Everyone keeps asking me how this knee replacement experience compares to the previous one, and all I can say is that I don't really know. Yes, I kept pretty good records about my previous TKR, both here in the blog and in my diary, but the procedures differ in so many ways that it's hard to compare. Last time, at this point 12 days post-op, I hadn't even started outpatient PT yet. I'd been in the hospital two nights instead of one, and I'd barely left the house after coming home from the hospital. I hadn't taken a real shower yet, and I was still sleeping on the day bed in Stan's office.
This time, it was one night in the hospital, out of the house several times for outpatient PT, out to eat, have moved back upstairs, have taken showers, and have had a tiny "party" here for some teacher friends. So, it sounds like things are going better this time. But it's still hard for me to judge. On the one hand, I feel that my knee is stiffer than it was last time; however, giving myself the benefit of the doubt, my right knee was in worse shape, much worse shape, to begin with. I've been walking around with a stiff "peg-leg" for a long time so there was no bend to begin with. I'm trying, though. I'm really trying to get some flexibility back into my right knee, but I have to be honest and say that it can be pretty painful. Still, I have done my exercises today. In the morning I did the basic routine, but in the afternoon I did all the exercises and yes, my knee and leg are stiff this evening, but that's the only way to recover, so I'll keep doing the exercises.
Stan went briefly to the grocery this morning because we decided we wanted BLTs for lunch. We had lots of bacon but hadn't bought any fresh produce since before my surgery, so off he went to buy some lettuce and tomatoes along with a few other snacky type things. I had the bacon ready to go when he got home, so it wasn't long before we were enjoying our sandwiches--yummy!
It was a long, quiet afternoon. I read, dozed, read more, did exercises all before Stan fixed dinner for us. We watched the last episode of a BBC docuseries, 1900 Island, while eating, then had a short Skype session with the older son and grandchildren. Not much remains now except to go to bed.
As for medicine, I quite torn about what to take tonight. Should I take a Percocet (haven't had one since Thursday) in the hopes it will soothe my leg enough to allow me to sleep, or should I take a couple of Tylenol PM in the expectation that it will make me sleep? I just don't know, but I do know I need a good night's sleep!
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