TKR Jake’s Got a New Knee

[selketine]

Not that I’m ready to transition to a cane, but to show which arm I will use the cane in. It was eye opening.

I'm still using the walker but have been practicing with the cane more and more. I actually have two canes (one was foldable) so I use one in the left hand as the "real" cane and I keep one in the right hand but generally not putting it on the floor in case I get unsteady or my right leg gives away (as it still is doing sadly). There seem to be different muscles for using the cane vs. the walker - or something - it's definitely been a challenging transition for me.

This is my girl Charleigh. She’s not quite two years old. And is a holland lop. She weighs four pounds. She’s very sweet.

You have a bunny! She is gorgeous!! I also have a bunny - he's somewhat new to us as we adopted him in November and he's 2 years old - we think he's a Havana (chocolate brown) and a big neutered boy too. Sweet as can be. Pics posted of our bun and cats in the pet forum (and our previous bun). @jakemedic you just need to add a bunny to your collection!

 

[jakemedic]

I feel very comfortable with this young lady as my PT. She understands and doesn’t force things or exercises. I like that a lot. Today, i attempted one handed support walking in the parallel bars. Not that I’m ready to transition to a cane, but to show which arm I will use the cane in. It was eye opening. Definitely 1+ week away, or as I like to say “not ready for prime time yet”. It was a beautiful day here with a high of 61. I sat out in the driveway and enjoyed the warmth before going to see the hens. We got 9 eggs today, a new record! They bring such a smile to my face. Pain was manageable, 3 hydrocodone today. Pain around a 3-4 even after therapy. I am very appreciative of the support I get from folks here. SDFoxy, thanks I hope your recovery goes well too! Did I see a bunny? Like with floppy ears? I’d enjoy seeing a picture! Selketine, thank you, time flies when you’re on ice! Benne68, yes walking heal to toe is so strange. I’ve shuffled through life forever. You are right, slow the heck down and concentrate! Jim sir, you are a champion in my book. I look forward to seeing updates on your recovery. Im sure I forgot people along the way, it wasn’t by design, rather my bad memory thank you!

This is my girl Charleigh. She’s not quite two years old. And is a holland lop. She weighs four pounds. She’s very sweet.

She is beautiful! I have to hide the screen cause my greyhound would think so too. For obvious reasons, she isn’t small animal friendly. Hope your recovery is going well for you! Thanks again for sharing!

 

[jakemedic]

My knee is a month old today! Had a pt appointment and the therapist said I can begin to transition to a cane. I walked around the clinic without difficulty. He measured me and said for 4 weeks post operative I was doing well. He questioned how long my knee had been not straight prior to surgery. Came home and iced till I shivered. Now it’s time to get up and move for a while. Going to visit the chickens before a cold front moves through. They had a blast out bathing in the dirt and sun yesterday. I have a project I’m working on in my shop that I’ll work on today. Not making sawdust, rather cleaning up an old tool that I was gifted. It’s at A perfect height to sit and work on. If I remember, I’ll take pictures and post here. I hope everyone has a blessed day today!
Jake

 

[Jtmav]

Sounds like great progress. We’re having a warm day here as well then a lot of rain, wind and cold coming next. I got out for a short(very short) walk outside just now and it felt nice. I am noticing that, while I am focused on heel to toe, it’s not quite even after the heel strike. My PT watched me walk and mentioned we had work to do with that. Enjoy your day Jake, glad to hear things are moving in the right direction. Stay strong!

 

[mendogal]

Great update, Jake!!!.

 

[selketine]

I was concerned the chickens were holding you hostage in the coop - haha! Congrats on your one month anniversary! I'm at 7 weeks today - hard to believe how fast it goes. Not sure that time was flying because it was so much fun however

Sounds like all is going very well with you - enjoy working in the shop and say hello to the ladies for me!

 

[Layla]

Hey Ho Happy One Month Anniversary! Good luck as you're transitioning to the cane. Glad you're doing well.

I just recently heard of chickens and their dirt baths. Your girls were having a Spa Day in the dirt, lol.
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Ugh... so glad I'm not a chicken, lol.

