Bilateral TKR Got out of surgery at about 5pm 6/4/2013

[new knee in June]

Hello gazelle,
I'm glad you are doing well with the walking poles do you walk every day ?
Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration to all of us
Diana..June sunbeams feeling stronger every day...

 

[gazelle7777]

Hello Diana! I went for my 3rd Nordic Walk today! I have been going right at sunrise where no one will see this crazy lady with the sticks walking! Actually,I love that time of the morning! It is interesting how when I walk outside , with the poles and the music,walking at a nice steady pace, my knees seen to perform perfect, I feel no stiffness, no ache. It is only when walking slow, in house or shopping, I notice any discomfort or stiffness or pain. ..? Very interesting!

I go to my only PT of the week tomorrow, then my last PT is next Wednesday. It will be like losing a friend not going and seeing the Therapist. On to real life I guess!
Hope you are doing well my BoneSmart Buddy!

 

[gazelle7777]

DAY 79, AUGUST 21, TUESDAY

Over did it yesterday.... shame on me! I went on my third day in a row of Nordic Walking for about a mile and a half... felt great... later in the day I rode my inside exercise bike and eliptical bike about a half hour. Last night I was paying the piper! Miserable painful stiffness.. could not sleep well... got up at 2AM... and my troubled child right knee is not happy today. So.... I will not go for my walk today and will take it easy. I think maybe just walking everyother day would be best... I am one of those people who either does it ALL or not at ALL. Not the best plan of action right now while still coming back from surgery...

PT this afternoon.... only one time this week and next week and then I guess that might be it. Hope all the other June Bugs are doing well... healing and moving on with a new life! Wishing everyone a great day today!
Joan

 

[Morgaine]

Good morning gazelle7777 your recovery is inspiring! As for quiting your job that you disliked, good for you. Sometimes it is hard to let go of something that has been a part of our lives for many years. I worked a job for 35 years that I detested, until one day I decided enough was enough. I then learned to drive an 18-wheeler, loved it, saw the country (through the windshield), and cried when I had to quit because of my knees. I did get over that nagging desire to work though. It was difficult to kill my work ethic, but reruns of old westerns helped!
Keep up the good work!

Morgaine

 

[puffin]

Oh dear gazelle7777 - it sounds like you are joining me in the ODIC. Make sure that you rest and ice today and see how you feel tomorrow

Perhaps you need to limit the number of things you do

 

[new knee in June]

Oh, dear gazelle,
I'm so sorry you are in the o.d.i.c some times we feel really good & do too much. A day off & ice always helps.
I asked my therapist if I could go back to the gym yet, she said " will you behave & do just the exercises I give you ?"
I said " I will over do it" ( just my way ) she said " not yet, then"
I think she saved me from a lot of pain I will listen to her.
I hope you feel better,
Thinking of you always,
Diana....June sunbeams .....taking it slow & easy......

 

[puffin]

How are you doing today gazelle7777?

 

[gazelle7777]

How are you doing today gazelle7777?

Hi Puffin! Thanks for asking how I am! You know, I rested yesterday, and by afternoon when I went to PT my right knee felt a lot better! I had a good session and got ROM on my right troubled knee of 127! Best number yet ! Today I was up at 2:30AM AGAIN.... Still not sleeping too good. I did go for my Nordic Walk about 6AM for 1mile(about 30 minutes) and felt good. I am trying to reach 2miles or an hour eventually. I am going to do it two days on, one day off and on my off day work on strength training inside. I am excited about being able to exercise again after years of having to give it up.

How are you doing my friend?

