TKR Grandma B's Recovery Thread

[Jockette]

The weather (rain) does affect my knee whereas it didn’t before. I also find my knee does not like the cold. Once I am back inside it settles down.

I think you are doing too much in PT. I’m sure Josephine will comment.

In the normal course of your day, you do sit to stands, but not x amount all at once like at PT. The same for the other things, some of which you don’t even do in your ADL’s (activities if daily living)

Normal activity is key to success.

 

[Grandma B]

Too me it seemed like they are rushing you through the exercise and see how much they can put you through, you are right about the cold , when I'm laying down and my feet get cold I can feel my knee complain as soon as I put socks on or cover with blanket I feel better.

 

[KarriB]

115 at a month is very good! I was released from PT with a ROM of 109 and it continued to improve for a year or more with just daily living. Your knee may be reacting to the marching and sit/stands. I’m sure you do enough sit/stands at home with daily activity. Sometimes I notice a change with the weather, but not always. Mostly wet cold weather makes me ache, but not just my knees.

At just a month post op your ROM is good, but your body is still healing from surgery. Patience is a plus with this recovery. My OS said I’d feel more like myself at 3 months and he was pretty spot on. But even then I took back day to day responsibilities slowly instead of just heaping them all on at the same time. Just think back to where you were a week or two ago, you should notice little changes along the way. Then in another week or two you’ll see more changes/improvements. It’s slow going, but worth it in the end.

 

[Grandma B]

I am so grateful to have such wonderful kinde and wise women to talk to, don't know who I would turn to. No one knows what it's like unless you went through it and I'm truly grateful for everyone sharing with me and making it easier to deal with! Thank you so much

 

[Jockette]

The best advice is here on Bonesmart. I find that people outside of Bonesmart are locked into the “you must do your exercises” way of thinking, even if they’ve had TKR. I’m so glad I found Bonesmart, too.

 

[rubyyarn]

Ohhh, @Grandma B, I hear you on the Big Chill! A while back I knitted a pair of bed socks just for laughs 'cause...you know...who wears socks to bed? Well, I do! And I wear those socks around the house too because I have days when my toe bones turn into ice. Brrr!

Hopefully my thermostat will reset to normal somewhere along the line...

 

[sistersinhim]

does the weather affect the pain

I found, during the first few months, the weather did hurt my new knee. The older it got, the less the weather hurt it. Now, not at all! I bet yours will be the same way.

 

[Jockette]

@sistersinhim Oh good, I don’t like this being affected by the weather. And cold temperatures. I hope it eases up. It bothers me more now than it did last March when I had it done. And there were some cold days in March.

 

[Grandma B]

Oh boy this sounds like I'm in for it ! Winter is just around the coroner

 

[sistersinhim]

The cold didn't bother me. Barometric pressure change is what gave me pain, especially a quick drop in it. I was a great storm predictor! Now, my old knee and and ankle is the weather predictor!

 

[Grandma B]

Hi bonesmart! I’ve been down recently and I need some encouragement and uplifting advice I’m a little over 4 months I’m going to pt twice a week and according to them I’m doing good my rom is 117, I’m still using a walker and have this fear of letting go. My leg does not feel strong enough to just let go and walk even though I have dreams of walking on my own and when I wake up I realize where I’m at and feel really discouraged! My husband says I need more exercise he doesn’t think I’m doing that good which makes me very upset. I try to do the cooking and I do the dishes so he at least has that off his mind, I know it’s hard on him cause I was the one who did everything and all he did was go to work , I also had a part time job and now I feel so guilty not being able to take care of things which I know are temporary .

Sorry for going on and on but I need to get it of my chest, I’m trying not to complain.

 

[SusieShoes]

Your flexion of 117 is excellent. Maybe PT isn’t what you need at this point. You’re concerned about your leg not being strong enough for walking. While using your walker, how much do you actually walk? PT exercises for ROM or to build up your calf muscles, for example, won’t make your walking better. And while bike time might make your legs stronger, using a bike won’t improve your walking either.

If you are only walking at PT (leaving aside walking to the bathroom or preparing meals), then you aren’t walking enough and should start a walking program.

