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Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

@KarriB I totally agree with you and will make sure to push my OS. I'm a bit passive in some situations, the opposite in others, I just need to strike a good balance here. Thanks bunches everyone!
 
Annoying as it is, I think you just have to do what is comfortable for your knee. Obviously, there's something about not using a pillow that your knee doesn't like. I don't know if that's normal, or not.
 
It was weird; I was reading some posts and pillows between knees to sleep was mentioned. I always thought it was one of those things everyone had to do forever after a TKR, like no more kneeling on the TKR knee, you'll always need a pillow, etc. If I'm on my right side, I can't stand the weight of the pillow and my left leg, so have to stagger my left knee so as to keep the weight off my right knee, which is not a very comfortable position to sleep. If I'm on my left side I have to use a pillow; if not the pressure of my right knee on my left knee is too painful even though the TKR knee is on top. If I'm on my back, I have to use a pillow under my knee or it hurts even more than usual. I was just wondering if this is normal or if it might be from the problems I'm having and will go away once it's fixed.
 
IMO, your challenges sleeping on your side is directly related to your knee problems. I still go back and forth between using a pillow, and not using a pillow.
 
I never used a pillow between my knees to sleep. I'm a side sleeper, the best bet for me was to throw (gently) my left leg over my RTKR, but this wasn't until week 4. I'm not sure how, but it worked to get me asleep, then I'd wake up and move of course. I was able to do that with an imbolizer also.
 
@KarriB I'm a side sleeper-I always end up on my right side. Along with the sharp shooting pains and general aching, I also get woken up when I am on my right side and my left leg is on my right leg. I've slept that way my entire life so it's no fun now.
 
Well, they haven't given me a new surgery date yet, but I am on the cancellation list and some other list if a slot opens up. Not what I wanted, but maybe I'll get in sooner. If I get the procedure done sooner, I can spend that two months in recovery, so at least my pain will have a reason instead of just wasting time waiting with pain for no reason. I also have an appointment next week to talk to my OS, and ask him some very specific questions, so we will see what happens. Today I fell while taking out the trash can. I have a difficult time just walking down my driveway for some reason; going up isn't hard, but down is a pain. So, since my husband is out of town, I needed to roll the big container to the curb. It was heavier than usual, and I couldn't manage it too well, so as I tried to hang on to it, my knee buckled and I hit the ground. Luckily the can stayed upright, or I'd have had to try to pick it back up. Anyway, now I'm lying around since my bottom hurts, and my knee is really unhappy. :blackcloud: Not looking forward to more of this!:censored::censored::hairpulling:
 
We went to Home Depot and Lowes today to get a few things we needed for the house and the garden. I have been avoiding doing any more shopping than necessary, but had to get this done today. So, as a result, I now have a really fat knee and too much pain. I can't bring myself to use a cane or an electric cart; stupid pride and stubborn, I know. (I'm grateful for my handicapped license plate, but can't wait until I no longer need to use it!)E ven at the times when the pain settles down a bit, my knee still feels off somehow. I get waves of really sharp pain, I also get a weird pain that hurts like crazy and makes my whole body shudder and shake. I have an appointment with my OS late Wednesday afternoon, and plan to ask a laundry list of questions.

Here in California, it's time to plant gardens. We already have two beds of potatoes coming up (hubby planted those a few weeks back), and the Swiss chard I planted about 10 days ago is peeking out. That was easy to plant so I managed to do it. I can't kneel at all, and even though we have raised garden beds, about half with sitting ledges on top, I still have a hard time planting more than a small area. I've also been cutting and cooking asparagus from our new bed for the first time as you have to wait a couple of years with a new bed before cutting any.......ahhhhhhhh....spring!

Hubby replaced our toilet with a new one today so I cleaned the floor and wall behind and the entire area. It was easier than trying to do it with a toilet in the way, but I have to bend over to clean since I can't kneel anymore and this back bathroom is so tiny it's really hard to sit on the floor and get back up. The problem with bending over to clean is I can't breathe. So, now I'm lying in bed with my knee elevated to get the swelling to hopefully go down some.

I spent some time going back and reading my entire thread tonight-I've come a long way in some ways but can't help feeling that I'm really not much farther along than before my TKR. I know I'm limping a lot, but I don't remember enough to know if I'm in more pain or less. I think it's likely less overall, but at times it's as bad as it was, and sometimes maybe even a little worse. I do know that I'm doing less than I was after I recovered enough to get back to doing normal daily chores. I do a task, then have to lie back and elevate until the pain lessens and the swelling abates a bit. The longer I stand or walk, the more it swells and hurts. I also notice I'm much more cranky and less cheery than my usual self. My sense of humor is also suffering......Hopefully we get this figured out real soon and get me back on the road to healing.
 
It's so frustrating to try to do things I used to just do. Trying to plant my garden is such a chore now, and less of a pleasure, since I can't kneel, and so can't plant everything. I planted some peppers, Asian greens, turnips, and Swiss chard this past couple of weeks and today, but I can't kneel to plant the tomato beds, so hubby had to plant those. I also couldn't easily plant the golden beets or potatoes, so hubby did those too. We do square foot gardening so our 4 by 4 raised beds are reachable and have seating all around the top so I can mostly sit and plant, but our tomato beds are long and not quite as high, so must be planted by kneeling. Now I'm lying down with my knee up since it hurts like the dickens and is quite swollen. I'm sooooooooo sick of this! I just needed to whine a bit........lol. :groan::blackcloud::tantrum2::tantrum::gaah::hairpulling:
 
With my patellotomies, I've been unable to kneel or even squat for over 25 years. But, there are ways around it! You learn to bend from your waist and get longer handled things. It sounds like you did a lot of planting. Take pleasure in the little things you can do. But, I can certainly understand your getting down. We all do, but so many people are worse off than we are. Thank God for what you can do! It could be so much worse. I pray for your spirits are raised!
 
Just try to think that by next spring this will all be behind you and you can get back to all the things you enjoy to do including gardening. :friends:
 
Here's the good news...Real baseball starts Monday!
[Bonesmart.org] Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery
 
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