TKR Ellejay's recovery threads, first and second

[Ellejay]

Hi @robynhood, you are really welcome here, it's good to chat with lots of friends on this site.
My bakers cyst,( apparently it used to be the cause of the condition called water on the knee, )wasn't the main reason for the pain, but it certainly contributed to it. Because of the amount of fluid it meant bending my knee was very difficult and there was pressure on nerves. I also have a shredded meniscus, but once the cyst was drained cortisone was injected into the space, and was also injected into the front of the knee. I am now walking around with no pain from that knee and only post operative discomfort in the other - it's wonderful. I'm not sure now that our conditions are similar, but I do hope that you get it sorted quickly.

 

[Ellejay]

The physio I went to today was absolutely wonderful, she was able to point out several faults in my walking and give me lots of strengthening exercises, mainly based on the Pilates exercises I already know. I had been concentrating on the exercises that I has done whilst at the group PT sessions, which she said were good, but only for up to 5 or 6 weeks, now I need different ones. None of them were encouraging my knee to straighten, I thought it was, but apparently I've got another 5 degrees to go. It's a good job I'm not working, I don't know how I'd fit all these exercises in. I have booked a hydro session with her for next week, let's hope I still like her after that.
Busy weekend ahead again, another set of friends staying, arriving tomorrow and leaving Sunday afternoon. The weather forecast is for a lovely, spring weekend, so that's a good start. I'm doing more in the kitchen these days, but I don't want to overdo things, so I've ordered frozen desserts, and we've booked a restaurant for Saturday night that specialises in Southern Indian food - from Kerala & Tamil Nadu. We were out there just before Christmas, and the friends who will be with us have also visited, so I hope this restaurant will be good, we haven't been before.
In case the weekend gets hectic and I don't get back on here for a couple of days, I hope all my friends on here have a good weekend, with no troublesome knees and plenty of sleep - we can hope can't we?
Take care everyone, xx

 

[DogLoverx3]

Have a great weekend! Sounds like you're going to be busy, busy! Do your best not to over-do!

Awesome about your physio today! I need to talk to my PT person as he's had me doing the same exercises pretty much since day 1 and I highly doubt that heel slides are all that necessary for me at this point! I'd love for someone to be able to 'grade' my walking and let me know what I'm not doing properly. Good for you! One of the best ones for extension is to lay on your stomach on the bed with your leg (from about mid thigh) hanging off the bed and let gravity do it's thing. I hold it for 5 minutes. It's hugely uncomfortable, but it works. If you have ankle weights you can wear a 1 or 2 pounder as well.

xxoxoxox

 

[NetballKnees]

Hi Lyn ... I have just surfaced from moving, sore knees and being back at work. How wonderful it is to see how much you have improved. I am so happy for you that the drain and injection worked. How marvellous it must be to be almost pain free and coping so well with everything. I just wanted to thank you so much for the post you left before the move. I really appreciated it. I did see it just before the moving started but I haven't had internet since the move and still haven't, so am doing this quickly at work now that I've finished the pile up of stuff that always seems to accumulate when I am not here. I can't tell you how good it made me feel that someone was thinking of me. (Can't get the emoticons to work again).

Anyway, thanks again and I am super happy with how things have worked out for you. Hugs .. Ellen

 

[Ellejay]

Thank you @DogLoverx3, that's a useful tip for helping with extension, I will give it a go.

 

[yiayia3]

Hi @Ellejay I have to work on my extension I do the stair stretches 3 times a day and the stool stretch will try the one from @DogLoverx3 we get some great tips on here, have a great weekend sounds fun Terri

 

[Ellejay]

Oh dear...... I've overdone it . These knees don't give you any notice, they suddenly decide "that's it, I've had enough!" and then give up - or my one does anyway. And then the left one joined in in sympathy, I do hope that one week of pain relief is not all I'm getting from that injection.
I took it easy all morning, sitting knitting at a craft club, ok, knee not elevated, but just sitting, so I thought I'd be fine to do some cooking for the weekend, but no. The pain suddenly went from a 2 to a 6, and I thought I should sit down pretty quick before it got worse. So I'm half way through a cottage pie, it's spread all over the kitchen and here I am back in the recliner with ice on both knees. Guests are due in a couple of hours, no cake, no scones, and more importantly no dinner. My husband is already making beds, cleaning the house, now he'll have to cook as well. He is a saint, but it isn't fair on him.
Sorry for the moan, hopefully I'll be happier next time I post.

