TKR Careful what you wish for

[marmora]

@Reebok
Is it a Cooper's Original Pale Ale or Victoria Bitter or a Foster's that you're enjoying while you are
You seemed to got on well with your OS today -after four weeks!
And your plan to ease into full-time working & driving are wise. Nothing wrong with Shanks Mare for awhile longer.
My OS has a minimum of 6 weeks before driving & some others he has told 8 or 10 weeks until he signs them off for driving.

Take care
Cathie

 

[Reebok]

Tight band is gone this morning!
Sleep issues are still there, but improvement is still coming.
Real life will be mine soon!


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[Reebok]

Everything is on track except sleep.
No matter what I try, the last three weeks or so, I go to bed, wake up an hour or two later, cant get comfortable position for a half hour or so, sleep again, then wake up two hrs later, repeat etc etc.
Am so tired. Is slowing me down during the day.

Is this what others are experiencing?
I believe it is muscle or ligament soreness?
Part of me thinks it will pass and to just get over it, as the rest of the recovery has been relatively easy if I compare it other people's tales. Am I delusional, or logical?



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[marmora]

@Reebok

Hello Mr. Rebbechi,
Good Afternoon Dublin time @ 3:51 pm and to you Good Sunday Morning @ 00:51 in Femtree gully !

My LTKR was on 17 July one day after yours and like you the sleeping at night is still a very big issue.
You are not delusional, I feel that I have fallen - eventually into a deep solid sleep and wake up either with knee pain and look at the clock and I have only been sleeping for 1.5 to 2 hours. Take pain meds and refill the icy Cryo Cuff, try to get back to sleep and what do you know, after another 2 hours awake again and again.

At the start of this week, I am trying not to sleep at all during the day, I will rest on the couch with ice and knee elevated after my 30 minute walk or after at home PT session- but will not allow myself to sleep during the day in the hope that I will sleep longer at night.

Great theory - but hasn't really made any difference to my sleep pattern.

Don't know when it does get better, but hopefully soon.

As it's 1:00 am in Femtree Gully, I do hope that you are asleep, as I am writing this post

Take care,
Cathie

 

[Reebok]

@marmora
Thanks for quick reply.
It is reassuring.
Trying hard not to disturb wife at night is part of cause and reason I expect.
Will 'suck it up and move forward'
Actually was awake at 1:00, but electronic stuff gets put on kitchen bench when we retire for the night. Nothing is more important than time together alone.
Sometimes there is nothing left but to arise and start the new day.
One more week resting,


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[marmora]

@Reebok
During this recovery period, I am sleeping in the spare bedroom (3 of our sons have left home), as don't want to disturb husband's sleep as he has to get up for work each day.
It works for the time being.

Cathie

 

[Reebok]

@marmora
Dont know if I could do that.
All our children have left home, 5 sons and 1 daughter, so we have plenty of room.
But listening to my wife sleep is a good thing.
But if I am tossing and turning, time to get up. No sense us both being without sleep.

But the days are almost back to normal.


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[akpale]

Hi Reebok,
I well remember the sleep thing. I went back to work three weeks after my TKR and by week five, I was feeling pretty desperate. I had tried some over the counter meds like Benadryl, Tylenol PM, and some natural thing, but nothing helped. I even called my doctor's office for a prescription sleep med, but they said take my pain meds (Oxycodone), which (a) I wasn't taking any more, and (b) they never made me tired anyway, quite the opposite. It just so happened that a concerned friend happened to come by with some Advil PM (ibuprofen with a sleep aid), and that, blessedly, helped me to sleep. I would encourage you to try a sleep aid, but if one doesn't work, try others. Until it happened to me, I had no idea what chronic lack of sleep felt like - yikes! Good luck.

 

[dovemck]

You're cruising along nicely, lucky thing! I know my TKR was complicated and going to take longer to recover from but wow what a difference. I'm day 26 and for the first time managed to lift my leg off the bed! Granted I had a large roll under my knee, but I did it! One of thd hardest gained few centimeters in my life. I'm hoping for exponential gains from here on.

I decided to have this surgery between jobs, so I'm (hobbling) off for an interview on Tuesday. It'll be an interesting talking point anyway. Hopefully they're hire with a return to work plan.

 

[Reebok]

Today is my six week post op date, and also the date I was meant to have the op before it was rescheduled and brought forward.
So I am six weeks ahead of schedule? LOL
Spent some time on the exercise bike, went for a long walk, and mowed the lawns.
Melbourne weather this week has been reaching 20c each day with clear blue skies. And I get to enjoy it!

Rom is improving, can sleep at night now without any cushions between my knees, although I still wake every hour or two.
Getting in and out of the car is a struggle, but improving.
Limp is getting less and less every day, and if I concentrate i can almost eliminate it. (At least in my mind!)
And I can actually sit in an armchair for an hour or two!
Putting shoes and socks on is difficult, but not the painful chore it was a few weeks ago.
I am not healed yet, but I have lots of hope for the future.
Just as well, as I am back at work next Monday. Have no idea how I will cope, will just have to wing it.
Please dont anyone think I am bragging, or boasting, although it might seem so to some who are doing it harder than I
I am just so relieved at how this has turned out! Well worth it.




