TKR Everything Comes to She Who Waits

[maryo52]

Patient 99, don't feel as if you set your recovery back. You'd have to do something major to set it back. Following the mantra of good pain management, gentle efforts and ice/elevation will make your recovery as smooth as possible, but even then it's a bit of a roller coaster and s-l-o-w.

 

[Josephine]

I do appreciate your taking the time to help me - a perfect stranger.

Pat, let me tell you that there are no strangers on BoneSmart. You are all of great concern to me, just as if you were patients on my 'ward'! That's how I think of BoneSmart - my ward! Daft or what - but I'm a nurse and can't help myself.

 

[patient 99]

but even then it's a bit of a roller coaster and s-l-o-w.

Hi maryo52, thanks for the reassurance. I sure do need it today. Its the roller coaster bit that I find the hardest. It plays with my head. I get a few goodish days, I get hopeful, my smile returns and then crash! For no obvious reason that I have been able to pinpoint (although Josephine is adamant that its me doing to much) the knee flips me back - in fact worse, it takes me to new heights of pain. I have rested all day today. I am hoping that when I wake up tomorrow it will be like it was a few days ago - that was a bad day at the time, but now in comparison it feels like it was a good day! As I am sort of getting the hang of how this so-called recovery works, I suspect hoping for it to be a little better tomorrow is setting myself up for disappointment.

Maryo52, I wish we had met under other circumstances. I am not normally such a moan. I don't normally lean on people for support. Up until my TKR I had only one other thing go wrong with me (I fell and broke my wrist). I haven't even had the pain of child birth. Oh yes I forgot. I also had tooth ache once. So I have never had to learn to be tough. I am learning now <smile> Pat99

but I'm a nurse and can't help myself.

thank goodness.

 

[referee54]

Its the roller coaster bit that I find the hardest.

This recovery is very much indeed like a roller coaster---how right you are. One day is a good day or even a great day, and the next several are real clunkers.

As I am sort of getting the hang of how this so-called recovery works, I suspect hoping for it to be a little better tomorrow is setting myself up for disappointment.

Just take everyday as it comes---hope for the best and deal with what comes---you are in great company here---we know what you are going thorugh, as many of us---myself included, went through and felt the same things!

 

[Josephine]

For no obvious reason that I have been able to pinpoint (although Josephine is adamant that its me doing to much)

And you know what they say "Sister is always right"!!!

 

[patient 99]

[ At 12 weeks i was where you are at. Patience is key here and rest as much as you can, when you can. I'm getting use to the idea that it will take a good year until i'm fully recovered. Fernie[/quote]

Hi Fernie, I think this is a very sound approach. Short term hopes can so easily lead to disappointment.

I know you are a little ahead of me, so thought I'd run this past you. First thing in the morning I don't have any swelling and its when my knee feels at its best. At that stage I can exercise and my bend its quite good - about 95,100 degrees. But a few hours later I struggle to reach anything like that. By the evening there's no bend at all. Wondered if your experience was similar? Best wishes Pat99

 

[patient 99]

Help. Could somebody explain something to me. I've been reading other messages where they've talked about `extension'. The numbers used in relation to it being 2, 4 etc. I am confused. All my PT and I talk about is how far I can bend my knee and the numbers used are usually 90, 100 degrees. So what exactly is extension? Is it how straight you can put your leg out in front? Pat99

 

[kneeper]

Yes, extension is can you straighten your leg all the way. If you can you'd be at zero. The more bend when trying to straighten the higher the number.

 

[Nu nee]

Pat99, I was just noticing this morning before I got out of bed, my knee was bending nicely and it didn't feel as though there was a lot of pulling inside to do so. By the time I got to work it was tight again.
My husband keeps telling me that I should walk more and it will loosen up quicker! He still doesn't get it as much as I tell him. So I just walk away without saying anything.

 

[Josephine]

So what exactly is extension?

It's when you go past straight into bending backwards - like this where the blue line is at -10 degrees. Sitting with your foot flat on the floor is 90 degrees and putting your foot back to your bum goes up to 155 degrees (don't we all wish!) though most people at 3 months or thereabouts are happy is they can get to 120 degrees.

 

[Josephine]

@patient 99 and Fernie Just a kindly request to both of you about quote posts. You're absolutely spot on when you quote a post and edit out everything you don't want but there is coding that needs to not be interfered with if that quote is going to show up in the usual box. I know you'd both love to know how to do this properly so here's the "how to" that explains it How to quote a post

 

[patient 99]

Just take everyday as it comes---hope for the best and deal with what comes!

Hi referee 54. Can't argue with what you say. Its a truly philosophical approach that you are putting forward. It takes practice to perfect it. But I may have begun. 3.5 mths post op and I think my husband can hardly recognize me. The daily grind of recovery has made me so laid back in other ways. If the grass doesn't get cut, my attitude is so what! If he doesn't get round to doing the jobs he's promised. I say so what! I think he will be sad when my knee recovers <chuckle>. As always thanks for the support. Pat99.


