Broken knee. Operation tomorrow. Anyone been through similar?

[Spidermama]

I have two fractures in my femur and tibia a depressed fracture in the top of my tibia. They're going to put a plate in my knee and graft the bone.

It happened a week ago today on holiday in Thailand and it still hurts so much.

I'm on crutches so effectively useless in terms of laundry and cooking. I'm in a full leg cast. I'm really just looking for other stories so I can get an idea of how things might pan out.

Poor dh is up to his eyeballs and cracking under the strain.

I'm home and massively grateful for the commode in my room and the rails dh has put up. I'm glad he's taking the 'in sickness and in health' bit seriously.

My leg was set straight in a cast for a week and I was desperate to bend it. I can now bend it a little but I have to prepare for about 20 minutes of pain afterwards. Manageable though with the drugs,

I'm a bit worried about a swelling which has made a kind of strap around my heel. It's quite pronounced. Did you have weird areas if swelling?

As for x-rays I'd love to see some. Mine are singularly unimpressive because the depression is right in the middle of the plateau. It was the ct scan which revealed it in all its glory.

The physio has given me vet little so I reckon I will have to get some private sessions. By all accounts its the most important part of recovery.

Thanks for reminding me about glycerine suppositories. They were my saviours after four births and I shall call upon them again. I haven't 'been' since Monday.

Glad you're home and in the comfort of your own bed - at least this enables you to stand a chance of getting some sleep, some lovely food as and when you need it, easy internet/TV access, some peace and quiet (although that depends on your family I guess ) and company when you want it, not only during visiting hours!

Something else I've just remembered - be prepared for horrendous bruising! After my op all down the back of my leg was the biggest, darkest bruise I have ever seen. Watching it change colour as it faded was quite strangely fascinating (although the fascination may have been to do with the drugs I was on )

I had double knee surgery last year, different operation to you as I had a lateral release but both knees done on the same day.

I am impressed that you are in your room, I spent 4 or 5 nights on the sofa but then it was slightly different as I didn't have a 'good leg' to stand on literally so stairs were an absolute nightmare for the first few weeks.

My main tips are to remember that recovery from knee surgery is never linear, there are often days when you feel that you're further back than the day before. You're not really but don't be too despondent if it isn't a continual straight level of recovery.

Secondly do the Physio religiously. I set my alarm five times a day for the Physio I was meant to do. I got virtually nothing from the hospital Physio but was lucky to have private Physio cover so saw her every week for the first couple of months then less often up until about a year post op. Physio really is the key to your recovery and gaining back full mobility and use. That said remember not to overdo it, you can push yourself too far. Always take painkillers before seeing the Physio!!

I was 8 weeks on crutches and not driving in the end, DH was brilliant but my mum was my saviour. She came and stayed Monday to Friday for the first month or so when DH was at work. She helped with the house, sorted the kids and took them to school and very importantly took me out, which made a massive difference.

I had various complications in one knee including an infection and a burst haematoma a couple of weeks in. The first time I was left alone for a couple of hours I felt my sock was wet then looked down and my knee was literally pouring blood out of the bandages!! A bit of a shock but soon sorted at the hospital. I was of course very rare in that I had two knees to compare, other of which seemed to be at the opposite ends of the recovery spectrum!

Take all the painkillers you can get. I had codeine to start then tramadol for the next few weeks in addition to ibuprofen.

Nearly lastly there is a website called kneegeeks which has lots of post op diaries which are worth a read. Remember though that people still posting on there after a year or two are those with problems, the good cases have gone on and got on with their life.

Finally take care. My day 4-5 post-op were the worst days for me. Treat yourself gently, you've been through a lot.

Thanks Marlowe and Norbert.

Wow Marlowe, 2 knees?!?
Sounds like your mum did you proud. I'm hoping mine will come and help out for a bit but she's in her 70s and those sudoku's won't do themselves.

I've just watched two episodes of The Waltons back to back. Fantastic!

Fluid tends to settle wherever gravity takes it, hence the ankle swelling due to reduced circulation. Elevate your leg whenever possible and if you can, move your ankle and wiggle your toes. Similar to exercises you do when flying.

You sound as if you are doing fantastically well. Just don't over do the physio, start very gentle but often the build up. It's a marathon, not a sprint!

Btw, re bathroom issues, lactulose does it for me plus senna if nothing happening!

Yes I found a real low was when I watched a whole afternoon of Katie Price 'documentary' back to back .

I should probably do something amazing like learn to speak Italian. Just now though I'm concentrating on opening my bowels. 2 glycerine suppositories have failed.

