TKR Di's Recovery Thread

[Eyesnlegs]

@Newbie tkr
Love that your treating your knee as your new baby lol it's a brilliant metaphor for the temper tantrums it has!!

There is a large gap in our time zones and so this may be too late back to you.

I've just come through 2 years of psych treatment for my CPTSD but as I have so many issues with drugs it's been done with none as usual! It was a painful journey and I know I am left with many issues and as my psych put it those of us with CPTSD are on a life long, never ending journey. So I'm learning to cope the best way I can with just 3 month check ins with the psych currently. I've accepted that life will never be normal as it never is for any 'survivor'. If you want to k ow more about CPTSD Google "Pete Walker CPTSD".

My knee (baby) is behaving currently but I'm lucky as I live in a bungalow. In fact I didn't bother to ice as soon as I woke this morning, and I've been out for lunch today. Not far and only a very short walk, I also elevated my leg on a stool once we got there. But it was heaven to do something normal for once. In fact when I woke this morning I complained to my husband that my shoulder hurt more than my knee from using the crutches. Now that's progress.

Let me know how PT goes and yes I agree, I've made a friend here that I will sometimes wonder about in the future too.
((Hugs)) xxx

 

[ACIM]

@Eyesnlegs
Wow, you got to go to lunch? And be waited on?? I miss that particular treat, (pun intended, ha).
And...you've got hubbie; something I've never been able to manage or choose to do (long-term intimacy or marriage) due to the specific circumstances that caused my PTSD. At least today I can admit that, on some level, I MADE the decision never to marry, have kids (except for the four-legged type). There was a long period of time when I just believed nobody wanted someone like me. Now I do know better, though making the life journey alone gets lonely at times. Glad you have someone to love you and love back.
Sorry to find out that you're been on the "psych" -a-delic roller coaster w/ regards to meds...what a nightmare! But you have more power over your CPSD than it does you. You know this, right?
Big news for me; I out-and-out quit physical therapy today all together. I realized that I have my own set of expectations for the baby knee, my own system of exercises daily...bottom line...there's nothing, I mean NOTHING left for me to do at pt. I'd just be hanging out there.
Besides, I volunteer at the local gym (has everything there- pool, elliptical, etc) and I can go for free. May start water- walking next week. Half a lap and build from there.
Is Spring there in the U.K. yet? I'm such a winter wuss..
Hugs, Di

 

[NightQuilter]

Hi Di - just found your thread. So pleased you learned to let "baby" rule your roost! My knees are 3 1/2 years old now and, like you and so many others, finding Bonesmart AND paying attention to the wisdom here, truly saved me and got me through recovery. Josephine and the rest are brilliant ... and all have literally walked in your shoes.

It is true that you will start to get ROM when baby is ready. It seems almost counter-intuitive that we are not supposed to push the knee and exercise right after surgery, but it is wise advice. After all the major construction in there, it needs to heal and adjust to the new equipment before we start stretching it, lest we further irritate and possibly injure very inflamed tender tissues. I actually was gaining ROM into my 2nd year.

Having had both hips and thumbs, as well as your knee, you can now join the 4 Revisions Club on Bonesmart! Go under the Community/Social menu to find it. Your earlier comment about the knee surgery being the worst to recover from is so true. It is such a small area where they did so much reconstruction. When I was contemplating having my back fusion a year ago, I thought that would certainly be worse. My OS said the recovery would be easier than a hip, but worse than a knee. He was right on.

Give baby time ... it does get better!! btw, I grew up in Erie.

 

[ACIM]

Grrr...not a good day today. First, cancelled my pt permanently (which WAS the right thing to do) as after deducing my best plan for a proper recovery (a learned combination of BoneSmart guidelines and my new commitment to following my knee's guidance on how to heal itself) there would virtually be no exercises that I couldn't do on my own without having to go to pt any longer. Nothing.
But upon adventuring outside for my second walk of the day my knee "gave out" just at the halfway point of my journey- even though it JUST STARTED hurting so bad, like a BAD joke, I still had to finish the other half of my walk just to make it back home. Period.
By the time I got home and into bed my "baby-demigod" was howling and having an all-out hissy fit! It was extremely painful! Much like my first days post-op.
I took two Delaudid (left over from when I stopped using it ten days ago- but so GLAD I held onto it, just in case) and was promptly put to sleep, which is exactly what my knee needed. Starting to think I'm the mum of Rosemary's Baby, lol!
Awoke a couple hours later feeling better but somewhat confounded by all the drama...didn't think I had done too much today, but fact is, "baby" was quite temperamental the rest of the day and I was very very uncomfortable for the rest of the day.
This, at 37 days post-op is really got me thinking about patience, patience and more patience with the process.
I know patience is a key component of a successful recovery...BUT, isn't it time to find a babysitter for the little brat? Sorry, meant to say, can't someone just knock me out for a month or so? All of this upside down sleeping, the mushy brain from pain meds, lack of a really great workout for over 5 weeks now and feeling as though ALL I DO IS NOTHING is starting get to me.
So much to learn about this...still, (even though I try to plan every day NOT to overdo on the physical stress of recovery) I end up never knowing until day's end whether I pushed the knee too much or not. And everyday it's different- cannot ever plan a routine recovery day. There is no reason or rhyme to how my knee is going to feel at the end of any given day...frustrating...but grateful I have a place to vent here. Now.
Thanks for listening. Feel free to use my thread for any outpourings of your own "poor me" day syndromes.
I'm sick of hearing myself, lol!
Hugs, Di

 

[Celle]

feeling as though ALL I DO IS NOTHING is starting get to me.

