TKR Macknit's recovery thread

[luvcats]

There is nothing worse than a husband who is right. lol
I feel for them, caretaking is exhausting. Mine has been a champion, but he is just as tired of my limitations as I am, and he hasn't been great about acknowledging I still need to take things slow. I suppose I'm not either.

My PT never said anything negative about the elliptical for me. I didn't notice any particular strain. Perhaps because I use a seated elliptical? I like it so much better than a bike. I think it gives a broader range of motion. But absolutely check with your PT @Helizabug.

My ROM isn't nearly what I'd like, but it is at the 'useful' bend amount. I think my official number is 110? I'd like to see a lot more, but I didn't really have any bend before surgery, so I'm back to being patient and continuing to work through it.

 

[LD of Michigan]

Yes, I hear that. I've always been fairly stiff since teen years. I had my PT measure my non surgical knee and it was confirmed: just ok flexion bend there. So my goal is to increase flexibility overall. And enough to peddle a stationary bike. Swimming may help... we shall see.

...but I didn't really have any bend before surgery, so I'm back to being patient and continuing to work through it.

 

[Macknit]

@luvcats....You are so right, DH doesn't get told he is right too often though....so once in awhile it's OK with me!

I think being on a seated elliptical might be what @Helizabug should ask about. I'm using the standing one and after 15 minutes (plus 30 recumbent minutes) I woke to a sore knee cap.

However, my issue also could have been due to the knitting needle I accidentally flung out of my hand and I had to search for under chair, coffee table, and ottoman, while on hands and both knees trying to find it! It took me about 15 minutes before I located it!! I was so sure it was under the chair .

The patience and continuing to work through this was hard at 4 and 6 weeks....now, it is beyond hard, even though I've had a lot of time to think and philosophize about it! Sigh ...it is appropriate that we are at this stage in the hardest, dullest time of winter isn't it???

Happy Martin Luther King Day (I'm having a holiday!) Have a great week!

 

[luvcats]

Somehow I suspect that crawling around on your knees might have something to do with a sore kneecap. Somehow. I haven't done anything requiring pressure on my knees yet. I feel certain that would be a Horrible Mistake.

The patience and continuing to work through this was hard at 4 and 6 weeks....now, it is beyond hard, even though I've had a lot of time to think and philosophize about it! Sigh ...it is appropriate that we are at this stage in the hardest, dullest time of winter isn't it???

This is definitely the hardest time of winter. Only 2 more weeks until St Brigid's Day, or Imbolc depending on how you look at things. That's 6 weeks from the Solstice and the lengthening days become much more obvious. I find things get better after that even though there is still a lot of winter left.

I keep trying to push forward, and my body keeps coming back with things that are both unladylike and also specifically prohibited on this forum.

 

[Macknit]

LOL @luvcats! You're absolutely right about the lengthening days! I have even found that at our location it's about a 1/2 hour more daylight as I'm driving home....still only 9 .25 hours of daylight according to my WeatherUnderground app! I can hang in there a few more weeks.

I see such tiny baby steps in this progress....but more daylight will specifically help me!

 

[Helizabug]

Did you see that movie: Crouching Knitter, Flying Needles?

 

[Macknit]

@Helizabug that is hilarious....the crazy thing was I just sitting there switching to the next side and that crazy needle did just fly out of my hand!! It made me do something I haven't done in months! Poor knee, poor me (I think I just plagiarized that from you!?)

 

[marieltha]

@Macknit I think you mentioned sinus in @luvcats thread. Even in the mild winter here—I wear fleece wool at or below low 60s—I find I have to modify the APAP humidity settings to account for drier air. Do you do that? Have to sleep!!!for the knees and shoulder to recover.

 

[Macknit]

@marieltha...good point. I was wondering if the machine needed adjusting...so on Jan 8th I had a follow-up to my sleep study. She decided I need a new machine...long story. Anyway, I'm still waiting on that...this past week they called to see how my new machine was...Ha! I haven't received it yet... when they called the supplier it appears that someone forgot to fax the order to Norco !?? That has been remedied now, so maybe in this next week or two I'll get one? I do agree that could be the issue, just the amount of humidity....plus, I keep pulling it off in my sleep! DH will wake me to tell me I'm snoring . Poor guy! My back and knee needs that sleep too!

This was a different week for Ms. Knee. I did some activity every day, but not over-doing it. Nonetheless, by Friday I had some swelling and a few different odd aches at various points on the leg. Then, to top it off, my L leg is definitely acting up. The entire leg not only the knee.

