TKR Carole’s recovery thread

[luvcats]

Did you ever think you'd be 'walking too fast' again! Isn't that exciting!

 

[Carole4815]

Definitely!

I don't want to imply that I *ALWAYS* walk too fast. For example I'm a little slow when I first start moving in the morning and rely on my rollator more. But by the time we go out for lunch, I have ditched the rollator because I am moving much more easily, and by then I do tend to walk faster and with longer strides.

My sweetie doesn't walk as fast as a 25-year-old, but I do think he walks at an average pace for someone our age so it is pretty cool to be faster than him sometimes.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

You're doing so well, Carole! I'm glad to see all your improvements and how well you're moving around. Going up and down stairs like a regular person is so nice-and one goal I haven't been able to meet due to the amount of swelling I still have, so to see you able to do it makes me very happy for you! Walking fast is a blessing and also helps with burning a few extra calories, so keep it up.

 

[Carole4815]

Thanks, lovestocookandsew! I am working hard on my weight loss, and after 8 days so far I have dropped 6 pounds (probably water weight). We’ll see how it goes, but I am hoping to drop some more excess weight In the coming weeks or months, ideally at a reasonable rate of 1 or 2 pounds a week. As a bonus, this should also help me in my walking endeavors.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I understand how hard it is to lose weight, especially when your life is (or has been) constrained by a bad knee. But now that you can move around more, it should be easier. I've lost just a hair under 40 pounds since April, and that's without being able to walk long distances, swim or ride my bike, so I know you can do it! I gained this weight (plus a little more I still plan to lose) after my TKR, when I was unable to do basically anything, and so I vowed after my revision to lose it all. I'm almost at my goal of my previous weight; it's not been easy but it is certainly doable. Good luck!

 

[luvcats]

Good luck to both of us as we pick up our weightloss journeys now that we're mobile again and into what I think of as the second phase of recovery.

I know that even with being careful to avoid the ODIC, I am significantly more mobile and active than I was pre-surgery. It's exciting!

 

[Carole4815]

I got a cheap watch style pedometer from Amazon today to track my steps, now that I have steps to track! I'm not talking 10,000 steps here; I'm hoping for 500-1000 since I have been mobility impaired for so long. But time is on my side, and with a new knee I have what I need to get started.

My sweetie promised that we are headed off for the gym this afternoon. I honestly love my gym so much; ten years ago I used to say that going to the gym was my favorite hobby. So now I want to get back to the gym. Not only is it well equipped, but most of the customers are seniors like us and they are extremely nice people. When we went last week, so many of the people there remembered me from years ago and came up to me, to talk.

Oh, and by the way, I only need to use my left hand lightly on the corner of the sink counter in order to stand from my normal height toilet now. I was using two hands but don't need to do that any more. As I do things like this, and enjoy showering easily and other normal life activities, I am becoming less and less enthused about getting my other knee done. I guess I will if it starts hurting a lot as I become more active, but so far, so good.

Yesterday we went to a business establishment where my sweetie is helping the owner (his friend) to upgrade the sound system. We sat at a normal, utilitarian type table on normal chairs for an hour or two while they browsed Amazon, looking for the right stuff to buy. No trouble sitting there at all, other than slight boredom. It was fun to do something normal and not feel like I was needing a whole lot of attention or special treatment.

 

[marieltha]

I read on an Air Force site that the 10,000 steps began as an Air Force training goal for combat ready troops. I cannot speak for you, but I am not in that category. Anyway, that led them to a discussion of a healthy goal for average people in good health, and I believe they said 4,000. After each of my knees, my OS had me doing 200 three times a day for quite a while. Did your OS give you a step or walking goal?

I love this little cat and this gave me an excuse to give her to you as a walking companion. .

 

[Carole4815]

Seems I am posting less, lately. I feel like my recovery is coming along nicely and I am able to do everything I want to do, as long as I don't overdo. I have been going to the gym, mostly for the seated elliptical which my knee likes, but I have also used the Nustep crosstrainer and the arm bicycle. I have not been using a walker or cane there (so walking with a reasonable gait and not wobbling is definitely exercise too, for me). Today I saw an old friend there and managed to stand comfortably for 10-15 minutes while we talked and caught up on everything.

Due to taking acetaminophen an hour before bedtime, I have been sleeping well, about 8 hours straight every night. LIfe has been pretty good and is getting back to normal.

 

[marieltha]

What a great report of the wonderful progress you have made!

 

[Macknit]

How exciting @Carole! I had a few 7 hour nights, but for some reason woke up with calf cramps around 3:00 AM!! My fitbit sleep section show that from 3-4 AM I had cramps (well I woke up and went back to sleep 3 different times) I ended up with solid 6hours and 15 minutes, but I got up at 4:15...I leave for work at6:30, so I'm guessing I'll be a bit tired this afternoon!

I'm writing all this because yesterday I posted in my recovery how well my knee was behaving...Oh well, it is the roller coaster effect again!

 

[luvcats]

I am so excited for you!
I was pretty excited the first time I could just stand and chat with a neighbor. All these little things really add up to be pretty big in the context of having a life, don't they?

 

[Carole4815]

Thanks, everybody.

