My Refurbished Knee

As many friends, family, other regular readers and solvers of my last Weekend Quick Cryptic Crossword will know, I had an operation for a partial knee replacement 2 1/2 weeks ago. Time for an update... 

Well after I got that letter and then an update to ask me to come in for 7am on 20th July, I got a call on Friday 17th July evening saying as they were completing the update to the theatre suite (which had been closed for 3 months for the) they found they had some problem with the anaesthetic equipment, but that they hoped to get it fixed over the weekend. Did I want to be put on standby for the Monday or did I want the surgery rescheduled? Naturally I chose the former. My new admission time was to be 11:30 am on the Monday. On the Sunday I got a call saying they still had testing to do and that I'd get a call on the Monday morning. I did and they told me they hoped to get the testing done by 11am and to wait for another call. Eventually at 11:20 I got the call to come in. Hooray!

I was very well looked after and comfortable in ward F4. As it was the first day of operations for 3 months, the ward was quite quiet. I was persuaded to have a general anaesthetic (although I could have opted for an epidural) and I was wheeled into the operating theatre at about 2pm. I was quickly out for the count and woke up in recovery about an hour and a half later. My vital signs were fine and I was soon back on the ward. It was very peaceful and I had a bed near the window. Lovely sunshine and a gentle breeze through the open window and I slept reasonably well.

On the Tuesday morning I had an assessment by Ian, one of the physiotherapists. I was able to walk with a walker and then crutches and was shown how to go up and down stairs. After 15 minutes of so Ian said I was OK to go home! I just needed the medical discharge and Dawn could come and collect me so I was home within 24 hours of the operation.

My recovery was steady. I was glad of the painkillers, though! I managed most of my exercises OK (although I struggled a bit with the knee flexion one) and was soon walking outdoors with just a walking pole. I stopped using the crutches indoors altogether after about a week.

This Monday it was time to get my staples out. Thank-you District Nurse Vicky for that. I was able to walk to and from the doctors' surgery for it. I was left with another lighter dressing to cover the wound...

On Tuesday I joined Joyce's Walking Group for the first half a mile or so of their walk and spent a few hours in Southwold while they did it. (See here). Although I was stopping every 10 minutes or so for a rest I ended up walking rather further than I'd planned (well I just had to get to the end of the pier, didn't I?), finishing the day with over 10000 steps done. I was a bit tired and sore after that!

Yesterday I removed the dressing and had my first shower. Here is my Frankenstein's monster-like scar.

I had appointments set up for a knee surgery physiotherapy clinic each Thursday through August, so went along for my first one. Sarah the physiotherapist seemed genuinely impressed that I could do all the exercises with ease and walk normally without a stick. She said I could come back if I wanted to, but could be discharged... so that was my first and last knee surgery clinic! I'm now nearly there with knee flexion and yesterday afternoon I did a short walk without taking my walking pole.

This was my walk this morning without my pole...

I was quite pleased with that - a decent pace for 1/2 hour without stopping.

So now it's a matter of continuing the exercises and walking 3 times a day (I now have 10 different exercises to do) and gradually building up the walking time and distance.

All good progress. My final appointment will be with the surgery unit on 2nd September but I'm going to see if I can be allowed to drive (I drive and automatic and the operation was on my left leg which I don't need for driving) before that.

So thank-you Mr Schenk for the lovely job and all the cheerful and helpful NHS staff who made my hospital stay so comfortable. I'm looking forward to being able to walk with Joyce's Walking group again next month - fingers crossed!