TKR Knees 1 AND 2 up and running

Shelia,
I'm glad your recovery to going so well.. my goodness, you really have great ROM for less than a month out.:wow:
We will be in the same boat here shortly...are you ready for the next TKR?
 
I was cold for months...actually I still am. When I iced I had to dress warmly and, at night, wrap in a fleece blanket. I'd get chills too. It probably is NOT an infection. My hemoglobin did drop to 8 or 9 after surgery. Took a compounded gentle iron+ other good things and ate lots of steak without guilt. Plus salad. It came up nicely.

You will be ok, not to worry. It'll be an adventure! Seriously, I think things should go well. Your baby knee will have to accept its new sibling, and help out.
 
You are doing great, and while its easy to say dont worry, its one of those things that in reality is so simple, but not easy to do. I am the same way, every new little twinge wants to say DANGER DANGER WILL ROGERS.

In my right mind I know better, but in my worry mind, well you know the drill.

I think you are so brave and determined to be going thru # 2 so soon. In a year or less from now, you will have 2 good new knees and be ready to travel, and help the people you love to help.

For whatever reason in the universe, Im having a zag day myself, that follows my zig day yesterday. Today LOG just feels tight and achey. It sure is a consistently surprising journey.

May tomorrow be a double ZIG for us both!
 
If u read back on a lot of our posts you will c that most of us complained about being 2 cold. It's just been a couple of weeks that my hot flashes r back, darn it!! I'd rather than b 2 cold any day!!
 
Shelia, your feelings are very normal. Try to stay busy and soon you will be walking on your second new knee. I'm right behind you! :console2:
 
I had never had trouble with being cold until my tkr for some reason I get cold for no reason now, I'm not even icing anymore, stop worrying and enjoy the new knee, who knows the next one may surprise you and be just as easy a recovery it even easier, stay positive.
 
Or the second one could be even better than the first one. You know the drill and we are all here with you. I'm sure you will be very happy to have both knees done and no more arthritis to deal with.
 
Thank you all! I don't know how I would make it without this place.

I have read about the "cold factor" a lot here. Of course, when it hit ME, I had to think the worst. [emoji15]

When I scheduled my first knee, the OS wanted to do the second 7 days after the first (he doesn't do simultaneous). I am glad I didn't do that. If I had it to do over again, I'd wait 3 months, I think. But I trust my OS and the team, and know they wouldn't do it if I weren't ready.

I am trying to stay busy and not worry. Husband is at a conference today so I'm getting things spic and span and ready for knee 2. It's a lot easier, knowing what the priorities are (ice machine).

This condo is not ideal for TKR. The bedrooms and full baths are upstairs. I'm preparing to live downstairs for a while - I've tried using baby knee to lead up and down stairs, and it is very painful after 3 stairs, and makes my knee swell. I hate that because husband won't let me sleep down here alone - he bought for himself an air mattress for the first knee (luckily only had to use it one night). I love that he cares, but I don't like putting him on the floor.

I have been using my "happytap" app a lot. When I start my decent into clots, infection, uncontrollable pain, TB, rabies, I do happytap to stop it. I also read a Huffington post article about worry and found an excellent suggestion about saving all worries for a 30 minute designated "worry time". I did that yesterday and it was very freeing. I'm going to make that a habit.

Thank y'all, again. I can never repay the good this place has done for me.




Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
You know it's very strange, I am a huge worrier and was petrified about the TKR. But when I developed symptoms of infection I never once worried it was an infection, I told myself it was the flu. Funny how our minds react...
 
And with all that you go to 3rd world countries to work in health care! Goes to show how really irrational our fears really are. My strategy for worry moments is to say, out loud, switch channels!
 
I've tried using baby knee to lead up and down stairs, and it is very painful after 3 stairs, and makes my knee swell. I hate that because husband won't let me sleep down here alone - he bought for himself an air mattress for the first knee (luckily only had to use it one night). I love that he cares, but I don't like putting him on the floor.
It's still too soon to be using the new knee as the leader. Give it a break for as long as you can. You can't heal it faster by making it do more than it is ready for.

It's nice that your husband is so solicitous, but you have to do what will be best for your knees. It's your time now. There's no need for him to sleep downstairs with you - after all, many people have no one at home to help after their TKRs and they manage - but if he chooses to do so, that is his choice and problem, not yours.

This article may help you to have another think about accepting help, without feeling guilty:
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help
 
I'm in awe of you doing them a few weeks apart, too! I don't know what it would take to convince me today to do the other leg. It's still too soon. :boohoo:
 
Celle - thank you for putting that into perspective for me. That really helps!

Suzibelle-- I'm looking at it as a staged bilateral. I'm going to treat myself like I'm recovering from a BTKR- my baby knee is not ready to take over as a full-time worker.

MamaZ-- It's much easier not to worry when I'm working. This is the longest I've ever gone not working. And being alone most of the time just fuels my worry-fire. I love the idea of "switching channels".

Staying busy today but protecting baby-knee by RIEM. We're going to movie this evening to see "Sully". The place has recliners and I'm taking a couple of those gel ice packs .also the cane -- to fend off potential stumblers.

Designated worry time seems to be working. Except when I reached my 30 minute worry appointment, I fell asleep. :)


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
My second knee was a much easier recovery than I hah with my first knee, maybe yours will be the same

LTKR 11 May 2016
 
I do get it....not working there is too much free "brain space" and worry seeps in! That's why I kept working till 75. It fulfilled a lot of needs!
 
Oh, Dawni, thank you. I'm so glad to know your second was easier.

MamaZ-- free brain time :). I hope to be right there with you, working til I'm 75.

Ok. The countdown's on. They will call me today to tell me surgery time, but I think it is 1 PM.

I'm going to summarize what I learned from the first go round (and most of it, if not all, came from you all and this wonderful site)
1. Be honest about anxiety in preop and take the meds they offer.
2. Stay ahead of pain - take the meds on a schedule at max dose ordered.
3. Knee will feel great when I get home. Don't be fooled into over exercising or climbing stairs. The local anesthesia will wear off and it does not prevent extra soft tissue damage.
4. Ice continuously and keep toes above nose.
5. Heel pumps every hour and up to bathroom - plenty of exercise.
6. Use the walker. Discarding too early is unsafe and will cause gait problems.
7. Eat something at meal time, even if not hungry. Cracker and soup on day 1, then high protein . Prune juice and cranberry juice twice a day.
8. Brain fog is normal. Avoid texting/online shopping while under the influence of narcotics (see the hot pink halter-dress in closet if you have doubts).
9. It's OK to let phone go to voicemail.
10. I am in charge of PT. remind them of BS way and what I will and will not do.
11. Expect to have a meltdown or two. Don't hide it-- crying releases endorphins!
12. Weird or unusual pains/symptoms come and go. It is highly unlikely for me to develop rabies, TB or post zombie-bite syndrome.
13. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and easy will pay me back in the long term.
14. EVERY single time I deviated from BS way and tried to rush recovery or please a PT, it set me back 2-3 days. Don't go there.
15. When in doubt/fear/feeling like I'm the only one, log on here and read. The stories, hope, generosity, and kindness of my fellow knee-warriors will inspire and calm me.

Ok. That's that. I may add more later or if anybody wants to add, please do :). I've got a busy day ahead. I'm in that "dead calm-- what will be will be" mode right now. But I'm sure I'll have my freak out moments today and will be around here a lot. And I promise not to be such a long-winded blabber once Knee 2 is up and running :)




Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 9/20/2016
 
Love it, Shelia! I'll be watching and thinking of you!
 

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