TKR Dewey Did It...#1 AND #2

[Toothfairy]

Hello Dewey, how are you doing. It is grey and wet here in the South of England. I had my first physio appointment today, they seemed quite pleased with me generally but I need to work hard on my bending and straightening. They have given me extra exercises. Must do better by next time! I am not worried as its not 2 weeks till tomorrow.
Take care and be kind to yourself,
Hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[Dewey]

Hello.....It's SEVEN weeks post-op for me today.

Still feeling a bit behind....well, I'm afraid I'm feeling really behind. I guess I thought maybe my Bonesmart pals could offer some words that would make me feel a bit better! I know everyone is different in their recovery, and I know that I'll probably catch up, but it's still got me so worried right now!

I really thought I be much better by 7 weeks! I am scheduled to have knee #2 done three weeks from today, and I'm worried! I'm still only at 87 Rom, but extension is now a 3. I'm so worried about the ROM that I can hardly stand it! I don't know if knee#1 is ready to take over for my newest knee in just 3 weeks! After sitting for a little while, it's so hard for me to get going.....I can't believe how this stiffens up!

I try to find all of the ways I've progressed.....no more cane at home, sleeping better, lowered pain meds a lot, walking around more, getting out and about more, etc., but I can't help but worry about the lack of bend in this knee!!

Am I stressing more than I need to about this at this point?? PT seems a bit worried about it now, too. I see my surgeon on Friday, and I'm really SCARED about what he will want to do! I really want to continue to go forward.....and get this all over with!!!

Ok, I'm so sorry about my whining. I'm not one to do that (ever!), but I just don't have anyone that understands the way that you all do.

Am I behind at 7 weeks??

 

[Toothfairy]

Good morning Dewey, firstly you are not whining. You are sharing your worries with friends who are there for you and who are going through similar experiences. We may all travel a slightly different route along the maze of pathways that make up the TKR recovery but we understand.
You are 7 weeks after very major surgery, early days on the long road that is TKR recovery. You list all the ways you have improved, there are a lot of them. It is another three weeks till your next surgery is planned, that is almost half as long again. Think of the improvement from week four to week 7.
I wonder if you have maybe lowered your pain meds too much? Could you be doing to much?
Try not to be scared about seeing your surgeon on Friday, rather than being scared could you see it as an opportunity to go along and discuss your concerns and ask for advice? Write a list of your questions and concerns. Do you have someone who can go with you to that appointment. If you are very worried it can be helpful to have a second pair of ears listening to what is said in case you miss things.
Have you discussed your worries with the physio?
Are you doing your gently stretches regularly?
Hopefully you will get some reassurance and advice at your appointment on Friday. In the meantime try to rest, ice, elevate and be kind to yourself. Stretch gently and write that list of questions and worries.
Sending you a big hug,
Toothfairy x

 

[robynhood]

Dewey you are doing so well. 7 weeks isnt long at all and Im sure as TF said you will improve such a lot more in 3 weeks. I would hate to be thinking about anther TKR so soon but also would love the fact that both knees will be done and what a bright future you will have with your two new knees. You have a lot on your plate and you are not whining you are apprehensive and that is to be expected. Look forwad to your appt to talk about your concerns and hopefully as TF said try to take someone with you for support. Your ROM is only part of the recovery and I really wouldnt worry too much about it. You are certainly not behind for seven weeks. It is still very early on in your recovery and you are doing REALLY well. I certainy didnt cut down on my meds untill at least 15 weeks so maybe have another think about that. Take your exercises slowly and your ROM will come in time. Take Care.

 

[Dewey]

Thanks so much to TF and Pat for responding to my post! I so appreciate your help. You are both s.

Still feeling worried and nervous today. I think I might be able to cope with this a bit better if I didn't have surgery #2 looming in my mind! Just the thought of starting this process all over really gets to me as I'm sure you can all understand! I know that I will be so glad when this is all over, but boy, oh boy, the process is just SO LONG! Tears are always so close these days!

Energy drain.....can we talk about that for a minute? I need to know that I'm normal in this......I have read the article in the library, but it just seems so strange for me to not have the ambition or energy to do much of ANYTHING! I spend my day sitting on the computer, sitting on the couch, sitting in the kitchen....you get the picture. I sit and think about the things I could be doing or SHOULD be doing, but not doing anything! Is this normal for 7 weeks postop or am I just being lazy?? Since I really don't have much pain now (just swelling and stiffness), I think I could/should do more. I just don't have the energy or the desire to do it. This is just so strange for me....I used to be one of those energizer bunnies that keeps going and going.

I enjoy reading everyone's recovery threads, and love to see the daily posts from others about their progress. It really helps me to not feel so alone in all of this. It's just really HARD! Thanks again for your responses!

