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TKR Irish471's Recovery Thread

Five weeks now :) Time for a little update.

Unfortunately, I am back to not sleeping well, darn it! And I have a bit of a new issue going on. Not the knee, but the ankle. It’s been problematic for about a year now and the pain has returned. I think I might know why it’s bugging me again. I have high arches and have been walking around the house barefoot ever since surgery. That’s a lot of time with no support on my feet. I am going to have to start wearing some shoes in the house and hopefully that will do the ankle some good.

As far as the knee goes, it’s doing well. It’s still a sensitive around the incision. I am hoping that settles down soon. I still have some tenderness along the medial side and will be sure to ask about that at my 6-week follow-up appointment next week. I noticed that the coloration of the skin on the medial side is a bit yellowish, so I think there’s still a lot of healing going on, maybe from that hematoma?

Today is my husband’s birthday. I felt terrible about not being able to buy him a nice card since I can’t drive to the store yet. I ended up baking him his favortie peanut butter cookies and making him a card :heehee: Both hubby and my 19 year old son still refuse to allow me to drive...lol! They’re worried that I am not quite strong enough yet since my surgery was on my right knee. They’re probably right.

Hope everyone in BoneSmart-land has a great day :loveshwr:
 
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Irish still sounds like your knee is progressing normally. Normal being a variable here , since no two knees recover the same way. A pain here , sensitivity there. You never know what new sensation is gonna pop up or in what spot.
Now as for driving , I can’t stand not being mobile. I promised my wife I wouldn’t drive the first week, but hope to be able to do so sometime week 2 in the car. I definitely know I couldn’t make it out 5 weeks. I am retired, but for something to do I drive a wine tour Trolly in the finger lakes, on weekend. I was back at it after 2 weeks with left leg. Because it’s my right leg ,I hope it takes only an extra week before I am comfortable with it.
 
@Irish471 I can't imagine being able to drive yet... in UK our Insurance doesn't cover us until 6 weeks post op anyway according to the PT.
I'll update u on how I get on with the chub rub bands re the sensitivity!
Past couple of days my knee has been horrible evening + overnight too so I've upped the paracetamol as I'd dropped that off more in the daytime + tried to make sure I haven't done too much, tho I feel I want to do more, rest of the body + spirit is willing, blinking metal mickey knee isn't playing yet!
 
@Softtail , wow, you’re brave!!! I felt ready to try last week because my flexion improved and my knee felt looser. I just worry about the times when my leg gets tired or swollen or hurts. We have such bed traffic here. Not driving hasn’t been too bad. My husband and I are getting lots of quality time together, so that’s a plus!

@Jodingers , yes, please do let me know how the chub rub bands work :heehee: My knee has been temperamental at night, too. I’ve used my oxycodone every night this week. Thankfully, I am not having any set backs, just experiencing growing pains in my new baby knee.
 
@Irish471 awesome that you are getting quality time with your husband! My wife has been really good about doing things with me on the weekends where I would usually have drove but she has stepped up. I'm jealous that you could actually get pain meds past week 2, that's the way it should be but not all of us were so lucky in the opiod addiction world.
 
Hello @Irish471 how frustrating about the sleep! I hope it settles again soon. Sleeping well makes such a difference to your day.
I hope wearing shoes settles that ankle down. You don’t want to another problem to deal with.
My sister and her hubby, 2 girls always make cards and bake for each other every Christmas and Birthday. I think it is a lovely thing to do. Far more personal.
I am 7 weeks and feel ready to have a go at driving this weekend. I haven’t felt the need before.
I hope this week is kind to you x
 
@Irish471 Sorry to hear about your ankle, if it's not one thing it's another isn't it? Mine went between knee, hip and back and I assumed it must be the difference in gait causing it. Not sleeping doesn't help either, hope it improves soon.
Homemade cards and cookies sound good to me :dancy:
 
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@Irish471 I hope you get the ankle problems sorted out and wearing shoes helps. I used to never wear shoes in the house but since I developed a flat foot I have to wear shoes or it causes me pain. I’m betting your husband loved the cookies and card, I know mine would!
 
jboles, catkin69, Lindylee, FCBayern , thank you! My hubby loved the cookies and said it was the best kind of present :roseshwr:

As for these other aches and pains, yes, they can go take a hike. The knee is keeping us busy enough in that department!

Happy Thursday, everyone!
 
@Irish471 .. I too have high arches and have similar problems when I don't wear shoes.... I have what I call "glass ankles" since I can twist my ankle at the drop of a hat... so I often wear shoes in or outdoors.

Happy Five Week Anniversary!! :flwrysmile:
 
@JDinCT, thanks! I am hoping to resolve this ankle issue in the next two weeks. I had a cortisone shot in this ankle last year and don’t really want to do that right now.

Can’t believe it’s been 5 weeks. Feels so much longer!
 
Does anyone or has anyone get a really achy feeling in their calf? Sometimes it drives me nuts and keeps me awake at night! It kind of goes along with the restless leg syndrome I sometimes get. Nothing is swollen or red of painful like it would be with a blood clot.
 
@Irish471, yep, I remember those nights. Calf, thigh, just about anywhere. Always something to interrupt a decent nights sleep. Continued off and on four about 3-4 months.
 
Yes, I did plus aches and pains in various other areas. I found calf stretches helped, hope you get som relief soon.
 
Thanks, @NavyGunns and @Lindylee ! It's nice to know that's normal :) I am going to try the moist heat that Josephine talks about.

I asked my physical therapist about it the calf achiness today. She's not the normal person I go to, but she did say everything in my calf is very tight and she felt some knots in there. Ouch! Calf stretches were ordered for this weekend. She also asked if I had been on the exercise bike yet and I said no. My normal physical therapist wants to see my flexion at 100 before trying that. My extension is at 5. I thought it was closer to zero. Oh well! It'll get there, I'm sure. I am just feeling a little antsy. Guess I'll be ordering up a side order of patience with dinner tonight :heehee:
 
I found the clingfilm helped. Go gently with the stretches, don't overdo it. I also found massaging with a paint roller helped - hope you get some relief soon.:console2:
 
Nothing makes you wonder why you ever had this surgery in the first place:swoon:quite like the times when you’re laying in bed, wide awake in the wee hours of the morning, because you’re in pain. My day was low key today. It’s not like I overdid it at all. I guess I am just having one of those moments. I thought I was past having these kinds of thoughts...I really did! :sad:
 
@Irish471 it’s definitely the early hours when things seem so much worse. I have found it doesn’t always relate to having been more physical. I had a bad night that followed a day of very little walking but a lot of sitting with leg down! I hope you have a better night tonight x
 
@catkin69 I agree! The other day I had sharp stabbing pains in the middle of my knee. The knee kept me awake for the first time in ages and I'd only been for a walk the previous day, couldn't work it out at all.
 
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