TKR Had a difficult time, feeling better<

[mamazipp]

I tried to put my earrings in and couldn't do it without a lot of tugging and pulling ( which would then irritate my earlobes). So I opted for bright blouse and positive attitude and enjoyed myself.

 

[TML]

Yeah! 'TKR's just want to have fun!'

 

[sistersinhim]

I'm a cat rescuer and right now I have 11 of them. The youngest I've had was 1 week old. I had to feed him every 2 hours and make him pee pee and poo poo. He even had to be burped just like a human baby! When he was about 4 weeks old he finally began to use the litter box. That was a day for a huge celebration! Do you think he's spoiled? You bet he is!

Getting up and ready for church is tiring but so 'normal'! It feels wonderful to be able to get back to things that were a part of my before tkr life!

 

[LFitz]

mamazipp I love your picture . Good for you for finding an alternative to not being able to get the earrings in - bright colors are beautiful and great pick me ups. TML I love that TKR's just wanna have fun. Life is good [emoji2]

Nursing a one week old kitty to health is a beautiful thing, 11 rescue kitties - wow- now that's commitment. I'm puppy sitting 2 dogs right now and I'm in heaven. haven't been able to bring myself to get another dog after my beautiful wheaten died but I think now I might be ready.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[mamazipp]

@sistersinhim. Your care taking of a newly born kitten is extraordinary. That takes a lot of love and stamina. Rescuing cats and caring for them is a beautiful thing, and difficult as well. I started fostering after my last two cats died. I was so grief stricken I couldn't take on a new relationship. Since then I've had tons of fun with many fosters. My friend runs a cat shelter and I spend time there, as well.

 

[sistersinhim]

I believe taking care of these 11 have helped me to gain mobility quicker than I would have without them. Knowing that it was up to me to feed them and clean their litter boxes made me get up and do something, even if I didn't feel like doing it. And it still does. What a wonderful feeling to have a kitty laying in my lap and purring! My 20 year old is on me right now! She's my oldest and a mama's girl. Whenever I lose one, it's like losing a member of my family.

 

[mamazipp]

I went to a party the other night for a former coworker, first time seeing many of them since my surgery. One person was asking me about it and was very surprised that at 4 1/2 months I still had pain, stiffness, and needed occasional pain meds (oxy in particular). She said " I shouldn't" be having problems so far along". Yup, the usual non -TKR beliefs. I used the moment to explain that recovery is very different for each person, it's not the fault of the person, recovery can take a year or more and that I'm not a narcotic addict for needing oxy. Hopefully she heard me, but likely not, as one of our former coworkers had apparently had a TKR and needed " no narcotics" after the first week. Wow, that was a weird conversation, hopefully I educated her a little.
Other than that, it was nice to be at a party, doing a normal thing, see some folks I had liked working with, but was completely exhausted afterwards. Happy to get home and fall into bed.

 

[LoveGiants]

@mamazip - Don't you hate hearing that? "So-and-so did this..." ugh. I heard it from the hospital PT the morning after my surgery. "I had a guy ride his bike after three weeks!" Don't want to hear it.

Sorry you had to deal with that, but glad it was a nice outing otherwise.

 

[Tabbycat]

I hate the word 'shouldn't' too. It should be banned!

 

[mamazipp]

@LoveGiants Julie, it is truly annoying to hear that, and before my TKR it's what I heard all the time.
Thank goodness for Bone Smart where we get support and reality checks!

 

[mamazipp]

Tabby at I couldn't agree more. How did this misinformation get so widespread.?

 

[sistersinhim]

I have heard stories like crazy. In Sunday School on the Sunday before my surgery, a lady who's husband had a TKR had undergone PT and she said that the therapist had his heel on a chair and she put a bag of ice on his knee and then sat on it. I know that wasn't true. But, all these awful things started going through my head and I got so upset I went and threw up. Why would someone say that to a person that was getting ready to go through that major surgery. It was mean! But, like you I have heard from other people how fast so and so got back to work and that I should be healed by now. They see the incision is healed, but they can't see all that's going on inside this knee. I just wish people would wish me well and leave all the comments to themselves. It doesn't help us in the least!

 

[TML]

@mamazipp I haven't seen your post recently, so I'm checking in on you. I'm having one of 'those days' and put on a fav feminine tank top to cheer myself. Then, I thought of you and wanted to say hi!

