beth I agree give it a lil time really it will gt better dont worry about another post just worry about you...Swelling will make it hard keep iceing and you will get better........hang in there you have all of us..............Im sorry you keep taking that medicine but take it on time............we are all here for ya !!!!!!! It does get a lil depressing but know that will pass..........)

 

[JudyS]

Beth it is still the very early stage of your recovery. Be nice to yourself, rest take those pain meds on time and the stool softeners too.
Keep elevating and icing a lot.
Do get pain meds that work though.
Post anytime, we have been through it too. My last surgery and hospital stay was crazy too.
judy

 

[beth1954]

After I posted last night, I did all my exercises. Like I said, the last day or so were really bad because of the 5 hour ride. So I did them all. I cried and cried and cried. One of my cats got up on the bed with me and just cuddled with me while I did the exercises. I hurt so bad afterwards and iced it up and fell asleep in the recliner which is usually where I sleep. I think I had the best night's sleep since I've been home.

I did one set of my exercises already this morning......

As far as the pain goes, maybe I'm expecting too much out of the pain killers. I still have alot of pain of course usually during PT. But it's really horrible. I don't think anything short of morphine would even put a dent in it. I would hate to find out what my pain would be with no pills.

Oxycodone is pretty strong. I will keep taking them on time.......I promise.

I'm hoping to have a better day.....
Beth

 

[cotton1958]

Hi Beth, hoping your day is okay today. I also went out yesterday for the first time since I have been home. The car ride was incredibly uncomfortable. I was so glad to be back home. I had to bend my legs and keep them contorted during the ride. I didn't have as long a trip as you did by any means. I was totally exhausted when I got home.

I had my oxycodone and oxycontin raised in mg just a little bit in my new refill. I don't think it takes all the pain away, for me. I think it just puts my mind into another place where I don't concentrate on it so much.

----------------------

BTKR 8/25/09

 

[Judles]

Beth! Hope you're having a better day! Can't you get a PT that is closer? It should NEVER take you 5 hours!!! Yikes!!! Who wouldn't feel miserable after THAT? Every day gets better and better! Remember....baby steps! (0)

 

[Dawnie]

Hope your pain has eased a bit and you are feeling a bit better, from what I have read everyone seems to have crying bouts, and everyone seems to recover from them quite quickly as the pain sems to improve on a daily basis. Of course, I am only going by what I have read from others who have posted because my BTKR is still two weeks away. But I hate to hear of anyone getting upset so talk to all your friends here for advice and to cheer you up. :thmb: And in two weeks time when I'm posting that I'm weepy you can tell me it will get better in time. XX.

 

[cindy88fan]

Beth...I am almost 8 weeks out and I still have days that my swelling is horrible. Usually it's because I've had my legs down too much. Do you have an anti-inflammatory that you can take? Just remember that when you have swelling this will make it harder for you to do your ROM. I know when I'm swollen, it feels like I can't get any extra bend. So keep icing, you may feel that it's not helping but it is. You are still early in your recovery. Each person heals at different speeds and so DO NOT give up. You will get through this. Just keep icing and elevating. Make sure when you take long trips like to your OS, you come straight home and rest. Next time you go, take some ice packs with you and ice while you are in the car. Sit in the back seat with your legs up and ice.

Keep your chin up...it WILL get better.

 

[Sticker Lady]

Hi Beth!
Everyone here is right--all of us hurt, all of us cried (and whined, and complained) and many of us are over the hump and feeling better. You'll get there, too, it's just really, really hard in the beginning. Keep on doing the things that you know you need to do and keep on chatting with us--we're lots of fun! You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Blessings,
Irene

 

[loggon]

Beth
You are not even a month out. Oh my it is way to early to be worried about all those post that say they have so much rom at such early stages. Well good for them but they are not the normal. I use to read them and think, dang I am very atheletic what is going on, my rom is not that. But then my OS and my therapist said yes
but your rom is a true rom. It is no force and it is taken laying on a hard surface. I am doing great and really it did not hurt with my PT because my therapist did not believe you had to kill your patient with force to get them were they wanted.

You are doing fine, don't worry. If you see someone that post alot about how great their rom is etc. Just don't read those post. I don't watch horror shows because I can't stand gore. When my kids have them on I just go into another TV room.

I just can't say enough, you are doing great from where you are at (less than a month) Just think about the post you read that folks
do not have the rom you have now and they are further out.

Man you have went through more than most of us from the beginning. You are doing great!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take care and post when you need. Someone will be on.

 

[beth1954]

Thanks to everyone....

I probably didn't make myself clear about the PT/OS. My PT comes to my home and will be for another week or so. My OS is about a 50 mile drive from my home. But there was pouring rain (in Texas that's very unusual) and my mother drove me partway. Then my daughter took me the rest of the way. There were accidents, traffic jams, traffic at a stand-still, etc. I got to my appt late, so they had to basically "work me in" around the patients who arrived on time. Then we left there at about 5:00 pm. RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC again!! This was in Austin, Texas.