 

[DogLoverx3]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry. Although it's a lot for your wonderful hubby, I'm sure he doesn't mind helping. Besides, you got everything started! ;) You need to be so careful when you start to feel better that you don't overdo. You're right, these pesky knees give us no warning. I hope you feel better very soon!!

 

[yiayia3]

Its seems one step forward two back its so hard to get it right thank goodness you have a wonderful hubby I think sometimes mine thinks I'm back to normal,don't think so!! Take care

 

[Jozilla]

Ellejay - hope you have a great weekend. Sounds busy but fun! I do hope that cortisone shot helps you. The last one I had and the last Synvisc shot did not help me at all which was very disappointing. So at the end of August or September I will have a left tkr. I am trying to be positive about it but it is just such a long recovery period. I hope you enjoy your Indian restaurant dinner. Sounds so good right now. Take care and have fun!

 

[kneeper]

@Ellejay that's the nature of recovery. Sure you may feel it's tough on your husband & it may be right now but it's all in the cause of you having a good recovery so you can take up your usual stuff again. Short term sacrifice for long term rewards.
I hope things are better for you today.

 

[Ellejay]

@DogLoverx3, @yiayia3, @Jozilla, @kneeper
Thank you so much for your messages, I was feeling very fed up yesterday, I really wanted to entertain properly, but I was sensible and sat and rested, and really it wasn't a problem. My husband managed to finish cooking the meal, and our friends really enjoyed it. We've sat around all day today and chatted, it would have been good to have gone out for a walk in the sunshine , but never mind. I'm still resting my knee as it is a bit sore, hopefully it will return to 'normal' soon and start to behave itself again. It's just a shame that I've had such a great week, but as soon as friends arrive I'm back to my chair, not doing too much. Never mind, we're going out for a meal tonight, so that should be good, I'll take ice with me, just in case.
Thanks again for your good wishes and thoughts, I do appreciate them. Hope all is well with you all. xx

 

[dogwheels]

Hi Lyn - enjoy your meal tonight, I'm really envious! Sorry the knees had to butt in and remind you that they are the bosses in this merry-go-round of recovery.
I did so much at PT on Thursday, that I was hurting even more than usual. Therefore I am taking things easy as I don't want to mess things up before my OS appointment on Monday morning.
Went for a nice (but short) walk with my daughter in the spring sunshine, as I am not allowed to go 'solo walkies' yet. Then had a jolly time with the Savlon, sorting out the last few small dry bits on my scar - while I watched the rugby. The TEDs go on Monday morning and I want to make sure that everything looks as presentable as possible. Ooooooh - I just can't wait!
Have a lovely time tonight and make sure you get your knee in a comfy spot in the restaurant.
X

 

[Ellejay]

Hi everyone, sorry not to to tag you all, this is just a quick "hello" before I turn in for the night.
I've had a very busy weekend, with friends staying for two nights. I was sensible, and elevated and iced whenever I could. They helped with food so I didn't have to do too much, my knee coped with an evening at a restaurant, and then it even managed a walk in today's glorious sunshine. I'm still not sure whether my left knee is ok or whether the injection is still working, I keep getting niggly pain in it, so I've been resting it where possible.
I will check all of your threads tomorrow when I'm not so tired and catch up on all the news. I hope everyone has had a good weekend, xxx

 

[DogLoverx3]

I'm glad you had a nice visit with your friends and that you were able to take it easy(ish) I hope you are able to sleep well and that your knee(s) feel better!!! xoxo

 

[Ellejay]

