Hello All

I'm home with my first bionic knee. Discharged yesterday after having op on Friday. Everything went well and the surgeon is very pleased with the way things went. He said it was no wonder I had been in so much pain. There was a lot of inflammation and the back of the knee cap had completely worn away. I was walking bone on bone. Now the long road to recovery. My whole leg is currently three times its normal size and very pretty colours but I am assured that by the weekend it will have reached its worst and then start to recede.

Trying to get into a routine with negotiating stairs, showers, and exercises. Lots of equipment at home to help me. The most ingenious and my new best friend is the "leg puller". It is a strap which I put around my foot and a strap around my wrist and it allows me to pull my dead leg all over the place. Unfortunately at the moment I have no muscle control above my knee so without this I would not be able to get in and out of bed etc.

Feeling good and optimistic and so glad to be back home. I was admitted to a private hospital and the food was wonderful if only I had felt like eating it. It was a never ending round of "what would you like to eat or drink" to the point I was getting sick of cups of tea and food and normally there is no stopping me. Pity I was too ill to enjoy it.

One thing which did frighten me was that on the Sunday morning I injected with Methotrexate. By the evening I could not sleep and my temperature shot up. Of couse everyone was concerned about infection but it suddenly dawned on me it could be the Methotrexate. Windows were opened and fans were brought in and they managed to get my temperature down. Horrible Methotrexate.

Anyway just thought I would keep you posted on my progress.

Take care

Jackie
xx

Hi Jackie,

So pleased to hear that things have gone well and you certainly sound positive.

Good luck with the recovery.

Anne x

Hi Jackie,

Glad you are now home and it all went well for you.
Having just learned that my right knee is now bone on bone I'll be following your recovery with interest!
Hope it all goes smoothly for you now.

Love, Doreen xx

hi Jackie,

glad all went well and you are now at home,

know the feeling of bone on bone with knee's .. both mine are with Osteo.

but i'm managing for now as couldn't face anything else otherthan getting my RA sorted.

wishing you a speedy recovery and back walking quickly.

take care,

Suzanne x

Glad you are home Jackie. Hope the technicoloured leg is improving and you are feeling a bit better each day XX Ailsa

good to hear your opp went well hope you continue to improve

Thank you for all your kind replies. Leg and foot is now massive but managing to keep pain under control with Tramadol and paracetemol. Doing exercises three times a day as instructed by physio and keep moving every hour. Lot of ice packs to keep the swelling down as much as possible. The hardest part in sleeping on my back but you do get used to it.

Lyn - My surgeon did not want me to stop the Methotrexate as he said it would be no use to me if I had a flare as well as coping with the new knee. He said he would rather pump me full of antibiotics before, during and after the operation instead to keep infection at bay which he has done.

Just spoken to my Rheumatology team and told them how ill the Methotrexate injections are making me feel. I also now have a really sore mouth. They have said it is no use carrying on with them if they make me so ill. As most of my pain is mechanical in my knees they have suggested that I go back on the tablets and see how I get on. I am so pleased with this as I think the injections were far too toxic for me.

Can't wait for next Wednesday when I have the 30 staples out as I am sure this will make my knee much more comfortable.

Will keep you posted.

Regards

Jackie

Hello Jackie,

So pleased the op has been and gone for you. Now the road to recovery.
Enjoy being waited on.


Rose

Phew what a day.

Had the 30 staples taken out of my knee today. Oooh it hurt in places. Luckily I had a wonderful nurse who took her time and gave me lots of water to drink to replace the sweat which was coming out of every pore. The scar looks very neat and has healed well so that is a blessing.

Then onto first session of Physio. I almost have a straight leg. I need another 5 degrees on the straightening. The bending is not so good. Has gone from 90 degrees to 75 degrees but my knee is very swollen so they are not unhappy with me. The physio (a man) was lovely and put me completely at ease. He mainly did an assessment of where I am at the moment and gave me a few different exercises to do. Next week the torture starts. I am told that I have a long road to recovery ahead of me, mainly because my fitness from the RA was not good before the operation. My main concern is that I am unable to lift my leg from a lying position. Therefore I have to use a "leg puller" to get in and out of bed and the shower etc. Again I have to wait for the muscles and nerves to come back to life.

The biggest problem was getting in and out of the car. The seat was right back and we have quite a long car but I have bruises on my bum from sitting on the handbrake trying to get in and out.

I am now back in bed absolutely shattered but pleased that I managed to get through the morning. It was the first time I have been out since I was discharged so that was strange in itself.

Will keep you posted on my progress.

Jackie
xx

Well done Jackie!

It's early days yet for the nerves and muscles but if you keep up with the physio you'll get there!

Have a well earned rest now!

Love, Doreen xx