Knee replacement. Help!

Charley - Thanks! The £59.99 one from Argos I found via Amazon. I'm hoping someone has tried it so I can get feedback prior to buying.

District Nurse ( they still exist?!) coming today, time unspecified, to remove staples. I'll ask her about strangulating stockings and 'plumbing'.
Three neighbours want details of the very local but little advertised 'Continence Clinic' . I only discovered it when asked if I wanted NHS pads by a SW. Needs GP referral.

Last self injection out of the way last night. Visiting DS was appalled when I needed help - to remove the plastic shield from the needle!! Doh! He did kindly bring me up an ice pack this morning ?

When I had my shower installed and I was having to re-tile the bathroom anyway, I decided that I would buy a raised loo for the bathroom as well as for downstairs and those are the best items that I have ever spent money on.

Physio seemed more useful today. Sorry to hear about 'plumbing' problems. Can't say I had any and I had an epidural too. Are you due to see a Dr any time soon?
I did wish I had a trolley at first but would have discarded it by now. Don't waste money on things that might be only of short term benefit. My raised toilet seat/throne is staying forever though!

Elrel please be careful re trolleys- some will barely hold a few cups etc. Make sure that yours is sort of heavy duty as I am assuming that you want it to take part of your weight? You should google Amazon and see what turns up. I bought my shower stool on line and it is adjustable as well as being able to take a reasonable weight without collapsing.

TMI : Friend also mentioned that any 'plumbing' problems could be due to epidural interesting that!

ROH have great physios. Tend to tell you what to do and watch you it, I've had no manipulation.
I've got a rather too low bath stool SS brought. Tried it pre-op. Not keen. I was offered bath handles/rails but my walls proved unsuitable ?
Just looked online for a table trolley, friend says hers was a big help and has lent it since to many others. We don't live near each other, unfortunately! Has anyone got experience of the Argos one at £59.99?

A bath board fits across the bath. You can sit on it and use the shower attachment to shower yourself. It feels a bit precarious but I couldn't climb into the bath itself. I was supplied it by the hospital.
DH said I got my knee to 90 degrees at the w/e (he was watching me exercise) physio only got it to 70 last week. Am due back at physio today. Groan. She's not much good. Just pushes and pulls my leg about.

Fancy a boiled egg or two for breakfast!

Jane - sorry, 4 x 1 hour silly me!
My knew only bent to 75% yesterday. First time it's been measured.
First night ok, thanks I stayed a bit propped up, Slept enough I think.
What is a Bath board? Walk in would be great but I can't face the thought of having builders in at present.

Elrel well done so far. I almost wish I had a physio class instead of individual session once a week. Mind you I don't think I could manage a 2 hour session. My knee just doesn't want to bend much. Reading about it, its quite common. I can't help thinking that when/if the swelling goes down it should improve. I persevere with the exercises though. My pre op exercises have given me vg quads strength so I have full straightening and feel very stable as I walk.
Our over bath shower makes showering scary and I dread it. Have you got a bath board? I couldn't manage without one. The plumber is removing the bath and fitting a walk in shower enclosure in early December. Is this something you should try to do too?
Anyway best wishes brave person. First night on your own. Hope you sleep well.

Tuesday I went back to the hospital to explore physio.. I've got 4x2 hour group classes beginning next week. I went a little wobbly at walking alone into Out Patitents, hospital volunteers are wonderful, there just when needed. One walked with me to the gym where friendly firm physios awaited us.
Tonight is being my first night alone in the house.Seems to be going ok, usual ' skips' to the loo every few hours. My carers are nice, hardworking, this morning we're planning a shower.
Very much wish I'd had a walk in shower and downstairs loo installed before I had the op. They would make quite a difference, as would have done more, and more determined, knee exercises.
Yes, I know, everyone told me I needed these things, I just had to find out for myself ...

Good news Elrel! It really is tiring at first so give yourself permission to rest lots. You don't have to do much beyond your exercises. I trust someone is doing your shopping and helping out with the housework?

Completely exhausted by my first day at home! Pain only when I change position. I was quite active at first pottering about. Then had a couple of SW visitors. Kind cousin came with a meal and I discovered stairs were ok. I have handrails both sides, sticks at the top and bottom so should be ok when on my own.
Carer coming tomorrow morning.

I can only sleep on my back. Not great. I seem to sleep in 3 or 4 hour bursts and end up getting up very early as I'm so uncomfortable on my back. Its OK though as I can make myself a nice coffee and read until DH gets up.
I did a lot of exercises to strengthen my quads before the op which I reckon helps my mobility. Knee bending is still not great though. Maybe if if they were bendier I'd be less stable? I don't know. Off to do another bout of torture exercises!

Jane10 I am amazed that you are no longer taking painkillers and can walk around indoors without sticks etc. after 2 weeks.

At that stage I could bend my knee to 110 degrees easily but had mega problems walking and certainly could not without 2 crutches. Also I was in a lot of pain which was not touched by painkillers.

Can you sleep at night? I could lie on my operated side but nowhere else was comfortable. This is not an operation for the faint hearted.

Thanks Deedaa. I'm now 2 weeks out of hospital. DH was helpfully pointing out the progress I've made -no painkillers, usually no stick and doing everything for myself as well as little jobs round the house. It was hard for me to see as I'm sort of stuck mentally -I can't ever get away from this big stiff heavy thing. The thought of 4 more weeks stuck in here is not great. However, surely if I've improved this much in 2 weeks I'll be much better by then as I emerge blinking back into my old life (fingers crossed!)

Stick with the bending Jane10 it really will get better. I'm the world's worst at keeping up any sort of excercises but I did make an effort with my knees.

'Clunking' is the best description I can manage of the feeling of moving around, no sound involved except the thumping of the two sticks!
Jane, with my leg it seems to be wide bands of bruising, and sometimes swelling, restrictiing movement, especially above the thigh. The bruising is today a lot more yellow and less purple/blue so progressing ok.
The Filipino staff say I have 'champagne legs' ! You should Imagine the fizzy bubbles coming from my toes. It's a polite way of describing normal ankles and lower legs topped by fat thighs.

I know a couple of people who's knees clunk, not painful, but you can feel it if you hold the knee whilst flexing it.Surgeon said he could fix it if it was painful or bothered me. According to internet it is tissue being caught in the joint.

Mine doesn't clunk at all I just feel that I'm 'clunking' about generally as I manoeuvre myself about. It just feels like part of me but with bands of steel restricting movement.

I have never heard anyone else's replacement anything clunk at all.

That is one thing that my knee replacement does not do!

A friend came for coffee and whilst we were sitting chatting, I kept hearing a clunking noise.
I was just about to ask her if she could hear it too, was it something outside when I realised that she had had hip replacements.

18 months on and my knee still clunks, but doesn't bother me . I asked the physio about it last week and she said it was quite common.

I know what you mean by 'clunking' Elrel! That's exactly how I feel. Glad you're up and about and able to visit your 'nieghbour'. Blimey he's like the 6 million dollar man.
Home soon? Tomorrow will be my 2 week anniversary of getting home. Mostly no sticks around the house. Really trying with the bending but its very sore and stiffens ++ after a session of it.