TKR Happydale's Left knee, now properly installed,

[sistersinhim]

What a warm and heartfelt post, Sara! You are doing so well, and your attitude is uplifting! You are a good example to those coming up behind you.

 

[liam2015]

i love reading everyone's posts and stories even though i don't always know the right thing to reply.

 

[nensi]

Sara, it does my heart good to read that you are in such a good place ! I am putting myself to bed now and pondering my OS visit tomorrow am, so I am a little too preoccupied to really respond to you.
Big
Big HUGS! And a happydaledance! That's definitely one with a swirly skirt [emoji1]


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[Pheebs52]

Sara, what a truly remarkable recovery you are enjoying! I agree that the love and support of family, friends and the Bonesmart community all combine to create the right conditions to thrive, regardless of recovery difficulties. If no one has told you as yet, you are really a Recovery RockStar! Congratulations!

 

[becticu]

What a great report. I'm so glad things are going well for you! I know this community has made a huge difference to me in my recoveries. My smarties are right there through thick and thin!


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[Happydale]

Ugggh!! When do you all think I'll be able to sleep on my side?????

 

[KarriB]

It was week 3-4 for me. I managed to put my left leg over the RTKR and got a few hours that way.

 

[Happydale]

Thanks, @KarrieB. That gives me hope. I envy those Smarties who are back sleepers by nature. Nighttime must be so much easier for them!

 

[KarriB]

I hated to see the sunset because I knew what was coming. When I finally could sleep all night at 12 weeks

 

[Thesoutherncook]

The first TKR taught me to sleep on my back!

 

[Happydale]

I thought I should do something to celebrate the completion of Recovery Week 3, and decided that a BS post was just the thing. Now that I'm off meds (except for Tylenol and at night one Tramadol), I'm even enjoying the occasional toast with a glass of wine. I have a decent list of accomplishments to share, but first I want to get my list of "Sick of..." off my chest. I wasn't going to go to the dark side, but then decided it might be therapeutic to just put it all out there.

Sick of...being at home, not being able to get dressed in less than 15 minutes, not doing my own grocery shopping (I am giving this particular item a 10X weight factor, since this is really getting old - no matter how specific I am, I end up getting items I don't want/won't consume or not getting things I really do want), sleeping on my back, not sleeping all night, having a cold ice sleeve on my leg, moving so darn slowly, doing heel slides, not being able to walk my dogs... I think the list is even longer, but enough. Even though I vowed to give myself the gift of time for recovery, it's never as fast as I'd like.

Onto the good stuff: Yesterday I made some delicious high fiber blueberry muffins - my first full fledged cooking experience. (photo and recipe evidence attached!) My phone tracks my number of steps - my daily counts are steadily increasing - now about 1400/day. I had out of town relatives since Thursday, and thoroughly enjoyed their visit. I am comfortable taking a shower. I am feeling very loved and cared for. My daughter (24 yr old) has come by every day and she's been willing to take care of all sorts of things for me. I have so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to!

 

[liam2015]

thank you for posting the blueberry muffin recipe. hubby just brought home blueberries and we still have buttermilk leftover from chocolate cake baking; going to make. i share with you your "sick of's" when i was 3 weeks post op, especially not being able to do the dog walking and depending on hubby for grocery shopping (which i appreciated), ending up with some things that require more preparation on my part, ie. swiss chard and spinach, which i love, but you have to wash it thoroughly (haha i know, not a big deal now, but at the time) and buying this big square loaf of bread he loves and i have to cut it in half and put in plastic bags, one in the freezer (what's wrong with sliced bread).

you are doing wonderful with your positive attitude, enjoying your guests and appreciating and accepting your daughter's help and love. oh and fantastic to be able to shower on your own, big milestone. i remember my 3-week mark clearly as my son stayed with me for 3 days while hubby out of country ~ i love him so much but rarely see him as he lives in another town. continued good health and recovery to you. oh and what about the mice?

 

[Happydale]

Ah, @liam2015, you ask a good question. I thought the mice-in-the-house was a thing of the past, but horror of horrors, two more trapped this week! They're definitely less visible, but still. It's so gross. I'm sad to report that none of them are falling for the live traps. My sister was right - good old fashion snap traps seem to do the trick.

