TKR Everything Comes to She Who Waits

[turtle68]

I forgot to answer your question about the I-Pad. I find it very user friendly even though at this point I have no idea of half of what I can do with it. I bought a nice case with a keyboard which is quite easy to type on, even in the dark. I hardly ever use the laptop, since I found I can even prnt from the I-Pad. Hope that helps.

 

[Josephine]

But last night I got symptoms that made me think it had come back.

What kind of symptoms, Pat? And are you taking ibuprofen or naproxen?

 

[patient 99]

Hi Josephine, You asked what were the symptoms which made me think that my hiatus hernia had returned. Burping, uncomfortable windy feelings in my chest and discomfort at the back of my throat. What I didn't have was reflux (thank god). Fortunately, for the last 2 nights it hasn't recurred. Before the HH op I was on acid reducing tablets. Post op I have needed nothing for the hiatus hernia. I take paracetemol for the TKR as my GP does not recommend anti inflamatories for people with hiatus hernias.

Incidentally, I spoke to my GP about Tramadol. She wouldn't prescribe it. She gave me co-codemine. But it makes me sick. Fortunately my TKR is behaving quite well over the last few days, so fingers crossed I may be on the mend. Pat99

 

[patient 99]

Hi Mutley, thanks for asking after me. It's hard to say how I am because it changes by the hour. I can be crying one minute and upbeat the next. Just when I think I've worked out a system for dealing with TKR, everything changes. There's also a worry at the back of my mind ie, I might have to go through it all again with my other knee.

More generally, Bonesmart is most definitely a help to me, but at times reading some of the messages can scare me. Others can make me feel jealous. Logically I know that's a childish approach, but its true. It sometimes makes me cautious about saying how I'm doing because of the impact it might have on others, particularly those in the early stages of recovery. Again I know that other people most likely have the maturity to deal with reading messages from those doing well and those, like me, doing not so well. So really, the issue is mine from beginning to end. Just as well they don't offer THRs (Total Head Replacements) as I'd probably have to have that too <grin>. Pat99

 

[Nu nee]

Pat99 you are funny. I will get in line for the total head replacement. It seems that I really can't think right since my surgery!

I use an ipad for bonesmart while sitting up in bead. It works great.

 

[turtle68]

Pat, maybe that's what I a total head replacement. Then we can all chant together with our new total heads. Do we get to select facial features, etc. or will they just replace the insides? Hope you like sick humor as much as I do.

Seriously though, I hope you've had a good day and are feeling some progress with your knee. I'm going to put on mu big girl panties and get out and about for as long as I can stand it in the Houston heat.

Dorohy

 

[patient 99]

Hi Nu nee I was just thinking, you know you have concerns about the scar on your knee. Imagine how much worse it would be if we had scars running right down the middle of our faces - which we most definitely would have in Total Head Replacement world. Moral of story: scar on knee is small chips. Pat99

 

[patient 99]

. Do we get to select facial features, etc. or will they just replace the insides?

Hi Dorothy, what a hoot. You are way ahead of me girl. Thinking as I type, I think we should have the facial features as well. I'd go for a young and glamorous face, may be dark skinned (to add air of mystery). How about you?Pat99

 

[patient 99]

Dorothy, don't understand. Why would you want to put on big panties if its hot outside? Is this a cultural thing?Patt99

 

[turtle68]

Big girl panties is American slang for not being such a sissy and just getting on with it. Kind of fun to use American slang because it seems I'm always asking my British friends here to interpret their expressions for me.
Dorothy

 

[Janet2012]

Hi Pat99, this recovery is best measured in weeks and months instead of days. I've had a great recovery, and have not had pain walking, but I did notice even at 9 months, when we were at Disney, while I could walk all day, I could not walk fast to keep up with the fast walkers. Now at 1 year ( June 4th!) I am noticing that in fact now I can walk quite fast! Improvements continue! I do hope you become more comfortable, and am glad to hear you are taking it easy. Doing less really does pay off more!

 

[patient 99]

moremoth pl. let me know if the @ tags you .

 

[moremoth]

patient 99, yes it did, I got an alert.

 

[patient 99]

Hi folks, Just got back from a visit to the PT. My last visit was 6 wks ago. Sadly I have lost some flexion. I had manage 105. I am back to 95. Also he commented on a bit of swelling just below my knee. I explained it wasn't there first thing in the morning, but as the day wore on (even with ice/elevation) it increased. As it wasn't hot or painful to the touch we decided just to monitor it. To get flexion back he wants me to exercise little and often. I had got into a pattern of exercising in the morning when my knee is at its best.

As I have been feeling much better these last 3 days I just hope the change in exercising is a positive move.

