TKR Vickie's Knee Recovery

[Poof]

Robyn, I think that the heat helps also. My OS said to use moist heat. Sometimes I feel like the cold makes every muscle in my body constrict. I have hypothyroidism, so I'm not a very big fan of cold "anything". I continue to ice my knee after home exercise because I know that it is helping the swelling. Vickie

 

[Poof]

Scar question....I'm almost 3 weeks out and the scar on my knee has a very puffy "worm-like" look for about the last 2 inches near the bottom. The OS told me to get Vitamin E oil and rub the area with my thumbs at least twice per day. I've been doing this for about a week and I really can't tell much of a difference in how it looks. Has anyone else had skin that looks like this? In not really worried about the scar, I'm just glad to have my knee fixed, but if there is something else that I need to be doing, I'm open for suggestions. Vickie

 

[Beachmomdk]

It was probably a 4 or 5 he said it is not suppose to hurt just going to be uncomfortable. But not all PT is like that I guess. Got 105 degree bend and perfectly straight!!!
How was you night.
Cathy

 

[Spingirl]

Does anyone know the difference in the type of exercises that are done at out-patient PT compared to in-home? Is it mainly the use of recumbent bicycles and weight machines? I've got 3 more at home and then go to out-patient on March 11. Vickie

Hi Vickie. When I did my outpatient PT, I used some weight machines, a regular bike (not recumbent, although there were both types present), an elliptical machine, and best of all, my PT did some massage and helped stretch my stubbornly tight hip flexor. I also did balance exercises on one of those half Bosu balls, some exercises with free weights on my ankle, and some theraband stuff. I had a great PT. I really got a lot out of my sessions. She mixed things up a bit to keep in interesting, and she gave me variations of exercises and stretches to do at home too. I was almost sad when I got discharged!

 

[Poof]

Last night went pretty good. I took the last pain pill at midnight and slept until 6 this morning. When I woke up, my knee/leg swelling looked a lot better. I thought that it was going to be a really good day. I did my exercises this morning and then the pain came back with a vengeance! It hurts thru the middle of my knee (shooting pains) and then aches around the rest of it. I would give this pain around a 6-7. I think that the nerves are beginning to wake back up in my knee because I feel it a lot more when I massage the incision area. The pain probably isn't as bad as I think that it is because I'm sure that emotionally I'm really getting run down. It seems like every time I think it's going to be a great day then some stupid pain mows me over. You know, it's embarrassing even typing this all down but I promised myself that I would be honest with the outcome of all of this: good days and bad. Every day does get just a little bit better and I'm going to hold onto that encouragement.

 

[Poof]

Thanks for the information on the Outpatient PT. I was really dreading letting anyone try to stretch or bend my knee. I'm so protective of it right now it's almost crazy. It would probably help a lot to let someone massage my leg and let go of some of this tension. Vickie

 

[Beachmomdk]

Hi Vickie,
I woke this morning and my knee was killing me. And my thigh was killing me much be the day for it. Took pain meds and better not great but better! I know what u mean being emotionally drained! I also have a raised,scar but my PT and reg doctor said it looked great so not going to worry about it. The actual incision is faint just looks like swelling around it.. Every out patient PT is different and I think it all hurts to one degree or another but they shouldn't make you cry! At least that is what mine said.. How are you feeling now? We are at the urgent care my hubby had a cyst removed last week and it looks like the stitches came undone. So we are waiting....
Cathy

 

[Poof]

Cathy, I hope that your husband is going to be ok and they get to him quickly. I know it is really hard for you to sit there and wait with your knee hurting...It really does sound like we are on the same healing roller coaster. I expected that the helping would get a little better each day. I didn't even consider that it would go to extremes each day....I've gone to PT before after an arthoscope and also for frozen shoulder. The knee PT was sometimes unpleasant, but the shoulder was terrible. It's a different kind of PT and they are trying to fight scar tissue build-up (shoulder). It was the last one that I went to and those memories are still pretty vivid in my memory. I'm guessing that's why I'm a little nervous.....I fell asleep in the chair this afternoon. That's only the 2nd time I've done that since the surgery and it felt so good. The pain has dropped to a 4-5 now and that is manageable. I don't think that I'm going for my planned walk. It would probably just get it going again....let me know how you and your husband are doing.

