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Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

:happydance: Another step forward tonight! (pun intended) We went out to dinner and I was able to go up the stairs into the restaurant step-over-step instead of one step at a time. Granted, it was a slow ascent and I was careful and held onto the banister with my right hand the whole time, but I did it! Unfortunately, I couldn't manage it for the descent, but half a piece of cake is better than no cake...............:) It's the first time in four years I've been able to do it; there was a small window of time after my first TKR where I was able to properly navigate them before I discovered that the light I saw at the end of the tunnel was the headlights of an oncoming train.

I had a really good knee day today-no stem pain at all and none of the occasional pain that wanders through from time to time. Even though it's still about the same as it has been lately in regards to swelling and stiffness, I was walking really well, I only had a small limp and I was able to walk with something resembling a normal gait. My cane stayed in my purse while we went to Home Depot and the restaurant, whereas I usually have it out to use when in public. I know I'm still on the dratted recovery roller coaster, therefore I know there'll still be lots of days where my knee bites, but today I had a good day. :yes!::yay:
 
lovetocookandsew said:
We went out to dinner and I was able to go up the stairs into the restaurant step-over-step instead of one step at a time. Granted, it was a slow ascent and I was careful and held onto the banister with my right hand the whole time, but I did it! Unfortunately, I couldn't manage it for the descent, but half a piece of cake is better than no cake.
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Congratulations on having a good day and congratulations on going up the stairs foot over foot. That's great!

Most people find that it takes longer to be able to go downstairs the same way.

It's only just over 2 months since your surgery, and going downstairs one foot at a time can take a long as four months to achieve. That's because when you're going downstairs you almost have to do a one-legged partial squat on your new knee, while also balancing and trying not to fall. That's hard work for a new knee, but you will get there, when your knee is ready.
 
@Celle Yes, I remember well last time around going up and down stairs, and all the difficulties therein. I can easily go uphill on my driveway, but downhill has been difficult on my knee for the same reasons I can't go down stairs easily, so just I go slowly and carefully down both. I'm not worried about it as I know it will happen one day when I'm not even thinking about it.
 
Crazy how the recovery is up and down. Glad to hear you had an up day!

The ODIC is on one list that isn’t allowed on here. S$&@ list.:loll:
 
12 weeks today. Nothing much has changed recently. I have some great days and some not-so-great days. The area around my knee doesn't really hurt much anymore-it's mostly the upper and lower posts causing pain. I hope those decide to settle in soon and knock it off. My entire leg is still quite swollen though-I'm hoping it goes down sometime soon. I see my OS for my 3 month check soon and will see what he has to say about all the swelling, but it's probably to be expected according to what he told me about all the work he had to do while in there, and my knee's history.

I'm basically doing normal stuff now but just a little at a time with some icing and elevating in between, plus I ice all night most nights. I still need to use an electric cart for any distances while shopping. The last couple of days have been really good ones pain-wise, but for some reason if I try to walk too far my leg swells a lot more, the pain kicks in my knee gets really, really hot and I start limping a lot more than usual. The recovery roller coaster rears it's ugly head often.:blackcloud:My stamina is still not all back which means I tire easily, so can't do my normal busy days yet. But, I look back and see how far I've come, and realize I am doing better than I was a month ago, two months ago and so on.

Today we went to an RV place to look at RVs (grrr-hubby just finally bought his truck after about two years of talking about it and looking at them, so now it'll likely take another year or two for him to decide which RV he likes of the ones I like.....lol) They drove me around in a golf cart which was easy, but I had a really difficult time navigating the steps into and out of the RVs. When we (finally!) buy one we'll get a little portable step to make it easier to get up onto, and back down to the ground, from the bottom step.

Hubby wants to take a trip to Reno soon, and I'm hoping to go. The good thing is our new truck has electric plugs so I can bring my ice machine to use in the truck on the way there and back if needed, plus use it as needed in the hotel room. They also have electric scooters I can rent so I will be able to get around. The place is too large for me to walk around yet, so I'll use the dang scooter. I'm not thrilled about it as I'd much rather just walk, but we do what we must. He's also been doing some traveling for work lately, and I would like to go along sometimes but I don't feel like dealing with airports and airplanes just yet, but if he has to go to San Diego again I may just bite the bullet and go.

I'll let you know what the doctor says after my appointment.:)
 
I remember going to a camper show 6 months after my tkr and how hard it was to get in and out of them. I portable step is a good idea.
 
It sounds like you're doing very well but the swelling is annoying, isn't it? My left knee (first tkr) stayed swollen for months - and I mean it would be 2-3" bigger at night - and it's amazing how much swelling hurts. My right knee hasn't swollen as much and can't help but wonder if it's because I didn't let it get as bad before having it replaced. Like you too, my stamina seems to be taking forever to return. If I do my "normal" chores during the morning, have to sit down and elevate for a couple of hours. And I can't do two "big" things during the same day...like go on a Target run and walk the dog 3 times. *sigh* However, it will all get better.

Terribly jealous you have electric plugs in your truck. That would make our 14 hour road trip next month much, much easier! Hang in there....things are getting better; it just takes a looooonnnng time.
 
Laurenkate said:
Terribly jealous you have electric plugs in your truck. That would make our 14 hour road trip next month much, much easier! Hang in there....things are getting better; it just takes a looooonnnng time.
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They have adapters that plug into your cigarette lighter/power source in your vehicle that turn it into a regular plug. They sell them at most stores. I think I bought my last one at Walmart.
 
Three months today! I see my OS Wednesday, but thought I'd post a picture I just took.
 

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The scar is much better than my original scar. I may have posted some pictures of that scar here on my thread, if you want to look. I never used those torture devices known as TEDs, but in the hospital they did use the wraps that compress off and on, until I was walking around, which was only a day or two.
 
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