TKR 3 Year Update

[Jockette]

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Post op blues is feeling depressed, weepy, nervy, shaky, fearful of the future, anxious, overwhelmed by what is happening to you, convinced it's never going to get any better and finally, uttering that most intense of all cries "I wish I never had this done!" It arises out of a variety of...

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[Goma]

I read Josephine's thread and after seeing it was closed I felt I had to write. Last year I had uterine cancer which thankfully I caught in the early stages. I was bleeding internally and was very weak, more than was usual, so after many tests I had a diagnosis of cancer and anaemia, within 3days I had a hysterectomy and given the all clear which is a blessing. That was late May 2020 and the TKR was nearly 6months later. 2 major surgeries in 6months but I'm recovering slowly and steadily. Physically I'm getting there and can cope because I could have been in a worse place with chemo etc. My head space gets overloaded with the stress from last year but it'll get better. Recently I found out that I am going to be a grandma for the first time in September so I am beyond overjoyed.

 

[music lover]

@Goma I wish you all the best in your recovery. You are really early in the recovery process, so try not to stress over your numbness and gait. Easy for me to say when this is your first time, so I apologize. I have gone through once before so I had a bit more incite into what expect this time. Even then, I have questioned issues and worried...only natural. Re: blurred vision. I experienced that to some degree. A lot of medications have that as a side effect, if that helps. Once you get off the meds, that issue will likely resolve, but I am not a dr obviously. My husband often jokes with me and says “Tell me again where you got your medical degree” to which I rely ”Why, the same place everyone else does, on the internet of course!” That said, Bonesmart is such a valuable resource and I’ve been lucky to have found it.

 

[music lover]

@Goma Just read your other post. You have been through so much. You’ve got this! Congrats on becoming a Grandma. I, too, am going to be a Grandparent for the first time in June. The thought of that gives me that extra push I need.

 

[Jockette]

I’m glad you’ve come through cancer fine, and I agree, two major surgeries in 6 months takes a big toll.

Congratulations on the new grandchild, they are the best!

 

[Goma]

Sometimes you need to unload and where better than here with people who understand. Lots to look forward to and thank you for your kindness.

 

[FCBayern]

Congratulations @Goma, and @music lover, grandchildren are wonderful, if you smell a smelly diaper you can just hand them back to their parents, or you can wind them up, feed them sweets, and send them home! Just kidding, I love my granddaughters to death. The emotional turmoil caused by this surgery, particularly a second major surgery, is very real. I didn't experience much after my TKR, but when I had THR just 10 months later it really affected me. I would start tearing up at a sappy commercial! I couldn't watch anything that was too happy or too sad without being a wreck. The Hallmark channel was definitely out of bounds!

 

[Cococay]

Ahh im so glad to hear this- I really have felt like I’m losing it feeling so sensitive and emotional!

 

[Goma]

It's eye opening when you're out of control with the emotions. I was watching the National Geographic channel and crying for the sick animals at the San Diego zoo,so I get it about sappy commercials, they make you a blubbering mess. You just have to let it out. The first major surgery really compounds the second surgery. You think you're ready but it hits hard. I'm wondering if it's the pain or the crazy emotions that make this recovery tough, probably both combined and they bounce off each other. I had a good day today, went to the supermarket and chemist with my husband. Probably more walking than I should have and I'm paying for it tonight but it did my mental health good to get out. It's all a balancing act. Hey, looking forward to a new baby, makes me ☺ smile

 

[Jaycey]

I'm wondering if it's the pain or the crazy emotions that make this recovery tough

A combination of both plus things like not getting enough sleep. I was also SO frustrated at not being able to do things. The simplest activity would bring on the frustration.

The good news is it will all pass. And there will come a time when you don't even think about that knee.

 

[FCBayern]

Probably more walking than I should have and I'm paying for it tonight but it did my mental health good to get out. It's all a balancing act. Hey, looking forward to a new baby, makes me ☺ smile

That's a very insightful thought @Goma, sometimes it's worth a little down time and icing if it means boosting your mental health, cabin fever can be an issue even before Covid, and that just makes it worse. I left the last sentence because it makes me smile too!

