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TKR Another NewKnee Newbie

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gman0358 thank you for the information, you keep of the good work and I will try to do the same. We have to stay positive if we are going to get back to our old selves without pain.:)
 
Spent an hour and a half cutting the grass yesterday doing what I call "Tractor Therapy". Sitting with my leg bent, and my foot on the pedal. By the time I was finished, between holding my knee cocked at that angle, and the vibrations, I was so sore, I could hardly get off the mower, let alone get into the house. The dog was of no use whatsoever, she just lay there looking at me kinda saying "What are ya doing all bent over like that? Here let me lick yer face, that'll make ya feel better! Hey how come you taste so salty?" Finally got into the house, and cozyed up with the CryoCuff.

Physio pool felt awsome this afternoon. Here we are..... 8 weeks 4 days!!! Just got back form PT and my ROM has finally broken 100!! 105 to be precise. I finally feel like I have accomplished something.
 
gman, I know, everything thinks if you have a riding mower, what the heck would be the problem. But I have to do that too, but lucky for me I had a LTKR so I can move that leg around.
 
Thanks Debbie.... The most frustrating thing is, the yard looked not half bad yesterday. We had a heck of a rainstorm go through lastnight with lots of wind... Now you can't hardly see the lawn for all the downed leaves..... Be glad when I can get back to work for a rest!
 
Ooh, I feel for you! I found it very difficult to do anything remotely like that until about 4 months out. At 12 weeks I was still treating my knee very gingerly.
 
Um, maybe I missed it in your earlier posts (i.e., any digestive or bleeding issues), but why Tylenol (APAP) w/o an NSAID? So much of our pain for the first few months is due to swelling and inflammation. APAP or even a narcotic will address some of the pain, but it's treating the symptom (pain signals to the brain) and not the cause (inflammation). Ice goes a long way towards relieving the latter but doesn't always get the job completely done. Dilaudid at night but only APAP (and a half-dose at that) during the day sounds like an all-or-nothing approach, like a howitzer at night and a pea-shooter (with a spit-wad as ammo rather than a pea) during the day: you need something "in between" strength-wise for daytime pain, something that will let you function as you intend (and your care team believes is not overdoing it). Talk to your OS, PA or family doc about naproxen, diclofenac, flurbiprofen (the latter two are Rx-only south of the border but OTC in continental Europe--not sure which way it is in Canada) and/or topical forms thereof as a daytime adjunct to that Tylenol. Maybe the Bonesmart Cocktail (400 mg ibuprofen + 1000 mg. Tylenol q.4-6/hr prn) would hit the spot. There's also topical Arnica gel, from the natural food store or the muscle-care aisle at Whole Foods. It helps me with bruising and swelling, a nice adjunct to ice.
 
Plan is to try to go back to work by Nov.1st. In order for me to do that, my employer requests that I get a full physical prior to letting me back in the truck. Full physical includes blood work. Any type of narcotic or prescription pain meds in my system would violate my license, and therefore create further problems. I have been sticking to the E/S Tylenols for some time now, and seem to be not bad during the days. It is just a few hours at night where I still seem to have the problem. Getting up and walking around seems to take care of most of the pain as well as icing. Over aggressive exercise, PT or extended durations where I am bending the knee to its max (like cutting the grass) causes it to flare up, and I ice.

I started walking the dog yesterday in the woods behind the house. We went about a mile following some tracks, when I realized that , Hey we still have to come back! The knee was barking a bit too by the time we got home. Ice seemed to calm that. We went out again today, but didn't go quite as far. Think I will just stick with my Tylenols and ice, thanks the same.
 
gman, I see you are hoping to go back to work soon and have to have that physical and blood work. It would be hard not to be able to take anything besides Tylenol. But I do remember the first doc that prescribed Tramadol for me told me I could drive as long as it wasn't a semi. Do you drive a semi? Have you tried a hand held massaging ubroken link removed: https://reviews.walmart.com/1336/15747203/homedics-thera-p-compact-percussion-massager-model-pa-mh-thp-reviews/reviews.htmnit like this? I have ice on the kneecap and stick that under my knee and it heats up too. Seems to relax the muscles pretty well. I am doing that right now after I got to my 110 this morning at pt.
 
Yes, Debbie, I do drive a Semi. Physical is set for Wednesday. I just got home from my pool therapy, gained another 3 degrees. Up to 108. PT says once I get it to 120 I should have no problem climbing in, or reaching the brake pedal. Like you, I am sitting here now with my cryocuff full of ice water on my knee, and resting the back of my knee on a heating pad! Hope the warm air doesn't meet with the cold air, and start to rain in my living room.
 
