TKR Lindylee's RTKR 20 January 2020

[sistersinhim]

No matter when you sleep, it's good for healing that knee of yours. Visitors don't realize how tiring their visits are. They mean well, but need to stay a shorter amount of time. No matter how close of a friendship you have with that person, company is tiring. Taking a nap is a good thing!

 

[Zommom]

Sounds like a little too much stimulation today! I hope your knee settles down for the night! My daughter, son in law and grandkids are coming to spend the night and then off on a ski trip tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing them all but I don’t know if I can stay awake for their arrival! I woke up at 5am and have had no napping today. Unusual to say the least. So maybe this means I will sleep all night? Right? Ha!

 

[Lindylee]

Well I think I had an hour or so sleep, now wide awake & knee feels very stiff. My granddaughter is a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz next weekend. She is super excited as it's her first show and she has 2 lines to say. My son wants me to go down, but that means 2.5 hours in the car plus sitting for the show and I'm not sure I'll be up for it after yesterday. She and her brother are very energetic, excitable kiddies. I love them dearly, but they wear me out at the best of times. They live in a very hilly area and have a huge step up into their front garden and more steep steps to the house, all of which I struggled with before the op. I've a week to decide, but I'm beginning to think it will do more harm than good. Maybe I'm just being a wimp!

@Smokey253 Did you manage to stay awake for your visitors? Hope you had a good night.

 

[Zommom]

As you can see I am still awake! I forced myself to stay awake to do a little visiting. Said good night to everyone and off to bed. So tired and I am experiencing aches in my hip (I had bursitis last year and it feels the same). Got comfy and now sleep is not coming. Overtired I guess. It was a nice visit my 2 grandsons are 13 and 14 and such sweet boys, they wanted to know if I needed them to rub my leg or fetch ice and stuff. Worth staying up I can nap all day tomorrow. My other daughter is having a 40th birthday bash this Saturday. She really wants me to come if only for a little while. It’s at a restaurant so I said all I need is a place to elevate miss crabby knee! I don’t want to disappoint her and it’s not that far but I am apprehensive about taking this knee out. I totally get the excitable and active phase of grandchildren I would get exhausted just watching them play

 

[maryo52]

Lindy, I think you are wise to be cautious. I overdid it one day and came home with my mood crashing. It just isn't worth it. Small increments in activity seems to work best, at least for me. And you at least have a good excuse. Maybe someone can film it with their phone.

 

[Didot]

I agree. There’s no way I’d be up to travel and sitting through concerts at this point. We need to just wipe out this period to allow time to heal. Difficult and frustrating, isn’t it?


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[skyblue]

I also agree with the others. I had my surgery the same day as yours and I got exhausted just imagining the ordeal it would be to do. I have a young granddaughter and grandson too. It would be hard missing out on something like that but you have come so far already and it would be a shame to get set back. I am so glad mine live 10 minutes away.

 

[Lindylee]

@maryo52 @Didot @skyblue Thank you all for your helpful comments. It's very frustrating Didot. My husband is saying exactly the same thing as you all. If they were nearer and it was a question of putting up with a little discomfort for a couple of hours or so I wouldn't hesitate, but it's likely to be in excess of 6 or 7. It's become further complicated in that our eldest granddaughter, who is 18, wants to come, but a problem with trains means the only way she can get there is to come to us first. I think I might suggest my husband takes her and films it, if they allow it. I hadn't anticipated just how much yesterday would take out of me. I think I might need to limit outings and visits to one a day and just a couple of hours for now.

@Smokey253 Glad you had a good visit. Our little ones are just 7 and 9. They're very sweet. He wanted to know if I had a metal leg and she wanted to know if she could still hug me - bless her. Have a restful day today and I hope you manage a short visit to your daughter's birthday meal without too much discomfort.

 

[Jockette]

I agree with you and the others, it’s too early for you to do that trip. I was thinking the same, too, about someone taping it for you, or using FaceTime so you can see it live.

Hopefully your family will understand, but if they don’t, you still have to do what’s right for you, in this temporary state of a difficult recovery. In the end, you are the one who has to deal with the aftermath, not them.

