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TKR Debbie1954

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I went to my rheumatologist today and she wanted to see my knee so I showed her and she first asked if I had staples and I said yes and she said she can't see where they were, and then she said it was the nicest knee replacement incision she has ever seen. So for as bad as I thought it looked, and how my therapist worked on it, that made me feel pretty good. I got a couple injections in my thumbs for my arthritis in my thumbs and an appointment for occupational therapy to get a couple thumb splints custom made to help when I am having to use my hands a lot. She said it will help them not hurt so much. The injections normally help for awhile.

Then came back to town and went to my joint replacement reunion. I was shocked to see a couple hundred people there. This was invited replacement patients and your support person for the last 4 months. They served a really nice meal and then anyone could take the microphone and tell anything good or bad about their joint replacement program. I had a lady sitting next to me that came all the way from Illinois for her knee replacement. I did go to the nurse joint coordinator and told her my experience with my physical therapist. She said she wanted to know of any bad experiences too. So I told her that he was nice, but he had his way of therapy and wasn't a hands on person and that is what I needed. She was glad to hear that I got help from someone and didn't need an MUA. It was a nice thing for the hospital to do.
 
That really is a nice thing for the hospital to do. Not everyone knows about Bonesmart to come to for support from others that have been through it. Nice to have them bring people together to share their experiences.
 
Thanks Debbie for your discriptions of getting on the floor. I tried it and was able to get in my tub which is something I have not done in some time. It was wonderful!
 
Sunshine, not sure if the way I described getting down and up from the floor would work in the bathtub, but you must have made it work. Just be careful.
 
Debbie, that was very nice of your hospital to do that. I am pretty sure they do not do aanything like that here.
 
11 weeks out today and I had to take my 88 year old mother to her rheumatologist. Then we go shopping. We use to laugh as we both would poop out around the same time. Today she said you are feeling a lot better as I was going all over the store and finding clothes. Need them after losing weight. So this is the first time in a very long time that my knee didn't hurt while shopping. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
 
Josephine or anyone that know this. I tried checking the library, but maybe I didn't look in the right place. When does it become beneficial to use moist heat instead of icing? Also, do I avoid the actual knee when using the heating pad and just try covering the thigh, or all around the leg? My knee still has some swelling, and the muscles are tight, so ice the knee and heat the tight muscles? My poor leg is so confused. Although it is feeling better every day.
 
I think you are right, ice for joints, heat for muscles, but I don't think I'd use heat on a muscle if there was a lot of swelling. Jo will come by...
 
Debbie,my PT had me put a heating pad on my quads, back Of my thighs, and calves when I was 3 weeks out from surgery. He had me do this before he came for visits. It felt wonderful. As long as I kept it off of the knee itself, it was fine.
 
Sorry, been a working girl today! The article you were looking for, Debbie, was this one Moist heat for some late term discomfort and intense aching. I wouldn't be so pedantic about where to apply either heat or ice. Put it where you need it and where it works. That's the only real rule. Speaking for myself, the intense aching was actually on the knee and so that's where I put the moist heat wrap. I would have applied it for as long as I usually did ice but the heat went out of it so quickly I ended up sitting by the microwave with two towels on the go and a bowl of water nearby. While one was on my knee I was nuking the other one! The relief was awesome though the physical input was what actually ended up getting me to sleep in the end! That and the loss of that grinding, intense ache. Good luck and be careful you don't scaled yourselves!
 
Thanks Josephine, I actually just bought a big moist heating pad. I don't have to add water to it, but it takes moisture from the air and magically has it in the cloth. Scratching my head on that one, but I bought the big heating pad and it completely can wrap around my leg. I have used it a couple times and will use it more now this weekend. Thanks again.
 
Now that temperatures are dropping, and I turn down the thermostat because I like a cooler room for sleep, I've started using my electric heating mattress pad. It's very soothing for my muscles I'm noticing.
 
