Guest viewing is limited

Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

It is those small improvments that make so much difference. Hope all your blood tests come back normal.
I was able to go to vote, the Costco today for a hot dog, tired but knee feels ok.
 
Cool...did you drive yourself or are you like me, just starting back driving? I just drove around my own neighborhood. I was going to do some housecleaning today, but decided to make a nice dinner for hubby instead.
 
Not driving, still on narcotics almost on schedule. Going to be on them for awhile, still have too much pain if I miss a dose.
Good idea to cook, more fun than cleaning, if he is like my husband he would rather have good food.
 
Yep..real food for dinner tonight..roasted broccoli florets, potatoes au gratin and roasted bone-in chicken breast. Yum! It's taken all afternoon to prepare what usually takes an hour at most...but Yum!
 
I'm so glad you are feeling well enough to be interested in food! :dancy:
 
@Celle...thanks. I am starting to be interested in food again, even though I can't eat much at a time. I made one half chicken breast tonight-I'll only eat a small slice or two, a couple bites of broccoli and a spoonful of the potatoes and hubby'll eat the rest of the chicken breast. I'm only eating about 700 calories per day still-I know I need more and I'm trying.........
 
So glad you're experience the small steps back to a normal life - driving, cooking, etc. Just take it slow and easy 'cause you've had a bumpy ride.

I'm at almost 12 weeks now and have really started to get out to meals, short shopping trips (bought new walking shoes), etc. However, instead of PT 2x/week, I've been going to the swimming pool and also riding the seated elliptical (bike-like machine) at the gym, and it is making me really tired. I guess it's really going to take time to make up for the last five years or so of inactivity. So, on the one hand I'm excited to be doing more but also occasionally frustrated that I have to pace myself so carefully. Well, time marches on . . . each day gets a little better I guess.
 
@VancouverUSAgal ..The swimming pool is great, I love swimming and will be there myself soon. The elliptical is more difficult and less fun than the pool for me, so I'll likely avoid them when I go to the gym. I mainly use the pool anyway. Today is 7 weeks for me and @Pumpkln , I think we're both doing great. I have had a very rough time, but hopefully the hard days are done and healing is ahead.
 
Yes, it feels great to get in the pool because I can move with less discomfort.:swim: However, because it's easy and feels good, I seem to over-do it. Yesterday I went in the morning, only stayed in for 30 minutes of bouncing around, stretching, marching, etc. but I came home so wiped out that I immediately took a nap and then by 3 pm I needed another nap.:yawn: I guess it's difficult to realize how much energy it still takes. I'm so anxious to get beyond this stage of tiring so easily but I know it's just going to take slow and steady exercise alternating with rest and a lot of patience to get there.

The sit-down elliptical is the only type of bike kind of thing I could get my legs into at this point as the gym doesn't have the same kind of stationery bikes as the PT place.:biking: It isn't painful, just tiring.

:ok:I hope your recovery gets smoother from here on out.
 
Just 3 days from now will mark 2 months since my RTKR. I'm doing so much better than I was-I'm starting to feel like joining the world again. I've been cooking dinner every night; I made homemade bread again last night for the first time since the surgery and I have been doing the dishes afterwards most nights unless I'm too tired-then hubby does them. I had a dream last night where I was walking into my backyard carrying something. I was without any walking aid and was walking almost perfectly and very fast! I can't wait for the day when that's a reality and not a dream. I did some house cleaning today, and VACUUMED the whole house for the first time. It was tiring but felt so good. Then I made dinner-an easy peasy meal tonight as I was tired. Now I'm sitting here elevating-I forgot to get the ice pack...lol...too lazy to go get it but will in a few.....oh-hubby just brought it for me.........yay. My pain is minimal except in one spot to the left of my kneecap..It really hurts like the dickens there at times. I suppose it's normal but plan to ask my OS about it when he calls soon. My knee was doing quite well, but the last few days it has seemed tighter and less bendable, etc. I started taking a pain pill occasionally when it feels like that, and it does help. Otherwise I really don't take them anymore-all I usually need is some Motrin sometimes. I've been driving for a couple of weeks now-not very far, but far enough to run my errands myself. I am still using my cane, but I think it's time to put it aside more often-I really use it more for balance than weight bearing, and I think it's more help to me mentally than physically. I catch myself forgetting to grab it more and more-I think I could probably leave it in my car again now, except that I do need it to walk around my backyard as the ground is a bit bumpy and I need the extra help out there. Sleeping is a lot better, but I have noticed I still wake when I turn over in my sleep and also I do wake up sore many mornings due to sleeping with my knee in all sorts of positions. I can't do anything about that, I just try to walk around when I wake and stretch it out. I still have a long road of healing ahead, but I am beginning to see the light shining at the end of the tunnel.
 
