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TKR JamesN’s recovery

lovetocookandsew said:
Um............You may want to revisit the 2 weeks off work thing.....try thinking 3 months or so.......That is if you were talking about yourself and not your wife taking off to care for you-it wasn't too clear to me which you meant. I was in the hospital a week, then when I went home needed my hubby home for another week. I still need his help with some things but am able to take care of myself and wait for those things I can't yet do to be done by him, and have been since around two weeks post op. But everyone is different, so don't go by my time frame, rather find your own that works best for you. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Um, yeah, taking three months off would be awesome, and that is simply not going to happen. I can do 2 weeks, then I can work from home, with a focus on my health (but checking email and joining conference calls as needed). I've got some upcoming trips that I am worried about (first one is 6 weeks post surgery).
 
My husband was a awesome help to me!

This is a long recovery, don’t expect to see improvements over days, it could be more like weeks and sometimes months. If you look for a daily timetable you will be disappointed.

It is also not a linear recovery where each day things get better. There are ups and downs and times you move forward and times you go backward and even some sideways thrown in. Try to relax and go with the flow.

Your knee is the boss and on its own timeframe. Not you, not your PT and not your surgeon. If you push the knee, the knee will push back, and the knee will always win.
 
You can probably force yourself back to work and all those flights but there will be consequences: you may make expensive mistakes workwise as well as setting back your recovery. Reality check time!! This will take a lot longer than you think.
 
You have to do what you have to do and as we all know, each recovery is different. The good thing about a plane is you can get up and walk or stand - just make sure you have access to plenty of ice. Is it possible to travel with an ice machine? If so, you might consider it.
 
JamesN said:
The 2 week of work thing was 2 weeks with no work, then 2-4 weeks working from home literally answering emails, joining conference calls, etc. between PT, OS visits or icing/elevation.
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@JamesN, take it from someone who’s been there done that, your expectation for back to work is VERY ambitious! I “only” had a PKR and was expecting the same. I actually did go back to work (from home) beginning week 5. Still found it extremely tiring :bored:. I did find that staying in my recliner with an ice pack on my knee versus sitting at my home desk was much easier to tolerate. I transitioned to my office desk at week 6 working from home every other day. Found I wasn’t able to make more than 6-7 hours in the office (plus the hour to work and hour plus going home)!

Listen to your knee and back off when it says “enough”. In the end, you’ll be happy you did. As you feel better, there will be days you try to push things a bit. That’s okay, just remember you may pay a little for doing so, which is also okay so long as not too much.

I’m at the 3+ month mark. At 9-10 weeks I bowled in a tournament (9 games over 2 days) (non-slide leg). I also hiked 1-1/2 miles up a gorge and back. Didn’t bother me during, but definitely sore the next day. :bawl:

Point is, I tried and learned as you will too.

Good luck. Will be watching and cheering you on.
 
Thanks everyone. Good news is my work won’t force me, I will. I’m not going to get fired or anything (even if I did, so be it!).

For the last 15-20 years, when some big event happens (whether it looks to the external world as “great” or “horrible”), I always take the attitude that (insert event) was the best thing that. Pups have happened to me. That does help a lot.

Still, it’s frustrating. I planned a lot of things, and I’m going to have to figure out how to adjust.
 
@lovetocookandsew, and laugh he does (and sometimes cries I fear when we refuse to listen and learn).

@JamesN, I too have an approach that whatever happens, despite my own plans, is meant to be and I just need to find the good in the situation and opportunity. That is exactly the approach I took over 9 years ago when I lost my job of almost 19 years. It resulted in me working for a company and industry that I thoroughly enjoy and get much satisfaction from. God’s will at work.
 
NavyGunns, completely agree with your philosophy. Worrying about things out of your control is a waste of energy. And I totally believe that things happen for a reason. Even if that thing is my decision to have my knee hacked at (and my hard bone almost breaking the saw per my OS), resulting in weeks and months of pain.

On the good side (haven't heard much talk of this), as we all know one of the side effects of Opioids is that the lower GI tract doesn't, um, perform to the same level of efficiency as before. Nurse came by yesterday and asked about the last time I "contributed to nature" as they say. Well, her visit was Saturday, and previous time that I spent some time in the thinking room was Tuesday. She suggested that we bring out the heavy artillery MiraLAX, which I took last night.

Fast forward to this morning. Sure enough, some toast, Sunday papers, a nice cup of coffee and I realize that I have a full blown Code Two. Came out of the bathroom, and asked my wife "does it look like I've lost about 10 pounds?" Her response: "well, good for you, but that's gross."

So, yeah, today has been a good day.
 
@JamesN,

Love the sense of humor with what can be a very uncomfortable situation. Lucky for me, I didn’t have that problem to worry about. Been through my share with previous surgeries though. Perforated my colon a little over two years ago. First surgery to save my life resulted in 10 days in the hospital, 9 of which were on an IV with an NG tube down my throat. Took forever to get the system working again. Second surgery 6 months later was a bit easier on me, except it’s difficult to do your business with a 12+ inch incision down the middle of your belly. Stomach muscles screamed like crazy!

But, I’ll tell you from first hand experience, knee pain following TKR or PKR is about the worst I’ve ever felt.

