Bilateral TKR Luisa's road to recovery June 10th, 2013

[Lmarshall]

I just came back from spending time with the Director at the College. Im getting plenty of training this semester which is a great thing.

BEST NEWS....College has an Olympic size pool and fitness center I can join at a discount. $250 buys me all year for both! Looks like I wont feel bad once my PT comes to an end!

 

[new knee in June]

Dear luisa,
I wanted to wish you only the best on your new job I am so excited for you don't forget to do
Something really fun this week-end.
I was thinking of what you should bring to work.....ice packs....snacks with protein, yogurt, fruit, cheese sticks.
Please post back on how it went..when you are up to it.
You can do this
Diana

 

[Lmarshall]

Thanks Diana!

I went to get a haircut today and get the keratin treatment in my hair (Ive done it before). It saves me so much time and effort when I blow dry it! I want to make sure and conserve my energy! Hubby will be driving me this week to work since he is home until he gets some medical tests done. Great news, since I wont have to walk from the parking lot!

My R problem knee seems to be making progress daily. Getting up from low seats is still alittle painful, but walking is really getting much easier. Steps of any size still make me slo down and think. Yesterday I was walking along the sidewalk edge to get around a metal pole to get to the car and i had a mis-step, turned my right angle in and came very close to falling for the first time. WOW did that scare the bejesus out of me! Oh I sure will be fun to walk with this winter in the snow and ice. I just found out my health insurance only Ok'd 2 therapy sessions on this request. Each time they allow sessions, the number gets lower and lower. started with 11 approval sessions, then 9, then 6, then 4, now 2. Im guessing they will turn me down next time around. I will MISS aquatherapy. I really believe this is what hepled me more than any stretching and exercise. I will join the pool on the college campus i work at now, but it wont be anywhere near the 98 degrees the hydro tank is. I suppose all good things must come to en end :(

I plan on going shopping again this weekend for some bargain finds so I can have a few more dressier shirts for work. This job really requires more professional attire than my last. I cant get away with jeans and a tee shirt anymore. I cant afford anything much sicne I have been limited in my income, but once I start getting my paychecks again, Ill do some extra shopping. Ill probably do this with some friends and stop and get either brunch or dinner while we are out. I plan on resting most of the day Sunday since I have a very long week ahead of me!

 

[Nomorepain67]

Hi Luisa
Good luck next week - remember to take it slow and take care of yourself even when you're at work. I've ventured back for a few brief meetings and today went back to the office for only 1.5 hours. Biggest thing I will need to remember when the time comes is that it's not just the hours in the office. It's getting ready, traveling to & from and most of all the energy needed to travel around the building, especially large office buildings. Hope all goes well.
Stacie

 

[Lmarshall]

Nomorepain67 I completely agree with you. I went into the office 3x this week, all for short meetings etc, all lasted 4 hours or less. Im already anticpating getting myself ready the night before shower wise and setting clothes up. Alos, hubby will be driving me and picking me up the first week or two. AFter that, I will be looking for a taxi service for drop off and hubby will be picking me up. The parking lot is 4 blocks away, so I want to conserve my energy. The building I work is is large. Luckily there is an elevator, but for 95% of the time I will be on 1 floor. However, there is still walking involved...no way to get around it. This is my biggest concern. I plan on bringing my lunch in and also plan on bringing in some disposable ice packs to ice during lunch. I am hoping I can manage, and already planning on doing absolutely NOTHING once I get home. Work will definitely sap all my energy for the first month or so!

 

[new knee in June]

Dear luisa,
I do like your idea of doing nothing but icing & resting after work remember the "mantra" if it doesn't
Get done...you won't die ( something like that)
Have a relaxing weekend,
Diana

 

[gazelle7777]

Luisa, sounds like you are getting back into the swing of things! Just give your body time to get stronger with the added exercise walking more at work etc. Your body will respond and you will see in just a few short weeks that you have more energy and strength. Just like with my walking program.. the first day I did barely a half hour and was SO TIRED! Now a month later into walking, an hour is barely enough to make me tired! The human body is so amazing! Good luck in your new job! You set a goal and achieved it and I am so very impressed by you and your courage to do that and come back from major surgery with setbacks. You are a trooper in my book! Have a wonderful weekend and.... HAPPY FALL!! Joan

 

[new knee in June]

Good luck, luisa

 

[Lmarshall]

Thanks Ladies!! I am so nervous tonight! All my cllothes are ready purse all cleaned out, brief case pascked with whatever Ill need. Wonder if Ill manage any sleep. Its funny, I was an adjunct here for 2 months before the surgery, so I should be OK...but there are new parts to the job I didnt do as an adjunct, and well, just feels odd to begin a new job, soo soo different from my last 26 years. I have worked with preschoolers all this time, and now onto college. Its a big change, one I desperately wanted, but the first day is a very big deal for me.

Thanks for the well wishes and I will let you know how it went tomorrow night!

