TKR Back on the road

[Sammi2]

Thank you @Celle. I came to Bonesmart when I Googled post op progress and was looking for milestones
It was this particular post on @RGRG 's recovery thread that made me react and post as I did.

Nope, they just lie better! I noticed your friend never said how much pain and/or swelling he was experiencing. A lot, I'll bet!

Just before my first knee I had a friend tell me her neighbour was up on his roof fixing loose tiles only 3 weeks after a TKR. I had an opportunity to talk to him a few weeks later and it turned out he'd only had a diagnostic arthroscopy!

@funkymuse I have minimal swelling now. I did have to ice and elevate last night for a while but I had been out shopping to Ikea and the city centre for 6 hours with an hour's drive each way so had done a lot of walking and my knee ached a little by the end of the day. Most days I don't need the ice although I do put my leg up but I always did! My surgeon told me to walk so that is what I am doing and as I said it's getting easier day by day. However I am lucky and everyone's recovery is different.

 

[Celle]

OK. That was just one example. It's not typical of what we say. You know the saying, "One swallow doesn't make a summer"? Don't jump to the conclusion that we always say that. Actually, I think it was meant as a joke, a sort of one-line throw-away. British humour, possibly not understood in the US.

To follow what she said, Josephine also gave an example of how other people's recovery stories can be misleading.
She is an orthopaedic nurse with many, many years of experience. She can sometimes be a bit blunter than Americans are used to, but her advice is helpful and accurate.

And, if you look at what I posted about my friend Will's recovery, you will see that he told a similar, misleading story.

 

[Josephine]

Would it have been more acceptable if I'd said they 'fib' better? Fact is that people relating other peoples' recoveries do tend to 'over egg the pudding' or make much of what they think they heard. I did post an example out of my own personal experience, did I not?

 

[Sammi2]

@Celle I understand British humour as I am British and posting from the UK!
@Josephine 'fib' would have been equally unacceptable.
I agree friends of friends anecdotes should be taken with a pinch of salt but this was @RGRG's own friend who had returned to work. All I am saying is please don't discount those of us who are saying we are having a good recovery. We are not all fibbing.

 

[Celle]

@Sammi2 - You have taken just one example and made a big thing out of it. Please read around more and get a more balanced feeling of how BoneSmart advises people.

The example I gave you was direct from my friend, Will, and he definitely gives a misleading account of his recovery.

No one is discounting people who have a good recovery, or accusing you of fibbing.
I have had three knee replacements and made a good recovery each time. The first one took a little longer, because I had been persuaded to wait too long for it, but the end result was good.

We like to read about good recoveries - it's encouraging for other people who may be struggling - but we don't want people to go into surgery with unrealistic expectations.

 

[SherrieT]

@Sammi2 - Thank you so much for posting. It is so helpful for those of us who are just beginning our journeys to hear about great recoveries “as they happen”. I’ve just started the process of trying to arrange surgery and every recovery story I have read so far has been inspiring. Reading how people are hitting bumps in the road and overcoming the difficulties is great mental preparation for what might lie ahead. And reading about your, and others, straight foreword recoveries lets me see that it, just might, not be as bad as I fear.

It was on my dream of a lifetime vacation to London this past July that my knees revealed how bad they are. But I’ve already started planning for a return trip Nov 2018 with new knees. I can’t wait to return to all the places and see them through pain free eyes. Please keep posting!!!

 

[SusieShoes]

Excellent recoveries certainly do happen! Reading about them ahead of my surgery inspired me to hope I, too, might have a good recovery just as my surgeon had described to me. And I did have a good recovery, in part (I think) because I took it slow and was not stressed by little things that happened. My recovery was very much like yours in that I was released early by my surgeon and had very good ROM that has only gotten better with time.

One thing we run into here sometimes are people with unrealistic expectations. It happens quite a lot that people expect to be back to work in two or three weeks, or returning to their regular gym or fitness workouts within weeks. Most people can’t manage that, and then they get depressed and angry and sometimes scared that something is “wrong” with their new knee(s), when really their recovery is more average.

On the other hand, it’s quite amazing to find oneself on the receiving end of an excellent recovery. There is no way to guarantee an easy recovery. But it encourages us all to know people have them.

 

[Sammi2]

Thank you everyone. It was not my intention to cause upset but rather to ensure balance.
@Celle you may feel I am reacting disproportionately but it takes a lot to make me react like this and I felt I had to speak out
@SherrieT I do hope you come back to the UK next November after your surgery which I am sure will go well and have a wonderful holiday. Let me know if you need any tips or hints.
@SusieShoes thank you for your positive response. I will read your recovery thread as soon as I can.
Meanwhile I have had a lovely day today walking with my husband and little dog in the crisp autumn sunshine. It's a chilly night in the Cotswolds tonight although probably nowhere near as cold as in Montana @MtnMaire

 

[Josephine]

All I am saying is please don't discount those of us who are saying we are having a good recovery. We are not all fibbing.

