TKR Grandma B's Recovery Thread

[Grandma B]

I'm always iced after pt , today was the first time with the stimulus , I wasn't sure what to expect I was very nervous hoping they knew what they were doing.

 

[rubyyarn]

The chiropractor used to use that device on my shoulders. They'd attach the electrodes, then cover the area with an ice bag. I think it is the electronic version of a massage. I doubt that it will hurt you.

Sounds like the blues hit you hard! They do go away and your new knee will only feel better

 

[Celle]

Tears coming out of nowhere? Oh yes!

This major surgery plays havoc with your emotions.
The post-op blues ( Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it ) not only make you sad - they also make your emotions very unstable. It's like PMS, multiplied by at least 10.

I know that I used to get angry very easily. My poor husband got yelled at several times. On one occasion - that I still feel bad about - I yelled at him because he didn't read my mind and instantly know what I needed.
The poor man fled to the other end of the house and stayed there for a couple of hours.

 

[Jockette]

I think I am still experiencing those post op blues on occasion at 8 months post op.

 

[Grandma B]

That's funny you said that I'm constantly getting mad at my husband, the poor man is glad to go to work for a few hours to breath! I'll start crying and he looks at me and says what's wrong now! I give him the look of death and don't talk to him for a while, I can't believe how these moods hit you it's like Dr jekell and Mr Hyde , even the dog is staying away

 

[funkymuse]

Gosh.. i think you are doing good at 105. I'm only at 62 and my surgery was oct 17th! I wish I had your flexibility at this stage... but we all heal as we heal...

 

[KarriB]

I had e-stim (electric stimulation) at the end of most of my PT sessions. There was no pain involved for me at all. I seemed to cry for 2 straight months. After my infection surgery I cried so much the nurse came to check on me at the far end of the hall in the quarantine room. I asked her to shut the door and let me cry it out. About a half hour later she came back to check on me again. This recovery is not for the faint of heart.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh I hated those mood swings. One minute laughing the next minute crying or angry or even both! The emotions do even out in a few weeks or so.

 

[Grandma B]

Mood swings , nausea , pain, lack of sleep this certainly is not for the faint of heart! Glad to hear that it will even out. It's really awful you're in a car going to pt or just for a little trip to get out and out of no where you break down in tears.

 

[Jockette]

 

[Grandma B]

I finde myself getting really angry and depressed when I want to do something and it doesn't happen , I know it's only been 4 weeks but I visualize my self doing this and that but when I try it's more difficult than I thought and that's when the emotions set in.

 

[Grandma B]

Big mistake! I went shopping today to the food store my husband told me to use the cart where you sit and ride and he followed me with the shopping cart and we were getting things that I need so I was enjoying myself thinking yes finally freedom!! Well after we finished and hour later I got into the car and my God my leg completely stiff and pain that when we got home I had a hard time to make it up the step to get into the house, I laid down put ice on it and waited for it to calm down . Hope I didn't do anything wrong, I'll never do that again ! I think that was way to long for my leg to be down.

 

[rubyyarn]

Awww... Sounds like you joined the Over Did It Club. No harm done, just ice and elevate until everything calms down.

Now you know more about what is too much. In a week or two a shopping trip won't be a big deal.

And wasn't it nice to get out!

 

[KarriB]

Chances are you didn’t do any damage, but it may take a few days to recover from your outing. A whole hour of your knee being down and not propped or elevated is probably what caused your discomfort. At 9-10 weeks post op I went to dinner and a show (Wicked). The ticket was a Christmas gift and I thought that at that point I’d be fine. Well, a whole evening of my leg being down even at 2.5 months post op led to a hugely swollen leg. I had to peel my trousers off like a banana and elevate with my legs up on the sofa arm/icing while I laid flat. Just as a reminder, Activity progression for TKRs .

 

[Grandma B]

I was so scared when I couldn't feel my leg it was so stiff I cried and my husband tried to pull me in and I'm crying I could imagine the neighbors haha!!! Thank god we have a garage and that's how I got in and the rest of the steps I had railings on both sides so I was Abel to get myself up and finally lay down with ice and elevate, I think I would of done the same to see wicked, I guess it's going to take a while till everything is back to some normality . Thank you guys for making me feel better ! For a while I was really scared

 

[Jockette]

I couldn’t use those carts because they require me to bend my knee!

Sometimes we have to try things and pay for it before we believe what Bonesmart says!

You’ll be fine, just relax now.

 

[Celle]

Big mistake! I went shopping today to the food store my husband told me to use the cart where you sit and ride and he followed me with the shopping cart and we were getting things that I need so I was enjoying myself thinking yes finally freedom!! Well after we finished and hour later I got into the car and my God my leg completely stiff and pain that when we got home I had a hard time to make it up the step to get into the house,

Yes, you really did overdo things! It was much too early in your recovery to go shopping.
However, there shouldn't be any long-term harm.
Elevating and icing was the right thing to do afterwards.

Perhaps you need to read this article again, to remind you of what you should be doing at this early stage of recovery: Activity progression for TKRs

 

[Grandma B]

Thank you for making me feel more comfortable , I just get so frustrated I thought I could do it ! well I found out the hard way,from now on I'll follow the rules it's not worth the pain .

 

[Grandma B]

Every time I stand on my leg i have this thought what if my leg snaps and I know there is no reason for that to happen but I just have this fear in my minde, I've always been a real baby when it comes to going to doctors and it takes me longer to get over or try to do new things. My pt keeps reassuring me that it won't happen but I always think the worst. Am I the only one who thinks this way?

 

[Jockette]

I think in this recovery we become fearful of things. Maybe different things for each of us. I don’t fear it will break, in fact at my joint class before surgery we were assured that the replacement would be very strong right away and not to be afraid to put weight on it the first time we stand on it after surgery, so I felt confident on that.

I find I am more fearful of falling than anything else. And in a store I tend to just stop if someone is coming close to me. I never was like that before. I also had balance issues early on so that encouraged my fear of falling. Those balance issues have pretty much cleared up by themselves over time.