TKR Timetolive's Nov 9th TKR Post -OP<<

[theresav]

I got your message. I don't have experience with your drugs. Taking others but still have the fog..lack of concentration. .etc. sorry you have to go back to work so soon. Baby that knee.

left knee 9/21/15
right knee 11/30/15

 

[Timetolive]

Thought I would show what the leg looks like at 5 weeks. Hard to believe it has been so long, then again, it feels like a year...

 

[Celle]

It's good to see that your bruises are fading.

How is you abdominal pain? I hope that's improving, too.

 

[Celle]

Janis, nausea is a known side effect of morphine. Even though it makes you feel woozy, I think you should take the Phenergan on a regular basis until you'v e weaned off the Morphine.
Morphine makes me as sick as a dog, so I always have to take something to combat that.

I hope you're not going to be in at work for very long. It's too soon and you've had a complicated recovery. I know you feel you have to do it, but work should come second to your health right now.

 

[macduf387]

Well good morning Janis it's good to see you got to take Ralph for a walk yesterday funny you guys are having warmer weather than us for a change.
So sorry you are still having problems with the meds, and feeling nauseous is there any way you could do the work from home with a laptop computer. At least then when you are not feeling well you can take a brake and not feel bad. You would still be getting the work done but in your environment. At least Ralph's bruising is starting to subside. Hang in there hope the rest of your day is uneventful. Sending lots of hugs.

 

[Vangheluwec]

Glad to see that the bruises have faded that has to be a relief. Hopefully abdominal pain has eased up for you. I wouldn't go to work for to long with everything your going thru. Is their anyway you can do the work from home?




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[Timetolive]

Thanks Celle, @macduf387, and @Vangheluwec, the abdominal pain is still there - just not as frequent or as sharp. It feels like bad cramps when you have your period now - not the red hot poker stabbing. Still nauseous. My husband took me to the farm and I just could not focus. My boss came in and I showed her how to run some reports. She told me to go home and rest. I came home and took a nap. ( I know you aren't supposed to multi-tag, but rather than typing to each, I was trying to combine the answers to each into one.)

The bruising is going away! Yay! The lower leg is swelling now and getting more tender. My sock is even making a ring around the ankle and they are not tight! Other than the swelling on the back of the knee and the calf that turned hard, I haven't had any swelling in the ankle before. It is uncomfortable.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. You are the best!

 

[KarriB]

The leg looks so much better! Praying your stomach issues resolve soon. When your done with the morphine you'll feel more like yourself and not nearly as foggy. Are you able to do any work from home?

 

[Timetolive]

@KarriB, not really. All the receipts and billing records are there at the office and so is the computer with Quickbooks. I tried to bring work home after one of my previous scopes and importing the work did not go smoothly. I can go for an hour at a time on days I feel good. My boss is a very nice woman and works with me any time I want or need off.

 

[Glamg1979]

Leg is looking much better and I love your flooring! Hardwood or laminate?
Must be having empathetic nausea today, been very queasy but think it is due to stress, off all meds.
Vacuumed the house today and it wiped me out. Just pitiful.

 

[nerdgrrl]

Hello! Glad the pain has eased up a bit! I am like Celle - Morphine makes me puke. Apparently, so does Oxycontin, as I learned in the hospital. I also agree to stick with the antinausea stuff while you are on the morphine. I had to keep the scopalomine patch until I was down to 5mg oxycodone per dose (and 10 at night).

I hope you continue to improve! Get your rest...

 

[Timetolive]

@Glamg1979, thank you! It is called Smartcore - luxury vinyl tile. I love it! It is waterproof - so no worries in the kitchen or anywhere the Darling spills. It runs in the kitchen, breakfast area, and den. I will have a rug in the den after Ralph is not in danger of tripping. I am sorry you are having nausea. it is the pits!

@nerdgrrl, the strange thing - the 30 mg ER morphine was not making me nauseous. That is why I don't know if it is the morphine or the diverticulitis. I am all about rest!

 

[midwest girl]

I'd stick with the anti-nausea meds. I'm still taking one. It's a bummer that you're the only one that knows how to do your job. But yea! for having an understanding boss!! One aspect of my job as a research lab tech no one else knows how to do but me. And I have thousands of samples to analyze when I go back. When I went back to work after my right tka I went back at week 11 post op. I was scheduled to go back at 8 wks but had a complication. The first week I worked 8:00-12:00 (with a 25 mile drive to & from work). The next week I ramped it up. Monday I worked 4 hours, Tuesday 5 hrs etc. That seemed to work pretty good. The hard part was getting acclimated to standing for long periods of time. You'll get there. Hang in there. Remember, it's a LONG journey!

 

[Glamg1979]

Thanks for the info. We are planning to put in a new kitchen floor in the next few weeks. Found it at Lowes, going to check it out!
Do you find it easier on your legs and feet? Ceramic tile floors kill my legs.

 

[KarriB]

We rented a beach house that had wood vinyl flooring. Three days passed before I realized it wasn't hard wood. I'm looking at putting it in my bathroom. Tile is so hard and cold.

 

[newlybionic]

I'm glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. The bruising is starting to go away! By the end of my day my lower leg is swollen I have have to have it elevated all night to bring it back down. Maybe yours will feel better trying to elevate it more often again especially the days you're out and about.

 

[Timetolive]

@Glamg1979 and @KarriB, it is easy on your feet. It is very forgiving going over existing flooring. Karri, I am thinking of putting it in my bathroom also. Glamg, be sure the installer is experienced putting the Smartcore in.

Marian @newlybionic, I am icing as I type. The ankle is really getting swollen - and hurts!

 

[newlybionic]

I also had problems with my ankle. Since my leg was now straight my foot is not hitting the floor straight down. I have what is called over pronation which means a lot of the pressure is on the outer side of my foot. My new sneakers are made to correct that so my ankle feels better.

 

[Timetolive]

Good morning. I ended up not taking the morphine after my 8:00 a.m. Dose and then I took it before bedtime. I was still nauseated most of the day, I guess part of it is the diverticulitis still. When I took the dosage at bedtime, I had increased nausea, so it appears it is a double whammy. Everyone says not to stop cold turkey and to taper off. Then it says when you forget to take your pain meds it is time to stop them. What WOULD happen if I only take it before bed or when I am having a really bad time? So far, the pain in tolerable. I had decreased from the 30 mg to the 15 mg every 4 hours for 2 days, then yesterday, I only had the 2 doses of 15 mg. I am miserable with the pain and nausea. Taking the anti-nausea meds just gives me dizziness. I am ultra-sensitive to any medication. I guess I want to know what are the consequences of stopping the morphine? Is my head going to explode? Will my arm fall off? What will it be like - or have I tapered enough to stop?

On another note, my ankle is swelling now. I have not had any swelling over these 5 weeks until now. Did anyone else have the swelling in their ankles as well as their knee? I am thinking that this is happening as a result of my bruising going away on the calf and moving down?

Well, those are all my questions and concerns - other than I hope everyone has a beautiful day in spite of their pain, swelling, blue funk, hairy legs, absent poop fairy, and general "I am so tired of this" feeling!

 

[macduf387]

You know Janis you are such a trooper and despite having a hard time you still have a sense of humor which I love, just hang in there if looks bleak right now but I have to believe that our lord has a purpose for all this hardship. You carry on being yourself and don't loose that sense of humor. Have a wonderful day and I hope Ralph gives you a break today.