TKR Amberpep's Recovery Thread

[amberpep]

Hi Jamie .... thanks so much .... I've thought of that. If it's still not better in another day or two I will call her. I'm taking it very easy, staying home, and resting and sleeping. But I won't let it linger before I call her.

Thanks Jamie .....

abby

 

[amberpep]

I did think of that Jamie, so I just took it really easy for the next several days. I kept watching for all the symptoms and none showed up ..... thankfully. I am finished with P.T. now, but before I left I asked my P.T. for some exercises to help balance. She gave me a whole sheet of them and said that's very common after a knee replacement; you get used to walking one way because of the pain, and then a metal part replaces a joint, and you essentially have to learn to walk with it again. I'm doing lots better since I've been doing them. They also have a gym at the P.T. office and for previous patients it's only $25 a month. Best yet it's only 3 blocks from my home, so once I get more strength and stamina I can most likely walk to and from. I'm also working on getting rid of this weight gained over the passed 3 years since I've had the knee problem and then the 2 surgeries on it.
We had 18-20" of snow today, we're to get more tomorrow night, and then again Sunday. It's amazing because there are simply no young people who go around offering to shovel cars out (for a fee of course). When I was a kid, they were everywhere. With the depth of the snow, the wind that drifted it in, and the plow which pushed the pile to the front .... well, I'm just letting it sit until it melts ..... I can't shovel all that, so it'll have to just melt before I go anywhere.
Between my Medicare and my supplemental - Bankers Life, Plan J - I have not paid a cent except for the beginning of the year premium to Bankers (about $3500). I feel very blessed. Can anyone tell me how much it costs to have a total knee replacement? I'm very curious about this and I have no idea.
Thanks everyone ...... it's so good to chat with you all.
abby

P.S. for Jamie or Josephine ..... how do I add my other surgery to the list that shows up under my picture ..... (oops .... my dog's picture, not mine)? Thanks so much. abby

 

[amberpep]

I have a question. My P.T. told me that I am only to wear "squishy" shoes, that feel like you're walking on a cloud right from the get go........Dansko, Merrell, Keen (expensive ones). You can't imagine how many pairs of shoes I need to get rid of. I am a summer sandal wearer and the only kind I have that are at all squishy, and that's not very squishy, are Birkis. She also told me that I should never go barefoot ..... EVER. She said that it throws all the large joints off in your leg. That's another tough one for me. Does anyone know of any brand of shoes for summer which would fit the bill? This is going to be quite a transition for me ..... no running barefoot, no flat footed sandals ..... Anyone have any suggestions for me? Thanks so much.
abby

 

[kneeper]

A few months ago I bought a pair of Keens--they were pricey but I love them for teaching in.

 

[amberpep]

Hi kneeper ..... thanks for writing. I have one pair of Keens, but I can't wear them anymore. I got them about 3 years ago when I was fitted for orthotics and needed to go up a size from a 9 to a 10. I don't need the orthotics anymore and after I took the orthotics out, they are too big. All those really good, squishy shoes are pricey, but it's worth it. They are comfy, for sure.
Take care ......
abby

 

[NuNe4Me]

Crocks

 

[amberpep]

I did buy a pair of crocks - the kind with the fuzzy material inside. They are comfortable, but I don't usually wear them when I go anywhere, except the grocery store.
abby

 

[amberpep]

Hi all ..... I don't think I wrote that question. If I did, I must have been in some other land. I really never thought about it much. Admittedly I hardly took any of them except when absolutely necessary.
abby

 

[amberpep]

Excuse me but my last post must have sounded really nutsy. I was answering somebody who asked a question about Vicodin, and I responded with "I don't think I wrote that." Now they're both gone!
I have a new DELL, which will be sold ASAP when my computer guy gets my oldie fixed up. This one is a piece of junk. (sorry for getting off the subject.)
abby

 

[amberpep]

It's 10 PM and I'm about ready to hit the sack. I'm a very early bird and I wake up "talking." At least that's what my X husband used to say ... made him batty. I took the elastic brace off, and as usual, my knee always feels better afterwards for about 30 min. And then I wonder ..... maybe I don't need to see a doctor at all .... maybe this is the way it's going to be; then my other side of the brain says, no you must go and find out. And then it's well I'll feel really foolish if I go all the way in there and nothing is wrong. And so it goes ... back and forth, back and forth .... I seem to have a brain like a carousel! Wow, what an airhead. I'd better get to bed.
abby

 

[skigirl]

Abby, I have been there too--but trust yourself--you know that all is not well.

