Knee replacement update.

 Today is 16 days since the op, I'm walking better but still have some pain behind the knee, why I don't know! The swelling hasn't gone down much, and again I would have hoped by now there would have been some improvement. Maybe I'm too impatient. Also, the dressing came off on Friday, gosh what a neat job the surgeon did and the bruising very minimal. In fact, the nurse changing the dressing said she had seen some knee replacements with bruising covering the whole leg and I had got off lightly! Her only concern was a very small opening almost at the end of the incision which was weeping slightly, and therefore another dressing was put on. I will have it removed this coming Friday, and fingers crossed I will then be dressing free. Unfortunately, this dressing hasn't stuck so well, and consequently I am having to hold the edges down with micropore tape.

The micropore holding the edges down; the dot on the dressing is where it's weeping and very little bruising

 

On Saturday, I went for a gentle stroll around Furzon Lake. I felt good, took my stick 'just in case'  and walked for about 40 minutes. Saturday night and all of Sunday I suffered as my whole leg ached. Hmmm, me thinks I over did it, note to myself, stop trying to run when you can only just walk! 

The exercises are also going well, but still I haven't succeeded in getting the bend to 90 degrees. It's the pull at the back of my knee that's stopping that, also I think the amount of swelling is not helping. I am seeing the physio the second week of September, so hopefully he will be able to put me right then, but I will phone for advice if, by the end of this week, I still see no improvement.

 

9th day

 12th August

 I've been badgered by both Ian and Colin to stay off that leg! And I'm trying, but gosh, the boredom is setting in. I have another paint by numbers to do, but I can't get the stool and my leg under the table, so until I can keep the leg down, it won't get started. Instead, reading and playing a fishing game on my phone is all I have to keep me occupied. Even the TV is out because of our son not having a TV licence!

Another milestone achieved, I no longer reliant on the crutch. In fact, when walking, only a slight limp is obvious. The ice packs are used regularly, and I have come off the painkillers all together. I still haven't achieved the 90 degree bend yet, although not that far off, and what I do manage is held in that position for 20 seconds.

 I'm on my own today, well Toffee and the boys are around but Iwona and Colin are at work. Ian has had to go back to Langley Mill. We had a mattress delivered here at Milton Keynes last week, all wrapped and vacuumed packed for easy handling, but it must be allowed to expand within 2 weeks. I would like to have gone too but felt keeping my leg in one position for the 90-minute journey would be too much. So without my nurse Ian, I have had to remember timings for the ice pack and my Aspirin. This I take as a blood thinner and must do so until Friday. Of course, I forgot!!! Suddenly realised 40 minutes later it had been forgotten. Hopefully no damage done!

One week later

 Day 7

 I managed that walk to the pub, it is roughly 500yds from Colin's gate with only an extra painkiller 'just in case'. A grassy slope was the only obstacle, went up okay but dreaded the coming back down later. Anyway, one glass of alcohol-free 0 Heineken was drunk because no wine has touched my lips since the first night home. Two glasses were had then, the multitude of the painkiller leaflets were read first to make sure it was okay (only said if you felt drowsy then not to drink alcohol) and deemed it safe. But that night, OMG, 2 am and I woke with palpitations, hot sweats and really feeling not quite right. It soon cleared, but that was the moment I said no more alcohol until I finished the painkillers! Dinner was also ordered, lasagna and chips. Hmmm, I should have remembered that my appetite has been poor of late and that the stomach has shrunk on my lettuce and water diet, so unfortunately I left almost half the lasagna, ate three chips and Ian finished the rest for me! Then the walk back down that slope was taken VERY slowly and holding VERY tightly to Ian's arm. Didn't fancy another fall, even though Colin was around to help pick me up. 

The walk must have done me good because the next morning I managed the exercises before I had painkillers. Lifted the leg by the amount required on the exercise sheet. The only downside was the amount of swelling there was around the knee, which has now spread down to my ankle. 

