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TKR Bionic knee #2 done 1-21-15

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Hello! Happy healing!

I finally got the okay to get in the pool this week!!! So, I went at 5am for the deep water aerobics!! I was surprised at how sore my knee was after....that sided to side movement in the water is hard. I know it will get better!
So, this is week 6 for me...monday will be 7!! I can't believe the difference between last week and this week. Last week I came in to the office for 1/2 days...and then went home and worked the other half. I was exhausted and sore.... This week I've done full days...and am finally feeling like I might be some "normal" back!!!

I'm still icing for about 2 hours in the evening...should I not be doing that? I can see me being a icing lifer ..haha...
 
This weekend has been mostly fantastic. Out to dinner on Friday night, where I indulged a glass of wine (yay!), then Saturday morning, the watercolor class was cancelled due to weather so I decided to tag along to tai chi with my husband. I got through the whole warm-up and the first half of practice, then sat down and did arms for the rest. It was fantastic just to be in my body again and moving around. The knees were tired by the end, but a good tired. Today, I went swimming for the first time. BLISS.

My ROM is really improving. I can walk down the stairs perfectly normally and I realized while we were walking around on Friday night that I wasn't limping or compensating at all.

The side effect of some of the movement and waking up the nerves is that I had a pretty severe bout of restless legs last night. I ran out of tonic water (surgeon said to try it) and it was wretched for a few hours. Nothing stopped it, not heat or cold or walking….ugh. I am now stoked up on tonic water and will make sure I don't run out again.

The great joy for me is that both knees are done now and the long haul is pretty much over. Just healing now, adding strength. And spring on the way. So many trials to hike! :)
 
adbow said:
Hello! Happy healing!
I'm still icing for about 2 hours in the evening...should I not be doing that? I can see me being a icing lifer ..haha...
Click to expand...

Haha, @adbow! I'm still going through a lot of ice myself. I'm sure that it's a great therapy for as long as you need it. I'm no doctor, but it's a pretty non-threatening therapy, right? I keep a stash of some little blue packs in a cooler by my bed for middle of the night, too.

Welcome, by the way. :) Sounds like you're doing great. You're about ten days ahead of me. That deep water aerobics sounds pretty vigorous, but also I bet it's building up those muscles, too. There's a water Zumba class I'm going to try in a few weeks, see how it feels before I try an actual class.
 
Hi Barbara - great report!! I am noticing that now that the one month barrier has been crossed that I'm able to do a lot more, also. So nice to see a future where our bodies will do what we want without pain!
 
Might have been trying to cut back too far on meds. Knee has been sore since yesterday and I had another bout of restless legs that kept me up for hours last night. It was a modest exercise day, just walking and some cooking, but the crawlies would not go away. Must try the magnesium treatment.

Happily, though, I'm back to work this week, and of course that means catching up on a lot of business, but it felt great to get back to it, start dipping my toes into the waters.
 
Is this after the switch to vicodin? I am stepping down this afternoon - guess we'll see what tonight brings! I hope tonight is better for you. Congrats on getting back to work!
 
Hi, @TexasTee. That was after the switch to Vicodin. I don't think I was getting quite enough painkiller, so upped it a bit and it helped a lot. I had a much better night last night, and no restlessness. Also no wine, which might have set it off (and then I didn't want to take anything more--vicious circle). I'll look forward to hearing how it goes for you, stepping down.
 
Intense PT session yesterday--leg press to 200, 3 sets/15, which startled me, lots of leg lifts, balance, etc. My the end, my legs were absolutely shaking. I did work both knees, which they were fine with. If only for balance, I'd want to do it, but I think it will help the left knee start to look and feel better, too. It feels strong, but it really is a lot more unsightly than the other, with a big pouchy spot over the top to complement the very purple scar. In contrast, the right is tidy and neat and hardly swelling at all now. I had no idea it would look so good again.

Anyone had the pouch for awhile after the surgery? It's been six months on that knee, only 6 weeks on the other. PT said I just need to exercise more, and it might be just that, but then why is the other so much farther along after so much less time?

I'm probably not describing this very well, but worth a try.
 
That''s an awful lot of PT, probably too much. Please be careful, because it's still very early days in terms of your total recovery.
 
Hi Barbara - can you post a picture? 200 is a lot but well, depending on what someone weighs it could be that much to do squats so probably not crazy too much. How do you feel today?
 
Thanks, @Celle . It has been pretty vigorous PT this week, but I didn't feel any ill effects afterward, and today, I'm fine. I trained a long time with a trainer and I do a lot of hiking, so pretty strong legs, and we worked up to the 200. I keep an inner ear tuned to how I'm feeling as I pod the exercise, and honestly, breaking a sweat felt really good.

I'll take a picture of the contrast between knees tomorrow.
 
Hi I saw you mention your six week visit to os how did it go mine was Wednesday and overall pleased with my progress I still have a leg not straight but couple of suggestions and another visit in six weeks when they will also check my non operated knee to see how bad it is


20/01/2015
 
@Homeport, I saw my OS last week and he was happy with my progress. ROM around 110 then, but measured it today at PT at 116! Hooray. It is finally straight, too, which took awhile.

The pouch on my knee is just this fat-looking area above my left knee (which is six months post surgery). Maybe it's just going to take longer. The scar is way worse on that knee, too.

Do you expect to have TKR on the other knee, too?
 
I also had my six week rom is good still working on getting it straight
Yes at some point it will need to be done they are going to X-ray it at hospital when I go back for 12week check up
Glad you are progressing so well


20/01/2015
 
Congrats on the new ROM!


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@Awriterafoot Barbara good report and great on the ROM mine increased yesterday after physio.....I have a half moon shaped dent on my left knee which I am told will perhaps go away. It has gotten a little better with deep pressure massage. Have you tried massage on the pouch..

Vinny
 
Thanks for the feedback, @vinny . I have been massaging the other one a lot but haven't paid as much attention to knee number 1. It's talking to me a bit after the vigorous week, so would probably welcome the massage. And I have a regular healing massage person, so will ask him to work on it, too. Finally get to be out and about.

Yes, friends, I drove today! It was HEAVEN!!! By the time I got home, my pain was breaking through so I'm sitting happily in my chair with ice. With a Starbucks coffee, which I am ashamed to say I missed desperately.
 
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