If you read yesterday's lament about my swollen knee, you will perhaps be happy to know that a good night's sleep in the cold basement did help me wake up feeling better. My knee and lower leg have teetered on the edge of starting to swell again today, but I've used ice when I felt my knee heating up and have, for the most part, kept the swelling down to the bare minimum today. I'm still very puzzled as to what brought this on so suddenly, but perhaps I'll never know. All I can do is to keep doing what I've been told to do, to try to eat and sleep as well as I can, and I'll just hope for the best.
Today was a very quiet day for us. I went upstairs three different times today doing laundry, to take a shower, and to take an afternoon nap. I guess going up and down the staircase counts as exercise, doesn't it? And that reminds me to mention that Stan has now installed a hand rail on the wall side of the staircase leading up to the top floor. Even though I have been using a cane when I climb the stairs, I'm now able to use the handrails (holding on to each side), so that makes it just a little bit easier to climb up and down. I did exercises today, but I did the old set of home physical therapy exercises. They just seem to give me a better workout without causing residual pain, so that's what I did!!
Stan also suggested I mention a few other small topics that have been important to me in my recovery. They may not be of interest to other TKR patients, but if I ever do this again (for my right knee), it will be useful to have a reminder for myself. So today's topic will be knee bandages. For the first ten days following my hospital release, my daughter-in-law changed my knee dressing when she came to give me my Lovenox shot. By the end of that time, my incision was dry and she told me to leave the bandage off during the day, so that's what I did. I continued, however, to have Stan tape a bandage back over my knee every night, and you know what? I'm still doing that. Now I realize that nothing will probably bother my knee anymore, but until all the scabbing is completely gone (and it's almost, but not quite, gone), I feel more comfortable with my knee covered. To save money, however, we are using Curad Non-Stick Pads (8 x 3 inches) and Johnson & Johnson Hurt-Free Paper Tape. The tape really is hurt-free so pulling it off in the morning is like pulling sticky-note off your skin--barely perceptible. This has been a cheaper alternative than the more sophisticated bandages that have the adhesive on the bandage itself. I plan to use these maybe 3-5 more days, or until there are no more scabs. I'm just particular, and I don't want all my tossing and turning at night (I'm a VERY restless sleeper) to do anything to the incision. I know it's no longer necessary, but it makes me feel better, so I do it.
Tomorrow will be a busy day--babysitting the granddaughters, physical therapy, shopping for presents. Time for bed, and here's hoping there's no swelling to complicate the full schedule.
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