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TKR Wilma's Recovery

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@Wilma I'm doing well. Thanks so much for asking. So far recovery has been fairly uneventful. Trying to follow the mantra faithfully and have been very fortunate up to now. Still a long way to go and know now is when I will need to dig deeper for patience. Hope all is well with you, too! :)
 
Wilma said:
A shower and a few simple physio exercises are all I've managed. I am watching TV in bed.
Deb x
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sounds perfect.
 
Hi All - today started of really well. A lovely day, nice breakfast in bed, shower and Christmas film on TV so far so good.

Then, I couldn't get the pain under control. I did some gentle stretching exercises and tried walking around a little as I'd been elevating and icing for a few hours. I ended up taking maximum breakthrough relief and clock watching for the next 'medication time'.

Since then I have felt miserable and sorry for myself, my knee is warm and seems more swollen. My ice machine has been on all afternoon/evening and although it's definitely helping it's not as good a relief as yesterday.

Back in bed now 3 pillow elevation and 'new' ice in the machine. Meds taken and trying to relax. I have read through a few posts that make me think Day 5 can often be a bit of a 'one step backward' kind of day. Roll on Day 6!

Hope all reading this are doing well.

Deb x
 
@Wilma my day was worse for actual pain yesterday as well!
I had the most excruciating shooting pains in the night and woke up Mr P by using some very unladylike language very forcefully. Thankfully a Tramadol and another application of the ole cryo cuff calmed it down. I had about 6 hours sleep all in all. I just hope that level of pain is not coming every day! The only answer to the heat and swelling is more ice I think. Mine swelling is gradually going down but my knee gets really warm - I think it's a sign of extra blood flow to the injured areas too so it shows stuff is mending - but it's quite unpleasant. I tend to use the cryo cuff at night and big gel packs in the day which I find really effective. How people managed this without ice is beyond me!
Hope you have a better and less painful day today.
Mary x
 
Wilma said:
Since then I have felt miserable and sorry for myself, my knee is warm and seems more swollen. My ice machine has been on all afternoon/evening and although it's definitely helping it's not as good a relief as yesterday.
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I hope that you are feeling better today. I would imagine that you were feeling pretty good and simply overdid it at this early stage of recovery---and the knee will let you know in no uncertain terms when that happens.

You are very correct in that recovery can be very much like a roller coaster and that you will have ups and downs---you are strapped into the ride---just do your best to keep the knee happy and your downs, hopefully, will not be too extreme.

Hang in there---you will have better days ahead!
 
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Hi @Wilma I hope you are having a better day today. The knee sure lets us know whose boss, doesn't it? Remember to ice, ice and more ice, elevate, rest and take those meds exactly on schedule. It will continue to get better each day even if some days it doesn't quite feel like it!
 
@referee54, @sandbar525 - thanks for your replies.

I am having a much better day painwise thanks. I am certainly making good use of my new best friend - my cryo cuff! I can't imagine being without it. I'm finding elevating uncomfortable quite quickly though. I've followed the pictures of how to stack the pillows but just can't seem to get it right. Maybe I'll look for a foam wedge on eBay????

I understand what you mean when you say 'It will continue to get better each day'. Walking to the bathroom today (with my husband scampering around me like a sheep dog) he commented as to how much more confident and faster I was going. It's quite a hike to the bathroom and takes in a couple of steps with a long staircase at the side too! I was pleased that I could do it and more pleased he actually noticed! haha

Comments/advice from visitors have caused some irritation followed by amusement today. I'm sure a lot of TKRers have experienced the same. The 'don't forget you need to exercise' or as @SuperSnapper heard 'are you still in bed'. Guess we know best eh!?!? :rotfl:

Off to have ANOTHER rest now haha

Hope you are still recovering well

Deb x
 
Wilma said:
Comments/advice from visitors have caused some irritation followed by amusement today. I'm sure a lot of TKRers have experienced the same. The 'don't forget you need to exercise' or as @SuperSnapper heard 'are you still in bed'. Guess we know best eh!?!? :rotfl:
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the people who say this might want to be helpful, but they have no clue as to what you and your body are going through!
Keep on smiling when they say things like that!
 
