PKR MAKO PKR

[NavyGunns]

@bowhunter8, glad to hear things are going well. This week and next involve activities that will be a real big test for my almost 1 yr old knee. I’ll post an update to my thread later this week and then in April.

 

[bowhunter8]

Good Morning BS community! I am coming up on 8 months post op and thought I would give an update. I believe all in all I am progressing nicely. As I take inventory from month to month, I am slowly able to do more on my replaced knee. My struggle is that I was used to doing SO much before surgery. I would climb, crawl, kneel, squat, work a long physical day, complete side jobs, hike, etc....

Right now I am my own worse enemy. Don't get me wrong, I know progress is there and I am better off than what I was before surgery but I would be lying to say that the past few months I have been struggling emotionally due to my new life. I slipped into a slump and gained 20 pounds which I definitely feel on my other knee which has some issues too. I try to do too much physically for where I am at and it causes frustration on top of not taking care of my health.

My wife and I took inventory and set some short term goals to get me back on track and to get me out of this funk. She is very gracious with me! Pretty much no alcohol for awhile and I will be watching what I am eating closer. She also will be holding me accountable with how much physical "work" I do. We were moving her parents last weekend and stubborn me still felt like I should be carrying dressers up and down steps. Needless to say, I paid for it yesterday. Optimistic that I can finally get this weight off and alleviate some pain.

I do feel that I am par for the course right now and maybe a little above but I keep causing myself needless frustration by trying to do too much.

Have any of you felt this way? what were some things that have helped you cope with the "blues"?

Its getting warmer here in PA and turkey season is starting next weekend which I am looking forward to.

 

[Jockette]

I think it is always hard to accept limitations, even temporary ones, as in a recovery.

It’s also hard to accept a new normal. That’s what I’m working on. I have seen improvements in my second year post op, so there is every reason to believe you will also. Technically at 8 months you still have a ways to go. However, the extreme length of this recovery is frustrating, especially for those of us who’ve had partials and were led to believe it would be a quick and easy recovery. At least that’s what I believed going into this.

My particular partial is taking way longer than many of our members who had totals, but I do believe something is not quite right with mine, thus my adjustment to a new normal. I am just now seeing some improvement with stairs.

Given time many of our members get back to doing the things they want, it just can take longer than we’d like.

 

[NavyGunns]

@bowhunter, glad to see you back online! You are about 5 months behind me, my 1 yr was last week. Patience, one of the hardest parts of our recovery, even at 8 months. You think or feel like you can anything but then pay for it afterwards. In my case, it wasn’t until 8-9 months that I was able to successfully incorporate leg exercises that I used to do pre PKR. Prior, I would suffer from IT band pain. Even at 9 months, I had to take it slow with what I tried adding. Today, I’m probably at about 80% of what I used to do, but no pain and progress is steady.

Setting small goals will help. Losing that extra weight is a great one. Having lost 25-30 lbs pre-PKR, I was determined not to put it back on, so that became a goal during my recovery. One other member found herself getting down over her perceived lack of progress, so her PT asked her to make a list of the things she wanted to be able to do but felt she couldn’t. Then they modified her sessions such that they tested out her abilities for each item. Some she found she could do just fine, others were a challenge. In the end, this change allowed her to focus on working towards those achievements rather than numbers. Try doing the same. You might find it helps.

 

[bowhunter8]

Thanks for your encouraging replies @Jockette and @NavyGunns. I have always appreciated both of your positive outlooks on your procedures. There is so much power in positive thinking! This whole process has been such an emotional and spiritual journey. I know God has taught me so much about myself and my loved ones through this.

I have set some small (realistic) goals as you said navy. I feel that my self pity has been the roadblock in this whole process. One day at a time, one belt loop at a time, one step at a time.

I appreciate this community so much! A lot of people give me there opinions and have never been through it...I can always depend on sound advice here!

 

[tarajenni]

Hi there bowhunter. I’ve been away for a while as well. I also have had some blues. I went from cycling 3-4 days a week to nothing for a year. I gained 30 pounds and got really down. But I’ve started to turn a corner. I hope you do as well. I’ve pushed myself to get active and do more outside. Hopefully you’ll be able to do the same with the nicer weather.

Keep going!! You’ve got this.

