TKR I made it to the other side

[kneeper]

sounds like you are progressing nicely, Randall. Savor your milestones.
The knee is in charge & will laugh at you if you try to dictate to it. I wouldn't be surprised if you make your ultimate goal but remember that it's your knee's timeline, not yours.

 

[BornAgain1997]

Had therapy this morning and I had a different therapist as my therapist only works 2 days a week and I'm suppose to go for therapy 3 days a week. We had a good work out, rode the bike now I can't go all the way around but I go as far as I can each way, then we do stretching exercising. Now I've been doing these at home and do enjoy them as they do make my leg feel better, we get towards the end of the session and she wants to see just how far I can bend my leg, so I laid on my back and bent my leg as far as I could towards my booty and I got 75 degrees (last week I got 70 degrees) then she had me lay on my back like I'm going to do a heel slide and bend as far as I could and I got a 92 which I'm more then happy about. Next I did my leg extension and got a 0. Now I know I've set goals of where I want to be by certain dates and all but I'm so very happy with what I got today. For everything I've gone through and still have to go through I'm very happy and stoked.
The one thing I've learned and still learning is the info on here is dead on, and my therapist does not believe in pushing you into pain but she does push you up to the pain. She keeps saying don't hurt yourself listen to your knee and you will know when to stop.
Well it kind of like nap time as therapy has taken it out of me.

 

[BornAgain1997]

I walked today for the first time without my walker, I walked about 60 steps without any help. It felt so good as I know I'm on the right road to getting my life back, it's just a long and bumping road.

 

[BJ Mac]

Yay! That is wonderful news. Now I must warn you to take it easy though. Some of us tend to do to much in our haste to heal and get on with doing things and then we suffer setbacks and probably make the whole process take longer. So, just take it slow and steady and keep up the good work!

 

[karmigirl]

Randall,
Great step forward, but as BJ says slow and easy, just don't go to crazy with new found adventures.

Take it from BJ she knows the story very well.

 

[BornAgain1997]

Well I have to agree with you BJ but let me tell you this all happened by accident. I was sitting in my chair with my leg elevated and icing it, I went to grab my Starbucks drink and it wasn't on the end table. I then seen it was across the room on the table. So I just got up without even thinking about it and walked over and grab it and started back, about that time my wife walks into the room and the light bulb goes on in my head and I just froze. Annette (my wife) ask me oh so nicely what do you think your doing and I answered her that I was getting my drink that was left on the table. Now I'm still frozen in the middle of the room as this is the first time I've walked anywhere without my walker in 6 months. I was scared to death to move, well she walked over to me and I put my arm around her shoulder and finished walking back to my chair. Now my leg was shaking like you wouldn't believe, now I walked without any help. My mind says go for it my body says are you plum crazy, I think I'll go with my body just because I don't think I'm ready for that step yet but I know I can do it. I have a long way to go but I'll get there.

 

[BJ Mac]

Nice! That's so cool. Yes, by all means listen to your body. That's the best way to get through this recovery... So, I'm told. I do know that when we wander off listening to our brain telling us to go for it, it doesn't work out as well. That seems to invariably be the times I will later be in much pain and regretting my choice.

Here's to listening to your knee and then doing what it says.

 

[kneeper]

Yes, but the fact that you got up without thinking about it I think is a great sign.

 

[bottomshollow]

I agree with kneeper.

To move from assisted walking to unassisted is a mind-body thing---both have to be ready. You can be physically ready and able, but if your brain doesn't think you can, you won't. So this shows that you're getting much closer to being able to park that walker in the closet.

