TKR I have a new knee!

[Nyland]

Marrianne,
My knee is perfectly fine now. I did the mall and pictures with a 4 year ld on Monday and the same routine with a 19 month old old on Friday. I can clean, bake, cook, shop. I can even MARCH. No, I don't belong to a band, butI did march down the hall the other day, just because i could. It is the old knee that bothers me, but it seems easier now with a GOOD one. I don't even take tylenol or advil at all. I feel nothing. My bend is 125ish and my extension is "good". I was worried about that because the PT only measured 8-10 and he said i should be zero. My OS thought it was good and was so happy. H said I my knee was very strong. I don't even know what he meant by that, but I loved tha he was so positive and proud of me. I never thought it would get better, but at 4 months I don't even know I have a new knee. When I get a new left knee, I'll be a new woman! It will happen for you. If t happened for whiney, pessimistic me, it will happen for all of us. i promise.

 

[Brownie51]

Nyland that is so super to know. At what point did the pain die down and you start to feel normal. I'm almost 5 weeks now and can't "feel" the light at the end of the tunnel yet... although I know and believe it will happen.

 

[Nyland]

5 weeks was TOUGH! Going back to work at 5.5 weeks was tough. 2 months was ok. 3 months things started to turn around. 4 months, on the dot, I felt NOTHING. My OS stopped pain meds at a month. I called his NP for some to help after a long day at work. She obliged. I counted them out and only used them when I got home from work. i would take one, elevate, ice and after an hour i was feeling well enough to have dinner. Got me through some tough nights. Even at 3 months I still woke up often with an ache or pain.....but not anymore. I feel nothing.

 

[pudgyknees]

This is such an encouraging post, Nyland! I'm looking forward to feeling nothing; most days, I feel pretty good and then the stupid knee throws a 3 or 4 day tantrum for no reason. Grrr. It's so nice to hear that you are doing so well!

 

[Jebsw]

I love the pics in your new avatar! Great to hear you're doing so well!

 

[ladyj]

Marianne, I am exactly two months ahead of you and even though I don't have the best bend in the world, the pain and swelling do get better. Like Friday I was on my feet all day and then it swelled a little and was stiff. But day to day life is really not too bad now. I do like to take my occasional BoneSmart and Face Book break so then I still like to elevate my knee then. Be patient, haven't you heard that before and it will come.

Me too, not quite 4 months yet, but not a twinge from the new knee.
I still have problems with strength and tiredness, I can't quite keep up with everyone else when walking with a group for instance, but otherwise, I wouldn't know I had anything done.

 

[Nyland]

Hello my friend!!! I think of you so often! Glad you are feeling better.

 

[Nanners]

Man I will be looking forward to not having to think as much about my knee. I am about 10 days from my 3 mos mark, and I still have pain and stiffness. Maybe in a month from now I will be saying different, at least I hope so!

 

[Nyland]

Hi everyone!
I have something cool to share!
I told you that at 4 months my knee was pretty much normal, but my head still watches out for it. I've been taking normal showers since the day that I got home from the hospital, but have only shaved my legs sitting on the side of the tub. One of our showers is large with a corner seat. Before my surgery I would just put my leg up on the seat and shave away. Since my surgery I have not. I've been very careful, and honestly thought that I would fall if I were to try to get my new knee up there. The seat is
about 3 feet high. Not thinking, I decided to use my fantastic hair mask (I'll footnote about that for those that are interested!) and while it was in my hair, I'd shave my legs. I foamed up and put my right leg right up on the seat and shaved away! Easy peasy, just like always! So now I need to reteach myself a few things. I reminded myself since my surgery that PT phrase, "Up to heaven, down to he ll" on the stairs. I learned it so well, that I still do it. Now I am trying to remember to go up and down the stairs normally. It honestly doesn't feel any different. I DO use the handrails and always will, but for safety, I'm not hauling yself up or down at all. Anyway, I thought this was a fun and cool milestone. We have all had such tough rides at times, the little milestones are important to share. I remember during my toughest times reading the little things that you all wrote and I smiled and thought that it really is the little things in this long recovery.

