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TKR Dewey Did It...#1 AND #2

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Hi Dewey, Sorry to hear of your sad loss. I am pleased you managed to visit on Sunday.
Take it as gently as you can while doing all the things you need to do.
It will be a difficult time so please remember we are here to support you.
Toothfairy x
 
And my best wishes as well. Amazing that life goes on despite the fact we are going through an incredible physical challenge. Can' imagine you standing in the receiving line on that new knee. Do it, cause you have to, then get back to you, and your recovery, you won't loose any time doing what you have to do.
 
Dewey first of all sincer condolences for the loss of your MIL. Even when its expected ts still a shock isnt it.. And to everyone who thinks this is an easy op and we shud be recovering quickly all I used to say is "How many operations do you know of when they use a Hammer, drill, saw ,and cement" No wonder it takes us months not weeks. Keep smiling :) x x x
 
Dewey, I'm so sorry for your loss, my thoughts are with you. Please take care and look after yourself.

I know what you mean about people not appreciating the recovery we are going through, everyone tells me ill be on my feet really soon.... Yeah right. We will dig deep and do what we need to do.

:friends:Fernie
 
I'm sorry that your MIL has passed away, difficult time for everybody. My sympathies to you all.
Very easy to say, harder to do, try to look after yourself over the next few days/ weeks. I expect your OH is just feeling pulled in all directions & is probably wishing his strong OH was able to be by his side all the time, then he'll feel guilty for that too.
We all heal at different speeds and nobody but nobody has a right to 'assume' you should be at a different stage than you are in your own personal recovery! Tell them to naff off and remind them that you did have your leg cut in half, then hammered & glued back together! Actually just smile at them & thank them for their 'expert' advice. Works better than being cross!
Take care of yourself.
H
 
Well, it will be 4 weeks for me on Monday. I'm doing pretty well, I think, although I'm really ready for this recovery stuff to be OVER! I knew it would take a long time, but I guess I wasn't ready for the impatience of it all! Every little thing I do just EXHAUSTS me!

I am a bit more mobile now, but the knee is just so stiff. I missed PT yesterday due to my sweet MIL's funeral, so I think I'm noticing it more today. I am going to try to do all of the exercises she usually does at home this weekend so I don't lose ROM. I was only at 75 on Friday, and I'm a bit worried that that isn't enough for 4 weeks. I sure don't want to go backwards! I walked so much more yesterday than I have in weeks, so I'm sure that's why it feels more stiff and more swollen today. Planning on icing and elevating today with not much more planned.

My OS told me when I saw him at the 2 weeks check-up that I could drive anytime I felt like I was ready. I was shocked as this is my right leg, and it's sure not very strong yet. I've noticed here that many have reported that their dr. said 6 weeks for driving. I'd love to be able to feel like I could go somewhere, and I'd love to be able to drive myself to therapy on Monday. It's all country roads with little traffic, so I think I could probably do it. My main concern is getting in the car! Passenger side is fine, but the other side may be very difficult!

I continue to read the acounts of others' experiences here at BS. It's amazing how everyone is so different, and things turn around for them at completely different times. Some say the first 2 weeks are the worst, some say the first 4 weeks, and some say it didn't get good until after months! It is really hard for me not to compare my progress with them......especially those that are doing well. I so want to be just like them! And I'd really love for someone to tell me just when I'll begin to feel "normal" again!

I am beginning to think about knee#2 now. The OS had originally told me we'd do it 6-8 weeks from the first one. Wow, just don't know if I'll be ready in 5 weeks to start this all over! I have plenty of time off work but I do need to do it soon. I'd love to fit in a nice beach vacation before school begins in mid August! Will knee #1 really be strong enough to take over after just 7 weeks? Can someone ease my mind on this? Thanks!
 