 

[midwestmom]

I had to laugh at the energy drain comment. I should be sewing two drapery panels right now. I worked for 30 minutes and sat down and here I am. I keep telling myself just a short break to elevate and ice. My brain says get up and back to work. My leg says sit,I listen to my leg,it speaks louder. You are not lazy just realistic the knee knows what it needs and that is rest. I think I owe my knee that for the trauma I put it through.

 

[Dewey]

Hello, Midwestmom, and thanks for your post! How are you doing these days??

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Dewey,
I didn't get up till 10:30 this morning, that was quite early for me these days. I had a shower and dressed then came down and sat and read my book. I did a little bit of food preparation for this evening and have spent the rest of the day sitting and icing and resting and yawning. I had a 10 minute walk around the block and I now feel like having a nap. The only other thing I have done is my stretches.
I am not even thinking about doing jobs, just quite content to sit and chill and read or watch TV.
I am normally up and out by 07:30 and constantly on the go like you.
It is all very normal and our bodies way of saving the energy it needs to repair itself after the trauma of the surgery.
I can't even use the excuse that I am not sleeping, I sleep about 9 or more hours every night.
You have nothing to worry about, just try to relax and go with your body.
I agree that reading others progress is helpful, it's good to talk as long as we all remember we are individuals following our own paths.
Of course you are anxious about starting all over again but at least when knee two is done you know there are no more.
I will be following you with a second knee as soon as I can get a date and I know Pat will be following too at some time. You are not alone in this, chin up,
Sending you a basket of sunny smiles and cheery hugs,
Toothfairy x

 

[midwestmom]

Hi Dewey, I had my OS check up yesterday and he said it all looks good,be patient, come back in 6 months. I use my cane some but my gait is better without it. I keep thinking long stride,heel toe . My goal now is to balance on my new knee with my eyes closed for 8 seconds. I am reprogramming my body to balance using other stimuli. I have 4 more PT appointments left and then I am on my own. I go over all the exercise plans Josephine recommended and along with the plan from my PT I think I can do this. We are on our way Dewey!

 

[Dewey]

Hello.....just an update here.

Saw my surgeon this morning, and it's a "go" for knee #2 in two weeks! He does not think I need a MUA on #1 right now (oh my, was I worried about this!!) because my ROM is now past 90 (it's just 92!). He said once it gets to 90, it usually just keeps getting better. He said if I didn't improve between now and surgery #2 in two weeks, we could discuss a MUA at the time of surgery. Believe me, I'm going to try hard to get it to improve!

I'm feeling glad that I'm going to have this over with, but very nervous to have two bad knees at the same time! There will be ten weeks exactly between the two. I tell myself that many people have done them BOTH at the same time, but I'm still really nervous about it. Knee#1 is certainly not strong enough to completely take over for me yet.

Can I really do this???

 

[skigirl]

Dewey, the pain meds themselves cause nausea. For me, Lortab causes nausea and percoset does not.

Also, the nausea with percoset was an indicater to me to try to use one pill every four hours instead of two. If you have pain with one pill after only two hours--take another one. Sometimes I used one pill every two hours instead of two every four hours.

I also got some little tubs of peanut butter at the grocery store. I put a plastic bag with grahmn crackers and those tubs of peanut butter beside my bed. I would MAKE myself eat a cracker with peanut butter every time I took a pain med. If you take them on an empty stomach, you will get nausea as well.

So, you can try another drug---try taking one and not two---or space the drugs out differently and you MUST eat something---find something that you can eat and eat a very little with each pill. Kelly

 

[Toothfairy]

Dear Dewey, that is great news. You will do brilliantly. Concentrate on the fact that you will then have a matching set of shiny new knees.
Many people on this forum have made the journey before you and have done well, you will too.
Good news too about your right knee, you are doing well.
Make some time for some treats in the next couple of weeks, you deserve a bit of pampering.
Hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[robynhood]

Just sitting here trying to imagine how I would feel if it was me having her other knee done in 2 weeks. I supose I would be glad in a way. Getting it all out of the way and looking forward to two healthy new knees and in another way I would be really nervous all over again like I was with the first one. We cant help nerves can we but Im sure the nerves wll be outweighed by the relief of it all being over with and having nothing else to worry about. The bilaterals on this forum have been very upbeat about having it done at the same time and seem to recover just as well as we do. Good Luck Dewey with your second op. I will be watching your progress with interest and quite a lot of envy.

 

[midwestmom]

Hi Dewey, you will be fine. I really don't think your surgeon would have you go forward if it was not the right thing for you. Put together little treat bags with pictures, magazines,peppermint oil, joke book,ect. And after your next surgery open one every time you feel down. You will be happy to have a little cheer to look forward to. That ROM will keep improving!