 

[BornAgain1997]

Man did I really over do it yesterday. Yesterday when we got out of Church we went out to lunch and from there I got talked into going out to the Mall, now just for the record I used my walker all day and I really don't like malls. But I agreed to go as my bride has been bending over backwards to help me and be there for me since Feb. when I got sick and she hasn't asked that much from me. So I figured how bad could it be, so I agreed to go with her and I would head to the Starbucks that's inside of the mall and find a place to sit down there and wait on her. Well I didn't know I would have to walk that whole darn mall just to get to Starbucks. (Have I mentioned that I don't really like Malls) I'm so glad they had seats all over the place so I could stop and rest as it took everything out of me, but I did it and we spent some good time together. Now I have a couple of things to say about this;
First of all, all of you young people and I'm talking to the one's that are about 16 years and younger your going to get OLD and or OLDER one of these days that I can guarantee you so you should have a little respect for us middle aged people and I'm sorry but I don't feel like I need to open the doors for you or move out of the chair so you can sit by your girl/boy friend.
Second Thing is (have I mentioned I really don't like malls?) why in the world do they have a train that runs the length of the mall but the cars are way to small for an adult to get in that has a walker with them. Why don't they rent scooters? I would have rented one in less then a heartbeat that I could of guaranteed you.
Anyway my Bride got her shopping done and found me at Starbucks, it seems like I just got there when she found me so we start heading back when I asked if there was a place I could wait for her to come and pick me up as I just didn't have it in me to walk much further. So she help me outside and I found a bench that I could sit on and wait for her. Well we got home and I asked her to look at my knee as it was really hurting. Her eyes told me everything I didn't want to know, now my good knee measures about 38.5 cm and my new knee has been measuring about 39 cm so most of the swelling had all but been gone until our trip to the mall. My new knee when we got home measured 41.8 cm and just a few minutes ago I asked her to measure it again so I could see if the swelling is going down as I have therapy first thing in the morning, the measurement is 39.8 cm so it has gone done somewhat but man do I ever have shin splits. My right shin is killing me along with my right foot, knee isn't hurting but can't bend it like I was able to before the mall outing.
Ok now what lesson did I learn the mall belongs to all of you ladies and my bride and just keep shopping on her own as I'm more then happy sitting in the car or at home waiting on her, no problem for me.
Now I've had my leg elevated almost none stop with ice hoping this pain in my shin goes away along with the swelling going down. Just thought I would share my mall adventure with everyone. I hope you all are having a blessed day.

 

[bottomshollow]

Long walk in a big mall

. This is what you get

We all have had to learn the hard way---sorry Randall. I guess mall walking is not on your list of things you most want to do again in the near future (or perhaps ever). Yes, I believe you mentioned you don't like malls. Now you really don't like malls.

Keep on icing and elevating and resting. Take tomorrow off too! Take care, we care.

 

[referee54]

We have all gone a little to far and a little too fast---we get to feeling good and a bit frisky, and then, POW!!! we learn a lesson. I would say that almost 100% of us have been in your shoes and done a bit too much and had to pay for it.

A wise move on your part to ice and elevate and rest---things will get better!

 

[BJ Mac]

Sorry to hear that you overdid it, but welcome to the club. Rest, ice, elevate.

 

[RestAssured]

Randall, how are you doing?

 

[BornAgain1997]

Randall, how are you doing?

Sonja
I'm doing good in some ways and in someways not so good-in the good way therapy is going good, my ROM on my own is 110 and with help I'm getting 118-120 ROM. I figure I will be at 125 by the end of Sept the way things are going-Still have pain mostly at night and still having trouble sleeping-I'm off most of my pain meds but do keep them around in case I need them-I am walking with a cane but learning how to walk without it-I do have a limp but again I think that will go away by the end of the month. I have started back to work and thank God I'm doing all or most of it at home.

How are you doing? I haven't been online much lately due to it takes me longer to do my job then it use to, I want to stay connected to this site to help other people as everyone here was and is such a big help for me.

 

[RestAssured]

Well, I am wearing a brace to keep the kneecap in place, and am on crutches when I am outside. I don't use them in the house anymore, unless I am carrying something, and then Katie has told me to use one crutch. I am hanging in there, but tonight was disappointing. The kneecap had been doin so well, when suddenly tonight it decided to become a pain again.

I am glad you are making progress. I still think about you and your wife quite often! God bless both of you!

 

[PooShay]

Randall. You'll soon forget to pick up the cane, and as you say, the limp will go away. As for the sleeping bit,Newell, I'm 6 months in and I still have trouble falling asleep when I should. Fortunately, I don't have to go to work; so I can be patient until that resolves. Hang in there.