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Deb, when it comes to xmas decorating, I have very little interest. It's just represented more work to me. Last year I dragged my feet on a tree, and asked around if anyone actually wanted a tree and no one said yes. But this year I'm feeling that a little colorful xmas tree in my recovery nest would be just the ticket. I also, in my mania to get all of life (plus my elderly mom's life) set for me not doing anything for a couple of months, I ordered a whole bunch of paperwhites and amaryllis. Potted them, like, two days before surgery. So they're on their way to becoming easy xmas presents.

I'm glad you mentioned bruises and scars, Tykey. A prompt for me to notice the bruising is gone! The wound looks good. Massaging the area today. Plus arranged for an in-home full body massage tomorrow.

Thanks for your posts, and for your encouragement
 
Hey Mary
Just checking in on you !!!! At first I did take my pain meds every 3 and half hours for the very same reason. It seemed like if they didnt completely run my pain level would not increase so that is what I did. Hope your day is better today. I can remember the first few weeks were really not fun. Even at this point I am far from great. But it will get better !!! :snwpl:
 
OK day. Had a nice soaking bath. Took two baths last week that for some reason triggered breakthrough pain. So while I was in the bath today I took a half dose of percocet to pre-empt being punished for enjoying myself. The prescribed PT I had on Tuesday ramped up my pain for a good 24 hours. I can't even talk about it without my voice cracking. Thus left a crackly voice message for an old friend who's a PT and she's coming tomorrow to help me. See what comes of that. Just continue to be very stiff and gaining confidence that things will improve with time, and if ROM continues doesn't budge, a manipulation may be needed at some point and that's OK.
 
Mary, you might try taking 1/2 the full dose of your pain meds every 2 hours. Sometimes that works better than a full dose every 4 hours.
 
God Mary, I would LOVE a soaking bath but am afraid I won't be able to get out of the tub!!!!!!! What a wonderful idea you had for Christmas gifts with potting the flowers. I wish I had thought of that. I am trying to play around on line and get some ideas, and then have gifts sent and wrapped. Try as Jamie suggests, 1/2 dose every 2 hours, some days it really helps. Feels like there is a steady stream going. I hope this helps and will be thinking about you. My husband is putting lights on our tree, so I hope that will start to get me out of this funk.
 
Deb, I do hope the tree lightens up your life. I had a pretty good day but the Kleenex did not go unused. What bothers me is that abnormal has become normal, and even though I have wonderful wonderful support from my friends and husband (and kids when they're home), I'm on some level very lonely. I did sleep with my husband two days after coming home from the hospital, but it seemed every time I woke him with a need he was disoriented. Bad enough one of us is pathetic. Two was bad. So I've nested in the living room so he can have a decent night. Oh well. I'll get a tree this weekend and that little bit of normalcy will help. "Funk" is a good description. Thanks for checking in Deb.
 
Jamie said:
Mary, you might try taking 1/2 the full dose of your pain meds every 2 hours. Sometimes that works better than a full dose every 4 hours.
Click to expand...
JUST what I was going to say, Jamie! :thmb:
 
Today I got help from an old friend who's a semi-retired PT. She helped me put together a routine that is doable and gentle. She doesn't even want to be reimbursed. She said she's just happy to be able to help without doing paperwork!

I doubled up on pain med and for the first time the routines, though uncomfortable at times, felt as if they were helping. It felt the pain of good exercise rather than the punishment of aggravating exercise. She did think I might have adhesions . . . and studies show that patients on coumadin have a higher incidence of adhesions . . . but she herself had adhesions after knee surgery many many years ago and got her leg which didn't bend at all after 4 months in traction to reach 100 degree. A very encouraging day.

Today is the 45th anniversary of breaking my right leg . . . possibly the insult that set my knee up to become toast by age 58!
 
UPDATE: Good news!!!

I have done my new PT routine 4 times now, 3 on my own. No startling changes, but I figure if I gain one degree a day, or even half a degree, it'll add up in three weeks.

My PT friend mentioned Sherrington's Law, which is, a muscle is able to get its greatest stretch right after (a few seconds after) its greatest contraction. So one of my exercises is a straight leg raise with quads contracted, immediately followed by a heel slide when the leg is lowered. I also like the step stretch where you put your foot up on a step or maybe a low stool and lunge into flexion. I do it very slowly and gently like yoga. I've found if I apply strong pressure over the knee with my hand (end of femur), it's less painful. Maybe the pressure helps remodel the muscle.

