Noticeable RE-recovery

7+ months total knee replacement post op, and 2 months after the car accident where my knees impacted on the dashboard.  The swelling is just about gone, and  pivoting or walking sideways, the left knee doesn't make me come to a screeching halt, gasping in pain.

I would say I'm back to where I was 6 months post op. Only taking the anti-inflammatory in the morning, and occasional OTC strength paracetamol/ibuprofen if needed (aka I over did it).  Still have the prescription strength, but just going to shelve those.

Now, I just have to make sure that just because I feel better, that I don't over do it.  I would rather take a bit of care now, and not have another setback.

I find it so shocking at how people in the U.S. are given pain management medication for just a few weeks, 4 if they're lucky.  Why won't the doctors prescribe the kind that can't be used to get stoned?  No withdrawal when I stopped taking them after 3 months. 

Week 9 Post Op

It seems the different dressing, a pressure dressing, is stopping the over-granulation, so I won't need silver nitrate injections to 'level it'.  That's a mercy! Also, the inflammation due to waterproof dressing and solocite has gone way down.

Wound debrided, area swabbed, new double padded pressure dressing applied.

Go back Friday for re-assessment. (Yes, Wing I know, it's a right pain in the ass but I do try to get the appointments as early as possible or as late as possible. There is no magic wand or potion. )

8 Weeks Post Op

Went back to the doc for reassessment.  The tissue has filled up to skin level.  It's a bit over-granulated, so change of dressing. No more waterproof ones, we have to let the wound 'dry' without scabbing over.  Now, it has reached skin level, and it needs to 'skin over'. The doc wants me to have flexibility, not a stiff hard scar that could tear itself or skin around it when stretched.

I go back on Monday.

Well, that was disappointing

Now that I found an 'anti-gravity device' I can wear (exercise bra, with straps that X across the back, missing the healing surgical wound) tt seems my 8 weeks recovering from shoulder surgery has pretty much set my fitness level back to almost where it was when I first started my daily walks.  Maybe not that bad, because I was still able to do the entire route, but I was plodding like and old horse the last 100 meters or so.

*sigh*  So, not at square one... maybe square 3?

Another 6 Week Post-Op check up

Had to go back early because of the dressing springing a 'leak' from people poking, patting or pushing on it. (It's that cosmic rule, if any part of your body is hurt or injured, it becomes a magnet for being touched or poked)

It was 'fixed' on Tuesday, but had to go back today. Fun part! Dressing removed, wound cleaned of 'uses' solugel/intrasite gel, waited for Dr H to come take a peek.  It's still healing, but there was a bit more granulation than the doctors liked. *sigh*  Wound debrided, rinsed with sterile saline, gel daubed back into it, waterproof dressing reapplied.

Ok, wound is still about the size of an almond, but only 2mm deep now.  I am getting a bit rashy under the dressing, but I get that with all bandaging. Skin is a bit sensitive to the adhesive.  Don't care, told the nurse, I would rather deal with a bit of itch, than another dressing leakage.  Anyhow, I can't reach there to scratch. :D Go back in another week for another dressing change and assessment. 

I'm just waiting for the day we can 'allow' it to scab over and use a regular bandaid on it.

Not unexpected

Wing 's knee is hurting him more today than it had been in the past few. I was completely unsympathetic this time. His knee was getting and feeling better, he was told by the physio-terrorist to take it easy, what and when he could do exercises , but he stupidly chose to ignore all of that and go his merry. Now, he pays the price.

yeah yeah, all right, I'm not so hard hearted, but he did get a right proper verbal reaming from me, and every time he tried to weasel out of it by trying to rationalize his idiotic behavior.

And here we thought we had gotten through his thick skull

I just got off the phone with Wing. First thing out of him mouth was "Please don't be mad at me."

Like that augurs well?

What, says I.

He informs me he tries a few 'gentle aikido moves', and the sheer pain of it brought tears to his eyes, and almost dropped him to the floor.

Ok, Friends of Wing.. have the f**k at him!