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Revision TKR Totally recovered at last!

I am sure you are looking forward to your long weekend. Enjoy every minute of it...but don't forget to rest!!!
 
Well my big weekend off got derailed a bit. My boss text my at 9am Saturday asking me to go replace the nurse who was working because she wasn't feeling well. I wound up working from 845am to 445pm which even though it's a short day for me I had planned to take care of a few things I needed to get done around my home. Even just working those hours my knees and my back gets achy and swollen. By the time I got home I wasn't in any shape to do anything around here at all. It's getting to be really annoying to keep having these problems affect me this much. I go back to the OS next week and I have no idea if he can do anything with Rusty at all. He gave me a cortisone shot kplast time that really did nothing for me. I've tried the synvisc shots before too and PT. I'm not sure if anything else can be done. I'm going to ask him about the bionic one too since it's been bothering me more after I tried to get up from the floor and I knelt on the knee for about 2 seconds. It's working fine but has been sore since then. I worked only 8 hours today and we were short a staff member this morning so I had 2 jobs to do. I had a Murphy's law type of day (whatever can go wrong , will) and the rest of the staff jumped in and gave me a hand. To thank them I bought a couple of pizzas for the staff to share. I was only able to sleep 3 hours last night so I know that got me off to a slow start. 4:15 am comes around pretty quickly when you can't sleep.
 
It can be very challenging to work long hours and deal with a recovering knee, and you have the type of job than are on the go all of the time, which is even tougher. I hope that you are able to find the time to rest up, and really hope your knees feel better soon, you are blessed that you work with a team that care and try to help you out.
 
I'm sorry you had to work that extra day, Marian. It sounds to me as if your employer has too few staff with your qualifications. I guess that's a matter of finances, but it is very hard on his staff.

Do let us know what your OS says.
 
I know you were looking forward to having the weekend off. It's like you are on call 24 hours, 7 days a week. That is nerve racking. Hopefully, they will soon hire others so you can have some decent time off. it sounds like Rusty is demanding a replacement. I hope you can soon get that and start living a painfree life. You do so much for others. It's time for you to have some down time!
 
Unfortunately there are no plans to hire another nurse. One fell a couple of months ago and broke her arm at work and the last time I checked with her she didn't know when she is coming back. So that leaves 2 of us left. The other nurse is being sent to a class either the first or second week of November. So then there's just me. It takes 6 months to orient a new nurse to the dialysis center.

I'm sitting here with ice on the bionic one. I'm hoping the swelling will go done. Tomorrow I see the chiropractor.
 
Sounds as if your employer needs to start orienting a new person right now. You can't cover for everyone and you shouldn't be expected to, so don't try. I think your employer is taking advantage of your sense of duty.
 
@Celle I've already spoke to my boss about my hours and I'm not going to go crazy covering hours. I'm the oldest one working there (I'll be 62 Nov 5th) and he knows Rusty and my back are bothering me. I've teased him saying I'm going to get Rusty done next week.
 
It will be 7 months in a couple of days since my revision (15 months since my original TKR that started my journey) If I wasn't working I would be physically much better off during the day but I've got to continue for now.

7 Months (the positives)
I can go up and down stairs but I still use the handrails for security.
I can pedal a bike without problems.
I never use a cane but it lives in my car just in case.
I can walk as long as I want to and with a normal pace.
I can do all my shopping, cooking and cleaning.
I can walk up and down slopes and ramps.
I have less pain than I did before my TKR.
My knee has become the stronger of the 2.
I can bend my knee to 130 or so.

The negatives:
My knee still swells when it's in a dependent position
I still feel some occasional pains and doesn't feel like my real knee.
I have a fairly large area of numbness and another area where it tingles/burns since my original surgery.
My extension hasn't hit 0 yet but I'm still working on it.
I still need to ice my knee fairly often.

Overall I'm very happy with the outcome and have done better than my current OS thought I would be able to do after my revision. It has taken me much, much longer than I originally thought it would to get to this point. If I had to do it all over again I would.
 
What a great (and balanced ) report, Marian. :yes!::flwrysmile::happydance::yay:

Considering that you work such long shifts, your knee is doing amazingly well.

I still have a numb patch on my 5-year-old revise knee. I think it's there for ever, but it doesn't bother me. Most of the time, I can forget about both my knees.
 
Thanks for writing your update! It really encourages me. It still amazes me that you are able to work those long hours on your feet the whole time.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16
 
Over all, it sounds very encouraging! You are still so young in your recovery and stressing both knees to the max. To be doing the things you are doing is remarkable! You are one tough lady!
 
I have had problems sleeping at night for quite some time now. I have been working with my psychiatrist for help with this. I also have found that I have difficulty sleeping in my bed. I toss and turn all night long. Lately Rusty just aches and aches. The bionic one only likes to be in one position of it gets stiff. It's just driving me crazy. Added to that is a headache I've had the last three days that is just enough to annoy me and makes me feel a big nauseous. I have to keep flexing and then extend Rusty a couple of times an hour and it gives out a loud 'crack'. I can't take NSAIDS and Tylenol hasn't been helping at all. I know I should probably try to go ahead and have Rusty made bionic too but I can't do that now. Besides work being a reason I wouldn't be able to have any of my daughters stay with me for a few days and since it is my right knee I won't be able to drive as quickly as I did for my left. I would be stranded here. I see the OS Thursday but I don't think there will be much he can do. I've already had several rounds of different injections and PT in the past.
 
Marian, I am so sorry you are going through this. Do you have someone from church who could help you out so you can get Rusty taken care of? How about any friends? My heart hurts for you and will be praying that God will send you someone who will be able to take care of you so you can get some relief.
 
Hugs, Marian! :friends: :friends:
I'm sorry that Rusty is being such a nuisance. She's giving you a message, loud and clear. Unfortunately, you can't get her replaced just yet, but do schedule it as soon as possible.

As soon as your boss gets that next person trained up and the other nurse is back from her broken arm sick leave, get Rusty fixed. You do need to look after your own health and you will be able to help your patients better when Rusty isn't causing such pain.

I'm wondering if it would be possible for you to go to one of your daughters' homes to recover from having Rusty replaced - at least until you can drive, anyway. You'd have to take your dogs as well, or make arrangements for their care.
You have done such a lot for your children and they will probably be glad to do something to repay you. I know that I was. My mother recuperated at our house after both her knee replacements, until she was able to care for herself completely.
 
I was thinking the same thing as Celle. Perhaps one of your daughters has a suitable home that you can stay at for the early recovery. That could be a partial solution. I know how difficult it is to balance our own self care while being on our own, needing our jobs, and having busy children involved in their own lives. There should be a rent-a-husband (or wife) to come to the aid of us singletons.
 
Yes, I think we all need a 'wife' during this recovery!
 
I was alone all the time for both knees. But then, I've been accustomed to living on my own all my life so it didn't seem like a big deal. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I enjoyed the solitude and being able to sleep, eat, take pills as and when I wanted!
 
I find it to be a very lonely process, even with my husband. I don't have friends or family here in Columbus and no church family. I've learned to use and love Uber (to save husband from having to leave work to take me to PT or doc's). This forum has been my most important support -- I find talking to my distant friends often just makes me homesick.

I bet you would do fine with other knee if you had home health for a week? I bet you are fiercely independent, but if you asked a colleague or friend (s) to just stop by a few times during recovery, would that make it do-able? Maybe a few days on a rehab unit? You deserve to have both knees feeling and working well. I hope you can figure out a way to make that happen.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16
 
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