TKR Vickie's Knee Recovery

[Poof]

Hi Everyone!
Surgery was yesterday morning. We got started about 7:30 a.m. central time. I was back in my room about 10:30. I'm one of those people that can't sleep when I take pain killers, so I was awake most of the night. I figure that I will finally fall asleep from exhaustion. They have discontinued the morphine and switched to Percoset this morning. I also just took a muscle relaxer because I was having stabbing pains on the side and back of knee. PT has been by and I walked 200' or so down the hall. We will be having group PT at 1:00 today. I also did several other exercises. The nurse will be coming in after while to remove the ace bandage and pull out the IV needle. I'm really looking forward to that! I didn't feel up to eating anything but crackers yesterday, but was really hungry this morning! I know that the drugs are really controlling my pain right now, but the knee feels great. I thought that it might feel "unsteady", but that is definitely not true. I'm so happy that the surgery is over! They have one of those ice chest recirculating machines on my knee. What a great invention! Guess that's it for now. Vickie

 

[Coniglietta]

Oh welcome back Poof,
Now you are on the other side its recovery and healing all the way. If the IV was in the right side of your knee then you would not have felt it being removed as you are numb that side, I had a drain put in about 3 inches long and was told it was the worst bit once the bandage was taken off, I never felt it as it was completely numb there.
After a couple of months you will feel completely different and for me thats when I started to sleep again, I stopped meds at around 6 weeks but took co-dydramol at night as it relaxed me into some sort of sleep.
Enjoy your recovery and pat yourself on the back, its over now and things can only get better !!
Well done, relax, ice, elevate and meds, its the way to go.
Much love

 

[forevergimpy]

Vickie it sounds as if all is going very well. I am so glad to hear that your pain is controlled well and that it feels stable.

I am sorry to hear that you haven't slept well, maybe you should ask about that while you still have the support of the doctor's and nurses in the hospital. (Although reading from everyone's stories sleep is often hard to come by post surgery.)

 

[Poof]

The doctor just came by and I did ask him about the sleep problem. They have prescribed Ambien, but apparently I'm one of those people that have trouble with sleep and pain pills. I'm sure that i will eventually fall asleep. Maybe it will get better when I get home in my own bed. My numbers were 106 and 3 for flexing the knee. He told me to work on the 3 and not push about the bending because it was already doing great. The pain level really shot up after exercise. The OS said to not push it so much. I'm thinking that I've heard that a LOT on this site. LOL. I'm going to listen to you guys....

 

[forevergimpy]

Good luck with the Ambien, hopefully it will be just what you need to get some much needed rest! What great news from your OS about not pushing it so much. There IS hope that some doctors here in the US agree with the Bone Smart method!
Thank you so much for posting your story and recovery. Keep up the great attitude and healing!

 

[pdx]

You are already doing fabulously -- walking quite far and great range of motion & extension. Now the challenge will be not overdoing it. Take it from one who knows! Have a good transition home.

 

[Poof]

I have been released from the hospital and got home around noon today. Had another bad night with sleeping. I went to sleep around 4 a.m. And they woke me up at 6. My knee started having muscle contractions that went from a pain scale of 5 to 8 in about 20 minutes. I will be so glad to sleep in my own chair tonight! Guess I will go for now. I just fell asleep between sentences. This is crazy... Vickie

 

[bottomshollow]

So sorry about the pain. Be sure and follow the BoneSmart mantra and take those pain meds on a schedule. Take it very easy these next couple of weeks and be kind to yourself and that new knee.

Keep us posted. We care.

 

[Poof]

Day 3: I've been sleeping most of the day. I fell asleep at lunchtime with a sandwich in my hand. The little "naps" just last a few minutes. I'm also talking in my sleep and wake myself up. I told my husband this morning that I was really going to have good vision after my knee healed. I have no idea where that came from!....the PT guy came this afternoon. He changed the bandage and then did stretching in my knee. It was -5 and 106. My knee has been very unhappy since he did that. I won't see anyone else until Monday.... My 3 little dogs definitely understand that something is wrong with me. They have sat in the chair with me, but are not bothering the knee at all.....I've figured out a walk way in the house. Living room to kitchen and then thru the dining room and back to the living room. Right now I'm doing that 3 times. It feels good to walk. I no longer have that bone on bone pain. All I feel is the soft tissue trying to heal....it does hurt! However the pain pills take care of it mostly...they gave us exercises to do at the hospital 2 or 3 times a day. Two times is definitely enough for me!......they also sent the recirculating ice container home with us. It is great! My husband is freezing bottles of water and putting them in the chest....I really don't see how anyone could do this alone right out if the hospital. My husband has been so wonderful taking care of me......

