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MUA Blue's BTKR and BMUA Recovery Journey

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Hi, @icep707 Thank you! I'm fortunate that I really didn't have other issues beyond my knees - no other medical things going on, I'm 5'7 and stay right around 129# - 135# (which is a good range for me), and have stayed physically fit as I get older. I read and read and read the last two to three months prior to surgery, and by the time my date rolled around, I truly felt ready and prepared. All of the information and support on this forum is spectacular. I definitely give credit to the members that had their surgeries and posted their recovery - that's where I really learned so much of what to expect and what to do.

CPM was officially returned this morning, yay :happydance:I have home PT tomorrow, and have been using my bike in preparation. It sure feels GOOOOOOOOOD to get that bit of stretch and bend in my knees!!!! This morning I felt pretty good, so I'm taking it that everything I did yesterday was fine. I put a load of sheets in the wash (hubby dried), made the bed, took a bath, AND made supper (chicken in the oven, microwave potatoes and broccoli). Not a lot of "on the feet" time, I'm trying to be very aware of that - and, the knees sure remind me to STOP, that's for sure :groan:After my bath, I had to come ice and elevate for a bit before finishing my hair or make up. Having a little sense of normalcy feels wonderful, too.

I iced when I got up this morning for a couple hours, got dressed, then rode my bike (sat there rocking and stretching) for about four or five minutes. Made a little pan of brownies for hubby (box kind, no fuss), and am icing and elevating again. And, I'm thinking it may well be nap time here shortly, hee hee.
 
Sounds pretty similar to my early postop routine. Little spurts of activity, very low-key household tasks, lots of resting icing and elevating. Worked for me.
 
Yep, @jeano I thought it sounded pretty darned typical as well, yay!!! :dancy: Each day I'm trying to accomplish a little something that I'd do normally, but not try doing too much. It's working for me, and the little bit of variety to my activity keeps me from getting too bored.

It was kind of funny - when Dad came over a couple of days ago, I was in the kitchen making a piece of peanut butter toast. He came in, and I said "Wait, wait!!!" had him stop about 10' from me and I delicately walked over to him under my own steam. Boy, was he PROUD! I joked with him later, wow dad, do you remember the FIRST time I came walking over to you like that?? He grinned the biggest grin, and said, "Sam, I sure do! You were almost as happy then as you were today!" I love my daddy :angel:
 
I am so happy for you reading your recovery thread is just amazing. Might just make myself an appointment with your OS when I just can't take anymore and decide I am ready. I am still of the mind to put it off as long as I can and I will know when I am ready. I am so impressed with your scars, they already look so good. I shouldn't be so vain but we are in shorts so much here, I will wear my scars with pride of course, but I am hoping they won't be ghastly. You give me hope that I too can do the bilateral thing as I don't want to have to do two surgeries and two recoveries, no way! Thank you for posting about your recovery from another future bilateral :)
 
Wow your recovery is amazing. I feel I will have a amazing recovery as well. No health issues no smoke no drink and a workout warrior. So im feeling confidant with 2 @Half months of bonesmart homework I will be successful. Toughest part will be my discipline to rest and take it easy. Im a homebody for the most part. Other than work than the gym I pretty much like to relax HOWEVER that will change when I fully recovered. I should have some prime years left as im only 48 yesrs old. Well keep up the excellent work. Just amazing !!
 
Bluetechseeker, thanks so much for sharing your encouraging journey. I am going tomorrow for my BTKR, and am trying not to get too nervous. It is now snowing here in the mountains of North Carolina, and I am a litte nervous about the roads in the morning. I am scheduled to be there at 6:45', for a 9:45 surgery. You have been an inspiration to me as well as soooo many others here at Bonesmart. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work. I guess I am as ready as I ever will be. Talk to you on the other side.
Thanks again, Fawkes,(Sue)
 
