Knee Infection* Third time's the charm, I hope

[maryo52]

@eaglemom I don't have any interest in over-doing it. BTW this isn't my first rodeo!!

 

[maryo52]

Recovery still going great. However, lousy sleep x 2 nights, plus the bending efforts have produced some pain. Just took a half an oxycodone. Very happy about my bend, guessing it's about 85, more than yesterday. Thinking of making an outing for fish and chips ahead of the big storm predicted for tonight/tomorrow.

 

[Pumpkin]

You are doing great, your ROM is wonderful for less than two weeks! Enjoy your fish and chips.

 

[sistersinhim]

What a good report! That bend is something to celebrate about!

 

[maryo52]

I had to take two half tabs of oxycodone in the last 24 hours, due to the pain caused by bending. Not that I'm pushing it. What I'm doing is very gentle. But everything is tight. I figure if progress is a sign I'm not overdoing it.

I know that most people come on this website with concerns or speed bumps in their recovery, and I'm delighted to say that I'm not in those categories. Super happy with the results at 11 days.

 

[sistersinhim]

Maybe don't try so hard to bend for a couple of days and let your knee calm down. That pain isn't doing you any good. Resting your knee will.

 

[Jockette]

I find myself wondering a lot what the heck my first surgeon did to cause me to not be able to get beyond 85

I asked for my operative report at my one year check up, thinking it would be fun to read. Thanks to all I’d learned here on Bonesmart, I understood more than I expected to.

I was also surprised to read that he’d done a lateral release with my Patellofemoral. He never told me that. The lower lateral area is where almost all my discomfort still is, at almost 2 years post op.

So I also wonder what my surgeon did to me. I wonder what can go wrong with a lateral release. My discomfort is not where my implant is, though I know the inside of the knee is a small area.

 

[Didot]

I had to take two half tabs of oxycodone in the last 24 hours, due to the pain caused by bending. Not that I'm pushing it. What I'm doing is very gentle. But everything is tight. I figure if progress is a sign I'm not overdoing it.

I know that most people come on this website with concerns or speed bumps in their recovery, and I'm delighted to say that I'm not in those categories. Super happy with the results at 11 days.

I have also read about many pain issues on this site and can report that, I too, have had minimal pain. The first 24 hours post surgery was zero pain - given block in place. Very uncomfortable when that started to wear off and I had strong pain relief as that was happening. None since. I’m now day 5 and doing well, with icing and rest. Walk with a walker to the loo and back. Only tinge of discomfort is my shin bone. It feels tight and bruised. Otherwise nothing to complain about. I’m in Australia and PT is only considered once staples are out - 2 weeks post surgery.


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[maryo52]

Thanks @Didot for sharing. I didn't even have a block! I had heard of people having little pain but always thought that those stories applied to someone else, never me. I have the discomfort in my shin bone as well, some on the inside of the knee, and some up where they had the tourniquet I guess. But those are all minor. I am doing a little quad strengthening and a little bending, but minimal. Today I was able to climb stairs foot over foot (which I do slowly and carefully). Pleasantly surprised!!

 

[maryo52]

Today I in-home PT. I had just done my gentle routine and was icing when the phone rang saying she was coming. I regret not saying, today isn't a good day. I will be sure not to do anything else on Thursday when she returns.

I am at an emotional point. My bend is 85, and back with my original TKR in 2010 I was stuck at 85 for about four months, which was resolved when substantial scar tissue was arthroscopically removed.

This recovery has been nothing like 2010. I'm having so little pain; back then I had lots of pain. So I'm hoping that I can beat arthrofibrosis. I don't even know why it happened in the first place, but apparently once you've had it, the tendency for scar tissue forming the next time is even greater. I do know to be gentle and will be more protective with the physical therapist.

With revisions apparently they do a pathology analysis of tissue from the knee. It showed "prosthetic wear debris reaction." I guess I don't know why that happened. Maybe due to excess valgus left in my knee after the original TKR. This surgery straightened my leg out, which I'm very happy about.

Other than having a little bit of PTSD over ROM, I'm very happy with my recovery. I'm walking almost normally, have not needed walking aids for the last few days, am enjoying feeling fit and comfortable, and the leg feels better already than before surgery. Just have to work on my mental state vis-a-vis ROM.

 

[Jockette]

 

[sistersinhim]

I don't understand why you are unhappy with a bend of 85 degrees at 12 days out. Most OS don't expect 90 degrees until 6 weeks. Please stop stressing about this and enjoy your low pain recovery. As your knee heals your bend will improve. But, remember healing takes a year! Give your infant knee the time to heal.

 

[maryo52]

@sistersinhim I referred to PTSD in my post. I'm not exaggerating. The worst year of my life was following my 2010 knee replacement. Today the PT left stressing that I do the stretching (flexion) exercises. You know how people nag you about what they think you're not doing adequately? So you've helped me A LOT by mentioning the 90 degrees by 6 weeks. THANK YOU!! Reassurance is a wonderful thing!

I was in a knee immobilizer for a week because the surgeon wanted the wound to get a good head start on healing before I started bending. So I started at about 80 degrees 4 days ago and 85 today.

Where in Virginia do you live? I grew up in Arlington.

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm SE of Richmond. Are you freezing up there? We are now here. Single digits tonight.

So you've helped me A LOT by mentioning the 90 degrees by 6 weeks. THANK YOU!! Reassurance is a wonderful thing!

And THANK YOU!! I'm so glad I have helped to easy your mind! I just want to help people and your comment brought tears to my eyes! God bless you!

I think I told you before, but not sure. I was in a immobilizer for each leg for 6 weeks after my kneecaps were removed. I never took PT afterwards, just took care of my house, my yard and myself. Both knees ended up bending just fine after about a month or so. I didn't stress about it. I was single and I had work to do to take care of my needs. This is all I needed to rehab my knees.

 

[CAdesgirl]

@maryo52 - I understand completely, I have one little spot that is still draining and I'm battling my PTSD that I'm going to get an infection again. I keep telling that side of my brain to shut the heck up (with a little stronger language).

My bend is at 90 and the Physical Therapists say I'm doing far better than most of your patients so I'm assuming at 85, so are you. You're not using aids and I'm still in a walker. I'm 15 years younger than you, and you're ahead of me in our slo-mo race. You're doing amazing!

 

[maryo52]

@sistersinhim Well I am not freezing but my husband has had to go out and shovel. It's crusty, super cold. We have single digits tonight as well. Being on the coast it's warmer than inland. We have a nice wood stove plus a backup oil furnace. I've been able to tend the wood stove. @CAdesgirl Thanks for sharing that. Of course infection would be a worry for you! It's funny how time slows down when we're waiting to get past something.

 

[CAdesgirl]

I told a friend today that I'm a caterpillar. It's going to take awhile but it's going to be amazing when we get there. I can't wait to take my 5 year-old grandson to the park and not have to stay on the bench. It might take a year but it'll be worth it.

 

[maryo52]

You have a 5 year old grandson? How wonderful. No sign of grandchildren among my two sons and three stepchildren. I get my kid fix by filling in for school nurses.

 

[maryo52]

I was supposed to have stitches out yesterday by my home health nurse. Heard nothing. Nothing again today, so I called. They put me off until Friday without consulting me. My nurse practitioner friend came by today and I was able to get some good feedback. Decided to go have my stitches out at my doctor's office, and to switch my PT to the young lady I've been using the last few months for other issues. She was a classmate of my son growing up. I will enjoy getting stitches out and having competent hands on my knee, and will cancel the remainder of my home services. Things to look forward to!

 

[sistersinhim]

Very good for taking things into your own hands! We have to be our own advocates!