TKR Am I really going to do this? Randi's new recovery thread

[rlwintin]

Well I had my three week check back appointment today. The day started out with a forty mile drive, a ferry and trip through downtown Seattle. Then We had trouble getting into Seattle orthopedic because they've torn up the roads all around for the new light rail. They say there are four seasons here: rain, rain, rain, and construction. So I wonder...why are we still having construction?
By the time I got in and returned my CPM instrument of torture 3 1/2 hours had passed. I was sick and cranky but my OS is very happy with my progress. I have good ROM and minimal swelling thanks to following the advice on this site! He told me not to be a hero and take my pain meds. I have such a high pain threshold, I don't always know I'm in pain! But then again, sometimes I definitely do! I've discovered that if I feel queasy and like throwing up it is pain and I need to take care of it. We were lucky and didn't have to wait for the ferry home, so all told, it was a six hour trip. I'm tired but I survived and my sweetie rewarded me with baked chicken and home made peach pie with last summers peaches. Life is good.

 

[robynhood]

Well done for doing so well for your 3 week checkup. I dont go for one until 6 weeks..Im sure my knees would have been grumbling after a six hour expedition. You are lucky you dont swell too much and have a good ROM. Its 4.30 in the morning here in the UK as i write this and i would love some of the home made peach pie you mentioned. Sounds delicious. Hope you progress as well as you have been. Paitence is paying off so dont try and do too much. Take Care. thats me not you.

 

[Creeker13]

It is nice when they cook... Rob is a great cook too. Keep taking it easy.... I will post more tomorrow after my early physio...
I did dinner tonight.... now he knows why I bought all those kitchen machines while I was working steady... zip, zip, dinner is done. Have a good sleep......

 

[Brownie51]

Good job Randi!

 

[Marina blue]

So glad you made the trip without too much swelling. And the reward when you got back home can't be beat, especially the peach pie, one of my favs. Keep up the good work my dear!!

 

[rlwintin]

Robyn, Joy, Brownie & Marina, if you make it out to the west coast of the US, about as north and west as you can go. I will make you a pie! I feel pretty good today but then again, I haven't gotten up yet.

 

[Marina blue]

Hey Randi, I will make my plane reservation to come and get my pie...lol....and while I'm there, we can talk about our surgery and complain to one another...hahaha...Have a great day today and hope you don't hurt!! Hugs, Gilda

 

[skigirl]

Randi, nice report. It is a relief to get the go ahead from the physician. My husband does all the cooking-==I do all the baking. I just finished six pies for a church bake sale!!

 

[rlwintin]

Oh pore pore me! I have abandoned my usual sunny attitude and have been moping around groaning and complaining. You know what? Nobody wants to hear it. I just don't feel good, tired, nauseated, bored-hey!- I think I'm getting better! Really, I'm a tiny bit better and am not so happy to loll around all day even tho I need to do a lot of that. I mean 3 1/2 weeks, what do I expect? I think I'd feel a lot better if I wasn't thinking I might throw up half the time. Not sure what that's about. For me that might be pain,as I have a rather high pain tolerance. Thanks for mentioning the Vitamin D, Joy. I need that and my light therapy box. It has pretty much been gloomy, rainy and sunsetty all day. So much for life on the 49th parallel. Tomorrow, I am going to try a little outing, to hear my partner sing Mozart. Don't worry, I'll sit in the back for an easy getaway. Thanks for listening.

 

[robynhood]

Sorry youre not feeling your usual self Randi. I must admit you are always the one who is happy and consoling everybody else me included so I dont like to hear youre not feeling good. I think we all hit a wall. when we first come home we are satisfied with sitting, sleeping, eating and thats about it. Thats about all we can do but as we feel better we do want to do more. Feeling sick all the time wont help. Theres so much to this op they dont tell us about cos maybe we wuldnt have it done. Well I hope after your outing tomorrow you will feel much better and part of the human race again. sending you warmest hugs from UK to Seattle hope you have a good sleep and a happier tomorrow. xxxxx

 

[Brownie51]

Randi hope tomorrow you wake up feeling better. I think nausea goes with the whole thing. Maybe the pain, being more sedentary, everything seems to sit in the stomach instead of moving along. I don't know what to make of these lulls except that Patricia is right, it might be best that we didn't know about this part! We are all in this together ladies! At least we have that...no one else really understands us, or at least that's the way it works with me. Thankfully we know that this is just temporary.

