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TKR Freedom's right knee<

@Freedom I just hate to stop at more than 2 or 3 places. I guess I just don't like getting in and out of the car so many times. If I do that many stops, that's it for the day. I'm no good for anything else. One good thing though, is that my hubby just loves going out to eat or ordering in a pizza - then, at least, I have no cooking to do. :)
 
I've done a couple of marathon days when I'm feeling pain free, and I usually have to pay heavy dues at the ODIC either that night or the next day. But the good thing is that it passes and the pain goes away, with a solid day or so of rest, ice, and meds. Hope your knee and leg have settled down by now. It is a long process.
 
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Hoping you sleep better tonight after giving the knee a break today.
 
@Celle @kneeper @Josephine I mentioned on FB on someone's post, that in UK they don't do PT for a TKR. I thought that is what I understood from on here. Now another FB person, from Dorset, says they do PT in hospital and then outpatient. Have I misunderstood??
 
Oh yes, you have. I said it's not commonly used. But there are some surgeons who are every bit as pro and US surgeons!
 
I continue with my slow but steady improvement, yay! And I have a few 'firsts.'

Saturday (4 days ago) I walked all 5 dogs on leash. I haven't been able to do that in over a year! I've been taking them in the car to a place where they can run off leash, as there has been no way I could keep up with them, get them tired, manage the pack. We've been out twice since. Sure, THEY still love going to the off leash place. But now I can walk them around the neighborhood again, and at several other parks where they must remain leashed.

Sunday I had to do laundry again (washer and dryer in the cellar). I did one trip UP the stairs foot over foot! I was holding on VERY TIGHTLY to the railing on each side, but I did it! LOL, got to the top and did a little dance! I haven't tried it again - the rest of the trips I was carrying laundry up with me, in the basket. But doing it once really did give me a boost!

And last evening, I went out and dug up some daylilies which needed to be relocated. Sure, not supposed to be done till late September or so; but I found the plants I want to put in that spot marked down to $3, and came home with 14 pots! So I had to move some of the lilies, to get the 'new' plants in the ground. And I did it! Foot on shovel, push down, etc. Both knees did fine!

My right knee is 10 weeks post op. I am thrilled! And this knee has been done the bonesmart way - no outpatient PT, in home PT I did while she was here but never between visits. (Living alone, I feel I need someone coming in 3 times a week to check pulse, BP, etc., make sure I am doing ok, answer questions - I always have lots of those!) All I have done is tending to me, the cats and dogs, the house and yard. I still ice and elevate several times daily.

I have one area on the inside front, starting from the knee cap and moving down about the length of my pinkie finger, which really complains when I get up from a chair. So I do try to plan my ups and downs - not easy with 5 dogs who always want to be on the other side of the door!

And I know my quads (and other muscles) are still weak, as I have trouble getting up from a chair. I am still using the elevated chair the in home PT lady set up for me, not even tried my recliner. I am due to return to the Y and start my exercise routine on Sept 15. I will begin with upper body, and just a little bit for the legs. I know I can't just jump in at the levels I was at, I will need to work up to those again. Done it before, I can do that again. As with everything, I do that slowly, will be well over a year till I get back to where I was. And that is ok, because I will be seeing improvement all the way along.



One funny story - well, an unplanned thing. I was out at a store and had to 'go.' I have really made a point of short trips, as I still have the raised seat here at home. Got the handicap stall, fine. Never noticed before - those are the same LOW toilets! The difference is, there are all these grab bars on the wall. (Maybe it was just that store, and other places do have a higher toilet in the handicap stall, I don't know.) OH MY, I really thought I was going to have to ask someone to come in and help me, it was HARD! It took several tries before I got up. Just more reason to get started on my workouts at the Y! LOL
 
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@Freedom
I certainly can't presume to know the exact reason for that pain, but i will bet it will take some time for that poor leg to calm down after that painful episode. Rest, Ice (all around the knee) and elevation is key right now.
 
@raingirl, I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say "that painful episode." It just hurts when I have to get up from a chair.
 
