TKR Bionic knee #2 done 1-21-15
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Awriterafoot
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Such a busy weekend! Watercolor class, then a drive to Denver to get my newly framed painting (not mine, mine, but the one my husband surprised me with on Valentine's day), hung it in a place I can see it all the time, and then to a writer's meeting. By the end of the meeting, I was so tired I was having trouble being polite and finally just made excuses and left. It's funny how I'll be fine, then tip right over the ODIC line in a twinkle of an eye.
Today I was thinking I might go to the gym to swim, but it depends. I walked the dog and feel pretty tired, so maybe I'll just read and prop my legs up. That's the way to less meds, too. Making progress there, but recognize I still require the assistance. I am gradually, gradually increasing the amount of time in between. Sometimes up to 9, now.
It's really a treat to be able to drive myself all the time now. Friday, I was everywhere!
Today I was thinking I might go to the gym to swim, but it depends. I walked the dog and feel pretty tired, so maybe I'll just read and prop my legs up. That's the way to less meds, too. Making progress there, but recognize I still require the assistance. I am gradually, gradually increasing the amount of time in between. Sometimes up to 9, now.
It's really a treat to be able to drive myself all the time now. Friday, I was everywhere!
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Awriterafoot
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TexasTee
post-grad
Glad you had a wonderful weekend! I did, also, but I completely recognize that wall...I wouldn't necessarily stick us in the ODIC for that though. I think we just hit the end of our energy and really don't have any "reserves" so we just tank. I came home yesterday at 4 and slept for 2 hours, woke up, made dinner and hung out with my husband and was still headed for bed by 10:30. However, the knee was just fine with it SO no ODIC 
My knee must be as bored as the rest of me!
My knee must be as bored as the rest of me!
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Awriterafoot
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That's a good point, @TexasTee--stamina is not the same thing as overdoing it. One thing that happens out in public for me is that I am slightly uncomfortable sitting in one position for long stretches, and there was no way to prop my leg up at the meeting. Made me slightly less patient than I might have been some other time.
Will you go to yoga regularly now?
Will you go to yoga regularly now?
TexasTee
post-grad
Totally agree - sitting for long stretches without being able to move or elevate is tough.
Yes on yoga - assuming my knee does not decide otherwise, I'll plan to go everyday until I go back to work, once I'm back on a full time work schedule I'm guessing it will be weekends only for a while until I have that stamina deal back
Yes on yoga - assuming my knee does not decide otherwise, I'll plan to go everyday until I go back to work, once I'm back on a full time work schedule I'm guessing it will be weekends only for a while until I have that stamina deal back
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Awriterafoot
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Thanks, Celle. I probably did the hashtag by accident, typing on the iPad.
Kind of rough evening here after testing to see if I could be released from PT. I am released to my own devices and very glad of it after seven weeks of PT. Rom is 116, but strength is excellent. Unfortunately, all the testing made my knee hurt a lot for the first time in awhile. Will schedule a serious rest day tomorrow.
I did have a moment of extreme exhilaration when it earlier I can start doing all the things that had become so painful before surgery. Dancing, yoga, squats, gardening. I'm going to ease in, of course, but the vistas opening up are making me feel so happy to have done this! Feel very blessed to'live in a time and place that it is a possibility.
Kind of rough evening here after testing to see if I could be released from PT. I am released to my own devices and very glad of it after seven weeks of PT. Rom is 116, but strength is excellent. Unfortunately, all the testing made my knee hurt a lot for the first time in awhile. Will schedule a serious rest day tomorrow.
I did have a moment of extreme exhilaration when it earlier I can start doing all the things that had become so painful before surgery. Dancing, yoga, squats, gardening. I'm going to ease in, of course, but the vistas opening up are making me feel so happy to have done this! Feel very blessed to'live in a time and place that it is a possibility.
kaw205
graduate
Great report Barbara. I'm about at the same stage as you and janmont. Life is getting back to normal. Back to work on Monday.
