Bilateral TKR Second Year Progress

:wave: Always nice hearing from you! I’m glad you’re doing well in spite of some lingering issues.
 
In case anyone is thinking the recovery from knee replacement stops at the end of year one, I can report so much improvement in my balance, gait, strength and stamina, now that the weather is nicer and getting outside is so much easier. I went to my granddaughters' soccer games yesterday, walking great distances over grassy parks, and I can report that I forgot I even had knee replacement surgery done! It was only later, walking to the car, that I realized the progress. Last year I didn't even venture out to the games, because my knees were still not that strong, especially after moving at 5 months out from surgery. Now I am 19 months out and feel like there is even more recovery ahead, as my right knee still isn't crazy about going upstairs.

Happy holiday to all.
 
You are so right! I have seen an increase in ROM in my second year, and even managed to go down a couple of steps foot over foot recently. I’m still uncomfortable on uneven surfaces, though, but I’m not having a “normal” recovery.

Always great to hear from you!
 
Good Saturday morning. I am having angst about something, and hope to get some input. I am wondering if it is safe to get a pedicure. Here's the deal. In the past (before my surgeries) I contracted toenail fungus from a pedicure facility, where I had been going on a regular basis. It has taken forever to get rid of it, and I'm really not 100% sure that it is gone. This happened a couple of years ago, and I have never gotten another pedicure, relying on myself to do my best with clippers and nail files, etc.

Now that I have had knee replacement, I am wondering if a pedicure mishap would possibly cause something bad to make its way to my knees. If they inadvertently cut my toe instead of my nail, which has happened before. Probably a silly question but it is really bothering me. To the point where I figure I should just do the dang pedicure myself, not an easy feat for this senior body to contort to get the job done. I seriously have gotten ready to go to the nail place twice now, and have chickened out.

I haven't posted in a while, and I understand that compared to the real challenges that newer folks on this forum deal with, this is child's play. Still, this is a dilemma for me. I am going to CA next week for my grandson's high school grad, and I need to figure this out before then.

Otherwise I can report that my improvement is splendid. I am even able to walk upstairs without my right knee (my problem child) giving me any grief at all. What a miracle this journey has been.

Thank you in advance for any input, including something like "Oh for heaven's sake, this is not an issue." I'm a little embarrassed about this, but ready to take my lumps.

xxoo
 
I don’t know the answer to your question but I wanted to say hi! :wave:
 
I really don't know either, but I haven't had a pedicure since my tkr. I do the best I can myself. Polish can cover up a lot!
 
Hi @Jockette Hi @sistersinhim I am just not going to do it. Its not worth it and I agree that I can apply a little polish on my own. So I went to the store and there were some new kinds of polish identified as gel? Oh please, this is getting so complicated. I think I'm just going to cut and file the nails and leave it at that. I doubt anyone is going to be intensely scrutinizing my toenails, for heaven's sake. I mean, we are there to honor my grandson, not look at my silly toes :rotfl:

Thanks for responding ladies.
 
I miss color on my toes but I just can’t reach them anymore to maintain it. :bawl:

I took the nail polish off shortly before surgery and never got it back on again. I’d been struggling for years, anyway. But I miss it!
 
Me too @Jockette but then that nasty fungus showed up one day, and that was it for me. Except this week I thought I'd try again because of going to CA, but I just don't think it is worth it. Because of my knees, but also because I don't want to get another nasty, disgusting fungus nail again. That was the worst.
 
@Jockette and @mlwreader do you not have a local beauty college near you? Many colleges like to get real people in for students, they are generally meticulous about health and hygiene (as its part of the course) and even just a file and polish would feel like a treat. Just a thought. I am lucky I have good flexibility and can touch my toes from standing even if I cant bend my knee. I use an emjoi micro pedi to do my own manicures and pedicures and do home gels with Red Carpet kit (as its UV cured no drying sticky polish everywhere)

 
@mlwreader , I have wondered the same thing! I loved going for pedicures but now I am just too scared. I thought about going just to have them apply the polish for me and nothing else. I agree with you...at this point it is just not worth the risk of infection.
 
@lisabl Interesting - Too late for this trip (I leave tomorrow) but the summer is young! Thank you for the suggestion.

@Irish471 That's what I love about this board - I can always find someone who gets it! Just looked at your list of surgeries - you've had a few. :elevate: I hope things are coming along for you. When I was your age, my knees had only just begun to give me a few twinges going upstairs. I remember thinking at the time that it was caused by the 10 pounds I gained in my 40's. If only it were that simple - right?