From what you're saying about not needing pain meds, I don't see why you aren't walking outside carrying something. I worry that you're depending on support rather than strengthening your leg muscles to provide that very support. This may be the result of having one leg done. As I had both, my recovery was even, not being able to depend on the "good" leg.
I just wonder if this is a confidence issue. Obviously, I don't know what (i'm talking about, hehehe) you're feeling, but I'm trying to put myself in your place (having been there.) After all, I'm just a week ahead of you. If your knee is stable and you don't feel pain, except for that one spot, which is normal. (At times I feel pain, on the inside which is the quad that they cut into for access, and outside, which is the IT Band) but I take that as normal and part of the healing process.
Anyway, I'm just rambling now, but I think from that all that you said you can do, I believe you can do the other things you want as long as you're willing to step outside of your comfort zone just a little bit, SAFELY, and believe in yourself.
 
@JustJeff , I do walk outside carrying things like laundry baskets, trash bags, etc. I think you misunderstood......lol. My dream was not so much about carrying something-it was the fact that I had no limp and was walking really quickly across my bumpy lawn. Maybe I didn't explain it well enough. I really don't lean my weight on my cane-I just balance with it which is why I said I probably don't really need it much, so I should put it aside more-but I also read that as long as you're still limping you need some support so have been using it still. Today I cleaned house and vacuumed without it at all, so I am using my leg a lot. I also don't use it when I cook or do dishes, etc. I mainly use it when just walking around, like to my mailbox on the downhill part-coming back uphill I don't need it at all. And I use it in my garden as there it's so bumpy I really need to have extra support to balance when I hit the hidden bumps in the lawn. I actually am pretty confident which is why I'm doing so much these days. I really have to remind myself to stop and take time to ice, elevate and rest a bit. Thanks for the care and concern-we all need each other to bounce off ideas and get and give support.
 
Forgetting you cane is a sign you are getting ready to use it less and less, Like Jeff says SAFETY FIRST.

lovetocookandsew said:
I am beginning to see the light shining at the end of the tunnel.
Click to expand...
Excellent, you will be in the yard soon. Sounds like you are getting back to your routine, vacuuming WOW, I only use the shark carpet sweeper, our upright vacuum is to heavy.
I can't believe we are almost at 2 months, I have my check up next week.
Everyday is closer to healing.
 
It wasn't that long ago, that I asked my wife to clean off the edge of her dresser next to the bathroom so I could have a place to put my hand should I begin to tip on the way. Also, when taking our dinner meals to the basement entertainment center to watch TV, she would take mine down so I could have both hands free to hold on to the rails and step sideways down those steep steps. To show you the difference that careful forward steps can be, last night I carried the platter and my drink down those same steps like a normal human being. No hands on the rails! The point is, I wasn't being a daredevil. If felt normal (except I did feel the bands) and I was fully under control. Obviously there were quite a few intermediate steps to go through before I could accomplish that but I kept on pushing myself to do a little bit more when I was ready, never quite satisfied to stay in one mode. I feel that is what we all must do to improve. Those little steps turn into big steps that you don't even notice in time. I hope this helps a little.
It's funny. This is something I tell my clients all the time. If you're on the top of the grand canyon, you can make it to the bottom in two ways. The steps are much better than the alternative. :)
 
Pumpkln said:
SAFETY FIRST
Click to expand...
@pumpkin, That is now a life long mantra for me. Last thing I want is to slip and fall and do damage to my new knee and have to go through a revision because of something I stupidly did. The guys kid me about how careful I am on the golf course going up and down slopes and walking over uneven ground. I don't care as I am just so happy being able to do those things pain free.

[Bonesmart.org] Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery
 
Love the bunny slippers they look so cozy.



Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart®
 
Happy two month anniversay!
Hope you are having a good weekend!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 742 (members: 4, guests: 738)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom