MUA 3rd Year Anniversary

[NewToMe]

Good Morning!

Spent a horrific night tummy ache that escalated into vomiting and diarrhea that I haven't experienced in well over a decade.

Big kudos to spouse for his iron stomach, cleaning capabilities and sense of humor.

I AM HUNGRY!

 

[luvcats]

Well isn't that just what you needed so early in recovery.
I hope it was just a bug and passes quickly.

 

[NewToMe]

@luvcats btw I love your avatar name! I am certain this was an unusual food combo.

Between this incident and first week miralax/stool softener incident, I think we have been incredibly fortunate in that thus far the tkr issues are related to poop!

23 days post op walking a couple of blocks twice a day, back and forths on bike, sleeping, Tylenol only (with ice and elevation) during day. I have it good!

Thank goodness for this forum!

 

[NewToMe]

Telling PT NO, you need to stop, on Tuesday was incredibly satisfying yet disappointing at same time.

I had someone different and asked her to watch me walk. Tomorrow is 4 weeks and I am married to my walker with poor quad firing and lurching with to much weight on my arms. What do I need to do?

So I got good advice on what to focus on, heel to toe, bend leg and push off follow through in exaggerated fashion (high step march). Now I walk less distance and focus on the above resulting in lot more pain.

The PT stop happened when she was pushing for the bend. I said, "Please stop what you are doing." She said, "ok I will give you a minute". My response, "nope, we are done with that activity. Let's do something else less painful."

I do make progress AT PT in any one session. and from one week to the next, but they are concerned because the bend (flexion?) Is 73. I don't care and I tell them that.

 

[Jockette]

Good for you for taking charge of your PT session!

Your bend will come along as you heal. There is no window of opportunity.

One of our members, Bertschb, kept a record of his ROM process. He agreed for us to post it for those of you that are afraid you're stuck. The key is to have patience! Bertschb says:

“I'm 12 months out from my surgery and have some advice based on my experience:
1- Stop going to PT (all it will do is make your knee swell and reduce ROM)
2- Don't worry about your ROM
3- Be patient - VERY patient!!!

Here is my ROM history (more or less):

1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees

I spent waaaaay too much time worrying about ROM. I thought I'd be riding my bike a couple months after surgery but it took SIX months! Looking back on my surgery, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted my time with PT and I wouldn't have worried about ROM.”

 

[NewToMe]

@Jockette I have to be patient? Lol what's that? I did get my point across that its my PT and my knee. I am so grateful for this forum and peeps!

 

[Jockette]

Yes, that P word (patience) is very hard.

 

[Celle]

I do make progress AT PT in any one session. and from one week to the next, but they are concerned because the bend (flexion?) Is 73. I don't care and I tell them that.

Flexion of 73 at not quite a month post-op is OK. As long as you're making progress, there isn't any need to worry.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

 

[NewToMe]

Yesterday was 1 month Anniversary of new knee "Newbie!" Today I made my husband take me to local Starbucks for a coffee. I went inside somewhere that wasn't medical, sat for 20 mins and enjoyed my coffee, then we left.

It was so nice!

Thank goodness we have some friends visiting tomorrow! The lack of face to face people contact is torture for extroverted me!

 

[Thatbpguy]

NewToMe, like you my wife has been very attentive. My recovery is slow and I so appreciate her.

 

[luvcats]

The early outings make such a difference!

We've been having lovely weather for a few days and I got very excited about going down to the water front and eating somewhere with a nice view. And then of course the weather changed unexpectedly and it was blustery and overcast, so it was no longer appealing. Maybe next weekend.

 

[NewToMe]

I have a bit of weirdness to report.

I am now more consistently walking heel to toe, pushing off with toe, then picking my leg up(with quad) and setting the foot back down in a contolled manner. All good , (waiting on "patience").

The issue is when I bend my knee there feels like a physical catch in the quad and it stops the movement, causes pain, and frankly feels like my quad is stapled down. Visual inspection shows a diviot left of top of incision. Like maybe over stitched something on the way out?

Any ideas or suggestions? Overall movement is getting easier, but this thigh "catch" is really bothering me. Catch happens when bending knee

 

[NewToMe]

Went to Dr. Appt today at VA. He asked if in had a fall. Ha ha... 30 min ride each way, normal sit and wait for another 30 mins. When I got home I crashed hard with 2 cats and ice.

This fatigue is amazing! SO glad OS wrote leave paperwork for 12 weeks instead of 8.

 

[sistersinhim]

That energy drain is so true. 1 1/2 hours without icing and elevating is rough on a brand new knee like yours. I'm glad the cats helped you rest!

 

[NewToMe]

@sistersinhim
Fatigue into today too! I get sleepy, try to nap then a noise....ANY noise wakes me. I also seem to twitch as I doze off. None of that is usual for me.

 

[sistersinhim]

Unfortunately, this all sounds normal. I slept for maybe an hour at a time and that's all for the first month or so. Once I was off the Oxy, I began to sleep better. Then I began sleeping maybe a couple of hours at a time. Even now, I don't sleep well, and that has nothing to do with my knee.

The best thing for you to do is to sleep whenever and wherever you can. Sleep is important for your recovery. Even a catch nap here and there will be very beneficial.

 

[NewToMe]

Last night was amazing!

I took 1 Tylenol, 1 tramadol and 5mg of melatonin (normal pre-op) about 45 mins before bed.

Went to bed around 9 pm, woke up at midnight, very groggy, managed to take off ice cuff, roll to side and then slept another 2 hours with the lights on!

Got up at 2, took another Tylenol and tramadol, did my business, got in bed, on my side! With ice cuff, turned off light.

Hubby woke me up at 6 am (he changed out ice at 4 am, I had no idea), i was on my back......mmmm i have learned to roll over in my sleep! I feel like celebrating like you do when a baby learns to role over....

 

[NewToMe]

It's been a few days so to keep you all caught up:

Insurance issues means formal PT cancelled for last week and a half.

Interesting that I stopped using walker, moved to a cane and my "feeling" of ROM has improved! I do more for myself in the house, do the back and forth on a bike for 3 to 5 mins every few hours and walk outside and FEEL BETTER!

It is easier to sit in a chair, I don't obsess how to move my leg, I just do it. Feels like I am making great progress with no measuring device in sight!

 

[Loved2Dance]

I wanted to comment on the glue, now that you bring it up. The Dr. never told me about it and never told me what to do about it after the procedure. It was quite liberally applied at least 1/2 inch on either side of the incision. As it is almost Halloween, I thought the incision looked quite appropriate (like Frankenstein) see attached. Thank goodness my PT gave me some adhesive remover. (Medical brand, not general brand... i.e. my husband offered "Goof Off". No thanks). Anyway it did the trick and got the ink off as well as the adhesive. Now I am definitely more comfortable and less self conscious.

 

[sistersinhim]

Feels like I am making great progress with no measuring device in sight!

In my opinion, it's not the numbers that count, it's what you can do. Function over numbers any day!