Guest viewing is limited

TKR Celle's Left TKR

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ah, Jamie, I'd love to come - but my own garage needs sorting out too. It's been used for a few years as a dumping ground for everything that doesn't have a proper home. There's stuff there for recycling, some goods to go to the Hospice op-shop, various tools that never got put back where they belong, and fishing gear.

It's no wonder that this big garage only has room for my small car!
 
Funny, I just posted about over doing it. The shed cleaning sounds painful. That is the type of work I do my very best to avoid. Haha. But I bet it HURT! I'm very glad to hear that you are doing so well. And that THE KNEE isn't ruling your (our) life anymore. Take care - Joni
 
Hi Joni,
Yes, cleaning the shed was a bit ODIC! I was sore the next day. Still, it was a job that really needed doing and I got a lot of satisfaction from seeing my clean and tidy shed.
We live and learn!
 
In 10 days' time it will be 5 months since my left TKR.
There's really nothing exciting to report.

The knee is doing fine. I don't think about it much any more, because it doesn't stop me from doing anything I want to. It still feels a bit warmer than my right knee, so obviously healing is still going on inside.

I've started walking more, increasing the time and distance. I want to build up some stamina for walking, because I'll be doing a lot more when I go to stay with our daughter in England later this year.

I still get occasional " niggles" from the knee if I overdo things, but they soon settle down. My right knee, which was replaced 3 years ago still does that occasionally. I think it's just when I overuse it.

I can lie painlessly on my left side now, with my right leg on top and no pillow.

I'm having some pain in my left ankle. It has arthritis too, but still in the early stages. However, I think most of the pain is from the tendons and ligaments that I tore when I sprained that ankle about 5 years ago - it was a bad sprain. I'm wearing orthotics and they seem to be helping.

The last weekend in January, we went to an open-air concert, where Paul Simon and Sting performed. They were on stage for almost 3 hours. The weather was balmy and I had a wonderful evening. The knees coped with sitting, and with the crowd of over 11,000. Everyone was happy and well-behaved.

I'm off to Australia in a month's time, to spend a couple of weeks with my brother and sis-in-law. They started going out together when they were only 15, so sis-in-law seems like a sister to me. I don't have any other sisters. It will be good to catch up with them and to see their daughters and their families.
 
So glad that things are going so well. I love to here about traveling with new knees. I am 10 months out with my left knee. Doing better with my right. September surgery#1 RTKR. December 12 # 2 cleaning out infection and a replacement of all none metal parts. While it was easier to recover, muscle wise, I have had some major setbacks.

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

Chris


Chris
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
5 month update

I'm happy to report that there is not much to report! :heehee:

I am back to living a normal life and doing everything I like to do.
I'm gradually increasing the distance I walk, in preparation for our holiday later this year, when I will be walking a lot.

My knee still gives me the occasional reminder that it is there, but the aching is short-lived and goes away with rest and elevation. It's still slightly warmer than my right knee.

My ROM continues to improve slowly and has almost caught up with the other knee; I estimate it's about 125 and I can straighten it fully.

I can do stairs normally, but still have a bit of difficulty if the treads are too high. I think part of that is that I have a few problems with my back, too. Pesky osteo-arthritis - it's in my hands, wrists and ankles, as well.

I'm going away for a few days tomorrow, for a 5-day mini-holiday. We're going up to Auckland, to see where Our middle son and his family are living and then we'll have a few days on Waiheke Island. We get there by ferry. My husband will be staying up there, going sailing with an old school friend. I will fly home.

In three weeks' time, I'm going to Australia for a fortnight, to visit my brother and his family. That will be my "solo" holiday, compensation for being a sailing widow.
 
That sounds more soo exciting. It just encourages to keep on walking and working my muscles.

You have a great time!


Chris
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
9-month update

My knee is doing fine.
I'm on holiday in England, staying with our daughter and her husband and daughter until early September.

My knee is holding out well with the increased amount of walking I'm doing. I'm enjoying exploring the footpaths in this housing estate. There are several of them, all pleasant and tree-lined, and they are short cuts from one place to another. You can take these paths and avoid the roads. I've found the short cut to the supermarket and the corner store, and my next project is to find the shortcut to the railway station.

I've tried to ride my daughter's bike, but it's really big and, even with the saddle at its lowest, I can't touch the ground. Bother! I'm wondering now if it would be worth-while to buy a cheap, fold-up bike. They're smaller and I'd only need it for riding the paths, not on the roads.

Currently, we are on holiday, staying at an all-in resort in Cornwall. It's lovely.
My knees are getting a real workout on the stairs in our villa - they are steep and rather narrow. I can do shallow steps with no trouble, but these steps are higher. I can feel the pull on my newest knee, so I'm trying not to overwork it. Already, I can feel the muscles growing stronger. That's good.

I still have the occasional reminder from my knee that it's a toddler and needs a bit of consideration, but I don't have any pain. Yes, it really does take a year before recovery is complete.

I've never had the ROM measured, but I sense that it is still improving slowly. It bends as far as my other knee but not as easily yet.

I'm so pleased that I have two good knees again and that my activity is only limited by my general fitness - I'm no spring chicken any longer.
 
Hello @Celle - glad to hear you are doing so well, and that you have returned to visit UK, and are here with us Brits again! I get an odd selection of alerts, very infrequently, and yours popped up this morning so I thought I would give you a quick blast from the past and say hello.
Cornwall must be really lovely - enjoy your holiday there. Your daughter must be so pleased at having you both with her for the summer. Perhaps you could put a 'Wanted' notice on Freecycle for a small bike and you could get one that way, or perhaps somebody would lend you one for a few months?
I am delighted that this second knee of yours is successful and you are finding lots to do with 2 good knees.

My knee is pretty much history now - I forget its metal and not me! Its only when I'm walking really quickly that it clunks now and again just to remind me its there. I've been climbing on and off our new boat and moving all around it and going up and down the pontoon ladders with no probs. Last week I was pushing my Mum around her local hospital in a wheelchair - again with no problem (apart from the fact that I am a rubbish wheelchair driver!) 18 months ago it was me in the wheelchair.

Anyway, I wanted to say 'Welcome Back to UK', but more importantly, that friends on the forum who were there for us when we needed them are never forgotten, they are still in our thoughts even when we are 'fixed' and don't post anymore.

Chris XXXXX
 
HI Ann, @Nana moon 27

Lovely to hear from you too!
I'm following your thread every day and pleased to see you're making steady progress.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Almost 10 months post-op

We had a great time in Cornwall. It is a beautiful county.

Yesterday, I caught the bus into Reading at 9 a.m. I stayed in town all day, walking around the shops and going up and down numerous stairs. I go up and down stairs normally, but I don't have any in my house and I probably need more practice on them.

I had a rest for a couple of hours, while I went to see a movie. It was a bit slow, and I confess that I did nod off for a while. :zzz:

Then I had some lunch and resumed my walking and (mostly) window shopping. I bought a scooter for our granddaughter's third birthday present and ordered home delivery for it.

My daughter met me just before 6 and we had dinner at a new, Indian restaurant.

I'm pleased to report that, although I was tired by the end of the day, my knees gave me no trouble at all. I had no pain in either of them and they didn't swell. :yay::happydance:
My feet and ankles, which are arthritic, were a different story, though!
 
@Celle Excellent post, you must be very happy with your knee, just a pity that your feet and ankles aren't behaving themselves.
 
Last week, we went into London for a few days.
I fell backwards down a very large escalator in a station of the London underground (subway). It was the UP escalator. The fall was the result of a suitcase that fell down one step, pulling me backwards, combined with a pushy woman in a hurry, who made me lose my grip on the handrail - and my own clumsiness too, I guess.

I did a backward somersault, landing on my shoulders and right hip. A very kind man behind me helped a lot, while 2 young girls pushed the Emergency Stop button, so that I didn't get chewed up by the machinery at the top. My hip and shoulders are bruised, and I had parallel tram-line grazes on my back, caused by the treads on the steps.

It could have been worse - nothing was broken, I didn't hit my head, and my knees were untouched - but it left me rather shaken and sore (and embarrassed). Lucky I was wearing jeans, not a skirt! :heehee:

The bruises are fading now and I'm walking well, but I'm rather apprehensive about escalators.

Strangely enough, my left TKR, which is almost 11 months old now, has suddenly and spontaneously developed a bit of extra ROM. From having slightly less bend, it's now bending just as well as the other knee (which is almost 4 years old). Both knees are about 120+, although I've never had them measured.

I'm still not very confident on stairs and I always use the handrail - working on that at our daughter's house while we're staying with her.

My husband and I are off to Eastern Europe on Saturday for 2 weeks, on a coach tour. We'll be visiting Berlin (Germany), Warsaw, Krakow (Poland), Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria) and Prague (Czech Republic).
There will be quite a bit of walking, so that will test the knees.
We've been to Berlin before, but quite a while ago. The last time was shortly after The Wall had come down, so I expect we'll see a lot of changes.
We were in Prague about 3 years ago, but the other places will all be new to us.

Since my fall, I've decided that I'm not very keen to go down the Salt Mines near Krakow. You have to go down about 350 steps, which is daunting, and I think the floors could be rather uneven. You do come back up in a lift (elevator) though. I'll ask our tour guide and may reconsider on the day.

For everyday life, my knees give me no problems and I hardly think about them. I'm very pleased with the end result.

I'll let everyone know how I got on, once I get back.
 
I'm glad to hear you're doing well since that harrowing escalator incident. No surprise you're a bit out off at the idea of escalators. This next leg of your trip sounds wonderful. I wonder if there's any chance they'd take you down into the salt mines via elevator?

Germany out a lot of money into the old Eastern Europe after The Wall fell. I imagine Berlin will look much different than last time you were there.

Have a wonderful trip.

Your increase in ROM is encouraging. At four months out, mine feels as if it has stalled. My final outpatient measurement a couple weeks ago was 110, and most of the time it doesn't feel like more than about 95. Trying to be patient. I know it's early.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
I've given up thinking about the numbers, Jean. I've only been properly measured a very few times and each time the circumstances have been slightly different - how stiff it is. how I'm feeling etc, and the readings have varied a bit as well - both up and down -so these days I'm just concentrating on getting the knee to let me do what I want to. That's really the bottom line and at this stage I think the actual numbers are pretty irrelevant unless there's clearly a medical reason which needs attention and I think you'd know about that without needing to know if your ROM had gone up or down by few degrees.
 
I'm just thankful it doesn't hurt! I can walk and do pretty much everything I need or want to do. I'd like it to be a bit easier to put on shoes and socks in the morning, but it's no worse than it was before surgery.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,081 (members: 1, guests: 1,080)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom