TKR Everything Comes to She Who Waits

[turtle68]

I don't plan on doing a lot of shore trips. It's often easier to do it on your own, but know I will have to pace myself - just walking these huge ships is a lot of work. And you'e right Carol just getting on and off can be a big hassle. But w shall endure. I may even try snorkeling again.

Doothy

 

[patient 99]

I may even try snorkeling again

Hi Dorothy, as a non swimmer that sounds very brave. Sure you'll have a great time. I've just been reading back over my own thread - never done that before. Its quite enlightening. Some of the problems I had back then I don't have now. I came across a lot of Mutley's (Jaki's) messages. It reminded me of how much I miss her. I wonder how she is getting on. Quite a few other people are noticeable by their absence too eg, Speckybecky.

I guess the upside is that they have all moved on because their TKRs now work perfectly. So come on Dorothy let's make 2014 our year. @Dabber Sue that includes you too of course. That should be our new year's resolution - to join the others on the other side. Never mind cancer, heart problems, UTIs, feet with bunions etc. etc. You in girls? All for one and one for all. Carol

ps: Sue were there 3 musketeers or 4? If 4, we need someone else to join us.

 

[turtle68]

Hi Carol, Count me in. Just signed up for water and chair yoga exercise classes, very excited about going on the cruise and I was thrilled to read your post. If I remember correctly from my French classes, I had to read Les Trois (three) Musqueteers. @ Dabber, aka French expert, correct me if I'm wrong because I don't think I did too well writing the answers to that test in French. I miss Jaki as well. Hopefully, not hearing from her means she moved to the other side completely, And as you said I've come to realize, once again, that there will always be things that pop up, but I have been playing the glad game - especially when it comes to losing Einstein. I swear I still see him come around the corner whenever I am in kitchen, and I am definitely vacuuming up cat hair even he was only here for 3 weeks. We're going to plant a new tree with his ashes and call it Einstein, of course.

Hugs and Dorothy

 

[patient 99]

she moved to the other side completely,

chuckle. Its as if we were a religious cult - the TKR evangelists. Once we have suffered enough we get to `move to the other side completely'. When our time comes Mutley better have the bubbly waiting for us.
hugs and bugs. Carol.

ps: Dorothy what do you think they TALK about on the other side? I bet knees are never mentioned and its a laugh a minute. People skipping, dancing, running up and down stairs. Sure seems like a place I'd like to go to.

 

[patient 99]

Just signed up for water and chair yoga exercise classes,

You've got me thinking. I should definitely join something to get more exercise. I'll start having a look round on Monday. Thanks for the prompt.

 

[patient 99]

Keep us posted about your shoes Cinders - we

Hi speedy2 going to keep my new shoes all clean and bright 'cause I'm hoping to `move to the other side completely' some time this year. Do you want to come too? The only requirement is that your TKR has to work perfectly and you have to be able to skip, dance and hop (no you don't have to be able to hop - I made that up.)

 

[turtle68]

Speaking of shoes, Carol, I've got to start working on my clothes and shoes for this cruise. I have to look for something that will look good with a short dress, and must wear stockings because my veins are so ugly, would also like to be able to wear the shoes with long skirt (going with mostly black and white except for daytime, which is very casual, so I guess I'd better start looking.) Did you get your custom shoes yet? I hope so because you sound like you're about ready to dance. I think we should make our them song "got a New Attitude". What do you think?

Dorothy

 

[speedy2]

I'm hoping to `move to the other side completely' some time this year. Do you want to come too? The only requirement is that your TKR has to work perfectly and you have to be able to skip, dance and hop

Hello Carol @patient99, I would love to join you in moving to the other side however you might not let me as I cant skip, dance or hop BUT I CAN WALK!!!!!!!!
Ha ha, I know what you mean about what do the others talk about once they've 'gone'. I dont look in quite so much now as a feel I don't know many people any more. Perhaps we are supposed to move on Carol but it's nice to still have friends here who we can talk to who understand. Perhaps we like the other side...

 

[patient 99]

I've got to start working on my clothes and shoes for this cruise.

