TKR Zena831’s Road to Recovery

[Layla]

Hi Zena,
Stopping by to say Hi and see how you're doing on this three month anniversary of your TKR? Hopefully you're doing better. I know your OS targeted tomorrow (Feb 16th) as the point he wants to see you beyond the plateau.
We'll be here to support you if you're ever in need, no matter what you decide. Take good care!
@Zena831

 

[Zena831]

Good evening all, apologies I haven’t been around. So much going on with work but also moving my MIL out of her apartment and getting it cleaned. Good Lord, that was a chore. We have her stuff in storage while she is in Inpatient Rehab after her fall in December. She has been a very heavy, I mean extremely heavy smoker for years and the apartment was absolutely nasty, us being nonsmoking.

Plus, I have been a bit on the not nice side before Friday. I did decide to have the Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA). I had to go through every thing just like going into surgery again but with no incision. I was literally under for 18 minutes while he moved my knee into the positions needed. My surgeon said they could hear it pop and crunch loudly while breaking up the scar tissue. Even my anesthesiologist came to check on me in PACU and said it gave her the heeb-jebbies.

I was in so much pain as I was waking up but I had a great PACU nurse. Plus, they decided to do another nerve block to assist with the ride hone which was over an hour. I did go back to PT that afternoon for measuring and to get this knee moving again.

So, I have PT scheduled daily for the next two weeks but also go back to my surgeon on Thurs, 02/29, to see where we are. I can honestly tell a huge difference in the movement of my knee and my gait. Yes, I hurt but NOTHING like I did prior to Friday. I was actually able to get out in the yard today and pull weeds. I felt like I was somewhat normal again.

I am still continuing my stretching and exercises at home during the day and will continue with PT until everything looks and feels right. I do have to wear my immobilizer at nights again for 6 weeks based on the straightening needed.

I hope all of you are doing well and I’m glad to see y’all checking in on me. This has been a very tough recovery for me. The surgeon was not happy with my flexion, straightening or my incision. I’m working on all three continuously. I saw where I could get scar tape to help shrink anything that looks like it is pink and swollen. I use that for 24 hours and then use Cortisone10 in between. It looks to be helping shrink the scar from being so puffy.

Yep, up until Friday morning, I felt I had made the biggest mistake going in for the initial surgery. I know everyone heals and recovers differently but I have never had any issues with any of my several, several surgeries.

Thank you all for listening.

I guess at this point we can add Right Knee Manipulation Under Anesthesia, Feb 23rd.

 

[Layla]

No apologies necessary, just glad to hear from you. I edited your signature to reflect the MUA. It sounds like you're feeling better already. Take it slow and easy and hopefully you'll enjoy steady progress from here on out.
A great week to you, Zena!
@Zena831

 

[mendogal]

May this mark the start of many small lovely milestones in your recovery!

 

[EalingGran]

can honestly tell a huge difference in the movement of my knee and my gait. Yes, I hurt but NOTHING like I did prior to Friday. I was actually able to get out in the yard today and pull weeds. I felt like I was somewhat normal again.

Really glad the MUA has helped. Just don't go too heavy on the gardening chores! I know the temptation to feel "normal" but don't push it too far.
Steady as she goes will get you further.

 

[Zena831]

Thank you all for the comments. I did rest every little bit while gardening on Sunday. Not overusing the knee and being mindful of my limits.

I do feel this is the start of a new recovery period. I hadn’t gained any traction in a month or so but now I believe I can get where I need to be.

 

[Zena831]

So, went back for a follow-up this afternoon. They are happy with the progress I have made since Friday. The one concern now is if we are being too aggressive with PT daily. I am going to monitor my progress on Friday, of course rest over the weekend and see where I am on Monday. They said that should determine if I go daily or just 3x per week. We definitely need to give the tissue time to recover between sessions. I agree with that.

They are happy with the straightening so now really working on the flexion to keep above 115. Also, they are concerned about the quad muscle not firing. However, they did say it can take months for that muscle to wake up after the initial surgery.

The office is putting in a request for a KneeHab device. I did some research on it and it seems to be a pretty good little helper. I had never even heard of such a thing but it’s basically a sleeve/saddle for your leg that has eStem in it.

I really just wanted to check in and say, Hi to everyone. I hope y’all have a great weekend. I’m gonna try to go to a local boat show and focus on my walking.

 

[Layla]

Hi Zena,
It's been two months since the MUA. I hope you continue to do well.
A great rest of the week to you!
@Zena831