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TKR FlaGranny 2nd Knee 9/26/16

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Here we are - weeks 18 and 12. The numb spot on my left (first) knee is shrinking and is about half the size it was. The numb spot on the right is shrinking a little. Perhaps I'll get the feeling back in both knees. That would be nice. It feels so weird.

Both my knees are still stiff and sore, especially after sitting too long. Much of that is probably related to my multiple areas of tendinitis. Got a Depo-Medrol injection a month and a half ago and felt great for a few weeks, but everything is coming back now. Sleeping well for 4-6 hours at a time, getting up for bathroom trip and then back to sleep for a few more hours. I do wake up with legs aching from lying in the same position so long. Still unable to sleep on my side very well or very long because of hip pain on the right side (x-ray shows moderate OA there). I can be up and about, cleaning house, going to the store and the thing that is holding me back the most is not my knees - it is my back. I am walking well, get up and down more easily than before the surgeries. Right knee still feels weak going up steps, but I can go up one foot after the other. Going down, still too sore to do, but my flexion is good enough.

I'm still taking 1000 mg Tylenol at bedtime and in the morning. Not sure it is doing much as I don't notice much difference if I forget it. I've got to see if I can find some way to diminish my tendinitis. Hope when I see OS next month for followup, he will have some suggestions. I am happy with my new knees though. Certainly much, much less pain than before.
 
Your twelve week knee sounds like mine. Its a little stiff in the am. Tylenol doesn't do much. Its been a long time since I walked long distances and I think my Ab muscles arent strong enough and my back hurts. Too much sitting! I try to do about 3/4 of a mile a day but sometimes my back seizes up. I think the cure is gradually increased walking distances and time to get off the couch!

Some pain .It migrates around the top of the kneecap.. Rising from a toilet seat of 15 inches is still problematical. It hurts

And you have you gotten that ability back?
 
I don't know if the regular toilet seat is problematic because I have a high ADA toilet and I have no problem with that. I can get up from my sofa if I scoot to the edge of the seat, but I usually use my arms to assist.

The only actual pain I get is to the inside of my kneecap on my 12 week knee. It is just a sharp, short jab, nothing constant. The soreness I have is in the back of my knees.

The good thing is that I do not think about my knees much any more and I just get up and do the things that need doing.

I'm going to go back to the gym next week for sure. I wanted to go last week but I've been too busy getting ready for Christmas. Maybe if I go back I can strengthen my back and abdominal muscles and prevent some of that back pain.
 
Weeks 19 and 13. Not much new to report. Not much change from a week and a half ago. Sleep last night was pretty good. I am actually able to sleep on my right side for an hour or two. Can't go to sleep on the left side because my right leg starts to bother me before I'm able to fall asleep. Still toss and turn a lot but I am getting a full night's sleep. My back is still bothering me more than my knees when I am up and about.

My left kneecap is good, very flexible and pain free. The right one is still not very movable. There is still some swelling in that knee. I occasionally have a stabbing pain to the inside of it. I can still overdo it and get quite stiff and sore if I'm not careful, but I recover quickly. The impatience gets to me now and then.

Guess what? My hubby is still opening doors for me! (married 48 years in a couple of weeks). I think he was very worried, and now so relieved.

P.S. I managed to cook Christmas dinner for 6. Left all the dirty dishes for the next morning though. :snork: Was tired, but did no damage, no extra pain or swelling in the knees.
 
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You know, my back is still worse than either of my knees after I'm up or walking for a bit. I know I have arthritis in my spine though, I just have to balance my activity. Hopefully your back pain will diminish.

Nothing wrong with leaving dishes till the morning!
 
FlaGranny said:
P.S. I managed to cook Christmas dinner for 6. Left all the dirty dishes for the next morning though. :snork: Was tired, but did no damage, no extra pain or swelling in the knees.
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Well done for cooking Christmas dinner. What a shame, though, that none of those 6 did the dishes for you!

5 years ago, I had a TKR early in December. I got up for Christmas dinner and made my "special " sauce. Everyone else chipped in and cooked the rest of the meal.
After the meal, I announced that I was going back to bed and would appreciate it if they all dealt with the dishes. They did.
 
No problem. Younger son and 2 young grandsons. They did not stay long because of the dog who barked the whole time. The other guest was older son. They all helped clear the table. Just stuck the dishes in the dishwasher the next morning. The older grandson made pies for dessert.
 
Aren't dish washers wonderful! Having the family over was wonderful, I'm sure. It sounds like your knees behaved well and let you enjoy Christmas. I think I would have left with a dog barking the time, too! He probably wanted some turkey, too.
 
Yes, dishwashers are worth their weight in gold. I hate to wash dishes. With the new detergents and dishwashers (well not so new - 3 years) the dishes come out spotless without pre-rinsing them. I have a cousin who washes her dishes before she puts them in? Why? :snork:
 
Your cousin is crazy! Why put them in the dishwasher if they are already washed?! Are your knees still doing well?
 
None of my homes have ever had a dishwasher. My kitchen has very little storage space so I can't just have one installed, it would take away precious storage. I'm going to have to have the kitchen reconfigured, which leads to new cabinets (mine are the original from the 1940s), then new countertops and of course new flooring. :yikes: So once I have a dishwasher there will be no washing before loading it!
 
I hold the dirtiest plates under the tap, to rinse off the worst stuff before loading my dishwasher. My dishwasher is over 20 years old and I find doing that prevents such a rapid build-up of debris in the filter trap.
I wouldn't bother washing all the dishes first, though.
 
I only use my dishwasher when I have a lot of dishes from company. Feeding 11 kitties in their own little bowls means washing them numerous times a day. Just not cost effective. It was rough washing the dishes my first month or two after the replacement, but now it's a piece of cake!
 
I just scrape off pieces of food and sometimes rinse them off, but I only run the dishwasher when it is full, every 2 or 3 days. The dishwasher uses less water than washing by hand.

Hi Paula, my knees are okay. Still stiff and sore and bother me at night. I was a little worried before I had the replacements that my tendons would keep acting up. They are, but knees are still better than before surgery. Like I said above, my back is more bothersome than my knees. I can do just about everything now without repercussions, but I only take on one major activity a day, don't do much else if I've gone shopping, etc.

Just got done some yard work with hubby helping. We weeded, raked, and planted 3 bushes. No extra pain or swelling afterward. Rested a couple of times due to back hurting.
 
Doing just one major thing each day is a good plan. It makes you feel you have achieved something, without depleting your energy completely.
 
Even now, I do just one major thing a day. But, now I can add a lot of little things that same day. It took months before I could do that. I believe common sense is the key and knowing your knees. I'm so thankful that I had this done and look forward wonderful new year!
 
@FlaGranny just read through your recovery thread. I was worried because today my 12 week old LTKR got really angry, swollen, hot, decreased ROM. It sounds from your recovery that this isn't unusual or to be worried about? Your story is an inspiration, I'm aching for the day I forget I have two new knees!
 
I don't know if I'd describe my knees as getting angry, just sometimes more stiff and sore than other times, and a little extra heat - not a lot. My oldest knee is coming up on 6 months in 2 weeks, still a bit stiff and sore, but definitely improving slowly. New knee is 4 months old today. Still having sciatica and some swelling, but it, too, is slowly improving. I'm off to see the OS this morning for followup.
 
Typed the above and forgot to post it. Anyway, just got back from the OS and everything looks good. He said I can do anything I want (gym, bowling), but to listen to my body.
 
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