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TKR Wilma's Recovery

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@Wilma Hi, just wondered how you are getting on? You seem to be at the same stage with sleeping , getting about 5-6 hours with none in the day. I done feel very tired as I thought I would be , still more comfy in bed than on the sofa and sitting up on a dining chair lasts about 10 minutes at the most. My knee is "burning " a lot less than a few days ago. - another sign of progress I think. I think my husband thinks I should get up a bit more but the few exercises and the walking I do at the moment make my knee swell again and hurt more so I'm only going to do it very slowly. I can bend to 90 degrees but get this big ouchy !!!! ache in my inner thigh when I try to push past that. I Hope that goes soon. That and the knee elves with their little jabbing knitting needles are the worst.:hairpulling::hairpulling::hairpulling:
Are you having any physio? I have an appointment booked for the 12th really just to check that I'm on the right track, but will have some more after Christmas to work on strengthening muscles. Not looking forward to it.
Hope you have a restful day .
 
@SuperSnapper - Hi there. What you have just written could have been written by me! I am at exactly the same stage. The pain in the inner side of my knee is the worst - a burning pain.

Up to now I don't have any bruising but I guess there's still time for it to surface.

I haven't had any physic since leaving hospital. I am thinking of making an appointment next week after clips are out. They seem to be making the wound a little tight. I'm certainly not looking forward to it though. I am VERY gentle with myself! haha.

Have a good day Dx
 
Don't worry about getting the staples out. It may be a little pinchy but it does make things feel more comfortable in the end.
 
I'm not too worried about getting the staples out, in fact I can't wait. My knee feels very tight along the scar and I think it will be a relief to get them out! I have a good extension but the bend isn't looking too good. I can't get to 90 deg now! I could a couple of days after surgery but it's soooooo tight and painful to do it now. Should I be pushing more? My PT will start next week after staple removal.
 
@Wilma the fact that you could do it after surgery must mean the bend's there but you if are still very swollen, it's ice and elevate. And believe you me, I know how boring that is getting. If I bend mine too much, I get a searing pain so I am taking it very slowly and only try doing it when I've walked round a bit first which does seem to ease things off and warm things up a bit.

@RestAssured reminded me yesterday that even though the outside may be looking alright there's still a lot of internal swelling to go down - so I'm taking that advice seriously. I read her thread, she's been there!
It's a slow job. But we aren't on our own. :yahoo:And it's only day 9 . Chill out!

I've got my first physio a week tomorrow . It will at least be good to get out of the house!

Have a good day

Mary x
 
Wilma said:
My knee feels very tight along the scar and I think it will be a relief to get them out! I have a good extension but the bend isn't looking too good. I can't get to 90 deg now! I could a couple of days after surgery but it's soooooo tight and painful to do it now. Should I be pushing more? My PT will start next week after staple removal.
Click to expand...

No, no, no! No pushing more, icing elevating and resting that swollen leg! This was a major surgery, and your knee is the BOSS! The more you try to push, the more it will get angry. Stiffness is swelling inside the knee, telling you, "hey, I have been traumatized in here! Give me some TLC!" When the physio comes, don't let them push you to the point of pain; a little discomfort is normal. Please listen to your body, take your pain meds on schedule, and life will go so much smoother!:console2:
 
The only thing to push is the ogre.- moves away from cliff edge. If your muscle doesn't want to work its saying oi leave me.be while I heal

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Hi there - I certainly have been told! haha I am taking meds on time - I find myself watching the clock eager for the next dose.
@Legin - I'm worried about leaving the muscle too long and having other problems. It's a fine line between not enough and too much!

D x
 
Mine took weeks I moved as much till sore and.massaged I used my cream for dry skin I have muscles that haven't.moved as nerves were damaged I.massage and.build up the.muscles that do work. Seriously I was in plaster cast for 12 weks after achillies rupture. Muscles came back

Legin THR Sep 14
 
@Wilma. Been thinking of you and hoping you are OK and not too fed up? Gosh! These post op days go so very, very slowly, don't they? I thought I'd do something useful yesterday so started the Christmas cards but only managed about 10 and got bored. My brain feels like it's turned to mush. And it was a bit mushy before. Another Monday dawns but we are two weeks tomorrow so I can take off my waterproof bandage and you get your staples out! yippeeeeee!!!! First Physio session too. Oh the thrills of post knee replacement surgery. I'm not sure I can cope with the excitement!
Hope you are doing alright and had an uneventful and pain free weekend

Mary x
 
@SuperSnapper - good morning Mary. Thank you for thinking about me. :-) My weekend has been as long as yours! I have been having a lot of pain in my knee - the inner side, plus lots of nerve pains shooting up and down my leg. My meds seem inadequate for the pain after 3 hours and with another 3 hours before the next dose I have been clock watching.
I can't wait to get the clips out tomorrow. I think it will be much more comfortable as they are pinching a little now and it's another big step towards recovery.

