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kneeworn made it to the other side

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Josephine and that is exactly why I don't do 3 hours a day! I am one to follow instructions however, so I do think about it I just don't dwell on it. You're the best you do a great job here and you really help me to focus on what's realistic.
 
Cool! Hope I didn't come across as bossy or anything. :wink:
 
Aileen, it is shocking to me that an OS would tell you to work three hours per day over your pt--at what 5 weeks???? Perhaps he just meant activity---as in walking around and climbing stairs, etc. In other words, he did not want you to spend your days in bed.

Donna, I know all about quilt addiction!!! I really did spend time looking at other art quilter websites though. It gave me lots of pleasure and I learned a lot too. I bought several videos from interweave that were very helpful too.

I did all kinds of mending that I had been putting off until . . .

I think that we have to come to peace with our inactivity and see what comes to us. I did a lot of drawing for art quilts and now work from that sketch book.

I am so glad that you will have access to a pool. While you are looking--our health club has a hot tub and a regular swimming pool, but also a "therapy pool" that is kept at 76 to 80 degrees. it is heavenly--and I did a lot of stretching in it. I found that if I bent my knee a fair amount--in my "running" in the pool, the swelling would actually go down. My pt told me that the resistance of the pool helps with the swelling. You are doing great--now, let me know what fun things you find to do!!! Kelly
 
My OS means 3 hours of home therapy over and above any structured PT and he meant from the day of discharge - and he does NOT consider walking to be PT. 30-45 mins of exercises even if just a heel slide - 5 to 6 times a day! He's a very good surgeon and maybe he has proof that this method of PT works, but I have never been prescribed this much exercise.
 
Kelly while I was in the rehab hospital there were two pictures of butterflies that were like a collage in my room. It was a print however. They were georgous and I took pictures of them and plan to work them in to a quilt. I could use lots of layers and textures. I also traced the butterfly part. I thought I could add layers of differnent fabrics and maybe tule or lace to the applique. I would put maybe 3 or 5 an odd number of squares in the quilt and fill in the other parts with muted small four patches or somthing. I have some lovely batiks that would be great for this. I have seen where people couch cording and things on quilts to embellish. Of course if I make it a big quilt I will need to make it so it would be durable. I could always do a wall hanging.

Joesephine our cats helped take down the tree too today. Meko jumped in the box to mash down the contents so I could put more in and Smokey took off with some twine with Ray hot on his heels.

I've got a how to beginners crochet book I may pull out soon. I am reading a book too that is getting good. Mom wants me to let her and her friend take me out to lunch next week. I need to take one of the cats to the vet as he has managed to scratch his ear so that it is infected. Poor little thing. He is indoor only but has lots of allergies.


Knee is feeling a little better this evening but I plan to stay on the REST plan today and baby it. Maybe just a little sneak for a tiny bit of time later to my sewing room. I'm working on a lovely batik quilt that I had precut it all out to make it easy for me when I could sew again. That taste of sewing yesterday got me going again. Love it!!

Donna
 
Here is what I woke up to. Today I will stay home and not go to PT and do it on my own. Not worth a fall!!
 

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Looks like my backyard although that was yesterday today streets are dry but I've already cancelled my PT for Weds. because we are expecting another 6-12 overnight Tuesday into Wednesday! It's beautiful but a pain especially since I and I imagine all you others in the same boat are not doing any shoveling. Picked up a few groceries after my PT this morning which went very well and after 30 mins in the store I couldn't wait to get out of there - I was getting sore and could feel the fullness creeping in and I was due for my meds and believe you me, I took them when I got in the house. Had some lunch and the leg is up.
 
I think I paced myself well today so we will see how the sleep goes tonight. That is always when the knee seeks revenge for any abuse I hand it. I did not go to PT due to the snow. I did my PT homework excersizes except I omitted one that always stirs it up and did not use a weight on the wall slides. I iced and elevated three times and plan to get in another before bed.

I did sew some this afternoon but only in one hour sessions. I set my timer then went up to ice as Kelly suggested. It helped and I got to play in my fabric.:th_yay:

Tomorrow is a day off from PT so I plan to do it my way again. Gentle but faithful I believe is the ticket with lots of ice and elevation.

Donna
 
Donna, I am glad this way is working for you. It may be a little frustrating at first--but three weeks from now, it will all be amemory!! This way, you do get to work!! i am an art quilter--mostly make wall hangings. i often paint the fabric and then quilt it! I also spend many happy hours in the studio. Kelly
 
Swelling back down in knee today. I plan on doing the same excersizes and activities as yesterday. Will go back to outpatient PT tomorrow.

