TKR Josephine's knee story

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Missing you, Jo. Kelly is right, you know....you do need to eat protein. Those drinks like Ensure can help. Please take care of yourself.
 
Oh,my goodness Josephine,you sure are having a time of it. But we two knee folks sure know that the first knee recovery can go fairly smoothly and that second one be a bit of a stinker! Happened to me..first one was a jewel recovery wise and second did everything the first one didn't!

Now, our fearless and much loved leader, I'm going to repeat the very words to you that you said to me last year when I over did things recovering from my second knee.. " just because you can do something,doesn't mean you should. Having gone through this before, you should know better"

I never forgot those words. Please take it a bit easier. I hate to hear you're feeling so yucky and in pain. Recovery with this surgery is so unpredictable, it can drive you a bit balmy.
One day up, the next down.

Please feel better Josephine. We're all thinking of you.
 
Please take care, leader, advisor, mentor, wilderness guide! My prayers are with you :)


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Sending you lots of healing thoughts and good wishes
 
I love all your replies! Thank you for caring so much.

Are you eating properly and on time?
No I wasn't eating. I had nothing to tempt me, despite a packed larder, fridge and freezer! Putting a bit of anything in my mouth just made me heave.
Second, are you resting as much as you should. i noticed that one day you posted a lot---were you sitting in a chair? or in bed with your knee up and a lap top on top of a pillow on your stomach? If the former--no wonder you had pain.
Trust me, Kelly, I am resting plenty. And I do my computing on my recliner with the leg flap up. I have a cantilever over-bed table which is extended with a 3 foot length of hardwood that reaches over my legs so I can pull the laptop close whilst I'm resting.

I seem to have been having a good day and a bad day but these last two days have been better. In bed all night, slept well, only first night had to take pain meds in the night. That night I gave up about 5am and moved downstairs to the settee. I took my duvet with me and was so focussed on not getting my feet tangled up in it, I was half way down before I realised I was actually going down sequentially and not one step at a time! I was amazed! The next two nights (Mon and Tues) I had good nights in bed with no pain meds. Today I have done laundry and needed no pain meds at all. When I took the laundry upstairs to hang out, I went up and down normally!

My last dose of anything was 10pm last night! It's now almost midnight and I've needed nothing all day. This evening was a bit uncomfortable and needed to use an ice pack but even those are used infrequently now.

And need I remind you all, tomorrow I am 4 weeks out! Assuming this keeps up, I plan to go see the chiropractor on Friday as my back and neck are getting stiff. I also have ITB and hamstring issues which I've had since early this year and they are now really giving me gip! This will be my first drive out. My neighbour's worried about me doing this and wants to come with me! If she was a driver, I might say yes but she's not so what's the point!
 
Good to hear from you, and that you are doing well. Wonderful you are going up and down stairs with alternating feet, and driving at 4 weeks. Take it slow and easy :driver:.
I agree with skigirl, your neighbor may want to go for a ride. :hog:
 
Glad to hear that things are going well Josephine! I must admit that I am jealous that you can go up and down stairs normally...but very happy for you!
 
I'm glad to hear from you, Jo. I was getting a bit worried!

I hope the nausea has gone and you are feeling more like eating - you do need to eat, in order to have energy for your recovery.

Well done about the stairs! That's impressive.

It might be nice to take your neighbour along, even if she doesn't drive - a bit of company and moral support for you?
 
So glad things are I,proving for you!


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Very glad to hear from you, and that things are going well :)
If your neighbor is not an obnoxious lady, you could let her feel helpful by coming along if you go to chiro tomorrow. Maybe she has felt helpless so far and really wants to give some little thing? Maybe you will stop at a shop and she will buy a winning lottery ticket and split with you ;) "Cyborg Woman And Neighbor Share £50,000 Lotto Tix!!"


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LOL!

I think I'm going to stop telling people about my recovery because every time I boast about a good day, it's followed by an absolute nightmare of a night! To related the sorry tale, was up late until about 1am and my knee started being painful - about 6-7. I took 50 Tramadol but after an hour, no effect so tried some ice which made things worse. Walked around a bit which seemed to make things ease so I went to bed. Once in bed it got worse again - by now it's getting to 8-9. Despite using ice and taking more Tramadol, by 4.30am I came downstairs and made a hot wet towel which was blissfully effective. Did this 3 times and then settle down on the settee and slept until 11am! Today I have mild discomfort but nothing more. Strangely this is only when I'm sitting. When walking, the pain is zero!

I think I'll take your advice about my neighbour. I want to shop afterwards so she might like to as well. Plus she just passed me a meal over the fence - steamed meat and vegetable pudding and a big jug of gravy! I have enough for at least 3 meals! Isn't that kind?
 
Sorry you had a bad night, Jo! :console2:

I hope tonight is better.
Your neighbour sounds like a treasure. She should be good company for you on your outing.
 
So sorry to hear of your painful night. I saw my PT yesterday, she said that until I reach 12 weeks I have to expect setbacks, and when I think I'm doing really well not to be surprised if I get a few bad days, does that sound familiar?
I love your neighbour! I'm so glad that you have someone keeping an eye on you.
I hope you get some quality sleep tonight Jo, xxxxx
 
Two steps forward, one step back... I do hear, on this great forum I visit, that we should come here to both celebrate and vent; that our every word can be useful to those yet to come ;) so, sorry, regardless of name/rank/serial number, ya gotta keep posting!
So now, with your lottery winnings, you are going to commission the design of a whisper quiet mechanical treadmill device, which will support the patient in an ultra comfortable sling whilst (!) guiding the legs in a walking motion and playing lullabies.
Actually, my OS sends his knee patients home with a Thing which you place on the bed under your leg, and it does heel slides with no input from you. I seem to remember the nurse saying that it was to be used an hour at a time many times a day.
At a later checkup, I saw two of his kneesies. One was a bilateral and was walking at least as well at two weeks as I was at eight. Now there's a recovery!
Have fun running errands, er, going round the shops!


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my OS sends his knee patients home with a Thing which you place on the bed under your leg, and it does heel slides with no input from you.
That's a continuous passive motion machine, otherwise known as a CPM. A lot of US surgeons appear to like using them, very few UK surgeons do.
 
Isn't that always the way....we feel great and then something happens. Maybe you need to stop telling us how well you're doing...just kidding. I love hearing of how well you're doing! Hope things get better and better!


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Well, I did my first drive. I did take my neighbour who admitted she would enjoy the trip out. I was a barrel of nerves beforehand but, as I had expected, once I got on the road I was fine! Got to the chiro in good time and found a parking spot right outside his door! He has a big ol' flight of stairs up to his rooms which I took really slowly and carefully. My neighbour stood on guard by me the entire time, bless her!

Well, I told Greg my problem was all down the rear/outside of my leg from hip to ankle and then surprised myself by getting onto his couch face down! Didn't think I'd be able to do that but it was easy. Then he got to work! Heaven's above - he found tender, painful sites the entire length of my thigh, calf and even into the sole of my foot! It was like Chinese torture but in some strange way, you just know it's doing you good. The entire area was in a really bad state and I have to go back next week for another session.

I then went on to Asda and did a fair shop. I used an electric kart while my neighbour went on fetch and carry expeditions! Bless her heart! I go home about 2.30pm which means I has out nearly 4 hours. Not bad for a first trip out. and I have to say, I feel so much better already except I've been really, really cold - wrapped myself up in blankets for most of the afternoon! Seems I can't get a happy medium - I'm either roasting or shivering.

Oh yes, and I haven't had any pain meds since 4am yesterday morning! Not bad for 4½ weeks out!
 
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