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Bilateral TKR It's finally time!!

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@Jane B. - our son had to rethink his life in China after the financial meltdown in 2008. He was partnered with someone in Canada and had a manufacturing facility. That went bust, as did a lot of things, and he ended up trying to find a new way to recreate his life in China. He's 45 now and returning home wasn't an option he would consider. Eventually he partnered with others and opened up an expat bar in Shanghai, now he's in the process of moving to Nanjing to set up another expat bar. As you say - what is it with China!! He found out after his last time home for Christmas 2010, that his Philippino girlfriend at the time, was pregnant. We now have a little granddaughter in Manila, we haven't met yet. I want her to be old enough to remember us.

We talk to our son every week for about an hour. That's something - when I lived in England we were still using those folded blue air letters and you only phoned home if you were dying! Our next trip east was to include Thailand but ................. I bet that was wonderful and oh, the food!
 
Ten Week Update:

It's hard to believe it's been ten weeks already - the time is just flying by. I feel about where I was last week, although I'm sure I've had some small improvements and just don't notice them. It seems at times that the days/weeks just flow together. My ROM is still at 114 and 108. I haven't iced for a few days, and was pretty still stiff today, so I do think it might be better than that on a different day.

I slept until 11 am today!!! It was amazing! I still wake up often, stiff and sore. I have a lot of problems with muscle spasms and tight hamstrings and calves, both during the day and especially at night. I think because I fall asleep with my legs bent, they start to spasm and it's very painful to straighten them. I wake up so stiff that the first few steps are difficult. But, I am sleeping - and as I've mentioned in other updates, I am certainly not complaining because I know sleep is hard on others.

I've been trying to watch what I eat and lose some weight. I've gained about 7 pounds since surgery. I know some people have problems with their appetites and lose weight. I was unfortunately not one of those people. I find that post surgery I have very much enjoyed eating comfort foods, and that coupled with my lack of excercise had me easily gain weight. Hopefully as I become more active I can get it off again.

I spend my time at PT both working on strengthening but also working a lot with my therapist on trying to get my muscles to relax. I'm having issues, as mentioned, with my hamstrings, calves and IT band. Today she used ultrasound and massage on my left calf to try to relax the muscles a bit. I've also worked with electric stim on my quads to get them working again. I think at this point, the muscle issues are holding me back much more than any knee pain. Once I can get that under control, I think my ROM and also quality of life will be greatly improved.

I spent the weekend at my son's soccer tournament, traveling an hour to the field, walking from the parking lot to field (over hills and lots of grass) and then watching the games. I was stiff throughout but not too pained, and was very happy with how I've been able to get around. I have been very bad with icing, and really should have iced after two days of soccer games. But - it's so great to be able to get out and about. I did bring my cane which was a big help on the hills and heading back to the car after when I was stiff and tired. I don't use the cane at all at home.

I'm still taking pain medications - usually Tramadol during the day and one Hydrocodone at night. I am supposed to return to work two weeks from today - I need to talk with my doctor, therapist and the short term disability person to assess if I'm ready and make a decision on what to do. If I do return, I'm hoping to ease back into it by working part-time to begin with.

I'm hoping to get to the gym this week to have some more pool time and maybe work a bit on the bike. Although staying at home in my pj's all day sounds good too so we'll see which wins out.
 
@ljrfrm - staying home with your knees iced and elevated with your remote in hand sounds like a plan for a couple of days :tada:
 
@Threads Definitely! Home from PT and not scheduled again until Friday. This week I will do my best to make it all about me, and my recovery.

My son has been home from college for Fall break. It's been great to see him. He leaves tomorrow and my husband is heading out of town for work tomorrow as well. So, for just my youngest son and I, we will have a nice leisurely week - filled with lots of chicken nuggets and spaghetti-O's and little cooking and housework!! When he's off at school it will be just me - doesn't that sound great :)
 
So.....I decided I needed to walk today since it's a day off from PT. I just walked one mile, which is the most I've done at one time. (whole time with no cane). I didn't want to go out by myself and walk, in case I tired out and couldn't make it home. SO, I walked with my fitbit up and down my hallway. LOL, not very exciting but at least I got the mile in. And the best part was I did it in my pj's - so now I'm nice and comfy, relaxing in my recliner with my ice machine :)
 
@ljrfrm Bravo! :wow: A mile is incredible! I sure couldn't do that yet! I'm hoping after getting my next new knee I'll be able to work at it harder, but hats off to you!
 
Thanks @ConnieJOS Your surgery is coming up very soon!! You've done amazing things this year with all your surgeries - I'm sure you'll be doing this soon enough!!

It's such a fine line between not doing enough and doing too much - and I'm still trying to figure it all out!!
 
Wow, walked a mile! I'm so jealous. I'm still doing a one city block walk. But I'm trying to do it more than once a day.

Ice! I've stopped filling my ice machine daily, but use several ice packs held on with one of my old knee braces. I have quite the assortment. I'm sure we all have assorted knee equipment to dispose of.
 
@Jane B. I plan to try to walk again today as well. It's storming horribly out there, so if I do, it will be in my house again. Not too exciting but at least I'll be moving. I just get so miserable with all this stiffness - I just can't figure out if it's better to move and stretch, or sit and rest. I guess a mixture of both is the best. I agree, we all can have a big garage sale to get rid of all our knee equipment!

I took a nice 2 hour nap today - which was great on this rainy day. I then took a much needed shower and ate a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, LOL. Somehow, after seeing my son eating that the other day it sounded good. Not as good as a Reese's, but it worked.
 
@Crow22 I think your magical stretching exercises are helping - my ROM finally increased from 114 and 108 (where I felt like I was stuck) to 118 and 110. Not tons but hey, it's something. Plus, I felt like it wasn't as difficult to get there as other days. Yay!!!
 
Hi @Threads! Really nothing that magical about them, but they did give me some good stretches. @Crow22 described them to me in detail yesterday on her recovery thread. Let me know if you can't find it and I will copy it for you. I think what helped me most is just stretching in some way every hour no matter what (well, unless I was sleeping). It has helped me feel a bit less stiff also. It's just so frustrating when you get on a plateau, so it's nice to see more, even if it is just a few degrees.
 
Thanks, @ljrfrm! Found them and have copied them into my Evernote folder with my recovery information.
 
@Threads Great - glad to see you are so prepared. You will do great!!! For what it's worth...... My biggest struggle has been the fine line between not doing enough vs. doing too much. I think I wish I did less strength type exercises at home and therapy and more stretching. Now that I've switched it up a bit this week, I think I feel a little better.
 
@ljrfrm WhoooHooo yes!! I am so very happy for you. Those stretches are tough at times, but they really do bring results. Esp those dreaded heel slides!! They told me while I was in the hospital that the new knee likes to move, so when I get stiff, I do try to get up and move, if even for just a little bit.
You go girl. Another thing my p.t. girl told me, is that you have to use your ROM. If you have 118 and 110 use that range of motion to your advantage in everything you do, like stairs, bending, stuff like that.
I'm so happy for you honey, keep up the good work.
 
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