 

[Goma]

Personally I'm living in a TKR bubble and it gets suffocating. Once in a while I make an effort to get out into the real world and it boosts my spirits so I can get over the difficult hurdles in this recovery. I look after my knee but my also my head. In Australia we have 78 active cases in hospital or quarantine,0 acquired cases in the community, out of a population of 25 million, we're doing OK but harsh lockdowns and restrictions got us here.

 

[Goma]

Today is my 3-month update on the progress of my tkr. I am progressing along quite well and happy with the function of my knee. I still have some swelling and stiffness which I ice when needed and this is indicative of the amount of activity that I do during the day. I overdid it to start off with but now I pace myself during the day and I have (I think) a good balance of how much I can do. I can do all my household activities and drive to do my shopping.

I walk for pt and do some stretches, do some stairs which is easy going up, still not ok going down and some stationary bike riding. I'm taking panadol and Nurofen daily to control swelling and pain but I can forget also because the pain doesn't play on my mind all the time.

Still not sleeping straight through but can get to a 4 to 5 hour stretch on a good night and 2 to 3 hours on a bad one. We are going through an Australian summer, nights are warm and I'm not enjoying that.

I find wearing good shoes a blessing, I wore my old sandals and it didn't work for my new knee. The swelling and stiffness really increased. The main pain is my IT band and the top of my quad where it meets my knee but this is reducing every week and feeling much better as long as I don't overdo it. I'm just hoping it goes sooner rather than later.

My "good" knee is playing up much to my surprise, I have knee pain at the back of my knee but I don't expect this to turn into anything nasty. I think that due to inactivity for so long and the terrible gait I started off with after surgery that this knee is feeling the strain. On long walks the knee is good and the icing is helping. In fact, I'm looking after the good knee instead of the new knee. I'm pleased with my progress, I can stand firmly on both feet now for long periods and straighten my leg at last. I still have niggles and pop-up pains that I don't know what they are or why but overall my knee and I are getting along quite ok for now.

ROM and extension numbers, I have no idea about, haven't been measured since before Xmas but I feel it's ok because I can do most of what I want. I am still having trouble grabbing my leg and pulling it back to touch my butt. I hope this improves over time but it may never happen. My advice is to try and find a balance between what you and your knee can agree on because in my case it makes a difference between a good day and a bad day. I am trying to build strength now, hope I continue to improve. Thank you.

 

[FCBayern]

Nice update @Goma! sounds like you are heading in the right direction. You might try replacing your sandals, most of us had a wear pattern in our shoes from all the time we weren't walking correctly because of the joint pain. I had more than one pair of shoes that caused pain, but when replaced weren't a problem.

 

[Goma]

That's exactly what I did, wearing new skechers at the moment for stability and cushioning and they're much better. Still walking a bit stiffly but much improved.

 

[Goma]

Nearly 16 weeks for me today. We went on an outing to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat which was a gold mining township in the mid 1800's . It's a tourist destination in central Victoria in Australia. A town replicating life back then. It's an hour and half drive there and back. The drive didn't bother my knee at all. We walked for about 4 hours up and down gravel and dirt road, too many steps to count and stood still in two ques for about 30 minutes. My knee held up, there was no pain or swelling other than when I stepped out of the car but that passed after a few steps. I didn't feel the need to ice when I got home and now in the evening it still feels good. I am feeling hopeful at last that I'm getting there and I'm very happy. I am looking forward to seeing how the next few weeks go. Not everyday is as good as this one, some days I overdo it and pay for it but today was great and I'm going with that for now. See what happens tomorrow but here's hoping.

 

[FCBayern]

It sounds like you are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel @Goma! Personally I iced after a busy day like that even if I didn't feel I needed it. Not sure if I needed it or not, but I never seemed to pay a price the next day when I iced so I figured why not?

 

[Jockette]

What a fun day trip!

That was a lot of activity, and it’s great that it didn’t bother you. If it was me, though, I’d take it easy the next day or so, to give it time to just relax. Any time I had a busier day, I took the next day off.

 

[sistersinhim]

All that riding, walking and standing, and your knee didn't fuss at you. That is wonderful! What a great recovery you are having!

 

[Goma]

Sleeping straight through for a few weeks now without pain. Today I woke up feeling good, always a bit of stiffness to start the day but that goes fairly quickly. We went for a walk again, about one hour and this afternoon I have a slight ache in my thigh but the knee is behaving itself. Everyday brings some spots of discomfort that I can't explain but overall I'm doing OK. Walking really helps and feels natural.