Hi Josephine. I was unable to open the `How to quote a post'. So still don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've used `Preview' to see what my post looks like, and it looks OK. Could you get back to me so that I can do it correctly. Pat99. ps: I've now got it clear what is meant by flexion(leg backwards) and extension(leg straight out).

I was just noticing this morning before I got out of bed, my knee was bending nicely

Hi NuNee. Great news. How far could you bend it? I went out for a walk on my own today. I found it tough going. I think I might use my stick again. If I do it will feel like my recovery is going backwards, but I don't much care anymore.

You're walking away from your husband without saying anything made me laugh. You do know of course that such silences say more than mere words ever could. My husband told me the other day to stop screwing my face up. I didn't know that I was. I must be doing it as a consequence of the aches and pains I continually get.
Now I am trying ever so hard to keep my face straight - it dead hard. xx Pat99

 

[Josephine]

Hi Josephine. I was unable to open the `How to quote a post'. So still don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Funny, it opened for me. But you did it right with Nu nee's quote.

 

[Nu nee]

Pat 99. I don't know how far it bent that morning. I thought over 90. It could have been my imagination or a dream since I had just awakened. It certainly was not 120.

 

[patient 99]

It could have been my imagination or a dream

Hi Nu nee. There used to be a time when I dreamed of tall dark strangers who were madly in love with me. Now we dream of how far our knees bend <you got to laugh> But I tell you those tall dark strangers never lived up to expectations, whereas our new knees will (given time) take us any where we want to go. Pat99

 

[patient 99]

Hi Josephine and Maryo. Just had to share my triumph with you. I went for a walk today. I've had trouble walking at a normal pace, but today I managed to do 80 steps to the minute. OK its still slow, but much better than it has been. Whoopee. I put it down to my new regime - ice, elevate, rest, careful exercise. Now I wonder who taught me that that was the right approach? Thanks. x Pat99

 

[turtle68]

Did you use your stick for that walk? I was thinking about getting my crutches out so maybe I can take some weight off this leg since weight bearing seems to hurt. At this point, all vanity has gone out the window, well not all.

 

[patient 99]

Hi Dorothy, no I didn't use the stick. Still trying very hard to manage without, for all the reasons I know you will be aware of. Using your crutches will help I'm sure, and may be vanity has to be on hold for now.

How are you finding standing still? I find it nearly impossible. Even taking a shower I am constantly moving. I'd never given it much thought before, but the ability to stand still is absolutely vital for normal living. At the moment when I go to the supermarket I ask if they can fast track me, which they do; but there are a 101 other tasks which can't be done on the move. Still as they say on Bonesmart, PATIENCE, TAKE EACH DAY AS IT COMES.

Some thing did frighten me last night. A few years ago I had an operation for a hiatus hernia, and all has been well since. But last night I got symptoms that made me think it had come back. I've been lucky with the TKR in that I now generally get a good night's sleep. But last night I had to try and sleep sitting up. I am using all of my mental and physical strength coping with my TKR. I don't think I have any reserves if something else goes wrong. I will know in the next week if it was just a one off or not. If it wasn't, I honestly don't know what I will do to stay sane. Sorry to be gloomy. I know you are coping with more than your fair share right now. Take care x. Pat99

 

[turtle68]

Hope your pain from the hernia resolves itseo soon. Just got back from having lunch with some friends, and they were talking about having hernias, and the symtoms come and go. Hope that is the case with yours, although a hiatal hernia might be a different thing. As far as the standing goes, I haven't noticed that too much. My husband is retired and does most of the cooking and grocery shopping. Driving has been my biggest problem.

And don't ever worry about being gloomy, that's what friends are for. I didn't use to post much, but since I got the I-Pad and have been posting more, it has made me feel so much better and not so alone.

 

[patient 99]

Hi Dorothy, its odd isn't it how varied the post op problems are. Nu nee had that issue with her scar, some people cannot sleep, I find standing still very difficult, and for you its driving. My car's automatic, and as it was my left knee that was operated on, there's no problem. I don't need my left leg at all to drive. I take it your op was on your right knee?

You know you have just given me an idea by mentioning your IPad. Because its more comfortable for me to message when I'm in bed I bought a cheap bed tray. I would have liked the sort of table you get over your bed in hospital, but because my bed's a divan there wasn't enough room for the metal support to fit under it, and besides that type is too expensive. I've been putting my lap top on it, but the lap top's quite heavy and makes the tray unstable. Now an IPad just might work much better. I'll investigate. Compared to a lap top how user friendly do you find it?

I can identify with that feeling of being alone. I have my lovely husband, my great sister, who just lives round the corner, and a really good friend. All in all a good support system. But I know they don't get post op TKR. What is it they say `you have to walk the walk' before you can understand. Pat99 ps brilliant that your husband does most of the cooking. We are living mostly on ready meals at present. Oh one more thing. I increased my walking speed today from 80 steps in a minute to 84. See ya.