@Freedom
Apologies, i was referring to the pain you had in rehab without meds. Somehow I was reading and thought that was your last post. Again. Sorry. Sounds like you are coming along nicely.
 
@Freedom you are doing amazing, so many victories in just a few days, what a great feeling to be able to do something that was impossible just a few days before :wowspring:
 
Freedom, your bathroom caper amused me. At home I use the raised seat and, as well, I installed a higher toilet before the surgery. I'm tall, with long legs, and higher toilets are much easier. I never thought much about the handicapped toilets until this TKR. I have discovered that some places have higher toilets and bars, and others just hang install bars with a low toilet and slap a handicapped sign on the door. Still others have the only handicapped toilet in a men's room(single room, but gross factor present). The low ones with bars are really hard to get up from. Sometimes I've had to hang on to the sink as well as the bars....terrified that I'm going to rip the sink off the wall. How would I explain that?
 
Walking five dogs is amazing! Are they big brutes or Chihuahuas? Do you go without a cane? Congratulations on your continued improvement. I am so happy I have a handicapped sticker for my car. I use it all the time. I know what mamazip said about the handicapped stalls is true. I use to be an Occupational Therapist and would be amazed at what some stores called handicapped. There was no way a person in a wheelchair could get in it.
 
@Floridagal, my 5 dogs are all bichons frise', largest is 18 pounds, smallest is 12 pounds. I've attached a photo of my family. You need to click on it to see it.

I have not been able to walk them on leash in well over a year!!

I have not used any assistive device (walker, cane, crutches) in 3 weeks. Those items are all put away, yippee!

@raingirl, no problem, we've all done it at one time or another!

@mamazipp, now that WOULD require some explaining, how the sink got on the floor!
 

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Oh my goodness! What cuties! They all look alike to me. I bet you get lots of comments when you walk them. What fun! I'm glad you can do that now and without a cane.
 
It is amazing that you can walk those sweeties without using even a cane! You are in wonderful shape!
I loved the photos of your children! Are the dogs related to each other? They look so much a like I'd be surprised if they aren't. I don't have any dogs, but I have 11 cats. I hope to eventually to get a beagle. Right now, I live too close to a main highway and I'm not going to chain up a dog. Our pets keeps us busy, don't they? And knowing that they need us encourages us to get better faster! We help them and they help us.
 
@sistersinhim my pups are not related. I volunteered with a bichon frise' rescue; adopted every foster they sent to me. I've had 11 bichons since Dec 2006. Most I've had at one time is 5; and the first time I did that I said never again! LOL Here I am with 5 yet again.

I groom them myself; I am self taught and only do one trim, so this helps them all look the same. Willy is the oldest at 12 years, and Frankie is the baby, just 22 months -- he goes to be neutered this Saturday! The girls are Riley age 11, Tasha age 10 and Belle age 7.

Tasha is a puppy mill rescue - born and raised in a cage in Missouri, used as a piece of inventory to produce puppies for pet stores. She was rescued from that life when she was 4 years 10 months; she was due to be killed that day. First 3 weeks with me, she spent under the bed. Middle of the night she would scramble out, run to the kitchen, gobble up some food, lap some water, pee and poop, and back under the bed. The rescue I am with only places a mill rescue in a home with already socialized dogs; the mill rescue will watch and emulate behavior. Fascinating to see the changes! Mill rescues will never trust humans as a pet dog does. Rather, they learn to trust individuals, based on repeat positive interactions. So when we are out and about, the others will go up to folks for petting and attention; Tasha makes a wide arc around strangers.

Glad you enjoyed seeing my family, @Floridagal
 
What a wonderful, giving, unselfish person you are! Tasha's story breaks my heart. Nothing should have to live like she did before you rescued her. God has a special place for you, I'm sure! How does Tasha react with you?
 
How wonderful of you to rescue these lovely fur babies! I wish we could do away with all those puppy mills. They are so harmful. My little sweetheart came from Craig's list. I feel like I rescued her from a bad home. She had fleas and worms and only wanted to hide in her crate when I first got her. Now her favorite place is on my stomach when I am icing and elevating. She has been my therapy dog. What we give to these little beasties we get back 100 fold.
 
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