TKR Forever hopeful - gimpy no more!

[jetthugger]

Well done you! I am so pleased that you are now having positive experiences in your recovery & well one with your exercises! I'm glad your doc has come through to assist with your sleep - pain issues, hopefully this too should now become easier for you! Make sure you don't overdo it, easy to sy, I know!!

 

[Toothfairy]

Wonderful news Sarah, I am so pleased for you. Fantastic progress.
Toothfairy x

 

[leejaa]

Good luck with the muscle relaxers and getting some sleep.

 

[Ready]

Such a joy to read about your progress and good communication with your OS and PT! There are still lots of bumps on the road ahead, but it sounds like you have what it takes to forge ahead. Make sure you are resting when you can!

 

[forevergimpy]

Thanks! Tonight may be the first time in weeks that I've actually looked forward to going to bed. I hope I am not going to be disappointed. I was going to take one this afternoon to gauge how it made me feel or helped, but figured that since my pain is highest at night in bed, I'd just wait and see.

Today was a good day, went out to Chic-Fil-A for a quick salad for lunch (where I sat with my leg up on the chair next to me) and then to ride one of the motorized scooters around Target for a few things (including my new medicine and more ice for my ice machine). Then it was back home to the couch for a rest and a 20 minute cat nap.

I bought Vitamin E gels at the suggestion of my home PT, and started rubbing the gel into my incision today. It felt a bit odd and didn't absorb like I expected, but I can easily see how it will soften things up.

I have PT again tomorrow so I will be out of the house again for the third day in a row! I hope everyone has a great night tonight and sleeps well.

 

[Ready]

Sleep tight, Sarah!

 

[landoz]

Well done Sarah! You are doing really well I hope your sleep starts improving for you.

 

[60mom]

Oh the wonderful blood pressure memories. They got me up to the bathroom and I started to feel faint. So bad they couldn't get me up. BP was 73/38, something like that. Then they were afraid to let me get up. It finally stabilized and got to go home morning of the 3rd day. I had a general though. I have always had trouble with low BP.
Prayers you do great with your recovery. You'll feel so much better in your own home.

 

[Toothfairy]

Thanks! Tonight may be the first time in weeks that I've actually looked forward to going to bed. I hope I am not going to be disappointed. I was going to take one this afternoon to gauge how it made me feel or helped, but figured that since my pain is highest at night in bed, I'd just wait and see.

Today was a good day, went out to Chic-Fil-A for a quick salad for lunch (where I sat with my leg up on the chair next to me) and then to ride one of the motorized scooters around Target for a few things (including my new medicine and more ice for my ice machine). Then it was back home to the couch for a rest and a 20 minute cat nap.

Good morning Sarah, so good to see that life is picking up for you. I hope you slept better. Good luck with your PT today. Sounds like you have turned a corner and are making good progress now on your journey to a pain free knee.
Hooray,
Hugs, Toothfairy x

 

[jetthugger]

Hi Sarah, how are you getting on? He was pt or you? Did the muscle relaxers do you any good sleep-wise? I'm waiting to see if my GP will take pity on me & give me something to help me sleep!!! Hope you are good

 

[Fernie]

Hi Sarah, how lovely to hear you are doing so well, so early as well. You must be feeling v happy

Hope the relaxers worked and you were able to get some rest .

Im really pleased for you Fernie

 

[Titianlady]

Sarah, put a heating pad under your lower back on the TKR side. I had pain up the back also. My PT suggested it. He said that all the muscles and tendons in the leg that are tight are causing the pulling and back to ache.

It worked wonders for me. I would put the heating pad under me on a low heat and I could get comfy and nap. I have one that automatically shut off after two hours.

Try it. Heat works wonders

 

[forevergimpy]

everyone for your kind words. I have been riding this roller coaster ride of recovery for the past few days. Friday was my second out patient PT session and I was so pumped! I felt great, and really worked hard. The harder I worked (no pain mind you) the more everyone was cheering for me so I worked even harder. I road the recumbent bike (on zero resistance, at the farthest setting) for 10 minutes going all the way around, did 10 unassisted straight leg raises, balanced just on my tkr leg, and got to a bend of 100 degrees! I had both patients and therapists singing my praises! My only issue was how much my hip hurt to sit on the table with my leg extended with ice. My pt actually spent a good 20 minutes working on the soft tissue in my hip and glutes as well as realigned my SI joint before I left. She said it most likely wouldn't last long, but hopefully it would help.

