TKR Jacimarble’s Left TKR

[Layla]

Sorry you landed in the ODIC, Jacimarble. Hopefully with another day of rest you'll be ready to tackle another day at school. You're almost two months post op and basically doing really well.
I hope you feel better soon!
@Jacimarble

 

[sistersinhim]

Rest, ice and elevate so you can say goodbye to that ODIC! Otherwise, it sounds like you're doing quite well.

 

[Jacimarble]

I think I am just about recovered from my visit to the ODIC. I have been much more careful this week. I even have pulled out of an event I was booked into on Friday (booked pre surgery)!
Looking forward to a quiet weekend!

 

[sistersinhim]

It sounds like you are recovering nicely since your visit to the 'club'! Good going. I'm glad you were able to cancel your event for Friday. No one realizes how rough this recovery is until they actually go through it.

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!
Great to read you're feeling better. I hope the rest of the week is peaceful for you!
@Jacimarble

 

[Jacimarble]

11 week report
Well school is over for the year. Yayyy. The biggest complaint I had over the last three weeks was energy drain. Many times I came home from school and napped or went to bed early. What I expected, so I was prepared for it. I still have my day bed in the lounge for napping or just stretching out in a different position than sitting in the chair.
The last week was the most difficult as I was walking all over the school for various meetings, instead of mostly staying in one building.
The knee is good, it was still stiff until later this week. Now it is less stiff and I am nearly walking normally, although not very fast!!
I have been out in the garden a little , planted some new plants and getting out to water them.
And I have played two full rounds of golf, using a cart!
I find the knee stiffens a little after the first couple of holes, but then it doesn’t get any worse. While I am not hitting as long as I could when I was playing well, my technique is getting back to what it was because I am not protecting the knee as much as when it was painful.
Looking forward to more gardening and more golf, as well as a lot of resting during January.

 

[benne68]

Yay for school break!

Happy that you are able to get out and play some golf and do some gardening. Remember that elevating and icing are still your best friends when that stiffness sets it.

Sounds like you are doing well, @Jacimarble. Slow and steady!

 

[Layla]

Woohoo, Summer break from school. Hopefully you're able to nap here and there as your strength and stamina continue to increase. Wishing you many happy hours on the course and in the garden, Jacimarble.
Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas!
@Jacimarble

 

[Jacimarble]

3 month update
I completed my Physio/gym rehab on 23 Dec, so I’m now “on my own”. I am continuing hydro at my local pool and starting swimming with flippers.

Rom about 125, extension not quite 0.

All is going well although the baby knee reminds me often it is still new! The stiffness has receded to just being around the knee (no longer half way down the calf).
I’ve decided the new knee knows how to golf - I’ve had a couple of good rounds and dropped my handicap by 1.5 points . Still riding in a cart. I tried walking 8 holes practice yesterday (about 2.5km) but the knee let me know it didn’t like that, so I’ll stick to the cart for a while.

Still waiting for the day when I don’t have to think about the knee first, before doing any thing, but gradual improvements are happening, as I keep reminding myself.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing great for only 3 months out! You will be fine just doing your daily activities now that you have finished PT. Just do what your knee allows without swelling and/or getting painful.

 

[Layla]

Thoughts of each movement of our new joint does fade into the background, s-l-o-w-l-y. I'm sure you remember this from your first TKR. You're in protective mode right now when you're consciously weighting out every move. As strength, stamina and ROM return so will your confidence in your new knee making it feel like a natural part of you again. Great news on golf, Jacimarble. Enjoy!
@Jacimarble

 

[benne68]

You really are doing well for just 3 months out, @Jacimarble, especially given that you had to go back to work so soon post-op.

I just went back and re-read your recovery thread from your first TKR in 2018. You know this journey is not a straight line and you know that it takes time to get to the don't-think-about-the-knee phase. But you will get there. You've got this!!

 

[mendogal]

That's outstanding at three months, wow!!! From here just steady and s!ow increases in distance or time on activities.

 

[Layla]

It is three months to date since your TKR, Jacimarble!
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
May the year 2026 be one of your best!
@Jacimarble

 

[Jacimarble]

Today is my five month anniversary of my LTKR I guess that makes it a toddler knee??


Highlights
Back playing golf, 18 holes at least once a week. I can walk 9 holes “easily” , but walking 18 is a bit more tiring and gives me stiffness the next day. But I’ve dropped four points off my handicap since I started back playing in January, and my technique is getting better - back to what it was before the knee flared.

I started back full time at school at the end of January. Apart from being tired, (nothing new there!) all is going well. I can move around campus without any difficulties. I’m really enjoying my classes this year. Off to school camp in a couple of weeks - that will be fun.

I’m off all painkillers - can’t remember the last time I took any. I still elevate a lot of the time when I am at home, but I can sit comfortably with the leg down for any amount of time.

Doing all ADL activities, driving, shopping, housework, mowing the lawn etc etc

Still working on
Still get stiffness (that tight rubber band feeling) daily. It’s worse when I’ve been walking more or sitting longer.

Still very careful on stairs- particularly down. I can go one foot on each step going down, but prefer to be using the handrail or two feet on each step.

Been pretty slack about going to the pool recently, must get back into the habit for swimming for general fitness even if not for the knee rehab.

A bit of swelling on the back of the knee and a bit of numbness on the outer side, but both are improving

So all in all still enjoying a pretty good recovery

 

[Jockette]

It’s great to hear from you and how well you’re doing!

 

[Layla]

Hi Jacimarble,
Happy Five Month Anniversary to you and your toddler knee.
You've made great progress! Back on the links, engaging in your normal routine / activities while back at work and enjoying it. All wonderful news! Sounds like you're handling the stiffness in the best way and you're confident in your recovery, as you should be. May it only get better!
Thanks for stopping by...please stay in touch.
@Jacimarble

 

[sistersinhim]

For only 5 months out, you are doing great! It's good that you're still elevating. You can add icing to that, if you'd like. The stiffness is swelling inside your knee and completely normal.

 

[Layla]

Hey there Jacimarble,
Happy Six Month Anniversary!
I hope you're doing well as you continue healing after your TKR. Wishing you continued strength and progress. Have a great day and end of the week!
@Jacimarble