 

Having our daughter Christine and family over on day 8 was a lovely distraction. Our son did a BBQ, but I prepared the salad stuff, felt fine whilst making it, but all that standing did me no favours. The knee felt tight and the exercise difficult to do. It's very swollen now and am slightly concerned about why it's not going down. Maybe it is to be expected, after all it was major surgery. I'm seeing the practice nurse here at Shenley Church End on the 14th, for a dressing change, so will ask her then. I will also see if she has anything to remove these marks. Made by those pads for monitoring your heart, no amount of scrubbing has removed them!

 

A good outcome.

 9th August

Oh dear, last night I had a fall! Well, it was more like a slide off the sofa with a derrière landing! You see the sofa is wide and to get comfortable you have to sit right back. My legs were unable to reach the ground, Ian would place a stool with a cushion on top for the bad leg to rest on. It got to 10 pm and, feeling tired, said I wanted to get to bed. So I slid myself forward, placed the good foot to the ground, Ian went to pull me up but because I was wearing slippers and the floor was of a slippery wood rather than carpet, the foot slid forward which unbalanced Ian, and he ended up falling toward me. Thankfully it was only the good leg that had bent beyond 90 degrees, I somehow managed to twist the bad leg forward and toward me. So there was I on the floor wondering how on earth I was to get up! Our son was out for the evening, so no help there, and although Ian is strong, I doubted if he would manage the lift. In the end, by placing the small occasional table by my side, and with me using my elbows on the table and edge of the sofa, managed to achieve sufficient height for Ian to then get me up the rest of the way. 

It all sounds quite horrific, and I suppose the outcome could have had some detrimental effects but in actual fact the opposite happened. As I started the walk to the bedroom, I became aware that no pain was felt. And trying to get onto the bed, I lifted the leg with ease! Also, that exercise of lifting the leg of the bed was performed without trouble. In fact, both of us were amazed! Did my twisting of the leg at the fall help the muscle to stretch in some way, or was the mental block I had of lifting the leg been what was troubling me all along? I don't suppose I will ever know.

I woke the next morning wondering if I would still be able to lift the leg and yeah.... I could. Not only that, I even managed to get out of bed and walk without a crutch to the bathroom. I have also tried taking Panadol instead of the Oramorph and so far what pain I have had is minimal. With today being just one week from the op, I'm feeling even more positive than before. I may even walk the 500yds to the pub tonight!

Knee op recovery going well

 So Marilyn (ex Waka Huia) has asked if I would continue to blog on my progress. Apparently helpful to those still awaiting a knee replacement and gives an idea what to expect. Of course, we are all different and my recovery may be either longer or shorter than someone else, but a rough idea of what one will go through could be beneficial. So here goes,

On the 8th August, I managed to lift my leg about half an inch off the bed. In my mind, this had become a task I had to achieve to progress further. I can also slide my leg, bending the knee, to about a 30-degree angle. This must be worked on, as a 90-degree angle is expected when I next see the consultant. So religiously, 4 times a day I do the exercises. The worst of the pain is around the kneecap, but I also have a sensitive spot at the back of my knee. To date, that hasn't got any better. It's also very important to do the exercise for Deep Vein Thrombosis. I can do this on the bed or sitting down and this is one of the most regular exercise I do.

 

THESE FOR PREVENTING DVT

IT WAS THE TOP EXERCISE I HAD TROUBLE WITH

 One thing I found right from the start was to forget about wearing trousers. The knee will be very swollen, so even loose fitting trousers will be tight. Also, trying to get an ice pack on under trousers every 2 hours for twenty minutes is a pain. With me only possessing one skirt and dress, today Ian drove me to Tesco and another skirt and dress were bought. Tesco clothes are usually on the first floor, which is accessed by escalator. OMG. I stood at the bottom watching the speed at which it was going up and thought, no way! There had to be a lift. Oh, there was alright, but right at the back of the store. I certainly got my steps in today, even though I had been told to walk short distances for the first two weeks only!

The only bit of excitement later was the interloper in the garden. Quite why a duck had decided to land in it was a mystery. It did make me smile, though, watching Ian and Colin trying to catch the thing. Toffee was frantically running from one window to the other, hoping to get out and help.  In the end, Colin managed to shoo it through the gate, up the road and back to where the pond was by the pub. 

 

Making progress

The physio phoned me for an update, I was very impressed.  The worry of not being able to lift the leg was mentioned, she told me not to try rushing it, all in good time. So long as I could complete the other exercises, lifting the leg would come, so she was not worried.

The bruising is coming out now, tightness around the site and back of the knee. First thing in the morning I struggle to walk, the leg has been kept in one place throughout the night and is really stiff. I'm totally reliant on Ian to lift the leg out of bed and to also place in a raised position on a stool when sitting down. Painkillers do help when it's time to exercise, no way can I even attempt them without! With this being day 5 I have noticed more movement, and I'm also getting around with just the one crutch. All very positive and heading in the right direction.

 Today I made it upstairs! Stood at the bottom looking up and thought, that's one hell of a mountain to climb! There was a possibility of having a shower in the garden, Colin put it in so it could be used before getting into the hot tub (how the other half live, eh), but I didn't fancy standing naked for all the world to see so gave it the thumbs down.

 

Hot and cold running water!

So the stairs it was, and Ian never strayed from being behind me, ready to catch if I fell. Hmmm, I wonder who would come off worse. Somehow I think I would have fared better, a soft landing on my part! But it was easier than I thought, in fact too easy. I mustn't get complacent and think I can do it by myself...not yet, anyway! So a shower was had, gosh it was nice to feel refreshed, and I even got to see the progress Colin had made with the family bathroom. Ongoing since March this year, apart from finishing the tiling, putting in the loo and hand basin, it's about done! This did mean I had to use our grandson Ollie's bathroom for a shower. OMG...typical teenager...nothing put away or cleaned! And as for the loo...don't even go there! Our son and daughter-in-law's opinion is if they want to live in a pigsty, so be it!

Coming back down was okay too, I felt real progress had been made, now if only the pain would subside..... 

The next week or so will be roughly the same as now. The only difference will be a trip to the Doctors here in Milton Keynes on 14th August for a dressing change, and unless anything untoward happens, this will be my last post for a while.

I have the bed and Ian the sofa where the orange sleeping bag is.

 

 

 

Start of recovery

 August 3rd

I reckon 4 hours sleep was all I got last night. 6 am came around too soon, the nurse appeared armed with a concoction of drugs. Obs done again and thumbs up given. By 7 am, the consultant/surgeon, Mr Hosan Matar, arrived. Breezed in, said good morning and how was I, looked at the dressing and felt my leg for heat, and then breezed out again with the comment "See you in Clinic". Talk about seen one minute, gone the next! The staff all call him Mr Speedy, everything is done in double quick time, but his praises are sung by all. He also doesn't believe in stitches any more. Glue is the way to go so it seems!  Good for me because I don't need to head back to Nottingham for stitch removal. I will be staying with our son Colin for 5 weeks, he has a massive house, a lounge downstairs for me and Ian to sleep in and no stairs to climb until I'm ready. A downstairs loo and wash basin will be my own personal bathroom for the foreseeable future. Anyway, I'm heading off track, so to continue. 

8.30 am breakfast arrived. Wow, more than I have eaten in weeks. No way could I finish it, although I did ask for more tea. 

 

The physio arrived by 10 am, as did Ian. He wanted to keep me company…bless. It was suggested I had a shower while they were around to keep an eye on me, the last thing they wanted was for me to have a fall. It took a bit of getting used to with the crutches, especially trying to sit down. The bad leg had to be stretched out in front while the good leg took the weight. The dressing was also waterproof and would stay on for two weeks. I also gave them a lesson in conserving water! They looked amazed when I turned the tap off to apply the soap and then back on to rinse. A lot of water would be saved by practicing this. It's something us boaters have drummed into us from the beginning. There is only so much water held in a tank. Then I was taken by wheelchair to try the steps, shown how to ascend and descend safely, a smiley face with halo was put on my sheet. 😇I had passed with flying colours.

A discharge letter was given, as well as loads of tablets and by 1 pm I had been wheeled to the car, shown how to get in, and we left for Milton Keynes.

