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jbrooklyn
senior
United StatesOops--I mean no surgery for her, not me!
Bilateral TKR jbrooklyn recovery: short-term loss for long-term gain.
- Thread starter jbrooklyn
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jbrooklyn
senior
selketine
senior
I just wanted to pop in and say hello and I've been thinking about you! I've been away on a family trip the last two weeks so I haven't followed the forum but it was great to check in this morning and see that you are on the road do recovery and actually able to get out a bit...wow! The recovery process (oh boy...I'm sure it is a process too) sounds exhausting and I can't help relating it to my c-section surgeries. Post-surgery recovery just takes a toll on the body and its so helpful seeing on this forum that most people have ups and downs along the way. Despite it all it sounds like you are powering through, taking care of yourself and getting better. I'm also happy your dog is better too! I know how stressful that is to have a sick pet and how much you love them. I hope for a speedy recovery there as well. Have a wonderful Sunday! 
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jbrooklyn
senior
@selketine: Glad to hear you got away with your family for a spell. Welcome home. Thank you for the friendly and encouraging words. Yes, taking it easy seems to be the golden ticket after major surgery, doesn't it. Are you any closer to figuring out when you might do tkr yourself?
I hear you. I know when I was hitting my "wall" when I'd start to get cranky and fidgety.
selketine
senior
I'm still figuring out how to manage and stay active and I think losing more weight will help as well. I did fine on vacation with some modifications (like renting a scooter at Disney). I think I'm still a ways off yet but I can tell one knee is worse than the other by far which is probably a good thing.
I don't know if it's as hot up there as here but it's hard to be outside no matter how your knees are....lol! How are you doing and how's your dog?
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jbrooklyn
senior
Hi, @selketine. Renting a scooter at Disney was prudent. Otherwise way too much walking and standing around! I wanted to lose some weight before tkr, but was unable to manage b/c could not get any exercise to rev up the metabolism. I didn't go all out, but I did genuinely try, and got nowhere. In fact, the weight issue is one of the reasons I decided I had to do tkr, so I can be more active again. Here's hoping you have more success than I did. My right knee was worse going into it, though every doc told me left looked worse on xrays. Now after btkr, my right knee is still tighter and my left still feels better . . . I imagine it will even out over the long haul and soon I'll have a first-class career as a hurdler/sprinter (or . . . not!)
Yes, it is really muggy out. I walked my dog (short walk! sorry, dog!) and sat on a shady bench in the park--if nothing else, this is great training for being 100+ someday. Now I'm back in the a/c, awaiting my PT guy, who is very nice but wants me to do way too much, too early.
Have a good day, friends.
Yes, it is really muggy out. I walked my dog (short walk! sorry, dog!) and sat on a shady bench in the park--if nothing else, this is great training for being 100+ someday. Now I'm back in the a/c, awaiting my PT guy, who is very nice but wants me to do way too much, too early.
Have a good day, friends.
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jbrooklyn
senior
Hi, all.
20 days out from surgery, feeling so happy I can walk short distances with relative ease, can stand for 10-15 min without much pain. Those 2 tricks allow me to walk the dog, cook simple meals, water plants, etc. I'm able to do almost everything myself. I'm more capable than I had ever hoped, before I embarked on this crazy BTKR mission. Yay.
What's been a real stickler is getting flex back. Just shared this on @Rob 68's thread, but I'm now almost 3 weeks out and have not gained much flex. I was 92-3 on both legs leaving the hosp, and both now at about 95-ish, a couple weeks later. Not happy about this . . . but it feels ALL wrong to push too hard with flexxing. Some exercises feel difficult and good, but knee-bending exercises for me so far feel really creepy and painful. My knees are definite on this point . . . they holler NO, NO both in the moment and later on that day. I hope in a couple or three weeks they ease up a bit and let me gain some ground.
With extension I'm at zero, which makes me happy, but bending is not in the cards this week, and pushing it does not seem to advance my case. I know it's early days, still. I'm planning another couple weeks of gentle healing and then hoping it feels right to start pushing the issue with flexxing.
Best wishes to one and all who are recuperating from or waiting to gather up the wherewithal to do TKR.
Just one more thing to mention, which is that I made a donation to Bonesmart and hope you'll do the same if this site helps you. Thanks, Bonesmart--you give us all community, information, support, context, and reassurance.
