Has anyone had double knee replacement at the same time?

[whitewave]

I’m still in the hospital. Hematocrit is a little on the low side so now I’m on iron. I had another bad pain experience today but that was because I was due my pain meds before PT and the way it worked out was i had PT first.

Percocet is great at controlling the pain but at about 40 mins due to a dose; I start hurting badly.

DH is here with me and we are hoping the Doc will discharge me today, but I also won’t be surprised if he doesn’t.

 

[whitewave]

I just got discharged!

 

[Myshinybestlife]

I just got discharged!

Wonderful! Home or rehab?

 

[whitewave]

Wonderful! Home or rehab?

Home! Nearly there!

 

[Myshinybestlife]

Great, if you celebrate, have a wonderful Christmas

 

[whitewave]

Great, if you celebrate, have a wonderful Christmas

Thank you!!

 

[FL_runner]

Congrats! I’m glad you’ll be home for the holidays and that recovery is going well!!

 

[missy]

I just got discharged!

Woohoo!!! Congratulations and happy and healthy holidays to you and your family @whitewave!!!

And remember physical therapy (can all be done at home) is critical but don't overdo. Good luck!

 

[whitewave]

Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you as well.

it’s going well here at home and I start rehab tomorrow at 8:15 am

 

[whitewave]

The left leg turned out to be much worse than the right....

I hope you all don’t mind I posted this. I thought it’s not really graphic— the honeycomb is blocking out everything

 

[diamondseeker2006]

So happy you're home and hope the recovery goes well! Merry Christmas!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Hope your healing and rehab go well and that you are back up and at it in no time!

Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I'm so glad you're home!

 

[ringo865]

Wow, Whitewave! I’m so proud of you! What an ordeal. Super glad they didn’t postpone your surgery (they postponed my mom’s shoulder replacement scheduled for 11/24 cuz of COVID).

Seems like you’ll be wondering wtf you did this for a couple of weeks, but then, you’ll be like why didn’t I do it sooner! On the plus side, you are at home, hopefully your PT and whatnot can happen at home until at least you can drive. Take every moment to rest, ice, and pain manage. Don’t be a hero (as mentioned above). As you go on, Tylenol will probably be just fine, then you can taper off of that. I hope you are starting to feel a bit better.

send us some updated photos when your legs turn colors

 

[missy]

Adding something I forgot. Ice was very helpful to Greg’s healing process. We rented a special ice contraption that did an amazing job with cold and compression. The surgeon had it sent to our home and Greg used it for at least 2-3 weeks after the surgery. It took an enormous amount of ice. Greg said he’d use it again for his next knee replacement.

 

[missy]

@whitewave Found the name and a photo of it. Game Ready Cryo cuff.
Maybe ask your surgeon about this? It really sped up Greg's healing process according to his surgeon.

 

[whitewave]

They sent me home with two “ice men”. Lol

Thanks, everyone and merry Christmas to you all. I started PT today (can’t drive yet so college kid drove me). I very slowly did the recumbent bike for 10 mins.



I can already bend my right leg 100 degrees and the left isn’t that far behind. Same with stretching them out. My therapist said I’m going to do great and will be back to normal in no time.

 

[whitewave]

@ringo865 it might be cool to see the color progression of my legs lol. I’ll definitely keep you all posted.

So with pain management, I’m still on full dose of Percocet during the day and a half dose at night so far.

 

[ringo865]

Wow, WW, you go! You’ll have as many miles on your recumbent as Missy/Greg in no time!

 

[KristinTech]

Great update about PT! I hope your kids help to motivate you to do your stretches and exercises over break. Merry Christmas!

 

[whitewave]

Ok. Well. I’m still glad I had them both done at the same time.

sleeping is an issue. I have very bad nights.

yesterday, at my 2 week appt, I had to have 150cc of fluid drained off my right knee. She put me on antibiotics to make sure I don’t get an infection. She said she isn’t worried— this is just something that happens after surgery.

my pain was intense and bad yesterday

 

[mrs-b]

Ok. Well. I’m still glad I had them both done at the same time.

sleeping is an issue. I have very bad nights.

yesterday, at my 2 week appt, I had to have 150cc of fluid drained off my right knee. She put me on antibiotics to make sure I don’t get an infection. She said she isn’t worried— this is just something that happens after surgery.

my pain was intense and bad yesterday

I'm so sorry the pain hasn't become more manageable, @whitewave. How is your mobility? And how is the PT going? Draining fluid has got to help - I can't imagine everything you're going through, then adding swelling and heat from swelling.... Gees louise....

By the way - you have lovely ankles, for what that's worth!

I was given I/V dilaudid (hydromorphone) when my two spinal discs ruptured and pierced my meninges. I was taken to hospital and they couldn't reach my surgeon, so I had to wait around 18 hours for my surgery. Worst 18 hours of my life. I/V dilaudid is similar in effect to heroin - somewhat stronger, but very similar feel: warmth where it goes in, then you feel it as it travels up your vein, then a rush as it hits your brain, then...floating in white light. Instant nirvana. @missy - as with Greg, morphine did nothing for me, but dilaudid was the silver bullet. It works very quickly, then wears off suddenly after a few hours. I had 4-5 doses over a 12 hour period and came out of hospital knowing I could never, ever take it again. I've never been a dependent type of personality, but this stuff was just irresistible. I knew it at the time, and I still know it now. I remember exactly what it felt like and it was just too strong for this kid to ever revisit.

@whitewave - I check in on this thread regularly and am thinking of you and hoping you round a corner soon. Very soon. Like - now!

Happy new year, and best wishes for a waaaaaay less painful 2021!

 

[whitewave]

Thank you @mrs-b

My poor ankles have been MIA since the surgery and now I have Fred Flintstone legs, ankles and feet. I miss my ankles.

Aside from the pain, which apparently is normal and expected, my bending and straightening is better than most at this point.

I was able to bend to 100 degrees on my first day of PT, which they all marveled at lol. The goal is 125 so.... nearly there.

its important to fight against the scar tissue and to push (though not overdo it).

just uugh

I have an 11 carat oval aqua I want to bandy settings with other people, but I’m so messed up, I can’t get up to take pics to make the post. It’s going to be a pendant eventually.

 

[AprilBaby]

Your 100 degrees is phenomenal! The pain for me peaked at 7 weeks and then by 10 I was fine. Keep ahead of the meds. Don’t get discouraged by PT. I couldn’t get straight on the left for a year. I almost redid the surgery and now I’m glad I didn’t because its fine. Swelling will take a long time. You will have ankles this time next year! Don’t expect too much too soon or you will get discouraged.

 

[whitewave]

Your 100 degrees is phenomenal! The pain for me peaked at 7 weeks and then by 10 I was fine. Keep ahead of the meds. Don’t get discouraged by PT. I couldn’t get straight on the left for a year. I almost redid the surgery and now I’m glad I didn’t because its fine. Swelling will take a long time. You will have ankles this time next year! Don’t expect too much too soon or you will get discouraged.

Oh thank you for that. My cousin is about 8 weeks ahead of me (but she did one), so it’s been helpful to ask her stuff. She highly recommends sleeping with the ice men on, and it did help to take me off the edge during the night. But I kicked off the top of one, so I just had the kids turn it off and disconnect me. Luckily, they were up and in the kitchen at 3:30 am and this bedroom is next to the kitchen...

I do need to get my meds tweaked. I’m going to sit down with DH tomorrow and see if we can get a plan. My cousin also said her pain left around week 9, so it’s completely unrealistic of me to think I shouldn’t have pain now. I am not used to a surgery with such a long recovery. I usually Just bounce up by now, and it hit me yesterday that I still need to be cared for.

I’m a battle-hardened surgeon’s wife. I am independent and strong. I am not used to having to ask for help, Uugh. My kids for the most part have been really good at caregiving; they have also been very motivating and using a lot of thoughtful and caring words, so I’m really proud of their good natures.

 

[Myshinybestlife]

1 Joint replacement surgery takes a while to recover. Double knee replacement is no joke. It may seem like a life time ago, but your surgery was just 2 weeks ago. Enjoy the care you are getting. It hard for people who are usually on the side of caring for everyone to accept it when they need it. Take it day by day, hope fully each day becomes a bit easier than the last. Remember surgery on on a body part you rely on for mobility is more difficult because you start using them almost immediately. In a few weeks you will look back and wonder where the pain went ❤

 

[whitewave]

My left ankle is trying to say hello today!


my suture line is held together by this that is called the “zip line”. They want it to stay on until Wednesday; but if it comes off before then, it’s ok.

I finally got some decent sleep with a dream this morning, so I’m feeling a bit better and the pain is low.

also a friend showed up yesterday with some tincture she made for me. I think that has helped a lot. That’s a good friend— one who makes a tincture for you because they feel bad you have pain.

 

[whitewave]

1 Joint replacement surgery takes a while to recover. Double knee replacement is no joke. It may seem like a life time ago, but your surgery was just 2 weeks ago. Enjoy the care you are getting. It hard for people who are usually on the side of caring for everyone to accept it when they need it. Take it day by day, hope fully each day becomes a bit easier than the last. Remember surgery on on a body part you rely on for mobility is more difficult because you start using them almost immediately. In a few weeks you will look back and wonder where the pain went ❤

Thank you! Yes, I need to print your post out and tape it to my bathroom window.

I really need to accept and understand that this was really two major
Surgeries and that the surgery was 7 months after my gastric sleeve.... so 3 major surgeries in 7 months.

 

[whitewave]

Btw, my big event for today is to get a shower in, so say a little prayer for me that I can get this accomplished.

 

[missy]

Btw, my big event for today is to get a shower in, so say a little prayer for me that I can get this accomplished.

Good luck @whitewave!