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Back on the Ward

You should be able to drink and eat as you feel able but it is advisable to take only small drinks and light meals at first. Your family will be able to visit on the evening of your recovery but ask them to phone the ward first.

Deep breathing and circulatory exercises

These should be started as soon as possible to prevent complication such as blood clots and chest infection.

1. Circulatory Exercises

These help keep the blood flowing at a good rate through your legs, which reduces the risk of a blood clot forming in the vein. They are especially important in the first few days after your operation or any time when you are resting.

Keeping legs straight, pull toes and foot towards you and then point them away. Do this fairly rapidly - at least 10 times every 15 minutes.

2. Deep Breathing Exercises

These are important when you are resting; these exercises keep air flowing to all parts of your lungs reducing the risk of chest infection.

Lying with your upper body supported and legs out straight in front of you take a deep breath in through your nose, concentrating on getting the air to the bottom of your lungs - you should feel you lower ribs moving outwards - then breath out through your mouth. Do this two to three times every 30 minutes.

The next days

Eating and drinking

The day after your operation you can start eating and drinking normally. You choose meals in the hospital. A member of staff will help you to select from the menu. Patients who require kosher or other special diets should inform nursing staff.

Toileting

While you are restricted to bed, bed pans/urinals will be provided on request. Please do not be afraid or ashamed by this. The Queen herself would be in the same position as you find yourself, as would the staff that care for you!

Staff will tell you when you may start to use the commode/toilet.

There are few more unpleasant experiences than constipation. Due to your reduced activity you are very much at risk of constipation over the next 12 weeks. The best cure, as ever, is prevention. You can help yourself to prevent problems developing by:

Drink six glasses of fluid each day in addition to hot drinks offered. This will provide you with 2.5 litres per day. If this is not suitable for you, because of other medical conditions, staff will give you instructions about one more suitable to you. Take plenty of fluid, vegetables and high fibre cereals in your food. Fibre in your diet attracts water into the bowel and will make your stool easier to pass. If you feel uncomfortable or if you go more than two days without having your bowels moved, let the nursing staff know and they will arrange, with the doctor, to have a stool softener or aperients prescribed for you.

X-rays/blood tests etc

If a routine x-ray was not taken in recovery it will be taken within a day or so after the operation. Various check blood tests may also be carried out. Your drip and drain will usually be disconnected by the second or third day.

Ice

If you have a lot of swelling of the area around the knee you may have ice packs applied to reduce swelling. The physiotherapist or physiotherapy assistant will apply these. You may be instructed on how to use ice packs at home.