I'm going to cut back to PT once a week and see how it goes. ROM is hovering around 117-118.
Yeah us!
I'm going to cut back to PT once a week and see how it goes. ROM is hovering around 117-118.
Yeah us!
TexasTee
post-grad
isn't it fabulous?! last night was rather rough in that the dire side effect on the antibiotics did show up and i was up and down A LOT - however - i realized around 4 that I was getting up and cruising along quite quickly - no pain, no limp! Silver linings
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Awriterafoot
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Week 8 report. Mostly, everything is progressing very well. I just walked my 5000 step walk at full pace and with no drugs, and it feels fine. I feel like I'll be able to do pretty much anything I want to do within a couple of months--and I'm gearing up to try a Zumba class in a few weeks, very easy start. We went to the 2nd Exotic Marigold Hotel and the dance scenes made me want to get back to it, wildly.
The trouble for me is still at night. I have restless leg the minute I lie down, and it's interfering with sleep in a big way. I know it will go away, as it did with the other leg, but in the meantime, I'm getting groggy. Too bad I can't sleep standing up. I've tried magnesium, tonic water, soap under the sheet (a lot of people get relief) and mainly, the only thing that works is Valium, which I'd rather not use much because it makes me less sharp the next day. At least it will knock me out.
Still using Vicodin every day, mainly because there is no step down for me with the allergy to NSAIDS and headaches from Tramadol. What are the rest of you doing at this stage for pain meds? I keep stepping down each week and should be free of it in the next few weeks, but will want to keep some on hand for travel days, of which I have a lot coming up. I'm cleared to fly at the end of the month, but feel a little nervous. I didn't fly until 5 months after the other one, and this will be less than 3 months. Surgeon said it would be fine, and it's a short flight, so I expect it will go just fine.
Day by day….
The trouble for me is still at night. I have restless leg the minute I lie down, and it's interfering with sleep in a big way. I know it will go away, as it did with the other leg, but in the meantime, I'm getting groggy. Too bad I can't sleep standing up.
I've tried magnesium, tonic water, soap under the sheet (a lot of people get relief) and mainly, the only thing that works is Valium, which I'd rather not use much because it makes me less sharp the next day. At least it will knock me out.Still using Vicodin every day, mainly because there is no step down for me with the allergy to NSAIDS and headaches from Tramadol. What are the rest of you doing at this stage for pain meds? I keep stepping down each week and should be free of it in the next few weeks, but will want to keep some on hand for travel days, of which I have a lot coming up. I'm cleared to fly at the end of the month, but feel a little nervous. I didn't fly until 5 months after the other one, and this will be less than 3 months. Surgeon said it would be fine, and it's a short flight, so I expect it will go just fine.
Day by day….
TexasTee
post-grad
Hi Barbara - you are doing great!! Sorry about the legs - what form of magnesium did you try? There are several and I had to try a few before I found one that worked for me. Maybe try some yoga before bed? Or just gentle stretching?
Pain med wise - thankfully I'm fine with tramadol so I take it at need, not on schedule - I've noticed that if its usually just achy or stiff just a minute or two on my recumbent bike fixes it up with no need to medicate. Stinks that you can't take anything else - perhaps try half a vicodin? I have half a bottle of perc and half a bottle of vicodin in the freezer in case I do something goofy and several refills of Tramadol.
I've been thinking of trying zumba, too! If you go, please let me know how it goes.
Pain med wise - thankfully I'm fine with tramadol so I take it at need, not on schedule - I've noticed that if its usually just achy or stiff just a minute or two on my recumbent bike fixes it up with no need to medicate. Stinks that you can't take anything else - perhaps try half a vicodin? I have half a bottle of perc and half a bottle of vicodin in the freezer in case I do something goofy and several refills of Tramadol.
I've been thinking of trying zumba, too! If you go, please let me know how it goes.
kaw205
graduate
Hi Barbara,
Great report! Are you able to take Tylenol? I'm taking that with ibuprofen most of the time and percocet only if I really need it.
