TKR luvcats recovery box

[ElanorG]

@luvcats Nice to hear how well you are doing! I am home and now a week behind you. I am having a ton of swelling too. But the Game Ready has been an absolute Godsend!

 

[LaxMom]

HI @luvcats - I have not checked in for a while so am catching up on your progress. I love your spirit and spunk throughout all of this. And how nice to get Chipotle!!! I would love some.

My specialist also explained my leg cramps. She pointed out that because of the deformation of the original knee, my muscles didn't engage properly. Now that they do, every single movement is like an intense workout for that muscle.

This issue was interesting to me. When I had my first knee replacement, I had some pretty intense pain and the physical therapist finally pointed out that even though my leg was not straight, I was still walking as if it was knock kneed and had to actually relearn how to walk. It felt so awkward at first but once I got the hang of it, the pain improved. It is great that someone noticed a similar thing for you and is providing good suggestions. Such complicated bodies we have!

I love all your binge watching suggestions and will need to go back and try a few of them.

You seem to be doing great considering you are still in the early days. That is wonderful news, and I am happy for you. It only gets better and better from this point!

 

[luvcats]

Welcome to the Other Side @ElanorG! How was your Inova experience? Mt Vernon has a whole wing for joint replacements that's quite new. Everyone was nice, and the food was better than the last time I was there.

Nice to see you @LaxMom! Thank you for the nice compliment. To say I am 'highly motivated' doesn't quite cut it. I went in expecting the first 2 weeks to be truly horrible, and sure enough! lol What can I say, I'm on a forum that is a great support system.

I definitely need to learn to walk again. When I was pool walking pre-surgery I spent a lot of time walking very carefully, paying strict attention to a heel down and lift knee motion that I'd gotten out of the habit of. I walk pretty well with the walker. I still fall into a limping habit when I forget it.

@marieltha My goodness. Walking Dead is too intense for me. I'm 'not allowed' to watch things like this because my brain embroiders on those things at night and I wake up with screaming nightmares. Also anything by Quentin Tarantino. At the moment I'm preferring soft and fluffy. That might change as time goes on.

I'm having my first bad night, and it isn't the knee, exactly, its muscle cramps and spasms.
I went to the store today. I didn't expect to be completely worn out from sitting in my convenience cart and gathering groceries, but I was. Beloved put everything in the car and the brought it in and put it away. I went right to my chair and snoozed on and off all afternoon. And I got up to make a simple supper, just browning ground meant and adding in some pre-made things.

I'm pretty sure my first mistake was doing too much. That seems to be a constant theme with me.

The other mistake which I won't make again is opting not to put on magnesium oil before bed. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant and I tend to run low anyway, so that needs to be a regular thing.

Having worn myself out with other things, I didn't do enough laps walking with my walker around the house, which is a problem. Today I will have a better plan.

For now, I took some more pain meds, coated my leg in magnesium oil, and in a little bit once that all kicks in, I will try to go back to sleep.

 

[Jockette]

Where do you get your magnesium oil? And I think I read that you said it leaves a residue that you later wash off. How long do you wait to do that?

 

[luvcats]

Where do you get your magnesium oil? And I think I read that you said it leaves a residue that you later wash off. How long do you wait to do that?

My favorite brand of magnesium oil so far has been Mineralife, I'm currently using something else as I experiment. There are many different brands available from Amazon which is where I buy almost everything! lol. For those who do not Amazon, Mineralife has their own website, to which I am not affiliated in any way, but I used to know the people who own it and it's a small family business, or was 8 years ago. Magnesium oil is likely available at health food stores, but I have never looked for it there.

It comes as a spray, but works fine if you spray it onto your hand for careful application. I'm not getting it on my incision or any closer than an inch in any direction. It can sting a bit on your skin if you are sensitive, or if you are very depleted. I never found it terrible.

General consensus from many places over time seems to be that absorption takes about 20 minutes. Not everyone is bothered by the slight residue, but a damp washcloth or a wipe is really all that's necessary to get it off. It's not nasty, it just makes me itch a bit.

 

[Jockette]

Thanks for those details! I may try it.

