TKR Kelpie's First New Knee

[Timetolive]

Kate, that is a great way to let your knee down. I will give that a try. It makes sense, since with the knee in the air, the weight in your leg (the thigh and its swelling) would be lessened by gravity and enable you to bend more. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Kelpie]

Be careful though Timetolove. I'm a week ahead of you in terms of op date. You have to be very careful as it's easy to overdo it and it hurts if you do! I find leg lifts much easier now so it's not hard for me to get into that position. Don't let go of your calf either!

 

[referee54]

You have to be very careful as it's easy to overdo it and it hurts if you do!

Oh, yes---many of us have been inducted into the ODIC!

 

[referee54]

And the dues for the ODIC are only temporary ones, but you pay with pain and frustration.

 

[suemegane]

Morning Kate, I hope your day went to plan yesterday & Al loved the cake? I hope also you have sorted your meds out? I nearly gave in to take Tramadol in the night but a hot water bottle sorted out the back pain. I'm going to sit with the lap top today book our holiday for May, I just hope by then I will be back to near normal (well i don't know what that is yet)!!. Have a good day will catch up later x

 

[Kelpie]

Hi Sue, I'm fine thanks and the cake went down very well. I'm happy enough with my meds for now so won't be changing anything yet. I'm enjoying being relatively comfortable after and difficult 2 weeks!

I'm really sleepy today so just being lazy. Hope your back is ok!

 

[suemegane]

Yes back seems to be ok now since up & moving around. I want to be doing things now, but throwing caution as I don't want to be over doing it!

 

[Kelpie]

Day 22

Following Josephine's activity plan today, I made soup for my lunch. I usually grab a sandwich so it was a nice change. When my husband came home from work we went outside and walked down the street and back - 7 minutes in total. The dogs were a bit put out at not being included. I'm a long way from being ready to walk my Great Dane, as gentle as she is! She might see a squirrel and we'd end up in the next county!

It's really cold today but it was lovely to be out in the sunshine. I'm only using a stick in the house in the evenings when I'm tired now but I took it outside with me just in case. It was a really slow walk but I'm walking well and not hobbling. I'm back inside now with my knee up and ice on.

 

[suemegane]

Good on you for venturing out today. You are doing so well with only using the stick when you need to. I'm still on both crutches just can't get on with one...will try a stick tomorrow. Kate, is it right that you hold it on the good side? Going out tomorrow to have flu jab just hope it doesn't make me feel bad! Have a good & peaceful night x

 

[Kelpie]

Good luck with the flu jab Sue.

I was much better with sticks than crutches. The PT also agreed I should take them at my 2 week check as they suited me better. I found crutches cumbersome and clumsy. Yes, if I use a stick I hold it on my u operated side.

 

[suemegane]

OK thanks for that info Kate. I'm not sure if I should have flu jab or not, will ask the nurse. I am on the waiting list for physio at St Margarets Epping which will be good as they may even let me use the hydro pool that they have there.

 

[Kelpie]

Bit disappointed this morning as my knee has been quite sore in the night and so has my old knee! I was pretty sure a 7 minute (very gentle) walk yesterday would be OK as I've been pottering around the house without difficulty. I guess the slightly longer stride of a proper walk has annoyed the knee. Maybe I'm resting with the knee elevated for too long and need to get up more often for short short periods? It's really difficult to strike the right balance of rest and activity and I'm trying very hard to get it right.

 

[Celle]

It's really difficult to strike the right balance of rest and activity and I'm trying very hard to get it right.

Yes, it takes a lot of trial and error.

 

[suemegane]

Hi Kate, I hope you are having a better day today? I have just done some exercises with my leg rolls & lifts & the leg feels good. Joshua (grandson) wants me to go see Santa switching on the Xmas lights & his sleigh going around Loughton, don't really want to go but I will be sitting in the car to watch & sing carols outside the local pub!! It will probably do me good as fed up with the 4 walls of the house. Mike is on call over the weekend so will have to do lots of things by myself, it will be good as it will push me out of the rut that I have got in. Have a good weekend.

 

[Kelpie]

Hi Sue, another lazy morning for me. Al came into the bedroom with breakfast at 6.30 am as usual and then I dozed till nearly 10!! Unheard of for me!

I had my first local physio appointment this afternoon and I'm really pleased to say I liked her very much. Such a relief as I wasn't looking forward to going. She wanted to know about ME as well as just my knee. It seems the bonesmart regime has certainly been working and she agrees with everything I'm doing. She also said a positive attitude is vital for a quicker recovery. So those long, long hours of elevation and icing are paying off, combined with the gentle exercises I've been doing. By the time I got there, my knee was hot again and starting to swell. I never sit without my knee elevated so even sitting in the car is a challenge. I spite of that, she said my knee is great with 100 deg flexion and straight as it can possibly go with the current swelling. I'm ok to ditch the stick too, but she advised I take it if I go outside. She definitely made me feel very positive. It's so nice to get a bit of praise! She's given me a few more gentle exercises to try but has emphasised they should never cause pain. I'm seeing her again in 3 weeks.

Enjoy your evening but take care to stop before you get tired. Another evening on ice for me after the physio excursion. I'm not great in the evenings. Al is going to get fish and chips as a treat! Can't remember the last time I had fish and chips!

 

[suemegane]

So glad you had a positive outcome at physio & it just shows that Bone smart has been good for us to follow. Where did you go for physio? I hope my physio is going to be as good as yours sounds? We are also having fish & chips as a treat. I have been laying relaxing upstairs on the bed for the last hour before going out with Joshua ( it's only for half hour ) so shouldn't be too tiring.

 

[Kelpie]

My physio is in Harlow at the Addison Community Clinic near the hospital. I do know Harlow hospital has a very good record for TKR's and I believe Josephine once worked there.

 

[Kelpie]

It's beginning to sink in just what my knee has been through today when I photographed my two knees together this morning to send a pic to my son in Edinburgh. He's been really supportive even though he's so far away. I was very knock-kneed and my left knee was by far the worst. It's straight now! I'm rather looking forward to having a matching pair this time next year.

 

[suemegane]

It's looking good Kate. I've been looking back at my photo's that have been taken every week before op & after & I can see an improvement ( that's the positive vibes I will think about today ) Have a really nice weekend, take care, hope to see you again soon x

 

[Celle]

Your knee is looking good, @Kelpie. There's still some swelling, of course, but that will go as time passes. It's lovely and straight and the incision has healed well.