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

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Graduating to forearm crutches! Not official yet, need a couple of more sessions practice, but theby are in my room to use. Tomorrow I will get permament "hallpass". That means I dont need to call staff for each pee break!
Sa a therapy dog today, newtown. Hes a golden retriever,. I have 3 Goldens. Seeing Newtown made me so happy, but of course I cried...missing my dogs. Tomorrow they are having a pet therapy session in family room. Its right after my PT session, but I will go anyway...certain it will b worth the effort!
 
Night 8 post surgery...woke up iat 4am to use bathroom....sat up and put my own booties on, rung for nurse but needed NO help, only clearance to get up...still need to make sure I can do it alone before they will let me travel indep. This milestone has made me so happy!!!​
 
Great job, Luisa! Getting your hall pass is a bit like getting your driver's license! It is good to hear of your steady progress. You will be so glad that you did bilateral. If I had done that in March, I would be puttering in my yard, not reclined on the couch with ice packs--again.

Was the therapy dog for your use, or just a visit. Those animals are amazing-enjoy them and the therapy they will give you! I have 2 teens at home-I suppose they are just as good. However, dogs need only a scratch behind the ear. Teens require so much more. We have a 3-legged black lab who strayed into our yard about 5 years ago. He is appropriately named Tripod and is the most kind, gentle, quirky, forgiving thing. Unfortunately, he is strictly and outside dog.

Continue following orders and keep up the good attitude.
pj
 
Thanks Ready, Imhoping to spend the summer recouping and geti gmy exercise in. The dog I saw the other day was cor anyone. Same with thevisit today. Ihavemy own3 goldensso im glax tohavethecan e to spend time. Canutell meds are amking me sleepy and cross eyes???
 
Dear Louisa,
A lot of folks talk about pain meds and forget about anti depressants. Please ask your doctor, you,ll be happy you did.
I wish you only the best in your recovery and will keep up with your posts
Hugs,
Diana
 
I just got weigheed again and since admission to hospital, I have gained 18 lbs. I have been eating less and have been in the hospital only 8 days. Is it normal to gain this much water? :yikes:
 
....sat up and put my own booties on, rung for nurse but needed NO help, only clearance to get up...This milestone has made me so happy!!!

That is fantastic! What a wonderful feeling you must have had. Your journey is inspiring me for next week's surgery.
 
Welcome to the other side. Buying a tablet was a super idea. I spent a lot of free time during inpatient rehab playing on my Kindle Fire. Now keep repeating the bilateral mantra-one and done.
 
Hello Luisa! Sounds like you are doing fantastic! I know I gained weight in the hospital but eventually after a few weeks I had lost weight. I'm am now 10 pounds lighter than before surgery and am trying my hardest to keep it off. I had my BTKR about 3 1/2 months ago...and I find that the busier I get...the more my appetite is coming back. But that's ok. My knees are feeling like they did maybe 10 years ago when they first started to go bad...a little stiff and sore when I first stand up to walk...but then I'm on my way and I forget about them. This is what I did today...got up around 6AM. I walked my dogs about 1/2 mile after breakfast...cleaned the house for an hour or so including vacuuming and mopping. Then went to physical therapy for almost 2 hours.(PT is really fun...gentle stretches and exercises...I allow NO PAIN!) Then home to clean a little more...ate lunch...then took a 1 1/2 hr nap. Scrapbooked, made dinner, did dishes, and my hubby and I walked the dogs 1 mile. What I'm trying to tell you is...my knees are doing fantastic...and I'm so happy! But it takes a lot of slow healing. You are in the very early days of it all. So keep up the good work...and follow the advice on bonesmart. Before you know it...you'll be back to living life again with happy knees!
 
Luisa
You're doing so well! As for the mood swings...they will be around for awhile. I'm 11 weeks out of BTKR and I still get them - though now it's more likely to have one every other day instead of every other hour (or even minute).

You are progressing well!