 

[Jesse for the Fight]

It's great to hear about your exercise excursions Gazelle! You're very inspirational for me right now. My Left knee is my trouble knee and at three weeks out the ROM is lagging. I hope I have a recovery like yours and get close to 130 ... and that I can start walking with my poles soon I'm pretty impressed at your exercise regime, you have great gusto...I'm sure it's been pent-up for a long time waiting to be unleashed. You go girl!!! Keep at it. Thanks for leading the way ;)

 

[MissJ]

Gazelle
I too am impressed with your exercise regime! It sounds as though you're getting to the stage where a recovery from "overdoing it" takes half a day instead of two whole days. It's clear you love the walking and just being able to move. I know my knees have felt gnarly the past couple of days but I still went to the gym to do 25 mins. on the exercise bike. I barely break a sweat...but it's the first sweating I've done in a year and it feels good.

I hope the sleep evens out at some point. Mine is improving bit by bit - I fall alseep decently at 10:30, toss & turn from 1-4, then fall SOUND asleep. Unfortunately the alarm goes off at 6 - be glad you aren't going back to work!

Have a great day -
j

 

[puffin]

Hi gazelle7777
Glad to hear that your ROM is improving even on your problem leg.
The sleeping thing sounds very frustrating though - I am finally getting to sleep for the first time around the time that your are getting up
It sounds as though you are doing really well with the Nordic walking though - it must be really improving your fitness
One thing though - did you buy fixed poles or telescopic ones?

 

[gazelle7777]

Hi gazelle7777
Glad to hear that your ROM is improving even on your problem leg.
The sleeping thing sounds very frustrating though - I am finally getting to sleep for the first time around the time that your are getting up
It sounds as though you are doing really well with the Nordic walking though - it must be really improving your fitness
One thing though - did you buy fixed poles or telescopic ones?

Good Morning Puffin! I ordered the fixed poles from Skiwalking.com. They are poles made in Norway... not China. They send them to you based on your height. Unless you need a telescopic pole for some reason... the fixed are more sturdy from what I understand.
I just got back from my walk this morning. My right knee was not happy today and I had a limpy walk. Oh well... such is the journey of recovery! I will take the day off tomorrow and just work out inside on my exercise equiptment instead. I hope that my body gets stronger from working out. I do not really notice it , I just hope my bones get strong as I have not been able to do weight bearing exercise for years and at 58 years old... that is important.

I just noticed you are from Sweden! Wow that sounds so lovely! What a beautiful Country!
So is Nordic Walking popular over there? Joan

 

[gazelle7777]

Gazelle
I too am impressed with your exercise regime! It sounds as though you're getting to the stage where a recovery from "overdoing it" takes half a day instead of two whole days. It's clear you love the walking and just being able to move. I know my knees have felt gnarly the past couple of days but I still went to the gym to do 25 mins. on the exercise bike. I barely break a sweat...but it's the first sweating I've done in a year and it feels good.

I hope the sleep evens out at some point. Mine is improving bit by bit - I fall alseep decently at 10:30, toss & turn from 1-4, then fall SOUND asleep. Unfortunately the alarm goes off at 6 - be glad you aren't going back to work!

Have a great day -
j

Miss J! Thanks for the post! So good to hear from my BTKR Buddy! Good for you going to the gym and working those knees! I know what you mean about barely breaking a sweat.... my body forgot what that was after all the years of chair sitting! My sleep issue is on and off. I just can not get into a nice deep sleep for several hours. I wake up every hour on the hour.. and then just get up like this morning at 2:30 AM. Hey, I get a lot accomplished by noon! That is the plus of early risers... thank goodness for internet and TV or I would go nuts that time of the day! Yes, I am really liking no time constrants with this not working anymore thing for now. It is very calming and I feel so much happier knowing that I can do and go as I please. With work... even your days off are by the clock so you can fit everything in before you have to be back. It is so new to me still...not going to work... but I do not miss it at all.

You have a wonderful day... keep up with that biking! Our cranky knees need to know who is boss! Joan.

