TKR Bionic knee #2 done 1-21-15

[TexasTee]

I forgot you are still recovering from the first knee - I'm sure that makes it much more of a challenge. If you find yourself on the floor again you might find it easier to turn to your front and get up downward dog style, no stress on either knee that way.

For a treat - hmm - how about mulled apple cider? gourmet hot chocolate?

 

[Awriterafoot]

Therapist yesterday confirmed I tweaked a hamstring and ordered me back to the cane for the weekend. It's not too bothered this morning, but still resting it through the weekend. Just walking, no cooking and none of the straightening exercises (he admitted that might have contributed to the tweak). ROM Weds was 103, -7, which was improved, but yesterday the swelling took it down to 92 and -9.

Hi, @TexasTee. Good suggestions. I settled on a little vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. Very satisfying. I don't often eat dairy (intolerant) so it felt very wicked. Just what I wanted.

 

[TexasTee]

Sorry about your hamstring - glad it seems like a relatively minor setback, a weekend of taking it easy isn't so bad. I'm glad you had a decadent Friday night treat!!

 

[kneeper]

In the Must Remember It Has Only Been Two Weeks category

You've got it pegged.

 

[Awriterafoot]

Status update--lots of happy activity this weekend. A friend called and asked if I wanted to get out for lunch (YES), which was a great surprise. Today my husband drove me to a writer gathering and I talked and talked and talked. The hamstring problem seems to have resolved itself, thank goodness, and I'm supposed to start outpatient PT this week.

Probably going to think about dropping down to Vicodin toward the end of next week--once I see how the PT goes. I'm walking pretty well, sleeping well, not having any issues, so that seems reasonable. Left knee is complaining about all the work she has to do, since she is not completely healed, either, and I want to be respectful of that.

REALLY looking forward to the day I can get back to swimming. Maybe another week or so--the wound is not as ragged as last time, so I have hope it will be a full scar a lot sooner, too.

 

[kaw205]

Here's a virtual toast to your great recovery!

 

[TexasTee]

Glad you've done well with such a busy weekend! I am planning to ask my Dr on Tuesday what the step down process is - I think I still need the perc another week or so but can see stepping down soonish, also.

Do you have a heated pool? I'd love to do hydro but I'm not sure where I might find a heated pool - not too many of those in Austin Thankfully we don't often need heat!

 

[Awriterafoot]

In the Two Steps Forward and One Step Back Department:

Pretty rough night here last night--up every two hours with restlessness all through my leg, tight calf, and then the breakthrough pain in my knee. This is the result of three days in a row of getting out--to lunch, to a social meeting, to the grocery store, and then yesterday, I took three short walks, one all the way around my long suburban block. It felt great at the time, and this is how I know I'll get stronger, but--!

It took quite a bit of pain meds to get the pain under control, and this morning I'm going to do Ultra Resting. I'm using a heat pack on my sore calf and quads, ice on the knee. It's not terribly swollen, which is a good sign, but I might have overdone it a smidge. Which I have never done ever in my whole life before. ;)

This, too, is part of healing.

 

[TexasTee]

I hear you! It's so hard to reign it in when it feels so good to DO THINGS! 'Course, a bit later you may wish you had done one less thing

As you say - you don't know what you can do if you can't stretch a bit. I'm trying to contain myself but it's a constant reminder that patience now will be rewarded in the long run.

I hope your day of rest sets you right!

 

[Awriterafoot]

Scars. Left knee, 5 1/2 months. Right knee, 3 weeks. I can take the steri strips off in two days.

 

[TexasTee]

looking good! I have the strips too - they said to leave them until they fall off but as they stick to everything, I do not think that is going to take very long!!

 

[Awriterafoot]

Big dance here today--I washed the steri strips with soap this morning and they came right off. SO wanted to expose the wound to the air so that it will be healed ASAP. All I want is to get back into the pool. I cannot wait.

Great sleep last night. I upped the meds slightly at bedtime and middle of the night, and slept on my side without ice for the first time. Heaven. Feeling quite energized this morning, and even wrote for an hour, though I was hoping to sit at my desk. Discovered I can't do that without meds yet, and with meds, I'm not clear enough to write new words. So….writing in chair, and worked just fine.

 

[TexasTee]

Excellent! I'm looking forward to these strips being off, as well - still, they are far better than the staples so I'm content to let them fall off as they will. I was a bit surprised that there was still some open spots after 2 weeks of staples but I am sure they will close up soon now that they giant waterproof bandages are off.

Congratulations on being able to write!! However it works is just perfect for now, good job!

 

[Awriterafoot]

Yeah, @TexasTee, it felt great to do something from normal life. Three weeks today for me, and as you know, the days can be really long.

 

[Awriterafoot]

Good day yesterday--I ended up forgetting to take meds until almost lunchtime when my knee reminded me. Of course, last night I was awake a lot because that's how this all goes. The sleeping is so challenging once the pain gets a little better and the nerves and skin and everything else start to wake up and talk. It's the oddest feeling, but I just can't get comfortable. It's all quite restless. The pain pills don't really help, exercise (during the day) seems to make it a bit worse sometimes. Ice is just irritating. All I can do to ease it is to get up and walk around until it settles, have a cup of tea, stretch it out. When I can get into hot water, that will help, too.

In the meantime, I'm just tapping fingers as the days of healing slowly roll by. The weeks are going fast, but the days are kind of long. I'm going to start adding a second walk. One in the morning, one afternoon, and next week is out patient PT.

I keep focusing on the trails--looking up at the mountains outside my window and imagining myself hiking on the trails I love most.

Barbara

 

[TexasTee]

So far I'm still sleeping ok but I'm totally with you on how long and boring the days are! I am just not meant to sit all day, it's nothing I've been good with and more than 2 weeks of it feels like much more than enough. Unfortunately, it's not. Boo!

 

[Awriterafoot]

Yes, today was so boring. I'm all for a positive attitude, but now I feel enough better that I want to DO things! As this is the right knee, it will still be at least a couple of weeks of weeks before I can drive.

Tomorrow we're going on an outing to Denver. I have no idea what, since my husband loves his little surprises. As far as I'm concerned it will be great to just drive around!

 

[TexasTee]

Enjoy your outing! Don't forget to bring a zip lock bag with you so you can ice up anyplace you happen to be. I'm not going anywhere but do have some normal guy errands planned with my husband, it's astonishing just how much I'm looking forward to it!!

 

[Awriterafoot]

The outing was spectacular. My husband took me to a gallery and he'd purchased a painting we both loved as a surprise. This is not usual at all. Knee didn't bother me at all. Funny how that happens!

 

[Homeport]

@Awriterafoot
Hi you are a writer I too write am working on a ya novel but I cannot do anything at the moment my concentration is awful and my MacBook neglected what type of writing do you do ?
My op was 20 January I start hydrotherapy next week and get second physio also next week
Ian back and forward pedalling on a static bike but my rom is not amazing yet but little and often and I am sure it will get there this site is amazing just reading other people's journey is so helpful


20/01/2015