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TKR From Difficult Moment to Some Positive Moments

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Re: Having a difficult moment

Dear Karen,
We all go through the feeling of wanting to get out. It's easy to overdo it when you do. Sometimes I just ride in the car and sit there in it while he runs errands for us. It gives me a change of scenery. I have also had some short visits to our favorite coffeehouse for about half an hour. I have a sister and a good friend who comes to visit me. Those things help my frame of mind.

For dinners we are having frozen pizzas, canned soups, omelets, frozen entrees, etc. Nothing that is difficult. Next week I'm going to try my slow cooker.
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Karen,

I am a little late getting in on the thread. I am a little over one year out from my surgery (2/25/11), and it has been a ride. However, looking back, I would do it all over again. The alternative was not walking, and I am way too young for that.

I too was home alone most of the time during my recovery, and yes the house gets really small really fast. I worked puzzles, read books and watched movies that I had not seen in years. Every day, weather permitting, I made a point to get outside, even if was just to sit on the porch or limp out to the mail box and back. Going to PT was my big adventure for the first few weeks.

Cooking (which I did with a chair pulled up to the stove), cleaning, etc. really does wait.

I had periods of major, yes major, depression during my recovery, and a couple of weeks ago I had a melt down over the struggle of getting my knee to work the way I think it should. I came here, wrote about it, and got a lot of support and solid advice. I then decided I, not my knee, will determine how I am going to live my life. I still have struggles and my OS mentioned a possible revision. My left knee is going and my right hip is joining the party as well, even with that, I will stay positive.

As for returning to work, I followed the guidelines posted here and went back on with a graduated return. I started back 8 weeks after surgery and returned to full time after my MUA the first part of June.

You are really early in your recovery. When you read and hear people state it takes a year more before you feel close to 100% that is the truth. So be as positive and as patient as you can. Enjoy your time off, but mostly take care of you!

Hugs,
Brandi
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

I know how you feel. LIke a complete invalid. I hated not being able to
go to church, and if I did, I had to go with a walker, and then go home
and rest. It will get better! hang in there!
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Hi Brandi,
We are close in age,....sorry to hear about your other joint issues. Thanks for the reminder/reality check that I am early in recovery. Where are the return to work guidelines posted? I have my evaluation with the surgeon on 4/24 so see what they say about me driving and returning to work. I think my employer will work with me to be flexible on my return or at least I hope so.

I thought yesterday was a good day until at 9:00 when I took my vicodin I had a bad reaction to it that kept me up until almost 3:00 a.m. Switching over to Tramadol and tylenol see how that helps. And then the swelling pain got bad today around 4:00 p.m. and I feel like I did barely anything today.

My mantra will be..."this too shall pass" .....
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

It does get better, believe me! My hubby works at home so he is always around, but during both recoveries (early on) I was a quivering basket case at times. I would get more depressed in the evening, for some strange reason. My hubby is the cook in the family, so our dinner choices are quite good, fortunately.

The cabin fever is a problem, isn't it? I followed a very similar pattern for both knee recoveries. My first time out of the house after getting home from the hospital was a visit to the OS at the two-week mark. At the end of that same week, we went out for dinner, although its hard to sit in a booth or dining chair at that point. I went to church at three weeks with the walker.

Now, at six weeks, I can have a glass of wine when we go out (off the pain meds), sit for a while and relax and am very confident with the cane and getting some confidence without the cane.

We like to travel so I've spent a lot of my time researching some of the places we are visiting soon. It certainly takes your mind off of recovering knees.
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Karen,
I thought the schedule was in the library area, but it is not. I must have read it in a post last year. Basically, I started two days a week for two to three hours, then two days a week four hours, then three days a week, four hours, then three days a week for six hours. I stayed with that until after the MUA and subsequent PT, which lasted two weeks; then I went back full time.
Sorry about the reaction to your pain medications. I cannot take Tramadol, but a lot of folks get great pain relief from it.
Ups and downs are part of the recovery process, and some days there may be more downs than ups; however, it will not be that way forever. Hang in there, it will get better!!!
Hugs to you,
Brandi
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Hi Brandi,
Thanks for the reply. I spoke with my boss and when she asked when I thought I was returning, I really did not know how to answer. Initially they put me down for 6 weeks leave, so I extended it. I told her I have a follow up with the surgeon on 4/24 and will see where I am at then. I will propose some flex schedule similar to yours.

Right now, the swelling is so bad I cant do steps right, or even do one rotation on the bike backwards. Did you have bad swelling? My pay reduces in a week by 25% so I really want to get back to work ASAP. I don't know....

