- 16 days and I pedalled around

[Guest guest]

Had my tkr 16 days ago and I do have to say this has been tougher painwise than

most anything else I've ever had operated on (15 other surgeries). Not

excruciating -just a droning ache that rarely left over first 10 days. Now I am

getting respite for a couple hours at a time and I am able to concentrate on

things so I assume it has lightened up quite a bit.

I think I am rounding the bend and pedalling for the finish line now! Today at

physio she put me on the cycle - just to rock back and forth, back and forth, as

far as I could. But I got absorbed looking at a photo in front of me and all of

a sudden there I was - at the TOP with nowhere to go but back down. I let out a

whoop - scream!

But it was okay - nothing happened - the knee did not split open, nothing

crunched. The knee just went down the rest of the way and there I was - a

complete loop. I was too scared to do it again - but I know I can so I'll be

working towards that.

Otherwise everything continues to ache - less than it did a week ago - I can

tell by the numbers of meds I am taking, but still aching. For a week there I

was having really sharp nerve pains running across the front of the incision and

down the front of the leg. Once I got the staples out on Monday that has abated

almost totally. THAT was awful. I had 60+ staples. I can only imagine that

because my surgery was done at a teaching hospital some very industrious little

med student was put to work stapling me up and they put their heart and soul

into stapling every damn mm of that incision up.

Was interested in the talk about watching the youtube video. I could NOT do

that. I also have to have my other knee done so I will not even consider

watching until that is well behind me. BUT I was awake for part of this surgery.

Something I was adamant I did not want to be but it was okay. I had an epidural

anaesthetic with sedation which they promised me would keep me out. But at some

point in the surgery I awakened. There was a green drape in front of my chest

but over top of it I could see people in masks and gowns. I could feel

repetitive pressure and hear a clink clink sound as something was being pounded

into my leg and at one point a young fellow in a mask was waving this

horrendously long needle around in my eyesight while someone was instructing him

in where/why it was to be inserted. I remember thinking to myself, " This is

really interesting. I am not at all perturbed about this but I can imagine some

people would be so they should not be waving that thing around. "

About then someone must have noticed my eyes were open and I was looking around,

maybe I even said something. I don't know. But the next thing I knew I was

waking up in recovery.

So ...for all of you still waiting for your surgery - it IS achey but not

excruciating. You WILL get going again. I am 16 days and can now walk around the

house unaided. I started with a walker for first week, then crutches for second

week. Now I have a cane for outside but am fine here at home.

Ciao for now,

Carolyn