I saw Dr. Bradshaw on Tuesday for my 6-week checkup. Everything is fine. I asked him about my knee since it has been over a year since Dr. Evans did the replacement. Dr. Bradshaw moved my knee around and back and forth. There was a barely discernable click when he moved it to the right. He said that is related to the size of the spacer and showed me the x-ray and where the spacer is. He said one cannot bend ones knee if the spacer is too big, and when the spacer is a bit smaller than would be "perfect," it makes a sound like mine. He said they always try for it to be perfect, but it isn't always. Of course there is nothing that can be done about it short of redoing the entire replacement, which he does not recommend and which I have no intention of doing. That, however, is not causing the tension/tightness in my knee. I told him that Chris has given my some additional exercises to try to address the problem. He said to stay with those and see if they help. He said his mother had a knee replacement, and she complained about her knee feeling like that were rubber bands around it. That could be similar to my situation. He said it took a couple of years for it to really improve. When I asked if she was able to walk unassisted after two years, he did not actually answer that question. I did not press for an answer. When he was talking about her complaining, he said that he is glad
he didn't do her surgery. You bet! He's having me come back in three months.
I was supposed to have two more weeks of therapy, one session a week and a discharge appointment the second week. However, since we can address my knee situation better since I've had my hip replacements, Chris plans to extend the therapy for one or two months; I don't remember which. With the additional exercises, I hope there will be improvement. I told Dr. Bradshaw that I just want to be able to walk unassisted and to vaccum my house. He said that is not unreasonable; that he has patients that have unreasonable goals, but mine are not.
@Ocean mentioned having a few more exercises which involve ankle weights and a squeeze ball between her knees. I've been doing the squeeze ball between my knees for two or three weeks. Last week is the first time Chris had me do exercises with an ankle weight. He put a 1-pound on and that was easy for me, so he put on a 2-pound and that seemed about right to be a little challenging. He left both weights with me to use. He said when the 2-pound becomes easy, I can add the 1-pound since he does not have any 3-pound weights. Last night other exercises must have tired my left leg, and when I tried to lift my leg with the weight on my ankle, I was in pain. So, of course, I did the exercise without the weight. i plan to do it without a weight for the next few days and might start back with the 1-pound, or not use the weights again. I haven't decided. But I
won't do anything that causes me pain.
I've worked everyday for the last two weeks, from four to eight hours a day. Today was the first 8-hour day. I am a bit stiff when I get up after sitting in my desk chair, and the longer I sit without getting up, the stiffer I seem to be. My chair has a mesh back that has some lumbar support, but not a lot. Chris gave me a mesh lumbar support that straps around the back of the chair. It doesn't say in place, but it is easy to adjust after I sit down, and I think I'm a bit more comfortable using it. Chris is just the best!
I think I am doing quite well for six weeks, 4 1/2 months, and one year+ after my three joint replacements. Dr. Bradshaw said it's fine for me to catch up on medical things I've put on hold. I am waiting for a call from the doctor to schedule a colonoscopy that I was supposed to have last summer. I have an appointment with my chiropractor tomorrow afternoon to adjust T12. I may also need something a bit higher up adjusted, also. I've moved up my teeth cleaning to August 31 instead of waiting until after three months. Dr. Bradshaw does not think it is necessary to take antibiotics an hour before a dental procedure or anything else. He said that practice is entrenched, but in National meetings of orthopedic surgeons, they talk about it not being necessary. I had even asked him when I can schedule a mani-pedi because I had read of the possibility of infection from the container used in soaking the feet for the pedi if it is not drained and disinfected properly. He said it would have to be a
really bad infection to affect a joint replacement, and he doesn't think that is a concern. I've had a lot of things on hold. It is going to be nice to clear out the backlog. Onward and upward!