When did you begin driving again? I cannot wait for that!!! I also feel flabby and all that working out that might have led to the demise of my knee is going out the window. I just keep working towards being able to hike, travel, and getting back to my old self. I am also going to treat myself to a day at the spa and some new clothes:)

Hhhmm what is on tv tonight?
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Karen, the shopping and spa sound wonderful Sometimes a little treat like that can really lift your spirits and take your mind off your knee.
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Yeah, I cannot wait until I am up for that. Tomorrow I am getting a hair cut woo hoo. I see you also had a TRKR a few years back. My swelling and that hard clamp feeling around the knee is really very frustrating, and don't know if it warrants a call to the doctor and if they can give me anything to help reduce that.
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Alas, dear Karen, there is no med for swelling & the tight band feeling :cry:.

The ultimate cure for both is lots of time and patience :DOH: and rest, icing, and elevation, and not overdoing PT and regular living.

For me it was at least 2 months before swelling ceased to be a daily problem and over 3 before the tight band feeling was mostly gone. However, it differs from person to person. Some of us are slower to heal than others, and the things that cause us the most problem can often be different.:scratch: This is a pretty unique surgical recovery, and its the knee that dictates not you or the doctor or the physical therapist.

Just remember IT WILL GET BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER!!! :biggrin: And keep telling yourself that a lot---and believe it.

I am close to 5 1/2 months along and am out of pain for the first time in almost 10 years.:yes 4:I still have some swelling if I overdo, my knees are still sensitive to pressure, going down steps is still difficult----but I can do pretty much what I want to do and do it for long periods of time. And I sleep very well now.:yahoo:

Take care, hang in there, & keep us posted. We care. :cat-kittyandsmiley: Judy
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Judy is right. No magic pill.

But....the old BoneSmart mantra helps: rest, ice, elevation and take pain meds on a schedule.
 
Re: Having a difficult moment: And some better ones

Hello All,
I am happy to report last night was the first night I slept through without waking up from pain. It could have been from shear exhaustion, I don't know. But at PT today, the guys were happy to see some recognition of a knee - the swelling was at an all time low. I also improved 2 degrees on my range of motion.

It is not early evening, and sorry to say the swelling reappeared and the stiffness/clamp feeling is back:sigh: but I was encouraged to have a good night and a few really good hours today. They think I could try driving in a couple of weeks....I keep feeling like I must be doing something wrong, for it to feel this way now, but the more I read here the more I see it is normal.

Hope everyone had a pleasant Easter/Passover.

Karen
 
Re: Having a difficult moment

Karen, I suspect the PT probably caused the swelling to recur. Did you elevate (toes above nose) and ice when you got back from PT? Are you taking you pain meds regularly? I never had any PT after the first 5 weeks. And I just let my regular routine take care of any exercise, and I am doing very well and have excellent ROM. Maybe you need to back off the PT for a while.

The "clamp" feeling tends to hang around for quite a while even after the swelling is mostly gone. It was close to 4 months before my "clamp" let up and went away. And at going on 5 1/2 months, I can still get some swelling if I get carried away and overdo.

Take it easy, be good to your knee and it will be good to you. Keep us posted. We care. Judy
 
Hello All,
I know we are supposed to keep our posts in one thread, but the name of my thread just doesn't apply to my update. I was so excited and relieved, because of all my swelling issues, that yesterday in PT I achieved 117 range of motion, and was able to pedal both forward and backwards full cycle! That felt so huge to me, like my son taking his first step, lol. I was like hey....did anyone just see me pedal?!
This is the first time since March 6th I have seen real improvement, other than being able to get out of bed on my surgery side, which was a huge issue when I came home. I was miserable after PT, and had to take a pain killer, ice and elevate, but that is ok.

Just wanted to share!!!!!

Karen
 
Hi Karen, congratulations on your accomplishment! I'm sure just knowing it is possible is half of it!
 
Wow!! That is quite a breakthrough! You have certainly taken a big step forward! Congratulations!!:thumb::thumb:
These milestones of accomplishment do really mean so very much!!
 
Thanks, Guys! I know you all get what a big deal it is. I just can't wait to get some of my independence back, and begin to drive again. I think over the week end I will try pulling the car out of its spot and parking again, just to see how it feels. I work 30 minutes from home and at the moment that drive makes me nervous. Its a moot point since I can't return at a minimum until after the 24th.
 
Congratulations Karen! isn't it great to see progress.
 
Getting there, at least. And when it rains it pours. On a lighter more fun note, if I didnt mention it in one of my posts, I am a single mom. Out of sheer boredom, I joined a dating site while on leave thinking with any luck when I am a few months post surgery maybe I will have a date. Don't you know, a really cute nice guy asked to meet me tomorrow.
Awkward, but I had to ask to postpone the date because of the surgery. He said no problem, let's keep in touch. I need to break out the jeans, and see what shoes I can wear! Not sure when I will feel ready to go.....
 
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