The Bends

My knee replacement was 5 weeks ago today and I haven’t been nearly as good at posting about it as I was with my hip replacements. Some of this is because I have been very busy with work, but much of it feels as though it has all been said before. Having said that, I have looked back at 5 weeks post op on both my other ops and I am much further forward in many ways.

There are some things that I keep meaning to mention – more for my own memory later. My scar is about 8 inches long vertically down my left leg over my knee. It is really quite neat considering the 34 clips that came out of it 3 weeks ago. That stung! It is incredibly sensitive and feels as though all nerve endings are there. I am living in cut down jeans as I can’t bear a skirt or trousers touching it and lying in bed at night is hard trying to keep the sheet from touching it, but also keeping warm. The physio suggested massaging with cream to habituate it, but while firm pressure is not too bad, the light touch of fabric, a stroke, even a breeze, is very painful – not just in my knee but through my leg and right back into my spine.

It is also not my only scar. I noticed post op that I had a blister or two beside it and I think I may have been burned by a laser knife – those scars are still there. In addition one of the pads on my chest where the ECG machine was attached burned and blistered. I have an oval of burn scars that are now pink on my skin and look as though I’ve been bitten! No marks at all from the other ECG pads. Very strange!

My knee does hurt – it is much worse I think than the hips, although noticing how far I have come in comparison to those ops it may be that I am both doing and expecting too much. I am taking 6 Tramadol in 24 hours to combat the pain in my knee and my spine, which is much worse again. On the other hand, I am doing everything for myself. While I have’t been walking because my knee still swells quickly and painfully, I was told last week I could go swimming and have been 4 times since. It is wonderful! The exercises are much easier, though still sore, in the water but my back barely hurts at all. I hate having to get out.

I moved from a crutch last week to just my stick a couple of days ago and also have driven the automatic car a couple of times for short distances (down to town and the doctors). It is sore, but my back is probably worse. Otherwise it is the constant sticking prickle from the scar that bothers me.

The bends though – I’m very happy. I haven’t done my exercises quite as recommended by physio., but they are happy. I exercise more in line with a yoga technique of bend then relax into it and push just a little bit more. Last week at physio I had again a 0 extension and a 95degree bend. This week I’m aiming for 110 degrees and I think with the help of the swimming I will get there and also he will be happy with the strength that is building up. It is sore but much less so that previously and the stiffness through the day gets better. It is really only morning and later at night when I am tired that are worst.

Although night time can be a bit rough. I can no longer lie on either side again for long – my spine pain rather than anything else, but neither can I stay on  y back for long. There is no consistent way to relieve the pain or sleep so it all depends very much on the day. We are getting 2 reasonable nights (though this is still waking every hour) out of 3 – but 2 nights ago we gave up and got up at 5am.

I have seen a spinal specialist now, although I’m still waiting to hear about a weight bearing x ray. I see him again end of October – assuming I’ve had that x ray! I would really like to see him before given how much worse it is becoming, but I’m not sure that is going to work out. 

We go on holiday in 10 days now – to nice flat accessible Devon!! Great choice when I – and my mother – can’t walk. I suspect I am going to have to move my mind set from the young adventurer to the old cream tea mentality from now on.