I'm North of you and the cold front did come through dropped from 52F this morning down to 34F so far, plunging even lower through tomorrow, then back up again. Craziest Winter ever! Stay warm and have a nice evening!
@jakemedic

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Good update Jake. I’m 4.5 weeks. One day I’m good. Next day not so much. I don’t go back to dr til 8 weeks. My son has chickens but they don’t have names. He is 35 and also has cattle. He says he doesn’t name them they are not pets lol. All animals are pets to me. When he had sheep we had to bottle feed two for him. He said we ruined them. They followed us around like puppies and cried if we didn’t carry them around. They never fit back into the herd. So no more lambing for us. Haha

 

[jakemedic]

Good update Jake. I’m 4.5 weeks. One day I’m good. Next day not so much. I don’t go back to dr til 8 weeks. My son has chickens but they don’t have names. He is 35 and also has cattle. He says he doesn’t name them they are not pets lol. All animals are pets to me. When he had sheep we had to bottle feed two for him. He said we ruined them. They followed us around like puppies and cried if we didn’t carry them around. They never fit back into the herd. So no more lambing for us. Haha

Hello! I go back to the doc in a couple of weeks, I believe it will be at the 6 week mark. My leg does appears swollen this evening , been icing and resting. I totally understand you being good one day and not so much the next. Mine can be half the day good, half the day not quite as good. Cane walking kind of spooks me for some reason. I know I should be ready, yet the walker is kind of a security blanket for me. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’ll focus more on it then.

So critters, yea they were not meant to be pets, I get that. But they are unique, they give something in return. I find that really cool. This coming from a city kid who never raised chickens before. Their eggs are so good. Anyhow enough ramblings for one night. Time to lay down, ice and watch hopefully the remainder of a movie I started last night. Keep your eye on the prize, safe healing!

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Cane walking kind of spooks me for some reason. I know I should be ready, yet the walker is kind of a security blanket for me.

I quit everything by three weeks this time. Except cane if I’m on uneven ground. But…. I came in on a walker at my 6 week checkup with my hip replacement and the dr said she had never seen that. . And she proceeded to tell me that a younger woman came in wearing heels at 10 days. Then added we are all different. Well it was too late at that point. Cried all the way home. I kept telling my husband. “She needs to mind her own business”. Looking back it seems funny now. You are emotional after surgery I guess. But I did lose it haha. I will forever only do what is comfortable for me. I know it’s not a race. But even now I say in my head. “ well I can’t do that at this point “. All I want is the end result to
Be able to walk without pain. Sorry for the ramblings haha

 

[MSuki]

I pretty much stuck with the walker until I was ready to ditch everything. Canes don’t work that well for me, although now I would probably take one if I was planning to walk on really uneven ground. My PT would comment that I should move to a cane and I told her I would when she found me one with a coke holder (I have an organizer bag attached to my walker to hold my coke, iPad, phone, and whatever else I needed to carry.)

 

[Layla]

I realize you’re not a stranger to the cane, but make sure it’s the right height first off. I was a bit leery of transitioning also as I’d never used a cane and after the stability of the walker, and not at my strongest, I felt kind of vulnerable.
However, my strong dislike of the walker, all assistive devices actually (made me feel old before my time) spurred me on as did my husband building my confidence daily. I initially practiced walking alongside my LR wall with hubs on the other side several times a day, then moved further away from the wall, but hubby still walking alongside me, until I felt confident enough to walk by myself across the LR in the middle of the room. Great feeling of accomplishment, I remember well. Good luck, you will know when the time is right. Let us know so we can cheer you on.
Have a great Wednesday!
@jakemedic

 

[sistersinhim]

the walker is kind of a security blanket for me.

You will know when you are ready to get rid of the walker. There is absolutely no rush. No one else knows your body as well as you do. You do what you are comfortable with. I used the walker outside for over 6 weeks. There is always the chance of someone bumping into you or stepping on uneven ground. The walker is much more staple than a cane or crutches.

 

[selketine]

Cane walking kind of spooks me for some reason.

This is 100% me. I had this feeling like I was going to fall forward or something - plus of course my surgical knee would randomly give out a bit after that sprain I had in week 2.