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[marmora]

@Reebok
I am very impressed on what you have been able to achieve in 6 weeks.
But, reading your posts and outlining your determination in other areas of your life, I am not surprised.

Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to see the tattoo on your arm, but as you said you have grit & a 'can do attitude' that has also served you well in your RTKR recovery.

I am very happy for you and all that you have achieved !
Next week will be a challenge with returning to work, but resting, icing and elevating after work - or during your working day, if possible- should help.

Cathie

 

[chic]

Everything is on track except sleep.
No matter what I try, the last three weeks or so, I go to bed, wake up an hour or two later, cant get comfortable position for a half hour or so, sleep again, then wake up two hrs later, repeat etc etc.
Am so tired. Is slowing me down during the day.

Is this what others are experiencing?
I believe it is muscle or ligament soreness?
Part of me thinks it will pass and to just get over it, as the rest of the recovery has been relatively easy if I compare it other people's tales. Am I delusional, or logical?



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@Reebok

This is the exact same as me and I got surgery the day before you. I think its achy lower legs and a bit of stiffness and heat in operated knee. When I wake up the first time never more than 2hrs later I always get up and ice massage the knee with an ice cube for 5/10 mins this does the trick and I go straight back to sleep for another couple of hours.

Chic

 

[Reebok]

Went back to work today. Six weeks after RTKR.
Managed to survive, but glad I have chosen a 3 day week this week, followed by a four day week next week.
Should be back to the normal grind after that.

Amazing how easier it is to do my job with no walking stick, and two hands to hold things.

Sitting back now, elevating, icing and resting.

The world is now a better place.


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[marmora]

@Reebok

The First Giant Step,...

Congratulations on returning to work !

Cathie

 

[kneeper]

Yes, definitely when you get home from work. Since you're starting back fairly early, give your knee some TLC in those non -work hours.

 

[Reebok]

@gr82cu2 only first week back at work, and only 3 days too.
Was very tired, and definitely not match fit.
@marmora walking gait changes during the day. My measured controlled walk turns into a limp by the end of the day.

Interestingly enough, my attention span at work was very good, and I can only compare with prior to TKR, but it was so much easier to concentrate without the constant pain.
Scheduled for four day week next week, but may change that back to a three day week, as I was a collapsed heap on the couch on friday night, didnt sleep well, and am just fatigued.

Fathers day here in Oz tomorrow, so will be resting with family.
Albeit without son no 5 who lives in Canada, and son no 2 who lives in western australia and works in the mines over there.

Will keep forum posted, but nothing really has changed. Little changes only, but they are improvements!


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[marmora]

@Reebok
Hello Mr. Rebbechi,

Happy Father's Day, enjoy and relax with the family and I'm sure that your two sons who are away will be there in your hearts.

Good to hear that you no longer have the constant pain.

Your thoughts on another three day week, might be a good option.
Your knee will let you know what you are able for after day 2.

Hope your sleeping is getting back on track.

Again enjoy 'Father's Day" !

Cathie

 

[Reebok]

@marmora @gr82cu2

The lawn fairy came to our house today!
At least that is what I told my wife when she got home from church and the lawns were all done.

For some reason she didnt believe me!

I think it is because the ironing fairy was having the day off, and she had to face a mountain of ironing.
It is a clear sunny day with a gentle breeze, and you just have to be outside.
It was nice being able to walk normally and do the lawns. Well almost normally anyway.
I am trying real hard to concentrate on walking correctly rather than any old way. I would like for my limp to be un noticable.
I am anatomically illiterate, but reason that in order to make the muscles work correctly, you have to exercise correctly!
If I am going to walk for an hour, I might as well be doing something useful!


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[marmora]

@Reebok

? Can you send the lawn fairy over to Dublin ?
Need a bit of garden tidy-up.

I'll send you my iron fairy - my husband finds ironing very relaxing, puts on music takes the ironing to a quiet room and finds it's calming & relaxing. Tell me I am not blessed !

Happy Father's Day,
Cathie

 

[Reebok]

Second week of back to work completed tomorrow.

Anyone contemplating going back to work, please make sure you are ready!
I am struggling! just drained of energy of an evening.
I will get through it, but maybe should have waited a few weeks more before recommencing work.
There was a major storm this week, and my twenty minute journey home after a day at work became an hour and a half journey, bumper to bumper all the way.
After two weeks of blue skies and twenty degree (celsius) days, we got a dump of hail about 30mm deep, and about 20 mm of rain in two hours. Traffic chaos ensued. If it wasnt lightning strikes, it was hail and rain, and the 100 kmh winds the day before started the ball rolling.

But, I am noticing daily improvements, no matter how small they are.




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