Possibilities are that it could just be all the new weather fronts coming in too. Snow one full week, then rain for another week (Nature's snow removal is wonderful!) Who knows??? It's all survivable, just another step in the recovery I guess? I am seeing the OS office on Feb 6th for Lefty...however, I'm hoping to wait about 9-10 months before another TKR. We'll see what they have to say.

Overall, I am still seeing slight progression, and I am fully functional for stairs, la toilette, sleep is generally good, and I can walk rather quickly with coworkers....It still remains stiff, but the overall area of pain is shrinking! The scar has definite sensitivity areas, which seem to change too. I hit the half way point of 6 months in 9 days....and I agree it is a long recovery. It will be a year at least, for me. I'm so grateful to BS for the preparation and knowledge that is shared here! I would be driving myself batty with concerns, if I didn't have the forum's wisdom and insight to lean on!

I hope all enjoy their weekend!

 

[Sara61]

I do enjoy your posts @Macknit As thru them I see my own journey progressing and feel less panicky that things are progressing normally, I'm almost at 4 months feel as I have come to a slight standstill and although I can do most things I kinda feel I should be able to do more, thank you for keeping me in a reality check.
Weather likewise plays havoc now more so on my non operated knee which I know eventually will have to be replaced but hoping not for at least a couple of years, I left knee (operated) also playing up with the damp and colder days my DH thinks I should be icing more but I find it hard too put ice on myself when it's cold ....

 

[Macknit]

@Sara61 anything to help a fellow traveler in this knee journey!

I still ice about 30 minutes before work, then at lunch with just a gel pack. Then each evening I try to get an hour in. The knee is at that point where if I ice it too much it becomes painfully cold, which is a new phase for me... The nice part of nighttime icing is that my sleep is immediate!

 

[Macknit]

I just realized, I had posted earlier that I was 9 days from the 6 month point....(I want to be) but it is from the 5 month mark.

 

[Helizabug]

I get so much help from your story! Plus, I get to hear about snow!

Your icing routine seems manageable. I’m not there yet, in recovery time, and I go through whole days without taking time to ice. Then, I try to figure out why my knee is cranky. So, I may adopt your approach; that way, I’ll at least get some icing everyday.

Enjoy the day!

 

[marieltha]

I hope you get your new machine soon. Sleep is a must have for us and our beloveds. If we run either heat or ac, I use a higher humidity setting, and notice improvement.
I also hope you can do your knee when you want to.
Difficult to decide when. So many variables!
Life schedule, weather, stamina overall, and leg stamina. More, probably.

 

[Macknit]

@Helizabug I really just use the cold to control some minor swelling, that turns into aching. I haven't missed a day, even with working, because I like the mobility it gives me, especially if one of my days exceeds 6000 steps...

I'll keep writing about the snow, because the temperatures fluctuate so much here! Highs in the 50s, then 30 at night this week...last week rain, and probably another snow storm or two in February. I actually love the snow, but by March we are ready to be done with it! Our summers are wonderful though! Warm days cool nights, perfect weather and rarely any humidity, however we end up with a very short growing season... late May to early September.

@marieltha, oh yes, always more variables to keep up with...in addition to all you mentioned above I have the 5-year-old twin grandbabies that live close by and 2 other grand children that visit often....

I really needed the CPAP earlier than this, but I'm learning the patience thing quite well now, thanks to this recovery!

Have a good week everyone!

 

[LD of Michigan]

Awesome to hear how you are doing. I crochet but never really go the knack for knitting. I finally got in 5000+ steps this weekend. Here in SE Michigan our weather changes fast too. We get high humidity in the summer, some days. An average growing season as such. The upper peninsula being much colder. Snow off the ground for the most part lately, replaced with freezing rain. Brrrrr... goes along with the knee icing I suppose... ...

 

[Macknit]

@LD of Michigan I spend quite a bit of time getting chills, once I sit and start icing, so a blanket goes over the legs and feet and a heating pad on my R IT band! I have quite the set up for this kind of weather!

 

[ginr]

I try to ice several times a day. I seem to have swelling all the time and then I do things and get more swollen. I am really tired of this knee owning me.

 

[Macknit]

@ginr, hang in there...I'm finding some "me" time where the knee isn't owning me! I might get a bit of swelling then it subsides, with just a short rest on an ottoman....it is still improving by the millimeter and not in leaps and bounds! However, it's improving!!

 

[ginr]

Thanks, been in a bit of pity party mood, worked 4 hours today Ms Knee was very swollen tonight.