TKR Beachy in recovery<

[beachy]

I did it! I grocery shopped today! The cart was easy and it had a huge basket. I went to customer service first where I confessed I didn't know how to use the cart and they sent me an assistant. Can you believe that??? A nice young man got me started on the cart, watched while I practiced and sent me on my way. He told me to have cashier call for him at checkout and he stayed with me while I rode the cart outside and he loaded my groceries into car. The parking Angels had found me a spot very close by. I tipped him $5 and thanked him not only for his help, but for his great attitude and cheerfulness. It was the best 5 bucks I ever spent. There is no way I could have walked that store. The knee is little tight so I'm icing and elevating now.
I'm so grateful for the help I received today. Boggles the mind.

 

[traceys]

Good people get good things.

 

[sistersinhim]

What a wonderful experience! Shortly after my surgery I was back driving for about a month. On the way home from my OSs I had a flat tire. I pulled into a Shell station and asked the attendant if he or anyone else could help me. He said no. Then a customer stepped up and said that he would change it for me! God sent me an angel when I needed him most! I gladly tipped him my last $50! Well worth every penny!

 

[KarriB]

I’m glad you were able to use the cart! Walking a grocery store can be exhausting! My local Walmart has an order on line and pick up service which would be helpful too.

 

[beachy]

Today is 7 weeks.
Not so hard to believe. If feels like 7 years LOL.

I was able to walk the 7 lb beast longer than normal. Lots of 7’s here.

Pt was very productive. Bike for 10 min then ultrasound and masssge. Then I was able to do 3 sets of exercises. Just 1 time each for 15 reps per. Not great but she knows I’ll continue at home now that the swelling is down. My therapist never pushes me and always wants to know how the knee feels before we start. She measured for the first time in weeks. 117 flex by myself. 4 extension by myself. She said it keeps getting better so need to worry. Which I wasn’t.
I took it easy with lots of ice and elevating in the afternoon. Tidied up the apartment and made dinner.

I feel like things are finally looking up

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow! What a great report. You are doing so good! A good PT is a wonderful blessing!

 

[kmak81230]

What a great report! Sounds like you are on your way to a great recovery. 117/4 is awesome for 7 weeks. Another testimonial for the gentle approach. I had to laugh at the 7 weeks feeling like 7 years . . . 7 weeks seems like 7 years away to me . . I hope at 7 weeks I am sleeping better as I currently feel like an old tired hag

 

[beachy]

@sistersinhim and @kmak81230
Thank you. I'm not gonna lie. There have been some really painful and down times. But, we all have them so I didn't concentrate on that. It's old news for all of us LOL. The initial pt was awful and really upset me. So I pulled up my big girl pants, prayed on it and looked for something else. My therapist is wonderful and I only go 2x a week.

I would have been a wreck without this forum.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh yeah, there are definitely some down time. If we dwell on these, we only feel worse. Celebrating each new achievement is the best way to get through the dark days. Those dark days become fewer and far between!

 

[gecko]

Well done beachy your recovery is going fantastic, I have my first ever PT on Monday and I am just a bit
Keep up the great work

 

[KarriB]

Sounds like you had a great day! Love it when things begin to turn around.

 

[beachy]

After a great day yesterday I'm icing and elevating all day today. ODIC for sure. But, when I feel good I want to keep going. And now I'm paying for it. And I would do it again. But not in the near future LOL. I felt almost like my old self for a day.

And this weather! Just downright cold and damp. The knee hates it. I feel it's the cold dampness more than just cold.

My first post op check up is monday. I'm seriously thinking of ditching pt after that. Everything my therapist does I can do. Plus the many adl's I'm able to do now. I know the rom will get better. I should be able to do more of the activities I enjoy without pt. Like longer walks. Big mistake yesterday to do all those activities on a pt day.
Any thoughts or advice on ditching pt?

 

[traceys]

Lol @beachy

Come see my thread as I just asked about ditching pt as well so will see what u get for answers here too!
I’m so far past ODIC it’s not funny. Turned the corner on that one

 

[beachy]

@traceys
I just read your latest posts about stopping pt. Your knee has had a lot of surgeries, right? If pt is hurting instead of helping that's the answer. I saw that you have insurance\work issues too. Good luck with your decision.
I've been in ODIC a few times. I kind of knew today might be a payback day.

 

[traceys]

Sending healing vibes your way and hoping you turn a good corner over the wkend.

And yes - 17 surgeries over 37 years. I’ve been thru every torture and experimental surgery and rehab invented I think. This old dog is ready for a new trick tho

 

[Jockette]

Like you said, you can do it all yourself. Activities of Daily Living will be enough.

When you said now you could walk to PT I thought ! A walk there, all that you do there (whatever it is) and a walk home, all I could see was the ODIC!!!

You are coming along great! You can finish on your own, on your terms.

 

[sistersinhim]

Many of us never took formal PT or did exercises. I am one of them. I had 11 knee surgeries, 2 of them kneecap removals and 1 tkr. Even after those I never took PT. But, I didn't just sit around and do nothing. I took care of myself, my house and yard as my knee allowed me to do. As I healed, I did more. But, my knee was always in control! This was enough therapy for me and would be for any tkr patient. All the awful pain of PT is so unnecessary.

All you have to do is use it in your daily living! Your knee knows how to rehab itself and doesn't need anyone telling it how. Just use it and it will come back like new! You have to be patient, though, it doesn't happen quickly! ADL,(activities of daily living), going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth and bathing, fixing a light meal, getting something to drink and or a snack, those kinds of things will be all the exercise your knee needs. If you just use it daily in your living, you can have a less painful recovery. We know what works, we've been there!

 

[beachy]

I agree with all of you! In the back of my mind I'm thinking I did the pt in case I didn't heal properly or whatever. That way the OS couldn't say if you had gone to pt you wouldn't have problems. Yeah, paranoia.
I just feel like I could actually be more productive on my own.

@Jockette can
I misled you. I didn't walk to pt. I walked to the gym in our apartment complex which is not far at all. I didn't work out at the gym. I was walking Tootsie and feeling good then I realized the gym was right around the corner. I was up doing lots of normal stuff yesterday. And I walked furbaby 3x. That, along with pt, did me in. It has to be one or the other.

 

[Jockette]

I realized you didn’t walk to a PT session. But the thought that you could walk to their building (which is what I thought you said) prompted my , envisioning you walking to PT, doing PT, and walking home, at a mere 7 ish weeks.

Before my surgery, in my ignorance, I thought, I can drive myself to PT after a while. Didn’t happen. I had trouble just getting in and out of the car, for a long time, let alone feeling mentally able to drive. (yes, I was a bit of a wimp)

in case I didn't heal properly or whatever. That way the OS couldn't say if you had gone to pt you wouldn't have problems.

And I stayed with PT for the same reasons you did. Thankfully, I got an honorable discharge several days before I was 8 weeks post op.

 

[Newboots]

Just the sort of thing I keep doing. ! Oh yes I can do this bike let’s just put it up a level and do a few more minutes then spend the rest of the week laid up on the couch with ice. In between I have been doing little walks, little bits of shopping and visits to friends but no PT. Other knee done a year ago not happy either and I thought at 8 weeks I’d learnt my lesson ! You’re so right beachy we can’t do everything even though we think we can !
Hey ho onwards and upwards but slowly.