Don't take my comment so seriously! I wasn't discounting anyone who says they've had a good recovery. I had a good recovery for both my knees - an even better one for knee #2. But those who relate second hand stories of people returning to work after 2 weeks or such and claim they have no consequences are - to quote Mrs Thatcher - being 'economical with the truth'. Those are the ones I was referring to.

I've been running this forum for 10 years or more and can say without hesitation that I've heard more such stories that you have. I love to hear of good recoveries like yours but I hate to hear of egotistical members who think that rushing ahead is showing their prowess and superiority. That can make us run-of-the-mill types feel inadequate or even failures. That's what I don't like.

 

[Sammi2]

Well today I have definitely joined the ODIC. Yesterday I went grocery shopping before having family, including a 3 year old livewire, over for the afternoon. Then in the evening we were out for a meal with friends. The knee was OK yesterday but today I am paying the price with more swelling and discomfort than I have had for some time. I am taking it easy today rest, ice and elevate, as I start back to work tomorrow. Fortunately I control my own diary so have every intention of pacing myself.

 

[SherrieT]

@Sammi2 . Take care of yourself and let us know how work goes. What type of work do you do?

 

[Sammi2]

Thank you @SherrieT. I am a housing manager.

 

[funkymuse]

Hi @Sammi2 - well I have to join you in the ODIC... yesterday I went into work to see how I could set up my desk for comfort and elevation as I start back to work (phasing in), tomorrow as well. Too much walking and then I road in the car with my husband for an hour to a destination with my leg stretched out in the back seat and then an hour home and just that and the walking was too much! I also had done 3 min of half pedals on the bike before we left and took a bath and did some gentle bending and 8 heel slides on the bed. AND I almost forgot we stopped at a place and I walked in and got us a couple of hot drinks. All that added up to a burning and a sharp pain in my knee that had not been there before. So today, I have to rest and take it easy. It really bothers me that I have to do this. It felt good to get out but when it started to bother me in the car I wanted to go home but I was stuck for another hour of driving. I did bring ice but it was not sufficient to address all the walking I had done.

 

[Sammi2]

Hi @funkymuse sorry you too are feeling the after effects of a busy day. I hope you are feeling a bit better now. Good luck for your first day back at work tomorrow. Make sure you don't overdo things. I look forward to hearing how it went for you.

 

[jakeleg]

I got my questions answered with these recent posts. I'm going post some notes around my apartment and one in my car that remind me not to overdo. I am going to keep a journal/time log of my activities, especially when I go out.

 

[Sammi2]

Well today is the second day back to work and it has been fine. OK I have had to pace myself but as I manage my own diary that has been fine. I've sorted out a way to elevate when my leg gets a bit tired. Seven weeks today post op and feeling positive.

 

[Jazzabelle]

It's encouraging to hear your experience going back to work. I am hoping to begin to transition back with a progressive schedule at 7 weeks. I hope for great things for you, @Sammi2. I'll be watching for your posts.

 

[funkymuse]

Hi @Sammi2 - well the 1st day back was definitely challenging! I will only be able to do this every other day for awhile. But thank God my company is understanding.

 

[Sammi2]

Oh fellow smarties, third day back at work and what a day it's been! I had a nice relaxed start as I was meeting colleagues for a team meeting at 10am in a coffee shop not too far from home.

I got up leisurely, took the little dog for a walk and then left home at 9.45am for the short drive. The main road was empty and I was bowling along, listening to the radio and looking forward to catching up with my fellow workers. I saw a little blue car coming towards me on the other side of the road when suddenly another car pulled out of a side turning , slap bang into the side of the blue car. The two vehicles then spun round and round in front of me. Well, I stopped and found myself having to deal with the situation as I was the only other person there.
Do you know when faced with three casualties, two cars blocking the main road and no one else in sight you completely forget you yourself are recovering from an operation!

Fortunately another motorist came along shortly afterwards and while she did first aid and someone else called 999, I found myself controlling traffic, having forgotten all about the knee. Eventually police and ambulance arrived but what a morning. I was very late to my meeting but had a good excuse. I finished the day's work but am shattered now and thinking that I ought to get started on dinner. Now what have we got in the freezer?

By the way the knee is telling me now that it's definitely time to rest.

 

[KarriB]

Oh my goodness! What an experience! Plus I can’t imagine going to work at 7 weeks post op! When I went back part time at 12 weeks I was too exhausted to think about cooking and stopped for takeout a lot!