TKR countdown to freedom

[Maggie94]

Hi Evans, I don't think its criminal - I think its great that you have bounced back to quickly. Mind you it is only day 5 (yep sounds like the voice of doom) so please be mindful that there could be troughs ahead and do not to get complacent and try to do too much. I remember similar feelings of "this ain't half bad" around that time but a couple of visits to the ODIC made me realise that my knees will heal in their own time.

Hope you have a great Easter - Maggie x

 

[javaev]

I'm so grateful Maggie, more than anything grateful to this community and people like you for your wisdom and so much knowledge, everything that has come up on me since last Monday has come as no surprise, and this community at bonesmart gets all the credit. My goals are really rather simple and hopefully realistic. First let my knee heal, and I know that will take some time, also the instant "puffing" I get when I stand up is a very nice reminder to get down. I am going to hold on to a sixth sense with my body as best I can until it says OK, I still have one more knee to go in six weeks and I believe in what you all have said that no two knees are alike, but I will stay as positive as I can, for now I just love being pain free on that dang old left knee, so much a quality of life decline because of it, I bailed out of a trip to Italy last summer because there were to be 10 of us and a lot of walking, for sure a low point in my life.

 

[referee54]

Some times we feel great and get a little to frisky with our new knee or knees in the early days---but the knee or knees have ways to remind us to back off here or there.

My learning curve in that regard was a rather lengthy one.

 

[Maggie94]

@javaev that is such a shame that you bailed out of the trip to Italy. Funnily enough it was 5 weeks in Italy and Croatia last September / October that was the decider for me to get my knees done. I gritted my teeth and walked and walked on all those cobbled streets and up and down all those stairs including the 414 uneven (on the big side) stairs up the bell tower of the Duomo on Florence. Boy I paid for it each night but I lined up again next day and did more!! All good I survived and had enough of a kick in the pants to get my knees done ASAP on getting home and before my trip to NE USA later this year - wanna walk in the forests with the pretty colored leaves - I can now bet on that

Once you are up and running rebook Italy - It was my 4th time there and I never tire of it - cheers Maggie x

 

[javaev]

I know "TMI"

 

[Maggie94]

Evans your leg looks great...6 days?

 

[javaev]

Hi gang,
Well its the end of day 7, My PT guy came by at 9:00 this morning and together we managed thru a great workout, mostly heel slides, quad work, and he gets a kick out of my skateboard that I have set up for rolling my foot forward and backward while I sit, its great for ROM, the staples are really starting to itch.? I've reached the point where I really need to gather patience, I'm fine without a cane, and that is tricking me into walking a little further than I should. I think I've been easy on my knee so far this week, cant wait to finish next week and possibly get behind the wheel so I can get to Starbucks...!

 

[Legin]

Nice one on well everything mainly that you are reflectively thinking through. Always good to have a goal mine was get to the loch under own steam.

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[javaev]

Day 9 and I am amazed....! My doctor and I decided to do my worst knee first, and sure enough he said that I had bowls in my tibial plateau from the bone above wearing itself into the other, so indeed it was time. My right knee has been carrying the load for so long that it has deteriorated more quickly, but I still call that my "good knee", and it is scheduled for May 18th. Back to my left knee, my PT and home care nurse have given me a thumbs up, and I am so grateful. I started an exercise program back in late December, I've always been a bit of a cyclist, so I ramped that up to about 12 miles of hill riding every other day, and went on youtube and gathered some exercises to do for strengthening before surgery, now I've got one more knee to go, but right now, other than some very good fortune, exercise has got to be a major player to my healing, and absolutely my OS. I did learn a lesson yesterday, I went upstairs to get a few things, and that set me back with some swelling through the rest of the day, so the bonesmart community was right on, and Ill continue to take it easy, I did however sneak out hop in my truck and take a drive to $tarbucks, yum"o.., and I also got to see the blooming blue bells and roses along the way, wow what a day...!

 

[javaev]

Woo-Hoo...!! Day12 and ready to get these dang staples out on Monday, my therapist has been awesome, his rule is just a degree or 2 each visit for ROM (If possible), we started at 70 and now at 0X103, He gave me a go ahead after inspecting the way I had set up my bike on my trainer, so yesterday I could only rotate about 75 % on the cranks, and this morning after my PT, I went up and shocked myself as I was able to do slow full rotations..!!!! Going to ask the nurse on Monday if I can back off on pain meds from tramadol every 4 to every 6hrs. and continue with Tylenol every 8hrs and Celebrex once a day, Ive been on Ecotrin for blood thinner since day one, and probably am going to see if I can extend that out to 4 weeks. Hope all my March new knee pals are doing well..!

