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TKR Knees 1 AND 2 up and running

Aww. Thank you, Diane. I needed that! I feel like such a drain on everyone right now, especially my husband. It's hard to remember this is temporary.

On the ZIG side-- I drove my car!! Just around the subdivision, but it was empowering to know I CAN drive. That being said, I was very nervous and I won't be driving out on the real roads--my knee felt tired after just that short cruise. Probably cause I was so tense. I ditched the 1/2 mile walk assignment . I'm not ready to walk that far and no need to hurt my knee. I walk a lot around the house but it's in intervals.


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
sheliac said:
drain on everyone right now, especially my husband
Click to expand...
I know that feeling oh so well. :( I keep trying to participate a bit more each day, because he is doing so much. He keeps telling me its ok and not to worry, but you know how THAT goes...
 
Ok, here's another perspective on those taking care of us. I was so apologetic, that the friend with whom I share a house, and who came to Midland to care for me last week, finally set me down for a talk. He explained that most of the time im doing things for him. He doesn't drive, so I have to drive him everywhere. And he told me that it's galling to have to be the person who always is accepting help. So he is happy, truly happy, to finally have an opportunity where he can give something back to me. Might it be possible that your caregivers/husbands are feeling the same way? Sometimes accepting help can be a gift.
 
@greatlakes a right. My BFF and I are on my 60th birthday/retirement beach trip and we were just talking about what we both learned from my TKR. I'm so lucky her hubby gave her up for a whole week. But she has suffered with VIPoma for over 22 years, so I was the one to care for the kids while her husband was at the hospital with her. There were times I cared for her, but three years ago when our situations reversed, I learned I wasn't quite as good a caregiver as I thought and she learned just how difficult it can be to take care. We both learned so much, it was one of the blessings of a difficult TKR recovery. I'm sure your husbands will be relieved when you're all well, but let them learn right along side of you, you're just learning different things.
 
Sheila I am so in awe of your work. I'm a nurse, too, recently retired, and I so admire those who go to areas of the world with dire health care situations. I am a long time supporter of MSF and some time ago inquired about working for them. This was before Ebola, probably in the height of AIDS awareness. They said I needed to speak fluent French as their need was for nurses to do what you are doing...teaching others to set up health care centers, etc. I don't speak fluently so the dream ended. It does take a level of energy and courage to do the work that you do! What you are doing is especially fantastic, as Ebola is a very scary disease. Does your husband stay behind while you are there?
I visited my granddaughter in Zambia 2 years ago when she was in the peace corps, working with women with AIDS, and maternal child health. We visited her rural health clinic. Eye opening.

So heal well and hope you can go back soon.
 
Celle, that is an absolutely beautiful article and really helped me put things in perspective . Thank you.

Mamazipp - it's not too late to do international nursing. I started with short trips to Guatemala and Haiti through my church. Retired nurses are in high demand as schedules are not so rigid. New knee and retired, the world is your oyster!


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Wow, Sheila, inspiring food for thought! Do I have the courage? Hmmmmmm. Worth thinking about.
 
You have the courage, MamaZ! You have rocked this recovery, you can rock the world!!

PT today was GREAT (never thought I'd say that). She massaged my knee. I almost didn't let her touch me but she said, just try it for a minute. Wow. It felt soooo good. Then she put a warm pack on my quad while I rode the bike- heaven. It was more like a spa day than PT.Flexion 119 Extension -2. I'm happy. :). We went out to dinner afterwards and I didn't require a booth for propping :) :)


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
You're doing great! Your ROM is fantastic. Congratulations in enjoying a good dinner to celebrate your progress.
 
I loved pt! As someone else said, it got me out of the house and was my social time.
 
Talk about rocking your recovery. It's you! Wonderful ROM and great pt. glad you got to go out for dinner. If the PTs would just stick to massage we'd all be better off.
 
Sheila, I am in awe of your work and the passion you have for it! The people of Seirra Leone are blessed to have you. In may take a bit longer to return than you planned, but think of how much easier it'll be for you to serve. I remember returning to school from my TKR, all my colleagues commented on how good I looked. I thought how strange, I haven't changed that much in 3 months, but the look of constant pain was gone from my face, I wasn't gritting my teeth as I walked down the hallway. I was smiling and happy. That's how you'll return to Sierra Leone, smiling, happy and with far less pain.
 
What a wonderful therapist you have. Too bad they all aren't like that!
 
Thank you all. I can't tell you how much your words/support mean. UVA, I know exactly what you mean -- towards the end I was having to do a face check before I walked into the wards. The national nurses had been asking me why I was angry (such sweet women and very sensitive to moods/responses). I had obviously been grimacing from the pain of walking from the office to the ward. I can't wait to have a genuine smile after walking!

My knee is swollen this morning! What in the world? I guess the massage moved something and inflamed it. Not painful but tight and swollen --almost double from yesterday. I'm icing and elevating. Maybe it was sitting at dinner and the massage combined X


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Sorry for the bad day today, maybe no real explanation, just today it decided on its own, spontaneously, to swell. (You can tell my scientific background! )
 
Yes, I believe the knee has a mind of it's own and wants us to never forget it's in control!
 
Definitely a mind of its own.

Saw OS yesterday and all is well. I used Uber - love it!! I may never drive again :).The before and after x-rays are amazing. He said he didn't know how I was walking on the "before" knee. Very painfully is what I said.

I'm cleared for second knee on Tuesday. I've mixed feelings about it. I'm just now having more zig days than zags. Starting all over seems overwhelming, especially with my new baby knee -- I bet it gets jealous and acts up! I've been warned by everyone that the second may not be as easy as the first. I'm trying to prepare myself for a worse time. But even if it is twice or three times as bad, I've been blessed with one pretty smooth experience, and think I can deal with it.

Of course, I'm noticing every breath, tingle, ache --my special fear is that there is a secret infection lurking in knee 1. No reason - incision is perfectly healed, no fever, WBC count normal. I just have periods of feeling very cold and almost flu-like. Right now I'm in a winter robe under 3 blankets. I asked about going into surgery with a hemoglobin of 10.9 and he said it was fine. At some point I just have to give up the worrying and trust the professionals who have served me so well. I guess now's that point.




Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
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