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TKR Amberpep's Recovery Thread

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Hi friends .... I thank you so much for your kindness and encouragement. I'm afraid if I did anything to encourage scar tissue to grow again, it's been done. I had the surgery 4 weeks ago now, never laid down except for a nap and at night, did laundry, walked my dog. And then to top it off one of my kitties had to be put down. She was my real buddy as she had been with me through all the passed 12 years .... leaving my now X, living in a small upstairs area of a girlfriend's house, moving to my condo, getting another cat, and then my dog Molly. Through all that, she was right there by my side and sometimes on my shoulder. During the divorce, when there were tears, she would actually lick them off of my face. I can pick up her remains tomorrow which they put in a little wooden box.
My oldest daughter drove up Thurs. from VA and one day we went to the mall and walked around for 45 min. I could not believe the pain. It was awful. She headed for home and I did too .... I took Advil and laid down with ice .... the Advil did nothing so I grudgingly took a Vicodin. I hate taking those things, but I had no choice this time.
I don't want to sound like a whiner, but I'm exhausted. I know there are plenty of people far more worse off than I am so I feel guilty saying that. I wish I didn't have a dog right now, that I didn't live on the second floor of a condo building, and had someone closeby to help. Right now there is laundry to be done scattered all over the laundry room floor. Thanks everyone for your kindness and for listening.
abby
 
Abby, I'm so sorry you are going through such a hard time. And so very sorry you lost your companion. Have you talked to your doctor about the pain? Also, is there a counsellor or psychologist you can see. You have an awful lot you are dealing with right now and some talk therapy might help.
Prayers and healing thought are coming your way.
 
Hi Amber,

So sorry for your loss of your kitty. They are such good companions and even better at providing comfort in ways humans cannot. I feel your pain. Please take it easy and cave into taking pain meds. That is surely adding to what sounds like depression. If you can get to a counselor, I would do that as already suggested. It helps to unload on someone else who is trained to help clear the crud that can overtake us in recovery.

And please don't worry about complaining. This is just the place to come for support and understanding. We have all been there at one time or another. Lean on anyone who will lend you a hand or an ear. Someday you will be in a position to return the favor. Until then, it's okay to let others carry some of the load.

Be well,

Dawn
 
Hi Crystal .... thank you for your kind words. I do see a Psychologist 2x a week as I deal with Cyclothymia. I'm picking up the remains of my kitty, Amber, which I've had her cremated and put in a wooden box. I've never done that before, but she was worth it.
The last time I saw my OS, which was about 1 week, he checked my knee, and pronounced me "doing well." I said to him about the pain I was having, and he told me to have my P.T. step it up a bit. OK, so she did that yesterday, even though she doesn't agree. Now we'll see.
abby
 
Hi Dawn .... yes, animals can sometimes be better and more faithful companions and friends than people. I'm going today to pick up my kitty's remains which will be in a wooden box. I mentioned to Crystal that I do see a Psychologist and I also take several medications for cyclothymia. I live on the 2nd floor of a condo building and my P.T. told me yesterday to only do the steps 4x a day, when I have to take my dog out. That's practically impossible when you live alone. My P.T. believes that why I developed the scar tissue was because after the original knee replacement was because I did too much too soon. Easy to say, but hard to do.
Thanks Dawn ......
abby
 
It is a difficult balance when living alone and tasks need to be done. Any neighbors that could walk the dog for you a few times a day so it would limit your stair use? Our animal friends are always there for us and love us unconditionally. I have my kitty who this recovery has been sleeping with me and following me around- it does warm me up more than anything. My last dog is in a pretty box in the living room- had to put her down this past April and so sad but she was 16 1/2 and for a large dog that was an amazing age and I was so glad to have her help me through my first knee.

My sympathies for your loss of your fuzzy friend. :flwrysmile:
 
I am getting so frustrated with this knee. Five weeks ago (or thereabouts) my OS had to go back into the knee replacement because I'd developed so much scar tissue. I'm in P.T. and I guess it's helping, but not sure ..... it's a slow process, for sure.
I tend to sleep on my side sort of curled up. Well, this morning I got up and the muscles must have contracted in the back of my knee because it hurt so badly I could not put any weight on it, let alone walk. It hurt so much my stomach started to feel sick. I used my walker and still had to hop. Frankly I was scared to death because I live alone. I was going to call my son, but he lives almost an hour away, and I know by the time he got here it could be 2 hours. I slowly tried to stretch it out, put ice under my knee and over my knee and because I couldn't do anything I had iced tea .... that was breakfast. I took Advil and put my brace on, because I had to feed and walk my dog. I was in tears. I'm on the 2nd floor, so I sat on my bum and slid down the steps. I only took her aside of the building. I got in and tried that Integrated Manual Therapy (my P.T. does that along with everything else and I got a book called Body Wisdom), then I put heat underneeth my knee. It finally improved and now it's back to its normal. I'm thinking of wearing the brace overnight so I don't bend it like that again.
I am so discouraged with this. I'm supposed to move the end of winter to beginning of spring, down to near where my daughter's live, in a first floor apartment and I really don't want to have to go to a new OS as soon as I get there. I really want this knee to be A-OK before I go.
Anyone have any advice for me? Thanks much ....
abby :puppysmooze: :kittykiss: (I had to put one of my cats down last week ..... very hard .... she was a real buddy.)
 
