Four Days After Knee Replacement, At home and Adjusting

(WARNING:  at the end of this article I post a pic of my wound and stitches.   It doesnt look bad but if you dont like pics of wounds, you may want to stop halfway through reading this.)  I got released from the hospital yesterday and while its great to be home there are new adjustments that need to made.  The sofa I am sleeping on is lower than the hospital bed, as well as all the chairs, so figuring out how to get up and down from it was a new challenge.   And while this may be TMI, figuring out how to sit on a toilet lower than a hospital one was also a challenge.  I stick the operated leg out as far as I can straight, pull the non-operated close to the toilet, lean against the wall and slowly slide down, hoping that I don't jar the injured leg.  Its a very elegant sight!

Just being home was exhausting so luckily I slept better than I had been at the hospital.  I still woke about every two to three hours, visited the bathroom and did my exercices but was then able to get back to sleep.   Had much more sleep last night than any previous night since the surgery.   Pain is becoming less - I haven't had a Percocet since last night (still on Celebrex) but will probably give in and take one this afternoon.

I got up at 6:30 am this morning, had breakfast and did some bending exercises.  That tired me out!  I then took a two hour nap!   I going to try to stay awake now until something close to bedtime but no promises.

The challenge now is to get some bend in my leg.  I am able to get it quite straight (which is the opposite of my experience with my partial knee replacement) but still cannot get a 90 degree bend.  Am trying to at least get close today.   You can see in this pic that I have a ways to go until I have  90 degree bend.

I am using a dog leash wrapped around my foot to help me pull the foot closer to the body to complete what the therapists call "heel slides".  Each time I get closer but still not there.

This surgery they placed a drain in my leg which has helped minimize the bruising.   I have some bruising under my knee and at the drain hole but not much more than that.  I have bruising also inside my elbows where they took their daily blood draw.  Not bad though.

The wound is healing well.  I just keep some light gauze on it and an ace bandage and there is no drainage or bleeding.  Still keeping a close eye on it for increased heat or drainage as a sign of infection.  Looks good so far.    Home therapy comes tomorrow and will continue until next week when I start outpatient.  Considering how difficult it was to get in and out of the car with a leg that only goes straight, I think the home therapy was a good idea.    And now the wound pic!