TKR Birdwatcher's recovery thread

[Sara61]

@Birdwatcher great photos and super report I haven't tried cycling outdoors yet, but am managing to do cross country hiking, I started water cycling in the pool too to help strengthen the knees.
I like the idea of an Ebike xx

 

[Tykey]

New knee, beautiful country with virtually no hills, sunshine, dog and an e-bike!! What more could you need!
Well done.

 

[Wolvesfan]

@Birdwatcher Love the photos. You look so happy! I’m thinking about getting an e-bike, too. You’re the second person to recommend one just this week. Cheers to your continued recovery!

 

[Birdwatcher]

@Birdwatcher Love the photos. You look so happy! I’m thinking about getting an e-bike, too. You’re the second person to recommend one just this week. Cheers to your continued recovery!

Thanks You won't regret an e-bike. Just the feeling of freedom, and the feeling of almost normality...it's so amazing.
Happy recovery to you too. Hope everything is going well?

 

[Birdwatcher]

@Birdwatcher great photos and super report I haven't tried cycling outdoors yet, but am managing to do cross country hiking, I started water cycling in the pool too to help strengthen the knees.
I like the idea of an Ebike xx

Water gymnastics are great! I swim in the ocean every day, and do exercises

 

[sistersinhim]

I love your bike and your photos. New knees give us a new life!

 

[Birdwatcher]

Yesterday I walked 10 km. Without any support. It was such a beautiful day, and I was following a lovely trail by the ocean. The trail was 21 km long, and I really - really - wanted to just keep hiking, like in the old days, before my knee turned to ****, and needed a replacement. But, well, I had to turn around, and I did.
10 km is really enough at this point in my recovery, I am happy about it.
Later on, I felt tiredness in my knee, but no pain and no particularly swelling. Today also a bit tired in the muscles, but overall really fine.

I was lucky to see one of the big White-taled Eagles, that live and breed in our area here, what a beautiful and impressive sight it always is. Her wingspan is more than 2 meter, - some up to 2,5 meters, so she is quite an impressive lady.
I also saw a beautiful Kestrel hunting for food, and I watched him for several minutes, as he hovered over the grass area. Such a beautiful color, love it, and love the big eyes and beautiful round head.
In the sand, a little Oystercatcher walked around, with its big orange-red beak. Quite beautiful bird.

Back to my knee...
This coming saturday, it will be my 4 months anniversary. Can't believe it's only 4 month...feel like it has been forever.

My weight has gone down a little, and I am so happy about it. I need to take of 5 kg more, and then I am back to my before-weight. Before quit smoking and before surgery, and before the pandemic turned our lives around.
Stay safe, and stay happy, - wish you all a successful recovery.

 

[Wolvesfan]

@Birdwatcher I love your updates. What a beautiful area for a hike! Our annual trip to the ocean was cancelled due to COVID, so my walks have mostly been through our neighborhood and a nearby park. It feels so good to have two stable knees now, doesn’t it!

 

[Birdwatcher]

@Birdwatcher I love your updates. What a beautiful area for a hike! Our annual trip to the ocean was cancelled due to COVID, so my walks have mostly been through our neighborhood and a nearby park. It feels so good to have two stable knees now, doesn’t it!

Thanks, and yes it feels great. Though I'm hopeful it will get even better in time. It's like I'm still learning to walk properly with my left leg

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh, another bird lover! It's such a good thing that you're able to get out there and enjoying doing the things you love to do. A new knee is such a blessing!

 

[Julia1911]

5 months post-op and I have only tried kneeling on the surgery knee twice--just to see how it feels. It didn't exactly hurt, but was very "off." Was only on it for a few seconds. Hope this weird sensation will go away (I have a plastic disc on the back of the kneecap from so much erosion), but it is just not ready for that yet (and the one I was going to have operated on within the year hurts so much under the kneecap, I don't like to kneel on that one either).

So far, hubby has been willing to kneel down to do stuff for me when I need it (he is older than me!). When he is not around, I just sit on my butt and try to do things that way.

He did suggest, when I think the knee is finally ready, to get and use a pair of the heavily cushioned and supportive knee pads like he has from the big box home improvement store.

I like to do a lot of gardening, and just bending over or sitting on my garden stool doesn't always work, so when it feels a little less swollen and less numb on the lower outside and less pain on the upper outside (the stiff band across the top has finally gone away), I'll try it again with knee pads.