 

[BJ Mac]

Hi everyone, well I finally pooped ( I have no shame) and my new plan is senna tea , Smooth Moves, every night plus some extra magnesium.a funny story, I discovered this tea on a meditation retreat- people tend to get constipated there. It was so delicious I had a second cup, not realizing why it was there. Needless to say, I raced out of the morning meditation!!
Today I unwittingly put my noon meds in a pocket. I was feeling worse and worse, then at 3, put my hand in the pocket and, voila! Actually a good outcome because there was a good reason for feeling bad. I think that's the key, figuring out what makes us feel better and doing that and avoiding the things that make us feel bad. Hmmm.

Oh My Gosh, Randi, I did that same thing with my pain pills at one point and didn't know why I felt so horrible and then I found my pills in my sweatshirt pocket. The joke was on me, but I was seriously soooo relieved to realize why I felt so bad. (I know this isn't a new post, but I was just catching up on your thread)

 

[Creeker13]

Randi.... go do something local, easy, fun and totally nonessential. Good for you and the ol' guy! Trust me! lunch at a pub drive to a nice place for a picnic (in car) Yes it is monsoon season here and there will be more rainy days than sunny but remember when the sun comes out there is no better place on earth.... either side of the boarder.

 

[rlwintin]

Thanks everyone. I think I just get flat out tired. Tonight for the first time I felt like watching a movie (at home) so we watched The Hedgehog, just a wonderful film, charming and poignant and French. I really appreciate all the fine support I get from you all. It means a lot to me. And you are right Joy, we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

 

[skigirl]

Randi, look at your pain meds. I found that when i was needing them less, I got nauseated from them. I started with Percoset, stepped down to Lortab then stepped down to Tramadol. So, consider your meds when looking at nausea. If you have any questions, call the nurse or PA at your docs office and ask them.

 

[Marina blue]

Hi Randi, Sorry, just now catching up with your thread. I do hope you've had a good day today and feeling alot better!
I went through the same things you are going through but it gets a little better as time goes on. Just hang in there and know that I care along with the others here at BS...Hugs...Gilda

 

[rlwintin]

Thanks everyone. I did have a better day today. I went to the choral concert and left at intermission. And that was just about perfect for a first outing. I like Joy's idea of going to a local pub or a ride somewhere nearby. And I do need to look at meds. My doc thought I wasn't taking enough and I do feel better at this point if I have more than Tylenol. It is really hard to gauge what to do, meds-wise and it seems a moving target so I will keep watching. It is so good to be able to complain and know you all are out there. Overall, I'd say this has been my best day so far.

 

[BJ Mac]

Yay!!! Congrats on your good day!!!

 

[rlwintin]

I had a nice Thanksgiving with my sister and her partner visiting, and their dog, the best puppy in the world! Mostly, I laid up on the window seat or recliner, with a brief foray to the dinner table-perfect! After they left, my dog and I took a two hour nap! I'm feeling pretty good although this knee thing is pretty all encompassing. I am able to ride the exercise bike, which I like to brag about. Life is good, as long as I stay patient and accepting.

 

[robynhood]

Patient and Accepting - thats a brilliant way of describing what we need to be after our ops. Not always easy as I have found but im finding the stronger i get the better accepting I am. I am glad you had a nice relaxing Thanksgiving. I am thinking more and more about Christmas now. Looking forward to all the family coming round and the grandchidren make it even better. My daughter works as a wedding planner at a hotel and this year they are having live reindeer with father christmas and a sleigh The kids will be able to stroke reindeer if they are not too nervous before getting a present off santa. That will defnitley be a photo opportunity . Have a wonderful Friday x x