@Fawkes Thank you so much!! Try not being too nervous about tomorrow!! If you need something to calm your nerves when you get to the hospital, definitely ask for something, I'm sure they'll fix you right up. My daughter is in Atlanta, GA - she just sent pictures of snow falling there. It looks SO pretty, but boy am I glad I don't have to drive in it anymore (I lived in Michigan and Maryland for years!). Sue, this is definitely the first step to a new beginning. I knew immediately it was SO worth it - even the initial pain from the surgery was far less than the bone on bone pain I'd had for so long. AND - I'd been having hip pain as well, over compensating for my knees - that was gone immediately :dancy: Just go into this with the mindset that you'll follow the BoneSmart mantra, don't let anyone hurt you, and take your recovery one day at a time. All of the little things you begin to accomplish add up to BIG improvements, and it just keeps getting better and better :SUNsmile: This morning, I didn't need my walker at all for getting up and moving the first time - I easily stood up, stretched, went to the potty, then got my things together and came out to the living room - it felt GREAT. Keep a positive attitude, and you'll do fabulous :egypdance:

@Dord6712 Thank you! I'm so glad I did NOT put surgery off any longer. My pain was immediately gone, including hip pain like I said above. The worst time for me was the first couple of days of course, but mainly because of being so immobile and not knowing how to try doing anything. Once I started figuring out how to navigate myself, things got a lot better. Now, it seems so easy to move around, get up and down, in and out of bed. It's great! I've been just walking solo around the house - obviously very carefully. Hubby corrects me when it looks like I'm using my hips to move my legs rather than BENDING my knees (I tend to do that on my right side). I haven't really had pain, definitely a lot of stiffness, tightness (I know these are levels of pain), but had been prepared for a lot worse that's for sure. If you're in Central Florida, I'd definitely recommend my OS - he's been fabulous. I'll start using some of the scar gel in the next few days, but I think they look great now, too.

@icep707 that's the perfect attitude to have!! :happydance:Keep that positivity, and you'll do terrific. I, too, had been quite the gym rat (lots of cardio, weights, then long distance roller blading, 12 - 20 miles each trip). For me, I couldn't begin to imagine how much more difficult this would be without upper body or core strength. I joke with my husband about having body builder biceps and a six pack by the time I'm recovered. I'm a couple years older than you, but there's no moss that grows underneath me, hubby and I are extremely active and certainly plan on staying that way. Having the surgery definitely allows us to continue the lifestyle we both love.

PT was here today, she added a couple additional exercises (laying on tummy, letting legs hang off bed then using one to stretch out the other). She was a little early, so I didn't get the full opportunity to ice that I wanted to before she arrived. I still felt a little swollen and it hampered me a bit. But, afterwards it was all ok. I'm icing and elevating now, feels great. Today will be a very relaxed day, I think. I slept from ten thirty last night until nine thirty this morning!! Woke for meds only, then right back out. I'm finding I'm not napping much during the day, but it catches up with me in the evening - I doze off and on from about eight thirty until I go to bed.

Succeeded in getting my short term disability insurance benefits finalized yesterday - they'd been waiting on information from my employer. Yay! I'll actually receive three weeks of benefits immediately, then weekly checks thereafter. That's a big relief, both for hubby and I. We're talking about vacations to take this summer - its great to plot and plan, and knowing I have funds coming in certainly helps dreaming the dream :snork:
 
I love reading about your recovery. You are doing so well. I have my preop assessment on Feb. 11 and see the OS on Feb. 12 to quiz him with my questions. I am somewhat anxious but also looking forward to new knees. The possibility of going to rehab gives me great anxiety as I would love to go home. I know you went home and did very well. Reading about your recovery helps. Planning trips will certainly help pass the time.
 
Hi, @Snowysmom, thank you for your post! I was very much up in the air about going to rehab - my OS and I decided to see how I was doing after surgery - If I needed more support and assistance, I would've went on to rehab (probably a week to ten days). I think, so far, I'm doing fine being home. Certainly enjoy the surroundings far more, that's for sure. But, I can't help but wonder IF I'd have more ROM now than I do had I went to rehab?? I know they would've had PT and OT far more often than I've had since being discharged. I've actually wondered about that several times as I lay here icing and elevating. As far as getting around and doing odd things here and there, taking care of myself, and beginning to get back to normal - I think I'm right where I'd hoped I'd be for week three :yay:

Today I succeeded in taking a Big Girl Shower (hee, hee) - showering in the walk in without my 3-1 chair - actually standing and showering normally. Woo hoo!! Worked perfectly fine, the hot water felt great running down my knees, I just didn't linger too long. Finished up, got dressed, and have been elevating since. I'll get on my bike here in about twenty minutes, see how that feels today. I could definitely tell last night I had PT and rode my bike - I was a bit swollen (especially left knee) and actually a little achy because of it. I think I've pin pointed a couple of the exercises/stretches she had me do that don't agree with me right now, so I'll pass on doing them when she returns on Friday. When she measured my ROM after being on my bike, my right was at 78 though which is the best it's been.

