TKR Birdwatcher's recovery thread

[Jaycey]

Thanks for the lovely update @Birdwatcher ! You are doing so much with that new knee. It will complain at times. Just ice if you have swelling. Soon you will forget you even had a knee replacement.

 

[Wolvesfan]

@Birdwatcher ... I love to read your updates! You and I are at a similar place in our recovery. More and more days are good, but every now and then, my knee reminds me that it’s not yet five months old. My challenge is going down a flight of stairs. It just feels weird! But I’ll keep trying and trust that one day it will happen in a more normal way. I’m glad you are enjoying your bike, your family, and your pup. One of the happiest aspects of my recovery is that I can now walk with our little guy (photo attached) each morning. What joy to be able to do that again!

 

[Birdwatcher]

@Birdwatcher ... I love to read your updates! You and I are at a similar place in our recovery. More and more days are good, but every now and then, my knee reminds me that it’s not yet five months old. My challenge is going down a flight of stairs. It just feels weird! But I’ll keep trying and trust that one day it will happen in a more normal way. I’m glad you are enjoying your bike, your family, and your pup. One of the happiest aspects of my recovery is that I can now walk with our little guy (photo attached) each morning. What joy to be able to do that again!

Gosh, how adorable he is He must be happy too, that you can walk together.
So happy to hear you also are doing good. We will beat those stairs and hills eventually

 

[Jockette]

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

Pains come and go, in this recovery, just because they can! I always used to try to figure out what I did to cause it! Now I know that the knee is just upset for quite a while and it’s not worth the mental effort to figure it out. Even with my partial, that hasn’t had a good outcome in general, I am much better now, three years out, than I was my whole first year.

 

[sistersinhim]

Sometimes I'd wake up in the morning with a new pain wondering what I had done differently the day before. Most of the time I had done nothing that I could think of. Then I figured I had done something during my sleep or maybe it was nothing at all. The knee just letting me know it's there.

 

[Bikeknit]

Thanks so much for sharing your progress and beautiful pictures with us. It shows that while it takes awhile, we can return to active, joyful lives. I'm at 5 weeks, using my bicycle indoors with a trainer still but now I can picture what it will be like as I progress. Bicycling saved me as it became more and more difficult to walk. Can't wait to ride again.

 

[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?

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

I am loving my ebike so much! I’m lucky to live in a place with hundreds of miles of nice paved bike trails along rivers & parks. I’m not yet brave enough to carry my good camera as I ride but I will get there - there’s a lot of great bird areas that I ride along where it’d be fun to stop & shoot.

 

[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

I am loving my ebike so much! I’m lucky to live in a place with hundreds of miles of nice paved bike trails along rivers & parks. I’m not yet brave enough to carry my good camera as I ride but I will get there - there’s a lot of great bird areas that I ride along where it’d be fun to stop & shoot.

Sounds amazing Where do you live?

 

[pamsknees]

I live in Eugene Oregon. It is amazing- after 7 years, I still feel like I’m on vacation

 

[Birdwatcher]

I live in Eugene Oregon. It is amazing- after 7 years, I still feel like I’m on vacation

Amazing <3 You live right on the PCT route ? Wau

 

[Birdwatcher]

So... happy 5 months birthday to my kneereplacement!
Can't believe it has not been longer! Feels like I have been at it, much longer.

These past day has been much better. The mysterious pain that suddenly came, has disappeared almost completely. Don't know what it was, but I went to see my pt (because of pain in my right arm and shoulder) Asked her if she would look at my knee too, and she did. Gave it some massage, around the muscles, and that kind of helped instantly. So, I am back walking, and riding my e-bike. Today I walked 9 km with my dog, and tomorrow I am going to challenge myself with the longest bike ride ever. 71 km. My longest ride is a little over 60 km, and that was a couple of weeks ago. Very excited!

There is only 18 days until my husband and I participate in a cycling race in Bornholm, 103 km. We are very much looking forward to it, but also a bit anxious.

I talked to some women who also had TKR and they are now back at running. They had their operation a couple of years ago, and they started running 8 and 11 months after the operation. I am soooo excited to hear about that.... I miss running so much, and now it seems there is a chance that it's possible!

But well... for now it's okay to just walk and bike, and do my exercises. I will get there, eventually.

