TKR Carole’s recovery thread

[Tykey]

Not be long before you are sending him back to the car, whilst you do the checkout etc

 

[Carole4815]

Today a cold front came through. Yesterday's high was 80F, but today's high was 45F with very strong, gusty winds. That's very cold for this region in November! Despite all that, it didn't rain and it was even sunny most of the day.

So, we went to the boat launch to see how high the waves were on the lake. They were predicted to be 4-6 feet high, but really they were barely a foot high.

Here's a photo of the lake. The kite surfer in the photo was having a great time! We watched him for a half hour or so. It was fun to watch him jumping 15-20 feet high, with the help of his sail, and doing multiple somersaults on the way down.

As for my knee, it's still getting a little better every day.

 

[helenium]

A trip to the coast must have been absolutely wonderful for you @Carole4815, your life had been so restricted for so long. You are having a brilliant recovery, I'm so pleased for you. There'll be no stopping you when you have two new knees.

 

[marieltha]

So glad you got to the coast and saw waves! Such outings have been a very important part of my recovery. I am glad seeing the water is part of yours as well.

 

[Macknit]

My outings have been tremendous for my mental health portion of recovery. Just to be out in the world, moving with my knee, even if it isn't 100% yet, is such a positive affect on my whole outlook. @Carole4815 I'm so pleased to see you were out and about!!

 

[Carole4815]

I think the photo says it all, so much more eloquently than my words (which were written in a state of complete exhaustion).

Getting out of the house, seeing nature, and feeling the wind on one's face (as you can see in the photo) is so important in lifting our spirits during recovery, especially this early in recovery when we are sometimes a bit emotionally vulnerable. It promotes mental health recovery especially, as @Macknit @helenium , and @marieltha pointed out. I think this is something that we share in common.

 

[helenium]

There'll be no stopping you when you have two new knees.

@Carole4815, I do hope you're not getting too ambitious? You do know that jumping 15-20 feet high and doing multiple somersaults on the way down wasn't quite what I had in mind for YOU?

Seriously though, what a lovely day out. I have felt very "emotionally vulnerable" this time around, there's far more to this joint replacement recovery than others realise . We'll all get there.

 

[Carole4815]

Thank you, @helenium !! I really think you understand and I hope you are right that we'll all get there.

After two weeks of sleeping 7-9 hours per night, on a regular sleep schedule for the first time since surgery, last night and the night before I was only able to sleep for 3-4 hours because I was upset. I admit that I took a dive down to the bottom of the TKR rollercoaster for reasons not of my own design. Like most recovering TKR patients, emotional experiences are such an integral part of recovery. For me, anyway, there is a marked need to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude as much as possible if I want to improve at all. Thank heavens, my sweetie does "get it" and he has been so kind to me throughout all of this.

I did not make my usual trip to the gym yesterday for the same reason and (perhaps because of that) my knee has started really hurting a lot again, more than it has for over a month. Or maybe I injured it; who knows. A third possibility is that maybe I was just fooling myself all along and am destined to spend my entire life in a chair after all. Seems like my recovery has taken a decided turn backwards. My sweetie took me over to the lake again yesterday to cheer me up, since he knows that seeing it is comforting to me and "good medicine" for me when I am feeling down about life, my knee, etc. Unlike Tuesday, this time my knee wouldn't let me do anything but stay in the car.

I am a human being and I am trying to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude during my recovery from major surgery. It's not always easy, ha ha! Anyway, in the interests of furthering my recovery, I may be noted by a tendency to be more frequently absent here. Or maybe not. I am not sure. I am tempted to buy a pint of ice cream and wallow in my negativity while eating all of it, but that would mean actually going to the store and basically doing something other than sitting here whining.

I wish the best for you and any other forum members recovering from recent knee surgery.

 

[Steelergal]

@Carole4815 I've been there! I have random days where my knee regresses and is painful. Sometimes it's helpful to wallow, sometimes I'd rather put on a smile and pretend everything is ok. And sometimes I just need to take a step back and be in my own space. Do you have grocery stores around you that delivers? If so, order that ice cream (I always think ice cream is the answer to everything)!

I still feel like I was fooled prior to this surgery. I was NOT prepared for the difficult recovery, nor was I prepared for the emotional roller coaster. And it's way too unpredictable. I'm not usually emotional at all, so it's extra surprising for friends and loved ones when I burst into tears or snap at them no reason at all. My very understanding boyfriend told me recently "You need to allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, whenever you feel it. And you're also allowed to not know what you're feeling." Just allowing myself to feel whatever has been really helpful. He keeps showing me the photo from my OS from during my surgery to remind me that I'm not whining or being a wimp. THIS WAS AND IS ROUGH.

 

[sondrals]

A third possibility is that maybe I was just fooling myself all along and am destined to spend my entire life in a chair after all.

Oh Carole I'm sure this is not the case! I'm so impressed with your recovery and how well you have been doing. I'm sure it's just a case of maybe overdoing it, weather changes, or something. WE all have our ups and downs. Please don't feel this way.

I am tempted to buy a pint of ice cream and wallow in my negativity while eating all of it, but that would mean actually going to the store and basically doing something other than sitting here whining.