20 days out from surgery, feeling so happy I can walk short distances with relative ease, can stand for 10-15 min without much pain. Those 2 tricks allow me to walk the dog, cook simple meals, water plants, etc. I'm able to do almost everything myself. I'm more capable than I had ever hoped, before I embarked on this crazy BTKR mission. Yay.
What's been a real stickler is getting flex back. Just shared this on @Rob 68's thread, but I'm now almost 3 weeks out and have not gained much flex. I was 92-3 on both legs leaving the hosp, and both now at about 95-ish, a couple weeks later. Not happy about this . . . but it feels ALL wrong to push too hard with flexxing. Some exercises feel difficult and good, but knee-bending exercises for me so far feel really creepy and painful. My knees are definite on this point . . . they holler NO, NO both in the moment and later on that day. I hope in a couple or three weeks they ease up a bit and let me gain some ground.
With extension I'm at zero, which makes me happy, but bending is not in the cards this week, and pushing it does not seem to advance my case. I know it's early days, still. I'm planning another couple weeks of gentle healing and then hoping it feels right to start pushing the issue with flexxing.
Best wishes to one and all who are recuperating from or waiting to gather up the wherewithal to do TKR.
Just one more thing to mention, which is that I made a donation to Bonesmart and hope you'll do the same if this site helps you. Thanks, Bonesmart--you give us all community, information, support, context, and reassurance.
Raffs
graduate
I'm about the same as you re flex - 90-95 last week. The PTs have all said that it's more important to get 0 extension now and that flex will come. What do you do to bend the knees? The only thing that works for me is doing heel slides sitting in a chair. Doing them lying down is not good for me. Might be worth a shot if you've not tried it? Of course we are still early on in our recoveries so we need to not push too hard yet and know that we will get bendier as the weeks go on. Keep up the good work!
MsBlue
junior member
One of the thing the OT (Occupational Therapist) has had me doing is rolling a styrofoam roller back and forth toward the chair with my feet. The roller is about 4" in diameter and 24" to 30" long. It seems like a "pool noodle" would work for this exercise, although you'd have to cut it to be shorter. She has me take my shoes off to do this. All you do is roll the roller forward as far as you can get it and then back toward your chair as far as you can it. You can do it using one leg or both. It's a nice exercise for loosening up some of those stiff thigh muscles.
ptmhcm
member
@jbrooklyn I totally get what you are saying, but you can get through this. Don't worry about others taking care of you. That is what they are supposed to do. Hugs
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jbrooklyn
senior
@Raffs, what feels most effective without hurting for me so far are sitting heel slides (like you!) and very gentle lunges on the stairs--put foot 2 steps up, and lean into it to the edge of discomfort without going over the line. It feels good to lean a bit of weight into it -- but it seems like it could be easy to over do this, so be careful if you try it. I also like (not as in: enjoy, but as in: find effective) strengthening by walking up and down one step 20x starting with left leg, and then 20x starting with right leg. The only stairs I can use are public stairs in my apartment building, and there are 2 adorable and inquisitive toddlers who live next door and stare at me like a martian when they see me doing this. It's pretty funny.
@ptmhcm--I am trying to learn to accept the endless stream of favors as I must at this moment in my life, but it is definitely not my strong suit. Trying to make it a growth moment for myself. I really am there for my good friends and family, so need to let them be there for me, too. Thanks for the encouragement.
@ptmhcm--I am trying to learn to accept the endless stream of favors as I must at this moment in my life, but it is definitely not my strong suit. Trying to make it a growth moment for myself. I really am there for my good friends and family, so need to let them be there for me, too. Thanks for the encouragement.
Raffs
graduate
@MsBlue that sounds very effective and quite relaxing.
@jbrooklyn the toddlers would probably join in if you asked them to - little kids love getting involved, don't they? I like the idea of the stair lunges, I'll speak to my PT about them on Monday. Understand how you feel about relying on others, I had a "sorry I'm such a burden" moment last night, think we all feel a bit like this during this recovery.
@jbrooklyn the toddlers would probably join in if you asked them to - little kids love getting involved, don't they? I like the idea of the stair lunges, I'll speak to my PT about them on Monday. Understand how you feel about relying on others, I had a "sorry I'm such a burden" moment last night, think we all feel a bit like this during this recovery.
