Bilateral TKR It's finally time!!

[Threads]

In another campsite and about to ice at the end of my day. I hope the compression sleeve helped you sleep last night as well. Can you wear it during the day, or is that too much of a good thing? I'm glad you are able to have the massages as well as PT again - the combination is the magic your knees need. One more day and you can, hopefully, relax on the weekend. How is the garden coming along?

We're at this campsite for a few nights. It's a spot I've wanted to come to for years. We've climbed up from the plains into the hills of lodge poll pine trees. I'm looking forward to finding some gentle trails to hike on.

Thinking of you.

 

[ljrfrm]

@Threads Enjoy your next few days at the campground. Sounds wonderful.

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend - garden isn't finished yet. Since I'm counting on my husband to do all the planting, I have to go with his schedule and he's been out of town all week. Hopefully this weekend he can get the rest of the plants in!

I like my new PT and we'll see whether it helps. He's working to loosen my tight muscles, as well as strengthening my quads. I'm hopeful I might feel some relief soon. In the meantime, the hematoma, although not getting smaller yet, is definitely hurting less which is great.

 

[iivesfam5]

@ljrfrm I hope you have a good weekend..... I hope you feel better each day.

 

[ljrfrm]

Thanks @iivesfam5 - You know I love my weekends! I just came home from a great Mexican dinner and a "skinny" margarita. Just to celebrate it's weekend!!

Tomorrow I have my massage and chiropractor. Unfortunately it's an early appointment so I have to wake up early - but it will be good for me. I'm sitting here icing now!!

Hope all is well on your end!

 

[Threads]

Sounds like you had a great evening out! Yay, for the weekend! Hopefully, you'll feel better after your appointments tomorrow and you can enjoy your weekend.

Time for me to ice my knees but tonight the temperature is 10°C (50°F), and that's in the van. What a difference from a day ago. We visited the North West Mounted Police Fort that was established when Sitting Bull and the Lakota came across the Medine Line in their thousands. At the time it was felt that there could be trouble between the local First Nations and the Lakota. Interesting to relearn that history today. Now to ice!

 

[iivesfam5]

You guys sound great @ljrfrm glad you had some good food and a little beverage. My excitement for the night was meeting our daughter and grandson at home depot so she could but her husband a grill for father's day. I got to hold and snuggle my favorite boy!! I was walking around for awhile but was lucky enough to find a rocking chair to sit in.... phew them knees......

 

[Threads]

Just realized I should have written "Medicine" Line in my last post. I've been thinking of you @ljrfrm and wondering how you were doing. This is the first weekend in a long time that I haven't wished you a happy weekend! I hope it was a good one and your knees are improving everyday and that your hematoma is shrinking. Have you been back to your OS? We've been off the grid for about 6 days at Grasslands National Park. Skies that are huge with billowing puffy clouds and lightening and thunder storms that are miles away. The natural wild grasses are around you as you walk a trail. There appears to be no end to the skies at night - coming from the city, that is such a treat. We've seen wild bison, antelope, deer, and laughed over the antics of the prairie dogs.

 

[ljrfrm]

@Threads What an amazing adventure! I appreciate you thinking of me even while you are on your trip I am feeling a bit stronger each day - my new PT is working hard at loosening my tight muscles and although I still have the same issues, I do think it's slowly helping. I am still aching quite a bit in my knees, but they are still quite swollen and I really think that is the issue. I went back to see my OS - he is sure the hematoma is slowly breaking up. My chiropractor is using ultrasound and laser on it. It is still there but not so painful to the touch anymore. I still have a lot of pain going up and down stairs, but again - I do think it's more related to swelling and fluid buildup than anything else. He put me on Celebrex, which was helpful after the BTKR with my swelling. Unfortunately, my insurance company is giving me problems filling the prescription - and they want me to try something cheaper. So, for now I am busy arguing with them that this is what works and what I want to take. We'll see if I win!
The weekend was good - I spent yesterday in my recliner with ice - and that was much needed. Now back to work - school is out and my job this summer will be much easier - and 4 weeks until our vacation, and a much needed two weeks off from work

Enjoy your trip! Looking forward to seeing more photos!

