TKR Diney's got another new knee!

[referee54]

Re: TKR week four question

I believe that it is really tough allowing ourselves time to heal. We begin to feel better and then we think we can and should be able to do it all. Our bodies will eventually catch up with our minds.

This is an excellent point. Our minds "heal" faster than our bodies. We need to have patience and understand that, while we may be feeling better, we are not ready for what we are asking our knees to do. We are, in a metaphoric way, writing checks that our knees are not prepared to cash.

It is tough taking it slowly, but that is what is necessary. All of us here have gone a little bit further than our knees would like, and we found out about it.

 

[Oldknees]

Re: TKR week four question

Hello,sounds like you had a nice Sunday with church and tea with friends. I am glad your autumn is a nice one; it sounds so pretty with the changing tree colors and sunshine. I did drive myself to the store on Sunday just to get out of the house and be among the walking folks! It was fun but I was also happy to get back home for icing and elevating. Take care, have a great Tuesday, b

 

[srn]

Re: TKR week four question

This is an excellent point. Our minds "heal" faster than our bodies. We need to have patience and understand that, while we may be feeling better, we are not ready for what we are asking our knees to do. We are, in a metaphoric way, writing checks that our knees are not prepared to cash.

It is tough taking it slowly, but that is what is necessary. All of us here have gone a little bit further than our knees would like, and we found out about it.

So true. I thought I was taking it slowly, but I felt great at the weekend so we had friends over for dinner on Saturday, so I helped shop, cook and clean the house, still felt great during the dinner, we had a great evening. I didn't feel bad on Sunday, walked the dogs and seeing as how the day before had gone so well I decided to go a bit further than I usually do. I got home and didn't bother to ice or elevate, instead helped to tidy after the previous evening. Yesterday and today were completely different! Rest for me for the next couple of days and I'll wrap my poor knee in ice for the foreseeable future! A lesson learned.

 

[sashayinglady]

Re: TKR week four question

It does feel great to feel "human" again......let your knees do the talking after a long day of "fun", then rest, relax, elevate & ice!
Y'all enjoy this beautiful weather before winter sets in...my least favorite season.

 

[schmitty99]

Re: TKR week four question

hello all,i also am at about 4 weeks im walking well with much less pain than a week ago ,doing pt about every day. my leg extension is only at 10 and my bend is only at 95 im kinda concerned that im somewhat behind. really would not want to go thru this mua since would probly ad time to me being out of work for longer. im hoping to be back at work in about 3 weeks from now. this form is really good and got lots of info here.thanks Rob..........

 

[Diney]

Re: TKR week four question

Hi Rob
I think everyone on this site would agree that at four weeks you don't need to worry about numbers. In the UK we don't even get measured apart from leaving hospital. I can tell my knee is bending more each week but I have no idea what the rom is!
B - Tuesday's been a good day. Managed to attend a one day course. Just sitting and taking notes but quite an achievement. I grabbed a couple of chairs at lunchtime and put my leg up and iced it which helped.

 

[editor98]

Re: TKR week four question

Diane
You're my inspiration! :biggrin: Niki

 

[Diney]

Re: TKR week four question

Niki
You drove today even though you had to use crutches to get to the car. Thats what I call a real victory. Maybe we can just inspire each other!

 

[Diney]

Re: TKR week four question

A red letter day! I sneaked into the driving seat two days early and drove the last five miles home after going out to lunch with my son. It's such a good feeling to be independent again. Now I know it's ok I will make more little trips out and can at least do the grocery shopping on my own now.

 

[Deeden]

Re: TKR week four question

Well done Diane!

I've started driving short trips, like you, and there's no doubt it makes you feel that you're getting control over your life back.

There'll be no stopping you now!

 

[editor98]

Re: TKR week four question

Good for you, Diane! I know that my two trips behind the wheel this week made me almost feel normal again! Driving is a BIG milestone! You are doing great! Niki

 

[Oldknees]

Re: TKR week four question

Diane, great news and a fun milestone for you. Driving will allow you some more independence and certainly open up some more options about your daily plans. Once again, I am envious and still looking forward to driving. Was your knee stiff or sore after the drive? When I sit in one position for a few minutes, my knee starts to ache. It is getting better but not quickly enough. Patience.

It was Thanksgiving holiday here, plenty of family and food. It was a fun day but I am pleased that every one has gone home and I can ice and elevate. Have a good day, take a walk or a drive; your choice now!

 

[Jamie]

Re: TKR week four question

Hi, Rob....welcome to the forum. Why don't you start a thread of your own and tell us a bit more about yourself. We'd love to get to know you better.

 

[Diney]

Re: TKR week four question

Hi B
Glad you enjoyed Thanksgiving. I only did a short drive and I have an automatic car so I only had to use the brake and accelerator pedals. It didn't hurt the knee but it is a bit more swollen today but that could be because I walked a bit too.
(Come to think of it you probably all have automatics in the States. It's just not as usual over here!)

 

[Oldknees]

Re: TKR week four question

Good early morning from here. We do have a lot of automatic cars here. I was in the midst of a mid-life crisis a few years back and bought a stick shift "play " car, lots of fun and not very practical as it was a convertible in Seattle weather! But....it was fun.

