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TKR gr82cu2 Hello new knee, it's great to see you!

Today's PT report. In spite of all my muscles feeling very tight today I measured 1 degree extension and 112 flexion at 6 1/2 weeks post op on right leg. My extension has improved with using the weight on my leg so I guess that makes it worth it. I did discover the other day that if I use my NMES on the pain setting while doing it it is much more tolerable :)

Michelle says I should be ready to be on my own at the end of the year. I think I'm sad about that to be honest. I'm really going to miss her. She did say that if I feel I'm not progressing though to call Dr. Randolph and he will write an order for more PT. I see him on January 5th so we'll see what he says/thinks about it. I told Michelle I don't want to compromise this leg over a few hundred in co-pays for therapy. I've been through too much and paid out too much money this year to let that happen.

Also I drove today! Kent rode along in case I had any problems but I didn't. Yay for some independence :)
 
@gr82cu2 Yay for driving and for the great ROM. I totally get your feelings about leaving PT and being on your own. It was hard for me - so I made one appointment for three weeks later - just to make sure I'm still on track. I go Tuesday. I feel like I'm lost ROM (because of swelling probably) so I'm hoping I won't be bummed by the visit. But, it was easier to leave and feel I could do it on my own - because I knew I had one last appointment coming up to ensure all was going well on my own. Just a thought if you might want to do something like that.
 
@gr82cu2, great PT report. Your extension and flexion are awesome!! I can understand you not wanting to stop therapy now. Today it's three months since my surgery and I'm still going!! The past couple of weeks has felt wierd as my PT has been cut down. Since Thanksgiving it's been twice a week and now until the end of the year once a week. And I am no where near where you are. My latest was 2 extension and 105-108 flexion.
 
@ljrfrm There have been times I felt like I'd lost ROM but I'd go in and she would measure me and it was still there or even a little better. Hopefully that will be the case for you too.

@Yorkimom I've always gone just 2 times a week. Michelle did suggest maybe I could think about coming once per week only just to make sure I stay on track but I think that was more because of my fear of losing ground than her thinking I need to do that. She also recommended a couple of fitness places I could join on a month to month basis. I like that idea but I'm not a very disciplined person and I'd probably not go like I should. Really, I think the best therapy will be to just get on with life. But, as we all know, the knees rule and when they say sit down we need to sit down, LOL.

I've committed to cook dinner for the first time since #2 tonight. I'm making something easy and fast so hopefully the standing won't get to me too much. I'm sitting here now with ice on my knee and a heating pad wrapped around my upper leg trying to loosen my quad and hamstring muscles up. They feel like they are clinched in a fist today.
 
@gr82cu2 glad you had a good PT session. Your ROM will continue to improve even without the PT. You know what exercises to do and you will do well. But I will be sad when my PT is over with too.

Good luck with dinner. Sit as much as you can. I have a bar stool that I use at the sink and stove.
 
@Minnie's knees Thanks Kathy! It's just I've been such a complete slacker with this 2nd knee. I've handled it completely differently than I did my first one because the pain was just so much more intolerable. I was scared to death of making it worse or have it return to that level. I think I'll be ok now where that is concerned. Of course, we all have days where we feel worse for whatever reason but that kind of pain is frightening. But, you know what? I don't think this knee is any better or worse for how I've dealt with it. At this point, it is just about the same except for my extension not being as good but the 1st knee was perfect right at the start. I just looked at my notes......#1 was 115 degrees at 38 days. I'm about a week past that now but have no reason to think it won't continue to improve. If Michelle had pushed my leg today it might have gone to 115 but she didn't push it. That was what I could do on my own. I've laid around so much that I'm much more concerned about having lost strength and muscle tone and I know I've just got to get up and start moving around more. Speaking of which, it's time to get to the kitchen and make dinner. I've actually missed cooking.
 
@gr82cu2, good luck with cooking dinner. It's good that you are making something simple for the first time. I know exactly what you mean about being so different with this knee. With my first knee I was religious about doing my exercises twice a day and never missed. With this knee I was so nauseous and then had the episodes of weakness that it was all I could do to do my PT three times a week. I really think that did have an impact on how slow my ROM has progressed. But I am doing them every day now, so hopefully at will continue to improve.
I do belong to a gym and plan on going back the beginning of January. I can't believe I haven't been there since September. I am going to go back to working out with my trainer but that won't be until February or March. Right now I'm planning on going to ride the bike and do simple exercises in addition to my PT exercises.
 
The only reason I am going to the gym 2-3 times a week is because I have the appointments with the trainer so I treat it like I PT. If I had to do it on my own, I really don't think I'd make it there. It costs me $30 a session (my copay at PT was $20) but I know that is the only way I'd get myself there. I have zero discipline on my own.
 
@ljrfrm, I hear ya! I started with my trainer at the gym five years ago. When I first started out I went three times a week. After a couple of years I took it down to two. I know if I didn't have the trainer I would find some excuse not to go. The good thing was that my hubby started to work out with a trainer and then switched over to mine. Then her schedule got so crazy so for the past two years we work out together with her. It has really worked out well, and we both enjoy working out together. Of course it will be a while until I work out with them, but it will be my goal.
 