I can't help but wish ROM was better - in the back of my mind I'm paranoid OS is going to start talking MUA when I go to follow up on Feb 18. Yeah, I know it's WAY premature to worry about that, but I do tend to be a worrier. Is being between 70 - 80 okay at this point?? My extension seems ok, both are basically flat with the right not quite as much as the left (she hasn't given me those actual measurements). I'm doing everything I can to alleviate and prevent swelling, but its there none the less. Yes, I know the decision to have an MUA is my choice, but I hope to not even have it be a point of discussion. I guess I just worry that I'm not progressing enough, or not as quickly as I should be with my ROM <sigh>

I'll be starting outpatient PT at the same office as my OS next week. I used them after each of my previous knee surgeries and was quite happy with how they assisted me and handled therapy. I sure wish I could find aqua therapy around here, that just sounds fabulous to me. Went for a nice stroll with hubby all around our cul de sac last night and it was wonderful being out in the fresh air. That won't happen today as it's a bit rainy and chilly, hubby is out at meetings too, and I won't go on a walk like that alone yet.
 
I don't know if this will help, but I had my BTKR on December 10. I did have some complications, but after 3 weeks in rehab, I had only 40 and 45 degrees of ROM. I started in home PT 3 days a week, but when I saw my doctor on January 20, I still only had 55 and 60 degrees ROM. But it was improvement. Although not pleased with the ROM, he did see that I was improving. He said as long as I continue to make "baby steps" forward, there is no reason to discuss MUA... and he says I do have scar tissue built up. So I don't think you should worry about MUA this early, and don't think you should worry about how quickly you are gaining ROM. I think you are doing great!
 
@2hips2knees THANK YOU! I really, really needed to hear something just like you posted. My PT see's my improvements, and at the doc's office last week they said I was doing great for having both done at the same time. I just don't see major changes in ROM as yet and, at times, really do get concerned. I'll try setting that aside and just concentrate on forward momentum, doing what I've been doing and continuing to heal. Certainly, great ROM won't come overnight, but I know it WILL come. Thank you again :friends:
 
As 2hips2knees said, as long as you are progressing that's the main thing. It doesn't always happen in leaps and bounds. Sounds like you're doing fine.
 
Thanks, @kneeper I appreciate that. I guess my worries about ROM are basically my lack of patience rearing it's ugly head - just because I want to be at a certain point, doesn't make it so. And, just because I'm doing certain things, doesn't make me magically be at the point I want to be at. Ah, well, I'll just stay the course, do the best I can, and NOT over do anything.

Well, today was THE day to have THE talk (again :headbang:) with hubby about my pain meds. We were talking about the upcoming schedule for PT, taking pooches to dog groomers, picking step daughter up - you know, all the errands and scheduling stuff. I mentioned to him that I'd need my pain meds filled tomorrow as well, and again, received a whole long dissertation on how many pills I'm taking, how often, the addictions he'd witnessed in the past, and on and on. <sigh...> I love my hubby, he's being so wonderful and helpful, BUT, this part is NOT being supportive or helpful. I keep telling him it's too soon to decrease, the docs will start stepping me down gradually, I'm not changing anything especially since I'm starting out patient PT next week, and that I'm very aware of the meds I'm taking. I'm already tired of the debate, and know it'll happen again in five days, and again five days after that (meds script is for five days worth, I'm going to see if they can write for more at a time). The conflict stresses me out, and today made me feel like I'm being a big baby or something, like I'm letting HIM down by still being on the full dose and frequency. Geesh! :cry:

