TKR Carole’s recovery thread

[Carole4815]

@luvcats , I thought maybe people would get sick of all the toilet talk. But you're right; we've all "been there done that" and had those same problem with low toilets after TKR. Also the toilet at my dentist's office had nothing nearby to hang onto, except a rather fragile looking sink on metal legs that was next to it.

I really think that at this point in my recovery, standing from the low chairs at our favorite restaurant once every day (with seats 16" from the floor) has helped. At first I had to hang onto the table and chair, try two or three times, and yell "ow!" but now I can rise fairly normally from them. And getting rid of my toilet riser has helped too, at this stage. These are exercises required by "my PT" (ME!!). What a great PT. Everyone should have such a good PT.

I am at 9 weeks today, though. I have no clue as to what people are doing who decide to go back to work early, like at 6 weeks, and have to deal with low toilets there. That's got to be tough. Also, driving 45 minutes each way was fine for me to do once, with my sweetie there if I needed him to drive. But driving it every day alone, like so many do when driving to work, sounds much tougher to me.

My back was still hurting last night despite using my heating pad for a long while. And sleeping with a heating pad is notoriously dangerous. So, at bedtime I unplugged it and decided to sleep in my recliner because I thought it would be more comfy. NO... it still hurt and I could not sleep. So, I thought, "why not?" and tried my bed. That turned out to be perfect and did not hurt my back. I have no idea why not but anyway I slept 7 hours in my bed. With all the sleep issues that many of us have, I'm amazed that we don't just go completely insane sometimes. This morning my back still hurts a tiny bit but it is much better. I don't normally have back problems so this must be part of the ODIC. Apparently I joined at the elections on Saturday, and didn't even know it. Or maybe it's the stormy weather we have been having for several days. My knee has hurting a tiny bit too, yesterday and today.

Well, enough rambling for now. I hope everyone is doing OK on this long, tough recovery today.

 

[judgar]

Can you wear pants? My knee is so sensitive I can not put anything on it. Just wondering if this is normal. You are doing great. I can no way drive that long. It just seems like I go 2 steps forward and 3 back. Hopefully it will just be forward in the next couple weeks

 

[Carole4815]

@judgar , I haven't tried wearing long pants yet because we are still having highs in the 80's here in New Orleans. Right now it is 85F, for example, so as always, I am wearing shorts. But my knee is pretty sensitive, like yours. It does not want to tolerate anything touching it. I am sure that eventually, as our knees heal, we will be able to tolerate things touching them.

And thanks about the driving. I still haven't tried driving on the Interstate, but on the way to my dentist I sure got lots of practice in driving down streets narrowed to one lane due to repairs and construction crews.

 

[Macknit]

So.... @Carole4815 I just wanted to give you another scenario

Here in the mountains of Central Oregon, we have beautiful 60-65 degree days with sunshine, however we are waking up to 20 degree mornings (my poor garden is long gone!) I have about 10 pairs of leggings I wear with tunics or dresses and even under pants when the high is in the 20's! My scar is sensitive, however I buy the high percentage cotton ones that are very soft and don't irritate the scar. Now, I can't do jeans yet...though I'm sure that will come!

I've visited NO several times and love the city... not sure what to do with 85 degrees in October though!?
I'm hitting the interstate tomorrow for work and it is a commute I do by myself, my plans are loud music and extra coffee! I hope that helps, I'm sure i can pull over if it is really needed, there are several exits on the way!

 

[Carole4815]

@Macknit , good idea to have some spots identified where you can pull over on the way, just in case! That is a very smart approach to resuming a long commute, in my opinion.

It's helpful to know that the high percentage cotton pants are not as irritating to a TKR scar as other pants might be. By January, or sometimes December, I will be wanting to wear long pants.

We do have warmer weather here in New Orleans than most locations have! January is our coldest month, with an average high of 62F. The heat in August and September is awful, the humidity is staggering, and our annual rainfall is very high, around 60"-65". But little to no snow or ice in the wintertime.

 

[Rather]

@Carole4815 Congrats on sleeping in your bed. I tried it 2 nights ago and it was such a great break from living and sleeping in the recliner.

And I had forgotten that you are in NOLA. Now that you can drive, you might reward yourself and cruise on through a drive-thru daiquiri place! My brother lives in Harahan and every time I visit we make that a fav activity.

 

[Carole4815]

@Rather , I live close to Harahan! In fact my dentist's office that I described driving to, is in Harahan. Harahan seems like a really nice place, although I have never lived there.

But as for drive through daiquiris, I'll pass. As weird as it probably seems, I don't drink, not for religious or moral reasons but mostly because I'd just rather not. Luckily my sweetie doesn't drink either, so we are two of the few living here who choose to refrain.

Glad you were able to sleep in your bed! I agree that it is wonderful after being in one's recliner all the time.

