Revision TKR Left, right, left again

[Toothfairy]

@mendogal thank you for those wise words. I will be very mindful of this. I do have a competitive side to my personality. I will be mindful of this and will make sure I am focused on what is helpful for my body.

 

[EalingGran]

One thing our members have remarked on in the past: It's really easy for us to get into a competitive mindset in a group context

Agree with @mendogal on this.
I did a group yoga class at about one year. I used to be a bit hypermobile and considered myself good at yoga.
There were lots of younger people who were doing some quite difficult poses.
Even though I thought I had been careful- I really felt it the next day

 

[sistersinhim]

I don't want really want to exercise for 2 hours straight as I like spreading the exercises out across the day.

I think this is the really smart way of doing it. Giving knees time to recover between workouts makes a lot of sense. That's why the natural PT in taking care of daily activities works so well in recovering from a joint replacement.

 

[Toothfairy]

Day 19
Yesterday and today I am struggling with confidence with my progress. There is absolutely no reason for this, it is totally illogical. The physiotherapist was very pleased with my progress. I think I have probably been overdoing it by adding in a few chores. My knee is a bit more swollen despite a lot of resting and icing. My bend is a bit less than it was due to the swelling. My educated logical brain knows this is because my knee is a bit more swollen and it is very early days in a long recovery. I need to be patient and stop panicking!! I wonder if this is caused by a little bit of post op blues. I feel generally well and need to remind myself frequently that I am early in a long recovery and it's ok to rest, ice, elevate and relax. I am not being lazy!!
This is just a brain dump. I will be absolutely fine

 

[EalingGran]

I feel generally well and need to remind myself frequently that I am early in a long recovery and it's ok to rest, ice, elevate and relax. I am not being lazy!!

Definitely! Go easy and just do what feels OK. I did very little the first few weeks and let the chores go by the wayside. My husband had hernia surgery a couple of weeks after my PKR and we lived off preprepared meals for weeks. He was able to drive though and we started going out for tiny trips to coffee shops/ garden centres/ National Trust properties. I found being out amongst other people, even if for very short trips, cheered me up.
We also had an Odeon Luxe nearby- with elevated leg rests and a car park I could manage on crutches. So I managed to watch a few films.
Just take care of yourself. Definitely don't compare yourself to anyone else. I made myself miserable at one point- as it seemed my daughter in law's father was having a much faster recovery from his PKR and whizzing round the golf course at about eight weeks. I suspect now that he used a golf cart.....

 

[Toothfairy]

Thank you @EalingGran for your kind and thoughtful comments

 

[mendogal]

Oh dear. Is it time for a big sign in your room reading NO CHORES YET!!!! ?

I agree with @EalingGran - what limited energy you do have, spend it pleasurably.

To quote staffer Roy Gardiner
"When you are icing and elevating and watching telly you are not 'dossing around' you are 'engaging a carefully considered proactively designed heuristically programmed dynamically structured recovery programme'."

 

[Toothfairy]

@mendogal you are absolutely right. Yes it is definitely time for that big sign!! I do think that part of the problem is that I am feeling so well. I will get the sign up. Thank you.

 

[mendogal]

@Toothfairy ... Hey, it's wonderful that you're feeling so good!!!
(It's also dangerous )

 

[Layla]

My knee is a bit more swollen despite a lot of resting and icing. My bend is a bit less than it was due to the swelling.

There will be ups and downs along the way. You are in the very early days of healing in the whole scheme of things. So you can chill with that little scribble in mind.
I hope you have a great week, Toothfairy!

 

[Rockgirl4]

It's so hard to sit still when we start feeling better. I was raised to be doing, not just sitting, and that was a hard thing to break when I became an adult without the energy of a kid/teenager. I won't yell at you for doing more chores if you don't yell at me for starting a load of towels earlier. My teenager had to save the day with my off-balance load, and literally JUST after he rearranged the load of wet towels, my husband walked through the door and gave me The look!

I can't remember when the post-op blues tends to set in, but it makes sense that you would want to get on with this recovery and do normal things again. I hope you see those numbers go back down to normal in a day or so with no harm coming to that baby new knee.

 

[selketine]

I think I have probably been overdoing it by adding in a few chores.

Chores? What are these mysterious things? haha! If I'm going to overdo it, it will be going shopping for chocolate and not chores.

Just joking with you - I remember overdoing PT around 3 or 4 weeks last time and I felt like I set myself back a week - was just so frustrating. Even not overdoing it, I swear some days my knee/leg feel alright and the next day just aches all day for no good reason. You're doing great!

 

[Toothfairy]

Thank you @selketine Yesterday and today have been a good days.

 

[Toothfairy]

I am happy to report that I am doing well. I had my steristrips removed today ( a bit delayed due to lack of appointments) and my wound is healing nicely. I had a lovely gentle walk in a local garden today to the cafe and back and it was lovely to be out in nature in the sun with my husband. I did some walking without crutches on the smooth flat paths as recommended by the physio but I am still using crutches on any uneven surfaces.
I am going onto my exercise bike for very short spells of rocking. I can do backward rotations after some gentle stretching and today was very surprised to be able to do a few forward rotations. No side effects so far. I spent some time after my walk and also after being on my bike resting with ice and elevation. I feel very lucky indeed.

 

[EalingGran]

That's a great report! Getting out for a walk in a local garden is a good idea. I did this too and it really lifted my mood in the early days of recovery.

did some walking without crutches on the smooth flat paths as recommended by the physio but I am still using crutches on any uneven surfaces.

I bought a light foldable stick to use when I felt crutches were no longer needed but I didn't feel totally secure in some situations. Like busy streets/ tube stations/uneven pavements with wet leaves or ice. I was nervous because I had had a few falls in the past- so perhaps more cautious than most.

 

[sistersinhim]

Rotating forward on the bike is a huge accomplishment! That usually takes much longer than what you were able to do. You are coming along so well!

 

[selketine]

Sounds like you are doing great!

 

[Layla]

I had a lovely gentle walk in a local garden today to the cafe and back and it was lovely to be out in nature in the sun with my husband. I did some walking without crutches on the smooth flat paths

It's wonderful to feel like you're back in the land of the living after the first few weeks of recovery!
Cheers to more sunny walks with hubby and a great week ahead.
Happy Sunday!

 

[Rockgirl4]

This is a great report, and I'm thrilled for you. All of the little things seem much bigger when we're waiting for daily improvement or wanting to get back out into the world.

 

[Toothfairy]

Thank you @Rockgirl4