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TKR christeen's knee journey 8/11

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Showers exhaust me!! You should sleep well tonite!! Isn't it funny? No one would never post on like Facebook or any other forum about taking a shower lol. Its just a not thought of part of everyday life. But after TKR showers are a major milestone to be celebrated lol.
 
Slept like a baby again last night (1 am till 10 am with one hour 7-8 awake with hubby and a tinkle before he goes to work) feeling clean and fresh... I suppose all my joint replacements over the years have gotten my body used to the immobile positions post-OP brings and to being elevated, strapped to abduction pillows etc... So at bedtime, my body is like "ok, we are playing that game again... Goodnight". (A positive spin on extensive reconstruction operations lol..)

Today my knee is less swelled and I have less "phantom" pains at the moment (those random banging from inside the knee that sometimes makes me think they sewed up a little man in my knee and he is angry and is beating his way out). I am relaxing with my adult coloring book, elevating and icing. Later I will strap into the CPM machine for a couple hours for some movement and to provide the appropriate sleeping surface for my cats (whom have optimized on my sedentary schedule). So far, am OK day.
 
Well that sounds like a great day. Good for you getting so much sleep. I think by the end of the week I'm going to be off the couch and back in my bed....I love my bed, I miss my bed.
 
Had PT today, he was not too bad. Did mostly stretching and some leg lifts while standing at walker and some kicks with him gently pushing... But he was gentle and did not want to push anything too much. He measured me at 85/7 and thoughtmthat was just fine. Said to keep up with the gentle stretches, resting and ice and elevation. He said not to be surprised with them"pulling" feeling from the staples as it will feel worse before they get removed next week (Thursday)

Otherwise all ok. Doing my adult coloring books, playing with the cats, editing some photos that I neglected, just keeping busy...

One thing, does anyone else like me, believe, that their surgeons sewed up a little, angry man inside the kneecap armed with a big pipe and he randomly goes around inside the knee swinging and hitting random places trying to escape? I will be sitting there when "bam" feel like getting whacked by a bat from the inside.... I watch my knee half expecting to literally "see" something in there (like the baby kicking)... Random phantom pains!!
 
Got the blues today... Feeling down about the thought of passing another day sitting around... Also, I am a caregiver for my elderly mom, but we have her home health aide taking over most of the duties while i am recoverng, but she has been acting up, making comments about my sitting around doing nothing (I think in he dimensia she has a strange jealousy about ME being the sick one instead of her). So I am feeling out of sorts over the whole thing... Just a down day I guess...
 
If your mom has dementia, remember her criticism is not valid for your situation. She may feel that way and is expressing it, but it's a statement made without a rational consideration for your well-being. You need to find a way to acknowledge and dismiss it. (Probably easier said than done.)

Down days are normal, and this is one of them. You are smack dab where they tend to appear in the recovery process, so take whatever consolation you can in knowing your recovery is right on schedule -- as much as there can be a schedule. Also know it will pass.

Sitting around is exactly the prescription for you right now, so embrace it. Sleep if you need it, do some activity you can do sitting, icing, and elevating -- watching TV, knitting, reading (I couldn't concentrate well enough to read at the point you're at, though), some small craft project, whatever is easy to pick up and put down.
 
@Poz222 I hear ya!! I need to finish getting stuff for my son to go back to school, hubby's not really good at that sort of thing, his back is really hurting him, etc. Just one of the many things I feel that I should be doing. Feel so guilty. But here I am on the recliner for another day. I don't feel SICK so in my head I shouldnt be lounging around all day...can really get a person down, especially when the road is still so long.
 
Oh, boy. Must be tough having anyone say you are lazy right now, and even worse when it is someone you can't defend yourself to. Your mother is so fortunate to have you as her usual caregiver, and I am glad she has a home health aide to do the heavy lifting for the moment. Down days happen, but this too shall pass. Have to take care of yourself right now.
 
I think I have that little man in my knee as well. He is pulling all the ligaments inside my knee tightly and occasionally he is stabbing the bottom of my knee with a spear. I don't like him at all so I keep him quiet with my Cryo cuff! He doesn't like the cold.
 
"--to provide the appropriate sleeping surface for my cats (whom have optimized on my sedentary schedule)." :rotfl:
Boy can I identify with this! My little half wild cat was crazy about me being always available to cuddy up against. She did learn to stay off the recovering knee. Now that I am getting more active she still tries to plop down on me at every opportunity. I understand about the boredom and depression, just remember, this too shall pass.
 
@Poz222 sorry to hear abpout your mom and the health problem. Sounds like you got it.;) the blues will pass amd bordem. Two weeks tuesday. Soon out ond about. My pain is real bad i do my own therapy no nurse and walking around the house without aide. You will be ok and walking with out help soon. My pain is better if i take a extra oxy. Cant use ice little pillow big heat pad..take care god bless;) ;)
 
Yes, just had a rough day yesterday... Today a bit better but still kinda down... Hubby is out sailing on the boat (I told him he should go as he has been doing so much around here no need for him to be captive too) and I am feeling a bit sad cause I can't go, then mad cause I feel that way and I should be happy for him... It's complicated... I need to see some progress and I thing after I get over the hump of this week it will be better.staples are really pulling and I am sure will be driving me crazy by Thursday when they come out. I am still with walker as I still feel a bit unsteady when starting off... PT wants to try me with cane this week... But overall a bit less blue than yesterday. Little angry man in knee still mad...
 
The next three weeks are likely to be tough, then things will slowly start getting better. If you still feel unsteady, I'd keep the walker handy. At some point, it will be in the way or you'll find yourself forgetting it. That's when you'll want to haul a cane around with you. I switched to crutches during the day for about a week, because they were easier to navigate my house with (and provided good stability). I have raised door sills between every room of my house, so the walker was a hassle (I used it at night long after I quit using it during the day to make sure I didn't fall going to the bathroom).

You're happy for your husband to be able to get out and do something he enjoys, but it's perfectly understandable you wish you could be out there, too.
 
Wish I could do crutches, but with my shoulder replacements they are just too mush stress on them... From my hip surgeries, I usually get to the point of forgetting it, then pack it away.... I have to brace myself for the next couple of weeks slough... Keep it moving forward... Thanks for the support!
 
@Poz222 i get my staples out thursday to thay pull somethimg terrible. We had surgery same day we get our staples out same day to cool. I have 25 staples and im always terrified. One week at a time this time next week you will be staple free and walking with no walker take care and godbless you will be better one week at a time not one day;);)
 
Getting staples out is one of the easier things in this process--hardly felt mine except for one or two--a bit ouchy but it is over so quickly. And yes, there is a level of relief once they are gone. I did have to deal with a stitch that wanted to come up in the middle of the scar--that wasn't real fun as it kept the skin open weeks longer than it should have been and was sore. My OS wanted my on the walker for 6 WKS!! Didn't happen! :snork: After 3 1/2 wks. I would walk into and out of PT with it and then it stayed in the trunk. :yes!: (Used a cane at PT.) Got my own cane at about wk. 5, but again other than walking in and out of PT and on shopping trips, (where it usually resided in the buggy) I didn't use it.
 
Yes, staple removal is generally easy as I remember (3 hips and 2 shoulders) and I will be soooo relieved to get these suckers out. My little knee man is very angry tonight... I am trying to chill him out!
 
Slept OK last night... Hubby was restless so kept waking me up. This morning I thought I would give the little pedal exercise bike a try... Well I was no able to get a full revolution, but I would get 3/4 of the way around going backwards and 1/2 forward which I thought was Pretty good. Tomorrow my PT wants to try me on a cane, I think I am ready... I know I am ready to be a bit more mobile :-)
 
Such blatant personal attacks should not be permitted on this site. Everyone deals with pain and recovery in a different way, I use humor. To be so heartless as to call someone "prissy" without knowing anything about them and when they are going through the same pain is unacceptable. I hope you are ok and you get the help and support you need. But insulting others is not a way to feel better and is not the intent of this site! We are here to support each other, not attack each other... Good day and good luck in your recovery.
 
Hello bone smarties. First off I want to thank everyone for all the support and help through this difficult recovery. Up until last night I was always so thankful for the kindness extended by strangers united by a common cause..... Healing. Posting here leaves us in a very vulnerable position as we share our fears, hope, disappointments, pain and successes during this very difficult time. That being said last night I was verbally attacked by another member (I asked the post removed as it was hurtful and cruel,and embarrassing) whom I had only tried to support and encourage. This is like kicking someone when they are down. And really hurts.

I spent a sleepless night crying wondering what could have provoked another member here to be so cruel and kick someone when they are down? Can pain drive us to lash out at others unprovoked to try to make us feel better? In any case, as members of the joint replacement recovery club we have an obligation to support one another or at the very least, not degrade one another. Sticks and stones can break bones, but WORDS CAN HURT someone who,is fragile and in pain.

I wish everyone here only the best wishes for a speedy, pain free recovery and regain our lives back. I will be following everyone's journey but I am a bit afraid to put myself out there emotionally for fear of being kicked again since like many, I am in a very fragile mental state. It is tough being told by those who have never experienced this what we should be feeling or having our feelings dismissed or discounted, but it is so devastating being told this by someone going through the same thing whom we expect to understand.

So fellow bone smarties... Be kind to one another... Be supportive... If you are too upset or angry at whatever, don't post hurtful,things.

It was ironic that just last night I felt I was starting to feel positive after a difficult week with my elderly mother who has dementia and sometimes says insensitive things... But I shall carry on, forward and keep my goals in mind. I have been through several surgeries all with positive outcomes and I will come through this too, we all will!
 
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