When my husband had his TKR after the op you wake up with your leg totally wrapped up and completely numb. You get the feeling back 24-36 hours. He said he had no pain. They got him up walking on day 3 with sticks and you must NEVER pivot on that leg ever. You will understand why and know if you do. They try to get you to bend your leg 90 degrees. It took my husband 18 months to bend it that much. You must also NEVER kneel on it. He says it was the best operation he ever had done and it has given him a new lease of life. He even drove home on day 5. The hospital don't know that to this day. He also said you will work out your own way getting in and out of the car. I can vouch for this. Took him ages. You'll catch up on your favorite authors too. Its a long recovery but well worth. There's also loads of information on the internet. Bonne chance
It's you dreaming Vic, Pete's on the morph and he ain't gonna sleep whilst he's having a buzz. Bring in the rock, nice bit of Jimi H., some Floyd. Use it well, but please avoid the wild dancing for a day or two.
I have a drain from th knee to a plastic botttle to which a pump is fitted - the bottle fills after a couple of hours and the blood is fed back into my system - the blood/ morphine mix helps to reduce the pain.
Good news. You might have a morphine “pump”. Use it when necessary. Now you can relax. Healing and recovery are starting . My husband had an electric contraption to flex his knee automatically a little more everyday. Very useful. Good night and bon courage!
How brave of you Peter...to be awake through it all...I'm really glad that I was away with the fairies through my operation. I rather liked having such a deep sleep as I'd not slept well for weeks prior to that... I wasn't nauseous...and I don't recall any pain...I had a large ice bag on my knee. I don't think the long white stocking do a lot for your legs...they'll never catch on :-)
Onward and upward...best of luck with your physio...oh and you'll probably have a daily session with a machine on your bed to exercise your leg...go with it...it'll help with your recovery.
I managed to get changed into a real shirt ! The pathetic nighties they give you for the op disintegrated and as for the cotton underpants.....started talking like John Inman for a while !
Taken to the theatre at 1320 and went in for the op at 1410, came out of the op at 1600 and stayed an hour in the recovery ward.
An interesting experience, not really what I was expecting but ok. The nurses put up a screen so I couldn't see much. I was wide awake and had no feeling from the belly button down. I heard the sounds of a saw and a hammer !!! Iheard te sound of a staple gun at the end. That was it ! I felt comfortable during the op but qute stressed the couple of hours leading up to the big moment. The epidural started to lose it's effect about ten minutes after arriving in the recovery ward. Full use of the limbs followed about two hours post op. No pain to report for the first hour then slight pain in the knee area. Three hors on and the knee is getting stiff. I have a drain fitted and the collected blood is being transfused back into the body. I was allowed food a short while ago but no food yet ! Apparently it depends on me passing water !
Interesting stuff. I believe the physio starts in the morning.
The advantages of the epidural are clear - less post op pain plus less nausea to name but two