TKR 10/5/10

[Guest guest]

I have been reading others posts who have had TKR recently and I feel so

fortunate to be as far as I am in the healing of it..

I used a walker for 1 week, a cane for 2 weeks. I still do have the potty over

the toilet since it is so easy to get up off of I will

probably keep it there for a while longer.. PT came to the house 3 times a week

for 2 weeks then I went to outpatient for 2 weeks

and am now keeping up with what they taught me, I did buy a cheap stationary

(used off of Craigs list) and use that a few times

a week. I don't take pain pills during the day but might take half a

hydrococone twice during the night,, I blame not sleeping well

on a mattress that I hate !!,, on my incision, the staples came out on day 14

and by 4 weeks it is completely healed and I started

to take a bath again.. I can get out of the tub easier now then before I had

the TKR done.. I have not used a riding cart in the stores

since I started going to the stores again at 3 weeks home.. I also started to

drive again in the third week ( left leg was done) and I did

not take pain pills while driving.. It is amazing how a knee replacement

straightens out the bowed knees.. It also showed me how bad

it got to be since the right knee needs a replacement too and gives me a lot

more real pain then the fixed one when walking.. I had really

wanted them both done at the same time but my Dr said that wasn't a good idea

and gave me a few very good reasons why not to, and I am

so glad that I didn't have them both done at the same time now.. I just can't

imagine how you can do much with them both hurting as

bad as they do for the first 2 or 3 weeks.

I would like to pass on one thing I learned with the swelling of the leg,, Mine

was HUGE for a few days and I started using a body pillow

at home when I was in bed or at night and within 2 days the majority of the

swelling was gone,, using 2 bed pillows just wasn't the same

since they go down in the middle and a body pillow was thicker and kept the

ankle and whole leg much higher.. I did use Ice a LOT too.

I also didn't expect as much bruising on my leg as I had but that all did go

away in a month..

My Dr said that it takes your body 2 months to get back pretty much to normal

and he wouldn't schedule the other knee till after the 2 months..

I won't get it done now till after the first of the year so that I can enjoy the

holidays !!

I want to also say having surgery really does take a LOT out of you and you get

tired easily and don't have the stamina you had but that is

now starting to improve to and I can get a little more done each day... but do

rest when you are tired and DON'T overdue .. even in the beginning

you have to take it easy,, I did have 2 times when the PT overdid it and I paid

for it for 2 days afterwards !! so don't be afraid to tell PT you don't

want to do something when they are there if it is hurting you.. !

Thahks for letting me share and I love all I have learned by being on this list

, it has really helped a lot in knowing what could happen and

what to expect...

Donna

Michigan

L-TKR 10/5/10

Beaumont Hospital, Dr Mayo