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TKR FitGal’s Recovery

I never noticed my knee being overly warm. :shrug:
 
FitGal said:
He told me to place my hands on my knees and said once they feel about the same temperature - that is when the healing is “done”
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I know I'm not a surgeon, but I'm not sure I fully agree with that statement. In my case, my knee was warm/hot to the touch for a while after each surgery, but cooled back down well before the one year mark. It may, or may not, be over the first major amount of healing when it's no longer warm to the touch, but there could still be healing going on inside for as long as a year, and sometimes even longer. When your knee no longer feels warm, it may still be doing some healing so you may still want to treat it with a little TLC as needed. It'll let you know what it can take and what it cannot take-just be aware of it and don't fret if it still gives you a few bumps in the road even after it seems like it "should" be fully healed according to the statement from your surgeon.
 
FitGal said:
He understands I am still dealing with swelling, pain and ROM issues, but seems confident that I will persevere - and said to expect more of it at least til month 5 or 6. He told me to place my hands on my knees and said once they feel about the same temperature - that is when the healing is “done”.... so I guess my right knee is still in the oven! He then released me from his care but said he is there for me if I need anything else or need to come back and see him.
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marieltha said:
I pictured readers all over the globe reading your update and placing our hands on our knees to check their temps. LOL.
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If you've been around BoneSmart for any length of time, you'll probably have seen that we tell our members the same thing - your operated knee is likely to be warmer than the other knee for a year or so. That's because healing is still going on beneath the surface and complete healing can take a full year, or even longer.

There's no way you can speed up that healing process, no matter how much you'd like to.
 
@FitGal
At one time, I had a boyfriend who was Field Artillery who spoke very poorly of Ft. Irwin. I think it was a reforger.
 
@Poctdb - yes - Ft Irwin is a tough place - high desert that is tough on the body (hot in day and cold at night and windy). The training that we do there is just a weekend twice a year with our cadets (not too bad).

The knee is hanging in there - less swelling today than in a while, but still swollen right in the front middle... and some achy pain... how is yours doing?
 
@FitGal
Knee is fine-life for me is back to normal pretty much. See the OS in two weeks for a drive by and persuasion for more PT for my back and non existent core muscles.

I need to take the bus to “The Job Store” and see if anything “fits” me.
I am working on a few different things to make me a “perfect fit” I hope. Target for the change is by Summer 2020.

Wedding in Iowa this weekend and I will see all but one nephew....and I will also see the inside of a casino!

I hope that your pain and swelling go away quickly. You are getting towards the time in recovery where things tend to improve.
I will see if my PT wants to travel to CA....he really is great.
 
@Poctdb - I will be following you to "The Job Store" Summer 2021....but hoping to be riding in a convertible (not a bus - lol!). Have fun at the wedding and casino!

My knee is a little better by the day...but still remains swollen. Feels like there is a band across my knee....and, no, not the Maroon 5 type :loll:

13 Weeks today.... and still using ice machine at night. I tried an Alleve today (instead of ibuprofen)...just one seemed to work better than Motrin, Advil, or Tylenol.
 
Hi@FitGal. I’ve read your post and identify in many ways - with swelling, pain and work similarities. One question. How is your bend in all of this? i Don’t care much about numbers, but know I’m not yet round 90, because I can see this. I find the stiffness and lack of mobility in the joint so frustrating. My OS suggests the solution at 12 weeks is to have a MUA. I did it with my first knee and it solved the problems. Was hoping this time round it would be different.
 
@Didot - Hi! Congrats on TWO new knees! Yes, I haven't been too wrapped up in ROM numbers lately. I know that I am probably around 100 comfortably, but through my daily activity and managing pain and swelling, I believe that the ROM will get better over time. My OS was perfectly happy at my 12 week appt (I was worried about the ROM and MUA and telling him that I quit PT - but he seemed ok with all of it). I think he feels that my knee is just going to take its sweet time, and I can just continue to through it as I stay pretty busy. The worst part of it for me is stairs - still barely doing alternating steps and, if I do, I have to have a railing. Walking several blocks (especially after standing for an hour or so) is also very slow and challenging. Cycling is my favorite activity by far!

