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Bilateral TKR Hitched A Ride to The Other Side

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Wow! It's been a while since I posted in my own thread! Between weeks 9 and 14, I stopped the Norco and am taking the BoneSmart cocktail (plus 1 Tramadol at night, and 1 Elavil at night to calm those pesky nerves). I started driving: used the hubs' automatic car once, then used my stick shift with no problem. I started hula hoop dance again (though I must be careful because there's a lot of pivots). I walk 2 brisk miles every other day. I started going to Jazzercise class again, but I only do the strength training portion. I went to my old physical therapist for orthotics. Saw the back doctor, had an EMG and an MRI and they're really not conclusive. I climbed and came down 12 steps "the normal way" and didn't notice until afterwards!

Last week (13th week), my massage therapist said he'd done all he could for my recovery and I could go back to 1 massage every other week instead of 2x a week. The PT told me I needed no more session and so we were done. Milestones! BUT, I also noticed some slight pain around the knees... like I used to have with tendinitis, so I make sure I "ice-massage" my knees after my workout.

I'm in my 14th week now. Went yesterday for the 3-month checkup. PA was very happy with X-ray, ROM, scars and kneecap movement.. She was also happy to see that I had some resolution of the numbness & tightness in the thighs (it used to feel like the tourniquet was still there). She said as long as I noticed improvements, however slight, I was doing well. I mentioned the pain in my R knee when I flexed up to 134, the numbness, and the nerve aggravation ... and guess what she told me? Be patient!!!!! Ha! Next visit is in 9 months (which will be my one year an-knee-versary)!

So ... I'm getting used to the different sensations in my legs: the tightness around the knees (sometimes I reach down thinking I'm wearing knee wraps!), the constant electrical shocks (nerves are working), the numbness, and the clicking and the clunking (the SWAT Team called; I can't join them cause I make too much noise when I move!). But NO KNEE PAIN:yahoo:! Thank you, Dr. Peters!

I'm getting my instructor license back, and will start teaching strength training classes in July, and aerobics in September (my OS's Nurse said: Remember, baby steps! Start with 1 class a week!). :dancy:

I am grateful and happy that my recovery is going well so far. I do follow the BoneSmart advice to ice, elevate, medicate, and not do too much at once. I do heel slides religiously (hated them up to 4 week post-op). I still nap during the day ... and am up till the wee hours of the morning reading posts (Got to find out about shoes, dancing, vacations, running and biking!). Sonja, Natalie, Bev, Dawn, BJ, Minnie, Twink, Mary, Jancat and all others from "my group" who are having issues, know that even though I don't post on your threads, I read them and send positive vibes your way.

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement ...especially when I was pre-op and scared! The info in the library helped me understand recovery and the patience it needed. I'll update my thread when there's a change (for the better, and hopefully NOT for the worse). Meanwhile, I'll see y'all on your thread or someone else's!

Hugs! :friends:

Poo (or) Shay
 
:wow2: JUST SIMPLY FANTASTIC!!!!! :hapydancsmil: So happy everything is working out so well for you, and that you are getting back to "normal".

Life without knee pain is worth all the hard work it took to get where you are today! And, by all means, keep us updated on how you're doing. We care.
 
PooShay, great report. Sorry that the SWAT team won't let you join them. :loll:

It helps to be reminded by all of you -- and your doctors -- that the "little successes" are what we should focus on, and the reminder to be patient for the longer-term results.
 
Hi Pooshay

Thankyou for your great update - I always enjoy your reports!! You are doing so well and have come so far - good for you :thumb: Keep posting :wink1:
 
PooShay said:
Had to get "looked at" in the machine at the airport this morning. It picked my barrettes but NOT my knees!
Click to expand...

It appears that rubber bands for the hair are in order for next time. :th_heehee:
 
Five-month report! Wow.

THE MILESTONES:

1. I'm back to being a Jazzercise instructor! I teach one strength training class a week. Now, I also take class and do the aerobics portion low impact, my choice.

2. I no longer pant after my brisk walk (2 miles in 32 minutes). Time to speed up or add more miles.

3. Been on 5 airplane rides, and I'm really good at slipping my compression hoses on before flight and off when we land.

4. I wear shorts all the time even though my right scar in u.g.l.y.

5. I ran to answer the phone!!!!!! That hadn't happened in 5 years (the running bit; I can answer the phone with no prob).

