My 5 week point was Tuesday, December 16, so I am a little late with this report. But I do want a good record of what I am experiencing now, so here goes!
I know others at this point are talking about less improvements and the need for patience (like my knee twin,
@sandbar525 ). I have found my experience to be different, and I wonder if perhaps it is due to the fact that I stayed with home health nursing and PT for 4 weeks, just starting outpatient PT last week. Anyway, I find that this point in my recovery is the best I have experienced. It took me a while to come to the realization that I had turned a corner, that things weren't all bad, and that I am finally at a point where I am beginning to see improvements. I had to recognize it, and then rejoice it, but here I am!
So, what is different... Quite a lot!
At some point, not sure when, sometime last week, I walked away from the crutches and cane and do not think I need them. If it is icy outside, I might try a walking stick with an ice pick point, or a ski pole, but only because of the ice. I can walk freely, and have mastered most of the gait issues I faced earlier in my recovery. I am still thinking about striking the ground with my heel, not my toe, bending my knee, and keeping a straight line, but i can do it! It should be more natural from here on, I hope.
My pain is less, much, much less. What I feel now is more of a tightness, not a sharp pain. It is true, I still have jumpy leg at night and the accompanying pain, but even less of that. What I feel during the day know is pressure when I get to the point of most bending, but not pain. And this means I can earnestly work on PT now to improve my flexion. For meds, I take 4 tramadol per day, 650 mg of tylenol 3x/day, along with Celebrex 2x/day. I am beginning to wonder if I might start to reduce or wean the tramadol. I will continue to monitor and possibly adjust this week.
Outpatient PT is terrific! I love my therapist. She pushes me but never to a point where I should not be. She has also helped me stop stressing about my numbers. She thinks I am where I should be or possibly a bit ahead, and there is no need to worry. That attitude has given me so much relief! I find it hard to look at the posts here and see other's numbers and not feel a bit down. Silly, I know. We are each on our own track, and my therapist has helped reinforce that healthier outlook for me. She also spends a good amount of each session with massage, which has done wonders to loosen the tissue around my knee cap, enabling better and easier mobility. She has taught me how to do this as well, and it has made a difference. Speaking of number, last week when I started outpatient, I was at 100 and maybe 2. Yesterday, at my 6 pm appointment, when my knee was already tired and a bit swollen, I was at 110 and zero. I think perhaps my measurement would have been even better if it was taken in the morning. I can also do 20 minutes on the recumbent bike pushed forward very far for 20 minutes. I do this several times a day. Sometimes, I have to push the seat back to get started and then can gradually move it forward. The interesting thing while biking is the new knee feels so smooth and effortless, with just a bit of tightness as the bend. At the same time, my unoperated knee sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies, with all the snap/crackle/pop sounds it makes with the bike seat pushed forward! Not hurting, but I can tell it is damaged with all the noise it makes!
I am grateful that I still have 2.5 weeks before going back to work. Now that I am more mobile and the pain levels are greatly reduced, I can use this remaining time to be diligent and consistent with PT. I can see the daily improvements and it feels great!
I am starting to help out more around the house - folding clothes, making simple meals, simple things. I can see the relief in my husband as I do this. The strain of my 2 surgeries has been a lot for him, while still working full time, commuting, and doing all the things he does for my son, like multiple college visits. He still does the majority of house chores and shopping, but at least he has a little relief.
Stamina wise, I am doing better. I am trying to take little outings every day to get used to a more active life as I prepare to go back to work in a few weeks. Yesterday was 90 minutes of Christmas shopping, today will be lunch with a friend, Friday a pedicure! Getting out tests my stamina but also makes me feel so much more whole as a person! I find I get a little achy and tired with these outings, but they are doable. I am purposely trying to see if I can go without a nap, so that I can begin to adapt to a more normal pattern as work get closer. So, instead of a 2 hour afternoon nap, I might try just lying down for 30 minutes to rest. At the same time, I am trying to work on my sleep. I realized, I am not getting enough sleep at night because I stay up to take my last dose of tramadol, usually around 11:30 pm, and then get up at 6 am, with some sleepless hours in the middle of all that. I am going to try to take the tramadol earlier and see if I can go to bed at 10 pm. I have also been experimenting with easing the jumpy leg at night. I found that if I use 2 pillows under my head, and maybe a pillow under my leg, I can sleep longer. I will still wake up in about 3-4 hours, but at that point, I get rid of the extra pillows and make and effort to not turn on a light or look at my ipad or iphone - just go back to sleep. Last night, that seemed to work - less jumpy leg pain, and slept through from 11:30 to 6:30 with just a few wakings and pillow readjustments. I do feel more refreshed this morning!
Mood wise, I am positive. I am seeing improvements in my health and life style, which makes me a happier person. I can envision going back to work - something that just a few weeks ago seemed like an impossible task. I know that I am now entering a time where I will need to be careful of balance - not overdoing my new found freedoms, and finding a way to balance things as I get more active. That said, I do think I am up to the task.
That's the report. As always, I am so grateful to everyone at Bonesmart for the constant support, suggestions and encouragement. I am grateful to my knee and hip twins,
@sandbar525 and
@xtina16405 for always being there, to
@referee54 for his constant great advice and encouragement, and to all the others...
@hbacres ,
@ConnieJOS ,
@Hoppy Nanny and all the others who have seen me through this wild ride! Hugs to all!
United States
