TKR 2nd knee, 2nd recovery

[Layla]

Aww, love that, Sara.
The best part is reading that you can get comfy enough to do something that you enjoy.
I’m happy for you! I haven’t tried the paint by number, but I do enjoy the adult coloring books. Nothing like a fresh box of colored pencils. Brings back memories of being a kid and how much I loved a new box of Crayola Crayons. I remember the scent of them…then they shrink, break, get rounded off instead of pointy Remember?!!
Wishing you a great rest of the day and week!
@Sara61

 

[hawk2go]

finally I'm able to sit at my table and paint

I'm hoping you're still comfy today after a day of your favorite activity. That painting is my kind of art. Where do you get your paint by numbers kits?

 

[Sara61]

@hawk2go A tad stiff today not sure if it was from sitting too long yesterday ( I got slightly engrossed with the painting ) I usually buy from a company called paintingbynumbersfactory . Com. Their quality is good and prices very reasonable, occasionally I buy from Amazon too.

 

[Rubyroo]

Hey! Good for you doing something you enjoy again! Yay! That is awesome! Great to do something creative and artsy. I like to make cards. I buy blank colored cards & glue pictures on the cards in a collage kind of way. It is very relaxing & fun. I like that there is no right or wrong & it is a fun creative outlet. I enjoy sending the cards to friends and family and they appreciate the homemade card. Isn’t art great? Hope you are doing ok today and your knee isn’t talking to you too much. Goooooo you Sara61!

 

[Susie-Q]

So pretty! I scrapbook. Still working on my kids books that I started when they were babies. I probably have 9 or so books for each kid plus School Books and a sports book for the daughter. It's a great twice a year get away weekend with friends and now with the new doggie, I will have more projects to do. Glad you are able to go back to your painting @Sara61 without too much Knee trouble. Homemade cards are so great, @Rubyroo ! I don't have all the supplies to make those but have friends who do.

 

[hawk2go]

@Sara61, I did order a few adult paint by numbers kits and I think that was the shop. Thanks for inspring me.

One year I bought a whole bunch of scrapbooking supplies that continue to sit in a bin in the basement. I enjoy making fine art prints but have not been in the studio in ages (at least 4 years). That art requires acids and a large press, so it's not something I do at home. I have recently gotten into adult dot to dot projects - think of the simple pics on the back of a children's menu where you connect the dots in number order to reveal the picture. With the adult version, the dots can number in the thousands, the pictures are pretty intricate and when finished connecting, I often color them in with art markers. The paint by numbers sounds like a great activity alone or with a group. I hope Omicron is quieter when my kits arrive so I can have a couple friends over for an "art" session.

@Susie-Q, every 5 years for my oldest grandson (he'll be 11 next month), I create a hardcover picture book of our various adventures from the past 5 years. I add captions to the pics and when I gave him his 2nd book, he inquired about the 3rd, so I know he enjoys them. My oldest granddaughter will be 11 in 2 months and we have had a tiny book club for about 2 years because she loves to read and so do I. We just finished the Lemony Snicket's series (13 books in 5 months, she's a beast) and are about to finish the Love, Sugar, and Magic series. I have been writing a story for her that I started when she turned 10. She is the heroine and has been my development editor, advising me on storyline or detail adjustments. I plan to finish in time to bind it for her 11th birthday.

 

[Sara61]

I'm probably going to suffer, as I already feel stiffness starting, but for the few hours of freedom it's a price I hope worth paying, a good friend called by and took me out for a drive, coffee and cakes and a mini shopping at the British supermarket, I came home with a bag full of naughty goodies I was out for almost 3 hours - it felt good to do normal things again.
My Knee has been extremely sensitive these last few days, everything is irritating the incision, sheets, clothes etc I'm hoping this is normal and all part of the healing
@hawk2go you must let me know which ones you ordered, there is a Facebook group called Melanie B's Creative Studio- she has superb videos tutorials it's a fun group of lovely people, I'm currently working on a series of faceless angels.

