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TKR Amberpep's Recovery Thread

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I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my kids - driving about 4-5 hours away. Keeping my knee in any one position for too long makes it really ache. I'm very discouraged with the way this has turned out. The replacement part is perfectly straight, it's the scar tissue I seem to grow. I don't know why some of us do that and others don't. If it weren't for the fact that I'm taking my dog, I'd take a bus. I guess I'm going to have to start the Advil, and take the Vicodin along, just in case I need it. It's burning like crazy this morning.
I wonder if there isn't something you can either do or take so that this doesn't happen.
abby
 
[Bonesmart.org] Amberpep's Recovery Thread
Hope you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas holiday with lots of family fellowship and sharing of gifts and lots of good food to eat.


I’ll be looking for you at the BoneSmart annual New Year’s Party. It’s been a very eventful year for most of us---and will be a very eventful year coming up for others of us looking forward to surgery in the new year.


Remember to bring food and drink to share---and pictures are always appreciated and loads of fun to share.


SEE YOU AT THE PARTY!!!!!
[Bonesmart.org] Amberpep's Recovery Thread
bottomshollow
 
Hi there ..... I'm assuming this is here in the site. Right? I'll bring my Scottish Shortbread cookies and a giant pot o' tea. :thankyou:
abby
 
Just an update about my knee .... after the second surgery to clean out the scar tissue, I went into P.T. again. My OS has released me, but I am to continue for 3 more weeks of P.T. It's definitely better, but not gone. I guess is just the way it's going to be.
Since I've been fooling around with this knee since May, 2011, I am totally out of shape. I've gained 25 lbs. and no longer have the cardio nor the strength that I used to. When I see my P.T. I'm going to ask her to set up a plan for me ..... their offices also has a gym you can use for $30 a month. I have got to get back to where I was. My legs are weak and occasionally I have balance problems, so I want to get started ASAP.
HAVE A WONDERFUL AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR ..... SEE YOU THEN. :spin:
abby
 
Abby,
Glad to hear you knee is definitely better :yay:.
See you at the New Years Party!
 
Sounds like a good plan--you'll probably need a somewhat gradual fitness plan.
 
@amberpep , the party thread is still going strong. Hope you join us!
 
BALANCE PROBLEMS ...... Hi all. Ever since I had my knee replacement in 2011, I have had a problem with balance ..... not all the time, just now and then. If I turn too fast, or get my feet tangled in a wire or something, I either have to catch myself or I fall. Tonight when I took my dog out for her last wee, about 10:30, I was coming up the steps to my 2nd floor condo, and when I got to the second to last top step, my slipper came off, and I fell up the last step, first on my knees and then flat on my face and nose. I just wanted to lay there and cry, but I as I struggled to get up - that still seems to be a challenge - I just stood there leaning against the wall and my neighbor came out having heard this loud thud. At that point I was shaken by the fall and just ever so slightly lightheaded. We talked a bit, I came in, put the dog in her crate, and came right back here to my bed. My knees are brushburned, so is the left side of my nose, and my nose bled just a bit. I had a dental appt. in the morning and I've called and left a message canceling it. I have one of my last P.T. sessions tomorrow afternoon - it's only 3 blocks away, and I'll go to that and ask her about it. I have heard other people that have had TKR's say the same thing, but it's really scary. I was just ready to start my low-impact aerobics tape again, after the 3 years since the TKR and the 30 lbs. I've gained, and now I'm half afraid to.
If anyone can share anything with me about their experience or have anything to share, please do. Many thanks,
abby
 
Sorry to hear of your fall. Ask your PT tomorrow about a balance program, and how to work on your stepping strageties. Do your low impact aerobics program standing behing a chair to lightly hold onto for balance.
Don't forget to use Ice for those sore spots tonight.
Take care,
 
I think balance is a really common problem not only for knee patients, but for everyone as we age. I switched from a therapist to my trainer fairly quickly after my first knee replacement and she (the trainer) spent HUGE amounts of time working on balance with me. Balance and core strength, actually. I was awful at it. I suppose the years of having bad knees took its toll on my muscles.

So.....I suggest that you first ask your therapist to give you some written sheets for core strength exercises and balance exercises that you can do at home. If you can afford it, then check out seeing a good personal trainer at a local gym who understands what you need. Much like with your surgeon who you had to carefully check out, you may need to talk with more that one trainer. Not all are good with this type of thing. Once you find one, you can see them 1 or 2 times a week for a while to learn what to do. Then you can pretty much do the exercises on your own and only have a paid session maybe every 2 or 4 weeks.

This is important for all of us as we age.
 
Thanks Jamie ..... I definitely will do that tomorrow when I see my P.T. and ask for papers to show me what to do. I had a personal trainer about 10 years ago, but I can't afford one anymore. The going rate around here for a personal trainer is 14 sessions for $750. I don't have that since my divorce. But, I'm going to write to my P.T. tonight and ask her for papers which will help the balance sitation.
Thank you so much for your help.
abby
 
You might check with your local YMCA. Sometimes they have a program called Silver Sneakers for those of us on Medicare that you might be able to take advantage of.
 
JAMIE ..... A neighbor lady just told me about that this morning. I'm going to give them a call.
Thanks so much.
abby
 
I'm certainly banged up this morning .... knees about 3x their size (sort of like my Dad's were - definitely NOT PRETtY!). The left side of my face and nose hurt as does my farhead from slamming it on the floor, and I also broke one of the long toes. I sure could eat something tasty right now though. I'm going to talk to my P.T. this afternoon about exercises for balance and my core and also call the Dept. of Aging and the YMCA about what they might have. I don't want to keep doing this falling and feeling a flopping fish out of water.
abby
 
Amberperp, so sorry to hear about your fall. Take care of yourself and heal well. Take advantage of any help you can get to get yourself better.

Our county has a parks and recreation district and adult education area that offers exercise classes and personal trainers and one of the trainers specializes in after surgery training. Its $60 per hour per hour for personal sessions. Eventually, I will try it and see if I pay him extra if he will come out to the gym at my apartment complex and show me how to work some of the machines here in a way thats best for me.

We get a cataloge every fall and spring listing what is available. This year I misplaced or discarded the cataloge and had to look it up on the internet. It was hard to find but I did. I had to google my county and I couldn't find it so I added my area and it came up. Example Riverside County adult exercise. When that didn't work I googled Riverside County Coachella Valley (exercise classes, adult ed, swimming, etc). You might have to spend some time searching but I would imagine your area offers something similar through the county.

Best of luck getting yourself in tip top shape. I will pray for you.
 
@crystals5 Thanks so much for responding. I have 2 places I can call - our Dept. of Aging has exercise classes and the YMCA does also. I talked to my P.T. today and she gave me 2 sheets of paper with exercises to do to strengthen my core and to help me with my balance. I didn't seem to have this problem for the year+ after the RTKR, but after he went in and cleaned out all the scar tissue seems to be when it started. My forehead and left cheek do hurt today .... there is a thin carpet on our steps but under that is concrete, and after I hit with my knees my head went full force onto the floor. I also broke one of the long toes, so I have that taped to the one aside of it. I had a headache this morning, so I've been taking it very easy today, resting, and I cancelled one appt. for this morning, but saw my P.T. this afternoon.

It was probably my own dumb fault. I should not have gone outside with my dog with bedroom slippers on that come off so easily. I've learned a lesson, that's for sure.

Thanks crystals5 .......

abby
 
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Abby....is it possible for you to get to your GP for a good check? The headaches concern me and you need to be sure you didn't get a concussion.
 
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