PKR Hopefully half a hopper now!

[Hopper]

Sorry and thanks Josephine!
I've had scars before and been told they were keloid - they've not faded so much and have left solid pink then white rather wide marks.
Is that keloid?
Sunscreen it is then. Thanks girls.
Today I was very bored - plenty of books, tv etc etc but I want to be outside and busy. I was also quite homesick as I don't have my family and friends here, husband at work, no dog.... Ages before I can fly back to the UK to see everyone. Moan. Groan and feeling sorry for myself.
I'm doing my little walker walks, all seems ok. I did have a sharp pain when throwing my leg onto a pile of pillows - not nice but a warning that I shouldn't be complacent.
I'm looking forward to PT at the crack of dawn as it will be a change of scenery. I'm wondering what it will be like and how he will take my OSs week by week rehab protocol info.
The heel slides aren't very comfortable at the moment. I think my extension is ok - I'm hoping it is.

 

[Hopper]

Well I've had my first PT session. After a bad night because my back was so uncomfortable - I can't get a good side sleeping position just yet.
Great physio - good sense of humour and the first thing he told me was he wasn't a believer in forcing a bend. He also said he wasn't a great numbers man - but he did measure although I think it was to encourage moi.
What was important to him initially was extension as without that, he said, correct flexion wouldn't happen.
I thought my extension was Okish. Haha!
It wasn't!
It was 8 away from full extension and my bend was 62.
He carefully manipulated the back of my knee the the scar and knee cap. It didn't hurt at all. He massaged behind the knee did some gentle exercises - result of -5 and 95 made me quite happy. I'm impressed and very pleased with his approach.
I'm going stir crazy indoors. To whiz about would be so wonderful!

 

[puffin]

Glad to hear that you have a PT who is in tune with the Bonesmart mantra

I know what you mean about going crazy indoors and I haven't even had my operation yet

 

[kneeper]

Yes, for a while there going to PT was my "event" of the day!

 

[My way]

Hi. Your PT sounds wonderful! You must be so pleased that your ROM improved with so little work and no pain. I can really understand you're feelings of stir crazy. It was just the other day I told my husband my biggest worry is handling being unable to go, go, go for the first while after my surgery. He's ready to move out now. Oh well this to shall pass and we will be able to go,go ,go better than before. That's why we must behave and take it easy for a while. If we do we can go sooner.

 

[Hopper]

Am trying to behave but.....
Actually, this is nothing compared to what puffins had to endure for such a long time. I need to buck my ideas up!

 

[My way]

I think we all need to buck our ideas up. There is a 10 year old child at work who in the last two years has gone from walking to a wheelchair. He now needs his food cut into very small pieces and has to be supervised closely when eating.Today his parents told us he is in hospital with possible kidney failure.
This is so sad and it's a good reality check, at least it is for me. It kinda puts things in perspective.

 

[halftidy]

hi hopper - thank you so much for responding to my post - the link to the pain relief thread has crashed and I cant find it - any ideas? Anyway 5 weeks post op and sooooooooo much happier. Down to just a few paracemtemol and declafen in the day and just one tramadol and sleeping pill at night. Knee bending to over 100degrees but leg nowhere near flat yet. Drove today and really starting to feel human - stopped crying and now smiling - much to the relief of my bewildered husband who cannot believe what is going on - on the day after I came out of hospital he sweetly said I did not need to worry about HIS supper that night!!!!!!!!!!!! He is still alive - amazingly. Pain relief is an art form I think - many hospitals really dont seem to realise that we are all different and one regime that works may have no effect on another patient. Now I have spoken to others post op it seems loads of us are not getting strong enough meds - or meds that dont make us feel weird/sick/horrible. Is there an answer? Anyway well done with your op and be brave with the physio - my DD physio says that really anyone with a normally active life can rehab just by being themselves, dont beat yourself up but remember that the sooner you get bending and straightening that leg the better but no need to be in tears or agony that's just unnecessary. Good luck!

 

[new knee in June]

Hi Hopper,
How are you? I am glad you have a good PT person you feel comfortable with.
I will also " buck up my ideas" there is always someone, somewhere who has more troubles than us If all
I need in my life is a new knee, that's pretty damn good for me
Talk Soon,
Diana

 

[Hopper]

Hi there! Nice to hear from you both as I've had a really silly feeling sorry for myself day! Tearful or what - worrying incase I've done the wrong thing, still missing my family, not sure if I will be mobile enough to get back to the uk at the beginning of July, scared incase the parial fails......
Crazy day.
It's perked me up to hear you are back driving, halftidy. I'm sorry I don't know where the pain link has gone.it could be worth pinging an admin person?
It seems that so many of us react badly to the pain and not been given enough or the wrong ones seems daft.
My elderly mum has had two uk TKRs in recent years and so much less pain relief and very poor physio compared to what is available here. I don't know how she coped at all.
I'm very lucky at the moment as I can manage without pain relief as long as I have the ice. It really does the job for me.
I did twist slightly on my leg this morning whilst dangling on the waker - ooouch!
Im so relieved about my PT person Diana, the only issue is he's very heavily booked and now they are trying to spread my 6 weeks physio over 8 weeks - which I'm not happy about as I prefer the six weeks to be just that and Im so keen to get back to the uk for July. In the vague hope that the sun will be shining in Europe by then!