So glad you like to bake too - I am like an evangelist for home cooking. Since my retirement, I find I'm making more and more from scratch food for my family. I enjoy making it and eating it, and I know it's way healthier than all the short cuts I used when I was too busy working. And the more I cook, the better I get at it. I'm really trying to get my daughter to cook more. She has never been interested, but since my recovery she has been cooking at my house when she comes over to see me. This is one of the many unexpected little plus-es that comes along with having this surgery that I never expected.

Your dog is so beautiful!

 

[liam2015]

i know what you mean about the live traps ~ eventually they either stop working or the mice seem to know. that is so sweet about your daughter cooking at your house; funny how they eventually come around to wanting to know how to prepare healthy meals. i have to admit to you that it is my hubby that does the chocolate cake baking which is a recipe handed down from his grandma to his mom, to him (an only child) and now to my daughter ~ best cake ever. hubby actually taught me how to cook as he was living on his own at an early age.

good luck with the mice. i've never heard that happening before. my friend keeps her bird feeders filled and enjoys all the birds; so far hasn't had that happen. glad you've nipped it in the bud.

 

[sooz58]

Those muffins look great, put that recipe right where I can find it! Thanks for sharing. Great job on those steps! Yesterday I had the highest step count since way before surgery, but right isn't making it easy. Walked around our county Fair, came home elevated and iced... A little bit over 5,000

 

[sandi4213]

Hi Sara. I just read through your thread. It sounds like you are having a great recovery, it's very encouraging. I am 4 days into my 2nd tkr and love to read about good results from others. I try not to compare this knee with my other, but it's hard not to. Actually, except for much more swelling this time, I think everything else seems to be a bit easier so far. Anyway, thanks again for the encouragement.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Thanks for sharing your recipe. Looks yuumy! I was a Home Ec teacher and a County Extension Agent ( both careers barely exist now) and a cookbook editor at Southern Living Books, so I also advocate for home cooking. Thankfully, my daughter does value cooking from scratch and we are working with the 6 yr old Grand Darling.
I used to write a cooking blog ( but lost interest when all the blogs for money came about) and you can still access it, if you are bored and want to read more recipes! Thesoutherncook.blogspot.com

Your list sounds similar to mine. It will change from week to week. I have to talk to myself (and God) each morning before I get out of bed and sometimes have an attitude adjustment for the day. I KNOW this is a temporary situation. I KNOW this time next year I will not be in pain. I KNOW I will be so glad I had this surgery. BUT! Some days I am just so tired of it. Having this forum is wonderful as no one else truly understands. I have even kept up with previous Bonesmart friends via email for the past 2 yrs. we are members of a special "sorority", sisters forever!

 

[Canada35]

Hi Sara - this must be the week for baking! I made banana muffins with chocolate chips for the grands, blueberry muffins and raisin bran muffins for the fossils ( that's DH & me lol)
This recovery really does get old fast but it really won't be long before you are able to do much more. I find just doing normal things like baking and getting out of the house for a bit helps to break the routine enough to stay sane!

 

[Happydale]

It's fun to learn about other things we have in common besides our knees. I guess it reminds me that we're not 100% Knee, but rather whole people. Canada35, we call the oldest generation "fossils" in my family too! With my walker in hand, I definitely am a member of the Fossil group! And Thesoutherncook, I rarely share this about myself, but I'm a former former Home Ed teacher too. It feels like another life now. I went to Michigan State, and they have dissolved the whole college of Human Ecology. I guess I'm on the same mission as when I was 22, to get folks to cook. It's now becoming an In thing, but you and I go back to the originals! You are a multi-talented person, and now I know how you got your BS "screen name". Sooz58, you are doing great to walk 5000 steps! You will be in great shape come Sept. 11! You give me hope for making it around my block.

When I made my whiney list of things I'm really sick of, it should have been a warning to me to read it as an invitation to an ODIC meeting. Today I went on a walk outside that was a bit too far. I should have turned around sooner, but the sun was out, the day was lovely. By the time I got back home - ugh! I'm in bed now, legs, up, ice on, and my knee is talking to me... I'm singing it lullabies and hoping it will doze off!!

 

[becticu]

I just caught up on your last several days. Thanks for posting your recipe for blueberry muffins. My mom always made muffins with the small wild blueberries and I loved them as a child. I've printed your recipe and hope to make this week!

I hope you didn't join the ODIC from your walk today!