At 2+ years post op I am past doing heel slides, but when I’m in bed and just bend my knees when I wake up, as if doing a heel slide, that’s the only time my calves cramp.

I have issues with this partial replacement, and nerve damage in the foot of my non operated leg, so doing normal calf stretches are difficult for me.

So I’m wondering if magnesium oil might help.

 

[luvcats]

So I’m wondering if magnesium oil might help.

It is very unlikely to hurt, although a sudden increase in magnesium can cause loose stools. It balances out as you adjust to it.

Good luck, I hope it helps.

 

[ElanorG]

@luvcats You are not quite 2 weeks post-op. Personally, I would say no trips to grocery store or cooking for another week at least. Even riding the cart can exhaust you. I had lots of cramps after the last surgery in both legs, as the one leg had been so badly bowed. I used magnesium and magnesium oil a lot and it helped and staying hydrated. But it just seemed to take time.

 

[marieltha]

Thanks for the info about the magnesium oil. I have read that massaging it into the soles of your feet just as you get into bed gives faster absorption. I asked my OS about its tendon benefits, and he said taking 10,000mg a day of biotin would help the tendons more. Just started that.

PS It is Waking the Dead, not Walking Dead (yikes—I’m not into zombies either), and is an intelligent cold case series, but not light and fluffy.
Love the old light movie entitled “The Last Mimsy.”
This might not be fluffy enough, but the “Fringe” series is a mixture of humor and creativity.

And yes, it is very easy to overdo. Just rest.

 

[marieltha]

PS I think of myself as sort of 47ish, but am 67. Sigh. Different from being your age. So I am very focused on keeping my mind sharp. Probably should have lightened up a bit after surgery, but the loopiness of the meds made me even more appreciative of a thinking mind.

So I watch tv after dinner when I am tired mentally, but avoid it during the day. And I seek shows that have a problem to solve, perhaps some psychological insight. I don’t like watching violence. My light and fuzzy I guess would be Elementary or Harry Potter movies or A Street Cat Named Bob. And Beatles music.

I think when we get into our late 70’s and beyond, the specter of being plunked in a wheelchair in a home in front of a tv during the day looms large. I am not there yet, but even in my late 60’s, the fear of that hovers ever so slightly on the edge of my peripheral vision.

The shoulder surgery was even tougher as for weeks, I couldn’t even draw. It is week seven and I still cannot play the piano at all or draw for more than a few seconds/minutes. And juggling big books w one hand was and is
a challenge.

So my light and fuzzy daytime diversion post-surgery if I couldn’t focus on even short stories was “anything about cats” online. LOL.

 

[Celle]

I'm having my first bad night, and it isn't the knee, exactly, its muscle cramps and spasms.
I went to the store today. I didn't expect to be completely worn out from sitting in my convenience cart and gathering groceries, but I was.

It's much too early in your recovery to be going to the grocery store. No wonder you were wiped out and your leg let you know later!
If you re-read this article, Activity progression for TKRs , you'll see that going to the store is not recommended until about 6 weeks post-op.

Having worn myself out with other things, I didn't do enough laps walking with my walker around the house, which is a problem. Today I will have a better plan.

You did more than enough, what with going grocery shopping and preparing a meal (also not recommended this early in recovery). You didn't need to do more laps of walking.

 

[luvcats]

@Celle I didn't think the store was a big deal because I used a cart and my only walking was in and out of the car. Shows what I know. And the 'meal' was browning meat while sitting in my stove chair and adding cooked rice. Again, how could that be tiring? D'oh. Apparently it is. I guess I have no feeling for the energy drain since I'm not sleeping great, but apparently pretty well for post-surgery. Live and learn.

I do think getting in enough 'laps' is important to help keep my muscles loose. I'm doing better today.

@ElanorG Its good to know someone else with a good magnesium oil experience. I feel better after several applications. Its just difficult to see how riding the cart could be fatiguing. Now I know.

Beloved hates grocery shopping. I've just been trying to take back parts of tasks I felt up for. But I was wrong!
I've let him know that I have been soundly chastised for my outing and he needs to hold me back more.

 

[Celle]

Beloved hates grocery shopping. I've just been trying to take back parts of tasks I felt up for. But I was wrong!