Pamx2, you are an inspiration to me as I am a little over 2 mos. out.
j
 
Luisa--With both of my surgeries, I weighed almost 20 pounds more when I got home from my short hospital stay than when I left. My leg was HUGE, my belly bloated, other leg swollen. At just over a week, I have lost all but a few of those pounds. Lost all of it plus about 10 more after the first surgery in March. I can only imagine the # of calories the body is summoning to do the massive healing that needs to happen. That, and unfortunately the large amount of muscle mass we lose being inactive probably contribute to the weight loss.

Keep up the good work. Your positive attitude will go a long way in this process.
 
Thank you all so much for the positive comments and feedback about the weight gain. Im already overweight so I was shocked to gain so much. I have to say at only day 9 now (its after midnight) I am thrilled with my progress and so ver happy I decided on bilateral. I am now ofgicially only on crutches and also love my PT. His just the right amt of push and respect for pain. Although PT is hard...2 hrs a day...I look forward to each session, learning something new , stretching gently, great suggestions for my "homework" ....I feel totally energized when im through. My only hope is that I find another PT like him when I get back home. I definitely feel better with each "good" day that passes, and im pretty sure ill have many not so good ones mixed in, crying bouts included. Im looking forward to my summer off from work, focusing on my rehab and just relaxing and healing.

I cant say enough how happy I am to have found this wonderful forum and although my family and friends have been wonderful, I feel drawn to coming back here with my bonesmart friends to share,, and give whatever encouragement I can to others.

SIGNED...ONE VERY HAPPY CAMPER! :flwrysmile:
 
Luisa, it sounds like you are doing fantastic! Regarding weight gain, I think it is mostly fluid we re carrying from the swelling. When I had my hip done, I came home at more than I weighed going in. I wasn't really eating much due to nausea from the pain pills. When all was said and done, I had lost 10-15 pounds and it has mostly stayed off. I too carry more poundage than is necessary. You will drop at least 10 naturally when all is said and done. That is jut a side benefit of surgery......at least for me. So glad you found this sight...and I'm glad I did too! You are blazing the trail for those of us behind you! I am day 2 post op today and feeling it. I am very pled otherwise and know this will be a more pain ridden day than most. Good luck nd best wishes for a most excellent recovery.

Limpy
 
Lmarshall said:
My only hope is that I find another PT like him when I get back home.
Click to expand...
Luisa...if you find yourself with your new PT and he/she is too rough when they stretch you...then TELL them!! And if they don't want to be gentle...then go to another PT group and find another PT!! That's what I had to do. I found that PT's who want to go crazy and try to bend your knees no matter how much pain they are causing...that is the OLD SCHOOL thought of treating knee replacements. My first PT was hell bent (no pun intended!!) on getting my knees to 90 degrees by 6 weeks. :headbang: FOOEY!! I didn't hit 90 till 12 weeks. Now I'm at 100. My doctor says my knees were horrible...my progress will be slow...but he is sure I'll be to 130 by a year. My new PT that I"ve had since week 6 is SO GENTLE. He bends each knee through the stiff zone till I start to feel just a little pain. Then he eases up and holds the stretch just in the stiff zone. And this technique is working just fine!!

Also...mood swings are very normal. I'd say for the first 2 months I'd be doing well for days...then for whatever reason I'd have to have a good boo hoo cry...the "I'm never going to get better!!" cry. :beg: Then...awhile later I'd be thrilled at my progress. So have a good cry if you need it...it's getting rid of some of that extra water weight! :heehee:
 
Lmarshall said:
SIGNED...ONE VERY HAPPY CAMPER! :flwrysmile:
Click to expand...
10 days out of bilateral PTK and you sign out like that! WOW! You are such an inspiration. No wonder I am quick to check if you have a new post. They always leave me with hope. I am a firm believer in the Lou Holtz quote about attitude: "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it." I think you have figured it out!

Hope you have a great day.
 