Giving any thought about timing for the return to work? Is there a seasonality to your work? Do you work for a company or free-lance your guide services? If so, how do you procure clients to tour with? I believe you said you did coach tours, so that would mean you might work for a larger firm. And lastly, where does all your subject matter knowledge come from? It must be a lot to retain! B

 

[Diney]

Re: TKR week four question

Well my knee not quite so happy today. It was quite hot last night and a bit red and achey. Today I went out but came back fairly swiftly and decided to ice and elevate and rest as its still aching. Like everyone says you think you can do more than your knee dictates.
B: As to guiding I will probably not do any until after the second op so that will take me out till about May. It is the quiet season now so I wouldn't have lots of work anyway.
I did a two year qualification to get the London Blue Badge which allows me to guide in places like Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral and in Places like Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford. We had to do lots of exams including giving a walking tour and a coach commentary!
How it works is that guides are self employed and get a lot work through their professional organisation. I am also on the books of a London coach tour company and they give me several tours a month. I also get recommendations. So it's really varied - from taking a group of Dutch businessmen on an architectural coach tour of London to a group of international students on a walk around Spitalfields, one of London's oldest areas.
My coach tours to places like Windsor and Stonehenge always include a lot of American tourists!
When do you plan to return to work and what will you be doing B?

 

[bowlingbun]

Re: TKR week four question

What a brilliant forum. I've learnt lots already! I had my right knee replaced on October 15 in the UK so I am three and a half weeks down the line. I think my progress is ok. I am now walking around the house without sticks and walking short distances outside with one stick. I am doing the exercises I was given by the hospital PTs including heel slides and leg raises. The knee is still pretty swollen and tight and I am icing and elevating. My question is about what I think is muscle or tendon strain down the outside of my calf, behind the knee and in the thigh. The one exercise that is now almost impossible is the one sitting on a chair and sliding the foot backwards. It really hurts in all those places and I have less movement than when I came out of hospital with 90 rom. Have other people experienced muscle strains? For pain relief I am taking co-codamol (paracetamol and codeine) morning and night and paracetamol in the day.
It would be great to hear from other TKRs.

I had my second TKR in Southampton on October 10th 2011, so we are not far apart. Although I had the same surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital etc. they progressed differently. This time I was very bruised and couldn't bend my knee beyond 70 degrees, which was disappointing. A few days later I bought one of the "Circulation Booster" machines advertised on TV. It made the world of a difference. Last time my leg was very swollen for ages, so much so that none of my footwear was comfortable for at least 6 months. This time, no swollen leg or feet. Whilst the knee still swelled with activity, if I used the CB at night, just before I went to sleep, it really made a huge difference. It's really important to get the knee working properly asap, but you can't if it's too swollen. With hydrotherapy at the hospital every Monday, and an hours private physio at home on Thursdays, my knee is now brilliant. No, it's not pain free yet, but it's only the muscles aching, not the bone. I can now stand on one leg, the newly operated one, without even a twinge. First time in 5 years, since the car accident that ruined my knees. To anyone just having had a TKR, I'd say that it's just the BEGINNING of your recovery. If you want to get it back to normal, then keep working at it every day. I was told that whatever it's like after 6 months is how it will be for the rest of your life. I can make my knee bend to over 100 degrees, but still can't do knee slides - there are plenty of alternative exercises if one seems impossible for a while. A private session with a physio will cost around £40 per session but is worth every penny because then you can work out the priorities for you over the next week. If it's particularly painful in one area, tell the physio and ask why. I have the painful bits massaged by her, this makes such a difference. Cocodamol was suggested for me, but initially I refused it as it makes me feel vague and stupid, but now I take paracetamol for pain relief during the day and Cocodamol in the evening. I still wake up at night but can now roll over and go to sleep again. Bliss!

 

[Josephine]

Re: TKR week four question

Well hello, bowlingbun, and welcome to BoneSmart! I have to disagree with this

I was told that whatever it's like after 6 months is how it will be for the rest of your life.

it's not the case at all, not unless you get fed up with the activity needed and let the knee sit and vegitate! But truly, many people on here have reported continues increases in ROM much later than one year on. Me included!

 

[referee54]

Re: TKR week four question

I was told that whatever it's like after 6 months is how it will be for the rest of your life.

Nonsense! At six months, my knees were just beginning to feel close to normal! I agree with what has been told to me---it can take upward to a year---and beyond---to feel "normal" again. You can make progress---much progress up to a year and beyond.


As Josephine stated, the key, though, is being active. What did you have a TKR for---to be active and regain your life.

 

[bowlingbun]

Re: TKR week four question

I bought a "Circulation Booster" as advertised on TV. Works wonders. An hour ago my knee was swollen so I couldn't bend it as much as usual. I sat using it while surfing the net, now it's not really swollen at all. I'm usually a bit mean but this was £160 very well spent.
My physio always massages any area which I say is tense, before getting me to do any exercises. She has already explained the importance of lymphatic drainage.
Put something under the feet of the bottom of the bed, so you are tipped up slightly - the hospital beds can be wound up to do this. You can buy "Elephant's Feet" from a disabled shop - the bed legs fit inside for complete safety.
To cool the leg without using ice, just put some water in a hot water bottle, put it in a plastic carrier bag, then put it in the fridge. I found it particularly helpful when I woke up with a hot knee at 3 am - even fallen asleep with the HWB between the knees.
Jill
RTKR October 2011