OK, had a melt down at dinner with my hubby. Just talking about our day and I was telling him that I helped my mom grocery shop and while at her house my older brother stopped by. Now we are the best of friends, I have no problems with my brothers or my sister. But anyway, he is the one that had bilateral knee replacement just in May and is doing great. So he is always wondering how I am doing. I told him I finally got to 110 ROM and he boasts that he did that the first week. He is also the one that said he never had any pain during therapy. He starts telling me different things to do and I told him yes I am doing all that stuff, and he tried to say you just have to do it and I said do you really think I am not trying. He just went on about just doing it and I finally told him to F-off. I think he knew I was upset. I love my brother, but it makes me feel bad when people don't think I am trying. So when telling my husband about it I broke down. Guess you can still be emotional over 11 weeks out. So that was right before I went to therapy and I didn't do so well today, didn't even get to my 110. My therapist could tell I was bummed out today and kept asking me if I was ok. She told me to remember it is going to take time, and then she said, just like they tell you in that BoneSmart forum...LOL I don't think she has checked it, but I told her about it.
 
Debbie..... Big breath....... chill....... Have a joint! :blush: You know we all heal differently. Some guys are like that. Just like to think they been there done that. Know all there is to know. This is YOUR leg. YOUR recovery, and you are doing fine. He has probably never swung from the rafters to clean windows, etc. Think of how much you have accomplished. You are doing great. Keep it up.

As for the moist heat, my PT have been applying it both front and back of my knee since I changed therapists at week 6. Along with the moist heat, they have been applying IFC current..... Feels great. Good luck.
 
Aw, Debbie, you didn't deserve that! Your brother just doesn't know any better, but he shouldn't doubt you. It's like the parent that criticizes the parenting of someone who has a spirited child. And then they have another child who turns out to be a little hellion! They thought they knew what they were talking about, but they were just lucky!
 
Debbie_joints said:
I love my brother, but it makes me feel bad when people don't think I am trying.
Click to expand...

If it makes you feel any better, we all probably get that at one time or another. It upsets me too, when others insist I have to feel a certain way or like they feel. As much as we are the same, we are also all different.

Hope you are doing better!:)
 
Thanks you guys, I was just having a pity party last night. One thing my therapist did say might make things harder for me is because on my left leg the side I have the knee replacement, I also have posterior tibial tendon dysfunction which caused all my muscles on my left leg to atrophy. My calf muscle started out an inch and a half smaller and the knee was an inch smaller and thigh was an inch smaller then the right leg. So she said I don't have the strength in my left leg. Not sure that would make it harder to bend my knee. It was funny last night. Dave knee I was kind of sad and he went down to his bathroom in the lower level to take his shower. The kitchen and hallway are above his bathroom. I decided to do the exercise that my therapist (Chantel) told me to work on. So there I am in the kitchen scooting with the chair on wheels. All of a sudden I heard my husband open his door but then he didn't come up. When he did come up he laughed at me because he said he was wondering what in the world I was doing up there. Guess it made a lot of noise....:heehee:
 
Aww Debbie how frustrating! I had my family doc yell at me when I had that horrid gastritis and told me I don't care how sick you are you should be doing PT. But see my OS expecting him to do the same, and no he is totally understanding and telling me don't worry about you will get there. What was even sadder, is my family doc knows how sick I am anyways with my Crohns and other health issues. I haven't posted anything on my recovery on facebook, becuz I had a friend who had a tkr in February and she is one of those who breezed thru it like nothing, and I just didn't want anyone trying to compare me to her. Big hugs!
 
Thanks Gail, it is hard, because it is just natural that we compare ourselves to others, and others compare us to other people or themselves if they had it done. Now my sister has been very supportive as she had one done two years ago. She blames my first therapist, but the more I think about it, I have a feeling it is from my muscles in my operative leg being so atrophied. But you know, except for the bend not being the best, everything else is going pretty darn good. I can walk better, my leg is so much straighter when I walk. I am anxious to see my footprints in the snow as before it looked like a duck with both feet pointing outward. Then after getting my right him replaced and now the left knee, to me it looks like everything is straight. So I will just keep plugging away on this. Chantel told me I could increase my walking DVD to two miles which I did this morning and I rode 15 minutes on my recumbent bike, plus doing some of my pt stuff too. Good workout today.
 
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