 

[hawk2go]

@hawk2go you must let me know which ones you ordered, there is a Facebook group called Melanie B's Creative Studio

I'll have to find her FB page. Is that the spice girl Mel B? I got a couple of kits that remind me of the small oils you can find from the Paris street vendors, one with glass because I am fascinated with representing water and see through glass in paintings and a couple abstracts. One of the abstracts is the kit with the ladies with umbrellas that you shared.

 

[Sara61]

@hawk2go lol no, this lovely gal is American.

 

[Sara61]

I can't believe that I hadn't done the Saran wrap before, what a difference it made, I had my first whole undisturbed nights sleep from 11pm to 8am and even woke up without that feeling that my leg would not bend or straighten, to add the icing on the cake my knee was fully hydrated with the cream, I used E45 as it is thicker than the bio oil.
Strangely this knee is far more sensitive than my left knee was, I'm finding everything from clothes, nightwear & bedlinen irritating, hopefully with time this too shall pass. I will for sure be wrapping it in clingfilm again tonight
Today, after yesterday's little escapade my knee is grumbling, not full on angry but enough to remind me it's there, so today, other than my weekly outing to PT at 2pm, it's going to be a couch potato and receive plenty of
Wishing you all a blessed pain free relaxing day xx

 

[hawk2go]

@Sara61, I know it doesn't work for everyone but I swear by night wrapping with cling film to ease sensitivity and wake up with the knee less stiff. I'm so glad you tried it and it worked.

 

[Rubyroo]

That paint by numbers looks just like your pup, Mali! It is absolutely adorable!

 

[Susie-Q]

I haven't tried the Saran Wrap thing either and never felt the need to but I've heard many swear by it! Glad it's working for you!

 

[Sara61]

@Susie-Q - think I spoke too soon, last night I creamed my leg, put on the cling film and waited...after about 30 minutes it was beginning to irritate me, I persevered & at about 4am I couldn't bare it any longer so off it came but by this time I was wide awake, my knee was cross, it was stiff, swollen and downright sore so.. tonight I don't think I will wrap it again.
Today I have been out of sorts, tired, cranky and jolly uncomfortable, to make matters worse, every now and then I'm getting the Zingers- Gee they dont half hurt I think my MIL was shocked as they come out of nowhere and my vocabulary is not the most polite
Roll on Summer xx

 

[Susie-Q]

Oh no!! I'm sorry it didn't work..... I'm also sorry you're having those dreaded zingers. No wonder you're out of sorts and cranky! I would be too! Swear away!

 

[Claire56]

I haven't had any problem with sensitivity (yet) but wonder if those silicone scar strips would work too.

 

[Sara61]

@Claire56 Would you happen to know where I might find these silicone strips, I've never heard of them before.

After another day feeling grumpy and cross with the world, partly due to lack of sleep, I think I must have twisted my knee during the night as I woke up in so much pain and all day today my knee is so sore, I'm finding it so hard still to move from straight to bend & vice versa, walking very stiff legged, yet I can comfortably lie with it straight or sit with it bent for hours with no problems.

Physiotherapist today told me I have to stop comparing my two surgeries, for me to completely ignore my 2019 recovery, as all it is doing is worrying me, he said my muscles after this surgery are very weak hence I'm having trouble with the bend as I walk, plus also the movement of straight to bend, he said with time, my muscles will rebuild themselves & this will improve, meanwhile I must gently do some shin raises and a few other muscles strengthening exercises but to stop if it hurts.

And I thought this knee was fit going into this surgery.. Just goes to show that no two knees are alike. I need to learn a lesson in patience as I think this leg is going to heal far slower than my other one.

 

[Jockette]

 

[benne68]

@Sara61 Sorry that you are struggling with so much pain. Please know lots of us are sending you healing thoughts -- just as you've done for us in the past.

P.S.: I love your PT's advice not to compare your knees.

 

[Claire56]

"Would you happen to know where I might find these silicone strips, I've never heard of them before."

If you are in the US, you should should be able to find them at Walgreens. They will be with the bandages. They are a little pricey but are reusable. I believe they are also