:console2:
 
Abby, I don't have any advice for you but I will sure keep you in my prayers and I hope things turn around for you very soon. :angel: :flwrysmile:
 
It must have been so scary for you. I think your idea of wearing a brace at night might help. Just think how great you did even with this happening- you iced/heat,tried everything and got it to relax. Our muscles do odd things sometimes and there might be no explanation. You are amazing.:flwrysmile:
 
Hi everyone. My P.T. believes that I probably slept on my side all night with my legs curled up, and the muscles behind that knee contracted. So, I'm wearing the short runner brace every night now.
Before I had my RTKR, I took a class at the hospital, and was told pretty clearly how long the recovery would be. But with this clean out of the scar tissue, no one said anything, so I just assumed it would be just a few weeks. Boy was I wrong! It's 5 weeks already, still swollen and very sore I've got four 3/4" incisions around the original long incision.
They've told me that the reason this happens is because I didn't take it easy enough after the first TKR. I was in the hospital 4 days, in rehab. just for 3, and when I got home a girlfriend from PA came down to help with everything allowing me lots of time to rest and sleep. Then she was home and I went back to as normal as I could. I live on the 2nd floor of a condo, have a dog that must be walked and a cat, which isn't any trouble. You don't have any choice when you're alone.
All this has made me realize that I need to move closer to my kids. My son lives about an hour away, but has a very busy life in D.C. Both my girls live in western VA, and I'm now looking for an apartment to rent down there. I think it would be a wise move. This knee thing has shown me that.
Does anyone know how long it takes for one of these scar tissue removals to take to get back to normal? I wish someone - like my doctor - would have warned me. This isn't what I expected.
abby
 
amberpep said:
Does anyone know how long it takes for one of these scar tissue removals to take to get back to normal?
Click to expand...
Dear Amber - that's the classic "how long is a piece of string" question! It depends on so many variables like how bad it was and how much work he did in there for starters. But you are right about one thing, your surgeon should have warned you about what might happen. That was not fair of him. One thing I can say is that quite likely 5 weeks is early out and you might be in for a longer trip than that.

I take it you are following the mantra?
 
Hi Josephine ..... thanks so much for your input. I'll bring this up to him next time I'm in, which I think is 2 weeks.
Mantra? What is that???
abby
 
Well, I saw my OS last week and he gave me a steroid shot on the right side of that knee. After he injected it, he pressed it all around with his thumb (I hope I didn't tell you all this before ) until it hurt and he said, "good, we've hit the bone." Since then I have absolutely no pain from my knee .... it feels fine. But, typical of me, several days go I was carrying a load of groceries up to my condo, and stumbled on the last step and fell on both my knees. Groceries everywhere, my purse in a corner, my keys flown somewhere. I just sat, numb. Finally about after 5 min. I got up, gathered everything up and went in. But now I've got a nice blood type blister on the spot where it hit, right in the middle of the original scar. There will be no shorts for me anymore ....... with a 6" vertical scar, and 4 X shaped scars each about 1" that he used to clean out all the scar tissue ..... well, I'd probably scare my grandkids to death!
I hope this shot really lasts awhile ..... it's wonderful to be pain free.
Does anyone else have a bit of trouble with balance? I really have to be careful or I'll stumble over shoes, or almost anything ...... I was never like that before. Anyone else?

abby
 
Yes, I have had trouble with balance, and Abby my personal trainer is working to correct that for me! I have improved so much in 6 weeks that I feel like I can stand on either leg reasonably well for an extended period of time! :happydance:
 
Balance is one of the main issues people have as they age. And it only takes a short period of time of inactivity (like after surgery or when you have a bad knee or hip) to make things worse. The only fix for it is targeted exercise for the specific muscle groups that enable you to balance yourself when walking or standing or (more importantly) to help you catch yourself during those times when you trip or slightly get off balance.

Why don't you ask your GP if he would write you a prescription for some therapy to work on balance. A therapist can evaluate just what you need and give you printouts of exercises. They would work with you on those exercises for a few sessions, then you can request to be sent home with a home plan to continue the exercise program. Medicare should cover up to $1900 of this type of therapy in a calendar year.

Exercises for balance can involce standing on one leg, standing on one leg and reaching for items on a counter, walking on a rounded foam tube, or exercises on a half-round ball. They work, but like any exercise, it can take a while to see the good results you want.

Here are a couple of links to the tube and ball I'm talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Foam-Roller-Half-Round-Black/dp/B000VK1YM2/?tag=ate362da-20

https://www.amazon.com/BOSU-Sport-Balance-Trainer-55cm/dp/B002GF79QA/?tag=ate362da-20

Good balance is so important as we age. Falls are the number one problem and most happen like your recent one - in the blink of an eye, when we lose our balance and take a tumble.
 
I've never been the Queen of Balance but since the TKR it's been worse. Pain isn't a problem, but I've never fully regained feeling along the outside of my knee or in my middle two toes; I'm sure that contributes to the balance issue. I'm encouraged to hear that exercises can help! I'm about to start working with a personal trainer on an exercise program and I'll talk to her about this!!! I was dreading starting this program (OK, I'm not the Queen of Exercise either) but now I'm more enthused about it.
 
Yes, definitely talk to your trainer. My husband and I have an excellent trainer who works primarily on balance with us. Amazingly, she is able to combine aerobic exercise with balance workouts. Hopefully your's will be able to do the same for you. Exercise is the ONLY way to improve and maintain the balance you need later in life.....said the person who absolutely HATES to exercise. I'm like you.....I fight it, even knowing it's the truth.
 
Hi everyone. Just an update on my knee. My Ortho. Surgeon operated and cleaned all the scar tissue out from around my knee. I went into P.T. again. One side continued to hurt and he said he thought maybe the scar tissue was growing back again. Back into P.T. I saw him last week and he released me, even though the lateral side of my knee still hurts in about a 2" diameter area. Somedays it actually feels like it's burning .... my P.T. said that's the nerves. So, I have 2 more weeks of P.T. and then I'm done. This sure has not turned out as I hoped.
abby
 
:console2:
 
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