#Hi Dorothy, I remember you saying you had slim feet. I've always wished for slim feet. I wouldn't have thought buying shoes that are comfortable would be a problem. The ones I love, but can never buy because they are too narrow, are the ballerina type shoes. They seem to go with everything. Have you got a particular style in mind? Carol

 

[patient 99]

BUT I CAN WALK

Do you get any discomfort at all these days?

 

[Mutley]

....I feel guilty just reading your posts & mentioning me so fondly Lovely Carol, Dorothy & not forgetting you Sue,may I just say "Happy New Year" to you all. Your right, I haven 't been on here much. I'd like to say it was because all is fab & I'd danced off into the sunset, but alas that wouldn't be true. A rather large dose of depression hasn't helped, and reading what you guys are all going through makes me feel like I just need a good kick up the backside! Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad but this 'time' thing is getting a little boring! 13 months post op & I still have a few issues in the shin bone area. My biggest problem still is the trapped nerve in the other leg/buttock which I still maintain was down to the spinal anaesetic. It makes driving a nightmare as does being a passenger or just sitting in a chair for a while. Seeing my surgeon next week to see what he suggests & depending on what the ROM is at, possibly another MUA...but I'll see whether he thinks it would be worth it for what I would gain. I've popped on a few times & caught the odd post but when you don't get the email alerts you don 't tend to make so much of an effort to 'keep up' with what 's going on...sorry
So, I'm going to try & have a read of some of your posts & see how things are going. Wishing you all the best with your various treatments & hope to be adding some cheery banter soon! Jaki x

 

[speedy2]

Do you get any discomfort at all these days?

Yes I do Carol but the constant pain that I had previously has gone . I still cant walk as I would like - my consultant said I needed to perfect the 'catwalk model walk' ha ha -still haven't managed that but will 'strive' too!!!!! It's wonderful to be able to go shopping or go for a little walk. My goal is to go for much longer stretches. Unfortunately, because of the atrocious weather I haven't been able to do much. Can't wait for lighter evenings and warmer weather so that when I come home from work I can do this.

 

[turtle68]

ps: Dorothy what do you think they TALK about on the other side? I bet knees are never mentioned and its a laugh a minute. People skipping, dancing, running up and down stairs. Sure seems like a place I'd like to go to.[/quote Carol, I think they talk about their own aches and pains, travels, books, movies, etc. I know I sometimes have problems connecting with people who are always up and don't seem real. Speaking of movies, have you anything going on in U.K. television I should know about. I know Downton Abbey starts anew here next week, but I don't know if I'm going to watch it. As far as shoes, I must get online and start looking, I had thought about the ballerinas but I need a little heel as have a problem wearing anything completely flat. If I sound like I'm on steroids, it's because I am. Went to dr. yesterday for my back and leg pain, and he said I had a pinched nerve, and muscle spasms and since I can't take anti-inflamatories, he pit me on these. Really helping, but makinng my hyper.

Hugs, Dorothy

 

[turtle68]

@Mutley, I am so sorry to hear about the time you have been having, but glad to hear you're going to see the O.S. I particularly empathize with the depression and remember what a big part you and Carol played in helping me through my darkest times last summer. I still have my moments but know that the constant chronic pain can really keep you down. Have you mentioned prednisone to your GP? I know when I was having a particularly bad time last summer the OS put me on a 14 day course of prednisone and it really helped the inflammation and swelling. I'm at 10 months now and still icing whenever I can but having more trouble with my back than knee, with a pinched nerve. The nerve pain is the worse.

Do you think maybe you haven't recovered from the stress and hard work of the move? I know I haven't but it is coming along. Take care and I look forward to hearing some "banter" from you soon.

Hugs, Dorothy

 

[patient 99]

...I feel guilty just reading your posts & mentioning me so fondly

Hi Jaki, mentioning how I'd missed you wasn't a conscious attempt to encourage you back. The thing about BS is that there are no guilt trips, you opt in and out as it suits. Clearly what is uppermost in your mind is what you think is a trapped nerve . MRI scans can show trapped nerves. Might you consider having one? If it showed that that was the problem, then hopefully they could offer you a solution.

