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MUA CATSMUM's new road to recovery

Catsmum, I have had another recurrence of bladder problem, I think urine specimen was negative as I have not been contacted by Doc. Back n pills. I will phone on Monday to see what to do next. Probably another 8 weeks of small dose as preventative. Saw Physio on Tuesday, she thinks I am doing well, and that pains and stiff muscles due to long period of infection and large weight loss for me, as I am quite small. She wants me to continue with massage,and only to go back after 5/6 weeks if no better. I am seeing OS next week to see his view, and for reassurance. As pain is in both legs I suppose it can't be my knee. However our lives are passing us by and it wasn't meant to be like this.:bawl::what::beg:
 
Forgot to say I did manage to ale a large pan of 8 portions of soup for the freezer while hubby was in London. Without any help. :good-bad:
 
@Majic So sorry to hear that you have another nfection, it's just not fair! Good news that your Physio thinks you're doing well. Massage is good, my IT band is really improved since l've been having massage and is almost fully released, thank goodness. Now if only l could get stiffness in my knee to go, things would be peachy!
Be interested to see what your OS says - life is passing by and, as you rightly say, it wasn't meant to be like this. Hopefully, it won't be too long until you, Raffs and l can look back on all this.
 
Just got back from my referral appointment with a new Physio regarding my stiff knee. Rachel went through all my knee history and examined it thoroughly. She believes it's a patella problem in so much that it's not moving properly. Whether that is down to the tissues around it being inflamed or a problem with the patella she's not sure. I'm going to have acupuncture to see if that will help settle things down so that she can see how the patella is actually moving and if the stiffness improves. My bend this morning, before the pain started, was only 70 degrees! She did say that my knee should not be this stiff or tender at this far out (9.5 months) if l was only 3 months post op, then she'd be saying it takes time to settle, but it should be fine by now. In a way it's good to have a problem with my patella as l now know there is a problem!! If the acupuncture doesn't work, then it's back to the OS for investigations.
 
My appointment with OS went well. He is pleased with both my knees, and agrees with Physio that pain is mostly muscular. He also recommended massage and stretching exercises. As the first masseuse I went to is extremely busy I saw a different one this Wednesday. She used a different and more gentle technique which covered more of my legs. I have an appointment with Lorraine, (1st one) next week, and then I don't know which to chose for regular massage. Jayne (2nd) is much more expensive, but Lorraine is not so gentle. I don't know which would do me most good. My knees are fairly stiff in the morning, especially if I wake up on my back, I have to sit on the side of the bed and move them around to loosen them before I can walk properly. Good luck with the acupuncture, I had it years ago with excellent results.
 
@Majic Glad to hear your OS is pleased with your progress, you must be pleased. The Physio l saw this morning said my muscles were very strong which is all down to my trainer and massage therapist. My it band is almost back to normal thanks to the massage. It was quite strong massage at times but did me the world of good. I had acupuncture years ago for my neck which worked really well, so I'm hoping it will work for my knee.
 
@CATSMUM how is your left knee doing? I am setting up a RTKR for early June and there is very little information about replacements on a patellectomy knee. My left one is much stronger, so I'm hoping after the right one is done that I can get it much stronger than what it is now and can have the left one replaced.
 
@sistersinhim my left knee has been doing very well. I have had no major problems with it at all. My recovery was very straightforward and very fast, back to doing normal things within about 4 months, must admit that l wish l'd had that one done a lot earlier. The leg now is strong and all muscles are in great condition. Think it's quite rare for a tkr to be done where a patella is missing - my OS actually said that l was only the third patient he'd operated on that didn't have a patella. My goodness, you've certainly been through the mill with your poor knees. Good luck with your Rtkr.
 
Thank you, Catsmum. Your experience is so encouraging! And to hear that it's nice and strong...well, I am so looking forward to throwing my canes away! I've been using them off and on since '93! Better days are surely coming! I just have to be patient and prepared. Oh yeah, and lots of prayer!
 
@sistersinhim You're very welcome. I can completely understand what you mean when you talk about throwing away your canes. My left knee was in such a state l, could barely walk - to have the tkr really gave that knee a new lease of life with no pain. Patience is the key word, you'll get there in the end. x
 
Hope you're feeling ok after yesterday. How's that patience thing working for you, lol!!??
 
@Raffs feeling a little stiff and sore after yesterday's pulling and tugging! Guess I'll just keep on taking the tablets! Patience is a word with many meanings!!!
 
@CATSMUM, I have another question for you. Was the pain for your TKR similar to the pain from your kneecap removal? I just want to be prepared. The removal was so painful that I couldn't even move my toes without pain!
 
@sistersinhim now that's a question, the pain l experienced was different for both ops. My patellectomy was in the 80s when pain relief was not as good as it is today. I also was on bed rest for 2 weeks before having it encased in plaster for 4 weeks. I then had 4 weeks of inpatient Physio!!

The tkr pain was well controlled with pain relief. I used my cryo cuff many times a day and that helped tremendously. I was walking the day after my tkr and the pain was bearable. I think you'll probably be surprised at how different the pain is - one word of caution, everyone is different so take it a day at a time.
 
@CATSMUM, thank you! It sounds like if I could take the pain after the patellectomy, that I can stand the TKR pain! I was in an immobilizer for 6 weeks after the first kneecap removal and had a rough time busting adhesions. But, I did it on my own! I got in a tub of really hot water and just rocked back and forth bending the knee until they busted. I wasn't put in the immobilizer with the second removal and did much better. I handled my own therapy except what was in the hospital. With everything I'm learning on here, I believe I can do the same with my TKR unless I run into a problem.
 
@sistersinhim You'll be fine. The adhesions must have been terribly painful for you - l had hydrotherapy sessions daily to get my knee moving after my patellectomy which was probably the physios getting rid of the scar tissue! My left tkr was much easier than my right tkr (the one with the patella), not sure if that was because l didn't have one or if the pain had been so severe that it was just such a relief to be able to walk again.
 
@CATSMUM, a lot of the problems on here after TKR seem to be kneecap related. If you don't have one, then it's one less problem that might pop up! Also, since the surgeon won't have one to repair during the TKR, the surgery should be quicker and easier! Just trying to think of all the positives!
 
@CATSMUM How are you getting on with your acupuncture? You haven't posted for a while which I take to be good news. Is it?
 
@Majic Hi there, haven't had it yet, due to have first session tomorrow. Had a lovely week of doing nothing last week, which helped my knee, back in the office today and it's a little stiffer than it was yesterday. Have also had another UTI which was quite surprising as l thought it was IBS! Good job we had a quiet Easter!
 
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