OK, this is for my beauty product friends! I have a brazilian ZERO blowout. It lasts for about 3 months. It makes my normally frizzy hair smooth and shiny. The mask that I was referring to is the Brazilian Zero hair mask. It has a bit of the blowout keratin in it. If your hair feels dry and old, give it a try. Most of the upscale salons will give you a sample to try before you buy it. (You may have to bring your own little container.) It's really worth asking to try a sample because it is pricey.
https://www.pandorabeauty.com/Brazilian-Blowout-Acai-Deep-Masque-8-oz

 

[Brownie51]

That's great Nyland! Good for you!
I have fine, straight hair. Do you know anyone who has had success with the Brazilian volume products?

 

[Nyland]

Hi Marianne,
Thanks!
I think they are only for people with thick, coarse, frizzy hair.

 

[Brownie51]

Haha Nyland, just fine limp straight hair here!

 

[Jebsw]

Cool-o, Nyland! I can tie my left shoe like a normal person, that's my new milestone. Can't do the right yet, but in time...

 

[Nyland]

I have been working 12 hour days and guess what? I have almost forgotten that I ever had surgery. 4 months was my magic month. Dewey Read my venting/whining posts! Now it is behind me. I could NOT have had my left knee done at 6 weeks, though. My body couldn't have taken it. My body is still healing. This was a huge surgery, for me, anyway.

 

[kneeper]

 

[bottomshollow]

Hi! Nyland. Good the hear that things are going so well for you. Missed a lot while I was away---but love all the good news. And now you know it really does just get BETTER & BETTER. So glad you've made that milestone. Take care.

 

[Nyland]

Thanks, Judy! I've missed you! You were always there for me with a kind word when i was really down. How is your hubby doing? Hope all is well.

 

[Nyland]

Uh oh! To anyone in the know (PTs, Josephine, Orthodoc, Trainwreck, MapMaker53, referee54, ....)
My husband is a fireman/first responder. When he went to the yearly fire conference, he brought back a medi-rub 2000 plus massager. My PT uses massage with a tool to break down scar tissue and explained the importance of massage to break and move scar tissue. SO, last night my husband suggests his machine. I massaged my scar and the left side of my entire scar. (I still do not have feeling on the left side of my scar. No biggie, but it is 100% numb. While using the handheld, shower on my knee, I made the water as hot as it could possibly be on that side and a I felt nothing.) I thought that a nice massage with a medical massage machine would help fire up the nerves. Well, when I went to bed, OMG, my knee hurt! It still hurts as much today. I have been icing. It is not a pain, it feels more superficial...I think. What have I done? I had a knee that felt perfectly fine and now I have hurt it MYSELF. I am embarrassed that I didn't just leave well enough alone and ashamed to even post my stupidity. What do you think? Have I just angered my knee? Have I done damage? Has anyone ever done this? To those who have not, learn from my mistake and please don't do it. Thank you for any input. Please try not to scold me too much. I already know how stupid I was.

 

[Josephine]

Oh dear oh dear! These husbands and their gadgets - he should have known better. Such things should only be used by people who know what they are doing. Besides which, any scar tissue you have is necessary to heal the wound. Adhesions, the other form of scar tissue, is very rare. But I doubt you have caused any permanent damage, just made the knee really ticked off at you! You should just treat it gently for a few days and take some pain meds to help out and tell him to leave his gadgets at work!

 

[Nyland]

Thank you, Josephine. He feels horrible, but it was my fault. It felt so good while I was using it, but it hurt immediately after I stopped. I'm so embarrassed. If i had to see my OS for this, he'd be livid and would scold me to the moon and back for doing something that he never authorized. If there was an icon that had a dog with her tail between her legs, that would be most appropriate for me today.