On a positive note, we went to bed around eleven thirty last night, I slept until TEN this morning - I haven't been napping during the day for the last week or so. Wow! I've started getting up only once during the night for potty, still have my alarms set for pain meds. So, sleeping that late felt both naughty and very self-indulgent all at the same time :yes: Got up, hubby had ice all set up for me, I got connected and he brought me a coffee, and I laid there icing for about three hours. My first conscious thought every morning is, "ice, ice baby..." :heehee:

I "rode" my bike for about five minutes after getting dressed - I have a hard time thinking of it as true riding yet because I'm really not pedaling, just rocking and stretching, but it sure feels gooooooooooooood. And, to me it looked like my bend was perhaps a tad bit better than when I rode last night (wishful thinking?? :beg:). After that, walked around the house for about ten minutes (it's nasty outside so outside walk won't happen today), concentrating on gait, standing up nice and straight, taking smooth long strides, hitting heel to toe, and NOT lifting my leg at my hip - obviously, speed means less than nothing at this point. Then, sat in family room on the wicker sectional, it's a bit lower than what I've been on. I tucked a little pillow under my right thigh so it'd let my leg kind of hang, letting gravity do what gravity does best, hee hee :snork: I could definitely feel the stretch, it was a little uncomfortable but certainly not painful. Later tonight, I'll go lay on my tummy on my bed and let my legs kind of hang a bit - my right extension is a little less than the left, so home PT said that should help. Tomorrow is my last in-home PT and really want to finish with a bang, so to speak. I'm keeping fingers crossed for the ROM and extension readings she'll give.

Now, I'm going to put a quick meatloaf together and get it in the oven. Then, it's back to elevating - may sit on the bike again for another session. I'm trying to do a few minutes here and there throughout the day whenever I think of it.
 
Bluetechseeker said:
Well, today was THE day to have THE talk (again :headbang:) with hubby about my pain meds. We were talking about the upcoming schedule for PT, taking pooches to dog groomers, picking step daughter up - you know, all the errands and scheduling stuff. I mentioned to him that I'd need my pain meds filled tomorrow as well, and again, received a whole long dissertation on how many pills I'm taking, how often, the addictions he'd witnessed in the past, and on and on. <sigh...> I love my hubby, he's being so wonderful and helpful, BUT, this part is NOT being supportive or helpful.
Click to expand...
Please tell your husband, from another BTKR alumnus, that I did not get off of Oxycontin for about four weeks! I needed to take ti, and my OS assured me to not worry about becoming addicted.

Bluetechseeker said:
"rode" my bike for about five minutes after getting dressed - I have a hard time thinking of it as true riding yet because I'm really not pedaling, just rocking and stretching, but it sure feels gooooooooooooood.
Click to expand...
That is great!! just keep rocking back and forth and sometime soon, you will find that revolution!

Many people actually find that their first revolution is easier when they do ti backwards!
 
Has your husband seen the surgery film? You are being very responsible and the OS isn't some drug peddler. :headbang:
 
My husband is a pharmacist and, as such, sees a lot of people who abuse pain meds.

You & I & so many others here are taking meds for our pain. Legitimate pain. Taken as prescribed, there is very little chance that we'll have issues.

I'm sorry that he doesn't "get" that.

Hugs,
Jacki
 
Ahhhhh, while I was intently preparing before surgery, I watched a number of videos of the actual surgery. Hubby just could NOT watch - I think he actually started gagging several times :eeeuw: He said he didn't know how I could sit there and watch stuff like that. I specifically told him I wanted to know what they were doing, and know afterwards where the different aches and pains could be coming from. This will just be the point we disagree on - he will need to open his mind to accept the fact I'm on pain meds and I will be on them for a while.
 
Maybe he could watch the animated version: broken link removed: https://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/
I did the "operation" several times in the weeks before my tkr.

I remember I had a very kind friend who brought me dinner a couple of weeks after I was home and looked alarmed that I was taking vicodin. I had to explain a bit.
 
Well, here are pics of my knees after being on the bike for about five minutes. I think the bend looks pretty good - I'm curious what she'll measure it at tomorrow. First picture is the right, the second is the left...

[Bonesmart.org] Blue's BTKR and BMUA Recovery Journey [Bonesmart.org] Blue's BTKR and BMUA Recovery Journey
 
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