 

[gazelle7777]

It's great to hear about your exercise excursions Gazelle! You're very inspirational for me right now. My Left knee is my trouble knee and at three weeks out the ROM is lagging. I hope I have a recovery like yours and get close to 130 ... and that I can start walking with my poles soon I'm pretty impressed at your exercise regime, you have great gusto...I'm sure it's been pent-up for a long time waiting to be unleashed. You go girl!!! Keep at it. Thanks for leading the way ;)

Jesse- I posted you on your thread... I love your avatar -- the beautiful picture of you. You look like a beautiful spritual person just from your picture. When I see your smile, it makes me feel happy!

 

[gazelle7777]

DAY 83, AUGUST 24TH, SATURDAY

Good Morning BoneSmart friends! It is a lovely cool dark and showery day here in Seattle... it has been a long stretch of warm dry weather... we need some RAIN! Never thought I would say those words! Fall is showing its colors in the leaves of the trees... and it is darker each morning a bit longer.. the changing of seasons is so nice!

My right troubled knee is aching today. I did go for my Nordic Walk yesterday, but, the darn right knee just did not want anything to do with it. . It argued with me the entire walk... and still is talking to me today. Guess I need to back off a bit, let her rest, and just do some biking inside or less stressful exercise today of some kind. I get so excited when the right knee feels ok... and then another set back..... I guess it is something I need to expect as it is not quite 12 weeks-(August 4th)- since surgery on June 4th. I always say IF ONLY I HAD TWO LEFT KNEES! I would be walking a marathon today! It is like having a good child and a bad child. You love them both, but, one always causes you grief. I hope in the months to come my right child decides to become like her left sister... and be good. We can dream!

 

[new knee in June]

Good morning gazelle,
Sometimes the bad child needs a little slap ( only kidding ) do you think the weather has anything to
Do with pain & stiffness ? Could you go easy on the inside exercises on the days you walk ? There has to be a middle
Ground & I'm sure you will find it
Have a wonderful weekend,
Diana...June sunbeams ....finding balance in our lives......

 

[gazelle7777]

Good Morning Sweet Diana! You know it could be the barametric pressure thing...I hope that is all it is. How are you doing? What are your plans for the Weekend? I am going to go get my hair cut AGAIN and this time SHORT. Six weeks ago I cut my long hair to neck length and now I am ready for short again. Change is a good thing in life. And now that I have a new lease on Life so to speak I am taking advange of CHANGE.

 

[puffin]

Hi gazelle7777
I am so looking forward to getting back to the Nordic Walking when my knee improves - living here in the countryside in central Sweden I am longing to get back out into the countryside and small lanes rather than having to consider if the route is suitable for a rolling walker. I had a pair of both pole types before I injured my knee - the telescopic ones went to work with me to walk from the station and then fold into a bag. Knowing my luck by the time I have recovered the snow and ice will probably be here

Take care and have a great weekend

 

[MissJ]

Gazelle
Go go go for the short hair! Mine has never been this short - and it's great not to think about it so much. I saw someone yesterday I hadn't seen in 6 months - in that time, my hair has grown out completely white, I got it all cut off, got new glasses & new knees. We BTKR folk don't mess around when it comes to makeovers.

My "good child" (left knee) now has become the cranky child - so I know what you mean about wanting them both to be good.

I hope by now the bad knee has calmed down and you can Nordic walk some more. Me, I have actually been swimming some laps - it feels so darn normal - at least until I start climbing out of the pool.

Take care, BTKR buddy!
j

 

[Jesse for the Fight]

You guys are so funny! You have inspired me to do something fashionably daring myself... II went out for the first time since my surgery to a barbecue and managed to wiggle myself into vinyl pants! I have never worn shiny pants before in my life ... but wanted to look extra exciting and mysterious for my first appearance since the surgery. You could see the still raised through the material, but I thought it made them look extra hip ;) The shiny, tight pants showed off how well my new knees bend and straighten just slightly short of graceful.

Change and new experiences all around! How daring this surgery had made us... The Affect of having mobility taken away and then given back I suppose.
Good luck with crank knees. And take care.