@Poctdb - Hi!!! Yes, legs on the wall had become a staple in my routine and it works very well!!! Thank you so much for teaching me that one!!!
 
FitGal said:
The worst part of it for me is stairs - still barely doing alternating steps and, if I do, I have to have a railing. Walking several blocks (especially after standing for an hour or so) is also very slow and challenging.
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This is completely normal for your stage. It was the same for me for much longer than 3 months.
 
Well, Weeks 14 in the books and I finally have a name for my knee...."Mrs. Puff" (yep, from good 'ol Spongebob). She has a mind of her own and Puffs up when she is mad...which is mostly when I stand too long or walk on uneven terrain. Maybe she will like the pool - planning to get in there soon! A couple weekends ago I was at Ft Irwin and this past weekend was at Cp Pendleton (riding in helicopters - yay!) and I had to sit out of work each of the following Mondays to ice and elevate all day. But, overall, Mrs. Puff is getting better especially when she is not Puffy! I am working on the ROM, but I think it is definitely going to be a Ultramarathon instead of just a Marathon to get the ROM where I need it. It mostly affects me when I try and descend stairs and terrible ROM when it swells.

I can't wait to start dancing again (of course I would love to run, too - but that is prob out of the question) and hoping to get stronger by the day. I will be working on Mrs. Puff to ensure she stays thin, lean and mean instead of Puffed Up! So, there ya have it... finally a name for the knee.
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@FitGal I've kept up with your thread these last 2 months as I've posted less. I think you and I need to create a "Mrs. Puff" support group. :heehee: I'm 5.5 months post-op now, and this recovery is definitely an ultra-marathon. Standing is also my worst enemy these days, and that's been VERY slow in improving. I struggle with ROM by the end of every day or if I try to wear anything other than athletic shoes. Overall, the change in weather, shoes, added exercise (I had to build back slowly due to the inflammation problem), just all seem to be making my new knee cranky.

Don't laugh, but I just posted an update the other night for the first time in awhile---all about having so much swelling/inflammation still at 5.5 months post-op. Can you believe part of my problem has been a stupid electric blanket?????:bolt: After 3 wks of sleeping under it during these cooler Midwest nights, I actually had to raise the seat on my stationary bike last Friday. I've left it off the last 3 nights, and my knee is finally a bit happier. Time will tell though.
 
I am enjoying this thread so much, and reading these posts reminded me of something that is easy to forget: that each knee is SO individual!

STANDING: Standing for a long time is easy for me. My new knee is so much stronger than my other knee, and most of my weight is held by the new knee while I stand.

ROM: My last ROM measurements back on September 10th were 85 degrees flexion, 17 degrees extension. Not great, right? I heard somewhere that bad extension is supposed to make stairs really tough. And yet I discovered yesterday, when I tried stairs for the very first time, that I have zero problems going either up or down them, foot over foot, while holding one stair rail like I have done all my life.

SHOES: By now (11 weeks) I do best wearing my Teva Tirra sandals instead of my New Balance running shoes, that I had to wear for a number of weeks at the beginning when my foot and leg were so badly swelled up that my Tevas wouldn't fit.

But you know what? I am SO GREEN WITH ENVY when I read about how far you two are walking. I am working on it and can walk farther now than I could. I know I need to build up my leg muscles after spending years sitting in a chair. Meanwhile, a half mile sounds amazing to me and like a very distant goal, even using my rollator.

We'll get there! I think this is analogous to what moms sometimes see (and worry about) in early childhood development. Some kids learn to read early but can't use scissors. Others can climb to the top of the kitchen cabinets but can't talk. And vice versa. But they all eventually get to the point where they can read, talk, use scissors, and climb.
 
Carole4815 said:
We'll get there! I think this is analogous to what moms sometimes see (and worry about) in early childhood development. Some kids learn to read early but can't use scissors. Others can climb to the top of the kitchen cabinets but can't talk. And vice versa. But they all eventually get to the point where they can read, talk, use scissors, and climb.
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Love this analogy!!
 
@FitGal
Next you will wake up with your dancing shoes on:heehee:
...put them on a high shelf....for the present anyway.
Swelling=terrible ROM. Bad Mrs. Puff.....
 
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