Early Post-Op Musings

Centipede or TKR incision?

Here I am, Day 2 post-op, and I am home fading in and out of consciousness as I write this. My hospital stay was uneventful, and I was discharged about 24 hours after I had surgery. My lovely scar is a little different than most total knee replacement (TKR, for short) scars as my surgeon followed my old ACL incision to ensure good healing. Remarkably (according to friends and family), I have been a compliant patient. I wake myself every 4 hours to take pain medication and, as a result, I have slept well and feel pretty good.

Today was my first day of physical therapy and my favorite part was Corey’s cold hands. Seriously! The cold felt great on my knee and leg. My motion was -4 to 86 degrees, and my leg is quite swollen and very heavy (I am unable to lift it). Soreness around my lower thigh where the tourniquet was is the most bothersome and I take muscle relaxers to alleviate this pain.

Overall I am pleasantly surprised with my first few days. Now I just need to find a job that I can safely perform under the influence of Percocet. Any suggestions?