 

[pamsknees]

How cool is that?!?! I considered doing a ride with a local group but it’s 39 miles which is longer than I’ve done yet so I decided to wait until next year. Have a wonderful time on your ride & race

 

[Birdwatcher]

Hello everybody :D So I am back, and everything is fine here. I am almost 6 months post op now, and I have many days where I forget my knee... can't tell you how amazing that feeling is, when you realize it.
I am still very active. Everyday I bike, walk or short and slow run. Also do strength exercises 3-4 times pr. week. Trying to get my weight down, but with holiday and everything... it's hard. So for now, I am just doing my best to keep this weight (75 kg) I was at 78 at the time of my operation, so it has gone down a bit, - very happy about that.

Amazing holiday on the Island of Bornholm.
Almost 500 km on our bikes, in 10 days. Also did a lot of walking on this beautiful island.

Short and slow run today, and my knee is not complaining.

My knee... almost 6 month after TKR operation.

I participated in the race "Bornholm Rundt", and biked 103 km around the Island of Bornholm.

My medal. 103 km. Very proud of my self, and my knee.

Hope you are all doing well, and wish you a speedy and good recovery. <3

 

[Bikeknit]

Love the pictures of your beautiful country and your great reports. I'm 10 weeks post-op and started bicycling 2 weeks ago. My longest ride has been 12 miles (19 km?) With a nice rest for snacks halfway. It is so good to see your positive results.

 

[sistersinhim]

What an amazing recovery you have had! Congratulations on all your successes!

 

[Birdwatcher]

So... today it has been 6 months and 25 days since my operation.
Things are pretty much status quo. A little improvement in how long I can walk, and how fast, but not a huge difference. I have decided, that if this is my permanent level, I will be happy and grateful about it.
I CAN move without pain, I CAN have an active lifestyle and do things with my family, and for that I am just grateful.
I certainly miss running, but I do get small runs a couple of times a week, but I take it very slow and do not progress too fast, and have full focus on how my knee feels. Som runs I only run 30 seconds x 5, but I am just very happy and grateful, that I am passed the first weeks where I was in pain all the time.

The one thing I find hard to do, is shopping in malls etc. The hard floor and all that standing still, is sooo hard on my knee, and I literally can feel it swell up.

I am still a member of my running club, but now I help out in running events, instead of participating. It is actually very gratifying for me, to help others.

Hope you are all doing well.

 

[Jaycey]

@Birdwatcher thanks for stopping by to update. You are doing really well for only 6 months out! And yes, you will continue to see improvement. Some of our members report improvement years after their TKR!

 

[Wolvesfan]

Great update, and always so nice to hear from you!

 

[Jockette]

You will continue to improve, your knee is only about half healed at this point.

 

[Birdwatcher]

Hi everyone and hi to myself (when I at some point in the future look back at my recovery journey )

Today I am 7 1/2 months post-op.

I don't think there has been any improvement since last month. It's like I am stuck at this level. Maybe even a bit for the worse, unfortunately.

We have moved to the city, and our apartment is on first floor...so...a lot of stairs now. And walking on pavements etc. It is hard on the knee. I don't ride my bike as much anymore. I don't know.. for me it is a summerthing, to bike around. Now, it is getting too cold for me. My hands and feet get very cold. But I know it is good for my knee, so maybe I just have to kick myself out the door.

Running is not possible these days. My knee swell up everytime, and I get scared. Don't want to ruin my knee. I have many doubts about how much training I can put on the knee, and that's why I have made an appointment with a highly rated Physiotherapist. I really want advice and also training that will actually help my knee, in stead on ruining it.

My new doctor said last time, that if my knee swell up and/or hurts after training, or the next day, I have done too much, and need to do less next time. Of course I know this, but after 7 months - almost 8 - my patience is,...well, - kind of GONE. But I know I have to find it somewhere.

I miss running so much, and I'm really disappointed that it didn't worked out. I truly thought I could start jogging here in october, and maybe even before. I don't think I will be able to run before next year, but right now I really don't know when, and don't want to get my hopes up again.

So, this is it for the 7th month.

It is a journey, and like all journeys in life, there will be bumps.

"This too shall pass".

Stay safe <3