Repeat after
Lmarshall said:
Hi everyone yesterday wasnt so great. Had a ver good PT session...was able to sort of waddle pivot to sit in chair but then I think PT§ let me sit too long and got ssollen and stiff. Staff was less than good yesterday...not encouraging...in fact depressing...making stupid statements like oh you should walk around a few dayx.....REALLY? SO YOU THINK IM CONFINING MYSELF TO BED AND BEDPAN ON PUROSE?. PLUS MY COCERN IS MY WHOLE KNEE SECTION FEELS NUMBISH OR PIN AND NEEDLISH......AND I HAVE REALLY POOR muscle control. Dr sjays its normal but its so upsetting. I feel like each passing day is getting me feeling sadder and sadder :(
Click to expand...

Repeat after me:

"It's MY knee, MY pain, and MY frustration. Don't project your own preconceptions on to me and don't set standards for me that my knee will not allow me to meet.

I hurt: manage my pain as best you can--not as best as you and society think I ought to.

I am frustrated: there are many things I want to be able to do that well-intentioned people thought I'd be able to do but I can't yet. Accept my feelings as valid--acknowledge them and comfort me. If you cannot comfort me, provide people who can.

I am the patient, not you. I will get better, but it will take lots of time--my knee took years to deteriorate before this and it is not realistic to think it will heal in a matter of days or even weeks. I am in pain and will be for a long time, but even as I medicate my pain I will re-think my prior concept of pain. It is not a matter of hurt vs. not hurting--and there are different kinds of pain. When I hurt more than usual, I will try to articulate where, how much, and what kind of hurt: ache, stretch, swelling, muscle, incision, sharp twinges, etc.

I will get back to normal, and far better than I was pre-op. But it will take time--it is what it is, I am who I am, I hurt how I hurt and I will heal how and when my knee says I will."

And banish these two little words from your vocabulary: "I SHOULD." Trust your instincts, not others' "objective" standards.

I hear you, am just about where you are and understand exactly what you're going through. Know that just as you will have bad days such as these, you will have good ones too--and eventually the latter will outnumber the former. Hone in on even the tiniest milestones and pleasures you feel--even the sight of a rainbow, the embrace of a loved one, the friend or fellow patient who makes you laugh and feel better about life. You have a life--and your recovery battle is just a part of it; time will give you back the other aspects of it.

Bless you, hang in there, and know that for every person who discourages you even as they think they're encouraging you, there are hundreds of online friends here who will comfort you, commiserate with you, and do everything we can to take your mind off your pain and refocus it on your humanity.

WE LOVE YOU.
 
Hi Luisa, I am so happy you are making great progress, :yay: yay you! Whenever I try to view you videos it keeps say "This video is private" I'm not sure why, maybe it's my iPad. :shrug: I'll have to try and view them on my desk computer and see if that work. Anyhow, I think you are doing great, and I love your sense of humor! :heehee:
 
Pam....so fuuny about losing some water weight with tears....if only LOL Ive had 3 good days ina row, so today, of course, started with tears. I got me period first thing this morning (oops shoild have told men to look away lol). Then...suddenly, my days of constipation and hard as rock stool (oyyy TMI ), My stomach decides its time to reimburse me for all the iron pills, miralax, prune juice, etc etc I have swallowd in the past 10 dayys. Cry fest began . Ot comes and we go look at things I need to order and water works start again and embbarrass me. We go to gym and I ask if we can do some stretches first before leg lifts (as a pracfice to get into shower) and after pushing thru those extension, flexion and lifts, with alittle help to get to a push but tolerable level, I felt Much better ! Ready for PT and pjt my day back on the positivetrack. I think imust release some endorphines cause I cant really explainit....BAM....good mood in tact! PT then tok me outside with my newly arrived, owned by me, crutches. I crossed a very busy manhattan street (we purposefully wentin a suare to cross more streets) and sat in thepark for 5minutes before retur ing. BONUS EXTRA HAPPY POINTS!

Do I still have pain, YES will I get sad again...YES Am I getting more and more independent? YES YES YES! So it seems I will be goinghome :cheers:
 
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