TKR Here she comes just a walkin' down the street
- Thread starter greatlakes
- Start date
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greatlakes
graduate
The Quads Are Back!!
So the day after surgery, I did leg lifts, no problem. Two days after surgery, not happening at all. The week in the hotel I had two home pt visits, and was barely able to hover above the bed for a couple of seconds after the PT would gently lift my leg up a little bit. So I've been using a leg lifter to get off and on the bed. Kept trying to do leg lifts, very little success. Today all of a sudden I tried and there it was. Very painful, so won't do more than a few, but they are back!
So the day after surgery, I did leg lifts, no problem. Two days after surgery, not happening at all. The week in the hotel I had two home pt visits, and was barely able to hover above the bed for a couple of seconds after the PT would gently lift my leg up a little bit. So I've been using a leg lifter to get off and on the bed. Kept trying to do leg lifts, very little success. Today all of a sudden I tried and there it was. Very painful, so won't do more than a few, but they are back!
mamazipp
graduate
Great news. When we make even a little progress, it's wonderful.
You sound great! Congratulations on the leg lifts! I remember how happily surprised I was when my quad "woke up ".
Continuing prayers for your parents- so glad things seem to be working!
Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
Continuing prayers for your parents- so glad things seem to be working!
Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
The leg lifting itself in one of those big baby steps! The more you do it, the easier and less painful it gets. Before long you'll do it a
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greatlakes
graduate
![[Bonesmart.org] Here she comes just a walkin' down the street](https://data.bonesmart.org/attachments/45/45051-5dcd19280dff7a845d5ed4ca98fea37f.jpg?hash=Xc0ZKA3_eo "[Bonesmart.org] Here she comes just a walkin' down the street")
Did the nustep, arms only, for five minutes. Felt a little tired and shaky and sweaty afterwards, but it's a start.
Wow! That's a good start. You might want to take tomorrow off and rest up. In my early days I found I always needed a day of rest between 'working' days.
OP
OP
greatlakes
graduate
@sistersinhim good suggestion, thanks!
OP
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greatlakes
graduate
So two weeks ago I was gingerly being stood up for my first tottering steps about this time. My two week take:
1. Expect to luck out on some issues but sink on others. My good luck was no energy drain. I was alert from the time the operation ended. I've traveled, showered, done a little upper body exercise, read, and dealt with innumerable phone calls to arrange care for my parents. Never had brain fog, just tired at the end of the day or occasional drifting off when the pain and nerve pills did their thing. My bad luck was constipation. Horrible, extreme tummy discomfort from pain pill constipation.
2. The joy of ice. Enough said.
3. Expect to freak out about anything, because you have no idea if it's a normal pain or twinge or might be a precursor of something wrong. But the biggest freak out, going into the operation, I came out wondering what I had been so fussed about.
4. Nobody gets out without stiffness and swelling and pain, but for most of us it's bearable and serves a greater good. I did have an emergency stash of a few old pain pills from a tooth pulling several years ago, but didn't have to use them.
5. Plan ahead. Visualize what you will be doing and what you will need. I really needed my leg lifter these first two weeks, but if you aren't having to do several car rides or sleep in a high bed, you might not need one. Another example - Before I left home, I put water shoes out ready for my first shower at home, because I knew the biggest danger of showering was likely to be slippery feet.
6. The joy of ice. Guess not enough said, after all.
7. Patience, grasshopper. Let the leg heal. Don't worry about rom or extension before time. I'm waiting to see how that goes once the swelling and stiffness get better. In the meantime, walks, gentle exercises.
8. Wouldn't have done nearly as well mentally, emotionally, physically without this group.
9. Did I mention ice?
1. Expect to luck out on some issues but sink on others. My good luck was no energy drain. I was alert from the time the operation ended. I've traveled, showered, done a little upper body exercise, read, and dealt with innumerable phone calls to arrange care for my parents. Never had brain fog, just tired at the end of the day or occasional drifting off when the pain and nerve pills did their thing. My bad luck was constipation. Horrible, extreme tummy discomfort from pain pill constipation.