Hi Dewey, I did my LTKR 7 weeks after the first. And I say, yes. You'll be ready no matter what stage in recovery your first knee is. I am glad I did mine close so I could get this whole thing over within a year. I, too, wanted to be one on this site who had a marvelous recovery, and I just haven't. But I am recovering. My left knee is just slightly behind my first even now that I am almost 6 months from my second surgery. My ROM is over 140 in both knees and it is improving slowly even now that I am doing much less PT because I am dealing with other issues - not the least of which is IT band pain, bursitis and tendonitis I'm sure is a result of over aggressive PT about two months ago. But everything is getting better. My knees are strong and sturdy, but still get stiff and swollen sometimes when I over do at work. I still ice, elevate and rest on weekends. You'll know what to expect next time. Even though my second surgery was different there were similarities in what I needed to make myself comfortable that was trial by error first time. I felt like a pro second time, or I should say, at least better prepared. I kept a diary first time and glad I did because I forgot many little tricks. I'd recommend not trying to rush this recovery so you'll be better prepared for the second. I didn't find this site until after my second and the lessons here are so important. Slow and steady. And your first recovery won't reverse when you have the second, but it may slow down. As I said, my left hasn't caught up with my right and probably won't until they are both 100%. And no matter what I have been through, and what I am going through, I do plan on getting to 100%!
 
Icing, only gentle stretches, gentle messages and getting off them as often as I can. My OS said it just takes time.
 
Buddabear....When did you return to work? Was the recovery of #2 worse than the first?

And....most imortantly, do you think I'll be ready for a beach vacation three months after TKR #2? Thanks!
 
I returned to work 7 weeks after the second surgery and bombed. So I went to part time for a month after that. My second surgery was worse - OS did a lot more cutting, as he described it. If you take it slow and steady - not like I did - I bet you'll be ready. Even if you are not 100%, what a great place to do some more recovery and relaxing. Swimming is the best exercise, you can do any PT you want when you want, rest when you want, elevate in a nice beach chair. You might not be water skiing! I'd plan it.
 
Thanks! Thinking about walking on the beach will help me get through the next few months, I'm sure!

Hey, I could use some advice tonight....

I have thought that I've so far been lucky to not have the depression and crying jags that hit so many TKR patients. I'm feeling like I'm not so lucky today. I am so afraid that they've begun to hit! I've just felt so down and sad the last couple of days. I don't have energy to do anything, infact, I just don't want to do anything. I just want to lay with my blanket and ice pack on the couch. Tears come and go for literally no reason at all. This has never been me.....I am generally a pretty positive person....so it's a bit scary. My husband is becoming concerned as this is just so different for me.

Just hoping someone can tell me that I'm experiencing something that is normal! How long am I'm going to feel this way??? I don't like it a bit!
 
Yes, it is normal. Also don't forget that you are grieving your dear MIL as well as supporting your husband and recovering from major surgery. Your plate is fairly full! I think I had a couple of weeks of tears...not all the time but certainly unexpectedly and frequently. I am about four months now and it is pretty much gone though I have noticed I cry more easily than usual still. Watching Robin Roberts last night had me in tears several times...listening to a very soulful singing performance today had me in tears....hmmm. It does get better, honest!
 
This is so normal from my perspective. If all you feel like doing is lying on the couch with your ice packs then maybe that is just what you should be doing. At least you are not overdoing. Pain is depressing. And this recovery is so slow. You expect to wake up every morning feeling just a little better and that is not always going to happen. Some days you might feel a little worse. But if you are following all the recommendations here, the healing is happening - it's just taking it's time. I live alone so no one witnessed my really low days. I could rally for company, and then make them leave. I had the days you are having - but they happen less and less often. I was lucky that my surgeon didn't make any promises about the length of my recovery, and he didn't put any unrealistic expectations on me, like I should be driving by a certain date. He did say that most people experience a turning point around 3 months. Now, for you and me that is 3 months from the last knee. I did, but then started treating this like a training challenge instead of recovery and I really set myself back. You found this site early enough to hear how easy it is to get trapped into the no pain, no gain approach - and hear how many of us suffer from it. If you are tired, sleep. You can't see the internal recovery that is happening so you can't give it it's due. If you don't feel like doing anything, just ice, elevate, and veg out. if you feel like crying, let the tears come, just don't hold it against yourself, this is really really hard. If you feel depressed, hang on. It will pass. You will be very very proud of yourself soon. Be gentle with yourself. Think of the beach.
 
Buddabear,
I noticed this morning that there was a Buddabear@____.com at the bottom of my personal email. I had no idea what it meant. There were no email messages from you. I even googled the email address. Tonight I log into Bonesmart and see this handle. I looked at your profile and saw that you had both knees replaced about the same time that I had my 1 surgery, live close by and work at a hospital. I'm guessing that we pass each other at work, the OS office, the grocery store, mall, movies, or gym. What a small world. So, you know that it is snowing. We were just in WB. Like I said, small world.
 
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