 

[sistersinhim]

My son wants me to go down, but that means 2.5 hours in the car plus sitting for the show and I'm not sure I'll be up for it after yesterday. She and her brother are very energetic, excitable kiddies. I love them dearly, but they wear me out at the best of times. They live in a very hilly area and have a huge step up into their front garden and more steep steps to the house, all of which I struggled with before the op. I've a week to decide, but I'm beginning to think it will do more harm than good.

Oh dear, I'm afraid that'll be much too much for your infant knee and your overall body. At a month out I could barely make it to church and back and it's less than 30 minutes away.

Suggestions about taping it or live viewing are great! You will be so much better at home.

 

[Lindylee]

Yesterday was a much better day. The knee was quite stiff first thing, but I warmed it up gradually, rested more, helped by a beautiful spring like day. It was warm enough to sit in the garden for morning coffee and lunch too. I managed a slow walk round the block adding another 400 steps to my count - just over 1800 now, so quite pleased. By evening I realised that the knee was moving more freely when doing heel slides, didn't feel as tight across the front and at one point I realised I'd drawn both knees up together to hug without thinking about it. These little improvements really boost morale.

 

[sistersinhim]

at one point I realised I'd drawn both knees up together to hug without thinking about it. These little improvements really boost morale.

That is fantastic for less than a month out! 1800 steps is nothing to sneer about either.

 

[Zommom]

I am so happy that you had a great day! Here’s wishing you many more and that these days are more common than not. I am so wishing for warm weather. We are still hovering around the 15 to 20 degree Fahrenheit levels. Winter just can’t seem to let go.

 

[Lindylee]

Thank you. If I could send you some warm weather and a good night's sleep, I would. Hope you have a better night tonight. Enjoy the birthday bash.

 

[Lindylee]

Yesterday I posted somewhere that I wasn't feeling tired even without much sleep. Well, I think the sleep fairy heard because I fell asleep in front of the TV at 9.30 pm, woke at 11.00, went to bed and slept another 6 hours with a couple of brief interludes. It must have caught up with me because every time I sit down today I could just fall asleep.

 

[sistersinhim]

If your body wants to sleep, let it. Sleep is healing! When asleep your body can concentrate more on healing your knee.

 

[Zommom]

Sleeping is the best medicine!

 

[Lindylee]

Well, my knee is 4 weeks old today!
I don’t want to think about whether I’m where I thought I would be at this stage because I haven't a clue. I’m doubtful I’ll be back dancing at 6 weeks, but that's OK. I thought that would be unlikely even though a friend was telling me someone she knew was. I’m unsure I’ll be walking 1mile without sticks either and that is a little disappointing, as hospital pre-op class seemed to think we should, but another friend who'd been through this thought that was a bit ambitious and looking at people on the forum, very few seem to be managing it. On the whole I’m pleased with progress. I had thought walking very short distances without a stick might be better by now, but I am using it less indoors, still 2 out though, might try shorter walk with 1 until comfortable with none. Disappointed I can’t go from sit to stand with even pressure on both legs yet, left knee still painful putting that pressure on it when bent. Painwise isn’t bad by any means, although very stiff first thing. Many different pains: bruised, achey feeling at side of knee usually comes on at end of day and during night, as does ache behind knee and top of calf. Still the odd sharp twinge mid knee cap and a soreness like a scraped knee. Pulling sensation at top of scar and lower quad, especially after walking a while, and then the zingers, hot needles anywhere around the knee or scar. Just taking maximum dose of paracetemol 6 hourly and occasionally voltarol gel. Sleep has improved the last couple of nights so, all in all, looking good.

So many on the forum are really having a rough time and yet still offer so much support to others. It's very humbling. It makes me realise I have nothing to moan about. I just wish I could ease their pain.

 

[Didot]

I’ve enjoyed following your journey. We are within a few days of each other and I too still cannot walk far unaided and cannot imagine dancing any time soon. But I’ve learnt it’s a slow and steady process and still need to work on trying to stop anxiety ... about what’s wrong and what’s right ... getting in the way.


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[Lindylee]

@Didot Hi It does help going through this with others in a similar position doesn't it? You're so right. We need to concentrate on ourselves one day at time and not let our minds race ahead of our bodies. I think it's finally sunk in that it's the knee that has had the surgery and the knee that will determine its rate of recovery. I just need to hang on to that thought! I hope your recovery is going smoothly.