 

[amberpep]

Hi skigirl! Good to see you again. Gosh, I'm finding a lot of my old friends are still here. I like that. So you doubted yourself too, huh? It is definitely a problem, but I'm wondering if that's normal. My head knows it's not because the symptoms are too classic, but still that little voice tells me that "you know there's nothing wrong ..... you just want attention." Well, that couldn't be farther from the truth. If I wanted attention, this sure would not be the way I'd do it! This morning sitting in my lounge chair my tibia hurt on the outside - that's a first. It usually is located to the right, bottom, and left of the knee, but this morning it went down my calf on the outside. Thank so much for writing. Please keep in touch. Take care of yourself my friend ....
abby
2 meniscusectomies - mid 90's1
RTKR - May 24 ,2011
2013 - Scar tissue removal

 

[Pumpkin]

Abby,
Boy have I been confused, until I realized you had two threads in the recovery area. Was wondering where did all those posts go.
Maybe @skigirl, can merge your two theads?
Here is the link to your other thread.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/still-having-difficulty-from-amberpep.23889/page-3

 

[amberpep]

Oh yes, please do that ..... I didn't realize I had 2 threads going ..... I think I need a caretaker!!!!
abby

 

[RestAssured]

@amberpep,

After they did the washout and debridement and spacer replacement, I hoped that it would be the end to surgery. Well, no such luck, but I found a great revisionist, and I have walked a 5K twice in the past 2 weeks!

Go to the doctor find out what is wrong, and get ready to start enjoying "the best of your life!"

 

[amberpep]

Hi all ..... Before I had the original RTKR the hospital had a class for people who were going to have hip or knee replacements. I went and they gave each of us a notebook filled with a lot of good information. The class was about an hour long, and I stupidly thought they'd covered pretty much everything. Not so. I pulled the book out today and did more reading ..... I found out that for 6 weeks I was to be using either a walker, crutches or a cane - I used it for 2 days once I got home. Not to pick up anything heavier than 50 lb. I had 2 big boxes of cat liter delivered and had to bring them in the house, avoid doing steps if at all possible ..... I went down to the mailbox every day, and absolutely try NOT TO FALL ..... well I did that several times with a balance problem. Little wonder I'm having trouble.
I'm feeling a little if-y about going to the appt. Maybe this is my "normal" .... maybe everything is actually OK, and he'll tell me, "there's nothing wrong with you," in which case I'd feel like a real jerk. I always go through this whenever I have to wait an extended period of time for an appointment with a doctor. It sure does make me nervous though.
abby

2 menisectomies - mid 90's
RTKR - May, 2011
2012 - surgery to remove scar tissue

 

[kneesrus]

Kind of late getting on the boat about footwear. I am on my feet 9+ hours a day on a hard surface and I wear crocs. They do come in better styles now, you have to get them on line. As far as going barefoot, I go barefoot all the time.
Cheers
David

 

[amberpep]

Hi David ..... When I was in P.T. my therapist told me to always get shoes with very cushion-y heels. She mentioned some names ..... Keen, Merrell, Dansko ...... wow, the really "cheap" ones (NOT) I have 2 pairs now but I sure can't afford a lot of them. I have l pair of crocs but I don't remember them being real squishy in the heel. I'll have to take a look on line. Maybe if I put those gel things in them, that would work. They sure would save me some money. I think I'll take a look tonight. Thanks for the suggestion.
abby
2 meniscectomies 1990's
RTKR - 5/24/2011
scar tissue removed - 2013

 

[amberpep]

Hi everyone ...... well, yesterday I decided I'd better call the new doctor's office and ask to be put on a cancellation
list. My appt. is not til June 11, and I don't think I can wait that long. When I sit down now, the right outside of my knee hurts and burns and on the outside of the calf, same thing .... a burning sensation in addition to the discomfort. It feels like a long time from now til mid June. When I wear the elastic brace on my knee it really does help, so I guess I'll just have to wear that during the day. Yesterday I actually put the short runner brace on, but the elastic one feels better on.
Any ideas what could be causing the burning? I'd love to be able to get in there sooner than June.
Take care everyone.
abby
I forgot to mention that I was reading on-line that there were some problems with the Depuy knee replacement apparatus .... don't remember what, but thought it was interesting.
a

 

[kneeper]

Sorry things are so bad. It's a good idea to see if you can get on a cancellation list. Fingers crossed for you.