Bilateral TKR Tori's done the leap.. err stumble.. errr roll.. just other side...LTKR and RPKR

[Josephine]

 

[tori645]

PT gave me some ROM angles to strive for as a basis on the CPM.. 80 for TKR and 100 for the PKR. PKR isn't too much of an issue, but the TKR starts mumbling around 75.. griping at 78... throwing daggers at 80..
PT has to steps to practice on in the parallel bars, a small and medium. have been going up and down each of those with just a balancing grasp on the hand rails. heel slides are disappointing.. specially with LTKR.. but.. have to be patient. PT showed me how to set timer on my cell phone. now use that (when i remember to start it) to keep track of pain meds since they still won't wake me (not on orders). still ticks me off they will wake me a 6 to let me know breakfast is at 7:30 and PT is at 8:30. i dose off til 7:15 or they bring in the tray. good thing - no pain standing - did a lap around the parking lot tonight with no issues. setting the CPM takes more out of me then the walk around the parking lot.

oh yeah.. tv is out tonight.. so going to watch something from amazon instant prime video.

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

As long as you don't start seeing squirrel Brunswick stew or deep-fried butter on the menu to accommodate your roomies.....

 

[tori645]

looks like Insurance has put a halt to the rehab-facility. they are saying my last day is this Friday(10days) Tomorrow(thursday) will be my first day to see OS. was told this morning by the in-house dr that 2 of 3 liver tests were higher then normal. possible hike by medication?

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

Most pvt. insurance allows 10 days for a TKR and 14 for a bilateral--and the PTs at rehab centers usually go to bat to get a few extra days. I did 10 days last yr. because I hated the place and couldn't wait to get home; this time I was allowed 17 days (much nicer facility) to get more ROM. Maybe it's because you're younger than 60? Medicare covers up to 3 wks! Anyway, the elevated liver enzymes might be enough for the in-house dr. to buy you a bit more time. Pain meds can sometimes elevate liver enzymes--but so can stress. Never hurts to call him and ask.

 

[tori645]

Sandy thanks. Night shift nurse just brought me the percocets and colace. she mentioned my dr's appointment tomorrow and discharge on Friday. Guess "patient advocate" didn't have much luck.
went up two flights of Emergency Exit stairs during PT. going up easier then down.

 

[daughter stalker]

tori645 you sound like you are doing quite well. I don't think I could have gone up two flights of stairs at your stage of the game and I had only one knee done. I'm sorry to hear that they want to release you early from the rehab place. Keep up the great work!

Take care

 

[tori645]

below is pic of stairs.. went up those then the next ones up.. turned around and came back down

 

[daughter stalker]

tori645 I still don't think I could have gone up those stairs at that point of my recovery. I don't do stairs. I haven't done stairs in a long time. I only have to do stairs when I visit family in Birmingham, Alabama. When I visit family and have to walk stairs I really would feel it in my knee. Florida is very flat and I purposely live in a one story house. Having had knee problems since I was 16 years old we decided that it was in my best interest not to have a two story house.

You should be very proud of yourself for climbing those stairs and coming back down! I am!

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

Good on ya! They wouldn't spring me either till I could do that many stairs, as well as walk 2 short outdoor blocks up & back sans cane. Climbing up is always easier--you'll find yourself ascending foot-over-foot long before descending that way. Talk to your OS--(s)he may be your last line of defense against being discharged prematurely.

 

[denpucc]

Tori - what a great achievement! Those stairs look really hard to get up and down...you should be very proud of yourself!!!

Hugs,
Denise

 

[tori645]

just got back from OS.. he took x-rays.. told him i was getting booted tomorrow. he didn't seem surprised. he said the would order at home pt for a bit. below are copies of x-rays prior to little staples being removed. big staples are from ACL reconstruction.

