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Mako Robotic Arm TKR Week Three

Posted by saeternes @saeternes, Dec 17, 2019

Three weeks have passed and I reached 116 bend and 2 extension. Still more to go.

What is surprising me about this entire process is how all-consuming it is. I exercise, elevate and ice, sleep, eat, repeat. That's about it. Perhaps because I still take the meds to do the exercises, I am not able to focus or work. It also surprises me how much I sleep, and how the knee feels nothing like normal yet. I don't know when that starts to happen. We did start working on stairs today at PT, the opposite of what they teach you in the hospital when you leave, so more weight is put on the damaged knee. Still swelling on the knee but it is going down in the leg. Lymphatic massage is helping.

Any advice for the upcoming weeks from those of you who have been through this?

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JK | @contentandwell | Jan 1, 2020
In reply to @saeternes "I don't understand the oxycontin addiction problem - the dose must be much higher than what..." + (show)
@saeternes

I don't understand the oxycontin addiction problem - the dose must be much higher than what I am taking. As far as I can tell, it just takes the edge off the pain, doesn't give a high or anything like it associated with addictive drugs.

Today for the first time the numbness on the outside of the knee seems to be shrinking in area. The top part has some feeling now. I am practicing going up and down stairs the normal way with the surgery leg taking most of the weight. Managed 30 min on bike yesterday although it did make me tired. Another thing I am doing is using a bench to put the top of my foot on, and then bending down while holding the walker. This stretches the quad very well. In the lower leg there is still pain right under the skin if I push on it - Alex says it is edema. So the lymphatic massage is helping. I didn't even know there was such a thing.

@ellerbracke yes those are great wines. Try some of the Columbia River Gorge wines too if you get a chance, both from Oregon and Washington.

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@saeternes I think some people must just be much more easily addicted. I have been on oxycontin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Dilaudid, and tramadol at various points in time but have never become addicted at all. After my first TKR which was in 2012 or 2013, before all of the concern about opioids, I was on oxycodone for about 3 months. At another time I was also on five phenobarbital, nightly, for about 6 months just stopped with no effects.
I am impressed with both you and @ellerbracke though in how well you are doing. I have noticed when I exercise, even now, the knee that had the first TKR still hurts a bit afterward -- not really bad, but enough to be conscious of it. The knee with the Conformis never hurts at all. My flex has never reached beyond 120 but listening to others I think maybe I am to blame for not exercising it more than I did. I never had a problem with extension.
Those pinot noirs sound pretty good to me too. We always used to go to CA yearly and along with visiting my step-son outside of SF, our son in L.A., we went to wine country. I miss those days, I wish I could still have my glass of wine with dinner. After transplant they say no alcohol but I have yet to figure out why if your cirrhosis was not caused by alcohol. Still, I adhere to it.
JK

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saeternes | @saeternes | Jan 2, 2020

@contentandwell Wow, I have never heard that rule about no alcohol after a transplant! But you don't mean the knee, right? If so I have already broken it. When I don't have to take any meds I have a glass of wine or two--of course with the meds you can't have any alcohol. ON your first TKR, I wonder if the first knee may not fit very well, and that's why you have problems? Back then the Conformis wasn't available and I am not sure how many sizes they had. It's great that you have one that is working really well. More later on my progress or lack therof!

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JK | @contentandwell | Jan 2, 2020
In reply to @saeternes "@contentandwell Wow, I have never heard that rule about no alcohol after a transplant! But you..." + (show)
@saeternes

@contentandwell Wow, I have never heard that rule about no alcohol after a transplant! But you don't mean the knee, right? If so I have already broken it. When I don't have to take any meds I have a glass of wine or two--of course with the meds you can't have any alcohol. ON your first TKR, I wonder if the first knee may not fit very well, and that's why you have problems? Back then the Conformis wasn't available and I am not sure how many sizes they had. It's great that you have one that is working really well. More later on my progress or lack therof!

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No, @saeternes, I had a liver transplant. It’s pretty common to be told to not drink alcohol after a liver transplant, even when the cause was not alcohol. I haven’t figured out why the restriction exists except for the fact that alcohol is not good for anyone’s liver. I have heard of a transplant center that said a patient could drink a very limited amount, like one glass of wine a month, and my surgeon said for a very special occasion one drink would be OK. I had a glass of champagne at my son’s wedding in August. There are transplant centers that say “not one drop, ever”!
JK

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ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Jan 4, 2020

@saternes: long time no update. Things are going well? Extra stress with holidays? Miss your TKR dairy notes.

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saeternes | @saeternes | Jan 4, 2020

@contentandwell That makes sense.
@ellerbracke more coming soon, I plan a new thread after I see my doctor on the 9th. Got to 125 with lots of effort but still having trouble with straightening. I'm doubling my effort. Alex is having me lie flat on the bed, rolled towel positioned right above knee (under), let leg drop with a light ankle weight and push it down with other leg. Yowsers! Plus a one-legged lift that is not very pleasant ether. More soon.

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saeternes | @saeternes | Jul 13, 2021

I haven't posted for a long time, now it has been a year and a half or a bit more. My knee is doing well and I have sustained the flex and extension. Still a bit of numbness on the outside of the knee which seems to dissipate very very slowly. No pain in my knee ever. Having some foot problems on the surgery leg that could be related to the surgery or not. I haven't seen a doctor about this yet, but it appears to be something like capsulitis, bursitis, or a neuroma, which seem to be often lumped together as metatarsalgia, with the feeling of a lump at the base of my toes, nothing visible, and no pain. I've always had slow circulation and now I have to make sure to get the circulation going daily or I do experience fluid in that foot. So overall not bad. I continue to do stretching exercises several times a week, along with strength and cardio, which helps everything!

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stephtyrrellmyleftknee2021 | @stephtyrrellmyleftknee2021 | Jul 14, 2021

I did PT three times a week for3 months. It all just takes time. You should soon be able

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stephtyrrellmyleftknee2021 | @stephtyrrellmyleftknee2021 | Jul 14, 2021

To return to normal tasks and actually feel like doing them. You had major surgery. Your body needs time to heal.

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ljn | @ljn | Jul 14, 2021

Your body has undergone a huge assault! Your entire body! Be patient so that the whole body can recover and become used to it's new reality. The replacement is another issue altogether issue. Good luck.
ljn

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