 

[Peaches]

Hi, Lmarshall ... just coming over from "the hip side" to "the knee side" to wish you GOOD LUCK on your first day back at work and at a shiny new job at that. I read part of your story and am wowed by how well you've done to recover from surgery on both knees, a big nasty setback from aggressive PT, and landed a new job. All of this is no small thing and you are a real inspiration. You sound like you are on the right track (at least as it seemed to me when I went back to work after one routine THR) about moderating as many "activities" as you can. Hope your first day goes by quickly, smoothly, and with as little pain and agita as possible. Take care.

 

[Lmarshall]

Hi Peaches All I can say is WHOAAAA what a day!! The job part wentvery well. Director was impressed with my organization ideas re the wheelchair log and maintenace. Already took inventory and made a list needed repairs. But my legs...oh lord, by 430 I hit the brick wall. I was basically dragging along til 5. Thank heavens hubby was right out front to pick me up. I felt like I couldnt take another step! I crawled out of the car, managed to hang my clothes, getin bed, and wait for hubby to bring me my icepacks, this is where ill b the rest of the night. I have a plan for the rest of the week. Our freezer has a gelpack (it is the therapy dept I work in at tge college) so the director told me I could use itandthe couch in the ADL lab to elevate and ice on my lunch break. Oh and yeah....PAIN KILLER at lunch. YIKKEESS!!! Thank goodness i have an awesome hubby, no chores for me after work for a few weeks, thats for darn sure!

 

[new knee in June]

Hi luisa,
It's great that you can ice & get your knees up during lunch also, bring some protein snacks for a boost of energy.
Lots of water....your husband is a gem, I hope he is feeling better.
May tomorrow go by quickly...& be gentle on your knees
Now, get some
Diana

 

[Jacky48]

Luisa, it sure sounds like you had quite a challenging day yesterday! Thank goodness you have such a wonderful hubby for help and support, that's always a big plus! Congratulations on making such a great impression on the director! Your director sounds like a very nice person to work for. I hope today goes a little easier on you, and you get stronger every day!

 

[Peaches]

Hi, Luisa Lmarshall ... sounds like a really great first day back in the saddle! You must feel so relieved to have The First Day over with and under your belt. I know I did. That is SO great you have a couch to lie down on at lunchtime. I am so happy for you about that. Look, I only had a hip replacement, and I was pooped after work that first week. So I cannot imagine what a double-knee person must be going through. I'm glad you are taking it easy when you get home. And let's petition for sainthood whoever invented THE ICE PACK. By now you've got two days under your belt. You're almost halfway through your first week! Keep us posted on how you are, when you have time. Take care.

 

[Lmarshall]

Day 2 was great! Work went smoothly and by lunch, I realized my legs were holding up better than yesterday! With 2 hours left to the day, and 1 lab class, I decided to be safe and take a pain pill. Great idea! I stayed pain free the rest of the day and came home with alittle energy to spare. Im still taking it easy though...leftovers for dinner and soon to be icing. hoping tomorrow goes as smoothly as today!

Thanks so much for all the support and encouragement!

 

[new knee in June]

your on your way !!!!! Great report
Diana

 

[Lmarshall]

looks like I'll make it through the week...hump day is over! today wasnt a breeze, but it was better than day 1. I feel like I'm getting stronger though. I plan on resting ALOT this weekend. I am anticipating my first month will be alittle challenging. I CANT WAIT for my first paycheck!!! Its been soooo long!!

 

[new knee in June]

Luisa,
Congratulations on your 1 st full week of work I knew you could do it, now, let hubby take
Care of you over the weekend
How is your hubby's T.m.j, I hope he found a doctor to help him.
Enjoy the weekend,
Diana

 

[Lmarshall]

Thanks Diana! YESSSSS 1 full week! Today was an easy day at work, so knees are doing well tonight. Overall, it was pretty much what I expected. Alittle hard, had to push through the pain sometimes, but made it to the other side in one piece. Each week should get easier now. I do LOVE the job and so so happy I made the change!

Hubby is still suffering poor guy He saw a TMJ specialist today..finally. Took quite soe doing finding a TMJ specialist that takes his insurance. Nothing was really done today, but he recommended heat packs and gave him a script for pain killers (which he already tried). Sent him home for 2 weeks to wait and see. If it doesnt help, he will get a series of injections in his face and jawline (while being put under). I believe its cortisone shots of some sort. He hasnt eaten and hard food in months. He tries at times, then BAM, he gets a pain attack. He is also having issues with palpitations and his sugar is out of wack and cholestrol is high. To make a long story short, he is now on insulin, lipitor and is getting a stress test on Monday. NOW he is home from work until he gets clearance from Dr to go back. Hubbys work is pretty physcial so he doesnt want him taking any chances. I have to stay on top of him to take all his meds...much like a child But he has taken such good care of me, I couldnt possibly let him fend for himself.

Hoping things get better healthwise for both of us!!

 

[new knee in June]

That's what marriage is all about, taking care of each other I hope you both have a pain-free
Weekend
Thinking of you always,
Diana