Two stops were needed. Keeping the knee down in one position made it ache, and I had been told for the first two weeks to keep the leg elevated whenever I was sitting. So we practiced the getting in and out of the car, not easy, especially with a car parked next to you. My next worry was Toffee. She adores us, knows the car well and as soon as we pull up, goes wappy. She had to be restrained, but as I got out with the crutches, she took off in the other direction. What is it with her and walking sticks? Wouldn't come near me until I had sat down and those scary crutches stowed away! Still, if they help to keep her away, so be it.

 The rest of the day was trying to settle in, I did struggle massively with getting on and off the toilet. Seemed a bit low but there again, the ones at the hospital were high. The concoction of tablets also made me feel sick. Appetite has completely gone, not a bad thing in my book.

 

 The night was restless too. I just can't seem to lift the leg from the bed, it worries me. Am I doing something wrong? Maybe a phone call to the physio is in order.

 

Knee op day 1

 The night before the big day and apprehension had set in. Not about the op, but that blooming epidural! No matter how many told me I wouldn't feel a thing, it still played on m mind. At 9 pm I was advised to have a carbohydrate snack, something to do with preparing the body for the shock it would receive, somehow I got it down, but I really didn't want to eat! Bed at 10 pm and took an age to get to sleep, and then woke intermittently with the worry that the alarm wouldn't go off, and I would miss the 7 am deadline to be admitted. Of course it went off at 5 30 am, the heater then switched on for the water and 15 minutes later had a tepid shower using that special antibacterial soap. No breakfast or tea allowed, just water.

Ian got me to the private hospital in plenty of time. That hour of the morning, hardly a soul about! I was shown to my room, had its own private ensuite, wow, this was better than going into a hospital ward full of beds and people. Thanks go to the NHS, for sending me private. On the bed was a hospital gown, one of those that do up at the back, and a pair of knickers!

 

OMG... I'm never going to get in those!!!! Well actually I did, they stretch to an enormous size, definitely a bonus for my ample proportions! After a three-hour wait, Ian stayed with me the whole time, (another perk of going to a private hospital) I was wheeled up to the theatre at 10.30 am.

So my irrational fear of the epidural was unfounded, the anaesthetist was amazing, showed the size of the needle and the tiny catheter that would remain in during surgery. I wasn't sure what to expect when the drug was administered, thought it would feel strange with all sensation leaving my lower limbs. In fact, I was hardly aware the legs had gone numb! I was also given a sedative, assured that this would make me sleep during the procedure, but I did keep waking, heard the electric saw and the drill, really weird feeling when I felt my body move as the surgeon manipulated the leg. And if truth be told, it did feel more like a dream than the actual op. Anyway, into recovery, and of course I had to ask how long the op had taken. When I was told just 50 minutes, gosh that was quick! All in all, from leaving for the op and my return to the room, 2 hours had passed. Ian was still there, had gone to the canteen for a spot of lunch (fish and chips) and then my first very welcome cup of tea and slice of toast arrived. 

Every 20 minutes my obs were done, blood pressure, temperature and heart rate. At one point my beats fell to 44, slight panic from the nurse but doing them another three times, was relived to see the heart rate back to 66 BPM. 

I was attached to a cryo machine, which every two hours for 30 minutes would start pumping ice water around the operation site. It felt lovely and helped with the pain, but when you have that machine beeping away all night...it could have been wished further! 

At first, painkillers and antibiotics were frequently administered through the catheter in my hand, but soon that was replaced by tablets. Probably a good job because the physio arrived to see if I could get out of bed and, being attached to a catheter, would have made it a little awkward!  Unfortunately, I failed my first walk! Not because my mind wasn't willing, but because the epidural was still in my system, making me wobbly as hell! So that was abandoned for now, it was rescheduled for tomorrow morning.

Pain was ever present during the night and my call button was pressed regularly. I must say the staff were lovely, never a tut or a scowl, only sympathy and the painkillers. The bedpan also arrived, I hadn't realised I wanted to go until cramps started in the bladder region. Every part of the brain was screaming, DO NOT WEE IN THE BED. It's strange, you know you want to go, but it felt all wrong. I did eventually get going, nearly a ltr of urine was measured, and once started, wondered if I would ever stop! So the first night not a lot of sleep was had, and it was 6 am when the rounds started and day 2 had begun.