Keep up the humor, it will come in handy down the road when you hit the doldrums of despair. :dubious:

NG
 
JamesN said:
You’ve got a two week window. Whatever ROM you get in that time is what you’ll have to live with.”
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Must be the standard thing to say to us TKR patients, lol!! I heard that quite often after both my TKRs. I'm so glad I found this site, I have learned so much in just a few days of being a member!!
 
@JamesN, I'll be looking to fast track back to work myself (3 weeks or less). Will be watching your thread, the very best of luck to you!
 
@Rhodyrhody, based on my experience (6 days), getting back to work completely depends on what it is you do. If you work from home, have to do emails and phone calls, and have flexibility to add in PT and Dr. visits, then it's doable. If you go to an office, or stand for more than 10 minutes at a time, or work 10 hours a day, then I'd say no way in hell. I will be pushing it to make a trip 6 weeks post surgery. I am nowhere close to being able to do that right now.
 
It's so ridiculous to tell someone they have a "two week window" to get the ROM they're going to have for the rest of their lives. It must be like everything else now. There are people who won't do what they need to do to help themselves so everyone has to have the bejeezies scared out of them with these threats. It's sort of like the safety warning on the box of a toaster we bought several years ago which read: "Do not use toaster while taking a bath". Or the one on the organic soap bars: "Soap is slippery. Be aware when using in the shower".

James, you'll probably be a little more independent by the end of this week. It's wonderful to have a supportive partner but also equally great to be able to do things like get your own leg up into the bed.
 
@JamesN,

I had a business trip requiring a 4+ hr flight when I was 6-7 weeks post-op. My PT set me up with a compression sleeve that went from just over my heel to just below my knee to wear during the flight. Wearing it along with getting up to walk as often as possible really helped. Make sure you also pack your prescription pain meds (whether you think you’ll need them or not). I found it wasn’t so much the flight itself but the night afterwards that were most uncomfortable. If you forget them, it’s really hard to get replacements, especially if out of country.
 
JamesN said:
@Rhodyrhody, based on my experience (6 days), getting back to work completely depends on what it is you do. If you work from home, have to do emails and phone calls, and have flexibility to add in PT and Dr. visits, then it's doable. If you go to an office, or stand for more than 10 minutes at a time, or work 10 hours a day, then I'd say no way in hell. I will be pushing it to make a trip 6 weeks post surgery. I am nowhere close to being able to do that right now.
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Well..."work from home, have to do emails and phone calls, and have flexibility to add in PT and Dr. visits" - that's me. Here's to hopin'!
 
Laurenkate said:
It's so ridiculous to tell someone they have a "two week window" to get the ROM they're going to have for the rest of their lives. It must be like everything else now. There are people who won't do what they need to do to help themselves so everyone has to have the bejeezies scared out of them with these threats. It's sort of like the safety warning on the box of a toaster we bought several years ago which read: "Do not use toaster while taking a bath". Or the one on the organic soap bars: "Soap is slippery. Be aware when using in the shower".
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The sad thing is that some "professionals" who tell you about the dreaded "window of opportunity" actually believe it. They were trained wrong. That hoary old myth should have died long ago.

There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

My surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
 
Celle said:
My surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
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The amazing thing to me about this is that we all have very smart OSs (well, I suspect maybe a few are duds, but if they are doing what they are doing, they have to be pretty good), and yet, even in 2018, there is a wide disparity of opinions on PT, ROM, timing, etc. And usually the OSs are pretty adamant in whatever their opinion is.

Speaking of PT, update for me: I'll have four weeks of in-home PT. First week, 5 days a week (about 30 minutes), next three weeks, 3x week. PT for me is good - he's not pushing beyond any sort of pain, but wants to see progress, as do I. Frankly, it's pretty minor stuff at this point. I am guessing the jumping jacks come towards the end of week 4.

P.S. not sure when people started getting weaned off narcotics, but that is most definitely not in my near term future. Pain way too significant. I go see OS on Thursday for check up (maybe staple removal, idk).
 
It's even more than that surgeons have preferences. So do patients! We all have our own preferred ways to deal with our recovery. One thing to keep in mind is that your recovery is custom-made. You take advice from all sides, including your surgeon, your mom, any other experts you seek out, and your own research or knowledge... choose which you will follow... and put your choices to work.

I, for example, did do PT. I kept the reins of that PT in my own hands, chose which parts to do and which parts I wouldn't do (leg presses and wobble boards... out), stitched it together with my OS's walking program that he put up online (yay for walking!), and mixed in BoneSmart's advice about NOT doing PT at home. Never did a single set of PT exercises at home. Nada. But I did do some PT at PT. And my hybrid recovery worked wonderfully for me.

The main thrust of having a good TKR recovery is to listen to your knee(s). Ask the knee what's too much and what it wants more of (mine really like walking). Pain is your signal to stop. It's that simple. I'm finding more and more PTs who agree with that philosophy when it comes to TKR. "No pain, no gain" is no longer the only approach and is fast falling out of favor for joint replacements... because in lots of cases it doesn't work well. But there will always be a place for sensible, joint-surgery friendly therapy.

Please avoid the jumping jacks until your knees give you a clear signal that they WANT jumping jacks. :dancy:
 
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