Also, valerian root is a good herbal sleep aid.
Great that you'll be traveling soon!
Take Care,
Karen
Great report! Are you able to take Tylenol? I'm taking that with ibuprofen most of the time and percocet only if I really need it.
Also, valerian root is a good herbal sleep aid.
Great that you'll be traveling soon!
Take Care,
Karen
MotownGirl66
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It's interesting how our "energy envelope" is only loaded so much and when we've depleted it, it lets us know very quickly, right?
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Awriterafoot
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I'll try valerian, Karen. Thanks for the tip. I am taking Tylenol as needed but have begun to suspect it is contributing to RLS. I'm down to maybe two Vicodin a day, one late in day, one overnight at some point--mostly I dont need it in the daytime. The exception is times like today when damp cold weather came in and made it ache. Dog gets Tramadol on those days too.
Teresa, I've been trying some down dog, which helps, and might try a class tomorrow. I haven't been to a class in over a year after a bad day, so it would be a good thing to try. Get back on the horse. I won't be dong all the poses, I'm sure, but that's okay.
Teresa, I've been trying some down dog, which helps, and might try a class tomorrow. I haven't been to a class in over a year after a bad day, so it would be a good thing to try. Get back on the horse. I won't be dong all the poses, I'm sure, but that's okay.
TexasTee
post-grad
I bet you'll do a lot more than you think you can - but do start slow, there is no rush! I don't have RLS but I cannot tell you the difference in how my body feels after class, it's a huge difference...it's as if you oiled a rusty hinge, smooth like butter!
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Spent the day in the garden today and felt so happy I honestly got teary-eyed at one point. I started easy because I have a very big garden and it was sorely neglected at the end of the season last year, but in no time I realized it was not a problem. It felt great, in fact, and my knees didn't hurt at all--at least then. They're a little achy tonight, but that's not surprising. I haven't worked so hard in quite a long time.
Again, one of those small moments that only others who've gone through this will understand. I'd been out there about three hours when I realized I hadn't tripped once. Last year, I had to be very, very careful not to trip because I was stumbling over everything--the edge of rock, the side of the raised bed, a twig, a feather. I swear, I tripped and stumbled constantly. I sort of knew it was connected to the pain in my knees but until I DIDN'T do it today, I didn't appreciate how much better it is. Another indication of how much better life is getting and will continue to be.
Posting a picture of the scars. Funny that they were done 5 months apart, isn't it? And the right knee is more recent. You can see the pockets of swelling all around the left knee, and just below it on the inside. I have that on the right, too, but not so dramatically. The surgeon said it is where the bone is attached to the metal, which makes sense. It is just taking a lot longer for the left knee to heal, and I'm going to respect that, give it whatever it needs. Kiss kiss.
![[Bonesmart.org] Bionic knee #2 done 1-21-15](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/img_7435-jpg.30779/ "[Bonesmart.org] Bionic knee #2 done 1-21-15")
They're a little achy tonight, but that's not surprising. I haven't worked so hard in quite a long time. Again, one of those small moments that only others who've gone through this will understand. I'd been out there about three hours when I realized I hadn't tripped once. Last year, I had to be very, very careful not to trip because I was stumbling over everything--the edge of rock, the side of the raised bed, a twig, a feather. I swear, I tripped and stumbled constantly. I sort of knew it was connected to the pain in my knees but until I DIDN'T do it today, I didn't appreciate how much better it is. Another indication of how much better life is getting and will continue to be.
Posting a picture of the scars. Funny that they were done 5 months apart, isn't it? And the right knee is more recent. You can see the pockets of swelling all around the left knee, and just below it on the inside. I have that on the right, too, but not so dramatically. The surgeon said it is where the bone is attached to the metal, which makes sense. It is just taking a lot longer for the left knee to heal, and I'm going to respect that, give it whatever it needs. Kiss kiss.
Great to hear you are so much more sure footed!- Status