What helped me is walking with two canes. I use the one cane in my left as the primary cane but I carry one in my right hand - and sometimes tap it but not put weight on it unless I feel unsteady. I also had to put on music and sing while trying to do this to take my mind off over-focusing on walking - in the house. I started this last Sunday so...5 days ago...and I'm mostly on the cane now in the daytime and I've been able to use them when going out to the grocery stores.

I still need the walker in the morning (I can't get my heel to come down to the floor on my surgical leg when I get up in the morning - it's really tight -and now my foot hurts too) - and evenings I need it some if I'm fatigued. It's better to use it than to fall - I tried it at 6 weeks and couldn't do it.

 

[jakemedic]

Hello! Thanks to everyone for their experiences and hopes. This group means the world to me. I went this week from PT 3 times per week to 2 times a week. I’m good with that. I started my journey with a cane yesterday and it continues today. When I went to the appointment today, I took the walker. It is totally a comfort thing.

I have made it out to my wood shop twice in the last couple of days via cane. I’m working on a project there that I may have written about before. I’m functionally restoring a “post drill press” that was from around the early 1900’s and electrified in the 30’s or 40’s. It functioned when I took it off the wall at my neighbors house when she sold. But it was/is tired and in need of a refresh. It isn’t real strenuous, but gets me to put the tablet and the remote down.

I have had an increase in pain since attempting to transfer to a cane. The good thing is it’s not my new knee that hurts, rather my thigh on both the medial and lateral sides. Muscles for sure. Physical therapist today massaged my muscles and I’m so glad I went to the bathroom before hand or something could have happened to me that hasn’t happened in many, many moons! I was advised that my pain isn’t all that uncommon and that it will pass eventually.

Before my knee replacement, I would go have coffee with business entrepreneurs in my community on Fridays. A friend of mine was wondering if I was able to attend tomorrow. I told him that I wasn’t ready for prime time yet. So he is coming over after coffee to visit. I’m looking forward to seeing him. For some reason I feel vulnerable out in the community even if I were getting along well with a cane.

Anyhow, enough about me. Time to eat some supper and continue to ice. Happy leap day by the way!

 

[mendogal]

I totally get that vulnerability in public thing. I experienced it very strongly on my first TKA but even on my second it was six weeks:

"I accompanied my husband to the weekly Farmer's Market and once so far to our food co-op. Today I am meeting a friend for brunch and will sit in a cafe for the first time post op! I do continue to take frequent breaks to elevate and ice - easily six times a day, sometimes more. My sitting in a chair (to draw or eat a meal) tolerance is increasing slowly."

 

[Nay Nay]

I love reading about your recovery @jakemedic . You are so positive and funny, even when you are having a tough day! You really lift me up!

 

[jakemedic]

I love reading about your recovery @jakemedic . You are so positive and funny, even when you are having a tough day! You really lift me up!

So something you may not know about me Nay Nay. If I’m not positive and somewhat funny, I’d be bawling like a baby. I’ve already done a decent job of talking myself out of the second knee replacement…… for now anyhow. Time to go lay down and pop in a movie to get my mind off my knee and the worlds problems for the rest of the evening anyhow. I appreciate you ma’am!

 

[jakemedic]

I totally get that vulnerability in public thing. I experienced it very strongly on my first TKA but even on my second it was six weeks:

"I accompanied my husband to the weekly Farmer's Market and once so far to our food co-op. Today I am meeting a friend for brunch and will sit in a cafe for the first time post op! I do continue to take frequent breaks to elevate and ice - easily six times a day, sometimes more. My sitting in a chair (to draw or eat a meal) tolerance is increasing slowly."

Vulnerability for me is so real. I live in small town America, which is generally safe. But until I can go into public and have the ability to protect myself and my bride, I’m not going to put myself in that situation. Over cautious? Maybe so. But I’d rather stay home than chance it. I hope that makes sense. It will get better, I’m positive of it. Maybe another 1-3 weeks.

 

[Jtmav]

Pacing and comfort are a good way to approach a lot of the daily challenges we face, at least for awhile yet. Getting comfortable with the cane and feeling confident with it will come soon I bet. Getting back to your workshop I’m sure is great for your mental health. Slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy is motivating and letting us know we will get there. Stay strong!