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TKR Had a difficult time, feeling better<

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I had my second session with the wonderful physical therapist today. He asked me often during my session, if I was experiencing any pain. He said, "less is more" in terms of PT exercise. He measured me at 130 flex and still extension of 5. If he did any manipulation he asked repeatedly if there was any pain. At one point I felt a pain in my knee, he adjusted the stretch, and the pain was gone. I used several machines, again, no pain. He wrote out some home exercises....these are to gently increase my quad strength. I do feel a bit achy this evening but I've iced my knee as I do every evening, and often still sleep with ice. It's a great pain killer. He said not to walk outside without the cane as it will ingrain bad walking habits/limp. It all seems right to me and I feel good about it. I'm going 2x weekly and, as I recently retired I don't have anything to do except recover. Not yet ready for any activities or volunteer jobs yet. The PT is my job now. Still needing Oxycodone every few days, usually at night. I don't know what I'd have done if I had been unable to get the large prescription of pain meds. I try to use them wisely now because I don't know if I will be able to get more.
 
Your PT sounds very sensible. I like!
 
Good report!
 
It's nice to get feedback from the bone smarties. Thanks for the positive thoughts.

I'm sitting in a cafe waiting for my car to be serviced, which I've neglected for over a year. I'm having a normal day out in the world and it feels good. Never mind that I can't walk far...luckily a good burger place, Starbucks and a cool drugstore (London Drugs, for the Canadians) is within 2 blocks of the car dealership. It's just hard sitting down and getting up from the chairs in these places. I noticed that I was walking wobbly outside with my cane. Maybe I'm just a bit anxious being out in public, downtown, alone, out of my little town. It's quite an adjustment, isn't it, to have to regain one's fierce independence after so long a time being dependent, living in a cocoon.
Not complaining! Good to be out. Minimal pain. Good day.
 
I'm glad you enjoyed a 'normal' day out. It's a step back into life that gives us a lift of spirits. Each trip will be easier than the next. Give your knee some TLC tonight. It definitely deserves it.
 
It's the little things that mean so much in this recovery! We should enjoy each and everyone of them!
 
It's good to hear that you have been out and about, doing normal things.

It could be a good idea to give your knee a big rest day tomorrow, as it may protest a bit about the extra activity today.
 
mamazipp said:
It's just hard sitting down and getting up from the chairs in these places. I noticed that I was walking wobbly outside with my cane.
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That should continue to improve over the months. All part of the year-long recovery process.

:friends: for emerging from your "cocoon!"
 
Thanks for the positive feedback all. My normal day out was wonderful. So stimulating! Nice to be out of the cocoon.

I did give my knee a lot of TLC when I got home, exhausted. (Of course I pushed the envelope and stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home.) I desperately needed to replace a wall clock but who can go there for just one thing, right? So ODIC for this girl. Slept with the ice machine all night, and woke up at 2:30 for pain meds. Dearly wanted to just rest all day but forced self to attend Physio. He did some nice painless stretches and the usual other routines and then back home to rest and ice. Tomorrow, REST.
I love the ice but it gives me such chills. Does anyone else experience that? I have to wear a sweatshirt plus cover with a fleece blanket. Maybe if the weather ever warms up here it will be easier....our summer tends to come late.
It's so helpful to read everyone's recovery threads and see all the many different paths recovery takes. In casual conversation people don't get beyond, "oh, you'll be so glad you did it" and that's the end of the conversation. Then when you expect to bounce back right away, and you don't, you feel like a complainer. There is so much more to recovery that most people know nothing about. Love Bone Smart for restoring in me a feeling of normalcy.
BTW, how do you put the emoticons throughout a posting? Mine always seem to end up at the front.
 
:goodpost:
Mamazipp, I couldn't agree with you more in your description of how other people react to this surgery. My husband had the same idea pre op, he met a man in the neighbourhood who was back to walking his dog after a couple of months and didn't believe me when I tried to tell him how long recovery can take. He has been shocked and upset by the pain I've experienced, I asked him if he thought it would be as difficult as this and he said no he didn't. It saves my sanity to come on here and talk to people who know what this is really like.
Tabby :kittykiss:
 
mamazipp said:
BTW, how do you put the emoticons throughout a posting? Mine always seem to end up at the front.
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The emoticons go wherever you put the cursor. So, before clicking on an emoticon, look to see where the cursor is and move it to where you want the emoticon to go.
 
@Tabbycat and @mamazipp -

I agree with you both about how others react to this surgery. Sometimes when someone does so well, it can make others look weak or look like they are complaining. In my case a "diva" :rofsign: The other day, I was getting up out of the chair and was losing my balance when my husband said "why all the theatrics with getting up" - that is when I promptly logged into BoneSmart and read many post about recovery. He had the mindset that I would be finished and good as new in 6 weeks. I had to set him straight (thank goodness for this site). The next thing you know, he is listening to our local NPR and both radio hosts are discussing their TKR. Needless to say - he called and apologized profusely. I think that is one of the hardest things to fight - comparison.
 
I definitely get the chills when I ice but that's also because the air conditioner is blowing. But I'd rather be chilled than when these hot flashes happen. Actually when I was taking my pain meds I felt my hot flashes were even more intense.


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@LFitz
Yes, hot flashes definitely mitigate the chill of the iced knee. I'm finally past them, but it did take years. Now that our weather is warming it's less of an issue. Of course this is the Pacific Northwest, so hot here has a whole different meaning than hot, in Texas! No one here has A/C.
 
Oh my, I think I'd melt without a/c here in eastern Va. The humidity is a killer. I need to head NW!
 
Hot sure does have a different meaning there than Texas. I'm originally from NS, the other coast we have winter and July/August hehe But I sure do love NS, it'll always be home. Hope you are having a good day:flwrysmile:
 
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