Kahuna wrote:gadj1976 wrote:
In saying that, I know many people who were a million times better than I was at 12 weeks and a few that said they were still in real trouble.
Do the rehab!!!!! Focus on getting yourself ready for the trip and you should be fine.
@Kahuna to thread!
Not sure I have much to add except to endorse your comment about doing the rehab but I will clarify by adding "without overdoing it".
Having said that I will expand on my experiences which are considerably different to gadj's.
I have had both of my knees replaced, the left in 2021, the right in March 25. Both done by the same surgeon at Memorial hospital. First one I went in resigned to enduring a great deal of pain and a testing rehab. Had my mind right on what was to come so I can't say I was all that apprehensive. Get it done and then get on with recovery.
Had the op on Tuesday morning, got to my room with no pain, actually feeling very good with none of my usual aches and pains just an uncomfortable large dead weight that was my leg. Pumped full of pain killers and no doubt still affected by the anaesthetic I had no difficulty in going to sleep especially once I realised I could roll over without pain. Nurses kept telling me the pain was coming and the drugs were to get a head start on it. I believed them so took them without question. Through the night, I was woken every hour for them to do their obs, a nuisance but still no pain next morning.
Got out of bed and walked about 3 steps with the aid of a walker and a nurse to sit in a chair. By the end of the day I was able to shower, in a chair,and make my way around the room with the aid of the walker. Second night was by far the worst, not due to pain but the drugs. Dog tired from broken sleep and light headed and confused by the painkillers. Nurses were adamant the pain would likely rear it's head by morning. Slept better despite the continuing monitoring and again woke up pain free.
Physio came in and we went for a walk around the corridors with a walking frame and then a stick. Showed me a few exercises and encouraged me to sit in the chair and stretch/bend and straighten my knee rather than lying on the bed. Not painful as such, just uncomfortable because of the swelling. I was astounded how quickly they got me up and about. Went to bed that night and refused the painkillers. Nurses cut me a bit of slack with the obs and let me sleep 3 or 4 hours at a time. Woke up without pain, saw the physio again and she was very happy with my progress, could have been discharged but the surgeon was late doing his rounds so stayed in another night. Discharged Saturday morning.
At the physio's recommendation I went home with a walker, a walking stick and an elevated toilet chair thing that lifted you up over the bowl , it being difficult to get up without help from both knees. I used the walker around the house on the Saturday to humour my missus, the stick up until Sunday night and nothing after that. The toilet chair I didn't use, worked out I could haul myself up by grabbing the door frame. I was also supposed to use a chair in the shower but hadn't done so in the hospital and found it to be more of a trip hazard in our small shower cubicle. I know these things were supposed to be for my safety and I was probably a bit blase in my dismissal of them. Careful how you go, a slip or a fall could be catastrophic.
Over the coming weeks I saw a physio twice a week, he gave me a number of exercises which I did without fail. I bought a cheap set of pedals which I found most helpful with increasing mobility of the knee. Highly recommend finding some, low impact but very effective.
Sorry about the long rambling post, I won't bore you with a blow by blow account of my second op except to say I was much more apprehensive thinking it unlikely that I would have another pain free experience. I did.
Not meaning to sound like a hero, cognisant that everyone has a different experience, sorry for those that suffer through their recovery, it will be worth it in the end.
Good luck.
Thanks mate, appreciate the insight.
When I had my Reco in 1990 they put a brace on my knee and I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks, my leg wasted away and I basically had to learn to walk again, this will be strange getting it moving straight away.
Did 11,000 steps/limps at the golf yesterday, look forward to doing 20,000 next year
