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TKR 2 New Knees and a Little Tweak

@KYata -I didn't find driving bad even though it's my right knee. I haven't used any assistive devices for about a week, but I did use a cart in Walgreens. I was able to just sit and watch at my grandsons swim lesson so that worked out too.
 
Thanks @iivesfam5 - I get a little better every day, just wish I could get to sleep a little easier at night. I feel fine when I'm up during the day, but man is it hard to get comfortable at night. 2 or 3 hours of moaning and groaning until the ice, Tramadol and Tylenol finally kick in and then I can get to sleep. Hopefully that will get better soon. I drove my Mom to the dentist today and sat in the waiting room for about an hour while she was having a tooth fixed. I was so stiff when it was time to leave! Came home and napped the rest of the afternoon with ice on. I'm trying to not overdo it, but the rest of my family thinks I should be back to normal now (after only 3 weeks!). My Mom said today, "You didn't have all these problems the last time". Geez..I thought I was doing good, but they all seem to think I was further along the last time. I have to keep reminding them "different knee, different experience". The doctor did have to remove more damaged bone and resurface the patella this time so I think that has made this TKR recovery more challenging. I threatened my husband that I was going to make him watch the you-tube video of a TKR so he would understand what I've gone through. He's been great but is getting tired of having to share the bulk of work and see me in pain. The last time he went back to work, but now that he's retired he is living it every day. Oh well, it is what it is. Guess you are getting anxious for next week. Just try to enjoy these last few days before you're in the club!
 
Gigi, I've been reading through your posts and you really are doing very well for 3 weeks out! But please don't let your family push you to do too much. My husband did watch the YouTube video but I wouldn't let him tell me about it. He asked the OS if he really used all those tools, saws etc. and he just said he liked to think of it as carpentry:tada:. I am just going back to work tomorrow after 11 weeks. Seems like as soon as I felt better at about 3 to 4 weeks I would over do it and I did that several times setting myself back several weeks. I hope I have learned my lesson. Have a wonderful recovery, but please TAKE IT EASY!
:angel:
Sharon
 
Well despite sleeping well last night, I felt like I couldn't put one foot in front of the other today. Maybe it was the weather, it's rained non-stop since yesterday but I just couldn't get the energy today to do anything. Hope that means the "knee" is healing. I didn't have this the last time so it's hard for me to adjust to being a slug especially since I had gotten to the point that I was able to finally be physically active before my surgery. Yuck! On a brighter note, most of the steri-strips on my incision fell off today and I can't believe the difference in my 2 scars. The 1st one is still a darkish purple and definitely noticeable, this 2nd one is a faint line and almost invisible. I'm not sure why the difference since I had staples both times?? Anyone else have the same thing happen?
 
Gigi32 said:
Well despite sleeping well last night, I felt like I couldn't put one foot in front of the other today. Maybe it was the weather,
Click to expand...
I think the most likely explanation is that you had a big day yesterday. Your energy reserves are still low (that's normal) and you made big demands on them yesterday.

Take it easy today. Go ahead and spoil yourself!
 
thanks @Celle - I think I figured that out. I did need to go to the grocery today, but was really nervous if I was going to be able to handle it. My husband went with me, so if I needed to sit down I could, but I actually did pretty well. I decided to wear the compression sleeve on my knee the PT gave me the last time I was there and I think that helped. I also took some Advil today instead of the Tramadol and I think my energy level seems a little more normal. And it helped! All those pain meds have been making me foggy I think. I came home and napped and iced and I'm feeling pretty good.
 
My knee was feeling so good tonight I decided to try the recumbent bike to see if I could do it. Rode for 5 minutes without any difficulty or discomfort. I think it was 6 - 8 weeks the last time before I was able to do that. Woo-hoo! I've got this! :upright:
 
That's great! :yes!::happydance:
Celebrate these little victories.
 
@Celle - oh I celebrated all right-with ice on my knee all night! Think I'll wait a couple of days before I try that again. Two steps forward.......:nah:
 
Feel like I've finally turned the "normal" corner today and feeling great. I've sorted out the pain med situation - seems like the Tylenol/Advil cocktail during the day with a Tramadol chaser at bedtime is doing the trick. My energy has returned now that I'm off the narcotics. I was actually able to stand at the kitchen counter and make a recipe today without any pain. I haven't been able to do that for a while. That homemade shortbread is going to be delicious with the fresh strawberries and whipped cream for dessert tonight - yum! My daughter is going back to work on Monday after her maternity leave, so Gigi's Daycare will be open for business. I'm watching my 8 week old grandson, along with my 7 year old grandson so I'm going to be busy! It will only be for another month since school will start in about 4 weeks, and the baby will go to a "real daycare" 2 days a week about the same time. I don't mind, it's why I retired early so I could spend time with my grandchildren I just hope I continue to improve. Fortunately the baby is a perfect baby and my daughter is a VP at a sports company and is able to work at home if needed so if it gets to be too much I can "call in sick" :swoon:. The 7 year old is no problem either. Gigi runs a tight ship! :no-fin:
 
Wow! You are one busy lazy and not letting this knee stop you! Not sure if I could have looked after two little ones so soon! Will you be able to rest at all....or ice? Good luck...let us know how it goes!