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jbrooklyn
senior
Good morning. I was just showing my daughter the I Ching, the ancient book of wisdom. As an example of how to use the book, I threw the coins in reference to my recent BTKR, and got the most apt, and uplifting reading to consider. Thought I would share this for the benefit of my fellow July Sparklers, and please no worries if this doesn't fit with your belief system. Just some nice food for thought for those who might benefit. Special shoutout to my other 2 Musketeers, @LHop and @iivesfam5.
Shêng / Upward Mobility
Beneath the Soil, the Seedling pushes upward toward the light:
To preserve his integrity, the Superior Person contents himself with small gains that eventually lead to great accomplishment.
Supreme Success.
Have no doubts.
Seek guidance from someone you respect.
A constant move toward greater clarity will bring reward.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are progressing, rising inch-by-inch toward certain success.
What makes this assured is your refusal to tilt headlong toward your goal, slamming into obstacles and going mad with frustration.
You have a clear map before you of the steps necessary to reach your objective.
With faithful patience and a careful conservation of personal energy and resources, you will run this long, slow distance.
Shêng / Upward Mobility
Beneath the Soil, the Seedling pushes upward toward the light:
To preserve his integrity, the Superior Person contents himself with small gains that eventually lead to great accomplishment.
Supreme Success.
Have no doubts.
Seek guidance from someone you respect.
A constant move toward greater clarity will bring reward.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are progressing, rising inch-by-inch toward certain success.
What makes this assured is your refusal to tilt headlong toward your goal, slamming into obstacles and going mad with frustration.
You have a clear map before you of the steps necessary to reach your objective.
With faithful patience and a careful conservation of personal energy and resources, you will run this long, slow distance.
iivesfam5
senior
@jbrooklyn hey there finally catching up and you sound great!!!! Love hearing the dog walking..... I am a tiny bit blue tonight next transition as hubby my rock heads back to work tomorrow........ all will be good I am sure just need it to all happen......tomorrow morning PT at 10. Still working on extension getting to zero...... Ok falling asleep...... keep up the great work.
Those two comments from the I Ching are so relevant to recovery from a TKR! Thank you for posting them.
There are several ways to do heel slides - it doesn't always have to be the method where you lie in bed.
This article gives some examples:
Heel slides and how to do them
Find the way that suits you best.
Even though my ROM is about 120+ on both knees, I still hate doing heel slides in bed - I don't do them now, of course, but I still tuck my feet under the chair when I'm working at the computer.
This article gives some examples:
Heel slides and how to do them
Find the way that suits you best.
Even though my ROM is about 120+ on both knees, I still hate doing heel slides in bed - I don't do them now, of course, but I still tuck my feet under the chair when I'm working at the computer.
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jbrooklyn
senior
@Celle, Glad you find it fitting. Your posts are always so spot on, I am glad something I put up is in any way useful/interesting to you! I'm interested in how you are doing with your LTKR--looks like you are closing in on a year since the surgery. How does it feel?
--How often do you think about your knees, and how often do you just go about your day?
--Do your knees feel symmetrical, or do you have a good/bad knee?
--What can you do now that could not before that you are especially happy about?
--What can you not do or not do well, that perhaps bothers you?
--What else should we know about life 1-4 years after TKR?
--How often do you think about your knees, and how often do you just go about your day?
--Do your knees feel symmetrical, or do you have a good/bad knee?
--What can you do now that could not before that you are especially happy about?
--What can you not do or not do well, that perhaps bothers you?
--What else should we know about life 1-4 years after TKR?
Wow, that's a lot of questions!
I've just come back from 10 days in Switzerland. I kept up with the group and my knees caused me no bother at all. Wish I could say the same for my ankles and feet, which also have arthritis!
- Most of the time, I forget about my knees. They feel like part of me and I get quite a shock when I see the implants on X-Rays.
- Yes, my knees feel symmetrical, although I am aware that the quads in my left leg are still not quite as strong as those in my right leg. They're improving, though, mostly just with the daily use of ordinary life. I still have to get over the habit of favouring my left knee.
- What can I do now that I couldn't do before, and that makes me happy? - I can walk without pain and I don't have to look for a place to park my car that is only a short walk from my destination.
- I still find getting up off the floor difficult and I don't like the feeling when I kneel - although I can do both of those. I can't squat to garden, but I couldn't do that before my TKRs anyway.
- What else? Enjoy the future, without thoughts about knees ruling your life!
I've just come back from 10 days in Switzerland. I kept up with the group and my knees caused me no bother at all. Wish I could say the same for my ankles and feet, which also have arthritis!
