Guest viewing is limited

TKR Freedom works on recovery<<

Patience, patience. That's the key to this. You have to adjust your normal 'everything at double time' thinking and stretch it out to about 10 times length of time so it's in slow motion.
 
@Freedom,
Believe it or not, the Saran wrap cure works! I didn't believe it until I tried it. I'm a Doctor and when I told my OS's PA about it, she poo-poo'd me. Wait until she has to have her knee replaced! The advise on this forum to slow down really is sound. I was inducted into the ODIC early on and since listening to my knee, rather than to my brain, things have improved. We are just days apart in our recovery, so I know how frustrating this is. Consider this a year long recovery,(UGH!) and practice patience.
 
@Pumpkln and @campdrama thanks; but the right knee has not had a tkr yet. It is bone on bone, has been over 8 years. I only had the left done, it was worse so that was done first. Need to get the right done -- waiting for the left to heal enough that it can get me through the recovery on the right. Not sure the plastic wrap cure works for a real knee.
 
I don't know it saran wrap works on an intact knee, you can try, if if does not help it will be easy to take off.
 
I can truly commiserate with how you are feeling and how frustrating it is.

You have been waiting to reclaim your lifestyle--an active one and a very enjoyable one, as well.

Things will slowly improve, and, in the end, you will be able to enjoy the gardening and the yard work---and the serenity and the satisfaction that comes with it---and you will be able to enjoy it so very much more.
Freedom said:
If I were 'normal,'
Click to expand...
Absolutely normal---all of us have been "chomping at the bit" to get back at it---and it really does challenge your patience greatly.
Freedom said:
Since about 5 PM yesterday, my RIGHT knee has been terribly painful.
Click to expand...
This is also fairly normal, as the non-surgical knee has been tasked with helping out until the TKR can handle it share of the load. Normally, the pain does subside when the surgical strengthens and is capable of caring its share of the workload.

Hang in there---there are indeed much better, much brighter, and much more enjoyable (and less challenging!) days ahead.
 
I will tell you that, with my dogs---I would have had an even more difficult time getting through recovery. I had four--- a black lab, a chocolate lab, a yellow lab, and a "Chocolate retriever"---1/2 chocolate lab and 1/2 golden retriever---and they really did help me keep my perspective and lifted my spirits when I was down in the dumps. I am sure that your pups are excited to get outside with you, but, at the same time, are a great comfort to you!
 
Absolutely! With the 5, I am not allowed to sit too long, someone always wants to get to the other side of the door, lol. And being a companion breed, all 5 are sitting on me all the time.
 
Hi Freedom!
I feel your frustration!
Both my knees were bone on bone for years. I had my RTKR last August, followed by the LTRK in November.
I feel like I've done nothing but recover for seven months!!!
I really didn't feel the true benefit of my first surgery until I went through the second.
Stairs (especially going down) were horrendous until I had two solid joints...as well as getting up from a normal chair or toilet.
It made me mad enough to face the second round.
I have really only recently started to move normally and unconsciously like a normal person...it is such a rush!!!
It's a long journey, with peaks and valleys, hang in there!!!!
In the mean time, you couldn't find a better place to share the journey than Bonesmart.
There are so many good hearts here!!
 
Gramanator57! said:
I have really only recently started to move normally and unconsciously like a normal person...it is such a rush!!!
Click to expand...
And that is what it is all about!!!

I will tell you this, as well---I can go for days without thinking about my knees----they are normal, and do what they are supposed to do---all of those years and times when I was focused on the pain, the pills, the limitations---and now---it is normal---and normal is where it is at!!
 
@Gramanator57! thank you. Isn't it hard NOT to compare yourself to others! So many are up and walking with a walker the day of surgery or the day after. Not me. So many are walking well at 4 weeks. Not me. Doing the "don't compare to others, just look how far you have come since surgery date" doesn't come easy!

I was supposed to have the right done this month but the left wasn't far enough along so my surgeon has pushed that off. I suspect I will spend most of 2016 in recovery mode.
 