2. The joy of ice. Enough said.
3. Expect to freak out about anything, because you have no idea if it's a normal pain or twinge or might be a precursor of something wrong. But the biggest freak out, going into the operation, I came out wondering what I had been so fussed about.
4. Nobody gets out without stiffness and swelling and pain, but for most of us it's bearable and serves a greater good. I did have an emergency stash of a few old pain pills from a tooth pulling several years ago, but didn't have to use them.
5. Plan ahead. Visualize what you will be doing and what you will need. I really needed my leg lifter these first two weeks, but if you aren't having to do several car rides or sleep in a high bed, you might not need one. Another example - Before I left home, I put water shoes out ready for my first shower at home, because I knew the biggest danger of showering was likely to be slippery feet.
6. The joy of ice. Guess not enough said, after all.
7. Patience, grasshopper. Let the leg heal. Don't worry about rom or extension before time. I'm waiting to see how that goes once the swelling and stiffness get better. In the meantime, walks, gentle exercises.
8. Wouldn't have done nearly as well mentally, emotionally, physically without this group.
9. Did I mention ice?
julesm86
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I love your attitude! 
You're doing great! Hoping all continues to go well with you & the care of your parents as you concentrate on healing.
You're doing great! Hoping all continues to go well with you & the care of your parents as you concentrate on healing.
mamazipp
graduate
All in all, sounds like you're doing ok. Oh and keep icing ( as if I ave to remind you).
Floridagal
graduate
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Your report is filled with much wisdom. It will only get better from now on. Have a great day.
dianehelen
supremo
Sounds like you are doing just great. I too had terrible tummy troubles in the beginning, but mine turned the otherway , diareahh, ughh. I just have to be different I guess. Keep up the great healing, and I agree on the joy of ice, what a miracle drug!
OP
OP
greatlakes
graduate
Hi all, I'm just back from my first outpatient PT. It went very well. He took a little bit of history, then said, all right now I'm going to measure your bend and your extension. I drew a deep bone smart breath, and said, can we talk a minute before you do that? He said of course. So I explained what my concerns were and what my preferences were. I asked him, if you did plan to touch me at all during measurements, would you please explain beforehand where you are going to touch me and what the purpose was. I told him my one absolute no was for him to push my knee into a better measurement. He laughed and said that the only person pushing my knee would be me. And he was very gentle and very hands off. He had me do several of the very basic exercises, and we talked about pushing to discomfort but not to pain, which he was on board with. We only took a half an hour. He showed me how to use the cane better and watch me with the walker and gave some advice.
Oh, and my rom is 96 which we both were very happy about. My extension started off at 10 which he said was nothing to worry about at this point. After my stretches he eyeballed it and said it was now closer to 5. He plans to see me twice a week and only measure once a week.
Overall I'm quite happy. My leg has felt so stiff and tight I was worried about rom, but the 96 cleared up that concern.
Oh, and my rom is 96 which we both were very happy about. My extension started off at 10 which he said was nothing to worry about at this point. After my stretches he eyeballed it and said it was now closer to 5. He plans to see me twice a week and only measure once a week.
Overall I'm quite happy. My leg has felt so stiff and tight I was worried about rom, but the 96 cleared up that concern.
dianehelen
supremo
Another GREAT Bonesmart success story. Good for you expressing your needs. And great rom just 2 weeks out. You are doing just wonderful. Keep up the great healing!
birdinger
member
I am so grateful to you and all the others on the Knee Replacement Recovery Thread. My RTKR is coming up on September 27. It helps immensely to read people's stories and the articles in the Library. Hope that I can be as helpful to others as all of you have been to me. 
OP
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greatlakes
graduate
@birdinger i think we all take our turns helping and being helped, then gradually recede as the next group washes in. I took my cue from posts that I found to be particularly helpful, and their common factor was a great deal of detail. So I'm trying to do the same with pertinent detail as I work through my first several weeks. I am so happy that it's a little helpful, and have no doubt that yours will help in turn.
Audrey
Audrey
