TKR Eeek’s recovery thread.

[Eeek]

@sistersinhim - thank you! Sweet of you to worry, but I was ok.

So this is the first time i‘ve driven - just 10 minutes to the train station, then a half hour train and a 5 minute walk.

Dentist was good....looks like I chipped a piece off the tooth and she sealed it.

Half an hour later, back to catch a train and I walked around the train station a bit. Walking is much easier.

Leg hurts a little when I lift it into the car and I need to extend it in the train a bit. Tired now.....going to have a nap.

 

[sistersinhim]

What a busy day you have had for just over a month out! Take off the next couple of days and rest as much as you can. You knee will need to recuperate. But, now you know you an do it!

 

[KarriB]

Hope to can have an easy day tomorrow.

 

[Eeek]

Thanks, yes! A little laundry, I do not have to go far. Mostly icing and crochet.

But this is exciting! I am a big fan of lying on my stomach in bed and reading. I did it automatically last night and it was ok! My operated leg stretches out straight.....didn’t do that before. The bend is limited by my flexion and the numb spot on my knee feels weird. Not a position I will favor for now, but I’m glad I can do it. I just rolled on to my stomach automatically to read the forum. Exciting!

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow! On your tummy at a little over a month out! That's outstanding! You are coming along really well.

 

[Eeek]

Yesterday was my first day out for non medical things. I took the train to meet some friends, had a small walk, lunch and then back home on the train and met my husband for dinner. Then straight to bed. Feel ok today. Going to mostly ice, elevate and crochet.

Walking was pretty good...operated knee is so stable! A little wonky going down ramps. I think I feel it in my quads mostly. I do become stiff sitting for a while, and I have to figure out a comfortable position in the train. I have become so mindful of personal space though.....people are generally ok....I let everyone pass, I give myself loads of time.

I have to use a backpack with crutches though. If I can’t stuff it there, I can’t take it. And I think I will need the crutches for another couple of weeks just for stability when I am out and about. It also serves as a warning for people to not run into me and give me space in a crowded setting...not being manipulative, but there is cluelessness in crowds and I find the crutches really help.

My knee is five weeks old today! Excitement!

 

[SusieShoes]

When I was using my cane, I found it helped to keep people from bumping me. That’s a very good use of a cane or crutch!

Going downhill still yields interesting sensations. Not instability, exactly, because I feel completely secure, but the leg muscles are still telling me they need more work. Uphill feels quite normal. I love that your new knee feels stable! It’s kind of an amazing feeling.

That day out with friends sounds like fun. Exhausting fun, perhaps, but what a boost for the spirit!

 

[KarriB]

I used a backpack for quite a while because it gave me an extra hand when using a cane. I need up with two very fashionable backpack bags that I still use when flying.

I’m glad your outing went well and you were able to take I easy the next day. The key at this point is learning how to balance your recovery between activity and rest.

 

[Oomworthy]

I have to admit to using a walking stick when I was going to be in crowds, even when I didn't need it and for a long time after my recovery from the knee trauma (not TKR). It doubles as a warning for normal people and a physical barrier for the significant number of folk who make no allowance for somebody on a stick.

 

[Eeek]

Today, i’m going out with my husband and the dog, to see if I can manage her with one crutch. I’m lying on my stomach in bed typing and my left leg is extended out straight.... could not do that before.


I think i’m developing a hypertrophic scar though. I’m not really worried as it is within the inscision area. It doesn’t hurt or seem to impact movement. I’m not exactly surprised either. As long as it doesn’t impact motion, I don’t much care. It seems to be more pronounced at the top of my knee. My other scars (laproscopic gall bladder, lumpectomy) are also a bit wide. i’m tagging you, @SusieShoes, since you discussed this in your thread. Did yours look similar (realizing that we all look different).

If it‘s because you produce more collagen does that mean you have more collagen in general? I have pretty good skin for my age (always a silver lining)


I see my OS in two weeks and will ask him.....

Here‘s a pic of the knee from today at 5 1/2 weeks. The weird wrinkles are from lying on my stomach on a somewhat wrinkled sheet.

 

[sistersinhim]

I think that scar will fade as time goes on. Mine did and have heard that many others did, too. Even the staple scars go away! I was glad of that.

 

[SusieShoes]

My scars look a lot like yours, @Eeek. All of my scars are wide-ish, so I expected these would be that way too. They’re starting to get silvery a little and if they follow my other scars, they’ll pale completely with time, as will yours.

I have no clue whether the way these scars form points to better skin collagen. My skin is reasonably smooth still, but it could be just because I’m zaftig!

 

[Eeek]

Me too! Generously proportioned! ;-)

My lumpectomy scar is also wide and silvery, so I expect the knees will improve over time.

 

[SherrieT]

Being able to walk my dog by myself was such a big milestone for me. Such joy!! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Eeek]

So, I can’t quite walk the dog alone. Not yet anyway. Bit of a bummer. Having a hard time walking down a hill.

Not happy with PT at the moment. They had me doing something akin to squats and I felt like the muscles in my thigh were tearing. Stopped that. Lots of elevating and ice for knee, a little heat for my quads. It’s better now. Will have a discussion with them tomorrow.

The exercise I like doing is like a modified lunge. Operated leg up on a low stool, and bend leg forward. Also standing from a seated position. But this squat thing where you bend to sit, forget it.

My husband is off to a conference this week, but I have a good friend visiting me so i’m not alone, and the dog can be walked.

 

[Celle]

Not happy with PT at the moment. They had me doing something akin to squats and I felt like the muscles in my thigh were tearing. Stopped that.

Yes, forget the squats. They're not good for a new knee.

The exercise I like doing is like a modified lunge. Operated leg up on a low stool, and bend leg forward. Also standing from a seated position. But this squat thing where you bend to sit, forget it.

Go gently and slowly with the modified lunges. Be careful not to do them too fast or too hard.

 

[SusieShoes]

The modified lunge sounds like a good exercise. Doing them slowly works the muscles really well and keeps the stress to the knee at a minimum. The goal is to build up all those leg muscles to better support and protect the knee. You're doing great for this early in recovery. Not long now until you can walk your dog. Downhill will get easier as your muscles get stronger.

 

[Eeek]

Well, I cancelled PT for this week. Going to see the OS on Monday and will decide on PT after that.

From the start, I asked if PT would involve pain and pushing through the pain, and they said no, and the first few weeks were ok, but last week was a nightmare. I did this squat thing 3 or 4 times at home. Very bad idea. Ugh. Pain.

I guess I‘m hitting a wall - I had very little pain to start, just did lots of adl at home, lots of rest, and now there are higher expectations and my body does not agree with this stuff. Also, my right (unoperated) leg is really painful. My operated leg is nice and stable, just a bit stiff (flexion near 100).

Ok, you all told me so and you were right!

 

[Jockette]

Your knee, your choice!

I feel bad for others who are locked into a worker’s comp situation and have little say in the matter of how they want to do PT. ( You’re not one of them, are you? I can’t remember. )

 

[SusieShoes]

I did this squat thing 3 or 4 times at home.

We all make recovery decisions we later regret. Mine was letting my therapist talk me into doing balancing (up on toes) on a foam pad. I knew it was probably a bad idea but I did it anyway. Pain for days! Lesson learned. Your knees will recover from the squats and they will forgive you.

Sometimes the non-operated knee will get "better," or at least not worse, after a TKR on its twin. Sometimes, though, the knee will get worse because of the extra demands made on it during recovery. These knees function together in most things: walking, sitting, just moving in any way. It's difficult to use or exercise one and not the other.