TKR Jan is on the other side

[Celle]

Now the question, request for feedback. When I stand, I think my scar looks weird. It has three long side-to-side (across the incision line) puckers--one just below my kneecap, one just above my kneecap and one that is over the quad tendon.The puckers are maybe 1/2 inch deep. Is this normal? It's like a pull when you don't sew a seam up right. I'm kind of afraid that my IT band is somehow messed up from surgery(I lean towards assuming the worst?) Any advice? Anyone else have this?

Can you post a photo of it? Then we can have a look and see if it's anything to worry about - although, as others have said, it's still healing and what you have now isn't what you'll end up with.

 

[jarabas]

Okay, let's try this.
I apologize for the poor quality and for sending three-- it was a little tricky taking photos of my own knee.

Does it make sense to send the full size images? Maybe just the middle one:

Thanks for taking a look.

Jan

 

[Timetolive]

My knee does this when it swells. It all levels back out with time, ice, and elevation.

 

[jarabas]

Oh, thanks. I can be a real worry wart. It's also so hard waiting to get better.
I just want it all okay now!

 

[Celle]

It all looks pretty normal to me. Usually, all the lumps, bumps and wrinkles even out, as time goes by.

 

[jarabas]

Thank you Celle. I feel a lot better knowing that it looks normal to you.

 

[jarabas]

What I wish I was doing:
What I am doing:

I really needed to get out of the house so today my darling took me to lunch at my fav little Korean restaurant. It's the first time since surgery that "real" food looked and smelled so good and that I actually ate a meal instead of some toast or crackers or soup. Then we found this and laughed so hard--I just had to share. A little laugh therapy did me a lot of good.

How Do Court Reporters Keep Straight Faces?

These are from a book called Disorder in the Courts and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while the exchanges were taking place.

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
_______________________________

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?
WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?
WITNESS: July 18th.
ATTORNEY: What year?
WITNESS: Every year.
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?
WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?
WITNESS: Forty-five years.
_________________________________

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: He's 20, much like your IQ.
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shitting me?
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Getting laid
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Take a guess.
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.
_____________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight.
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral...
_________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 PM
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished.
____________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Are you qualified to ask that question?
______________________________________

And last:
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

 

[jarabas]

Starting back to work part time today!
I will be going in for three half days a week.
A bit nervous, but also ready to get out of the house--I have a serious case of cabin fever.
I'll report later on my knee. Right now I feel happy to think I'll finally be working with my students.
Today's class is a Photoshop session on retouching old family photos.

 

[referee54]

The best to you on your big day in returning to the "real world"!

Let us know how it went---please report back to us as to how your knee ----and you held up today.

Right now I feel happy to think I'll finally be working with my students.

That is exactly how I felt when I returned to the classroom---I was excited to get back to doing what I loved, and to be around the students.

 

[jarabas]

Back home from my first day at work. It was actually really good. I left home at about 8:30 and arrived at school at about 9 am. I had time to check in with the instructor who subbed for my class and do my prep. Class started at 9:30. I have really great students and enjoyed working with them. They are from all over the world--India, Cambodia, Mexico, Hungary, and the USA too. We worked on a retouching project using their family photos. I get to know them a bit --we can talk about their parents wedding photos, their grandparents, their baby pictures.
My knee held up very well. I think the walking around I do in my classroom loosened up my knee sort of like riding the bike does at PT. I made sure to sit and ice for a bit midway through. I also have an amazing TA and she really took care of me--made sure I sat down, made sure to do most of the one-on-ones when students needed help. Class ended at 12:15 and I headed home about 1 pm.
I felt good but a little tired at the end. It was cool to get home and discover that my SO had pizza waiting for me. I love pizza!
So now I'm taking it easy. Not much swelling and no pain. If I'm up for it tonight I may go to hydrotherapy, which I love. Stretching in the nice warm water is such a pleasure. I'm off tomorrow. Friday will be a repeat of todays schedule. It feels like moving forward!

 

[jarabas]

Well the day after my return to work, my knee is telling me that it wants less standing and walking and more elevating and icing. Giving it what it wants and looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[newlybionic]

It is nice to get back into the real world doing the things that we love. I'm glad your class went well. It will just keep getting better every day.

 

[jarabas]

Thanks Marion,
I have to tell you I Love, Love, love my small dog--mine's a chi baby. He rocks beyond any dog I ever had, and I've had some great dogs over the years.

 

[jarabas]

I had my second post-op visit with my OS yesterday. Very positive. He said my knee is very strong, mobile, and great ROM! All good news. I'm going back to work full time next week (week 10.) I am starting to think about hikes, snorkeling, sailing, swimming and riding my bicycle. Thanks to all of you dear friends here who encouraged and guided me along the way. I still have a swollen, sore, knee that hates getting out of the car and going down the stairs, but no arthritis-hooray.

 

[Timetolive]

Great report! I am very happy for you.

 

[jarabas]

My first week back at school full time is really challenging me. I try to sit as much as possible and bring cold packs with me. My wonderful students are very understanding. Still, yesterday I was on my feet for 8 hours total and today for about the same. Tonight I am really hearing from my knee like I haven't since a month ago. I haven't needed anything for pain except tylenol for the last couple of weeks, but tonight I ended up taking some oxycodone and tramadol --I was crying and moaning after icing and elevating for a couple hours straight. I've run out of swear words. My poor knee was the size of a large cantaloupe--it's down to a small one now. Wow. Tomorrow I have a half day, Thursday is off, and Friday is a half day.

 

[Celle]

Going back to work is tough, especially if you do it before 3 months, which you have.

You're doing the right thing, in icing, elevating and taking pain medication. Try to do nothing else after working, until your new knee is older and more recovered. I'm glad your days will be easier for the rest of the week.

I know that Tim, @referee54 went back to teaching at 8 weeks and found it was much too early. He'll understand what you are going through, I'm sure.

 

[jarabas]

Thanks Celle. I appreciate the advice. Not doing anything I don't absolutely have to. I'm lucky my SO is great about doing the shopping, cooking, laundry etc.
I'm ten weeks out from surgery, so hopefully the next few weeks will get easier and I will feel stronger and my knee will respond better. I am going back to work now so I will have enough medical leave in my sick bank when I have my other knee replaced.

 

[jarabas]

The end of my second week back full-time at work. I feel really good actually. While I am tired by the time I get home, I feel stronger at school. I can stand and walk for most of my 3 hour classes without getting achy or too swollen. I'm surprised to see so much improvement from last week in such a short time.
I told my classes about the surgery and recovery milestones--they were really interested and encouraging. A lot of them have relatives who have TKRs and a few of them have had knee surgeries as well--mostly tendon or ligament issues. They have advice and they even laughed at my jokes about all the ways that opiates don't agree with me.

I had my monthly re-eval at PT this week too. I was amazed that my swelling was way down and my flexion was way up. All in all, a very happy week!

Jan

 

[Celle]

Wow, Jan, that's a great report!

It's good to hear that your students are so supportive, too.