You mentioned a `large dose of depression'. Depression seems to mean a lot of different things to different people. To me it means losing hope, giving up the fight, not caring about anything or anyone, particularly yourself. It wouldn't take an specialist to understand how you might have got there. 13 months of pain is a lot to bear. Particularly when the support network gets tired/bored. When the clicheas like `you'll get there' `give it more time' start to grate and, importantly, when you yourself start to feel like a broken record. But I still detect a ray of optimism in your message. Assuming that's not you putting a brave public face on things, that would suggest you aren't beaten yet. And that ties in with the Jaki I know.

Most of us veterans are a bit short of cheery banter - another good reasons for giving us a swerve. But it is there if you look hard enough. Sue @Dabber has had good news about the cancer. Dorothy @turtle68 feels up to going on a cruise. @speedy2 who you probably don't know (she's a mere 5 month post op) is now able to walk quite well. And then there's me. Bitter and twisted as ever. But I wont lift the lid on that can of worms - FOR THE MOMENT <chuckle>.

So good to hear from you. Carol

ps: hope you're still taking your liquid medication

 

[patient 99]

have you anything going on in U.K. television I should know about.

wish I could say yes, but our tv goes from bad to worse. Its wall to wall reality shows. They've got one now where so-called celebrities compete for who makes the best dive into the pool - I ask you. And this is supposed to be entertainment. I don't much fancy the new film The Slave - far to depressing. And the one called Last Vegas, I think is just a bunch of old actors topping up their pensions. But should something come along I'll be sure to let you know - after all I have to repay you for bringing Breaking Bad to my attention - the best thing ever.

You mentioned being on steroids. There's a woman I know who seems to go from normal to continual talking. I'm not close enough to her to ask her, but do you know if steroids can have that effect?.

 

[patient 99]

My new bathroom gets underway tomorrow. I've had to decamp into the spare room. I'll be sleeping in a different bed for a couple of weeks so East Sussex police have cancelled all holiday leave. The area has been declared Red Alert. But upside is that on Friday I'm off to Warner's, Sinah Warren, near Portsmouth. Three nights, me and my sister. As I can't dance I might give the twerk a go. Carol

 

[turtle68]

Carol, absolutely, they do that to me. I guess I'll gave to record Downtown Abbey tonight. We have shows starting up in January, we're hooked on Black List with James Spader, Justified, and the Americans. Don't know if you can get any of those yet. There are a lot of reality shows here too but we can't stand them and really can only take so much t.v. Watched a cute movie last night - 2 days in New York. We have cold front coming in right now so it's going to get down in to the 20's, I'm not complaining, though, because up north, it's going to be 20-30 below. Getting ready to make cottage pie, a nice comfort food (Jim's making it, though, because he does such a great job.

Dorothy

 

[turtle68]

Good luck with the new bathroom and have a great trip. I'm going to google Warners, Sinah Warren and see what you'll be up to.

Dorothy

 

[patient 99]

Hi Dorothy, I feel really privileged getting the inside info on all your tv programmes. I've seen Justified and the Americans - so so. I googled Blacklist it got very mixed reviews. But ultimately you have to make your own mind up. Instead of getting the BB boxed set in one go, I bought series one just to see if I'd like it. Of course I loved it so it cost me more than it should - but well worth it. You watch, the same will happen with Blacklist.

Dorothy, when you say its going to be down in the 20s, do you mean 20 degrees Fahrenheit - which seems lovely. Or do you mean 20 degrees below fahrenheit which seems horrible.

(Jim's making it, though, because he does such a great job.

Where do you find these wonderful men ???????????? But may be I'm just getting what I deserve because I'm such a hands on freak. When the bathroom men came today it was all I could do to stop myself picking up a spanner and joining them <chuckle>.

Sinah Warren is a hotel with a difference. Children are not allowed and they have live entertainment every night - not something hotels normally do. In fact its a bit like a cruise, except it doesn't move. They also entertain you during the day. Nothing that marvellous, quizes, archery, line dancing. But it suits me perfectly, because I don't like it if the evening meal has to be the highlight of the day.

I never knew steroids gave you the `talkies'. I thought it gave you big muscles. When the day comes that I leave BS my head is going to be like an encyclopedia - I learn something new all the time. bugs. C