Hi Freedom, with my 2 TKRs, believe me I can sympathize with you about the frustrations!!! When I start comparing other people whose recovery seems to be going along quicker and easier than mine I try to remember that there are people in wheelchairs who have to deal with that permanently. Also the kids coming back from overseas with amputations. That usually snaps me out of it , this will improve in time. Thank goodness we live in a time when our knees can be replaced. We are still early in recovery and just need to hang in there till all the healing is complete. Hope you're feeling better today. At least the weather is improving, glad Spring has finally shown up.☺
 
It's so true that no two knee replacements are the same.
When I have stiffness or pain, it is usually my "older" knee...go figure!
My theory is it is from having to have it straightened more.
My skin is in the same place, but everything under it has been shifted and stretched into a new place.
We will get there...baby steps!!!
 
Sat in bed reading Saturday night, something I do for half an hour or so before lights out. Suddenly realized I had BOTH knees up and resting my book on my legs - BOTH LEGS. Haven't been able to do that since surgery Jan 20th! Since then I had to balance the book on one leg, awkward. As many on here mention, "it's the little things!!"
 
Hi Freedom, so good to hear you were able to read in bed with both knees up ! I remember being surprised the first time I was able to do that too. Even now after 4 months it's still stiff getting the newer knee in position, but once it's up it doesn't bother me. Feels so good when we see these improvements !! Happy for you.
 
It's good to hear that you have passed a little milestone, in being able to have both knees up to read in bed. :yay::happydance:
Celebrate each achievement along the way. They'll all add up to a good recovery. :yes!: :flwrysmile:
 
Today I am 13 weeks post op.

I still can't go up or down stairs foot over foot. Well, ALMOST can go up the stairs. Seems I just don't lift the leg high enough, so my toe bumps the stair riser. I think it must be muscle memory, thinking it has to lift x amount for the cellar stairs, and now the leg is just a bit heavier? Good thing I always have shoes on. Laundry day today, so I was down and up the cellar stairs a few times. As long as I wasn't carrying stuff I made sure to practice my stairs. I have to consciously focus to lift the leg that extra little bit; if I don't, then instead I do this weird hip raise movement. Why that hip movement comes more easily than just lifting my leg the extra little bit really puzzles me. Seems very odd. Going down stairs, nope, not possible.

I see OS on Apr 29. Been feeling down about this whole situation today, starting from the moment I woke up.

My right knee is getting worse, gave out on me twice today. I didn't fall, sort of stumbled and grabbed hold of something to keep upright. (Both times I was walking on a flat, not doing stairs.) I really do not want to end up on crutches for 2 months pre op, which is what happened with this left knee. Would the surgeon do the second knee if you can't go down stairs properly with the first one?

Then someone told me an MUA has no effect if it is done more than 3 months post op, and instead you have to have some surgical procedure where they go in and remove scar tissue? I keep reading the Scar tissue vs Adhesions, but it doesn't seem to say how you know if you have one or the other. And I read the MUA and that one doesn't seem to say how you know if you need one. People who have MUAs seem to go to PT 5 days a week for 2 weeks, many use the CPM (and how does that work when your OS doesn't believe in it?).

I will say, I feel better overall since I stopped that 3 days a week PT. Left knee is still quite swollen. I ice and elevate, I know my instructions were 40 to 60 minutes, but I do 55 to 60 each time. And my instructions were 4 times daily; in these past 12 days, I have done 1 day of only 2 times, 1 day of only 3, and all the others I have done the 4 times daily.

I wonder if someone can change the title of this thread? I had never looked at this side of the forum until I was in Rehab, so didn't realize we do one thread for our recovery. Hence my current title: Freedom's first post post op. Maybe change it to Freedom works on recovery.
 
I haven't been able to walk up or down stairs like a'big girl' for several years so that is not a necessity for a TKR. You would wind up doing the one step at a time again post surgery anyway. Usually if you have better than 90 flexion that don't do a MUA. If you have any swelling at all that can make a difference even if you don't see it very much. My instructions post surgery said to ice for 20 minutes. In he beginning I paid no attention to that at all and iced it for 20 hours a day! :heehee:
 
@Freedom
I've changed your thread title, as you requested.

Don't run away with the idea that you have to work at a recovery, though. You let recovery happen, by giving your knee the best conditions in which to heal itself. Listen to your knee and do all you can to keep it happy - and recovery will happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 721 (members: 0, guests: 721)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom