TKR Grandma B's Recovery Thread

[sistersinhim]

Why don't you change pt facilities? It sounds like you all are just numbers and there's no individual treatments. Nobody needs that kind of treatment. There are much better facilities out there that can help you much more than this place is.

 

[Grandma B]

Today the depression got the best of me I just can’t stop feeling so hopeless, just sitting with an ice pack and crying my eyes out feelin sorry for myself, it’s so hard to do anything, I can’t imagine ever being back to normal all I see is struggling trying to walk for the rest of my life , it’s still painful to do a little more and I’m trying not to take my pain pills I’m trying to see how long I can go without it , I know I’ve overdone it and I’m sore but I’m so angry right now that I’m so helpless like a little child, that I’m pushing more than I should, sleeping isn’t comfortable turn on the side and it’s pain and numbness!how did you lady’s get through this I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy!

So sorry but I had to let it out! Thank you for listening to me it’s so embarrassing I usually don’t do this.

 

[KarriB]

It sounds to me like you’re in a vicious cycle of exercising/PT, overdoing and feeling miserable. Your sleep may also be suffering from overdoing things because the pain is more noticeable at night when you’re still. I was forced to slow down and do nothing but rest and elevate with NO bending at all, but I still have a wonderful ROM.

Start the new year being good to yourself and your new knee. Don’t do anything that causes it pain. Try just living your life, but spend equal time up/about as you do elevating. Listen to your knee...

 

[Jockette]

First off, you WILL get through this! We all thought we wouldn’t.

Second, go take your pain medicine right now, if it’s been enough time since your last dose! Don’t try to do without it unless you feel ok without it. If you’re in pain, take something. To quote Celle, there are no prizes for giving it up while you still need it. I am still taking Tylenol twice a day.

Thirdly, these emotions are the post op blues, and we all have/had them too, it’s part of the after effect of this very major surgery!

I can’t tell you how many melt downs I had the first few months, and even later on, though not as many.

It really, really does get better. I’m 9 months post op and once in a while I still have to tell myself that, even with as far as I have come.

I think we are also more emotional during the Christmas season, I know I am.

 

[Celle]

Jockette is right.

You still need those pain medications. There's no point in not taking them and then feeling miserable with pain.

Give in to the blues for a day - have a good bawl. Let it all out, Cry, scream and yell "It's not fair! Why me?" Then cry again. Tears are healing. It's cathartic to let all those emotions out.

Yes, you will get better. Your knee is busy healing itself. It knows what it's doing. You can't speed up the healing, but things are slowly getting better.
Allowing your knee the time it needs now is going to reward you later.

Hang in there!

 

[Grandma B]

Thank you lady’s for you’re advise, as always I feel so much better and glad there are others who have gone through it and are leading normal active lives now! Which gives me hope and something to look forward to. Just hate those dark days that come out of no where and especially the holidays when it brings out the worst in you.

I want to wish everyone a very happy healthy New Year