That's why the drive was so long. I left my house at about 12:30 pm and got home at about 6:30 p.m. Most of that time was spent driving.

Loggon: Alot of the things you said really hit home!!

I am having some trouble with my extension. It seems that when I first got home I had more extension than I do now. It hurts like h*ll and I don't want to force it.

I have oxycodone for pain and Celebrex for pain/swelling.

 

[brs0660]

Beth...you are not falling behind. You are right on schedule. NOTHING you have posted is out of the normal for me! (I apologize for the long post)

My experiences...
1. I did well in the hospital. First day, they got me out of bed to walk I took two steps and almost fell to the floor. I could NOT fee my operated leg...not a:shk: tingle nothing (except the knee pain). I could not tell where my foot was. How do you walk with an appendage that you cannot feel. I did not get feeling back until day four post surgery. I was terrified that the nerve was cut or something my OS and my in hosp physician did not give very much encouragement until day three when the in hos physician says...Oh yeah, as I read the anesthia notes they gave you a long acting block--so nice of them to figure that out, :sct:

2. Discharge day comes...doc has been in says you are going home today. I was really looking forward to that. PT came in for morning torture and was really rushing me...I had had no pain meds for awhile..I always called about an hour before PT so that I would be prepared. I was walking in the hallway when the ambulance arrived to take me to rehab. Who said anything about going to rehab. Rehab does NOT = home!. :rant:So back to the room I walked...had to get all my stuff together suitcase, clothes, flowers, stuff. They put me on the stretcher and wisked me off to the ambulance...mind you I still had not had pain medicine. Talk about a trip for H-E-double hockey sticks. I swear they found every pothole between the hospital and the rehab. I was a basket case. Got to the rehab...they wheeled me into the rehab center...no nurses to be seen--of course it was report time. So they finally found a nurse (she became my favorite). They refused to give me a cane or a walker to help me get from the stretcher to the bed. So basically, "I" had to roll off the stretcher onto the bed...still no pain meds. (No help from the ambulance folks at all--may I say this was bill I paid begrudgingly). Needless to say, by now I was in tears and unconsolable. Poor nurse! My chart came with me but they could not give me pain med s until the Rehab doc ordered them. Now 5 or 6 hrs with no drugs. Finally, I got some drugs and fell asleep..and all was much better. But that whole day I was so weepy it was aweful.

3. Rehab saga...all went well in rehab. It was a great experience and when I have my next knee done..I want to go back. My only challenge was that I was so slow walking and I was not allowed to walk without someone being there. My bladder and I have had a long standing agreement. When it says go, I need to go NOW. Well first time in rehab they decided that since I had had such a rough day...I would use the bedpan. For whatever reason...I got more pee on the bed than in the pan...we did not try that again. For the rest of the week, I used the bathroom which was at least too far away....I would say on most days I had 1-2 accidents of not getting to the bathroom in time or not getting pants down in time...I was so embarassedl
PT in rehab went pretty well. Got my flexion to maybe 86 (goal was the magical 90). Not too shabby. Was in rehab for a week, but I am so glad I did it
3. Homecoming at last:thmb:. You think all will go well. NOT. All the chairs are too low, the bed too high, walkways not wide enough...all those little problems made the first few days challenging. I was fortunate to start with outpatient PT...It made me get out of the house and moving. I had the very best therapist. He was firm but gentle. He was a sport medicine specialist. He measured me the first day...80 degrees. Wait..just last week I was 86. I was supposed to be going the other way...tears again. He was really good he only measured ROM about every four wks so that I was not focused on ROM but rather on accomplishments likegetting the pedals of the bike all the way around, increasing weights and repetitions, doing a new exercise or using a new piece of torture. I was said to leave PT after 8 weeks. I had come so far...final ROM at 8 weeks..96.

Finding BoneSmart for me was an epiphany. I immediately recognized that everyone is different and it was important to set reasonable goals and strive for them. I am now five months out tomorrow. My ROM is what
ever it is. I can get in and out of the car comfortable. I can put my leg under my chair comfortably. I am sking or hiking or climbing stairs or not using my cane--NO. But will I get there? Yes..one day at time and probably not until my other knee is replaced. But I will get there...back to doing things I have not done for many years. You will too.
Barb

 

[cotton1958]

So funny Barb...especially about the peeing. Finding a victim to wait on my legs to drop to the side of the bed, and help me to the walker to the wheelchair, then up again to the pottie. Oh my. And it was like every hour I had to go. Sometimes I would wait 6 hours before someone would help me.

My true heroes were the ones who asked me, 'do you need to go pee'? and would wait and help me, and never did I have to ask. :thmb: Men have an unfair advantage in this department.

 

[FrogFeathers]

I just wanted to add my two cents in here...