 

[judgar]

I have tried all kinds of pants. Jogging pants ,cotton pants, jeans everything hurts.so iam in shorts at 45 degrees

 

[Carole4815]

@judgar , BRRRR!!!! If it was me, I'd turn up the thermostat but even then, it would seem cold in shorts.

In fact, this knee sensitivity to being touched, is one of several reasons why I am putting off knee #2 until springtime. I can't imagine not wearing shorts after a TKR.

 

[Macknit]

@Carole4815 ah-h-h-h the rain...I was born and lived in Seattle for 18 years, then I lived in Portland, OR most recently, for 12 years. I think you really get used to rain after an extended time. For some reason, however once you've lived in a drier climate you definitely don't miss it! Central Oregon is very dry, but we definitely get the snow and for some reason this year we have had 100% of our average! I think we're blaming La Niña

And a side note, my hubby and I don't drink either, but we do entertain often, so it's around, but I don't like it's effects.... we are all so different (just like our knees!)

 

[Macknit]

As for scar sensitivity...a trick I learned with a joint replacement scar on my thumb (LTRI CMC arthroplasty) was to daily rub it with a dry wash cloth...it does something to help the nerve endings...I'm still sensitive, but way past the first few weeks when I first started doing this! Good Luck with your scars!

 

[luvcats]

I'm catching up on all the excitement I missed this week from being busy and I couldn't find your thread! Only to see it on page 3, because you're off gallivanting and having a wonderful life!

I like it!

 

[Carole4815]

I'm catching up on all the excitement I missed this week from being busy and I couldn't find your thread! Only to see it on page 3, because you're off gallivanting and having a wonderful life!

I like it!

LOL!!! Well, not exactly, but I love the idea.

I'm up early after 4 hours' sleep, kind of exhausted and down in the dumps. The sleep issues after surgery are so difficult for me. I tried moving back to my recliner a half hour ago but it didn't work. At least my back stopped hurting for now. [/whine]

At least we didn't get that tropical storm that they said we might get yesterday. It barely rained.

 

[luvcats]

I'm sorry your sleep issues are persisting. I didn't sleep well either. And that just causes a downward spiral of low mood, grumpiness, and extra aching. bleh.

At least you aren't having a tropical storm. That's something right?

 

[Carole4815]

True.

I hooked up my icing machine just now. It feels nice but I am still awake. And now it is starting to get light outside. Maybe I should just get my morning coffee and give up.

 

[judgar]

This is a bad day for me too. I woke up today my knee aches so bad. Laying on couch and ice. I thought these days would be getting less.guess I was big time wrong

 

[kneeper]

Sorry about your sleep issues. Luckily I could usually nap--even in the morning. More than once I had an 11 AM nap.

 

[Carole4815]

I did go back to sleep after my last post above (#495), and slept for three more hours. I am still grumpy about my sleep issues, though! Hopefully things will get straightened out eventually. I have noticed that hooking up the ice machine does seem to help me to sleep even when I am not aware of feeling any great amount of pain. So I should try this more often.

My sweetie and I just went to lunch (I drove!), and we went to the boat launch on Lake Ponchartrain to watch the sailboats. It's a beautiful day so we enjoyed that for a while, and just got home. I haven't taken a nap yet, but I am still sleepy so hopefully I will be able to nap some later this afternoon. I just hooked up the ice machine again.......

 

[Jockette]

My sweetie and I just went to lunch (I drove!), and we went to the boat launch on Lake Ponchartrain to watch the sailboats. It's a beautiful day so we enjoyed that for a while,

This sounds so lovely!

 

[Carole4815]

My sweetie and I just went to lunch (I drove!), and we went to the boat launch on Lake Ponchartrain to watch the sailboats. It's a beautiful day so we enjoyed that for a while,

This sounds so lovely!

It was! The sky was bright and sunny, the weather was perfect, the lake was a deep blue and the water level was high and not rough, with just some light ripples on the surface. There were a half dozen or so sailboats off in the distance which we watched, as well as a few fishing boats, and the occasional seagull was scavenging about at the water's edge or swooping down over the water. It looked as beautiful and brilliant as a Van Gogh painting, very much like this one only the sea was less rough, the day was far sunnier, and the colors were more intense and vibrant:

We are so lucky to live near the boat launch, so we can go down there and enjoy watching the boats easily. Some day in a few months or years (when I have recovered further and built up my strength), maybe we could even walk down there. Google maps says it is less than a mile and a half from my house. Meanwhile it is just a short drive.

Yeah, I admit, it is SO nice to be out of "TKR Jail" and to be able to go places and do things again. There is life after TKR, everybody.

I just wish I could get past these sleep issues but I need to be more patient. I did take a ten minute nap a few minutes ago.