Got out and we took one of the cats (Meko) to the vet. Poor baby has an inner and external ear infection. Is going on drops and pills for 2 weeks. They trimmed his claws to keep me safe and Ray is buying me a pair of garden gloves too. Meko hates ear drops and has a lot of ear infections so be knows what is up. It takes both of us to dose him.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
Glad to hear you had a good day. Are the roads passable there after your snow? Ours in North Carolina are still a little rough. Schools are closed again tomorrow.

Sorry about Meko's ear. Good luck with the meds. They are smart and hard to contain when messing with their ears. Wise idea to use the gloves. Sometimes I take a towel and wrap mine up in it and hold them while my daugher or husband applies the drops. That way they can't sink in those claws. Still hurt even if they are freshly trimmed. Be careful, you are probably just coming off the cumadin and even a little scratch can be a bleeder.

Best wishes at PT tomorrow. I start mine tomorrow too. Not looking forward to it since the 11 month old grandbaby flung backwards onto my slightly bent knee and whacked me good right on the kneecap. Been icing and elevating all afternoon. Still hurts and it's bruising too. :cry1: Always something...didn't get upset with her, she didn't mean too, just made me cry out in pain. Had to remove her to sleep elsewhere.
 
Ouch motherofmany that's got to hurt getting whacked on your knee like that. Hope it is better by tomorrow for your PT and all.

I've tried the towel trick with Meko before but at 15 pounds 6 ounces he is quiet a struggle. Tonight I had the long dropper in his ear ready to squirt and he jerked right into it. I think he is ok because he did not cry or bleed. Scared me. So on the second try we got him on his side. Little devil pulls that ear down and you have to pry it up to put stuff in. Tomorrow we get to give the pill too.

Our side roads are still bad but the main roads are treated and clear. More snow expected tonight. If we do get it I will cancel my morning PT and do my homework excersizes again tomorrow. Not worth risking a fall.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
 
In PT today I got 105 on the flexion when supine and 102 when measured on the wall slide. We agreed to drop the weight on the wall slide. She wants me to warm up the muscles and stretch the Quads 3 times a day. Strengthening leg lifts and extensions once a day. I feel good about this. My extension is fine. So far she feels like we can still make progress without fear of a manipulation.

So I have a glider rocker and a peddler so I plan to use them more and ice more. Along with the other quad stretching.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee scope 1982 and 2003
 
Good for you!
I found that progress was rapid immediately post op, and slowed as time went by and I did more.
Unfortuanately, my brain kept up on the 'quick path' while my knee got off at the 1st exit for the slower path.
After fighting with it, and losing the battle almost every time, I finally let it do its thing on its own (slow) schedule and we get along better now.

Best of luck with the cat. I have 3 big dogs so one of us can sit on them to keep them still while the other administers ear drops. We can hide the pills in their food and since they are Labs, they inhale their food, and the pill with it. Cats are way smarter than that!
Sandy
 
HI! I am 5 weeks today, and my brain is for sure telling me to get out and do something, especially those days when the sun is shining like today! however my body, especially that knee, is saying "oh no you dont!" I did get to go to a meeting for work..that was ok..but now I am home icing and elevating. I do have to admit that my knee will let me know, especially in the evening if I am not on time with pain pills! I am not really upset about missing so much of the driving in the snow.....its very pretty when you sit inside and look out at it! Trainwreck, I agree that I had super fast progress initially, and I feel like I am still at that level 3 weeks later...but it will get better..I just have to be more patient! Good luck everyone with more healing!!
 
Donna
That sounds like a great plan. Gentle consistent exercises make sense!

You have come a long way! Keep the positive attitude
 
I followed our new PT plan yesterday taking the opportunity to bend the knee to where it is tight and hold it whenever the opportunity arose. It ached through the night and I iced it three times during the night. It is stiffer and more pink this morning.

I will do my homework PT later and see how it does. I will try to keep it up most of the day with ice off and on. If I feel it is able I will do more stretching this evening as long as the swelling is not worse.

I will try to sit closer on the bike tomorrow and gently rock and rotate more flexion out of it. I plan to ask my PT her thoughts and see if we need to regroup again. I have a total of 2 sessions of PT to go to including tomorrow before my OS appointment on Monday. Then I will ask him what he wants me to do. I am so frustrated but I know I must be gentle or it blows up like a balloon.

Yesterday I was on the bike just peddling away and happy as a lark. I must have leaned a certain way and broke up some adhesions. It hurt sharply but then eased up in minute and I continued to ride. Jennifer my PT came straight away at my yelp and rechecked me again in a couple of minutes. She wanted to be sure I was ok. She really does care and pushes me to discomfort but not pain. So we may have to modify our battle plan. I'll discuss that with her tomorrow.

Donna
LTKR 12/06/2010
Left knee scope 1982 and 2003 (with slow returns to flexion)
 
Good for you, Donna! Glad you're okay after your "owie."
 
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