 

[new knee in June]

Oh,Hopper,
So sorry you are having a sad day ! I can imagine it is mostly home sickness it must be
very tough to be away from your family & home. But, the good news is you have us... I don't
think you hurt your knee ( I hear they are pretty sturdy ) it still must of Good Luck with your PT
When you feel upset, come back & post. WE CARE........
Sincerely,
Diana

 

[puffin]

Aww hopper - you are bound to have up days and downs days - you have just had major surgery, the post-op euphoria has worn off and even the meds cause mood swings

You are doing really well - just be careful that on your "good days" you do not overdo it and leave yourself exhausted and swollen

I sounds like you have a good physio. I was cheered to find out yesterday that there is no compulsory physio in Sweden and there is no ROM measurement between leaving and 6 weeks

Take care

 

[Hopper]

Went out in a borrowed wheelchair last night over the road for a pizza. Food generally cheers me up! It did slightly.
Today I feel more positive - need to get on with it But find some patience for the next few weeks.
I think I'm resentful of what has happened to my knees as well as now worrying about the future and longevity of this implant and doing this all again on leftie.
I need to focus on things being better in future instead of activities I've lost, time I've lost etc
Odd - I'm not usually a down sort of person at all.
The physio will cheer me up - he's good fun - a Bajan with a wicked sense of humour. Loves cricket and thinks my accent is hilarious - especially the way I said calf!

 

[robynhood]

Hi Hopper been reading your posts today. don't get too downhearted about feeling down. I think each and everyone of us has gone through that stage and still do sometimes. if you are not seeing your PT as often as you would like just keep on doing the exercises regularly at home and you will still have an improvement in your knee. Where are you now by the way. I take it you are not in the UK at the moment. Being away from family and friends will make you more down in the dumps. I was bad enough when my daughter went back to Uni after looking after me for two weeks. Husband is out working long hours every day and the days seemed endless sometimes. You seem to have a good PT which is a great bonus in this recovery programme. Have a good healing weekend and take care.

 

[Hopper]

Hello pat - coincidence - I've just read your thread!
I'm in the US at present as my husband is working here. Thank you for your kind words.
The days are long and I love being out and about so being stuck indoors is weird. It's very, very hot here at the moment - well, for me it is. There is a roof terrace but its too hot to sit out there! Hating four walls.
Your thread is great. It's cheered me up as I can see that light at the end of this.

 

[My way]

I'm happy to see your mood is lifting. It seems everyone gets down around this point in their recovery. On a lighter note Diana and I are planning to break Izzie out of her rehab tonight and then head for an all you can eat chocolate buffet. We'll swing by and pick you up on the way.

 

[Hopper]

I'll be waiting! I love Cadburys chocolate so do hope there's a shed load of it!
Swinging by suits me better than jogging by at the moment too.
See you later.

 

[new knee in June]

My Way,
You are hilarious I think we will need a large party bus, so all the braces,cane's,
CPM machines can fit Then we will go state to state picking up all our Bonesmartie friends escaping
from Re-hab's We will have an APB put out on us by the police, & be on AMW I could go on & on!

Hopper,
So glad you got to go out for pizza, that should lift your mood a bit
Sincerely,
Diana

 

[Hopper]

The chocolate even more!

 

[Hopper]

Two weeks ago today I had my op.
I'm fine - apart from my impatience - and my knee seems fine too.
I'm finding it a trial being stuck indoors and being thousands of miles from my family has hit me hard - thank you bonesmarties for being around!
My op was a mako robotic partial. I'm not in pain so gave up the pain meds after a week. Yes, I do get a few twangs but ice chases them away very rapidly.
I've had a very yellow leg - the bruising is going now. There is still blackness on the medial side and down my calf.
I've two puncture wounds about six inches below my knee and above. Apparently it was where they attached the bars to guide the robotic arm during the op. The lower one has left my shin bone tender to the touch.
I've not got full extension yet and the bend is coming towards 90 I think but only at PT. I'm not stressing about that - I want my tissues to heal and I'm treating them gently.
I can walk quite well with the walker but I'm sticking to my surgeons guide of two 15 minute walks a day at this stage. Obviously I move around indoors In between.
All in all I feel good about my knee. The other one still has the arthritic pain and yesterday was reminding me of its presence!
its great not having that in my new knee.
I'm hoping this knee and the next one are going to last me well - and I do get anxious that they won't!
I'd love to hear from someone who has had longevity from partials?