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Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

Kim, that’s great news! I’m so happy for you. Driving = independence and pain-free = happiness!

I haven’t tried a tomato beef recipe yet (winter tomatoes are NOT worth all of that effort) but I am definitely putting it on my list for summer. In the meantime, I am going to check the menus of some of our local Asian restaurants for it. I’m also thinking I might sous vide the flank steak instead of velveting it. We do that a lot for beef and love the results.

Wishing you continued healing!
 
@CamGram We also sous vide a lot of meats, veggies and so on. (my very favorite sous vide recipe is Crème Brulee! You've never had crème brulee until you've had it sous vide!) But, this particular recipe really is better not using the sous vide circulator as it needs to be velveted, then stir-fried. IMHO, it'll lose way more than it gains by using the sous vide. After velveting, it's cooked very quickly so is very tender and flavorful.

I mentioned somewhere along the line that I usually only make this in summer when our garden is full of ripe tomatoes; if we have it in winter we buy it at a restaurant. It's not as good as homemade, but it's ok. It's like Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup-we both had it for dinner at Olive Garden last night, but my homemade 'copycat' recipe is much better than the original. Although, the restaurant at Harrah's Reno, before it closed, had tomato beef that was better than my homemade-I would have gotten their recipe but they closed the restaurant without us knowing beforehand, drat it all.
 
@Carol Anna It's unlikely that my swelling will go down, barring a miracle. My knee, and my leg around it, has remained swollen for years now. We don't know why, we just know the swelling is stubborn and hangs around. It means I can only bend enough for basic things, but not enough to ride my bike, swim, take stairs properly, easily get in and out of cars, etc. and the swelling increases the longer I sit, stand or walk, so there will still likely be that limitation for life. But, as long as the pain is gone, I can deal with the swelling, even though I do wish I didn't have to.
 
Oh, Kim, I’m sorry about the swelling and its limitations on your life. There are so many things in life that challenge us to find the positives. I admire that you always seem to. No pain would definitely be a wonderful place to start and I pray that is what the future holds for you. ❤️
 
Thanks, Kim, I’ll try velveting (it’s never too late to learn a new cooking technique). I’ve never made sous vide vegetables; is there a specific recipe you recommend? I looked at some sous vide recipes for crème brûlée and I definitely plan to try that - it looks amazing!

Can you tell I’m food-obsessed at the moment? My second TKR is less than three weeks away and, even though I am desperate to have it done, I am a little nervous. And when I’m nervous, I eat. (Tonight was pot roast with homemade bread and it was perfect for a cold winter’s night.)

And congratulations on the bath. That’s always an enjoyable post-surgery milestone!
 
@CamGram Here's the recipe I use for sous vide crème brulee. It's not my recipe, but it's amazing! As for veggies-there are a ton of recipes for them online. One of my favorite veggies for sous vide is carrots.
 

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@lovetocookandsew - sorry to hear your long term prognosis about swelling and movement but glad that you are pain free. You have such a happy positive outlook on life and your recipes are awesome. I like the sound of chicken gnochi soup!!!
 
Unfortunately, I'm not yet pain free-I was talking about the future when I am pain free. But, my pain has lessened enough to handle it most days, unless I'm too active, then it reminds me I'm still only three weeks out from surgery. Thank-you! You need to try the chicken gnocchi soup-it's really yummy. You can search for copycat recipes and you'll find tons. I have several I use, depending on if I'm doing it on the stove or in my Instant Pot.
 
I love Olive Garden's salad and bread sticks! Especially mopping up the dressing with said bread sticks. Yum!!
 
I'm just over 5 weeks out now. I'm doing much better, but still have some challenges. My upper leg site, while still sore from the surgery, is not really painful any longer, other than an occasional hit when doing something that causes the area to be pulled or moved in a way it doesn't yet like. The tip pain is still gone, and the pain from the cables and clamps is also now gone. All I have there is some surgical pain, which isn't too bad.

The tibial site, however, is still painful when walking, although when not walking it's generally pain-free after settling back down from the walking. The pain is different than the pre-surgery pain I was having, but it's in the same basic area. If I had to guess at the cause, I'd say that while the chain (I call it a bike chain) in my lower leg was inside, it was doing it's job to help control the tip pain I was having, but the metal in it was causing it's own pain. In short, IMHO, the chain helped with the tip pain, but caused pain from the metal.

So now, with it out, my lower leg seems to have gone back to the tip pain I was having after my revision, and it's a little more painful than it was previously when I walk. It seems to be a case of darned-if-you-do and darned-if-you-don't. It makes it hard to use a proper gait as I favor the area when I walk, and a proper gait pulls it, and hurts, more than is comfortable. I'm taking OTC pain relief, which does help, so when it's working I walk with a proper gait, but as it wears off I notice I walk stiffly to avoid the pain.

I also have a problem with uneven surfaces-it's hard to walk on them and hurts when I do. We have gravel around all our garden beds; I'm unsteady when walking there, plus it's also fairly painful on both upper and lower still. I expect that to resolve eventually, so it's just a matter of time and patience.

I see my doctor for my six week check-up next week, which will be my last visit with him due to his retirement. :boohoo:
 
It sounds like you are slowly getting better. I know you are glad! You have been through it with that leg and now you have an end in sight!
 
I’m guessing the discomfort and pain you mentioned will ease with time.
At only five weeks post op and with ongoing healing, I hope you get to a place soon where all feels more normal for you, Kim.

Good luck with your appointment next week. It’s too bad the surgeon you trust and have confidence in is now retiring. I’m sure he’ll appreciate any kind words you have to offer as he says goodbye to you as a patient.
Have a nice weekend! :)
@lovetocookandsew
 
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