 

[KYata]

I got a prescription for plain aspirin as blood thinner and worse, I didn't check the prescriptions so I spent $7 for something like 20 pills.

Glad your meds are doing well by you, keep up the good work.

 

[javaev]

3 weeks today...!
I had my last at home visit by my nurse today, and she says all is good and maybe start some vitamin E on my incision. My ROM continues to come in small tid bits, I'm somewhere around 0/105-110, I'm on the bike trainer doing about 80-100 rotations a day, and I no longer lift that side of my butt while turning the pedals LOL. I've moved to Tramadol every six hours along with a single Advil, and ice continues to be my best friend. I'm going to start at the gym tomorrow for stretching and light exercise to rehab and start strengthening for my other knee coming up in May. Everything I'm doing now is on the light side, I've learned my lesson's in over doing it, but my recovery has come along at a very fortunate pace, I have a very good friend that received a new knee this morning, and was very specific that he was experiencing nothing less than a 10 for the first hour out of surgery, and he has all my well wishes today as he struggles through these first few days. I suggested he make his way over here to BS, so I hope to see him here in the next week.
Cheers all..!

 

[Pumpkin]

Glad to hear you recovering we and are looking forward to you other knee. Hope your friend is doing better.


Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart®
LTKR Sept 13 2011
Revision April 15 2014

 

[javaev]

Hello gang...!
Well here I am at 6 weeks 5 days, I've pretty much stopped using ice, all that remains is stiffness and some light pain, and that is only due to orders from my surgeon to stop all medications, I'm getting my right knee done Monday morning. I've been riding my bike on the trainer three times a day for the last 3 weeks, I've lowered the seat 1 inch a week, to the point of the seat all the way down, I haven't been measured for ROM in the last two weeks, but was at my goal of 110, 90 was my measured max just before surgery, so I am pleased and going for more. My pedometer (which I highly recommend), says that I'm between 7-10,000 steps a day, but here is the part I did not prepare for, my knee that was not operated on which was bad too, just not as bad as the left knee that was done first on Mar. 30th., has been beaten to a pulp carrying all my weight, and now is so painful, that again I am debilitated somewhat. These past few days have been challenging to do PT (I miss my Tramadol), but got a taste of the new knee life up until the other knee got really mad, so here we go again, next Ill be sharing my experience for the right knee after Monday, surgery is at 9:30am and if I'm blessed Ill be trying out my new knee by noon. I'm a little concerned that I'm not so nervous this time, I know weird right...
See you all soon....!!!!!

 

[Kansas Teacher]

@javaev , It sounds like you have done well and I hope you have the same experience with the other knee next week. You're about a month ahead of me; I had my LTKR done on May 1 so I am just over the two week point. It has definitely gone well but I'll sure be glad when it's all behind me!

Roxie

 

[BananasKnees]

@javaev- I had my knees done about 6 weeks apart as well. I wasn't too nervous for either surgery, just wanted to put both bad knees behind me and get on with the rest of my life! I hear you about the second knee getting really cranky right before its surgery - mine was too! I'm sure you'll do fine. Remember not to compare knee 2 to knee 1, no two knees are exactly alike even if you have the same surgeon. Good luck on Monday! Will look forward to your post surgical reports.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Maggie94]

@javaev big day tomorrow - number 2 is up for it - best of luck - let us know how you are going with No1 and how No2 is

 

[Pumpkin]

You are well prepared for your TKR on Monday, all the best,

 

[javaev]

On the other side..!!!!!
Surgery went really well yesterday morning, Dr. said this right knee was as bad as the left done back on March 30th. Elected for the spinal combined with general, and when the spinal wore off the Experal was kicking in again right on time. Pain levels are in the 2-3 range, did my first PT session about an hour ago, and with the Exparel I measured 110, we all know that wont last after the meds in my knee wear off, none the less a good start. I got a bonus, my doctor did a MUA on my other knee while I was out, and he said he got 120, how awesome..! Going to group rehab at noon, and If I get 90 on my operated knee they might consider my release this afternoon. so far so good...!

 

[Bilbo]

Good luck!