When it rains .....

[MtnMaire]

I've been preparing for my first TKR (left knee) on 1 November--physical therapy, exercise, swimming/biking/nu-stepping at gym. But 12 days ago I stepped on a hand-sewing needle and it broke off inside my right foot. I thought it would work it's way out, but it did just the opposite. 3 days later I went to the doctor who x-rayed the foot; sure enough it was buried at an angle.

The MD tried to remove it but couldn't find it; Referred me to another doctor who, after searching for nearly an hour, managed to take it out. Whew! He placed 10 stitches on the bottom of my right foot; he checked them 3 days later and there were no complications. I will go back to have the stitches removed on 18 October.

This has altered my TKR preparation, but I'm continuing to do as much strengthening as possible, per my physical therapist's guidance. My right foot has little discomfort remaining, and less each day.

But here's my worry: my pre-op appt is 17 October; the stitches will still be in my right foot, albeit less than 24 hours until they're removed. I am worried that the surgeon will want to postpone the surgery. Ultimately there will be over a month between having stitches on my right foot and the LTKR; 2 weeks between removing stitches and knee surgery.

Of course, having waiting years to be considered for knee replacement and finally have a surgery date, I can't imagine putting it off one more day.

I hope writing this will alleviate some of stewing/worry until the appt with the surgeon in 9 days.

thanks for reading!

 

[Jaycey]

@MtnMaire Yikes - sounds like a very painful accident!

I think you will be fine at your pre-op. Since your surgery date is 1 November there will be plenty of time for the incision to heal.

I would not worry at all about any pre-op conditioning. Plenty of members here can't even walk pre-op let along work out or bike. You will have lots of time post-op to rebuild your strength. Best to keep that stitched foot clean and dry to ensure there is no infection.

 

[MtnMaire]

Thanks, Jaycey,
I appreciate your help in my getting a better perspective on the TKR process.
MtnMaire

 

[Josephine]

Oh gosh, I remember many 'happy' afternoons or evenings trying to find a sewing needle in a foot! In one case, on a 10yr old girl, the needle had migrated from the heel to half way up the shin!

But Jaycey is correct, it will have all healed up by the time you op is due. Don't give it another thought!

 

[Celle]

Here is some reading, to help you prepare for your surgery:
If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries

 

[Celle]

And this is the approach to recovery that we recommend, together with some informative articles about recovery:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Arttie]

MT here too. Nov. 14 for me. Best wishes.

 

[MtnMaire]

Thank you All,
For your encouragement, support, and wealth of information. My physical therapist says the foot stitches are healing well, and I'll go to the pre-op appt on 11/17 not fearing postponement because of the bottom of my foot!
Againm Thanks.

 

[PoetryChef]

Ouch! My surgeries are scheduled for the 8th and 10th. Double ouch.

 

[MtnMaire]

Thank you, All, for the great support.
Update from pre-op appt. yesterday 10/17 .... anesthesia = spinal+nerve block; fitting for CPM scheduled; hospital pre-TKR class next week; post-op surgeon appt. and first post-op PT session scheduled as well. I opted to stay in hospital the night of surgery; I felt more confident with this choice than planning to go home same day.
I must start my relaxation/healing meditation practice today: the growing stress is starting to cause me to be absent-minded and in otherways "spacey"--i.e., beyond my normal space-cadet m.o. Relaxation techniques/meditation/breath prayer have ALL aided me through serious illness and surgeries in the past.

Feels good to have some of the things running around my head nailed down to a calendar. And feels good to report here.
Best wishes for all in preparing for surgeries.

