PKR Bj Mac's Recovery

[AussieBill1962]

Hi BJ,
I know what you mean. How do we know when we are over doing it? A little pain perhaps, but then it is usually already hurt by then. My knee is sore today from swimming and jogging in the pool last night. I knew it was going to be sore 10 minutes into it, but what do we do. I guess go at it slow and build up sessions over time, but really who has the patience for that?
Were on track for being fit at 6 months: No infection, OK ROM, and able to do normal stuff like walk. Just keep on keeping on, your doing great.

 

[BJ Mac]

Thanks Bill, you are so right. We are doing well. In another 6 months or so we will be able to laugh about these concerns and we will be doing so much. The concern now is, "Will I be able to sleep tonight?" because I have once again done too much. That going at it slow is hard and then we do a bit more and before we know it we have done too much. But honestly these are good 'problems' to be having.

You are doing great too! Keep up the good work. Just not too much at once.

 

[RestAssured]

BJ ,

I have the same problem every time I have a knee replaced! I push it to the limit, and then wonder how much talking it will do to me during the night! With this new knee, I found out today that with Dr. Maale shortening the quad and the tendon in the back of my calf, I have weakness on the inner thigh muscle and everything that leads up to the patella from the inside! I asked my PT "Killer" Katie if she remembered that I had just gotten out of the immobilizer! We worked hard today, and by the time I left I was sweating. LOL. She knows me though, and she watches my face for pain signals, it betrays me every time!

 

[skigirl]

Bj, I struggled with finding the balance too--especially with my first tka. Don't forget, I had a different surgery---and have done nothing for eight weeks. You have been traveling to horse shows, to colleges, you are really doing more than me. It will come, but you cannot rush recovery. Spend a day resting with your knee up. you deserve it. K

 

[BJ Mac]

You are right I need to rest and recover. I will try really hard to do that today.

 

[KneeAware]

Hi BJ,

I like your philosophy of doing it at your own pace and getting there when you get there. The whole finding the balance thing is a challenge, just when you think you have it figured out everything changes. If nothing else at least its never boring, lol!

Keep up the good work, you are doing great.
T.

 

[BJ Mac]

Definitely not boring! Thanks!

 

[vicledsome]

It's hard to be patient but the knee has the final say (-:

 

[adnil]

Hi BJ, thought I would peek out from my thread to see how the rest of the world is doing and I see you are just as cheerful and active as ever. One thing for sure is these knees of ours are little troopers and they do get better.
(((hugs)))) Linda

 

[skigirl]

BJ---we don't have the time to be jealous of one another!! We just cheer one another on for whatever. Right now, I think your knee is letting you know that you have done a lot of traveling and running around and now it wants some rest. A day or two from now it will be easier to see what the bike will be like.

I am amazed at how weak my leg is after 8 weeks of inactivity. I climbed up a stool and tried to raise my body up on that left knee--and no go. I was so shocked my husband fell over laughing!! He said the look on my face when I realized that the knee was not going to go up was classic!! Oh well. K

 

[Jazyb]

Hi BJ

You are doing great - well done on your bike ride. It will take a while before your muscles are ready for a full blown ride but in time you will get there. I took my recovery very carefully and decided it would take as long as required. My knee was in bad shape and took about 8 years to get that bad, so I knew it would not be a 5 minute job to get back into shape. I am 6 months in now and feeling the benefits of being careful, I am amazed as to what I am able to do with my new knee - patience is the key. Take care

 

[BLAKQUEEN]

OMG, sorry you had to go through all of that foolishness!!

 

[RICBAK1]

This patiance is what is doing me,keep thinking im resting enough and want to exercise more,but always told rest more,weather have good pain threshold but had very little pain before tkr just leg got could not bend very stiff .After tkr same result cant remember last time took paracetomol but excercise get very stif joint no pain im frustrated.

 

[bottomshollow]

Richard, you are suffering from Spoiled Child Syndrome (most of us do in this recovery)--It's the "I want it ALL and I want it NOW" demand. And knee is NOT going to cooperate with you.

