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TKR Braunzie's Journey on "The Other Side"?

@Swish - Good to hear from you!!! I need to catch up on YOUR thread!! No need to apologize. When I get to retire (in 4 years and and 15 days), I'll be a bit eager to make that statement too!!!! (not that I'm counting down, or anything...) :heehee: Of course, if I win the lottery tonight, I can retire starting Monday!! (Hopeful.. :rotfl: ) I walked about 7500 today, that is more than usual at work (moving seats of about 40 employees from one wing to another) and my knee was NOT liking me.. I think it may have have been related to the shoes I was wearing??? I need to look into the correlation between shoes and knees.. When I wear my tennis shoes, it seems I can walk MUCH more easily with no pain..
 
Sounds like you are really doing well. I'm still waiting to get back into life. My knee needs a revision due to poor surgical technique ( or I might use the medical term Screwup). Im a bit behind since I haven't setup new date. Did you ever find that patience ATM? I really, really need it now!
 
@newlybionic - I am SOOO sorry to hear about your need for a revision! I need to go back and catch up on your thread.. Still looking for the Patience ATM.. You'll be at the top of the list to let know when I find it.. In the meantime, sending ALL positive thoughts your way.. I'll send up some prayers too. Hang in there, my friend!!!!! .. I'll try to keep up to date as much as I can in this forum.. :yes:
 
@Braunzie Thanks. I'm going to start looking for the patience machine myself. I promise I will share with anyone who needs it!:heehee: I'm still up for a road trip but I'm going to have to put it off for a while. One of my daughters said she would take me in another cruise ( my 60th birthday gift) after I'm better. Interested in the Carribbean?
 
@newlybionic - I've only been on one cruise.. to Alaska, which I LOVED! And I'm not one for cold weather, so I'm thinking a cruise the Carribbean would be FABULOUS!!! I'm always opened to possibilities.. :yes!:

In the meantime, though, you focus on the getting better part, so you can take her up on her offer!!! :egypdance: .. Hmmm.. I have four daughters and none ever offered to take me on a cruise.. hahaha! Of course, the oldest is only 25, so maybe I need to be "patient"? :yes: Take care, my friend! :cheers:
 
Today is my 6th month anniversary! Went to visit my OS. Great report. He seemed surprised and said I was a "model knee replacement patient".. my flexion was 140!!!:egypdance: (That surprised me!) He was happy, I was happy.. Told him the circumstances under which I have pain, but it's all just due to the healing process.. Next appointment is on my year anniversary.. Just another day working toward not thinking about my knee.. Looking forward to that day.. :yes:
 
:loveshwr:Congratulations! Great report! And no surprise. I knew you could do it. Isn't it wonderful to feel almost "normal" again? I was speed walking through the grocery store today ( had to pick up cocoa for my OS staff since I was taking them homemade marshmallows! ) and it hit me that this was normal and nothing hurt! :ok: It seemed like a long and winding road As we were going down it, but actually, it was just a short time ago that we were fresh out of surgery. Keep up the good work! Onward and upward towards retirement! Hugs!
 
Braunzie said:
Today is my 6th month anniversary! Went to visit my OS. Great report. He seemed surprised and said I was a "model knee replacement patient".. my flexion was 140!!!:egypdance: (That surprised me!) He was happy, I was happy.. Told him the circumstances under which I have pain, but it's all just due to the healing process.. Next appointment is on my year anniversary.. Just another day working toward not thinking about my knee.. Looking forward to that day.. :yes:
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So proud of you. My doc skipped the 6-month checkup; went straight to a year. Knee is still on the stiff side, but not so much that Ican't do what I want. Amazing how far we've come, isn't it? I say Yea Us!
 
:yahoo:Yay! You sound great. And good to hear your OS said that some pain at this point is normal. That is music to my ears. It does seem like only yesterday that we were icing around the clock and reading posts at 2 am! At the same time though it seems like our knees have been center stage forever! Last night Rich and I went out to celebrate and we reminised about the day of surgery and early recovery. It was quite therapeutic. Thanks for posting. I have been wondering how you have been faring. Happy 6 months!!!!!! :loveshwr:
 
Congratulations on a great 6 month check up! 140 degrees? That is fantastic. I am very happy for you. Would you say that you don't think about your knee much now? What does it feel like now? Pain? Swelling?
 
@Timetolive - I still think about my knee quite a bit. When I'm sitting or sleeping, I hardly think of it at all - Really no pain. (If I turn and twist my knee the wrong way everyone once in a while I'll get a jolt of pain (4 or 5 level)- that goes away right away, but again, the doc said that was normal.) When I get up after sitting for a while (especially from low chairs), I do more than "think" about it.. I do experience a bit of pain and stiffness (2-4 level), depending on how long I've been sitting. It takes a bit of time to "loosen" the knee up when I start walking, but not much. I do still feel the "tight band feeling" most of the time while walking, but I can tell it's lessening and I do realize sometimes that it must REALLY be settling down because sometimes I can walk without thinking about it. My gate is definitely pretty close to normal (when I'm not limping from just getting up). I don't have any swelling that I can notice and haven't iced for at least 2 months. Standing in one spot for a while can make my knee hurt. So I just try to keep moving if I can. I can handle uneven surfaces (like grass) MUCH better than I used to. My knee feels stable and reliable - most of the time. Rarely I will get a feeling that causes me to move with more caution, but that doesn't happen much at all any more. I still feel a bit of weakness going upstairs, but I can carry a laundry basket up (I do have to focus on what I'm doing), and going down there is still a bit of pain and tightness. I still have to hold on to a rail for dear life on a flight of stairs, but I can tell my grip for life is less than it used to be.. :heehee: There is still a bit of "ups and downs".. or feeling of "going backwards" because some days I can get up without pain and walk like normal, or going down stairs seems easier.. when I can't do the same the next day, I just remember the "ups and downs" or "going backwards" is NO WHERE to the degree it was in the earlier days. I'll say this as well.. My knee is SOOO much better than it was before surgery. Any pain or discomfort I feel now is inconsequential to what it was like just before my surgery. And I also try to remember that I'm not "done" with my recovery.. only just about half way. I'm optimistic it will keep improving.. :yes: Hope that helps. :)
 
@Braunzie, such a great report. I'm so happy for you. I don't have a six month visit with OS. My next one is a year from surgery. At six months I'm close to where you are...but I think you're a little ahead of me...not that it's a contest...buy you win :loveshwr:
 
@Braunzie I have just passed my 6 month anniversary too, but I don't think I am doing quite as well as you. I don't know how many steps I do a day, as I have lost my pedometer, but probably quite a lot as I'm not a driver and walk everywhere in our small town. I try to pedal my static bike every hour or so but don't always remember. I have good days and bad days, as well as good weeks and bad ones. My main trouble is with the knee and muscles in my left leg which is now 14 months old, but seems to have been very upset by my dramatic gait change after my RTKR. I have made an appointment with a chiropractor on Josephine's advice to see if massage or realignment of my spine can help. I don't have much trouble with stairs although my knees always feel tight when coming down. Thankfully I am retired, you are doing brilliantly working and still healing so well.
I am still on Paracetamol/Tylenol, I don't think it does much good, but I don't seem to have the courage to stop it. Did you cut down one at a time or just stop all at once? Glad you are doing so well.
 
I loved reading this report. Tomorrow will be Nellie's 3 month anniversary and some days I feel like I go backwards. Other days it feels pretty darn good. This news just keeps my hopes up knowing things will continue to get better. Thank you. :happydance:
 
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