TKR Jojo9610's recovery thread

[New England Librarian]

@jojo9610 i am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis! I hope you can get the answers you need to plan an effective treatment. It seems so unfair to have to deal with this AND your knee at the same time. Actually, it just stinks ! Thinking of you and please keep us all updated.

 

[Joyfull61]

I'm just now reading your thread and am so sorry about your thyroid. I know the prognosis for thyroid cancer is usually excellent, but that doesn't make it any easier.

 

[macduf387]

That's horrible news @jojo9610 not what you need while you are recovering, I pray for a good prognosis and a speedy recovery. It's just unreal what some people have to go through all at the same time. Only our Lord knows the reason and we have to trust him to help us get through and come out stronger on the other side.
Take care hope you have a restful day.

 

[KarriB]

Thinking of you and wondering how your appointment with the ENT went.

 

[jojo9610]

Today has been a long day. I cancelled my PT appointment this morning because I didn't want to be sore going to my appt this afternoon. The ENT said my entire thyroid needs to come out. She doesn't think it will be a problem with my TKR but there is a call into my OS to be sure. I have surgery scheduled for January 4th. as long as it's ok with him. Once I get the OK I'll do all my pre op testing and see an endocrinologist on Monday.

 

[KarriB]

I'm relieved to hear the TKR shouldn't be an issue with your thyroid surgery. Sometimes I think it's better to take it all and not have to worry anymore. My mother had uterine cancer and she said, just take it all, a full hysterectomy so she wouldn't have to worry about ovarian etc. Continuing to pray for you.

 

[macduf387]

Thinking of you and sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. Have a great day.

 

[Josephine]

My biopsy results came back and I have thyroid cancer.

If it's any consolation, thyroid cancer is both common and easily treated.

The ENT said my entire thyroid needs to come out.

I was going to say that. Thyroidectomy is also an extremely common surgical procedure though yours might be followed up with the xray treatment. Don't worry - your prognosis is most likely excellent.

My question is will I have to wait a certain amount of time before surgery because of my TKR?

Not at all. By the time you get this surgery scheduled you'll probably be about 6 weeks out so no problem at all.

All the best to you. I'm sure this is not what you want to learn about just before Christmas.

 

[jojo9610]

Thank you @Josephine. I feel truly blessed that this was found at the ER and is easily treatable. It's just that when you hear cancer it's unsettling. Six weeks after the thyroid is out they will use the radioactive iodine to kill anything that may be left behind. On the bright side, I'm already recovering from my TKR so I won't have to take any additional time off from work.

 

[Celle]

Best wishes for your thyroid op on January 4th. I'll be around and I'll be looking out to see how you get on.

I've had the left side of my thyroid removed and, compared to a TKR, the recovery is much easier.

 

[KarriB]

I thought about you already being off work. Just from a friend's experience, agree with Celle, it's a much easier recovery. My friend only took about three days off work.

 

[jojo9610]

I was originally planning on going back to work Jan 5, now I'm hoping to go back Jan. 12th. That will be 7 weeks out. My last home PT will be tomorrow. I start outpatient PT on Tuesday. I go for my evaluation. I feel like I will be evaluating them. From everything I've learned on here, they will know up front what I will and will not allow them to do.

 

[doglife]

I 'm sure to hear the word cancer is so scary, but it sounds like you are on top of things. Praying for things to be positive and diagnosis to be awesome.

 

[newlybionic]

I'm glad your cancer was found early and you already have a plan of action.

 

[PegGar16]

Sorry about the thyroid cancer and I am glad they are taking care of it so quickly. Try to have a great Christmas and I'll keep you in my prayers.

 

[jojo9610]

I had my last in home PT today. I measured 83 and 2. I will be 4 weeks out on Monday. I think I'm doing OK. My pain has been very manageable and I'm sleeping through the night. I start outpatient PT next week. I think I am going to opt for twice a week instead of 3x. I've been doing 3x and I think my knee needs more of a break in between sessions.

 

[Celle]

If you go to PT, I think twice a week is about right. You're correct that your knee needs time to rest. You really don't need to do a lot of exercising for your knee to recover.

 

[PolarBear60]

I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of PT twice a week instead of three times. I did twice a week, and that still seemed like a lot sometimes. With your goal of returning to work relatively soon (by Bonesmart standards), that will also stress you in additional ways. I enjoyed my PT sessions, and I used the opportunity to work on things that were troubling me in "the real world." Each time I raised a concern with doing something, I got an informed answer from my PT and, usually, I can help with that. And he/she could (I had a female student PT working under an experienced male PT). My student PT is halfway through PT school now, and I believe she will be a fine PT once she graduates. May you have a positive experience with your PT as well.

 

[KarriB]

So happy to hear you are sleeping through the night!

 

[newlybionic]

It's great that you're sleeping through the night. Just getting to and getting back from outpatient PT made me tired. I could only handle twice a week.