 

[Toothfairy]

Good morning Dewey, how are you today? I hope you are beginning to feel positive about your second knee surgery, it will be great to have two shiny new knees and be moving towards no knee pain. I know it has is challenges in the short term but it will be worth it longer term.
I just want to get on with mine and would happily go tomorrow if I could to get it done. When I see my surgeon on 1st May I will be asking to be listed for my second knee ASAP.
Have a great day and be happy, sending you sunny smiles,
Toothfairy x

 

[Dewey]

Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm not sure I am truly ready for knee #2, but it just makes sense for me to go ahead with it now. I don't have to go back to the classroom until August, I have the sickdays, and insurance is all set up. I'd like to think I could back out of it if I really wanted to, but I know I'd be mad at myself for not getting it over with. I know now what I have to look forward to for the first few weeks....yuck....but I also know with each week it gets better! Knee #1 is far from normal yet, but it's so much better already than it has been for a long, long time....even without a good ROM!

And..........The thought of a warm, tropical beach vacation in July just keeps me going!! I can travel at 3 months post-op, right???

TF...you are doing remarkably well already! It's just been 3 weeks for you, right? I am amazed at how you continue to be so upbeat and happy! Good for you! May your great recovery continue!

Midwest mom....I'm from northern Illinois. How about you? I'm so happy that your knee has done so well, too. You're really on the road to being normal now.....feels good, huh? Hard to believe it's been 8 weeks already! I love your idea about getting some things together. This time, I'll know exactly what I'll need next to my couch, and my poor husband won't have to be my runner! Just wondering...Are the PT plans that Josephne recommends in the library?

Robynhood....thanks so much for your well wishes. I hope I've made the right decision.....don't be envious yet!

I'd love to know some Bonesmarties that have had both knees done in a relatively short amount of time. I really have some questions about knee #1 taking over before she's really ready to do that! I'd just love to hear that others have been there and somehow worked through it.

Take care, all.....and remember to take this ONE DAY AT A TIME! We will all get there!

 

[bottomshollow]

Dewey, I had my left knee done on Monday and my right knee done on Thursday of the same week. I just walked on both of them---what else could I do? Being so close together I could not favor one over the other---just treated them both pretty much the same. If you look in my signature, you will see a link to my recovery thread. You might want to take a look at that. I did have a very good recovery----I believed in the mantra and followed it.

And your left knee may surprise you and be a sweetheart! But I would go ahead and get it done now and have it over with. Then once you fully recovery from knee #2, you're done. And knee #1 should not be taking over for knee#2---you need to treat them very much the same.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[midwestmom]

Hi Dewey, I am in Wi about 30 miles west of Milwaukee where it is still winter. Eventually I will have my other knee done but for now it is doing its job. Before my husband retires and our insurance changes I will go for it. I want my same medical team, they are great. By fall you will be so happy to have it all behind you.i put together little treat bags for a friend going through chemo. She said she can't wait to go home and open them it changes her focus. Keep up the good recovery work, and it is work!

 

[CarolynS]

Dewey, I haven't been on the board much but just wanted to send good wishes for your second knee. I'm sure you'll do fine. And your "old" knee will have a chance to rest when you are icing and elevating your "new" knee! I'll look forward to hearing how you're doing after the surgery.

 

[Dewey]

Hello, and thanks for the encouraging words! Yes, I sure hope knee #2 is a sweetheart and does a whole lot better than #1!! As my second surgery gets closer and closer, I'm getting more nervous! The same apprehension as I had before.....all of the "what ifs" have come back!!

Knee #1 still isn't cooperating much, either! I'm still hovering around 87-90, and it just won't go any further! I'm so afraid my surgeon will insist on an MUA during the surgery of knee#2. I know some people do both knees at the same time and do fine, but I really want to have one painfree knee when I wake up! Arrrgggghhhhh, I'm just so tired of worrying about this all the time!!!

To make matters worse, I can finally say that the sleepless nights have hit me! For the first 6 weeks or so, I haven't slept like a baby, but when I woke often, I'd just roll over and go back to sleep. I thought that was going to be the extent of my sleep difficulties. I feel so badly for some of you that can't sleep much at all. Now, for some reason, when I wake, I just lay there wide awake! Is it normal for sleep problems to start after all this time?? It's just not what I need right now!!!

Last night's sleep difficulty, I'm sure, was in part due to a more agressive PT session yesterday. My usual therapist wasn't there, and the gentleman that took her place was much more "hands on". I went along with it at first (anything to make some progress!), but then had to ask him to back off. At the end of the session, ROM was exactly the same as last time, but I know he stretched it further than it had been stretched. Plus, I've been trying to use only Extra Strength Tylenol now instead of the ones with codeine. Just want to be off narcotics a few days before hitting them hard again!

Just thought I check in, and say how much I love reading everyone's posts about their progress. It just helps to know I'm not going through all of this alone!!