@Wilma I can't get the pillows right for elevating either, it hurts when I do it like the picture so I use one fairly firm pillow from hip to ankle. Seems to work and at least I can sleep like that. I think you do what suits you. Maybe later the three pillow approach will work for us.:tada:
 
I use one of those long body pillows for my bottom pillow and then stack the other two on top.. that seems to have been working pretty well for me. Good luck.. I hope you find a comfortable way to elevate!
 
Hi @Wilma I do the same thing as @hbacres...long pillow as base that starts right at my hip and down past ankle, the second standard pillow starts mid-thigh and the top standard pillow starts mid-calf. So far that has worked great. Although sometimes I find myself like "The Princess and the Pea", shifting pillows ever so slightly until just right! :)
 
So glad you weren't injured in your falls. Your hubby sounds great. It is really hard to sit back and "let things go" when we normally do everything without thinking about it. For this surgery I set up my recliner and "nest" in my bedroom away from house traffic. I tried to only go into the kitchen when no one was home so I could complain about the "disaster" without offending anyone! My hubby is a wonderful man, and after 22 years he is still in training. My joke with him is that he just pretends so that I'll do things the way I like. If the fairy doesn't come, you might try munching on prunes - I was surprised how much I liked them!
 
Good afternoon all. Today has been uneventful and very boring! Pain is being controlled quite well with normal meds. No need for breakthrough meds. I seem to have my routine timed better so my shower follows morning meds by 1/2 hour etc.

The main problem with this is that I feel so well! I'm not complaining, but think it's why I am crawling up the walls. I am also sat looking at things that need doing but can't do them. I think my husband thinks that the housework is done by invisible fairies during the night! He just doesn't see what I do!!!!! He even had the nerve to say I was over exaggerating what needed to be done because of the meds I am taking. Yes, he's still alive! :rotfl:

@PuppyLove - I love prunes and my routine is returning thank you :heehee:

Hope all is well out there

Deb x
 
[Bonesmart.org] Wilma's Recovery
@Wilma, just don't be tempted to up and do too much because you feel so well and are so bored. Try to find activities that you can do sitting down: reading, watching TV or DVDs, knitting, sewing, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, writing letters, cleaning out drawers you've removed and can sit and clean, catnapping, etc. You could do some light dusting a room at a time---resting, elevating, and icing between rooms. In another month, you should be able to do a one load of laundry every couple of days----sitting to do the folding.

You just want to be sure and add activities very slowly and not too much at a time----resting, elevating, and icing between activities. It's a long recovery----but a lot shorter than the time it took for your knee to need replacing!

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
@Wilma---take it from me, you need to encourage your husband to go out more. You will be sleeping a lot the first two weeks and he needs some time to himself. I had a little ice chest in the bedroom with drinks and fruit
 
@skigirl. Hi. My husbands works from home and I am not sleeping at all during the day - I get about 5 hours during the night.
Luckily our house is quite large so we are not under each other's feet. I can get drinks etc from the fridge myself when downstairs and can easily get to bathrooms as needed. I am just aware of not doing too much too quickly. Because I look and feel so well I think he believes I am able to do more! Can't win eh!?!?!

I have got back into bed for the night complete with ice machine, drinks and medication. Hubby is pottering about downstairs.
Hope you are well. Deb x
 
I am familiar with the looks good, must be fine attitude--I got a big dose of that too. My husband is a doctor so he hung around making suggestions until I thought I would go bonkers!! I was happy when he resumed his life!!!

But, I am glad to hear that you look good and that you are not going to overdo, that is the ticket to success. Even though you don't feel "bad", your soft tissues and bones need to heal.
 
Hi again. Don't get me wrong - it flipping hurts! Haha. I just think my efforts should be focussed on bends and stretches. He is a 'diamond' really - just can't see dust! Maybe a visit to an optician?????? Haha

People must think it's a bonus having a doctor to hand - I can imagine it might be a bit too much at times - can't pull the wool over his eyes! :old:
 
@Wilma our new knees ca be so different day to day. Some days mine feels good and next day it may be stiff and/or swollen. Just take it one day at a time. Try to find things to jeep your mind busy, the boredom and cabin fever the first 2 weeks was the worst. Once I started out patient PT it helped because I was getting out of the house.
 
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