6. I have accepted a challenge from my son and his oldest (5-year old) to compete at Just Dance 3 in two months. Pre-op, I couldn't follow the dance steps.

7. Stamina and balance are improving. I no longer look like a drunken sailor (no offense to sailors!) when I do my exercises.

8. I joined a hoop troupe and we're practicing for an audition to perform at halftime during the University home games. At practice today, the instructor ask me if my knees were doing ok, and I said "what knees? Oh!". Right! I had bilateral TKR 5 months ago and sometimes I forget?

9. The tight band feeling is no longer constant. And I doubted those here who said that that would eventually happen. I apologize!

10. I'm sure there were more little victories, but unlike my knees, my memory isn't improving, DAGNABIT! I take that as a sign that my knees are now just like the other body parts.

THE NIGGLING BITS:.

1. I still have a lot of numbness (inside thighs and lower legs).

2. I do have nerve pain when I get in bed at night (but not if I just take a nap). I take a Tramadol for that. And hope that that too shall pass.

3. And item last, I can't sleep at night! Hellooooo, it's 0200 CT,

All in all, I love my knees and I feel fortunate that I have no issue with the knees and very minor issues with the nerves. I'm so fortunate to have discovered BoneSmart before surgery. You guys have played a major role in my recuperation.

Next report at my one-year an-knee-versary!

Hugs.
 
You are doing so well -- I'm envious. I have a question for you as a Jazzercise instructor: I know the bar is higher when you go back to being an Instructor, but do you have any insight as to when it would be ok to go back as a student? I suspended my membership for June and July, and have 3 more weeks of pt (as far as insurance is concerned). I know that if I wait until I am pain free I might never go back! Were there any milestones you were watching for before you decided it was ok to return to class?
 
Kathy. First, I want to congratulate you because you want to get back to class as soon as possible!

You need to tell your Physical Therapist what your goal is and ask how close you are to meeting them. My PT asked me before we started the rehab and tailored my exercises to that. In addition to the usual leg strenghtening and stretching exercises, we did a lot of balance work (I had bilateral TKR) and a lot of gait exercises (I am no longer knock-kneed). And rebuilding stamina! Flexion was over 125 for both knees. I spent 6 weeks in rehab. When I was released (12 weeks post-op) I went to class.

I checked your thread and saw that you havent posted there in a while. Are you able to walk for any length of time? That should be a good indication. At my first class post-op, I only did the opener in the cardio section! My legs felt like they were full of lead! Then I did the strenghtening/stretching part (no kneeling, but I can go down and come back up. You can do that part standing if flexion is a problem. Eventually I worked my way to doing the whole aerobic segment with A LOT of modifications (no turned out triplets for me!). Also watched out for side to side movement. And at the beginning, i always iced my knee after class. You should extend your EFT hold to August and use that time to evaluate your condition. Then, go back to class and see how it goes.

Let me know how you are doing.

Hugs.
 
Congrats on your great progress, Pooshay! :spin: I wish you were sleeping better, though. :(
 
Congratulations on new knees you will be dancing before oh know it.
 
Thanks for the info. I'm in my third week back to work and stamina hasn't really been an issue thus far. I do keep ice on the knee whenever I am sitting at my desk and prop it up as often as I can. The slower I walk the more normal my gait is but I can really show a limp if I try to hurry. I am able to walk maybe half a mile before I feel real pain.

I miss my friends at Jazzercise, but I don't want to go back too soon. I don't see myself doing any turned out triplets for a while, either. Actually, my center had a personal touch class called "High Intensity Low Impact Bootcamp" at which the instructor showed us some really good no/low impact modifications for some of higher impact moves -- including the triplets. Hopefully it will come back to me when I get back to class. I am also used to doing most of the floor routines either standing or on the ball, since my knee was frequently hurting too much to get to the floor and back up. Actually, Michele, the center owner, suggested just sitting on the ball for the whole class before I left, but I don't think I want to do that. I guess I will see how I feel after I finish PT and decide if I think I'm ready or not. I know many of the exercises I'm doing in PT are similar to the moves in J'cise.
 
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