Hi Kristina
@xtina16405 - I was just about to write my update for the week, so you can hear all about it!
Today is 8 weeks post knee and 13 post hip. Where did the time go? And yes, this was the week I started back to work.
At week 8, there is very little new to report, but a few things that are worth cataloging:
- When I go up stairs, foot over foot, I most often can do it with no hand on the railing. A big change from when I used the railing to drag myself up the stairs! I still need a light touch on the railing when going down, but still foot over foot.
- My knee does not get aggravated and swell when I work it.
- I am past worrying about ROM, having exceeded my goals and am working on strengthening and balance.
- I still occasionally get a day where I crash - just feel awful in the knee and exhausted all over - but not often
That said, I want to talk about what it was like to go back to work after 13 weeks. On Monday, I worked from home. I spent the morning reviewing things and getting back into my old routine. I spent a few too many hours at the laptop without a break and did begin to feel very stiff, so I got up a few times to ride the bike. At 1:30, I had PT and started out feeling stiff from the morning. However, after a few heel slides my physical therapist said I had maintained my ROM and did not even bother to measure it. She had me use a 2.5 pound weight for some of my exercises, and large elastic bands for others. I ended on the bike. After 30 minutes, I felt limber and no longer stiff, which was great news! She told me to go home and ice, which I did. Icing led to me falling asleep exhausted, and waking up at 5 pm! So much for my first day back! I guess I actually just worked 8 am to 1 pm, but it seemed about enough to handle. I am fortunate to have a boss who expected this to happen!
Today, I decided to go into a building to meet with a colleague because I frankly am craving human interaction having been secluded for so long. So, I drove 80 minutes to one of our offices and then walked about a third of a mile from the parking lot to the building - not exactly set up for handicapped, but the walk was doable and refreshing, although it was pretty darn cold out! I then spent a few hours with tech support trying to fix my laptop, followed by a meeting with a colleague. We were sitting in a collaborative work space that looks like a booth and has a monitor to plug in a laptop and look at things together. We had a great meeting, getting me back up to speed. When it was time to get up, I neglected to notice that the booth was set on a platform and when I stepped out, I started to fall as I did not expect the step. Fortunately, the leading leg was the left side with the new hip, and not the right side with the new knee and frozen ankle. The left ankle bent a bit and I did a few quick side steps before I regained my balance, with no harm done to my bionic parts! My colleague said she watched in horror as she was sure I was going to fall and she could not reach me. But, she also said I had some pretty agile dance moves! LOL! So, fortunately, I was lucky, did not fall and did not hurt my new parts. Although, my back is sore tonight - something got a bit wrenched!
Then, as I was walking back to my cube, I noticed it was snowing! This alarmed me as I thought the snow would come in the late afternoon and I would have plenty of time to get to my car first. So, I immediately had to pack my things up, and then gingerly make my way down the slightly snow covered path to the garage. It actually was not slippery at all, the surface is sort of a pebbled stone thing, but I was not about to take any chances! With no further incident, I made it to the car and then back home. I worked to about 3 pm, when I started to realize my back hurt, so I took a hot shower, followed by lying down with ice on my knee and a heating pad under my back - which led to another nap until 5 pm! Nice work if you can get it, right?
So, having learned my lesson (I think!), I am now going to stay put at my home office for the rest of the week. New England in January is not a good time for a newly bionic lady to be venturing outside! I do have PT again tomorrow, but my therapist has said I should just cancel if I am at all concerned about the weather. As we will be having snow squalls tomorrow, I will have to see about that! I do think it is important to set an alarm to get up and move, and will start doing that - even just 5 minutes on the bike or a few leg lifts and heel slides.
I do think the next couple days will likely be half to 2/3 days, and perhaps next week I can manage an 8 hour day. I am seeing the wisdom in holding off on assuming chores for my mom!
Work wise, I am very rusty, but I am sure that will wear off soon.
United States
. I sure wouldn't want to have to get myself up and out the door and in public everyday yet!!! Enjoy your last week of kneecation...pamper yourself!
I'm so happy for you
) and get tired enough... no TKR involved 
it's good too that your sister is happy to keep up the lion's share of caring for your Mum, especially in the early days of being back to work... there'll be plenty of time for you to "do your share" when you're fully fit.
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