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[Hendy]

Hi all,it's been a long time since I posted but I must admit I've really struggled with my mental health due to the length of my recovery and my inability to do the things I thought I should be able to do!I know that this has been my own frustration at expecting my new knee to be able to function at the level I wanted it to instead of the level it was capable of!Going into this surgery I really thought I was mentally prepared but like a lot of posts I've followed I was really sucked in by the 6 weeks nearly normal,then 12 weeks it's all done!!What a bloody fool I was!I'm 16 weeks today and can honestly say that it's only the last couple of weeks that I've felt like me again,I still struggle with sleeping and my gait still isn't on point but I'm able to do a lot more than I ever thought I would be able to do again!If there's one thing to be gained by this post it's that there is light at the end of the tunnel,I really thought that I would never get there and honestly felt like I didn't want to go on as I wasn't in control of my body,and definitely not my new knee!!I hope if anyone out there is struggling they can read this and see that there is other people that struggle just the same and there is no shame in admitting that mentally you could do with a helping hand,I ended up on anti depressants for a while as I really found it hard to cope with my feelings of inadequacy and put a lot of pressure on myself!Sorry for the long post but hopefully I can offer hope to anyone out there who is struggling with recovery and believes that it will never get better,I am not 100% but I am getting there and you will too!!Xx

 

[Layla]

Hello Hendy,
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful post and bare your soul on how recovery has affected you mentally so far. I am sorry for your experience. Your words will likely benefit many following behind you who believe in the misconception of “back to normal in no time”. Please don’t consider yourself a fool, especially if you were mislead by a medical professional you put your trust in. As you‘ve read here, you’re not the only one to be deceived by this delusion.

The great thing is that you’ve been feeling better over the past couple weeks. That’s wonderful! Sleep will return to normal eventually. Don’t lose sight that this recovery does take many a full year and some even longer. At not even four months post op you have lots of room for improvement. As for your gait,
Here’s a tip -
Try heel-toe walking when you're limping.
This involves striking the ground with your heel first, then rolling through your heel to your toe, and pushing out of the step with your toe.
It takes a concentrated effort, but I believe you'll notice a difference. Give it a try.

Here is a visual of heel-toe walking.

Hang in there brighter days yet to come. Have a great rest of the week!
@Hendy

 

[Hendy]

@Layla thank you so much for your reply,I really hope that by posting my experiences I can help others who may be struggling!I'm really trying to concentrate on the heel-toe gait but find the problem is the knee bend that won't appear,I practice continually but feel it doesn't have the give that's needed,my physio says it'll come in time,so hopefully it's on the horizon!!

 

[Jammy]

Gosh Hendy, I could have written this! I'm glad you're feeling better. You're actually doing well if you had your surgery on January 31! Don't blame yourself for the tall tales you've been told by your doctors and PT. You're nobody's fool! It's their fault for not telling us the truth. Fortunately we have BoneSmart here, and when you read other people's posts, you see that a lot of people are just like you, feeling depressed and wondering if they'll ever feel all right, and why aren't they at the level their doctors told them they should be at. I'm post-5 months and even today had to take part of a tramadol for some "light" pain I'm having. I'm slightly annoyed by having to still take it but hey, it works. Just give yourself time and try to be healthy in other ways, such as hydrating and eating right, also, and just do some stretches that make you feel good. Also don't let your PT hurt you trying to get your Flexion or Extension to a certain number. No! Just keep moving forward the best you can and don't beat yourself up over your progress or lack of. It's "their" problem." You just need to try to do your best, and then take a nap, ha! As far as your knee bend, you will get there. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Layla]

Happy Four Month Anniversary!
Many great things on the horizon, your future looks bright.
Hope you have one of the best Summers ever!
@Hendy