TKR 21 June 2016 & 18 October 2016 Life Begins Again

[Barnmom22]

@TML congrats on a terrific recovery. I am thrilled for you. Your mobility is way ahead of the average. And I remember you were a tad bit worried about the Meds-- now that's history too. Today is my five week anniversary. I still don't have full extension but am working on it. Rom is good and improving all the time. I have also stopped narcotics and only take Advil for pain. Knee pain is minimal. My two biggest problems were/are constipation and waking up every hour. The former is improving but sleep is still a goal. Do you take anything to sleep? I tried Advil,pm last night and it helped a bit.

 

[Suz]

@TML so happy for you! Just don't lose site that we still have months ahead of us to get closer to being normal again. Some days I am on my knee a little more than I should be and I'm now almost in shock that it bothers me! It seems once we graduate out of that initial raw recovery pain and our swelling begins to really go down our minds see the finish line and want to take off running for it. Our new knee however will continue to rebel against our desire to be normal again until *it* decides it's better recovered! It's awesome to begin to see real improvement however and I am so thrilled for you!

 

[Floridagal]

That is what I would call a glowing report. I am so happy that you are progressing so well. At 8 weeks I am back to "most" activities. I haven't golfed yet and sure would not kneel but other than that I am pretty good. Some swelling is still there and with it a some stiffness. Progression seems to be by baby steps, not big leaps.

 

[TML]

@Suz you are so right. My knee rebelled last night big time. Or maybe it was going off the meds . . . Or maybe . . . I don't care why, all I know is that I had a terrible night. I literally fidgeted every few minutes until I finally went downstairs and got in the recliner (for the second time) around 3 a.m. I took a muscle relaxant, which didn't help, iced my knee top and bottom and finally fell asleep. I awoke around 4:30 shivering - cold air was blowing through the living room window. I can't close it because I can't safely reach it (didn't want to wake hubby), so I headed back upstairs to bed, where I fell asleep for only a few hours under a pile of blankets. Right now I hate my knee.

@Barnmom22 I eat prunes, grapes and dates frequently during the day and take Miralax for constipation. I am stopping the Miralax today as I think it's making me queasy. I had been sleeping fairly well until last night but always start out in bed sitting up against a bed pillow and then, when I wake up in the night, switch to lying down. I've been able to sleep on my side with my surgical knee flung way over the other leg, in a somewhat straight line (I'm almost on my stomach). Sometimes I take a Benadryl to sleep but most of the time nothing. At this point in my recovery, I get better sleep if I don't nap too much during the day. Congrats on your 5-week! I'll head on over to your thread today.

@Floridagal you are doing amazing! I think you're right about baby steps now. My therapist said things would be pretty normal by 8-10 weeks and it sounds like that's where you are. I can't wait.

Today I'm really tired and I want to cry.

 

[sistersinhim]

@TML, I'm with you. I hate my knee and am sorry I ever had it done. It wasn't nearly this bad before the surgery.

 

[mamazipp]

@TML and @sistersinhim i hear you. I'm not happy with my knee and feel I traded one pain for another. I can't even remember my pre-op pain....
TML you have achieved great flexion and bike work so early in the game. Be patient, and continue to ice and take some pain relief.
Both of you are still early days. It gets better.....

 

[sistersinhim]

I sure hope so. Right now I'm bout ready to just quit this ride.

 

[Tabbycat]

I'm so glad we've all got each other on this forum. I'm happy too for those doing well, but it's so good to not feel alone in the difficult times. Don't give up!
Tabby xxx

 

[sistersinhim]

It would be a terribly lonely place without my friends on BoneSmart! I am so thankful that God led me here!