More rambling:

I do feel that I have my life back, (finally!). The thing is, there are still activities that I don't do because for years I have become accustomed to being less active than most people my age. Recovery from here on out should (and probably will) consist mostly of building up my strength and getting out of the house more. My knee is much stronger and better off now than before surgery, and hurts less, although it still hurts a little if I overdo. But not enough to require anything but icing, rest, and elevation for a day.

Perhaps we all have a dream about what life might be after TKR. We all need dreams!! My guess is that for @luvcats , the dream has been Disney and I can't wait until she has been there and can tell us all about how it went.

For me, my dream was always to walk a few blocks to the nearby grocery store every day, to buy that day's food items and then walk home (which sounds like a healthier thing to do than to spend my retirement years just sitting in a chair). However that isn't going to happen until I try actually doing it. According to Google maps it is 0.51 miles away from my house to the front door of the grocery store, so I'd guess that including the walking inside the store, it would be a total of a mile and a half maybe. I honestly do not know if I can walk that far yet, but if I take my rollator (to sit on in case I can't!) and my cell phone (to call my sweetie if I need rescuing!) then I could at least try. Or, as a temporary beginning step I could drive part way there, park on the street, and walk the rest of the way with my rollator.

It might be a month or two before I try this. Just rambling on. I know this doesn't sound very ambitious but recall that I have had severe mobility problems and have been mostly sitting in a chair for a long time. Even getting back to the gym has been a Big Deal to me (and makes me very happy). I love the gym and it was the last active thing that I gave up a few years ago, as my knees worsened. Right now, part of my recovery is mental: visualizing and accepting that I can and will be doing more than I did. Adjusting to a "new normal".

 

[Steelergal]

What a great goal! I think you have the right approach...take it step by step. Before you know it, a mile and a half may be nothing at all!

 

[Tykey]

Is there anyone to walk with you to the store, just to provide confidence?
We are all looking forward to when we read the post which says "I've done it!!!!!"

When I got out walking, the most difficult part was being happy with walking slowly enough, or stopping for a little sit. I have little patience

 

[Macknit]

Goals are so important for each of us. We have to choose what is best for our own lives though, your goal sounds fabulous and will be a great achievement.

The closest grocery store for me is about 18 miles away and I usually don't shop there, because I work in a different direction. My goal (of 5 miles round trip) is to walk to our local fish hatchery. I'm starting with little 1/10th the distance trips. Maybe by Christmas I'll be up to that?? Then again maybe not.

Good Luck with your goal!!

 

[luvcats]

The thing is, there are still activities that I don't do because for years I have become accustomed to being less active than most people my age.

I'm right there with you. But I think we've learned to enjoy what we can do more than those who take it for granted. I don't know anyone but us who gets excited about walking in the grocery store.

My guess is that for @luvcats , the dream has been Disney

The upcoming Disney trip has gotten me through a lot of tough times lately. I'm going to have to come up with a bigger dream for the next step. So many possibilities.

Google maps it is 0.51 miles away from my house to the front door of the grocery store

I was wondering if perhaps your Sweetie could plan to meet you there with a car? Then you could walk one way, resting if you need to, and if you don't feel up to the return trip, you can catch a ride home.

I think planning a mile and a half is a HUGE deal! Don't sell it short based on other people. As someone else who has been barely out of a chair in years, I think it is a huge deal. At least as big as my January goal of doing my weekly shopping standing on my two feet.

 

[Carole4815]

Is there anyone to walk with you to the store, just to provide confidence?

My sweetie already offered to walk with me, but I turned him down, thinking I'd rather prove to myself that I can be more independent than that. But, maybe I could tell him I changed my mind (at least for the first few tries).

@luvcats , thanks. I tend to think I am the only person in the world who has been stuck in a chair. I am so sorry that you were, too!! But at the same time it helps somehow, to know that I am not the only one dealing with these issues. I like your idea of having F meet me there.

I have started just not using my rollator even at home, except first thing in the morning when I am 3/4 asleep and stumbling around to the bathroom and then to get my coffee.

 

[sondrals]

I don't know anyone but us who gets excited about walking in the grocery store

I get excited about going to the store, I just assumed I was a big nerd. The doctors asked me what I wanted to be able to do after surgery, my response was "go shopping and mow my law." He looked at me like my head had spun around. But really after so many years with bad knees I don't really have huge aspirations I guess.

But alas, I actually went grocery shopping on Friday, granted I did take my cane. But we shopped for over 45 minutes. I was tired, I was a little sore but it was my un-replaced knee that was the issue!

 

[luvcats]

I tend to think I am the only person in the world who has been stuck in a chair.

The Chair is so isolating. Even though we know, intellectually, that we can't possibly be the only one, we certainly feel like the only one, because we are the only one in our living room, and that's all we see. I have been very fortunate that I'm part of the online all the time generation, and I have made friends all over the world with issues. I'm sorry we have that in common, but how exciting we can encourage each other to move forward from a place of true understanding!

"go shopping and mow my lawn."

I completely understand that. I want to be able to stand by my car and have a short chat with my neighbors for as long as it takes. I want to not have to walk half an extra block to the ramp because I can't manage a single step up the curb. There are so many small, normal things that I'm so excited to have back.

This weekend we were out shopping and I left Beloved to check out and made my way to the car. But check out was very quick and he told me he expected to catch me halfway back to the car, but I was already in and sitting down before he got there. He was surprised and excited about it. I wasn't even hurrying, just trying to walk normally. That's what I want.