 

[uva55]

My son's mother-in-law also has a bad knee, not sure how bad, she is kind of a drama queen. I saw her last Friday for the first time since my surgery, I was not using a cane, I don't have a limp, but I don't walk super fast either, I was wearing a maxi dress so she could not see incision, she had already asked me for my doctors information two weeks ago. so she asked me how I was doing and I gave her an update, she said she could understand why the discomfort, pain, lack of energy, loss of appetite,then she said after all aren't laser surgeries quick recovery, its just a couple of little holes. So I said, here let me show you my little incision where the surgeon cut my bones, and attached an artificial knee, when you have your little surgery get back to me and we'll compare notes, oh and By the way it you want a laser TKR don't bother calling my doctor he's not that good. She was a little pale when she saw incision, she said she had no idea, I responded no you don't!!!

There is so much ignorance, I don't even try to educate people anymore, if they want to believe that I'm whimpy,lazy, whatever, I DON'T REALLY CARE!!!

 

[mamazipp]

@TML Thanks for checking on me!

I've been trying to do the one positive cheerful thing daily, since we talked about it. Yesterday my 4 1/2 month old knee was giving me pain......I was not happy about that, but last night was rehearsal for the choral group I'm singing with (Brahms Requiem) and I knew that I would be happy once there, knee pain or not! So I dressed in a colorful top and yes, thoroughly enjoyed myself. Today a bit better, dressed up in white tight pants to go to the tax accountant. Trying to live my life but wish the pain would be gone for good.

 

[TML]

I'm very proud of you. I wish I could have been there to hear your rehearsal. A beautiful voice is one gift I do not possess.

Do all that you can for your knee and don't give up hope that it will get better. We all heal differently and yours is certainly trying your patience but remember that this, too, shall pass.

 

[LoveGiants]

I can't sing, either. Not at all. My only musical ability is putting the needle on the vinyl .

@mamazipp - I hope your choral group brings you joy and helps you feel better. I find that wearing cheerful colors helps me, too.

 

[sistersinhim]

@LoveGiants say that to someone 30 and under and they'd have no idea under the sun what the needle on the vinyl means! Those were the good old days! We'll be creating our new good old days with this new knees before long!

 

[LoveGiants]

@LoveGiants say that to someone 30 and under and they'd have no idea under the sun what the needle on the vinyl means! Those were the good old days! We'll be creating our new good old days with this new knees before long!

Vinyl is making a big comeback, believe it or not. I love the sound of the needle touching the record . My husband and I enjoy going to used record stores looking for classic rock albums. It's a fun treasure hunt.

Yes! Can't wait for the new knees to get us on our way!

 

[mamazipp]

@TML the beauty of choral singing is that a beautiful voice isn't necessary....just a blending voice, in tune. Thank you so much for your support.

@LoveGiants choral singing has always brought me very much joy....losing yourself in the beauty of the sounds, hours spent learning the music, the oxygen high from singing, and after the concerts for which so much preparation has been put in, you hear the music in your head for days. I feel lucky I can experience it.

Having increased pain in my knee for some reasons. I did spend a lot of time early in the week hanging my leg on a footrest trying to increase that last little bit of extension. And then, last night, standing and sitting repeatedly in rehearsal stressed my knee. Then, today, driving to the accountants office, somewhat further than usual, and, of course, shopping afterwards because it was a different area and I couldn't resist........by the time I got home tonite my knee was screaming. Really screaming. Pulled out the ice machine which I hadn't used in about 2 weeks, and have been elevating and icing continuously. I also took 400 mg of ibuprofen as my ankle was swollen, besides Tylenol and one Oxycodone. I can only take a NSAID once every 4-5 days, according to my cardiologist as I am on a blood thinner for AFIB. When I do take an occasional NSAID I find it usually helps with pain and swelling.
But how long does this pain continue? The people who report that they are pain free are so very fortunate. I continue to have that pain where the quad tendon inserts into the knee. I'm supposed to see the OS this month but since he is in Seattle and I'm in Victoria, it's an ordeal to get down there. It also depends upon coordination with the daughter who lives there and she has lost interest in all of this...I think the whole surgery thing has just tired her out! Tired her out? So once I figure out how I'm going to get down there, I'll ask the OS why I still have this pain.
I see that I am whining and complaining.......am feeling a bit sorry for myself and ignored by that daughter. ( I have three). I just think she is part of that group of people who believe that you should be healed after a certain time. All of them were convinced I was going to become addicted and I had to reassure them that I needed meds for pain. This whole thing is exhausting!
Now that I have whined and complained and elevated and iced for about 4 hours, I think I'll try to find something quick to eat. Tomorrow will be better.