 

[bowhunter8]

@tarajenni
Thank you for your encouraging message and I am sorry to hear that the blues got you down for a while too...its no joke.

It sounds like we are in the same boat. I put on some weight and as a result, added to my depression. I have been at the gym 4-5 days a week for about a month now. I have been easing back into a similar cardio/lifting routine I had back when I was in shape. I've lost 10 pounds of the weight I put on post surgery. My joints feel better being active on the bike than what they do being sedentary.

So to answer your question, I have stopped feeling sorry for myself and have turned the corner and am trying to be the "best me" I can be while dealing with my limitations.

Thanks again for reaching out and encouraging me. It's nice to know that we are not alone in this journey and share a mutual understanding of this process.

I hope you continue to make progress and that your spirits stay high!

 

[bowhunter8]

I have been trying to find ways to gauge my progress since my PKR to help me realize and appreciate just how far I have come.

1.) I have been turkey hunting the past few weeks which required me to walk roughly 2 miles (round trip) in the dark (flashlight) through a cornfield and sit/stalk. Prior to surgery, I was not able to climb elevations, tree stands and carry all my gear due to the bone on bone and Instability in my knee. I also hunted during deer season 4 weeks after my operation and had to take my four wheeler. It took so much energy to get my hunting clothes off/on, get on/off the 4-wheeler and not to mention my knee swelling sitting in a blind. I am at the point where I do believe with my progress so far that I will be hunting out of my typical climbing tree stands this fall.

2.) It took me a long time to master the stairs. I avoided them at all costs and made every trip count. With my new job, I am on the second floor and am up and down the steps over a dozen times a day and that's not counting the times at home. I still try to make every trip count and don't have the usual speed I used to have but am thankful for the amount I am able to handle.

3.) Medicine has decreased from 6 Extra strength Tylenol/day down to 1-3/day. I also rarely ever ice my knee anymore and the swelling takes much longer to come on due to overuse.

4.) My knee is still the first thing I think of before I crawl out of bed. Its not as daunting crawling out as the morning stiffness has greatly decreased. I am looking forward to the day where I can just "hop" out of bed and am very confident that I am on my way there.

5.) I did not mow my lawn at all last year (3/4 acre with a push mower). Last week was the first time I was able to do that in a very long time which was a huge milestone for me. My wife thought I was strange as I got teary eyed about it but I remembered those early fall days after my op walking down the lane with my cane at a snails pace and significant pain for "PT". I am finally at the point where I told my kids that I am ready to do some hikes at our state park which is a family favorite activity for us.

6.) Prior to surgery, I was able to get on and work on my knees comfortably. Since my op, both knees have been a challenge to get on. I have been "training" my knees by using a pillow on the hardwood floor while I read. I am now able to get on both knees on softer surfaces. I am not able to get on hard surfaces with my PKR knee yet and I have been advised that it always may be uncomfortable.

These are just a few BIG milestones for me that are still in progress. It was helpful for me to think just how far I have come and helps me when I am feeling down about my limitations.

 

[zab]

@bowhunter8 how's your ROM now?

 

[sistersinhim]

Amazing recovery.

 

[bowhunter8]

@zab
My 3 month post op was around -2/140...I may have gained a little more flexion since then. I am very blessed with that. How is your recovery coming along? Looks like you almost 3 months post op. I remember going back to work at that point and iced constantly on my drives in between jobs.

@sistersinhim
Thank you! I have to remind myself of that. We were watching old home videos from the early 2000's where I was playing baseball and running like a gazelle...well maybe a bull but it was pretty athletic for me, I had to remind myself that those "days" are over and there are other less load bearing activities that I can thoroughly enjoy other than contact or running sports.

 

[zab]

@zab
My 3 month post op was around -2/140...I may have gained a little more flexion since then. I am very blessed with that. How is your recovery coming along? Looks like you almost 3 months post op. I remember going back to work at that point and iced constantly on my drives in between jobs.

That's great ROM I'm not there yet I'm 0/120 hopefully a bit more come, overall I'm pretty happy with my recovery been back at work since week 3 (desk job) and started to do some strength training on my leg to build the muscle back up, I was very fit and active before the OP want to be back where I was without the knee pain and I will be happy.