10 Days Post Op.....so far, so good

[zzevi]

Our minds want us to move forward sooner than our knees want. Be careful, it doesn't seem unusual to have a really good day follow by a day of all you want to do is lay around and rest, and elevate and ice as your knee is screaming at you for overdoing it. You also found out that a day of activity and going to bed tired doesn't always allow for a peaceful night of sleep, especially in those early wks, months, I think I had disrupted sleep for about 2 months.
It really is a roller coaster of a ride, and it last longer than most of us want to ride the roller coaster lol.

 

[mbrown]

Thanks @zzevi. That's good info

 

[Spex10]

A really good nights sleep does put a different complexion on things. Sounds like you're on the up!

 

[Celle]

Our minds want us to move forward sooner than our knees want. Be careful, it doesn't seem unusual to have a really good day follow by a day of all you want to do is lay around and rest, and elevate and ice as your knee is screaming at you for overdoing it.

This article might be helpful:
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)

 

[mbrown]

Day 15 Update - wooohooooo!!!!! Staples out! 111* flexion and -2* extension.

Doc seemed very impressed with my progress. Gave me the go ahead to ride stationary bike as tolerated. Did 5 minutes on the bike at therapy and also added a couple more exercises

 

[McKelly]

Looking great!

 

[L.I.T]

@mbrown! Way to go! Looks great and let me say how jealous I am of your extension! Lol!

Good job on the bike. For some reason, 5 minutes on the Nustep or bike is not difficult but makes me swell nicely about 2 hrs later. Hope it does NOT do the same for you.

Sounds like you are doing wonderfully - so happy for you

 

[UACats70]

Woot! Congrats! So glad I didn't have staples. Yucky. Makes me cringe just thinking of having them removed.

 

[mbrown]

@UACats70 the thought of having them removed is much much worse than actually having them removed.

 

[UACats70]

@mbrown I have dissolvable stitches with glue. Nothing gets removed. [emoji12]

 

[mbrown]

@UACats70 show off. [emoji6]

 

[UACats70]

@mbrown well I did only have PKR, not TKR. [emoji851]

 

[L.I.T]

Ha ha ha! ^^^ What she (@UACats70) said about the staples I DID have a TKR and still got internal sutures with glue... And a bonus safety line stitch in case I got overzealous!

Seriously, tho, @mbrown.... You seem to be at the head of the class. Get any better and we'll have to change your user name to "teacher's pet"

 

[Mireille]

@mbrown
That's fantastic! So jealous, lol... Your recovery gives me hope. Keep it up!

 

[Want2hike]

I saw this question about recovery of a second knee on somebody else's thread and didn't want to derail their's....

Can you pinpoint any differences in your approach to your recovery in the 2nd one? I could see how I might get arrogant on the second one and not ice, elevate, etc like I have on my first one.

Sometimes I think it is totally out of your control and just dependent on your knee and how bad it was.

I had a BTKR, so same surgery, same implant, same surgeon, same recovery., same PT....only difference was the actual knees. I had what my OS called a windswept deformity to my cartilage loss. My right knee tipped inward (knock kneed) and my left knee tipped outward (bow legged). The right knee was worse and had been for a much longer time. I've never had more than 120 degrees ROM in either knee, even as a child.

The left leg recovered much faster than the right. By 4 weeks, my left leg felt mostly good and was strong enough and could bend enough to drive. The right knee took 6.5 weeks to get there. The left knee currently has about 115-120 ROM, while the right knee is still 90-95 degrees most days, 100 if I'm really lucky. Both have always (before and after surgery) had full extension.

 

[jaschembra]

You're doing great @mbrown It seems I can just "think" of doing something and my knee swells.
@UACats70 I too have dissolvable stitches and glue.

 

[Celle]

@UACats70 the thought of having them removed is much much worse than actually having them removed.

I used to love removing staples. There is a certain knack to doing it without it hurting much. I used to pride myself that my patients rarely felt pain.

 

[L.I.T]

@Celle, my mom needed you to remove hers. She made it all the way through and about 30 seconds after the last staple, she

My poor mommy!

 

[Celle]

Oh, that's a shame! Your poor mother.

 

[L.I.T]

How djoo doin' over there @mbrown?