MUA Festina lente -Hastening slowly

[Spex10]

Have just opened my little bottle of prosecco. Its my knee's 12 week anniversary and now it bends! Cheers all and thanks for all the support.

 

[newlybionic]

I'm glad that the MUA worked so well for you. Enjoy the Prosecco! You deserve it!

 

[sistersinhim]

Sounds good to me. I'm celebrating with you!

 

[J.A. Hag]

Congrats on reaching your goal and opening your bottle!


Sent from my iPad

 

[KellyBob]

Spex10 - I had my MUA a week ago. Before MUA, ROM was only 80. During MUA he got to 130. At my first PT session after the MUA I started out at 82. I'm now at 105. So while I am extremely happy I had the MUA, I am concerned by your comment that you don't even need pain meds anymore. I am still in 6-8/10 pain when my meds wear off and the pain at night in my knee is worse than its ever been. I have a ton of fluid in the knee, which I have had from the beginning. My PT is good, we are working on stretching my quad which is tight as a drum after a year of limping and pain, a year of recover from a failed microfracture and then the PKR. So it's not a question of my overworking it. I am just concerned that my pain level/swelling is not normal. To look at my knee it looks a little swollen, nothing too dramatic - its all on the inside. But lots and lots of pain. Cannot walk dog for 20 minutes without a good amount of pain. Cannot get through the night without waking up from pain roughly every 5 hours - coinciding with the pain meds wearing off. I'm just at a loss as to whether I should just wait it out - as I know from this site that recovery can take 6 months to a year - or if my pain level and swelling indicates 'something.' I have my follow up appt with the OS on Monday but honestly, its like pulling teeth trying to get concrete answers out of him. I will say my PT says the increasing ROM tells us we're going in the right direction, even if the pain and swelling are increasing a bit. She said if ROM falls off or god forbid decreases, that, coupled with the pain and swelling would indicate problems. My knee looks fantastic, BTW. It's just that the beautiful outward appearance of the knee doesn't match the inward pain and swelling. What is your swelling level? And your pain level? Are you pain free? Are you doing stairs and can you do a rotation on your bike? Can you sit at a desk for a bit without pain or discomfort?

 

[sistersinhim]

@KellyBob, your tissues are still angry from the MUA. You need to rest your knee and let those heal before doing so much PT. Elevating and icing will help to get that swelling down. Good luck.

 

[Spex10]

@KellyBob sounds like you're in a lot of pain. I think my knee is swollen and the physio said it was too and that ROM would improve as the swelling goes down.
I don't go on a bike as such but have a little peddler device and I sit and pedal on it for a short time each day between icing and elevating. I can and do sit at a desk and can walk for more than 20 minutes. Pain is so subjective I always think. Sometimes I take paracetamol but that's it. I can do stairs but rarely have to.
My early problems have left me so grateful for what ROM I now have and I don't have high expectations so am not likely to be disappointed. I'm not itching to get back to a sporty life just able to drive or walk to the bus stop as required.
Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Spex10]

I should also say that my physio really doesn't go in for pushing. My quads are already strong. She massages and gently manipulates. No reps of strings of exercises at all. She really understand what's required post TKR

 

[Mireille]

@Spex10 oh no, I missed the Prosecco toast. Belated cheers!

I feel obligated to open my bottle tonight
and have a toast in your name.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Mireille]

@Spex10 Having a toast in your name! Cheers!

 

[Spex10]

Lovely! Cheers to you too. Freezing fog here unfortunately so certainly not sitting outside!

 

[Mireille]

We've been having a very mild winter, even for Florida! Stay warm and cozy!

 

[Spex10]

Thanks @Mireille, I certainly plan to. Actually its beautiful this morning, very grey, misty trees. The hills have disappeared completely in the mist. I think we'll need the lights on all day.

 

[Cratchit]

Same here @Spex10 , the hills are hidden. The little thrush is still singing in the damson tree so all is well

 

[Mireille]

@Spex10 @Cratchit Sounds beautiful and peaceful. We really have no hills or mountains here in Florida, it's very fiat. Today, we woke up to a very windy and rainy morning. It's a nice change.

I've yet had the pleasure to visit the English countryside. We plan to visit in 3 years. We only made it to London a few years ago. I thought it was fantastic.

I hope you both have a lovely day!

 

[Spex10]

Just back from shopping. Its still so grey and damp. My knee feels sort of achy. I wonder if its due to the damp weather?
I actually went to get my ice thingy and set up my pillows for the post shopping ice and elevate session but I found that its so cold that I couldn't face putting the iced gel pack on my knee. Someone tell me that was OK!

 

[KarriB]

Here's how I got through the Polar Vortex and icing...an electric throw. What a godsend! I could ice my knee and turn the throw on high so the rest of me was warm. I highly recommend them while icing in the winter.

 

[Spex10]

Wish I could magic up a heated throw. The problem with our current Scottish weather is that we have such inconsistent temperatures. Minus 4 centigrade one day and 13 + the next. No sooner would I order a heated throw than temps would shoot up. I tool the cosy brushed cotton sheets off the bed last week as I was so hot then temps plunged the next day. Can't win with our weather.
Oh all right then I'll shiver my way to the fridge and strap on my gel pack like a good little bonesmartie!

 

[KarriB]

We're having similar weather here in Pittsburgh. It's one of the reasons my grandfather settled here, it reminded him of Airdrie. Yesterday temps were in the 60s, unheard of in January! Next week we'll be 30 degrees colder with snow. I still use my throw whenever I get cold.

 

[Cratchit]

The weather here has been pretty dull too and very still. The sun did hint at coming out but had gone again by the time I got to the garden. I used to love brushed cotton sheets but have had to forego them for a while now due to the night sweats which arrived post-op and coincided with pre-existing hot flushes.

@Mireille I hope you`ve had a lovely day too! If you do land on these shores again in 3 year`s time, head north - it`s the best! ;)