My patient suffered a setback this weekend. After a walk around McGuire Lake, his other knee became inflamed and he ended up in bed for the next two days. During the past week he had insisted on two walks each day, more exercise than in his pre-op days.
My nursing diagnostic skills explored the idea of gout in that knee although he had been on a daily medication for over one year to reduce uric acid levels. In a desperate attempt, after a consult with the pharmacist, I prescribed colchicine. In the past this drug has made an immediate improvement. This time, it wasn't the answer.
Now operating on two crutches again, my patient made his way into the kitchen for breakfast on Tuesday. This was his first trip out of the bedroom in three days and I was worried about the recovery impact on the knee replacement knee. He slowly managed the stairs and into the car for a physio appointment.
The physiotherapist seemed to think that the inflammation was due to additional stress on the knee and that over time, with icing and rest, it would improve. Back home we rested on the back deck, in the sun, with cups of tea before I tucked him into bed for a much needed nap!
Two days later he is doing much better and is back to a "one crutch walk" at the wharf!
My nursing diagnostic skills explored the idea of gout in that knee although he had been on a daily medication for over one year to reduce uric acid levels. In a desperate attempt, after a consult with the pharmacist, I prescribed colchicine. In the past this drug has made an immediate improvement. This time, it wasn't the answer.
Now operating on two crutches again, my patient made his way into the kitchen for breakfast on Tuesday. This was his first trip out of the bedroom in three days and I was worried about the recovery impact on the knee replacement knee. He slowly managed the stairs and into the car for a physio appointment.
The physiotherapist seemed to think that the inflammation was due to additional stress on the knee and that over time, with icing and rest, it would improve. Back home we rested on the back deck, in the sun, with cups of tea before I tucked him into bed for a much needed nap!
Two days later he is doing much better and is back to a "one crutch walk" at the wharf!
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