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TKR 1st TKR, surgery veteran..new to TKR

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Great photo!

Leeja is spot on with her advice. I paid $45 for each pt session and got no further along than if I had been working at it myself. Go a few times, see what the direction is and make your decision from there.

I found my bike to be the best help in recovery. I too have a recumbent Schwinn and I love it!
 
Thanks Dhare63, great advice. I looked up some recumbent bikes, including schwinn 240
Does $139-$249 for a basic one sound about right?
 
My glorious xray day! Check out that new knee!

Great event Friday...
Are you ready for a thrill?

Per OS orders, the PT moved me from walker to cane
However I did not know how much harder is to walk without that walker!!
Who knew?
My surrounding knee muscles are very weak and get tired, sore and useless after about 5 minuted...

I THINK in a few days I will feel less pain there?

[Bonesmart.org] 1st TKR, surgery veteran..new to TKR



Happy healing!
Kathy

Background:
Diagnosed bilateral bone on bone and OA knees Oct, 2012
Implanted intrathecal pain pump. 2008
4-6 additional herniated disks (lumbar and thoracic), 2004-now
Replacement damaged neck disks (c3-c5) 2004
 
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Landmark day...
Went for a short walk with a friend and my two dogs outside. A glorious, sunny and cool day in tampa

Walked around house a lot yesterday with the cane ... Swelling and sore
Slept BETTER..hurrah..maybe exhaustion?

Trying to stay on schedule with meds, elevate, ice AND exercise

Tomorrow begins a new chapter for me...Tuesday will be 3 weeks surgery..
I start outpatient pt and am working at home a few hrs per week
 
Kathy, I cropped your picture so it didn't show your full name and details. Never a wise thing to display too much personal information online, y'know!
GeekGoddess said:
I THINK in a few days I will feel less pain there?
Click to expand...
Make that in a few weeks! In my experience (personal and well as on here) the really acute pain period usually lasts about 6-8 weeks minimum.
 
Thanks very much for edit and info

Seems recovery is so close, keep losing sight of its great extent!
 
GeekGoddess said:
Seems recovery is so close, keep losing sight of its great extent!
Click to expand...
We all think that it should move faster than it does---and we all believe that we have been in the recovery mode long enough.

Recvoery can take upwards to a year---for some---and when you look at how much surgical trauma has been done to the knee, you will understand why patience and time are very important aspects in recovery.

Do not set a schedule for anything in recovery---you are merely setting yourself up for frustrating times. The surgical knee sets the schedule and everything happens on its schedule.
 
So you are referring to the setbacks which can pop up one day to the next?

Is that why? Please try to explain...
 
GeekGoddess said:
So you are referring to the setbacks which can pop up one day to the next?

Is that why? Please try to explain...
Click to expand...
I would have good days and some great days---then, for no apparent reason, my knee or knees (either one---my right one was the "problem child) would decide to cause an issue.

It is not a linear recovery---your line does not gradually go up---recovery, if you can chart it, looks more like the stock market---trending upwards, but with a few little bumps and downturns here and there.
 
Thses are not huge issues---just mildly irritating ones---stiffness or little aches and pains that were not there before---all part of the healing and recovery process.
 
I know you're starting to feel better and that is just wonderful. Do use caution with your cane, however. If you are limping or walking slowly with it, it may be better to use your walker for a while longer. The thing is, you want to use whatever aid you need to get "the job" done. And "the job" right now is being able to take long, firm strides with your new knee. THAT is what stretches and works the joint best. If you need a walker to be able to take those good strides, then use it.....at least around the house when you're walking from room to room or getting some exercise.

There is no rule that says you have to graduate up from one aid to another. With my last knee, I used my walker in the house a good two months or more....especially for my walking exercise and at night going to the bathroom. Once I was strong enough to start forgetting it, I didn't even need a cane. So (unlike with my first TKR), with the second one I never used a cane at all.
 
Gosh, I am one of the Queen's of the over did it club! :) I would feel so good that I thought, "well if I feel this great now, what would doing a few extra exercises feel like?" :doh:

Pace yourself, it isn't a sprint, it is more like a marathon. I had my second knee replaced at 8 weeks because the first one went so smoothly. I had a 50/50 chance of MRSA and it struck the knee on the second one making the story of my knees thread.