I know walking with a walker is not the most fun. Does your walker have wheels? Wheels make it so much easier to push a walker around and for you to walk with it. Those longer walks with a walker might feel awkward to you, but your legs will thankful for them. My first walks outside on the street (literally, when I could get away with it) were just a few hundred feet, three times a day. My legs did feel weak at first, and my knees very stiff. Gradually, though, I was walking up and down the street with that walker. My legs got stronger. At home, I started walking without the walker, using a cane. And when I felt stable on the cane, I stopped the walker for outside and used the cane instead.

Have your husband go with you on your walks. Mine did at first. That way he will see for himself that you are exercising, plus it might help you feel safer to know he is there.

 

[Grandma B]

Hi susieshoes
I’m walking around the house to bathroom, kitchen and pt, I have not gone out for walks as I’m so scared, maybe a short trip to the store I could try and my walker has wheels , it does feel awkward walking with it like you said, I’ll take my husband and walk outside a little and see how I feel thank you for the advice I appreciate it ! Very scared of tripping and falling

 

[Celle]

Hi bonesmart! I’ve been down recently and I need some encouragement and uplifting advice I’m a little over 4 months I’m going to pt twice a week and according to them I’m doing good my rom is 117, I’m still using a walker and have this fear of letting go. My leg does not feel strong enough to just let go and walk even though I have dreams of walking on my own and when I wake up I realize where I’m at and feel really discouraged!

I'm sorry you're feeling discouraged. You're really doing very well.
It's only a month since you had major surgery, so don't expect too much of yourself this early.

Many people are still using a walker at a month out, so don't worry about that. it's only a tool and there are no prizes for giving it up early. It's much better to keep using it than to risk a fall.

You'll probably find that you transition to using a cane before you walk completely independently. Can you ask your PT to show you how to use a cane? Then you may feel confident enough to start using the cane around your house, while still using the walker when you go outside. It's all a gradual transition, as your leg gets stronger and your confidence grows.

My husband says I need more exercise he doesn’t think I’m doing that good which makes me very upset. I try to do the cooking and I do the dishes so he at least has that off his mind, I know it’s hard on him cause I was the one who did everything and all he did was go to work , I also had a part time job and now I feel so guilty not being able to take care of things which I know are temporary .

Try not to take any notice of what your husband says. Unless he's had a knee replacement himself, he doesn't know much about it.

And don't feel guilty about taking all the time you need, to rests and allow your knee to heal. This is your time to be waited on, to be pampered. Don't feel one little bit guilty about not doing household chores. If it was your husband who had the surgery, you would gladly look after him, I know. Well, now it's his turn to step up to the plate and look after you. That's part of the marriage vows - "in sickness and in health" - remember?
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help

It's too early in your recovery for you to be doing anything around the house, anyway. You shouldn't be doing the cooking and the dishes yet, nor going to the store. Re-read this article to see what you should expect to be doing at this stage of your recovery:
Activity progression for TKRs

 

[SusieShoes]

Only short walks right now, @Grandma B! Just to get your walker legs. Build confidence by taking things slow, at your own pace. At one month, you may not be up to a grocery store. Only do so if there’s a nice place to sit if you’ve had enough. And with your husband so he can do all the lifting. I tried to help bring in groceries while using my walker once... didn’t work.

 

[Grandma B]

I want to thank you celle and susieshoe , I’ve been worried that something is wrong and I should of never did it! But you lady’s are so wonderful I feel much better , I was getting so depressed that I was crying thinking I’m never going to walk, it’s so difficult to keep you’re spirits up when you see how great everyone is doing .

 

[Celle]

You're doing just fine, @Grandma B .
Don't worry if you see someone who seems to be progressing faster than you. Everyone is different and there are people on BoneSmart who will be very envious of your very good ROM at this early stage. See, that's one way you are ahead of some others.

Your knee is on its own recovery journey. It knows what it's doing and it's doing that on its own schedule, not anyone else's. It's all too easy to think that we should be doing better, but your knee sets the pace. It's the boss in this recovery:
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)

 

[Grandma B]

@Celle thank you from the bottom of my heart! You have no idea how much better I feel, thank you again for giving me hope and peace of mind

 

[Celle]

You're welcome! We're glad to help.

 

[sistersinhim]

I used my walker at my 5th and 6th week at church. Anyone bumping into me could have sent me to the floor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your recovery. You are already at 117 at 5 weeks! Wow! Most OSs expect 90 at 6 weeks, so you're ahead of the game! And tell your hubby that you are recovering quicker than average and that healing has to come before strengthening!