I was very uncomfortable making dinner but I did it. I abandoned Kent to do the dishes, LOL! He was hungry for a pork chop and had no idea how to make them so that's why I cooked. But, I need to get back to the kitchen because we're almost out of all the things I made before surgery and froze. I can't believe it's lasted almost 7 weeks. I'll be so glad when the day comes that my legs no longer ache and my knees no longer feel like they are on fire. CAN NOT WAIT!!!

I really should hook up with a trainer. I'm in terrible shape physically. Terrible! I have no excuse really. Here I am a person who doesn't work, has no children living at home and I have lots of time to fill but yet I don't seem to get myself in gear and make the commitment. I've always been hot blooded but lately it is ridiculous. If I move I break out in a sweat, I swear. And I can only think it's because I'm in such bad physical shape. I was anxious to get back on my estrogen patch after both surgeries but it really didn't/hasn't helped all that much. I'm not hot flashing, I'm just plain hot a lot of the time. We don't even keep our house all that warm. Right now thermostat is set on 62, I'm sitting by a cracked open window and the outside temp is 30 and I'm comfortable. Actually the outside air feels really good and fresh. I could never live in a hot climate. I should move to Alaska or something, haha!
 
@gr82cu2, wow Janet, you really are hot blooded. I'm always either hot or cold, but mostly cold. I bundle up with blankets and after a while I get hot, throw them off for a minute and then I'm cold again. My friend Loretta is like you. She's always hot and even wears sleeveless in the winter.
Sorry you were in pain cooking dinner. Your sure must have made a lot of meals ahead of time to still have some left. I was lazy. Joe said don't worry about cooking ahead and he didn't have to say it twice!
 
I made dinner again :) Chicken parmesan and all the fixins. It didn't kill me, LOL! I even hung around to help with dishes because Lassie was on TV and I wanted to see the ending. haha! Once this leg gets straight things will seem so much better. Because it's bent I put all my weight on my left leg a lot when I'm standing and that leg gets cranky. What's weird is my right leg seems longer even though it's bent and not straight. Seems like it would feel shorter because of that. On the 29th my 1st knee will be 5 months old. Hard to believe that much time has gone by here on this couch :)
 
Being able to do more in the kitchen is a sign that you are improving!!!! Yeahhhh. You sure have been through the ringer with this knee but thing are looking up. It seems hard to believe that it's almost five months since your first knee. It was just three months for me this Friday and I can't believe it. Just think in a few more months this will all be a memory.
 
Yorkimom said:
Just think in a few more months this will all be a memory.
Click to expand...
I sure hope so! A memory I'd rather forget, haha! I actually went to Walmart for the first time in 7 weeks today. Ugh! I was hurting so bad by the time we got home. My leg just kept aching worse and worse and getting stiffer and stiffer and I kept wondering if this will ever end. But, I'm really feeling the need to get up and test it some. If I don't how will I know really what I'm capable of. I had to lay down and take a nap with my kitty for a bit after we got home.
 
Just do little bits at a time Janet. I was thinking today while driving home from the doctors how much more I can do than a month ago. It will come:curtsey:
 
Yes, I know :) I'm trying very hard to be patient. I guess I'm glad I went ahead and did them only 3 months apart but on the other hand, I really haven't had a break for 5 months now from all of this. I just keep telling myself one day it really will be better. And when it is, good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise we're going back to Europe. Or on a cruise at the very least. I need an escape, haha! When we were on our way to Walmart today I told Kent I realized yesterday the reason why it seems impossible that Christmas is 3 days away is because I haven't been out and I haven't been around anything Christmas(y) other that the Christmas tree at PT, haha!
 
@Orthodoc Hi doc, I have a question for you. Tomorrow I will be 7 weeks post RTKR. I had horrific swelling (gained 11# in 3 days) which has subsided considerably but day before yesterday I noticed something strange. When I look down my leg from just above my knee all the way to close to my ankle my leg is covered in what looks like dents and raised areas scattered around. I tried to take a picture but it doesn't show up. My thinking is that it could be little pockets of swelling in the tissues under my skin? I practically live with an ice wrap around my knee. Any thoughts on what this could be or suggestions of what to do? It's kind of freaking me out. Thanks!
 
Hi,

It is very difficult to give an accurate diagnosis of this with out actually examining the leg. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the physical exam is worth a million (ok well not exactly, but you get my thought). Have you had your surgeon look at this yet?

Orthodoc
 
@Orthodoc Thanks so much for your reply. It does seem a little better today. I follow up with my OS on 1/5. He is off for the holidays at the current time. I really do appreciate your efforts though. I know it would be hard to tell without actually seeing it. I feel pretty certain it is still pockets of fluid in my muscles or under the skin. The swelling I had was off the charts. Comparing my right leg to my left leg which was done 14 weeks prior the right one is much more firm feeling and still tight. Thanks again!
 
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