Well, I can say my back/hip felt better, but by Friday evening I was really starting to notice how hard I had actually worked in PT. In fact, I've paid for it all weekend. I've been a very good girl since then, and have really taken it easy. I didn't do any exercises at all yesterday and have only done a few today and have used ice around the clock.

My back/hip did fairly well Friday night, but by last night I was back to full on miserable again. I am going to do a little research and hopefully will be able to take 2 muscle relaxers tonight, if not I'm not looking forward to a very, very long evening.

What a ride this is - one day I'm up and the next day I'm down wondering what it was that I did wrong. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day. I have PT again and will be very honest about how my knee reacted over the weekend.

I hope all is well for my Bonesmartie friends around the world.

 

[Ready]

Sounds like you had a great therapy session. I love that you have your own cheering section. I hear you though. You want to work hard and it feels fine, but the next day--grrrrrr. My PT says "it's a new shoe each day." He reassured me that yes, there will the ups and downs, but we want see the progression trending upwards over the weeks. I don't think you are doing anything wrong, it's the nature of the beast. I, too, have quite a bit of pain in my hip and lower back. Hope you can get that under control. Get some good sleep and have a good session tomorrow.

 

[bottomshollow]

Sarah, I guess a cheering squad may not be a good idea. The truth is---you did TOO MUCH! And your body made you pay for it. You're not even 1 month post op---less than 1/12 of the way through this recovery. And you can't rush the KNEE. IT is in charge, and IT is in no hurry. Please slow down at PT---for some reason we feel we have to please these folks and make some sort of big impression on them---they will not be hurting when they go home---only you will.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[forevergimpy]

Judy you are right. I've read over and over again how not to rush. Funny thing was I didn't feel like I was rushing at all. I never pushed myself beyond discomfort (or really to discomfort) so at the time I had no idea I was over-doing it. Looking back, I should have realized that the amazement of the therapists and other knee patients was not merely cheering, but surprise at how much I was doing. I certainly will not repeat that mistake again (I hope!).

Doing well during a PT session then to have to spend the next 2 and a half days recovering does not make sense at all. Luckily, I slept fairly well and am feeling a bit better again this morning.

Today's plan is to take it easy at PT today and be very honest with my therapist (whom I really trust).

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Sarah, I hope you have recovered after your intensive physio on Friday.
I am impressed that you could cycle for 10 minutes. Take it gently and listen to your body.
Hope your sleep is improving and your pain is reducing.
Take care,
Toothfairy x

 

[Fernie]

Sarah, PT. is sneaky, at the time it feels good, really good, but then knee king makes us pay later.

I hope you are ok, take care, listen to those who visit the OverDidIt Club regularly, You don't wanna go there.

Hugs, Fernie

 

[gami]

Hi Sarah
it's difficult working this whole recovery thing out, we just want it so much and we all try as hard as we can to make it happen for us. Problem is with those new knees they don't pay by our rules, they have a set of there own an as Judy explained these are early days.

But it's okay because everyday we learn how to manage, every time we try something, achieve something, fall down, get back up, we've had the opportunity to store that knowledge away for future reference...and soon it all begins to work for us.

As we've said before this recovery is not a sprint, it is a marathon and you are equipping yourself really well to do the distance..

hugs Gami

 

[forevergimpy]

Today's PT went well, much gentler than last Friday, however I am still a bit more swollen and stiff this evening. I have been very good and not done much else today and will start my day slowly tomorrow as well.

I was happy to hear that I was at 102 flexion and my extension is getting closer to 0 as well. My PT continues to encourage me to go to one crutch when I'm feeling up to it and I am even feeling comfortable enough to take a few close steps here at home without support (at times).

I am hoping to get a ride to visit the barn and my horse this weekend - I think some quality time around the barn (even if it's just sitting inside and smelling the wonderful smells) will do me a lot of good.