 

[Birdwatcher]

5 months post-op and I have only tried kneeling on the surgery knee twice--just to see how it feels. It didn't exactly hurt, but was very "off." Was only on it for a few seconds. Hope this weird sensation will go away (I have a plastic disc on the back of the kneecap from so much erosion), but it is just not ready for that yet (and the one I was going to have operated on within the year hurts so much under the kneecap, I don't like to kneel on that one either).

So far, hubby has been willing to kneel down to do stuff for me when I need it (he is older than me!). When he is not around, I just sit on my butt and try to do things that way.

He did suggest, when I think the knee is finally ready, to get and use a pair of the heavily cushioned and supportive knee pads like he has from the big box home improvement store.

I like to do a lot of gardening, and just bending over or sitting on my garden stool doesn't always work, so when it feels a little less swollen and less numb on the lower outside and less pain on the upper outside (the stiff band across the top has finally gone away), I'll try it again with knee pads.

Exactly...it feels off. Weird feeling, and kind of wrong feeling too. Some of it is probably caused by that numbness I still have, same area as yours. Anyway, it feels like it's best to save that for a later time

 

[Birdwatcher]

So, today is week 17, and yesterday I started up at the gym again. They have been closed due to Covid-19.
I did some walking on the treadmill, and 10 km bike. Not a lot, but the walking was with high intensity intervals. Then I did some exercises from my pt.
As you can see in the picture, I can not do very deep squats yet, and even though I try to put equal weight on both feet, it is clear that most of the weight is on the leg with the good knee.

I will use mirrors more, to make sure that i push with good weight distribution. I believe it's just old habit that causes me to put most weight on the good leg.

You can also see, that the muscles in my operated leg are weak. They are clearly more defined in the right leg.

It's all okay though. I just keep on working, healing and strengthening my knee, in my own pace.

I did not experience more pain or swelling, after my training. So thats good!

Now I will talk a bit about running.
Last week I joined a new running community, in the city we are planning to move to in Fall.
Yes, I am planning to start running again, when my knee tells me it's okay. I do not for real believe that I can run my old pace and distances, but at my age (54), less i totally fine. I am a runner at heart, but clearly not if you asks my joints
But I still believe that I can run again some day. Just not as far, and not very fast. Most runners are not very good at taking body signals serious, because - well... as we runners say in Denmark, about pain : "Det skal løbes væk". Google translate: "It must be run away". Probably NOT the correct translation but maybe you get the point. When you are a runner at heart, and do long distances, you are use to pain in some ways, at some levels. And when you love it so much, you are prepared to keep on running, until the pain stops you completely. And then it is often too late. That is not the runner I want to be again. In this process, with my TKR, I got - and still get - better at listening to my body. But I do believe, that I CAN run again, with patience and training. My weight has to go down more (5-7 kilo more down), and my muscles in my new knee has to be stronger. Otherwise my knee will not last very long.

I have always loved long distances. Run, walk, bike. Especially trailrunning. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get. It confirms me in, that I'm no longer the chronic depressed, very obese, woman, I was 7-8 years ago.
Running and walking turned my life around, healthy diet too, I lost about 30 kilo and was able to kick away all my antidepressiv drugs. Never used it since. Exercise is my drug now, and I am not known to give up.
So, when people say; "you can not do that", I can feel a fire inside me, getting lid:

You do not get to decide what I can and can not do! ​

In my mind, everything is possible. You just have to do it your way. You can accomplish anything.
Believe that you CAN do it, and then you are already halfway there.

Take care everyone, hope you are all okay, and I wish you a good recovery.

 

[Birdwatcher]

So...entering week 18. Wau, time is flying!
Are you on Instagram? I am. Not using it very much these days, though. But I am using the hashtag #Totalkneereplacement, to search for other TKR-fighters, and I love reading post's from them. I especially love to read the ones who are further ahead in their recovery, just to see what I can expect - and look forward to.
Some still uses the hashtag a couple of years post surgery. I must say... I really hope my life, in two years, is full of all kind of amazing things, with a (as good as) normal functional knee, that will make me completely forget I have a knee prosthesis. And that it will not be relevant for me to be using that hashtag any longer. Yes... I have great hopes for my future.