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@Lovestoread -thanks! My husband will be in and out some of the time so he will be able to help. I'll rest and ice when the baby is napping. I've never been much of a napper in the daytime, even though my sleep pattern isn't really back to normal yet. The 7 year old is pretty self-sufficient. As long as he has TV, my Kindle and books he can entertain himself for hours and he's a big help in bringing me things for the baby. We had a trial run on Friday and it seemed to go okay.
 
Gigi, be careful not to overdo. I, too, take care of my Grandchildren during the school year and love doing so. That is why I scheduled my TKR as soon as school was out. However, I had the five year old and two year old granddaughters for a day at my 3 week TKR anniversary and it totally exhausted me. I really did not have to do anything as my daughter took care of their meals, other than just be with them. I am learning that this is a slow healing process and not to overdo. I have paid the price twice for trying to do too much too soon. Take care of yourself and listen to your knee!!


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Well an old issue I had with tendonitis in my Achilles on the same leg as my new knee as resurfaced and I'm not sure what to do. It started about 4 years ago and I sought treatment with an orthopedist who sent me for therapy. They gave me stretches to do, one which involved standing on a step and letting my heels hang off. I continued to get worse, so I finally went to a Podiatrist. He went crazy when I told him what they had me doing. He did x-rays and ultrasounds and told me that the tendon is so thin, almost shredded and "stretching" it was just making it worse. It needed to be shortened not lengthened. He even told me I was at risk of completely tearing it. In fact, he told me to never wear flats unless I put a heel lift in and really preferred I wear a shoe with at least a 2" heel. It took almost a year but it finally healed and I haven't noticed it. Until yesterday that is. One of the stretches the PT gave me was for my calf and I think that is what may have aggravated it. I also think the Heel prop to improve extension isn't helping. Now I'm stuck between needing to work on this new knee and not aggravating an old injury. I can't imagine what I'd do if that Achilles actually did tear. Those take forever to get over and heal. I'm going to baby it for a few days, and I'll be sure to mention it to my OS next week at my 1 month checkup, but is there anything else I should do? Anyone else had this same problem?
 
I was scheduled to see my OS yesterday for my 1 month checkup, even though it's been 5 weeks since my surgery(the doctor's office moved the previous week so it threw the schedule off). What a nightmare the day turned out to be! I drive 2 1/2 hours north to Indy to my doctor and we were about an hour and a half into the trip when we got caught in an accident in a construction zone where we sat for an hour. We finally got out of that mess and started moving again, I called the doctor's office to tell them we were going to be a few minutes late which they said was fine. Then 5 miles later, they had completely shut down the entire interstate going north because some psycho decided to douse his ex-wife with gasoline, set her on fire then drive the wrong way on the interstate and commit suicide by driving head on into a semi which overturned, hit two other cars and then a concrete barrier and exploded. The interstate was closed for 10 hours. Can you imagine anything more horrible?? All we were originally told was there was a car fire, and we were diverted off the road and drove around on country roads lost thinking we could get around it, but when it became apparent they had all of the on ramps shut down for miles I had a meltdown. My husband couldn't understand why I got so upset, and honestly I didn't either. Just chalk it up to post-surgery crazy. We ended up having to reschedule for next week and turned around and went home. What a nightmare!! At least I seem to be doing ok, and my flexion and extension seem good. At least I hope they are because I'm not doing any thing to put stress on my lower leg at this point for fear of hurting my Achilles more. I can't see my ankle doctor until August 17th so my therapist will have to find a more creative way to encourage extension if needed.
 
Good grief! The fates definitely conspired against you. Hope your drive next week will be psycho free.
 
I heard about that accident (but not those details!). So glad it wasn't worse for you than it was. May next week be more routine. Totally chalk the meltdown up to post-surgical sensitivity. Ugh!


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Thanks @Slainte and @PolarBear60 - the whole day was just so unbelievable that I just couldn't fathom there was no way we weren't going to make it. On top of that, I needed a refill on my pain med which now of course is going to have to wait another week. I guess I'll be eating extra strength Tylenol and advil all week and hoping to get by. My daughter finally brought me back to reality when she said, "Just think Mom, if you hadn't gotten tied up behind that first accident you might have been going through there when that psycho decided to enter the highway". That kinda of put it all in perspective. :flabber:
 
Remember to ice a little more to help with pain management.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
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