 

[iivesfam5]

@Threads your vacation sounds glorious and I too can't wait to see pictures!!! @ljrfrm I hope you feel better soon. Darn these insurance companies who give us such a hard time. That really makes life so much more difficult. All we want to do is heal and be comfortable and they really make it difficult. Praying you feel better soon!! I tried out my ice machine yesterday and it is leaking, ugh..... so now I have to call the company this morning to see how they want to resolve this one! It looks like it is just a little part that is the problem if they want to just send us that but I have time if they want me to send it back and they can send me another one. So glad I tried it. I really wanted to have this available so I could be as comfortable as possible. of course I got rid of the box so it means going to the UPS store and having them pack it up for me. I really hope they will just send the part and my hubby says he can def fix it. Such a pain..... This is the one thing I dislike about ordering from far away.

 

[ljrfrm]

@iivesfam5 Is it leaking from the tubes? I had to replace my tubes once - and I kept the machine but was just sent new tubes so hopefully you won't have to send it all back. Mine tubes leaked on occasion - but I separated them and put them back together and the leaking stopped. My tube issue was the one cuff wouldn't get cold anymore.

 

[PolarBear60]

I know you're glad you tested in plenty of time to get any problem resolved!

 

[iivesfam5]

No @ljrfrm it is leaking from the switch that controls the temperature..... The guy was fantastic - he is sending me out a new machine - I am keeping all the tubes cause they are working great and then I can return this one in the box with a return postage label - so no out of pocket cost for me at all. I am so relieved that I tried it and figured it out because I can't imagine I would be home from the hospital ready to use it and have a big issue!! WooHoo as long as this one works perfectly I will be screaming POLAR to anyone who is looking for an ice machine!!

 

[ljrfrm]

@iivesfam5 So glad to hear it's worked out!!! You're getting close to your surgery date - soon you'll be here on the "other side" with us!!

 

[Threads]

@ljrfrm - I'm very glad to hear that there is some progress with your knees. You won't have trouble getting ice on your holiday, maybe you could get the ice bags like I did. When I did find ice, they worked really well. I ordered mine off Amazon. Take it easy, I know you are still working, but hopefully with out students around, you can be kinder to yourself. I'm writing this as we barrel down the highway to our next campsite. Cellular is strong here - not so much in campsites ;-)

@iivesfam5 - if you are interested, I can invite you to my Flickr page where you can see some of my photos. The ones that I've taken on this trip will take a while to get up there. I've taken hundreds of photos and it's going to take time to sort through them, when I actually get to my computer!

 

[ljrfrm]

@Threads You're right, I should be able to get ice pretty easily between the hotels and the cruise ship. I will definitely check out the bags. My husband has tons of the disposable instant ice packs also (for soccer) - so I plan to bring a few of those also.

 

[iivesfam5]

@ljrfrm how exciting - where are you going????

 

[ljrfrm]

@ljrfrm how exciting - where are you going????

Bermuda And my knees better behave!!!

 

[iivesfam5]

Oh we cruised to Bermuda on Celebrity a couple years ago and we loved it. Have a fabulous time - when?

 

[ljrfrm]

Oh we cruised to Bermuda on Celebrity a couple years ago and we loved it. Have a fabulous time - when?

Thanks! We'll be gone the end of July

 

[iivesfam5]

One of my bucket list items is Hawaii - so we booked a cruise for May,2016. I just hope and pray that I will be healed enough to be able to fly across the country and not be too exhausted to sight see and then cruise the Hawaiian Islands. That one is Norwegian Cruise Lines. I am very excited and this is what I am aiming for as I am healing..... I am going to print out some beautiful pictures and stick them everywhere in my house!! LOL!!