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TKR Back with a question

Freezing here in Pennsylvania, too, and things are about to get colder. :groan: Not to mention the 6" of snow. My knees told me this was coming. I kinda of wish they hadn't taken up meteorology.
 
jakeleg said:
A woman in my doctor's waiting room told me it costs $2,000 in Vail, Colorado "because they do so. many of them". Is that because people want to get back on their skis
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Not really, a lot of folk who have the treatment don't even ski! But they do 'so many' because people are gullible! They are the types who would buy snake oil in the olden days!
 
Hey jakeleg. I live in the Tulsa area. I’m 14 months out from a right TKR revision that is going badly. I am recovering from left rotator cuff surgery now and looking for a new OS for my knee. Original TKR was done in September 2015 by a Tulsa OS and revision by a Wichita, KS surgeon. I had normal bone health in 2015, but was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2017 prior to the revision. Would you mind sharing the name of your OS with me?


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Dr. Gregory Holt He is at 12th and Utica. I adore him. I think it would be worth getting his opinion.Good luck and stay in touch here.
 
@Josephine
I'm going to say some things that might be controversial. I am very fortunate to have a doctor that I can say just about anything to. Maybe if those of us on this site can spread the word, we will gradually be able to enlighten the medical and physical therapy professions without their knowing it.

I have admitted to being a burned out mental health professional. I started in the good old days before all the pill pushing. Doctors are under a lot of pressure from all different directions. Fix the problem now!

Educated patients are better patients, recovery goes better and they have better outcomes when they are participants in their treatment. That is true in mental health, but I think some specialties do not see it that way.

What I have learned on this website has been invaluable. What I've read here is that most of us here go through feeling hopeless, afraid, weak, inadeqate, at fault, etc. And........ for some reason we think we are not supposed to have those feelings. Doctors and PTs can't deal with them.

Then look what happens when we start to get educated. We participate in our treatment and we slowly get more hope. We get the confidence to speak up, we learn about how how our bodies work and we are more in control of our emotions. To me, this means we can make more informed decisions if things don't go as we had expected.

I found Bonesmart at 4½ weeks. Looking back, I wish I had read all the post op articles as soon as I got here and also the things to which we are referred when we first log in. I'm not sure how much I would have wanted to know before surgery. Once it's done and the pain hits, that's when I need to understand what is happening. I know what happened; I got an artificial joint. What's happening is that my whole body and mind are reacting to that!

I have been lucky to have a sort of coordinated treatment with my OS and my chiropractor even though they've never met. My OS gave me the o.k. to let my chiropractor make adjustments that will help my gait. I gave him the CD of my 3 month X rays. I'm not recommending this to anyone. I'm just sharing my experiences in recovery.

Forgive my preaching. I hope I didn't break any rules.
 
jakeleg said:
ere and also the things to which we are referred when we first log in. I'm not sure how much I would have wanted to know before surgery. Once it's done and the pain hits, that's when I need to understand what is happening. I know what happened; I got an artificial joint. What's happening is that my whole body and mind are reacting to that!
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This is so so true. I underestimated how affected my body and mind would be after this operation. I often wonder if I would have been better to read more pre OP but NOTHING can prepare you for this operation

Every journey is different. I have a close family member who is thirty years older than me and sailed through operation. They think I'm making a fuss!
 
What a perceptive and wise overview of your recovery, and about how an educated patient is going to make better choices and have a better recovery. Not necessarily better as in faster or easier, but in terms of the journey and of being less afraid, and more positive. Our minds do work with our bodies!

I did read all the pre-op advice here... and also in other places. Just call me a researcher (it goes with the writing). Because of what I learned, I made choices about what kind of recovery I would try to have. Notice I said “try.” :unsure: There’s no way of knowing in advance, no matter how much one knows or learns or wants, what will actually happen. But it does help to go into this surgery with a battle plan for recovery.

And then it hits. The surgery. The assault on the body and also on the mind. The need for patience cannot be overstated, and yet even if one knows to be patient... that’s a hard thing to do. There are so MANY factors to this surgery, so many trials and tribulations. I totally underestimated the sleep disruption. I NEVER had trouble sleeping —it’s a super power of mine— but this surgery knocked me around for four months with sleep problems.

You are so fortunate not to have had to battle your OS about the chiropractic that so helps you. So many people here have had to battle their OS, their PT, sometimes their families. It breaks the heart. So to hear of wonderful experiences such as yours, where you find the support you need to help with your recovery, truly warms the soul. We all recover differently. What works for one might not work for another. But if we share our experiences, someone who is lurking might read it and take comfort.
 
jakeleg said:
I'm going to say some things that might be controversial.
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@jakeleg - I don't find what you said to be controversial at all. I agree with you. A patient who is educated and aware of what is happening to his/her body can assist his/her own recovery. Knowledge empowers us.

I am also fortunate to have encountered doctors and surgeons who are willing to discuss and present options and choices.
Full and informed consent is a necessity.
 
