"Total knee replacement"

This was my second knee replacement. I'm in my 80s and was worried when i was told i could go home the day after the operation as i was in hospital for 5 days when i had my first replacement.

I have always found NDDH very warm, but something went wrong with the heating on the ward the day of my operation. It was cold but thank goodness when I came back from theatre the heating was working again.

I was sent home with a double pressure bandage as i was bleeding. Next morning unfortunately i had bled into my bedding. We were told by the nursing staff on the ward that if we had any problems in the first 24 hours we should come back to the ward. This I did due to the bleeding. Knowing patients would be arriving and operations would take place I timed my return to be between these happenings. I was asked what I was there and I explained, to be told, I should have phoned first as they didn't have a bed for me. I wasn't aware that I had to phone, I didn't think I needed a bed, just my knee redressed. I know knees are not usually redressed that quickly but I was bleeding and the dressing was full of blood. It was redressed including many steri strips from top to bottom of the cut. It was suggested I saw my surgery in future.

This dressing filled with blood again. I had knee redressed at the doctors surgery this time. I refused to have the anti coagulation injections because of the bleeding. On leaving hospital my instructions were to stop all my blood pressure tablets. After 3 days i had a nose bleed at which point i took my blood pressure. It was very high so i put myself back on my blood pressure tablets. Blood pressure returned to normal.

Unfortunately it was a holiday weekend. I needed advice about the anti coagulation injections so phoned 111. They promised a doctor would phone. She did in the night but we missed the call as it was so late. This doctor actually came to my home in the early hours. She said she was worried about my bleeding and not having the anti coagulation injections. She arranged with NDDH that i got a quick appointment with the fracture clinic and blood testing department. I thank this lady doctor from the bottom of my heart for all she did.

The staff in the fracture clinic were lovely. I saw a doctor who looked at my wound said it looked fine and I had a new plaster put on. I saw the doctor again after my blood results to be told all was well. I was asked to start the anti coagulation injections which I did. I was given an appointment to return to the fracture clinic a week later.

Three days later I had another nose bleed. I phoned the surgery for advice and it was agreed to stop and then start again the injections. I had another appointment for the fracture clinic for redressing and seeing the doctor again. At last it appeared i had stopped bleeding. This time all but 3 of the steri strips were taken off and then redressed.

I was told to remove the dressing in 2 days' time together with the last of the steri strips. That was a week ago and fingers crossed it won't bleed again although i have a scab to the side of the cut which is about half a centimetre across. Not like the scar i had with my first knee which was just a straight line.

I have seen a physiotherapist twice at South Molton Hospital who gave me a new exercise chart which i have followed. The physiotherapist has never seen a TKR wound like mine. My knee is still swollen and quite stiff although i walk well now with 1 crutch. Because the knee is still swollen it is difficult to do the exercises but i will continue to persevere. I do ice it and take pain killers. Fingers crossed i will continue to improve.