Anyhow I feel as if I've turned a corner and my spirits are soaring!!!
 
Well done, that girl! Though I'd suggest a couple of changes in your objectives:
1. if you must have a goal, make it 2 degrees a week rather than one a day
2. how about not having any goals at all! It's been my observations that setting recovery goals is generally more counter than productive (!) as people tend to get too focussed on them and get discouraged when they are not met. Much better to focus on keeping on top of the swelling and pain and just seeing what happens. Mostly the flexion is there all the time - it just needs to be offered the opportunity to reveal itself! :wink:
 
Good reminder, Jo. No expectations!!!
 
It's necessitated a 50% increase in pain medication. But that's what the body needs!! Nice to have something positive to report.
 
Great report, Mary!!! I'm glad things have taken a turn for the better for you. You have done the right thing by finding the things that work best for your body. Not everyone is the same, of course. Keep up the great work!
 
Twenty days, you're like a newborn. Nobody tells us this is a long process, like you said they just dump you out and say you will be okay. I think if the Dr.'s actually told us the truth no one would have the surgery. Thank God for Bonesmart for this is where I came for information and sympathy.

Don't worry about taking too much pain meds, your body needs them. It will tell you when you can taper off. I still keep some around in case I overdue cooking, cleaning, etc... I still have sciatica pain that I work on daily.

Just keep coming back and asking question if you need to, sometime I just read others experiences and they help me. Good luck to you and take your time to heal.
 
We had some of that wind that the coast of Maine is famous for, except maybe worse, and lost our power. My plan today had been to shower, go see my 92 year old mom for a few minutes, and feel normal for a while. Instead I was confined without distractions. I'm trying to drop my expectations about lack of flexion but without being able to tap into bonesmart today my spirits sunk. So tomorrow I'll give it another try. Get cleaned up, go see mother, try to have a little bit of normalcy. Pain's leveling off.
 
Stick with it, Mary - you'll get there. Nothing in this thing goes quickly - or to plan!
 
Hang in there Mary! I still feel as if I take two steps forward and one step backwards and I am 9 weeks as of today!
 
Update: it's been 4 weeks + 1 day since I went titanium. Pain has become less intrusive. ROM improving s-l-o-w-l-y. I can get around the house without aides (slowly, carefully). Had an outing of 3 hours today during which I had to take half a pain pill for breakthrough pain due to increased swelling from my leg being down so much (although I did keep it elevated in the car). Finally done with the coumadin and started back on Celebrex.

My ortho was away when I called in semi-crisis last week and upon getting my message today he had the office arrange to see me tomorrow.

Hindsight being 20-20, I've decided I'm just a late bloomer. I think the bumps in my post-tkr process all relate to being outside of defined norms. My ROM has been sub-par. I was not able to tolerate post-surg at- home exercises. I was not able to tolerate my original outpatient PT. Maybe the appt tomorrow is not necessary but I want to maintain the "partnership," be sure there isn't some other factor holding me back, and be open to any other info. Will report back.

What's funny about this is that I have been the Poster Child of Knee Health for People with Bum Knees. I maintained, by gentle regular bike rides, good ROM and soft tissue health going into surgery (despite no lateral meniscus, a medially shifted femur, and 10 degrees of valgus). I had it all reasoned out that my good conditioning would serve me well post-surg. But life being so full of surprises, I have more angry and stubborn soft tissues than your average post-tkr patient, from what I can tell.

Tomorrow after my appt I'll bop in to see one of my supporters who will be one day post RTKR with the same surgeon. It'll be interesting . . .
 
Hey Mary!
Great to hear from you and you sound like you are doing so much better!! I was just 6 weeks yesterday, and am still having issues with swelling and breakthrough pain, but all in all not too bad. I thought I would try driving since I was given the go ahead. Yea well, that didn't go so well. I made a couple of short trips to the end of the road and the next day I got stupid and drove to the post office. Only gone 13 minutes, but later had some real discomfort in the arch of my foot and up my calf. I am putting that on hold for a little while longer. I thought it would be nice to be able to make short trips, but..............not yet! I figure, as long as when spring comes, we can be out there walking around without the old pain we are WAY ahead of the game. Like Jo says " no goals set, and let nature take care of us. Sounds good,take care.
 
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