Thursday I jumped on my bike, and rode to my local library, about 9 km away. When arrived, and finished at the library (with 5 books in my bag), I felt I was not ready to go home already, so I decided to ride to the coast on the other side of the half-island, and it was such a nice ride in beautiful landscapes. Old farmhouses with yellow and green fields. Beautiful colors in the side of the country roads, flowers in all sizes and colors. I made a stop at the small ferry port Snaptun, lovely place. 2 ferry routes here; Endelave island and Hjarnø Island. The small Hjarnø Island is visible from land, so the sail is short, maybe about 10 minutes or so, and the ferry is so cute. (sorry for my english)
I ended up riding 62,6 km. The last 10 kilometer, my but was sooo sore haha.

In the last week I have walked about 50 kilometers, and biked around 100 km. Went to the gym 1 time. My knee is holding up good, and my biggest issues are with hills. The worst is walking down hill. Also walking on hard surface is hard on the knee, and lots of stairs.
Next week I will try having 2 gym sessions. It is just a little challenging for me, in the summertime, to do indoor training... I love being outside, walking and biking. Much more than being indoor. But I also know, that pt training my knee is important. I can feel that I don't get as tired in my knee area, as before. I think I have more muscles there, now. But not enough. I need much more, of course.

This morning we heard a Honey Buzzard calling, and later my husband saw a Honey Buzzard couple hovering over the forest. I was so excited, they are not too common in this area. Also a little bit jealous, - I was not with him, and didn't see the beautiful birds of prey. Okay... I was big time jealous, hahaha.

That's all for now... wish you all a great recovery.

Some pictures from my bike ride thursday.

 

[Jockette]

I love reading your updates and seeing your pictures!

 

[sistersinhim]

What an absolutely wonderful and beautiful day you had! You are having a remarkable recovery. Getting back to the things we love is a huge driving force for us to get better. Unfortunately, not all of us can get back as quickly as you have, but we still have those dreams!

How did your knee react the following few days? Any extra pain or swelling?

 

[pamsknees]

I love your photos & updates! I got my ebike today & I see why you love yours so much- what fun!! I love birds & photography too. Do you carry a camera on your bike?

 

[Birdwatcher]

So, today is day 146 since my surgery. 20 weeks have come and gone. It has been a rollercoaster, and... gosh... it's still am.
I am having some pain and swelling in the left side of the knee. My daughter was visiting me, and we went bird watching on day 1, and shopping on day 2. For several hours. Pfeeew... that nearly killed my knee, but stupid as I was, -and just so happy to be with her-, I just kept on standing on that knee, that silently went stiff. Now I pay the price, I think. Actually, it is a new kind of pain I am having. It is not severe, It's just...THERE... and I am always so scared of that something will go terribly wrong with this thing in my knee, that I don't understand, so in my imagination the thing is going to loosen from the bone and I have to do surgery all over again. Wau, I am close to panicking sometimes!

But... then there are days where I almost forget I have a knee replacement. I walk and bike without problems. No swelling, no pain. I can do stairs, if they are not too tall. But a day or 2 without proper movement, and only standing or very slow walking... that is the road to hell for my knee.

There is just so much in my knee, that I don't understand. When I am feeling pain....where do it come from?

Oh well, it is what it is. 2 steps forward, and 1 back. It's okay. Eventually, I will get there.

Here are some photos from the last period. Bye bye everyone, take care <3

My boy Albert

Got an old camera, and very happy about it

This is my E-bike, which I love!
We went for a bike trip to the island Endelave, sleeped in tent with Albert. He loved it.

Photo from today, of my legs. Yeah, it is swollen.

I went exploring

My daughter and 2 grandkids visited, and we went to the very tiny island Hjarnø, for a beautiful walk.
This is Anna, 3 years old, and in the background it is me walking. In front of me is my grandchild Tobias.

 

[Birdwatcher]

I love your photos & updates! I got my ebike today & I see why you love yours so much- what fun!! I love birds & photography too. Do you carry a camera on your bike?

Hi Pam!. Congrats on your Ebike! Do you love it?
Yes, now I do carry camera in a bag on my bike, but I just recently got a proper camera. Right now I am learning how to use it :D

 

[Birdwatcher]

What an absolutely wonderful and beautiful day you had! You are having a remarkable recovery. Getting back to the things we love is a huge driving force for us to get better. Unfortunately, not all of us can get back as quickly as you have, but we still have those dreams!

How did your knee react the following few days? Any extra pain or swelling?

It was really good actually. A little bit of swelling, but not a lot.

I really believe that biking is good for the knee. I feel like my knee is happier, every time I ride my ebike.