Try not to think of it as doing nothing, but rather as working positively to give your knee the best chance of recovering well. I know it's hard and I know it's a real test of patience, but it is a good investment in future mobility.

It's only just over a month since your surgery, really still in the "dark days of recovery". Soon, you'll begin to feel you are making progress, little by little.

Feel free to vent - we understand, because we've all been there!

 

[Eyesnlegs]

Di,
I really feel for you! I've not tried to do too much walking yet and so I haven't been through this as such.
BUT I can so relate to the feeling as though I've done nothing.

My wonderful lunch out yesterday resulted in a flare up of IBS for the rest of the day and that along with the knee and feeling as though I've done nothing except sit on -what could easily become - a very sore backside from sitting - was driving me mad too. I can't even take the drugs to escape!
So what did I do, spent half hour crying and blubbing everywhere! Then feeling guilty that my friends daughter had had a brain haemorrhage and my other friends friend had just been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and there's me wailing over a knee!
So see that's my moan too, so please don't feel alone.

 

[Celle]

Both of you: Maybe it's time to re-read this article?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Unfortunately, getting the blues is all part of the deal with this recovery. It's natural and it's normal, so don't be ashamed of the tears. Tears are therapeutic.
I also had mood swings and I got very short-tempered. I yelled at my poor husband, when he was only trying to help. The poor man fled to his office at the other end of the house, and stayed there for a while.

 

[KarriB]

I did nothing for two months, had no choice, but it what I needed to do and I'd do it that way all over again. Little to no walking except around the house, a lunch out once a week to coordinate with dr. appointments but by 3 months I was working part time. Five weeks is just barely over a month, if you rush this recovery you will make it longer.
Just know that by taking it easy you are gifting yourself an easier, more successful recovery. Take a look at the article on activity progression, looking back it was exactly what I did.

 

[ACIM]

@Celle @Eyesnlegs
Awww... You guys are so awesome- talking about NOT even being able to take pain meds (omg!), friends being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and husbands fleeing to the other end of the house...
Geesh! Not to lol but life REALLY IS stranger than fiction. You can't make this stuff up.
Awoke just now with cranky, tired leg that just wants to be left alone. Icing now, took pain meds and just waiting...will do the least amount possible today (ugh!) but am not pleased about this
Today, need to go pick up a script. That's it.
Tomorrow have two different doctor appointments.
Check in later. Thanks.

 

[ACIM]

@KarriB
Thanks for your continued input and encouragement for EVERYTHING...

I've "seen" how many people you reach out to on this site...I'm certain you're helped a great number of them. Truly, you are one of our "resident angels" here.

Di

 

[ACIM]

Hi all: hope everyone is doing well...I have yet to catch up on your threads as I'm just coming out of a horrific couple of days...hurt my "baby" yesterday while out walking, think I pushed it a little too much and BOY OH BOY has it been making me pay the price for it (the vengeful little tyke )

Haven't really been out of bed since 3pm yesterday (it's now 11pm tonight).

My knee is exhausted and has "said" as much every time I've gotten out of bed just to go potty. Haven't even done any toe slides for two days-afraid my knee will start screaming. Also beginning now to feel the burning sensations and nerve tingling up and down my leg that everyone's been talking about (but at least my trigger point nerve therapy has helped with this).

Depression melt-down today and crying my sappy eyes out to my sister when her husband (a trauma surgeon) overheard me blubbering. So of course I turn to him, in total hysteria and start screaming..,"why don't the doctors TELL YOU how bad this recovery is.??!! Why do doctor's say 3-6 weeks of recovery when the TRUTH IS it's 3-6 MONTHS??!!. It hurts so bad! Do something!" My poor brother in law looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights, mumbled something about "having to get to the hospital immediately for a trauma call" and promptly exited the house like a hurricane, bless his heart.

It's been a 36 hour nightmare much like my early days post-op. I must say though that I'm starting to feel a little better now...thank god I have a strong spiritual practice, done some solid meditation and the melt-down was possibly quite cathartic for me. I'm even starting to visualize the burning and nerve discomfort in my leg as really beautiful, brand new nerves growing inside the knee area, instead of just accepting the burning sensation for what it is.

Really hope I continue to feel better as I'm totally beaten down with these quasi temper-tantrums that "baby knee" seems to be able to impose on me at will.

