TKR Finally recovering

[Buddhabear]

Lauramacky, I may hurt tomorrow, I played tonight!! But guess what, it will be my hip that is screaming tomorrow. I so understand.

 

[Buddhabear]

God bless us all for staying in the battle!!!

 

[Jebsw]

I love it, Buddhabear! I've wondered about it, but haven't had the courage to go outside - on the ice yet! - to test it out. I'm happy now that I can do stairs. I can walk faster than I used to. I just see myself as the noble one who gasps to her friends, "go, save yourself."
It gets better, it really does.

 

[Buddhabear]

I have a question for you all - when do we get to the point when kneeling is comfortable?

 

[pdx]

Will be very interested in the responses. I can kneel on soft surfaces for a short time, but that's it. Some people have no problems, some people can't, ever. Sigh.

 

[Buddhabear]

I was afraid that may be the case.

 

[bottomshollow]

Truth be told, I suspect that after TKR kneeling is never again really comfortable. It's doable, feels strange, and I think you'd always perfer to have a cushion of some sort to do the kneeling on. So I don't imagine that most TKRers spend a lot of time on their knees if they can help it.

 

[Buddhabear]

Yes, it surely does feel strange. I am a pretty avid gardener and wondering how I'll be by June. Actually spending a lot of time on my knees lately praying for my beloved niece who is trying desperately to hold on to a very at risk pregnancy. Hard to get down, feels weird and tricky getting up. I'll keep trying.

 

[Dewey]

I will certainly keep your niece in my prayers, Buddhabear! Hope things are looking better!

 

[Buddhabear]

More on the knees - of course, you were all right! I called my OS and he said no kneeling for another month. Then only if it doesn't hurt. But he also said that some people never kneel again!! Wow, another 'never again' potential!

 

[Buddhabear]

Only been reading posts lately. Still hoping to say everything is great. At 9 months after RTKR and 71/2 from LTKR I am still stiff. Not pain now, but still stiff and crackling still. I did slow down the good exercises for a few months with bursitis and tendonitis and IT band syndrome. But back at exercising better now. Hope the time off is recoverable. Anyone else have to slow down and then start back up? My OS assures me I'll catch up. My ROM was 140+ when it was last measured, and that seems to be even better and I guess that is the most important thing.
But my real issue is this - I returned to my primary care doctor last week and she was not happy to hear I had been on diclofenac for almost a year. I have hypertension and have kidney issues. My MRI in March showed something up with the kidney, so my PCP just ordered an ultrasound. Interesting that OSs do what they do and don't necessarily follow the whole body. Has anyone had side effects from long term use of diclofenac?

 

[Buddhabear]

Okay, I apologize, new thread but just couldn't keep posting under 'pain and pain again.' It's me, Buddhabear, aka Kathy. Just need to share that tonight I received the recovery insight I have been looking for.
Not totally recovered even if I am almost 10 months from my first, and eight and a half from my second. I have shared here that I put my recovery back by months by over doing and looking at this recovery as 'no pain, no gain.' That was before I had the advice from this site. So now I am months behind but progressing.
My 3 year old great niece and I were enjoying a spring Sunday at a community farm and she wanted to run to see the next wonderful thing - a pregnant cow - and I ran! Not smooth, not graceful, but I kept up. Okay, keeping up with a 3 year old isn't huge but i kept up. Later she wanted me to use her jump rope - me, who could do double unders and a whole routine when I was boxing - but I could get both legs off the ground at the same time! Not smooth, not graceful, but I jumped!
Back to my point- as I was telling this story to my friends who are an orthopedic surgeon and an orthopedic nurse, I tried to explain where I felt strain after this event below my phony knee and above my real calf, and she, the ever wise orthopedic nurse said - wait for it- 'you have not accepted these knees as a part of you. They are you. Do what you need to do to own them. You will be more invested if they are 'you'. Name them, if it will help. But own them, they are 'you'!!!
To this day I have thought of these knees as replacements, not part of me. But they are. And I need to develop another relationship, or commitment to them. I think I have actually resented them at times, because they don't even look like my former knees. But they are my knees! And this weekend they actually let me run a little, and they let me actually jump a little.

 

[maryo52]

I went through something similar. I sometimes felt that by having TKR I had given up my first-born son, my native knee. I regretted going metal for a long time. To be honest, I grieved. But once again that old remedy Time took care of things, without my really noticing. Time works quietly and invisibly. Glad to hear you got over that hurdle.

 

[Josephine]

​

One thread for your recovery please?​

 

[Josephine]

And I need to develop another relationship, or commitment to them. I think I have actually resented them at times

Do you resent the crowns or fillings you have in your teeth? Just a thought!

 

[Buddhabear]

I don't have crowns or fillings - been lucky with teeth. But two big old bad old metal knees that have brought my life to a halt for a year? I hear what you are saying, Josephine, it's about me now owning two huge hunks of metal in my body that were not there before. And they don't always feel like they belong. If a filling ended pain from a cavity I'd be grateful and get back to life in a matter of hours. These invaders have been a challenge to accept for almost a year, and I am ever so grateful for my friend, the orthopedic nurse, who gently let me know, it ain't easy but they are now me. I need to treat them accordingly. And I am not off base to feel this way.

 

[Buddhabear]

Thanks, maryo52 - you reminded me about the grieving part. I grieve running 5ks and a lot of other stuff, but I know what you are saying, we are grieving over the loss of a part of us! And there are so many steps to grieving. Thank you Elizabeth kubler Ross. But, amen, I don't grieve the loss of the bone on bone pain!!! Ah, a step closer!

 

[Buddhabear]

Well all - here I am at almost 10 months exactly from RTKR and 8 1/2 from LTKR and yesterday I walked downstairs for the first time without any bucking, tugging, awkwardness or anything! I even put some comfortable speed into it - and nothing! Tried it again just now and still nothing! Wasn't a fluke! And I am finally walking with a little speed, and tried to run just to see if I could - and I can. Even tried jumping and both feet got off the ground at the same time! I am still stiff in the morning, and after a lot of activity but it feels different, like I have just worked out, not like something is wrong. At times they even look like knees! All this as I am on my path to owning them as part of me. And spending a lot of time with my three year old great niece acting like a real person chasing her in play grounds. I can kneel for a while, and am just about to sit my but down from a kneeling position. Almost there.
I really feel like the fog has lifted. My knees work and I am going to get ack to my life - FINALLY!! So to everyone out there still early in their journey, it does get better. There is life after total knee replacement!

 

[bottomshollow]

Always knew you would make it. So glad you're finally there and enjoying your life again. And it will continue to get better. TIME & PATIENCE win out in the end.

Take care and keep us updated. We care.

 

[Buddhabear]

Thank you bottomshallo, I almost can't believe it. I keep checking what I can do just in case it s a fluke, but I am still cautious, still ice when I test these knees of mine. I am recovering, not recovered!