 

[turtle68]

Pat, Gladto hear you're feeling better these last 3 days, but sorry to hear your flexion has gone down. Exercising little but often is what I've been trying to do with lots of rest in between. I do a few knee slides, walk around the house, do some hamstring stretches. Are you anywhere near where you can get in a pool. I'm going to try walking in the pool, and doing a little treading water, with the help of a floaty thing, and see how it goes. I did do 4 rotations on the recumbent bike this morning and soon thereafter my muscles above my knee tightened into a painful spasm where I could barely walk. i hope I'm not discouraging you, but I do think all of this is working in a subtle way, especially the few but often exercise part, so probably the change in exercising is helping. it's just slow and hopefully steady.

 

[patient 99]

Doing less really does pay off more!

Nice to hear from someone who has made it. Especially someone with a B in front of TKR. I have had previous messages on this issue of less is more. But I am still struggling to find the balance between exercise, living, and rest. In another message someone said you wouldn't exercise a broken leg, you would wait until it had healed. The thing is I am in my 16th week of recovery so the plaster is off so to speak.

I know its a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, but what is too little/too much? I had a set back a few weeks back and Josephine said I was doing too much. I have taken note and try very hard to pace myself. Trouble is I went to see my PT yesterday (first in 6 wks). I had lost some of my bend was 105 now 95 (and I don't maintain that). He took the view that I needed to try a little harder. He suggested exercising little and often, no forcing but pushing a bit more. The intention is to try not to lose any more bend. Today I put that into practice, and my knee is now quite sore, despite ice/elevation. I am familiar with the phrase `listen to your knee it will guide you' but all it seems to say is `I don't want to do anything except lie in bed'.

The last thing I want is another set back, but neither do I want a knee that feels comfortable but wont do what a knee is supposed to do ie, bend. More advice and help on this issue would be much appreciated. Apologies to those who have already tried to help me with this one, but for some reason I am still not getting it. Pat99

 

[Josephine]

You have it fine, Pat. Don't worry about that. What I always thinks works best is simple walking. Are you doing much of that? Go for a 10-20minute walk once a day and make sure you practice the heel/toe gait described here

 

[patient 99]

I'm 16 wks post op and on Bonesmart for the last 4 wks. I wanted to stand back and review my situation. I wanted to clarify the Key things I've learned and to be clear about what I'm still struggling with.

KEY LEARNING:
1. Recovery is a roller coaster. What ever kind of day I'm having, tomorrow will probably be different. Really appreciating this stops the manic highs of good days and dreadful lows of bad days.

2. That despite my being inexperienced I have to manage/take charge of my recovery. I have to decide what's right for my knee, particularly the balance between exercise and rest, and that I need to adjust the balance on a daily/half daily basis.

3. That setting dates when I hope my knee will be better is setting myself up to fail.

4. That I am not in a competition. Some people will recover faster/slower than me. That's just the way it is.

5. That I can't lean on my friends and family too much. This is a long road and I mustn't wear them down. My knee is all I have on my mind, but I need to change the record when socializing.

KEY STRUGGLE:
I am struggling with lots of stuff eg, not living the life I'm used to, worrying that the housework isn't getting done to my usual standards etc. But this is all minor compared to my one main struggle. Which is:

1. I don't truly believe that my knee will get better. I cannot convince myself that my knee will, given time, recover. Everybody tells me it will, but I always think to myself, they can't know for sure. As time passes, and nothing much seems to change the negativity grows. I worry that I am going to be one of the small percentage that doesn't have a good outcome.

So that's about where I am 16wks into my journey. Pat99

 

[bottomshollow]

Here's a mantra for you, patient 99. I know you're feeling discouraged right now; but instead of looking at how far you have to go, take time to reflect on how far you've come. Complete recovery from TKR is one year or longer---you're only 1/3rd of the way there. So there are still a lot of miles to go.

Please keep in mind that ROM---particularly flexion (bend)---can fluctuate from day to day and week to week. Just keep walking properly and do bending exercises daily that challenge your knee but don't cause it pain. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise you choose, but spread them out over the day. Start and end your day with some sort of knee bend exercise.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS with joint replacements is TIME & PATIENCE. We have to have (or find) the PATIENCE to give our hips and knees TIME to heal at their own pace. Nothing else works like these two things and nothing can take their place. But it is a very hard truth to absorb in the beginning of our recoveries.

YOU CAN DO THIS-----I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Josephine]

I don't truly believe that my knee will get better. I cannot convince myself that my knee will, given time, recover. Everybody tells me it will, but I always think to myself, they can't know for sure.

Pat, I do understand your negativity, truly I do. BUT you're not 16 weeks, you're only 14½ weeks out. That's still quite early days and still plenty of time for things to keep moving on. Don't write your knee off just yet. We've had heaps of members report back 6, 8 10 months later that their ROM has continued to improve. Often as not, they were people who were also under 100 at this stage. Your knee will NOT set like concrete and never move again nor will you know the true outcome for a long time yet. We've seen it happen on here heaps of times. Have faith, you'll get there.