My physio has to be arranged by me. I'm not looking forward to it but intend to book a session this week. I am getting a lot more mobility but it's so darn painful.

Today my husband has gone into Leeds working. I am 'home alone'. I've decided to stay in bed this morning as I have everything to hand. My daughter only lives around the corner and will pop in around lunch time.

Watching 'This Morning' and trying to do heel slides - we know how to live! :snork:

Have a good day - Deb x
 
@Wilma sorry to hear about the nerve pains. I've had some of those and ,my goodness me ,they made me jump!
I hope it calms down for you very soon. The tightness from the staples should ease tomorrow:yahoo:fingers crossed. Even just my waterproof bandage pulls so the staples must do that much more.

Here I am watching the property programmes again! Good grief! It'll be Jezza Kyle next!:bignono::bignono::bignono:

I'm still in bed , tend to go back after breakfast and ice a lot, then get showered before lunch, ice more on the sofa, go back for a nap and more ice, then back down for dinner and sof and more ice, then bed and ice. Gosh! It looks even worse when I write it down.

Josephine tells me I'm doing too much in the way of exercise but my knee wants to move now. So reining it in a bit but really looking forward to some trips out soon.

I was offered physio at the hospital but is a bit of a drive and I found one at my gym which is 2 mins away in the car so paying for some sessions there. The hospital physio seemed quite determined on a quick recovery approach which I wasn't quite happy about, prefer to take longer. I'm not due back at the hossy until 20th Jan so I'll resume the modern pentathlon training then- joking. I might be able to stumble around with just one stick.:flwrysmile:

Have a good day too

Mary x
 
Wilma said:
I'm certainly not looking forward to it though.
Click to expand...

kneeper said:
Don't worry about getting the staples out. It may be a little pinchy but it does make things feel more comfortable in the end.
Click to expand...
Do not worry at all about it---yes--- a little bit of a pinch here or there---but the removal is no big deal.

Wilma said:
I can't get to 90 deg now! I could a couple of days after surgery but it's soooooo tight and painful to do it now. Should I be pushing more? My PT will start next week after staple removal.
Click to expand...
NO!!! No pushing, no working hard---just take it easy and ice, elevate, and do gentle exercises. The harder you push, the slower and more painful your recovery will be.

It is not about working harder---it is all about working smarter!
 
Wilma said:
I'm worried about leaving the muscle too long and having other problems. It's a fine line between not enough and too much!
Click to expand...
Just gently do your stretches and exercises---only to the point of discomfort, and no further.

Wilma said:
he inner side, plus lots of nerve pains shooting up and down my leg.
Click to expand...
I called these pains "zingers"! Boy did they jolt me more than a few times as the nerves began to knit together again!
 
Hi All - Clips/Staples are out and not much pain at all. My scar is clean and very neat - I'm pleased with it even though it is a scar on my knee!

Today was my first proper physio session. They said I should have gone last week really but I didn't want to. I have been doing exercises that the hospital physios suggested and they seem to have worked okay. I have 88 deg bend and can straighten my leg 'pretty good' as the physio said. He was kind and gentle so I made another appointment for next week.

Last night I slept for 5 hours without waking - I feel so much better for it. I really feel like I am recovering and am quite excited at the idea of walking without a limp. The physio said that it will take some serious effort but certainly possible.

Hope everyone is recovering well

Deb x
 
@Wilma that sounds so much better,Deb. I am really pleased for you. I think all is going in the right direction! Your physio sounds great - I like the word "gentle" . I hope my one is too on Friday. I am a bit nervous about it.:flwrysmile: Great news on the sleep too. It makes so much difference when you get some decent sleep. The catnapping is so unsatisfactory. This whole process is very tiring and just a few solid hours really helps.
Keep up the good work.

Mary x
 
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