TKR kneeper's done!

[kneeper]

Back to work for meetings & prep this week. I'm doing steps at least twice a day at work & have to walk a bit from point A to point B and that's going ok. Stairs are getting a bit easier, but I think I still need to build those muscles b/c it still feels a bit sore.

Boy am I wiped out when I get home. It's ice, elevation and :sleepz: for me.
Not sure if it's my usual fibro fatigue or a combination of that and the knee recovery. Next week I'll be on my feet more when the students come back. That should be interesting. :wink1:
But I think I planned the surgery well so I've had maximum recovery time before I have to be back at full speed. I admire people who can go back at 6-8 weeks.

 

[referee54]

Congrats on how well you are doing! What you are describing sounds as normal as it could be...many of us were wiped out when we got home after all of this surgery, therapy, recovery, etc.

Eight weeks for me was do-able but not very realistic.

Keep up the great work!

 

[Josephine]

Fatigue is fatigue no matter what it's root cause. :wink1:

 

[old goat]

Fatigue is my first, middle, and last name. If I am not responding here it is because I am asleep. ...... which I think sound so very nice right now. I am holding in there with work, but I am SSOOO slow. Simplify as much as one can Keeper! Hang in there! Time I have 2 labs, a chocolate and yellow. Your picture is so pretty. My big chocolate jumped out of the truck and hurt his hip, but if he rests he will be ok in time. Know how his joints must feel hehe.

 

[kneeper]

Thanks. I'm taking a lunch break at Bonesmart right now.:th_heehee:
Yesterday was no picnic as I had a long ride out of town for an all day meeting and was definitely in pain when I got home,:hissyfit: despite getting up and walking around when I could. I probably should have taken some tylenol in the afternoon...
But I iced & put my feet up when I got home and I feel pretty good today. I take that as a good sign.

 

[kneeper]

Ok, I probably know the answer to this :rolleyespink: but still want to hear others' opinions. besides being on my feet a lot I did "up" stairs once today and "down" about 3 times. I took the elevator for the other up trips. 3 trips up & down stairs is pretty typical in a day.

Stairs are still a bit uncomfortable/painful. So my question is, should I be "protecting" the knee a bit re: stairs and standing etc. and take the elevator like I did today? Or should I go ahead and do the stairs and not the elevator to build up? (the old knee definitely protests up steps)

And of course I was so busy I lost track of the fact that I brought an ice pack...

time to put my feet up. :sleepz:

 

[old goat]

My doc told me to always go for elevators, knee will last a little longer. Sometimes you have to do stairs, but go for the other when you can. Be careful.

 

[Josephine]

Oh that's really not true, OG! Stairs won't influence the longevity of the replacement at all.

But I would certainly use the elevator while your knee is still tender! Don't want to risk having a flare of pain while you are at work. All the walking you are doing is more than enough without asking it to cope with lots of stairs as well.

 

[referee54]

Phooey on the stairs. I agree with Josephine! They will have no impact on how long your knee lasts! When you are able to, use them!

 

[KneedKnees]

Kneeper ~ I'm not at the same point in my recovery as you are (BTKR 8/5), but am also going back to school on Monday for half days and then the following week full days. I'm most definitely using the elevator (glad we have one!). :yes 4: I think that the amount of walking we're doing in and between classes is probably going to be sufficient! And...as long as there's some tenderness there, I would continue using the elevator until it doesn't bother you.


Hope all is going well otherwise!!!

 

[kneeper]

Thanks everyone. I'll go a bit easy on the stairs for now. I was afraid I was just feeling wimpy.

 

[Jamie]

No, no.....you're still healing!!! And you will be for 6 months to a year or more. This is not a "test" that the knees have to pass to be prounounced "healed." Your daily activity is more than enough at this point!!!

 

[referee54]

Stairs for me was the last piece of the puzzle; I could go up the stairs rather easily---it was going down the stairs that took some time. As others have said, this takes some time, and you will be able to do it---just be patient and your body will let you know when it is able to take on the steps.

 

[old goat]

Stairs and going down steep ramps. Booo! Take it step by step. .... Glad you are doing so much better!

 

[kneeper]

Well, this week at work was a tad easier and I wasn't quite as exhausted at the end of the days.
I haven't figured out a ice pack method for school, but was able to put my leg up on a second chair during a prep hour while grading papers. It's hard to make time to put up my leg though b/c so much work is on the computer when I'm not in the classroom. :frown: I do ice and elevate when I get home.

The good news is that though the knee gets really stiff by the end of class, it does loosen up again. The key seems to be not doing any one thing--sitting, standing--for too long at a time.

I also have to say I'm so glad for Josephine's tips re: tylenol. Pre TKR I used to pooh-pooh tylenol for pain relief, but I think I wasn't taking enough at a time. And for the idea that the stiffness is a form of pain.

Because of work, I haven't been doing much in the way of exercises other than some heel slides, leg lifts and a few minutes on the bike in the AM to loosen up. But I think I might have gained a degree or two of ROM.
Stairs are still a bit painful, but I'm not giving up. I try to balance a few trips up and down a day with the elevator for other trips.

so all and all, I'm feeling like I'm doing pretty well.

 

[kneeper]

Oh, and a question for Josephine. I had some anemia after surgery and my numbers are still down slightly. How long does it generally take to come back up to normal?

 

[binkie]

Sounds like you're on the right road and coming along. Keep up the good work!!

This site has taught me that recovery really is a looooong process, much longer than I had imagined.

I hope each day continues to get better and better for you!

 

[KneedKnees]

Kneeper ~

Glad to hear that your stamina is building, and you are handling your days back at school well! I think the bike in the morning to get loosened up is probably a good idea that I may steal! :wink1:

I go back full time this coming Monday, and think I'll be okay as well. I know I'll be tired and ready to nap when I get home, but I'm up for the challenge of full days. I'm also going to take the elevator instead of the stairs. I figure I can save my energy for the important stuff!

Congratulations on your successful days at school!

 

[Jamie]

I'll tag Josephine so she'll see your question about the anemia. @Josephine:

I'm assuming it is being monitored by your GP, isn't it?

 

[kneeper]

I'll tag Josephine so she'll see your question about the anemia. @Josephine:

I'm assuming it is being monitored by your GP, isn't it?

I go in about every 2 months for a liver panel & cbc for my rheumatologist. I see him in a few weeks and will quiz him then. I think the hematocrit etc. numbers fall into the slightly low category and are up slightly from the last test, so I think it's slowly improving. I'm not sure if my GP automatically gets the results too.