 

[Titianlady]

Welcome home Vickie!!! You are doing fabulous!!! Oh, the wonderful world of sleeplessness. I did exactly the same thing...fell asleep in mid sentence for about 10 minutes all day long, and never slept. This seems to be one of the parts of recovery that everyone has.

It will eventually sort itself out. Some folks are sleeping fairly well in a matter of weeks, and some like myself struggle with sleep for quite a while. I didn't sleep for the first 3 months!! But, hey, I discovered some great late, late, LATE night TV!!!

You are getting off to a wonderful recovery start!! BRAVO!!

 

[Poof]

Day 5: my OS did TKR with a computer assisted device. When they do that, a piece is screwed into your shin. It leaves a couple of small places that each needs a stitch. The stitches disolve on their own. In my case,one of them became loose and fluids were coming out of the site. I had to go to the orthopedic immediate care and and have it stitched back up. It was awful riding over there In the car! My knee hates having to hang down from the seat. Other than that and all of the bruising that has shown up, nothing much happening. My body is just saying......Go to sleeeeep! did everyone else feel really tired at day 5?

 

[bottomshollow]

Tired on day 5? What about day 10, week 4, month 2? The tireds are a fact of life after TKR. Don't you remember these from the library: Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs

Sorry about the uncomfy car ride. Just follow the Bonesmart mantra and all will be well.

Take care---get some rest---keep us posted. We care.

 

[ditzy dinah]

Sounds like you are doing really well Vickie...Well Done!!

 

[Poof]

Day 6: I don't remember anyone mentioning the strips that attach over the surgical site. They fill up with fluids and its very gross to look at. I've got a call in to my home health worker to see if they will last until Wed. or not. ......pain isn't too bad......it mostly stays arouñd a 3-4 until exercise starts and then it can go to a 8. ....should my thread be moved to the after TKR area?...if anyone has had this dressing on your leg, would you please send a note?

 

[bottomshollow]

to Knee Replacement Recovery area where it should be. If you want a different title, let us know.

 

[forevergimpy]

Poof the bandage filling with fluid sounds alarming (and gross to look at) for sure! I hope you hear back from the home health worker soon. Please be sure to let us know what they say!

 

[Coniglietta]

Hey poof, nil desperandum !!
You are doing great, every one of us has had the sleep deprivation and its just a fact of life once a TKR has been done. I had my right knee done in June last year and my left in October last year, I don't feel like I slept much from June till after Christmas !
Its Feb now and I counted I am only around 16 weeks out from last op, but I think my sleeping improved since beginning of Jan but even now the pain can wake me up with a start if I move funny in bed. I find sleeping with the radio on in the background very soothing and I started doing this in hospital, somehow you don't feel so alone with music softly playing. My husband got so used to it he slept through it all, even me getting up to make tea or put a late night movie on, he was still fast asleep - lucky me

You are just starting on the long journey but each day will bring you closer to your goal, I myself am still healing with my first being just 7 months ago, I forget as I am so active but I have just come back from a weekend away with my husband and I was able to walk !! my knee hurt a bit but I just rested it and the next day it was fine.
Keep going we are all with you x
Much love

 

[speccybecky]

My wound didn't leak any fluids. Did you find out if this is normal for you.
I also had computer aided surgery and this meant a small scar on shin.
One of my dissolving stitches there failed to dissolve and caused a hole in the scar line. Nurse had to 'dig' the offending stitch out!
Keep up,the good recovery! X

 

[Poof]

The PT just left the house. He said that I need to slow it down a little on some of my exercises. He said that the soft tissue needs to heal. The doc did have to put another stitch in the shin area. That original suture had stretched and had opened enough that it was allowing fluid to drain from it. The draining has stopped and it looks better. My knee is pretty red, so he wants me to take my temperature in the morning and night and call the Dr. if it goes above 100 F. I'm taking 2 Percoset every 4 hours and 2 muscle relaxers every 6 hours. The doc told me to not even consider lowering the meds until maybe later this week. I talked with my MIL this weekend. She said that I should be fully recovered in about 3 weeks! I told her to go on-line and watch the surgery and then let me know if she still believes that. It seems like the pain gets so much worse in the evenings. I've had quite a few crying jags. I guess that my main concern is that it will become infected. My husband is doing a great job taking care of me. Tomorrow will be one week since the surgery. I might celebrate that by taking a nap.

 

[speccybecky]

At least YOU are being realistic about your recovery, but its hard when others think differently.
And you have made a great start and the rest will come in time