At five weeks out, I wasn't even getting to 60 degrees without a lot of work beforehand (that TENS machine thing, the PT massaging it, stretching exercises). So, if we use my five-week measurement as a "bad example", you're way up there!

And, I'm six months out now, and I still swell up. If I stand too long (like grocery shopping) or sit up without moving my legs (driving or visiting someone's house). I still have to sit on my sofa (Okay, LAY on my sofa) with my leg up. Sometimes I have to sleep like that- with my legs elevated. And I can't take anti-inflammatories because they cause me to retain too much sodium and I swell even more.

I think you're doing great. And I have no advice to add that hasn't already been said.

 

[BigRed]

My hospital experience was also difficult. The numbing agent didn't work for me either and when I awoke from surgery to excruciating pain I was given narcotics. This caused me to stop breathing so I had to be resuscitated and ended up in a section of the intensive care unit where I receive three blood transfusions over the next two days.

I was sent from the hospital to a rehab hospital where I stayed for 3 1/2 weeks. When I left there I was almost a month post-op and my ROM was in the mid-80s. You are there already!!

I am now 11 weeks post-op and my ROM is passed 90 degrees. I also have fretted about the numbers but the posts here have made me realize how unnecessary that is. I no longer think about it.

By the way, one important thing I learned at the rehab hospital was to stay ahead of the pain. They always gave me paiin meds 30 to 60 minutes BEFORE going to pt. They said it would make the pt more bearable and I would be able to cooperate more and get the most I could out of it. I kept that up at home on their advice.

Please relax. You are doing great.

 

[Josephine]

I'd take it easy on the exercises for a while, if I were you. It's quite possible the pain killers would work but you're doing too much. You're also bound to have low numbers with the swelling and pain so deal with that first and when you've got a handle on that then you can get going on the exercises. I know some surgeons who don't let their patients do any physio for the first 3/4 weeks anyway, just gentle exercising, and they seem to do just fine. Don't obsess over numbers. You've plenty of time to get there.

 

[loggon]

Beth I thought you were around Austin. Remember Kim and I are around Austin. Me northwest and Kim around Round Rock.

You must have gone I35. Man I would use the back roads. I can
get from New Braunviles to South Austin in less than an hour if
no traffic and a little more if traffic.

There are lots of different routes.

But so glad you seem better. Keep it going.

 

[Texas]

Hey Beth just checking in I hope you are having GOOD DAY.......Its true i couldnt take the ROM of others to heart becasue i thought i was behind I was certainly happy for them but it made me sad but yes you are so doing better then I was at your stage...keep going......I live in Austin (pflugerville) yes traffic is ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take care .......)

 

[beth1954]

I have learned so much in these posts! I feel alot better. I know I'm hard on myself, but I just feel like I should be doing better even though I know I'm trying the best I can. I just did the heel slides again (the one I hate the most) and was crying in pain after one. I did about 6 of them and then felt nauseous.
Barb--love your account of the hospital/rehab stay. So true for most of us.

Right after the surgery they tried the bedpan thing. Like most of you, I got more of it on me and the bed. Kind of hard to scoot up the body that far with one bad knee and on narcotics.

You brought up the urinating thing.....After I got out of the hospital and was mistakenly sent home for 3 days, I started just wetting my pants. I'd feel like I had to pee, I would stand up and just urinate all over the place. 5-6 times a night. And also during the day. When I finally got to rehab, I did the same thing for about 2 nights. I was so embarrassed. I would try to clean up the mess myself, but finally told one of the nurses. She said that it was pretty normal to do that and it would go away. Thank God it did. I was happy to find out that there was a washer/dryer just down the hallway since I wet every pair of panties that I brought along in just 2 days.

My pain is absolutely not under control. It's still (as the doctors say--on a scale of one to 10) a 10 for me. I think anytime you have pain that is the worst pain you have ever had, and it makes you cry and makes you nauseous, that is a ten. My daughter suggested finding a pain management clinic to see if there is something else they can do other than just pump me full of stronger narcotics, because I just don't think they are going to dull the pain enough to be able to do much at all.

Josephine, you really think I should ease up on the exercises? My PT will be here on Monday. I can talk to her about all of this. When I say exercises, I'm just talking about the heel slides, the extension thing where you rest your heel on a roll of towels, and let it "extend," standing on tip toes, then a very small lunge, etc.

I'm just so tired of this emotional roller coaster and the pain is not tolerable at all.

Listening to the experiences of all of you makes me feel so much better though! We have all had our ups and downs, and for the ones that seemingly sailed through (and I'm sure there are some who have)--hooray for you! I just wish I was one of you! I hate posting anything negative too because I don't want someone who hasn't had the surgery yet to feel scared about it. My daughter told me that her knee can crumble apart until she has no knee, and she would never have a knee replacement after what she's seen with me!!

You are all so special. There is no other place, or any other person that I can talk to about these things but you! :wub: