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TKR Two new knees....yes, please

Sounds like things are going great so far! I'm happy for you. I will have to decide in a few weeks when I want to get my 2nd one done, and a few days ago I couldn't even think about it. My surgeon said he would give me a date as soon as I come in and tell him I am in love with the first one. I can't quite do that yet, but your experience is encouraging.
 
@sandi4213, I hope my story can be encouraging to you. It's very difficult to want to ask to have another knee done when the first was such a bear to deal with. Many people put it off for a long time because they just can't stand the thought of going through it all again so soon....they haven't even healed from the first one. But I know that I wouldn't really know how wonderful painfree knees are if one is fixed and the other one is still bone on bone. Now, my healing is occurring together. The next few weeks are still hard, but I believe that I will get stronger each day and that pretty soon I'll take the stairs without giving them a thought. Oh, that sounds so great! I hope you can get a clear direction as to when you should move ahead with the other knee. No one can tell you that....just want you to feel a peace about it and move on toward the finish line!
 
When people say they are on day 10 post-TKR, are they counting the day of surgery as day 1? In any case, I guess I am. So with my second knee replacement being on March 28, today is April 5th, and I call it day 9. Here is my latest update:

Yesterday, day 8, was a pretty tough day. I thought it would be better, as I had a 9:30 appointment with my surgeon's wound nurse to remove the wound vac I had been wearing since the day after LTKR due to bleeding around the incision. For the entire week, I never saw any blood going up the tube into the little pack I wore around my neck. So obviously, the bleeding was stopped, but I had to keep the wound vac in place for an entire week. More of a nuisance than anything else. I was anxious to get it off and the steri-strips removed so I could see the incision and have a new dressing applied.

Remember, I had had a major allergic reaction to the adhesive strip placed over my RTKR incision done just 9 weeks ago. I developed blisters that ruptured easily, and when the tape was removed, so was the skin on top, leaving oozing, stinging open blisters. Not a pretty picture (my sister said she needed to go "wash her eyeballs" after looking at the pics.). It healed nicely after that, but I took two PT sessions off to allow very little excess movement so the healing would be expedited.

With all of that, and knowing we had another knee replacement in 8 weeks, my OS decided he would do the same incision, but not put the adhesive strip over the top. Instead he would use steri-strips that are more like a band-aid....and I have no problem with those. When the bleeding occurred on this most recent incision, the wound vac covered the incision and had a clear adhesive that held it in place (OS didn't think it would cause me any problems). Jump to yesterday...removal of the wound vac showed that I had developed blisters all around the incision around the steri-strips. The nurse did not want to remove them and instead made an appointment to see the OS that afternoon. He said that it is a good thing I don't have another knee to replace....obviously, my skin does not like adhesive strips of ANY kind. So he simply left the strips in place rather than remove them, and feels that the blisters will dry up and the steri-strips will fall off on their own. A light bit of gauze was placed over it and a mesh covering to hold it in place. After my two trips to the doctor that day, my body was just done for. I'd have to say that day 8 has been my most uncomfortable day yet. But I woke up this morning with new found strength and optimism. I cancelled my PT appointments for this Wednesday and Friday, to again, allow myself to be more still and not stretch the fragile skin to a point of rupturing the blisters. I'm happy and know I'll be back on track by next Monday, which would be day 14.

Until then, sitting back in my recliner, elevating, icing, just took my med (when my alarm went off to remind me), walking a bit more around the house, but sticking close to home. So thankful I don't HAVE TO be heading off to work while I'm still hurting.
 
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Ugh! I'm sorry this happened again! And two drs appointments in one day would do anyone in on day 8 or 9! Very wise to sit back, ice, elevate and let things heal.
 
Yes, @KarriB: sometimes life doesn't give us options. I HAD to see the doc twice in one day. Which means I now have the option to stay on my feet a lot today and show that I "can", or stay off my feet today to show that I "should"!
 
Rest as much as you can. Yesterday was a big day.
It won't do your knees any harm if you cancel PT for a couple of weeks.
 
Ah, sweet rest...(tried to put a cute emoji in, but couldn't figure out how. I have done it before, so I must really be experiencing brain fog.)
 
:yes!:I added one for you!:SUNsmile:

You definitely deserve some down time for sure. Try to keep both legs up and take it easy.
 
On the bar above where you type in your response you see a yellow happy face. Just hit that. You will have a choice of many different ones that you can use. :wink:
 
Sorry about the blisters, AGAIN! I can imagine how tired you are, I had one doctor appointment today and I'm exhausted. Hold onto that positive attitude you have, I love it.
 
:sleeep:Still sleeping in the recliner...but it works for me. But sleep comes in 2 hour blocks if I'm lucky. I am doing my best to stay positive. Even for those who usually see the glass as half full, there are days when I lean toward the half empty viewpoint. Hoping I can sleep and dream happy fun dreams. Using these drugs, my dreams are beyond strange. Going to bed thinking happy thoughts tonight. :flwrysmile:
 
Today is day 11 for me, and on my last knee replacement, I was on to better days at this point. In many ways, I feel that I am. But I still find the blues seep into my thinking as I just don't want to hurt anymore. I want to walk with ease, turn over in bed without effort, have no constipation discomfort, not have blisters around my incision, and be able to sit with my legs down for long periods of time without discomfort. I want to sleep a full 7 hours without waking, go for a walk around the lake to look at the tulips, go to a two hour movie and not think once about needing to change the position of my legs, not have to fill my ice machine and re-wrap my knee over and over, be able to stay awake and concentrate on reading a good book, and on and on it goes.

Today is a beautiful sunny spring day in Kansas. I have much to be thankful for. In front of family and friends, I am the smiling face you see in my profile picture. When I'm by myself, I may have a short time of tears and then I go back to resting so that I can begin to see bigger changes everyday. This morning around 5:50 a.m., I left my recliner to go and crawl in my own bed with pillows to support me laying on my left side. I actually slept about an hour and a half. That was a success. I have started walking around my house without a walker. That is a success. The swelling around my right foot appears to be going down, and I can see the veins again...that is a success. I played 4 rounds of Rummikub with my husband while Sitting at the table...that is a success.

My faith sustains me and gives me hope; my family encourages me and cheers me on; my friends provide delicious meals during these first two weeks; my fellow Bone Smarties are sharing in my experience and making me feel that I am not alone (or crazy). It's only day 11 for my right knee...it's day 67 for my left knee. Whoa...did I really have surgery on that left knee? Almost forgot!:loveshwr:

Happy again!
 
You will be able to do all those things you want to do. Just give it time.

Oh, and try not to compare knees. Every knee is different, even if they're done on the same day. Your second knee is following its own path. It's going to do just as well as your first knee, but it may not follow exactly the same schedule.
 
Two knees in a row is hard because I'm sure it feels like you've been recovering FOREVER. I'm remembering you in prayer today. You are right where He wants you!
 
Thanks, ladies. I am where He wants me....I will find joy in that today.

(I will also work hard not to compare knees or recoveries. This knee is doing its own thing!)
 
Your list sounds great :) I think you have a great attitude and a strong faith, these will get you through. I hope you have a great night tonight.
 
Well, day 12 really threw me for a loop. I don't even know where to begin. I haven't been feeling super great the last few days, but it's really not been all about the knees. I haven't been able to eat much, and nothing sounds good and looks good or appealing. We had wonderful friends bring us lunch yesterday, and I could only eat one bite of a muffin and four bites of the soup and then I was just done.

I keep running to the bathroom thinking that I have to use it, but nothing happens. I began to realize something was wrong throughout the day. Hubby left me at home and so I was going to miss going to church once again. He called while he was there and I wasn't doing very well, and before I know it he showed up back at the house.

I had my husband call the doc who is on call for my situation, but I couldn't really talk. I was in a lot of discomfort. After going over all the things to share with them and answer their questions they recommended that we go to ER. So off we went, and I think I made it home around 12:30 AM last night. So more than six hours there.

I will spare you all the details, as even this thread seems a bit TMI. But I needed some cleaning out due to the long amount of time that I've been taking pain meds, specifically oxycodone and hydrocodone. With two knees being done back to back, I've been on those medications for quite some time. They did the best they could for me, but there was no way I was completely cleaned out so they let me go home.

So I really struggle to sleep last night and was just not feeling well, not being able to get comfortable in any position, whether a chair or the bed. Poor hubby... he ended up sleeping out on one of the reclining sofas. He works at our church but stayed home to make sure I was going to be ok. I've made some progress in feeling better this morning, and he ended up being able to go to the last of four services this weekend. He's on his way home now, and I can't wait to see his face.

So, now the dilemma. I have not taken a pain pill since noon yesterday. I'm having a hard time even bring myself to open a pill bottle at all. This has been such an uncomfortable feeling and setback, and I'm just wanting to get to my healthy self again.

They suggested that I try to drink that MiraLAX, but when I drank it when I got home last night I threw it all up. That is like the last thing I want to take now.

So @Josephine, I need some advice.
Should I just take the tramadol and Tylenol and go completely off the Oxycodone and hydrocodone? I've got to get my stomach working right again, but I'm also not quite 2 weeks from my most recent TKR. What do I do?
 
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Yes, that's what a lot have done.

I have this chart that will aid you on a good routine for Tramadol

[Bonesmart.org] Two new knees....yes, please
 
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