Hi everyone, I've spent ages on here trying to catch up with you all, I only missed a weekend, but you've all been so busy posting, there has been lots going on.
I didn't suffer any after effects from my busy weekend, which is good. I loved having our friends to stay, And then as soon as they left my daughter turned up with her rabbits, they are house rabbits, but she had bought them a run so that they could have a short time out in our garden (she lives very close to me but in a flat), enjoying the warm sunshine. So I sat outside, keeping an eye on them and having a nice chat with her. The rabbits enjoyed their time, nibbling on fresh grass and just being outside in fresh air.
Knowing that I'd coped well over the weekend, today I've continued to get my life back. I'd started off with doing lots of exercises, including all the new ones the physio gave me last week, mainly Pilates ones, which I was familiar with anyway, and I finished off with ten minutes on the bike.Then we went for a lovely local country walk, still a bit muddy in places but so good to be out in the warmish air. Then, this afternoon I drove myself to the gym and I completed a complete circuit of the machines, so I am feeling very pleased with myself. I've put my name down for a Pilates class tomorrow morning, the real me is now beginning to emerge at last. I think getting back to driving again has been a real boost, I can be independent again.
@Nana moon 27, your posts at the beginning of the weekend weren't good, but I'm so pleased that you have improved and now feel so much better. The fact that you have been able to cut down on your meds will help you to feel so much better, and the fact that you are resting more is obviously helping, keep up the good work. I hope that the chest infection is on it's way out by now.
@dogwheels, so much to say.....first of all Happy Anniversary, what a special day. I love the new avatar, what a handsome couple. I laughed this morning when I read your 'Ode to TEDS', I so empathised, and loved the poem. What a positive session you had with the OS, I'm so pleased that everything is going so well for you. It is really great being able to drive again, I only plucked up courage on Friday, when I was 8 weeks post op, but now I'm out and about, enjoying the freedom.
@DogLoverx3, I do hope that your headache wasn't too bad, and quickly went away. It's such good news that you have found a new home, just take care with all the preparation for moving, don't do too much. I am very envious of your 80 temperature, we have warm sunshine here at last, but nothing like that, we're managing to get to 50/55 and we think that's good.
@yiayia3, did you really cycle 10miles? I'm really impressed, that is incredible, well done.
@Karringtyn, you look so beautiful in your picture of you on your bike, what's this nonsense about being washed out when you arrived for PT? Your living room looks a really comfortable place to be.
@Jozilla, I'm so sorry that your last injection didn't work, was that a guided one? The only one I've had that didn't work was one given to me by my OS, who was being kind and did the injection himself to help get me out of pain. Unfortunately he just did it at an ordinary consultation, and it had no effect at all. When the radiology doctor does them, using the ultrasound machine, they have (so far) always been successful.
@Foxmyster1967, I'm glad you enjoyed your walk today, it's great that we are all able to get out and about now that the rain has stopped and spring is here. How is Monty, I hope he's ok and has forgiven his friend.
Hi @NetballKnees, hope you are OK.
I'm sorry if I've missed anything important, or if I've missed anybody.
Have a good evening (day?) everyone.xx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hello @Ellejay it's lovely to hear from you and really fantastic that you are getting your life back to some semblance of normal. I'm truly hoping this is going to start for me now. I feel so good now it's amazing. I'm still resting x xx xxx

 

[yiayia3]

@Ellejay you are doing great well done , not 10 miles just a joke up to 12 mins now but all going o.k going to drive this week take care have a nice evening Terri

 

[Foxmyster1967]

Monty's ok and talking to Henry again!! Henry is the one that comes off worst normally so what goes round....
Monts is a tuff old duck. Yes my walk today was great, I'm off to the gym for a meet with a woman who works for the NHS she is getting me discount so I'm looking forward to that, I've got hydro pool at 2:30 as well. Glad you had a nice weekend it makes all the difference. And yes driving is tops I've been back behind the wheel a couple of weeks now. . Foxy.x

 

[Ellejay]

Oh @yiayia3, sorry, I completely believed you, but was very much in awe. But, nevertheless, 12 mins is very good, I'm up to just 5 mins, after all the other exercises, then I'm in need of 'legs up the wall'.
Take care, Lyn