How comforting to know that, at the end of the day, I can "dump" here. Have met three or four individuals here in my tiny town that either just had the same surgery or are pre-surgery for TKR. I've advised all of them about this website and given them the site address. More later on this as " bratty baby" says time for bed now (reminds me of a very old tv show for kids that used to be on telly here in the states called "Simon Says". Simon Says to do something so, you at home watching the tv show, do it.

More on this later...
Sweet dreams to my fellow TJR companion "travellers" on our journey forward. You're good listeners.
xxoo, Di

 

[newlybionic]

So sorry that you've hit a bump on the road. This recovery is like a roller coaster with ups and downs and turns. You may just be at the bottom of a hill but you're starting on a new 'up' and will be on your way again soon. Cry, yell, rant and rave if you need to. It does get better. Make sure you still take your pain meds because as you start to do more you can easily have increased pain. Hang in there. There of lot of us on the same ride. Eventually we will all be on our at to a complete recovery. I hope you get some sleep tonight.

 

[ACIM]

@newlybionic
Thanks again for your continued responses to, what i can't help but feel are, my completely selfish, narsisistic outpouring of " poor me's"...
Am now starting to post to newer members than myself so I can start giving back to the BoneSmart community a fraction of the love and encouragement that's been given me. That's the way it should work, no?

 

[Eyesnlegs]

@Newbie tkr I cant help but think you are very hard on yourself. I've spent some time over the weeks looking at some of the Library posts on this site and it's a revelation. Take a look at the 'Activities after a TKR' as it's so enlightening in terms of what is normal at this stage.

If your coping by doing what your doing great, but if 'knee baby' is shouting at you then stop when he's just grizzly instead eh?

I'm doing fine, just short walks and still regular icing and exercises. I know how lucky I am to have a hubbie spoiling me, hugging me when I cry and feeding me good food regularly. He's been a real rock. Lunch out by the way was a sandwich and coffee as I couldn't sit for too long lol.

Keep going and please take care not to do too much.

 

[Josephine]

by @Josephine

@Eyesnlegs and everyone else, please do not tag me in the course of general conversation.

On average I get between 10 and 15 tags a day so you can imagine that getting to a post and finding I'm not actually needed but that my name has just been mentioned in passing and made into a tag is very irritating and time wasting.

Of course you are all very welcome to tag me if you have a specific question or concern. Those I have no concern about whatsoever. Thanks for understanding.

 

[Creation]

Hi all: hope everyone is doing well...I have yet to catch up on your threads as I'm just coming out of a horrific couple of days...hurt my "baby" yesterday while out walking, think I pushed it a little too much and BOY OH BOY has it been making me pay the price for it (the vengeful little tyke )
[/SIZE]

Yep, knee is the boss! You did good to vent out here, we all have days like that. Frustration with a healing process that is just so long! From my 1st experience 5 years ago, I remembered this experience as "hell" but it does , really, truly, it does get better! In 6 months to a year all this will just be a memory and you will be enjoying life again with an awesome friend, your new knee!
Hang in there, we are with you!

 

[Eyesnlegs]

@Josephine, I assumed you would add some other information for @Newbie tkr from your knowledge in this area and I was also paying tribute to your work which was normal in my line of work! Apologies if this was a time waster.

 

[Celle]

It's OK ladies. Don't worry about the tagging. You're both relatively new to BoneSmart and there's a lot to learn Everyone makes a little mistake now and then, even the staff, who've been around much longer. I know that I did - and still do! I've made a couple of beauties and had to apologise for them.

When you're addressing your post to a particular person, there's no need to tag them if their post is close to your new post. The people who follow your threads will see the post anyway, so you could just mention their name, without putting the "@" in front of their name. I check your threads every day.

 

[NightQuilter]

No need to apologize for venting Newbie - we have all been there and frankly, most in our recovery worlds have no idea what we are going through and, while sympathetic, can't really relate. It is a lonely time. I suspect we have all felt appropriately narcissistic at the time. I LOVE that you are visualizing the burning sensation as those happy new little nerves rebuilding and reconnecting. That is probably exactly what is happening. On your way to a better tomorrow. The setbacks baby gives you are reminders to slow down and let her do her own work! Visualize this: I was 3 weeks post-op on Lefty (hence 10 weeks post-op on Righty). Carefully going down the stairs when Lefty's foot slides out and down 3 steps! That meant Righty was back up several steps in a forced 320 degree bend! OUCH! I was sure I had destroyed everything. Depressed and hurting, I took to the couch for 2 days on good meds, tons of ice with my feet straight up on the wall (uber-elevated!!), and read between tears. No damage and still a great recovery. It does get better!!

 

[ACIM]

Nightquilter- ouch! How jarring that little stair accident must have been for you!

Starting to go "up" again, meaning a new little metaphorical hill to climb again. It's a beautiful Spring day here in PA.
Hugs, Di