 

[MtnMaire]

Greetings,
The countdown is getting shorter and shorter--Today is Sunday and in 3 days the first of two TKRs (11/01). I re-calculate that countdown every 2-3 hours when I'm not running around trying to get my errands completed and house cleaned before going to the hospital on Wednesday. Breath prayer/meditation becoming more and more useful.
This past week I went to a meeting at the hospital for those having knee/hip replacements--the hospital offers a .pdf booklet on knee replacement; the class went through that page by page, and answered all questions brought up by those attending. News flash for me: no vibram-sole or other lugged-sole shoes in hospital--tripping hazard. That's the only kind of shoes I own, so bought a pair of running shoes on sale--I'll be needing them through both knee replacements and rehab, which justifies the cost.
Working on: cost fears--just worried what Medicare and other insurance won't cover. I lost everything and became disabled during a catastrophic illness, and that occasionally casts a shadow on this ordeal. But I talk back to those thoughts, along the lines of THAT WAS THEN/THIS IS NOW.
Thanks for reading and know I hold you in my thoughts--the GOOD/POSITIVE thoughts!

 

[Arttie]

I know what you mean. Tomorrow I have general surgical clearance exam. The following Monday knee class and OS exam. The 14th my "Voyage of Discovery." Yikes!

 

[SpaceGirl]

Time is ticking by! It'll be done before you know it and you'll be back home recovering I am in the same boat of trying to get everything done before my surgery (17 days away) and in order for when I return home. Glad all your appointments have gone well thus far.

 

[SusieShoes]

We’re thinking of you as you go through the build-up. We’ve been there. I found as the date grew nearer, I became calmer. On the day of, all I felt was peace. And joyful anticipation.

 

[sistersinhim]

You will be so glad when you get on the other side of this surgery! Make sure you have your 'nest' all set up and waiting for you. And remember, BoneSmart will be here any time of the day or night to help you through your recovery. One thing to remember is to NOT let anyone hurt those knees of yours, not even you. Pain means your knees aren't ready for what they are trying to do. The most important things you can do is to rest, ice, elevate and take your pain meds!

 

[Arttie]

Where are you in Big Sky country? Msla for me.

 

[Arttie]

May you have a good recovery today!

 

[MtnMaire]

It's down to the wire (almost) for my right TKR--Wednesday December 13. I've been over on my post-recovery thread, as my left TKR was November 1. I am getting nervous. For the left surgery, my right leg was as good as it gets--i.e., not operated on. Now I'm wondering how I will function with my "strong" leg having been TKR'ed 6 weeks prior. It's been doing well, my rom is 125--but at my last 2 pt sessions there was concern because my left/tkr knee is not flat on the floor, although close for weeks. That was ok, seems, up until this past week's pt appts. I've been pushing down on it--with thigh muscles and my hands--but the left knee isn't quite as flat as the right/unaltered one that will be replaced this Wednesday. This is the first "pressure" I've felt from PT and I truly feel for all of you who have been "strong armed" by members of that profession in your recovery. I'll continue to work on getting that leg flatter; but now that I've shared this I think I'll be able NOT to lose sleep over this. I need to get rest and stay focused on this ongoing healing journey--I still have miles to go!

Thank you, all.

 

[SusieShoes]

You’ll do just fine with your operated knee being your “strong” knee. I had both knees replaced at the same time, so had to designate one of my operated knees as the strong one. My right knee was better before surgery, and the better of the two after, so it got the promotion to “good leg.” It was a brand new replacement itself, but it served pretty well as a good leg.

Your left knee will be up to the job and you should have no problem completing your recovery.

Pushing on your leg is not the best way to regain extension. For your knee to get straight, the big tendons at the back of the knee, the hamstrings, have to stretch from pre-surgery shortening and become longer again. That will take time. One of the best ways to regain extension is walking. Just walking. The more you can do, and the longer your stride, the more the hamstrings stetch back to normal. You can also press your knee down onto your bed, recliner footrest, an ottoman, or the floor and feel the stretch. Pushing on the knee is riskier because doing too forcefully can strain the tendons and that’s more trouble that anyone with a knee replacement needs.

 

[Celle]

Best wishes for Wednesday. I'm sure you'll do fine. We'll see you on the recovery side.