I realized it's been awhile since I updated my own progress, LOL! I think that's a good thing. Life is slowly returning to normal.
I've had absolutely zero problems from trimming my own stitch a couple of weeks ago and so far it hasn't reared it's ugly head again.
I completed PT on 12/30/14 and continue to do well on my own. At last measure my left knee was 125 and my right was 112 but I can now bend my right knee very close to what I can do with my left so that has improved quite a bit over the past few weeks.
My right knee still won't completely straighten which remains the biggest obstacle, in my mind. I don't particularly notice it that much unless I'm standing still. Because it won't straighten, it forces my weight onto my left leg which gets unhappy if that goes on for very long. I continue to work on my extension exercises for that knee and I do feel it is very slowly improving so I'll get there eventually.
Swelling is now practically non existent in my left knee and it looks and feels like a normal human knee with the exception of some residual stiffness in the tendons. It never hurts now but does get uncomfortable occasionally. My right knee is still mildly swollen and the swelling extends down into my lower leg both front and back but it is gradually taking on a more normal knee shape, little by little. The only time I would describe my right knee as painful now is if I'm up standing and walking around on it for too long (my limit is now up to about 90-120 minutes) but even that doesn't require pain meds beyond Tylenol. Usually if I just sit down with my legs up for a short time that fixes things and I'm good to go again. I've reduced icing quite a bit and now only ice maybe once a day for 15 minutes or so, usually in the evening after the day is done. It got to the point where it didn't seem to reduce what little swelling was remaining and in fact makes my leg feel stiffer if I do it too much. Ice served me very well with both my legs for a long time though and I'm a huge advocate of it's use, especially early in recovery. It not only reduces swelling but is a great pain reliever. Not to mention it aborted many hot flashes in the summer for me, haha!
Now my challenge for myself is to lose weight and get some muscle mass back in my legs. I have lost over 6# in the past couple of weeks and today, in spite of the cold, I got out and walked about 1/2 mile. It's not much but I think if I start out slow and take it easy I will be able to build up from that. I'm scared to death of falling so I won't be walking if there is ice or snow on the ground. Our housing addition got freshly paved streets this past summer so the surface is smooth and safe otherwise.
While I still have a lot of recovery ahead me, I will be out dancing in the streets the day my knees no longer feel stiff and tight and I no longer think of them. It is a wonderful thing though that the grinding, horrid pain of bone on bone is gone, not to mention my knees locking up on me many times a day, trying to trip me and throw me to the ground. I don't miss that at all! I finally feel, after almost 6 months since I had my first TKR that there is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel
I will forever be grateful for all the support I have received here from both the members and moderators. I would have felt so lost and hopeless without all of you. I hope everyone else is doing well! (((Hugs)))
United States
I need to check your thread to see how your own recovery is going. Well, I hope 