I agree, I was waiting for the controversial part and never found it!

And as PKR/TKR patients we’d be a lot better off if our surgeons would offer us the necessary info on recovery, so we could be better patients.

I never discussed with my surgeon that I was seeing a chiropractor. I didn’t think it was anything he needed to know. And, I’ve found too often those two medical personnel don’t approve much of each other.
 
I agree too. Not controversial at all and very nicely put! Thank you!
 
I didn't even go to PT and had just one in home PT visit after my tkr. My OS never said a word. All he cared about was what I could do. I was among one of the blessed to have an excellent OS. But, he told me knowing much but that I'd hate him for a few months.

Bonesmart helped me get through all the questions I had before and afterwards and gave me much needed TLC when I was up all those nights!
 
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Hah! The controversial part was about pill pushers just in case there are any psychiatrists among the lurkers. Over diagnosing and pill pushing are what caused me to bail after 40 years.

In psychiatry there is something called "diagnostic creep". It's done in order to get paid by insurance and Medicare. I don't think it is a problem in the other specialties.
 
Woke up at 7am. Did morning routine thinking about how long I would be up and around. My longest day in 3 months was less than 6 hours about a month ago and I was exhausted.

First stop Employee Health for "back to work" papers. Sweet young RN said her elderly neighbor had both knees done recently and he's breezed thru it. I restrained my comments, but not entirely. So annoying.

My computer was cleaned while I was gone and no one knew why. Iced , sat and walked for about 5 hours and finally left because nobody came to restore my documents. Easy money, huh?

My knee swelled a little, but I noticed both my legs were very tired. Came home, have been on the bed with kitties, drinking tea, gargling with turmeric in warm water. I found that by Googling home remedies for hard, dry cough. I think I'm coughing less often, but not cured yet! Just what I needed -- a racking cough as soon as I go back to work.

Wednesday I'm scheduled to work 1 to 5 so I should be able to rest until then. I think 5 hours a day at 13 weeks is about right for me. I am so fortunate to be able to ease back into the world.

My advice to new people is: ice, ice and more ice. I think that has helped me as much as all the Bonesmart advice.
 
So what did you say to that sweet young RN? :nah:
 
Going back to work after any long absence is bound to be tiring, just as a matter of course. Throw in that your knee underwent a major surgery and has its own issues and continuing needs, and your return to work is a rousing success. Yay, you! :egypdance:

Yes, you'll get some swelling from the added activity. And yes, you will be more tired at first. In no time at all you will be back up to speed and back to some kind of new normal. You really are fortunate your job is working with you on your return. So many people don't have that.

And yes... what did you say to that sweet young thing? :heehee:
 
Tulsa, Ok - Utica and 12th! I used to live in that neighborhood! Still have family there! What a small world. So glad you are doing well friend!!
:flwrysmile:
 
good luck getting back to work again tomorrow and i compliment you on your post from last friday. educating and advocating for yourself is key to a good recovery in any field (even in the dog training/feeding world). i'm not sure what the young R.N. was insinuating; whether she thought she was being encouraging or making light of the difficulty of knee replacement recovery. when we know better, we do better. hope whatever is causing your cough gets better. take good care of yourself.:flwrysmile:
 
I reacted very quickly so I had to dial it back when I explained to her that I have taken a very conservative approach to recovery. Also said I don't know anything about his activities or pain meds; lots of people talk about their miracles, but we don't know if they're telling the truth, especially men who are reluctant to complain.

Now I am sick with whatever "crud" is going around here. Terrible cough that makes my chest hurt, headaches and the usual nose blowing. Going to see my doctor's PA at 2:30. Hated to tell one of the nurses at work, I'm really sick. She said three people had it while I was gone. Also several of our recovering heart patients. Boo!
 
I am 13 weeks yesterday . Overall, I'm pleased mostly because of other people's comments and observations.

My knee still gets purple when I'm up; it is still very tight across the kneecap, not so much on the sides. I have a "lump" on the outside above the kneecap that swells when I'm up. I also am swollen on the bone below the knee on the inside. Numbness is less on on outside of knee and calf.

I can't tell that my ROM is getting better, although I haven't measured. I am still icing when I'm home, but I'm trying to get a little bit of a life back. Am I at the point where ADLs will bring increased ROM? Is the swelling and purple just part of the recovery from now on?

Obviously, the swelling bothers me because I've learned that's what slows progress. It seems like the miracle people omit descriptions of the knee when they are talking about their skiing, hiking, parachute jumps etc. Just kidding , sort of. I don't plan to be an athlete. I just want a knee that looks normal (for my age) and allows me to walk and bike at the fitness center where I work.

Thanks for any reassurance. I miss having problems because I felt so special when I got a post from Josephine.
 
You are a hoot, I love how you miss having problems because you felt so special hearing from Josephine!

You’re going to be fine. You have a great attitude and sense of humor. You have compassionate thoughts for others. I love reading your posts!

Recovery takes time! :console2:
 
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