 

[tori645]

home sweet home.. got home around 6pm.. walker/commode haven't arrived. talked my brother into getting one of my old crutches out of garage so i could get upstairs to my place. it worked well enough. probably didn't need it.. but felt more confident with it. one of my two dogs came home today from spending a week at the vets with a liver issue. we lucked out on that one ( so far). the other dog is happy everyone is now home together. my friend raised my reclining couch 6", what a difference. very easy to get in and out of. commode and walker finally showed up. neighbors set commode up for me. walker will stay downstairs for outside jaunts. crutch is better for upstairs. so far, 3 6oz frozen water bottles have been colder then 2 homemade quart size water/alcohol packs in the polar care. home health care nurse is suppose to be by tomorrow and PT person Monday. went through all the meds they gave me and the list of stuff they were giving me. missing a few over the counter items, will have to make list to have picked up.

 

[daughter stalker]

tori645, I bet you are very glad to be home. It sounds like it is all coming together for you. Let us know how you are progressing. Take it easy!

Take care!

 

[bottomshollow]

tori645, and to the "other side" and the wonderful world of recovery. Being home will feel good, having all your things there, being able to move from room to room. Just remember to follow the BoneSmart mantra: takes your pain meds on a schedule, get lots of rest, elevate and ice, ice, and ice some more, and keep activity to a minimum for a couple of weeks and let that knee and adjoining tissues have time to start the healing process.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[tori645]

thanks all.. it is good to be home.. puppies are happy.. one has separation anxiety.. besides me being gone for 2 weeks, she had to spend a week at the vets with a liver issue. thankfully lots of fluids and the vets care brought her back. she's still not 100% but at least out of the woods.
taking pain meds relatively on time. have reduced from 10mg percocet to 5mg except at night. still want to sleep. have been getting some sweats at night, have AC turned down to 76 and fan blowing on me. not sure if it's the meds or what. i haven't had my HRT patch on for a few weeks, put one back on today to see if it helps.
did something kinda stupid, was sitting in recliner, went to get up, went to lock recliner foot rest down by kicking it as per normal.. YEEEEOOWWWWZZZZZZA!!! only sorta a smart thing was i did it with the LPKR leg. live and hopefully learn from mistakes..

as far as icing, i was sent home with the polar care and two knee cuffs with the Y joiner. i tried the frozen 6oz bottles of water, they made the water colder then the homemade ice packs, but, after 2 re-freezings, the plastic cracked. i had bought a snapware food keeper set before i went for surgery just in case. so far, so good. i filled up some of the small rectangular boxes and froze those. the polar care will take 3 of them. i use a larger one to scoop out the previous water. easier then unhooking polar care and trying to carry that thing around.
Walmart has the food keeper set, i got mine at costco

 

[tori645]

finally was able to figure a way to use pillow and small towels to prop up LTKR so i could lie on my side. takes about 5 min to get things fixed right, lasts about 15 min, oh but it does feel good to relieve the back.

 

[tori645]

had home PT yesterday and today. supposedly there was 10 degree increase in both legs. think maybe the PT needs new glasses, seems like quite a jump to me.

 

[tori645]

PT was here today.. Left knee is 95 and right partial is 115

 

[tori645]

went to Ft Lauderdale yesterday to get a puppy.. about a 45-60 min ride. neighbor chauffeured me. was really nice of her. one big issue was her car.. Mercedes SL500.. 2 door convetible.. very nice but seats don't move and at 6' that was a small issue. getting in was sort of a pain(small pun).. 25 min into the drive i wanted 10 ice packs to freeze the pain out (took drugs 45 min b4 i got into car).. getting out of it was huge.. sorta fell/rollled partway then was able to get legs in position to stand on.. VERY stiff.. ended up getting puppy (pic below).. ride back was just about the same. PT came today.. my BP was lower then normal.. had taken drugs about 40 min b4 he got here.. he kept it just to peddling his little exercise peddler. Right knee ROM is 95 and left is 115. back to hitting the ice..