Take care of yourself, make sure you are rested and ready for the second, and then after that recovery, golfing, and dancing will be easily attainable!

I did Zumba for an hour the other night at a Pink out for Breast Cancer charity event! :happydance:
 
Welcome Kathy. I love your positive attitude. Thanks for posting on my thread too. Still getting my head around the diabetes diagnosis but it's still early days. Don't compare your recovery to others. I tended to do that and it always ended badly. We are all unique and we all have different recovery progress. However your positive attitude to your TKR and life itself will help you a lot. I will enjoy watching your progress. Take care
 
Kathy,

I have found that having a positive attitude has gotten through some of my most difficult challenges. A type 2 diabetes diagnoses isn't the end, especially when you have someone in your life that already has diabetes and is controlling it. A chef no less! Who could ask for more?! :happydance:

My hubby has diabetes and he semi- controls it. Not a great idea, but it is his choice. I can make healthy food choices all day, but he gravitates towards the regular sodas and sweet stuff. I know it must be hard, because I gave that stuff up to lose weight! :console2:
 
Welcome to the other side!! Congrats on your progress!! Youre doing great! As for the sleeping well we can all relate. Im not a back sleeper and craved rolling over on tummy only to wake up in pain! I normally keep my phone by the bed and read something here on the forum until i fall back asleep. Normally early morning. If someone ringsmy doorbell before 9 a
im like a bear coming out of hibination watch out! As for PT
Most of us manage without them. im using an exercise bike and housework and stretches. Thats all good, I posted my experience one month out of tkr inmy recovery thread and there I cover most of the experiences i had. The forum will help with that. Keep up the good work!!
 
PRESSING QUESTION

WHEN DOES THE OS USUALLY GIVE CLEARANCE TO DRIVE POST TKR? ( I forgot to ask him)
( my TKR is left leg and I drive a automatic car)


Daily updates
Today was a strange day.. Weird family dynamics...but stayed focused on basic strategies to continue to heal in the midst of it.
Getting a little work done was good..I am a professor and do a lot of editing writing ( books and articles).
Nice to have a clear head to do some editing ( pain was so bad prior to surgery did very little writing/editing that last month.....

Hoping tomorrow will create a new trend in writing/editing!

Hope you all had a great day!




Happy healing!
Kathy

Left TKR Oct 15, 2013
Right TKR Scheduled for Jan 2014 ?

Background:
Diagnosed bilateral bone on bone and OA knees Oct, 2012
Implanted intrathecal pain pump. 2008
4-6 additional herniated disks (lumbar and thoracic), 2004-now
Replacement damaged neck disks (c3-c5) 2004
 
GeekGoddess said:
WHEN DOES THE OS USUALLY GIVE CLEARANCE TO DRIVE POST TKR? ( I forgot to ask him)
( my TKR is left leg and I drive a automatic car)
Click to expand...
I was able to drive at about five weeks or so.

You have to be off of the narcotic pain meds, and you should be strong enough to drive, and emergency brake.
My first little jaunt in my truck was just a few errands---a half an hour, and I was wiped out.
 
Thanks that the sort of thing I needed to know.
Seems like every new thing you do WIPES YOU OUT!

Wish I understood the detailed physiology of that dynamic!

Gracias! This pic is for you!
[Bonesmart.org] 1st TKR, surgery veteran..new to TKR

A view of the remains of an ancient castle in Ireland
( I took the photo this summer)
Notice the orbs?




Happy healing!
Kathy

Left TKR Oct 15, 2013
Right TKR Scheduled for Jan 2014 ?

Background:
Diagnosed bilateral bone on bone and OA knees Oct, 2012
Implanted intrathecal pain pump. 2008
4-6 additional herniated disks (lumbar and thoracic), 2004-now
Replacement damaged neck disks (c3-c5) 2004
 
Do any of us ever post photos of the different brand prosthetics we have implanted?

Might be interesting to see them?

Funny story..I posted a pix of my prosthetic on Facebook and a friend said it would make a nice pendant.
She had no idea of the relative size!
Now we decided maybe wrist bangles... I dunno!

[Bonesmart.org] 1st TKR, surgery veteran..new to TKR
 
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