You are catching up to me gman. Too funny about the possibility of making it rain in your living room. Just as I read that it started to pour here. We are finally getting the rain we so needed this summer. We have a dairy farm and our crops suffered a lot from the drought. Keep up the good work in PT.
 
Well.... If its raining there now, It will probably be here by this time tomorrow! I better get out there and do some more tractor therapy and get rid of some of those leaves.... hmm.... wonder it I could drive the tractor with the cuff on?!?!?
 
Another thing that might work is targeted ice massage. I was first prescribed it for "compartment syndrome" in my calves (until I finally gave up running). You take little paper bathroom cups, fill them 2/3 full of water and freeze them. (The water expands as it freezes to reach the rim). To use, take one and hold it in a towel, washcloth, oven mitt or glove and peel back enough of the paper cup to expose the ice surface. Rub in circles, making sure to move it constantly, and peel back more of the cup until either 20-30 min. have elapsed or it's melted. Of course, protect the furniture or floor underneath with a towel or trash bag--it's gonna get wet.
 
:rotfl: :rofsign: That sounds hilarious!!!! Sorry Diva, I know you must have good intentions, but I just can't imagine sitting here peeling back the paper from a frozen DixieCup sliding it around the sore spots on my knee as it melts!!!! Think I will stick to my CryoCuff!!

I just got home from my Driver's Physical, think that all went well. GP was quite impressed. Last Jan. he told I was "PreDiabetic" and suggested that I lose some weight (was 376 at that time). I told him that if my leg felt better, I could be more active. This is what started this whole little party started. Prior to surgery in August, I was down to 320, and tipped the scale today at 295!! Problem is that while my waist has gone down to 44", my chest and shoulders have gone up to 63". Who knew a walker, crutches, and a cane use would provide such a work out?!?

Now for the bad news..... I have to go back to see him a week from this Friday to discuss the results of blood work, so I guess back to work for Nov. 1st isn't gonna happen. Now, I have to see my OS Nov. 13, so I guess, I may as well wait until then.
 
Good job on the weight loss gman. I know it can be very difficult, but it is doable. I went from over 280, fifteen years ago then lost and gained, lost and gained then last Dec. I was up to 231 when I had my hip replaced and that got me in a better place, feeling better and able to move even with the bad knee and now I am down in the 150's. It is funny how I can tell complete strangers or bonesmart members how much I weigh, but don't want my husband to know. Sorry you have to wait a bit to get back behind the big rig yet. But a little more time will only be better for your knee.
 
Wow gman, that weight loss is impressive, good for you! Bad knees certainly do stop us from doing good things! Warding off Diabetic is a huge plus!:thumb: That is one scary desease! You're progressing really well, what an inspiration you are!:friends:
 
Thanks Jacky, but my inspiration is my grandkids. 7 of the lil critters under the age of 7. Just looking forward to being able to get down on the floor and playing with them or being able to run and bike with them for a long long time to come.
 
Great goals gman! 7 under the age of 7, holy moly! You will have plenty of quality time with them for sure! I see lots of fun coming your way!:friends:

Stay well my BoneSmartie friend!:thumb:
 
Tried going back to work yesterday. Got to the yard, where my truck is kept. There it sat, just where I left it over 9 weeks ago. I walked up to it, walked around it checked it all out as I normally did. Unlocked it, climbed up........BUT....still couldn't flex enough to get in to sit on the seat. So, now thoroughly discouraged, I went in to tell my boss, that it may be another couple of weeks before I will be back. Fortunatly, he said "Thats fine, come back when you can. Your truck will be here."
So.... Now, I will continue to work on the flex and bends....
 
gman, I am so sorry going back to work didn't work out for you. Guess your knee has other ideas for you right now. I thought you had a pretty good flexion, about what I have I thought (I am at 110) You had your right knee done, so not like you have to work the clutch. So is a semi's seat not movable to give you more room? I would think if you could drive a car that driving the semi would be about the same for distance between the seat and the pedal. So, what will you do with your extra free time?
 
:gaah: Think I just set myself back about 2 weeks!!!! Had this brilliant idea, if I knelt on the bed on all fours....... which didn't feel too bad, then I tried to press back pressing my butt to my heels, I might get more stretch. Well.....after about the 3rd rep, the pain shot through my leg like I have never felt. I fell flat on my face, and I think I might have passed out for a bit. I eventually reached over the side of my bed and applied the CryoCuff. After about an hour now, I can get up and move around. At least everything seems to be still intact, but real sore...... Bottom line..... No one told me NOT to do this!!!! So, let me tell anyone who is reading this.......DON'T TRY THIS LI'L EXERCISE!!!
 
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