Even though you're not having pain, which is great, the knee is still swelling; and that swelling is causing the stiffness and lack of bend. But, GOOD GRIEF!, you"re only 4 weeks post op. You are 1/13th way through a process that takes a year. You still have a loooooooooong way to go. TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE!!!!!! It's going to take TIME, and you have to find some PATIENCE. This may turn out to be one of the toughest things you've ever done. But, YOU CAN DO IT!

Somewhere between 4 to 6 months, you will begin to feel "normal" and will be able to do a lot of the things you want to do now. How long did it take your knee to get in the condition that made surgery necessary? A lot longer than a month; and you are really doing very well---need more elevating and icing---lots of it which will also give you lots of rest. Once you get past this--this will be YOU!

Take care of yourself, Richard, and keep us posted. We care.

 

[RICBAK1]

Richard, you are suffering from Spoiled Child Syndrome (most of us do in this recovery)--It's the "I want it ALL and I want it NOW" demand. And knee is NOT going to cooperate with you.

Even though you're not having pain, which is great, the knee is still swelling; and that swelling is causing the stiffness and lack of bend. But, GOOD GRIEF!, you"re only 4 weeks post op. You are 1/13th way through a process that takes a year. You still have a loooooooooong way to go. TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE---TIME & PATIENCE!!!!!! It's going to take TIME, and you have to find some PATIENCE. This may turn out to be one of the toughest things you've ever done. But, YOU CAN DO IT!

Somewhere between 4 to 6 months, you will begin to feel "normal" and will be able to do a lot of the things you want to do now. How long did it take your knee to get in the condition that made surgery necessary? A lot longer than a month; and you are really doing very well---need more elevating and icing---lots of it which will also give you lots of rest. Once you get past this--this will be YOU!

Take care of yourself, Richard, and keep us posted. We care.

Thanks must agree with you one of those days,just me come round now hope might be last moan.

 

[RICBAK1]

Sorry just seen attachment spoilt child again can i have one and how, thanks no more tears

 

[BJ Mac]

Vicki, yes it is hard to be patient. I will keep working on it.

Linda, thanks for the hugs and encouragement. These knees are troupers indeed, and I can tell that it is getting better.

Kelly, you are so right, no time for jealousy. I am happy that you are riding your bike and doing water aerobics. I got back on my bike this evening and did .6 miles. I will do a bit again tomorrow morning, and try very small bits and build up. I hope that it will come along quickly... Working on the patience here.
I like this little biker, it makes me think of me and the stone in the path is me doing too much and setting myself back...

Jo, thanks for your encouragement. I will keep on working, a bit slower though... I know it will come as I can see how far that I have come since surgery. Sometimes it is just so hard not to get too excited and rush ahead to fast.

Richard, we live in a microwave world, we want it done now and quickly, I just did that myself. I see that when I take it slower and more patiently I actually move ahead more quickly. With the way I overdid it on Monday I had to wait days before getting back on my bike. So, lets keep working on our patience...Slow and steady will get us there!

 

[BJ Mac]

I have just had an emotional crash. I have been crying, and sobbing... I am soooo exhausted I cannot stand it. I had just begun sleeping around three weeks post-op. Then at 3 1/2 weeks my husband whom I was separated from and I thought that we were working on the marriage so that he could come back home informed me that he was divorcing me... He filed the next Monday. I have not slept worth a darn since then. I have been to two horse shows and a college visit with my daughter and a cross country trip with my son to get him registered for classes at his new college last week. I cannot find the prescription for my pain pills that my doctor gave me last Tuesday right before my trip. I am running low on Percocet and am still taking one or two a night. I am in pain and exhausted, and overwhelmed by what is going on and not knowing what the future holds...

 

[BJ Mac]

My legs are aching because of my swimming today. It seems when I do something new I overdo it. This is sooo frustrating. I really need to find that prescription, and I do not want to call the doc and tell him that I lost it. If I have to go to the office to pick another prescription up it will take me about an hour to an hour and a half and the thought of that is also very frustrating. He cannot call in an Rx for narcotics...

 

[BJ Mac]

Also I keep getting e-mails that if I do not switch to icloud by tomorrow that my e-mail will go away and I do not know what to do/how to switch and I may need to up grade my operating system...