TKR Hawkie's 2nd Knee

[glidefloss]

Going about my day as if it were normal times

Hi @Susie-Q , Good for you! I can't wait to get into that mode where I don't have to think about my knee at all! That day for me will have to wait till after the left knee is done and rehabbed too. In time ...

 

[Jockette]

The further along in your recovery, the quicker you get through a set back from the ODIC..

 

[Catalien45]

Oh, @hawk2go , I’m so sorry you are struggling, & hope your pain is better soon! I’ve learned so much from you, you were the first one to tell me that mantra, “ slow & steady, slow & steady”. And, btw, i do remember your words, “ it feels So good to be doing Normal things!” I still find myself getting a little too enthusiastic, & landing myself on that ODIC bench! My husband regularly tries to remind me... but I can be a little bull-headed... Right now, it is still too cold & icy in spots, so we can’t walk, so I seem to be finding new ways to overdo before I realize it. I do remember my PT’s words to me the last day of therapy.... “ you will have some bad days now & then”. But she was encouraging to tell me she was thrilled with my progress. Are you maybe having some of those right now, no fault of your own? Do take good care of yourself, & try to sneak in some rest time.
@Susie-Q , boy, do I relate, thanks for that reminder, that even with our progress, there is still work to do on the recovery, & we still have to be careful to not push ourselves too much. Some of those realities have a hard time getting into a hard head like mine! Take care of yourself.

 

[benne68]

I had some swelling the last couple days and a bunch of pain in the usual spot

Could it be this weather @hawk2go ? I see you're in PA; I'm in CT and the cold and snow/rain/ice we've been having makes my knees ache and swell.

Thankfully, spring is coming! (I'm hoping Punxsutawney Phil's prognostication of 6 more weeks of winter is wrong)

 

[hawk2go]

Do you ever just use an ice bag or those gel pack things you stick in the freezer?

I do have a great ice wrap but there's no room in the upstairs freezer for the inserts since I have the bottles I use for the machine in there. I typically ice while working at my desk or in my recliner so the awkward machine hose doesn't bother me.

I'd like to think I'm about 75-80% back to normal, I just need to remember that 20-25% and act accordingly....

I think I'm in the same boat. Before this week, I was routinely going up AND downstairs normally. I realized a couple weeks ago that the way I take stairs is a better barometer of my ROM and mobility than the goniometer readings. My supporting muscles are finally getting stronger and there are far fewer movements that stop me in my track. I guess I'm just disappointed that The Knee has to remind me of the rollercoaster nature of this recovery.

Right now, it is still too cold & icy in spots, so we can’t walk, so I seem to be finding new ways to overdo before I realize it.

It's the same here with piles of snow and icy spots that make it tricky for me to navigate. Though I did go out for a drive and used my cane to help with balance and better purchase. We had some rain so may be better tomorrow walking in the sun.

Could it be this weather @hawk2go ?

Yeah, I guess it could be but I haven't experienced that weather impact before on this knee and the left knee is fine.

I wonder what put you on the Odic bench?

I don't know, it may have been cumulative though it seemed a day like any day (The Rocky Horror narrator just popped into my head). I looked back through my LTKR thread and found a similar post at around 5.5 months post op. I'll take it easy for a few days. You'd think I have learned ...

 

[Susie-Q]

Boy, you are right about stairs being a barometer. This is true for me too. I went with a friend a week ago to a winery and it was up in a loft area with a fairly long stretch of stairs to get to. Of course the bathroom was downstairs in the main area. I went up and down those stairs not even thinking about my knee but sometimes here at home I feel some pain just going down the 2-3 stairs into the garage. It truly is a roller coaster with ups and downs at this point still.

Glad the ice machine still works for you. I ended up giving the one I was borrowing back to my BIL as I was only really using it for the first couple of months at night in bed. I don't miss that cumbersome hose at all. I have a fabric pocket with elastic strap that I can put my blue ice packs in and strap it to my knee. It does a good job of cooling The Knee when needed.

 

[Starsfan22]

@susiesure the "wine" didn't help with those stairs?

 

[Susie-Q]

Well, there are two meanings to "well-lubricated"..... No, seriously, we were "tasting" so I'd only had the equivalent to probably 1 glass.

 

[hawk2go]

I have a fabric pocket with elastic strap that I can put my blue ice packs in and strap it to my knee. It does a good job of cooling The Knee when needed.

I have a similar deal pictured below but get Thermafreeze "ice" packs that stay cold longer than normal ice. You all have made me realize it's time to switch over.

 

[Susie-Q]

Sometimes it depends on what pants I'm wearing. If I can't pull my pant leg up past my knee then I'll just put the blue ice directly over my knit pants and wrap it with an ace wrap. If I can pull my pants leg up then I'll use the fabric pocket and stick a blue ice in there and wrap it around my knee.

 

[hawk2go]

So it was a glorious day in Philly and I took a nice long walk with my brother-in-law who is recovering with us after a sudden hospital/rehab stay. It was unbelievable. The sky, no pain, the fresh air, no pain, the chance to exercise different muscles, no pain, my bil's company, no pain, the neighbors I stopped to chat with, ok a little bit of pain with one of them but not in the knee.

I am absolutely looking forward to spring and summer in a way I haven't since I was a little kid.

 

[CamGram]

I love your attitude, @hawk2go! Knowing that I will soon have TWO new knees and no bone-on-bone pain gets me excited about spring and summer too.

 

[Susie-Q]

The sky, no pain, the fresh air, no pain, the chance to exercise different muscles, no pain, my bil's company, no pain, the neighbors I stopped to chat with, ok a little bit of pain with one of them but not in the knee.

 

[Sks1997]

I am also sooooooo looking forward to Spring and Summer although Spring is my very favorite. It is so magnificent after a dark and cold winter.

 

[Jockette]

I’m just down the road from you in Delaware, and yes, it was a lovely day! I’m glad you were able to get out and enjoy it, and that your new knee let you!

 

[Rubyroo]

@hawk2go That is terrific! Yay for you! Glad you were able to enjoy the day & your walk with bil. It’s that little things that really are the BIG things isn’t it?

 

[MARYCOOL]

Well said @hawk2go ! I, too, at nearly 12 weeks now, went for a nice, long walk with my best friend! I felt no pain, just some stiffness, but no pain! I had been waiting for this day since my 1st TKR one year ago!
Back to cold and windy today, I think I'll make Swiss steak in the crockpot! Take care!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Yay, a beautiful day outside with no pain! What more could a person ask for!

 

[hawk2go]

On a day when I was feeling great,
I had a dental appointment, couldn't wait
Stepping up my dentist's marble stair,
I missed it, flailing arms, no flair
I slammed my foot on the step below,
Thought I'd fall - oh, oh, oh, OH!
I caught myself with a banister grab
Now The Knee's not rosy, it's rather drab
The Knee, The Ankle, the muscles, too
All are very unhappy, yep, they're blue
There's a moral here, don't I know
Pay attention, step steady and slow!

(written from the tiny injury stool beside the ODIC bench)

 

[FourCats]

Oh, no!!