 

[Floridagal]

I'm so sorry to hear that both of you, @sistersinhim and @TML, are so unhappy and today you are hating your knee. I am sure that for both of you IT WILL GET BETTER. Hang on in there. The news is that there is no turning back at this point. When I read how hard some have had it with knee revisions at 8 weeks and beyond. I think thank God that is not me. Maybe I can't sleep and maybe I can go down stairs but at least I am not facing another surgery. It could be so much worse. Tomorrow will be a better day for both of you. Remember pity parties are allowed here. We all have them. As I said earlier it will get better. Go do something that makes you happy. Maybe drive out and get a Dairy Queen, call a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, snuggle up with a furry friend, play a computer game, remember how much you are loved.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm having today, a pity party. Isn't it disgusting. But, to be up for two days and then kicked down for no apparent reason has really brought me down. I appreciate being able to vent and cry here. It's no way anyone else would or could understand. Today is a day of ice and rest and church tonight. Tomorrow will be better! I just wish I knew what I did to make my knee so angry. What makes matters worse, a friend dropped by who had hers done a few years ago and she said she had hardly any pain after about 3 weeks. Don't you just hate hearing that! It just makes me wonder more if it's a metal allergy that's causing these flareups. At least my swelling isn't increasing too much, so it could be worse!

 

[mamazipp]

@sistersinhim
its very disheartening to hear those "I didn't have any pain" stories, especially from friends who know of your suffering. But you have been active off and on, so your knee is getting there. Besides, I don't know if your surgeon will open your knee up and yank out the hard wear and then put back your old arthritic knee, ha, ha

But I've felt that way .
I wonder, too, if I will get to that blessed pain free point but I have to believe it will happen. Thank goodness for this forum, and supportive bone smarties who get it.
Most down days are short lived...and a good day comes along.

 

[sistersinhim]

Well, on second thought, I think I'd rather keep this new one. I just have to learn it idiocracies of my new brat. What it does and doesn't want me to do. It's a learning experience every day.

 

[Suz]

Praying for you @TML, @mamazipp & @Paula! Hope you cross the bridge soon to the place you believe, feel and know your recovery is 'really' happening!

 

[TML]

I spent most of this day crying, talking to a dear friend, leaning on my husband, and watching a movie for distraction. Then I began my exercises, rode my bike, and made sure to eat my nutritious meals, including my prunes, dates and grapes. A sweet neighbor brought me pink daisies and one of those popular coloring books for adults. My husband gave me a crossword puzzle book and reminded me of the great progress I have made and how hard I've worked. I read through many posts on Bonesmart that mentioned 'pain' can be manifested in many forms, such as insomnia and spasms and fidgeting. So, I decided that for me, right now, I would go back on Norco at night. Maybe I've gone off it too soon. I took one at 8pm tonight and have been icing and elevating for hours. My husband moved my rocking chair into the bedroom and I'll rock if I get fidgety. I sharpened colored pencils and I'll color if I'm up all night. I'll tackle the boredom, the anxiety, and the frustration by getting busy with these things that I can do in my short attention span. I know, logically, there will be better days. But I must plan for these difficult ones better.

I had the most pleasant nurturing surprise when I logged on and saw so much support from all of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

@sistersinhim I'm sending you a hug and want you to know that, 'I understand. You have every right to the feelings you're having.'

Oh, it's a hard lesson to be patient. Tomorrow's another day . . .

 

[Barnmom22]

@TML. Oy gevalt! What a roller coaster we are all on. Feeling like we've turned a corner and can see the healed finish line only to be dumped into misery land a day later. It's as exhausting as the physical healing. I can tell though that overall you are having a really good recovery. So I know in a couple of days you will feel on top of it all again. I've been cycling like that myself. And I do think for me some of my despair has been withdrawal from oxy and Percocet. I've no idea how long it takes to leave ones body and brain but for me good riddens. Hope you get a little sleep. And that tomorrow is a better day.

 

[mamazipp]

@Suz. Thanks.

 

[sistersinhim]

@TML, thank you so much for the hug. I'm squeezing you right back! It sure does feel good! Sometimes that's all we need. It's like wanting mama to kiss our booboos! Many times I wish mama could hold me and rub my head and tell me everything will be alright! But, the good now is that we can do that for each other! I love and pray for my BoneSmart friends!

 

[Floridagal]

@sistersinhim I appreciate your constant presence and prayers. You have been such a support for so many of us.

 

[sistersinhim]

@Floridagal, thank you. I have received so much comfort on this site, I want to be able to give some of it back!