Anyway, I took care of toenail business myself this morning, although I did not apply polish. I was pretty impressed with my ability to contort. Just glad no one was there to see me.:heehee: I'm headed to your state tomorrow to watch my oldest grandchild graduate high school in San Diego.
 
Hi.
I'm in Denver and have 2 surgeons lined up for questions. I'm 61 with 2 bad knees and at that point of knowing I should have one done but terrified of not be able to do what I can still do. Gardening, laying on my stomach to sleep, getting on my hands and knees when needed. Yet it gets harder by the day to get up and down from sitting. I feel like my legs are weaker by the day. I can still walk without pain but daily things are getting worse. My weight isn't getting any better either from little to no activity. What doctor did you use and do you recommend him?
 
What doctor did you use and do you recommend him?

@Tanya Great that you have two surgeons lined up - I consulted two before I decided as well. However, I had my surgery in CA at Scripps LaJolla, because I was living in SoCal at the time. I have since relocated to Denver, and I have consulted with Dr. Ted Parks for my one year exam. Dr. Parks seems terrific - I certainly felt like he gave me his complete time and attention, even though I had already had the surgeries done by my Scripps OS.

As far as activities, I am not able to get on my knees comfortably, and haven't been able to sleep on my stomach in years due to neck arthritis. I miss it sometimes. I was pretty crippled prior to the knee surgery and could not navigate without a walker. Today I can walk two miles without any problem, get in and out of cars with no difficulty. I still have a bit of challenge going upstairs as far as my right knee is involved, and have to help myself up with a handrail. Sometimes I still feel a little wobbly, but I am very careful. I have no complaints really. When I think of where I was two years ago (my surgery was 9/11/17) and where I am today, there is no comparison. I am so grateful.

I am scheduled to see Dr. Parks tomorrow morning in fact. When I saw him last year he wanted me to come back in a year to make sure that the right knee was progressing properly. Normally the call back is five years after the first year's exam. He was so great - told me to call him if I had any problems at all, that he was there if I needed him. Made me feel so secure, because it was a little scary to be in Denver when my surgeon was located in CA.

So that's my post-Denver story, Tanya. Feel free to ask me anything knee related. I remember when I was still in the planning stage, before I had settled on my OS and getting both knees done, I was so scared. I didn't want to live the rest of my life confined to my apartment, so I was ready to take the leap and get it done. I had both done at once because I didn't want to waste any more time. I'm not going to lie - it is a rough surgery and a difficult recovery, but so well worth it. Imagine where we would be 100 years ago - crippled and confined to bed or a wheel chair. Makes me shudder to think of it.

All best - Mary Lou
 
Just a quick note that I did see my Denver ortho doctor yesterday, and he said my X-rays show excellent results at 2 years. I told him about my sometimes difficulty re: my right knee. We discussed the intensity of the occasional discomfort (about 2 - 3) and that it really did not affect much in terms of my ability to navigate my life. Compared to the seriousness and pain and long recovery of re-doing the surgery, at this stage it is definitely not something that would pay off for me on balance. However, he told me to come back in two years for another check, and of course to feel free to contact him in the interim if I need to. I can't tell you how comforting that feels to know this kind and competent doctor is available for me, even though he is not the one who did my surgery. My two year anniversary is next week, and I can't help but think back on myself two years ago, in tremendous pain, confined to a walker, and scared to death but determined to take a chance and get the knees replaced. My life has truly been restored to me, and I am so very grateful for it.
 
I am wondering if it is safe to get a pedicure. Here's the deal. In the past (before my surgeries) I contracted toenail fungus from a pedicure facility, where I had been going on a regular basis. It has taken forever to get rid of it, and I'm really not 100% sure that it is gone.
I am wondering if a pedicure mishap would possibly cause something bad to make its way to my knees. If they inadvertently cut my toe instead of my nail, which has happened before.
I'm glad you decided not to have a pedicure, especially from the salon you used in the past.
Since you caught a fungal nail infection there and they've also cut you, I question whether their cleaning and sterilization practices are adequate, and whether the therapists are adequately trained.

The chances of getting an infection from a pedicure that infects your knee are very slight, if you use a salon where hygiene practices are better, but you're probably right not to take the risk.
 
Thanks for the info. I'm familiar with Dr. Parks, it wouldn't surprise me if I've seen him. I've been doing my research for years on docs. I think I've been to most of their offices here in the Denver. I cancelled my surgery for July but have an appointment with the other surgeon who I should have went with in the first place. We will see.
 

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