The thing is that if your Beloved had this surgery, you would be glad to do everything you could to help him. Now it's his turn to do that for you.
Try not to feel guilty about needing that help. This is your time.
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help

 

[luvcats]

Thanks for the info about the magnesium oil. I have read that massaging it into the soles of your feet just as you get into bed gives faster absorption. I asked my OS about its tendon benefits, and he said taking 10,000mg a day of biotin would help the tendons more. Just started that.

Massaging it into your feet is also excellent, but I prefer the larger dose from greater skin area when I know I'm low.
How do you do on potassium? I've noticed that when my potassium is low, the tendons in my feet hurt more. I'm not sure how they are related, but for me it's a consistent tell.

Oh! Waking the Dead. Lol. An entirely different kind of thing. I'll check it out. We did very much enjoy Fringe, although I'd qualify it as a bit intense for me right now . Have you watched Bones? I really enjoyed the early seasons of that. She has an inspiring vocabulary I much enjoyed. Also you'd enjoy the recent BBC Sherlock if you haven't seen that. Very clever.

Have you considered a Kindle for your one handed reading needs? I love mine. Usually reading is my go to, Urban Fantasy for fluffy. Pain and medication kept me not sharp enough to enjoy my non-fiction in the last 6 months, but I have a large stack of non fiction to read next winter when I should be getting my brains back. Brains are definitely 'use it or lose it', so I understand your devotion to keeping it.

Do you watch TED talks online? They are endlessly fascinating and on every possible topic. And excellent opportunity to learn something, but in a fairly easy delivery. If you Google 'TED talks joint replacement' there are even a few on the future up and coming technology. I may watch them if I'm up again tonight.

Don't let the ghost of future possible haunt you so soon. My grandmother at 84 finally had to move to assisted living after 2 back surgeries. But she still has her own apartment and goes to a number of outings.

 

[luvcats]

The thing is that if your Beloved had this surgery, you would be glad to do everything you could to help him. Now it's his turn to do that for you.

When he had bypass surgery I most certainly did handle everything. And he did when I had surgery in December, and again when I got an infection in January. I guess I'm feeling like I've used up my turn. lol. Which is ridiculous. But there you are.

 

[snowdrop]

Like many of you, I seem to be spending endless hours in front of the tv, watching light stuff, or things that are familiar to me. There is no room in my head for concentrating on a book or puzzles. Some of the things I have watched so far : Friends, Gilmore Girls, Big Bang Theory, Everybody Loves Raymond, Back to the Future Trilogy, Hunger Games Movies, Harry Potter movies. And right now, I am watching another favourite...Mean Girls! Tom Hanks movies are next on my list...

Glad to hear you are doing okay. But really, you need to take more time to rest. All that grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning can certainly wait a little longer. Take care of YOU first!

 

[Jockette]

How about ordering your groceries online, then they just need to be picked up.

My daughter has 3 young children. Her usual grocery store has this option now. When she texted me about it, she said, MOM (yes she capitalized it) this is going to save my life this summer with school out.

 

[marieltha]

I only ventured out once in the 2 weeks after the knee and the shoulder operations: To do a practice “get into and out of the car” before the first followup. We did go for a little ride each “practice.” I only got out of the car during one practice run because I had to use the bathroom. We were at the nearby state park beach which has nice ramps to the restrooms. Even that was tiring.

Yes, I have and love my Kindle. A lifesaver after the shoulder surgery.

My nonfiction books are still patiently waiting to be read. Documentaries are saved in my watchlists to be watched later, also. I have TED Talks on the Apple TV and have not watched it, so I will look up the joint technology one you mentioned.

Your grandmother sounds like a very strong woman and is a great role model for all of us.

Whether you do the other knee as planned or not, you really want to rest now, so you will have the stamina for your December trip.

Thanks for all the tips.

 

[winemama]

Amazon in July is coming up in a few days, great time to buy a kindle. We bought kindle whites, you can read them in the sun, we love them i down load books from the library

 

[Benay]

I use Kindle on my iPad. I used to read all the time but past few years have really not. I still load up the Kindle app but rarely use it.