TKR Trying to stay positive

[OJ2]

I have just hit my 1 week post op mark. I am now able to get in and out of bed by myself, and in and out of the recliner by myself. My home therapist has come 3 times so far. He agrees with the BoneSmart way, but will also tend to want me to push myself. I am not repeating the exercises when he is not here. He says I am almost completely straight. He also throws some numbers around, but I don't bother to listen to those. I am no longer constantly falling asleep, but I still nap often. I keep looking for small steps, like this am was the first time I was able to put my shorts on all by myself. It might only mean my arms have grown longer, but I will enjoy each and every step forward. The icing feels good and I can tell the swelling has gone down a lot.

 

[SusieShoes]

Yes, the little successes! They don't seem like much to non-TKR people, perhaps, but they're truly major. I remember first putting on my own socks. What an accomplishment that was! So rejoice in your little victories, because they are telling you how much function you are recovering. It starts small, but before you know it, you will be moving on to bigger things like walking stairs and grocery shopping, and from there to completely resuming your life.

 

[kneeper]

Over the course of your recovery it's ok to "push yourself" in the sense of trying to see how far you can bend. It's not going to be comfortable but it shouldn't be . Right now, though, you are doing fine focusing mostly on icing and elevating.

 

[SusieShoes]

Oh, just have to say I agree with @kneeper. It's okay to push yourself, and it's good to see what you "can" do. Just don't let anyone else push you, especially if that means physically handling your leg and pushing.

 

[kmak81230]

Sounds like you are on your way to a good recovery oj2. Keep up the good work!

 

[sistersinhim]

You are having a very smart recovery!

 

[jaschembra]

Sounds like you are doing good and you're in control of your recovery (actually your knee is, but not a PT person). keep icing, elevating and taking your meds.

 

[OJ2]

Taking naps as needed. Sometimes I have no choice in the matter- my body just closes down. But it has s not like I have anything more important to do.hahaha. Besides, I can say I have been told to nap by some of the worlds best knee professionals.

 

[flyaway79]

I never seemed to be able to takes naps but after this surgery I took a lots of them. I actually enjoyed them! Now at 5+ months I'm back to no naps. I miss them :-(

 

[OJ2]

I can feel my knee bending as I slowly walk around the house. I thought of BoneSmart saying the bend is there, just waiting to come out. It is like I need to relax the knee and the bend comes as the knee relaxes. The swelling is way down. The skin is starting to feel normal, not like that puffy, stretched out skin we wear out of surgery. Tomorrow the therapist takes the bandage off. It has held tight through many showerings, and I am ready to let the skin get back in the open. My OS used dissolving stitches and glue, so nothing will have to be removed. Overall, and have been satisfied with the procedure. I just wish the pain meds didn't mess around with my brains, emotions, sleep, and appetite. Thanks to all who have encouraged me on my journey. I do know I will be trying to keep my good knee from going bad, and I am thankful we only have 2 knees! I am still in awe of all of you who have gone thought this more than once, or have done 2 at one time.

 

[sistersinhim]

It's so good that you are seeing improvement already! Pain meds are a real pain, but are also such a pain reliever that we desperately need after this surgery. You are so blessed to have no stitches or staples, thus no removing of them! Each week you will see little baby steps of improvements.

 

[OJ2]

Yesterday, I actually felt pretty good. I had a little energy, food was starting to taste good, and it was a very good day....until 3 am. I took my drugs at 2 and waited to fall back to sleep. Instead of falling into sleep, my leg decided it was not happy. I could not find a position where it did not hurt. I finally got up, went into the family room, and settled into the recliner. Fortunately, My brain was awake enough to remember I had read about times like this, and to not be alarmed. I told my knee that he is in control and I am just along for the ride, and I settled into a rocky nap. The therapist comes today and I know he will measure and tell me all about where I should be measurement wise, and I will smile and politely ignore him, and tell him how happy I am with all the small steps I have made in function. He doesn't push me, but he does like those measurements.

 

[jaschembra]

Sounds like it's time for a nap or two today. Those nights will come and they will go... oh yeah, and they will come again. I was going to mention, once I was off the heavy narcotics (about 2 weeks) I stayed on Tramadol and Tylenol for quite some time. It was definitely much easier to function on Tramadol. My dr. didn't seem to mind multiple refills of it either.

 

[KarriB]

Ugh, I hated to see the sun set during my recovery, because it meant I'd have to try to sleep soon. I never really had pain during the night, but I just couldn't get comfortable and would be awake most of the night. I found it was best if I slept whenever/wherever I could because my body needed the rest in order to heal. Hope you can get a few good naps in today.

 

[SusieShoes]

Definitely nap whenever you feel like it, and take whatever nature throws at you when it comes to sleep. My sleep was okay during early recovery, like you're having now, but it did get better. Just not yet perfect. Some nights I sleep through the night, and other nights I wake a few times (though fall back to sleep without trouble). Early on, you're dealing not just with disrupted sleep, but a huge energy drain... so surrender to those cat naps, they're good for you.

 

[OJ2]

Therapist just left. He removed the covering, and admired how the surgeon matched the lines he drew on the sides of the incision. Lol. I was able to give the therapist the numbers he was looking for, but I think I conveniently forgot to tell him I iced and elevated all day long, and I never "practiced"any of the exercises he showed me. Oops. Tee hee. He said I can move to the cane whenever I want. I did tell him I felt like a great tightness had dropped from my leg yesterday and it all felt so much looser, sort of like the swelling had gone down enough that my knee felt it could finally move. Now, I have deserved a very nice nap.

 

[Fire wolf]

Definitely a well earned nap! Glad you are doing things the smart way with your recovery!

 

[jboles]

Take that nap, you deserve it and you need it! Great report. My OS used glue and internal stitches also, I was glad not to have to have staples or stitches removed.

 

[JJ65]

Take that nap, you deserve it By the way, welcome to this side of the surgery being all done. Hope your recovery goes smoothly.

 

[sistersinhim]

What a good report from you and I love how you are taking control of your PT! Your knee thanks you for that and will recover much quicker! So glad your PT was happy with your numbers that you got without exercises! Yay!!