Maybe you NEED ice cream! I had coconut cake the other day and said to he-double hockey sticks with the diet for a day. Sometimes you need to do the nice things for yourself

 

[Carole4815]

@Steelergal , what a great post! I was nodding and thinking "yes, yes!" all the way through as I read it. (Edit: Yours, too ,@sondrals ! I hadn't yet seen yours when I wrote the previous sentence).

I haven't had any ice cream for probably two years (because of my overweight), and I miss it. I can't get it delivered but maybe I can get my sweetie to bring some to me.

 

[Macknit]

@Carole4815 please don't think you're destined to be in a chair for life. You have made tremendous strides and each of us has ups and downs... I don't think any of us was prepared for the sleep deprivation, the pain ups and downs, the new coping skills we have to develop, or for the emotions that come with this journey of recovery!!

The OS told me it is a tough recovery and some people "even get depressed"...HA !! More like absolute despair and desperation! Until we have walked this path, no one can prepare you for it, and for that matter, even friends/acquaintances who try to explain that it is tough, really can't articulate what this will be like for us. That's why I think this forum is such a blessing ....it allows us to say what we really think and feel, and then we get to hear so many others tell us that they are having the same troubles too, or give us a pick me up to get over the hump! I really appreciate that on my rough days....and on the good days!

Oh my goodness, 2 years without ice cream !? Is that really even possible? Not in my world!!

Go Get Some Now (please sweetie)

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Carole4815 I don't know what your diet allows, but my husband is an ice cream addict-he says it's one of the four major food groups. So this summer, since we've stopped eating sugar, desserts, processed carbs and so on, I bought Dreyer's no sugar added ice creams for special treats. I kept the servings to 1/2 cup, and only a few nights per week. I used tiny bowls to serve it; it filled the bowl so my husband wouldn't feel like he only got a teensy bit in a giant bowl; instead the 1/2 cup filled the bowl and made him feel like he got enough. I also used small spoons so he took longer to eat it, thus prolonging his enjoyment of the treat. He used to eat an entire pint of gourmet ice cream at one sitting, so I didn't want him to feel deprived of the only sweet treat he eats.

I was surprised to find that the ice cream without added sugar was actually good, and satisfied my husband's ice cream fixation. I was able to fit it into my daily max calorie and carb count when we had it, and still keep losing weight. I know it's difficult to lose, and really easy to gain, when you can't be as active as you like, but losing it is doable. I'm about 10 pounds from my goal of getting my weight back to where it was before my knee kept me from doing anything. I still can't do much due to knee issues that continue, but knowing exactly what I'm eating, and keeping my calories under the number that works for me has allowed me to lose the weight, slowly but steadily.

I made a ton of changes, some of which were easy, some of which were hard to adjust to, but I was determined to lose the weight I gained after my TKR, and am now close to reaching my goal without being able to walk far, swim, ride my bike, etc. I'm betting you can do it too, and still have an occasional treat to boot! Good luck!

 

[Sara61]

@Carole4815 So hoping that you continue your interesting and amusing posts they keeps us all sane in the rollercoaster ride of emotions . Daily outing and visits to places that we love encourage our moral as most of us by week 3-4 are suffering cabin fever and to be able to go out ( other than hospital /PT ) visits is such a treat.
My nutritionist once told me we must include a treat daily and add it into our calorie regime that way one doesn't crave or feels the need to overdo, I love chocolate (Galaxy) fortunately not readily available here and the store is about 30 minutes drive...
So treat yourself to Ice cream you certainly deserve it. Keep being positive and you will get there Carole everyone is different and taking into consideration ones age and background everyone heals at a different time
Your sweeties sounds adorable, fortunately I'm lucky my husband has been great throughout this journey too, initially it took him time to adjust but now he is my superstar.
Have a good weekend and looking forward to your updates sending hugs your way xxx

 

[luvcats]

Oh my friend, you are absolutely not destined to be confined to your chair. I am so perfectly certain of this! I spent several years 'knowing' that I was destined to a downward spiral of increasing disability. But here we are! And no matter how horrible a day you are having, it's still better than those last days of torture before the surgery. Remember those? Barely able to hobble into the shower? Completely unable to stand more than a few seconds? Life is already better. And it will keep improving, even after a horrible down day.
I think they hit us especially hard after some great up days.
You will get past this, and you will have many more amazing up days.

 

[Macknit]

What has helped me during this recovery is that once i was comfortable (after 4 weeks) i made sure i moved at least once every hour. I would set my timer on my phone and later i found my fitbit could remind me that i had x number of steps to go starting with 250 steps per hour. With that reminder I get 2500 unintentional steps and the rest of my work and ADLs put me over 4000 steps.

That is without any intentional walking for weight loss.I have started short 15 minute round trip walks now at 11 weeks, plus the recumbent bike for flex of knee (5 minutes only 3x/day).

I still have other pain that works on my patience and calorie intake and therefore my weight goals, but long term weight loss is just like this TKR recovery with lots of ups and downs. I've had to work on my own behavior modification to keep my attitude optimistic and kind toward this trip we're on!

 

[kneeper]

Hope today will be more of an "up" day for you.

 

[Sara61]

@Carole4815 Haven't seen you post in a while hope no news is good news xx Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving xx
Sending hugs from Portugal xx

 

[luvcats]

I hope recovery is still progressing nicely. Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful I got to meet you and share the adventure.

 

[helenium]

I check for an update from you daily @Carole4815. I hope you are ok and that your knee is improving.