Try the lactulose (softens) and senna( stimulates the bowel). Lots of fluids. You will go. Don't go mad, you don't want diarrhoea and cramps.

Box set of MadMen. Hours and hours of pleasure.

Ok thanks Mathilda.

Failing that try starting the day with a strong coffee and a fag

I was stuck at home with a 2 yr old when I broke my knee. She had a paddy every time I turned over from cbeebies

spidermama - I had such awful constipation after an op earlier this yr, not knee though. I ended up with an emergency appt to the GP as I was crying in pain with constipation. The Dr prescribed me Micralax suppositories as nothing else worked, and they were bloody marvellous. If it doesnt get better then call your GP out-don't leave it until Monday, it's horrible to suffer especially when you are in pain anyway. You poor thing, I really feel for you.

Marking my place to share tips tomorrow.

Yes toolittle, ds1 was 4yo when I broke my ankle, I also watched rather a lot of cbeebies....

A bit torturous to have to endure Ceebeebies. Mine are old enough now so I don't have to watch them.

Dietstartz that sounds really upsetting. It's bad enough having the surgery pain but to be terriy constipated as well!!

I think they should give laxatives in hosp as a matter of course when people have had lots of opiates. I was even wondering about colonic irrigation if I haven't 'been' by Monday .
God help the clinician who has to do me though.

They wouldn't let me go home until I'd moved my bowels, I lied and said I had just to get out of there.
I did wee all over an old lady's slippers while sitting on a commode in there that was funny

They were only too keen to turf me out as soon as the surgery was done.,

Quite frankly Norbert encouraging the OP to smoke, whether she does usually or not is a bit thick. At this stage of recovery, I'd just been discharged after having 10 days of abdominal injections to prevent DVT, so 'having a fag' is not the best advice.

Keep on with the suppositories. After a few goes, you should have cleared the blockage, as it were. I found after a week or so that I wasn't drinking enough because of minimising trips to the loo and that was also making me dehydrated. It doesn't help with the constipation in the long run. Better to drink more and do more loo trips but less constipation.

Maybe the fag isn't such a great idea but I thought I might have a coffee in the morning to see if that gets me moving. I'm a former coffee addict but I've used my time since the accident weaning myself off it. Then I read caffeine inhibits the absorption of calcium.
Nevertheless getting this out is my top priority at the moment so I reckon I'll have one.

Yesterday I developed very painful back spasms. They've become really bad pain in my back (which is why I'm up in the night). Not sure if its related to lack of bowel movement but its certainly an unwelcome development and hurts even more than the knee.

Dulcolax tablets were fab for my constipation due to opiates. I had oramorph and also fentanyl lozenges (woohoo they are fabulous painkillers). The dulcolax can be bought over the counter or prescribed. Nothing else worked for me.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Poor you. Not read all the thread, sorry, but feel got you

Two years ago I slipped and did a ski jumpers break not skiing, quite rare. plate plus loads of pins. I also severely bruised the coccyx and damaged the sciatic nerves. Your back may be a result if bruising, of what they had to do while setting the femur and the knee.

I was immobilised for ten weeks, told not to move leg at all. Lay on bed not moving. Foot had to be heart high to avoid swelling. Was downstairs as have down stairs loo. Back to work but mainly from home thereafter. It was when I discovered MN.

Do take the painkillers. Do the exercises you have been prescribed but don't overdo. Work from home..shop on line. Use neighbours ruthlessly. Don't know how old your children are, but this is s wonderful opportunity to see more of them and house train them. Ds, 13, took over the catering completely. they can learn to peel potatoes with you, etc and learn to use the washing machine..

I learned eventually to wash my hair in the sink with zimmer at hand.

I became the centre where everyone gravitated. Think " what Katy did".

We also bought a slow cooker. If I was getting up I used the time to throw things in and then Ds didn't have to do it.

Lots of fluids.

VirgoGrr - erm, it was a joke (hence the wink and smile afterwards).

I've been in a similar place to Spidermama having had major knee surgery years ago and I know how grim it can feel at times, I just hoped it would make her smile.

I've chatted earlier on this thread and offered genuine advice and tips, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have taken this particular suggestion as a serious one.

Spidermama, the back spasms may be due to your position when you're sitting and lying down, especially if you're not used to a sedentary lifestyle. You're probably a bit tense too due to the pain and holding your leg in certain positions.

Have you found a comfortable position to sleep in? I found it helped to be surrounded with pillows in various places - behind my knees, in between my knees etc to take the pressure off my back.