Bilateral TKR Beckaroo's recovery thread

[Kayaknlady]

Beckaroo, I’m a nurse, but I wouldn’t want to be awake while they were sawing on my legs. I’m happy you’re making such great progress and pain free. What a great future

 

[Beckaroo]

@Celle thank you for sharing that with me. It gives me great peace of mind. I’ve worked very hard to keep my teeth in good condition and really don’t like missing my cleanings. I have no major work being done, just cleanings. I’ll double check with my doctor if I even need them for that. Hopefully, not. Thank you again!

 

[SusieShoes]

I take the antibiotics for major dental work (having implants put in) and did so for my last cleaning. My OS said to take antibiotics for all dental work for one year. I'm glad he didn't say for life!

 

[kneeper]

My OS wants me to take antibiotics but I have other health issues. The OS prescribes them.

 

[Beckaroo]

My OS said to take antibiotics for all dental work for one year. I'm glad he didn't say for life!

That’s what my OS said too! One year, and my dentist had to sign a form agreeing with it, it was attached to my dental clearance before surgery.

 

[Beckaroo]

Today was the first day I returned to my volunteer work at our churches preschool. I no longer work with kids, though they’d love me to, but in the office. I was there about four hours and it felt wonderful! I sat and organized curriculum and filed. Not much as far as physical, but there was social interaction I missed so bad!! Day one of really getting my life back.

I’ve shared we recently moved, and then I had my surgery. Well, my sewing room is still not unpacked. In fact it’s a disaster! So, tomorrow it will get organized! I’m excited to get set up as my husband bought me awesome cupboards from Ikea. Book shelf’s with glass fronts and lots of drawers and workspace. I haven’t sewn in months and I’m itching to get back to it. I sew crib size baby quilts. I’ve made much larger quilts, but really enjoy baby sized ones.

My daughter is 10weeks pregnant....so, I better get busy! She’s in Germany. I’m so looking forward to traveling there when she’s due... with my new knees. Oh boy, something to really look forward to. New knees and a new grandchild!!

 

[Jockette]

Awesome on all counts!

I have a sewing room and I quilt, too. I have made quilts for my baby grandchildren.

My oldest is a girl who is 8 and she’s very interested in sewing and quilting. I started teaching her to hand quilt when she was 6. When she was here at Christmas she used my sewing machine for the first time. She made little sleeping bags for their new little stuffed animals. (basically a pocket). I was thrilled to do that with her!

 

[Beckaroo]

@Jockette thats so exciting! So far my grand girls haven’t shown any interest. They’d rather me make Barbie sleeping bags for them! I tried making Barbie clothes and about ripped my hair out!

In all fairness though, I’m in California and they’re in Oregon, so when we’re together sewing hasn’t been a priority. It would be amazing to be in the same place but I don’t see that happening.

Yes, I love making baby quilts. I’ve never tried the hand quilting. Do you quilt the whole thing by hand? I’ve got arthritis in my hands, I can’t imagine how I’d hand quilt...I’m sure I’d be too impatient. I’d love to see some photos of your creations sometime. I’m sure they’re beautiful.

Off to organize that sewing room and then to a much needed haircut. Starting to feel like a real person again.

Hugs!

 

[SusieShoes]

Your sewing cave sounds amazing! In fact, everything about sewing is amazing. The only sewing I manage are easy repairs like an opened seam, or simple hemming, as long as how it looks doesn’t matter too much. Quilts are like some kind of miracle in fabric form and I admire anyone who can produce one.

 

[Beckaroo]

Your sewing cave sounds amazing! In fact, everything about sewing is amazing. The only sewing I manage are easy repairs like an opened seam, or simple hemming, as long as how it looks doesn’t matter too much. Quilts are like some kind of miracle in fabric form and I admire anyone who can produce one.

Aww, thanks SusieShoes! I took 6 years, 2 in jr high and 4 in high school of home economics. Remember when there was such a thing?! It was all a sewing class.

I used to sew some of my own clothing, not anymore. It’s actually cheaper to buy clothing with the cost of quality fabric. But I do love to quilt, all on my machine. Not by hand. Those hand quilters are the miracle workers.

My dream, if/when my new knees allow would be to get a quilt stash going and try selling them on Etsy. I’ve always wanted to, but in the past I was either working or couldn’t sit that long to sew without horrible knee pain. We’ll see....

 

[SusieShoes]

I think only someone else who has gone through TKR would grasp just how debilitating bad knees can be, so bad they might not allow people to sit for long periods. Lots of people just can't understand how knees can cause sitting pain. I'm so glad you are getting excited about your baby quilts again. An Etsy shop would be a wonderful adventure. We just had a baby in the family and those quilts make the cutest, and most welcome, gifts!

 

[kneeper]

Congrats on getting back to some of your normal activities!

 

[Beckaroo]

@SusieShoes congrats!!!! Babies are so precious. My baby’s having a baby, though she is 25 years old! She’s still my baby! I can’t wait.

Thanks every one for your encouraging words! You all mean the world to me.

Hugs!

 

[MSgirl]

You have so much joy in your life! I'm happy just reading about all the good things you have going on right now.

 

[Beckaroo]

This energy drain is real! Zap!! My energy is gone so quickly. Somedays are fabulous, full of pep and other days it’s all I can do to feed myself.

It doesn’t seem to be from over doing either. Just the nature of this healing process. Healing seriously takes much longer than I could have imagined. Never would I have thought I’d have days like this 3 months out.

I feel very blessed right now that I don’t have to work, I don’t have kids to care for, unless 5 little dogs count. It’s just me and my husband and I can just be a bum if I need to! So today I’m bumming it!! It’s a healing day....

Hugs!

 

[SusieShoes]

There are times it helps a lot if you can just be a sloth. Lots of people have a hard time giving themselves permission to do that. Glad you see the benefits of pampering your knee with healing relaxation.

 

[Beckaroo]

Well, I’m almost 4 months out from surgery. I have to keep reminding myself that this journey can take a whole year, and give myself grace to be a sloth like @SusieShoes says. I had to come to the realization that I must be overdoing things. I find myself busy, cleaning, shopping, volunteering, and wiped out the next day! I mean wiped out!! I can now totally relate to @rickj saying one step forward two steps back!!

It’s not that my knees hurt. No, not at all. It’s that energy drain... it has to be. Surely I haven’t aged that much in the last few months, I feel ten years older! I feel like a slug...I just want to lay around and cat-nap. I know this is unusual because I never took naps before surgery.

My incisions are beginning to turn a lovely shade of pink, they were scarlet red. I still can feel heat when I feel my knees, so I assume I’m still healing...

I also still need the electric cart to do major grocery shopping. I can certainly handle picking up a few things, no problem. But I can’t walk around a store for hours that’s for sure. Not yet.

Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my progress. When I’m baking and standing at the kitchen counter frosting cupcakes, I forget I used to have to sit at the table to do this pleasure. There’s so many things I do now with no thought of my knees! It’s just this darn energy drain...

Hugs!

 

[sistersinhim]

Yahoo! What a fantastic post. People will see how good it can be!

 

[kneeper]

You're doing well. And yes, the energy drain hangs on a long time. All you can do is try to pace yourself.

 

[MSgirl]

@Beckaroo, it is so fantastic that you have no pain. Look how far you have come. In fact, you have progressed so quickly, you are ready to move on. Your knees might have a different opinion, and they are going to win that disagreement. Maybe you can reward their progress with a daily rest.