 

[Beachmomdk]

Ugh my knee hurts we are waiting in car. He is mad because it is taking so long and went in again to see where he is wait wise and hasn't come out. I wanted to go in with him but maybe it is better not,he is in such a bad mood. I really had no idea,what I was getting in to which is probably just as well. Too think 3 weeks ago I could ride my bike 5 miles now couldn't even get on it. But this has really taught me a lesson on how not to treat people not that I ever treated them bad but I have only had a couple friends come by and say hi. Everyone is too busy.. Sad
Cathy

 

[livinginfl]

Cathy,
I hope you are home by now and everything went well with your husband. I could not sit that long in the car right now and I bet it does hurt, plus the stress of waiting is probably not helping.
Emotions, oh my, up and down. Sleep is something I do not remember.
Maybe after such a day, you will find rest easier tonight.
Wishing you a better day,

 

[Beachmomdk]

Ugh we are home after 4!hours in the urgent care the receptionist was less than pleasant and my husband wasn't much better. We get home and I ended doing some things that had to get done while he lays down saying he is exhausted. Then he irritates our son, so he leaves mad. i think I was better off by myself. My knee is killing me I have run out of patience and they told him to take a week off work to let it heal.

 

[Poof]

Wow! You have had a very hard day. Way too much stress for just having had surgery. I hope tomorrow will be better. Vickie

 

[Beachmomdk]

I sure hope so I have a terrible headache. How is ur evening?

 

[Poof]

Cathy, hope you are feeling better this morning. Maybe you and your husband can both get rested up. Did they put his stitches back in?....I called the OS office this morning to get a refill and mentioned that my scar line was looking red up on the thigh end. She told me to draw a line around the red area and watch it to make sure it didn't get larger. She thought it was probably a stitch that was still trying to be reabsorbed. We hung up and she called back a few minutes later and said that they had decided to put me on antibiotics to be safe....I guess that I'm a little concerned right now, but not overly so. I think that they will take good care of me.

 

[Beachmomdk]

Hi Vickie,
I think they are definatly taking good care of you. Better to be safe than sorry!!!! I am better this morning what a horrible day! They didn't put stitches back in but cleaned it out and put him on antibiotics. My son came home and brought me frozen yougart 2 nights in a row he is my younger one 21 I feel so spoiled!!! I have PT today wil let you know how it goes.... How is your pain today?
Cathy

 

[Poof]

I'm having shooting pains in the middle of my knee. I'm guessing that is nerves firing? Whatever they are, it makes me stop whatever I'm doing and pay attention...Arent sons great? They really take care of their Moms! Our son is 24 and lives at home while going to school and working....Good luck with your PT. My therapist comes today at 1:00...With you and your husband both not feeling great, it makes it hard. Just remember to take care of yourself...I'm interested in what they do at your PT. My first outpatient is on the 11th. They said it would take longer on the first one to access my knee. I asked if the therapist had ever worked with knee replacement and they assured me that she had....I just accidentally found something that may help my knee bend. I took my dogs out to do their business and decided to go sit in the sunshine on our bench type swing. As I pushed back and forth with my new knee, it felt like it was actually bending more! That made me feel so much better! I think my emotional side has been really down lately and that seemed to help me feel hopeful.

 

[Beachmomdk]

Hi,
That is good u found something to help ur knee! I sit in my computer chair and roll it forward with my foot planted on ground to try and get more bend. I know what you mean about shooting pains I get all sorts of strange pains. I will see what PT does today this sure is a long haul!
Cathy

 

[Poof]

The nurse told me today that the different pains would continue like this until about the 6 week period. Maybe we have the worst 3 weeks behind us.

 

[Beachmomdk]

I hope so!!!

 

[Beachmomdk]

3 weeks po