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TKR May I have some cheese with that whine?

OS visit tomorrow. I am getting anxious! :groan: I find out tomorrow if I get to stay home or have to go back to work on Monday part time. :sigh: Guess I will get little sleep tonight! I'll let you know what transpires. :thumb:

Good night all! :spin:
 
Yep! Three hours of sleep! :mcoffee:

I haven't mentioned what I did for work. I work for the state Department of Corrections in one of the 5 intake centers. We receive the inmates (prisoners) from county jails who have committed felonies (sentenced to 1 year and 1 day or more) and assess their needs (custody, medical, mental health, drug treatment & educational). Once their needs are assessed they are transferred to appropriate facilities where they can receive appropriate services. I interview, assess, locate/request records and evaluate inmates under the age of 22 years old for special education services. After my evaluation I recommend the inmate for appropriate facilities where they can receive special education services. I am the senior special education assessor/evaluator for the state.

I know that I need to take care of myself first. I want to make sure that I am physically able to endure the amount of work I will have to wade through when I return. It has been difficult for me to be away from my job. With mixed emotions I feel that I should be at work Monday. :sigh: Monday will be my 25th anniversary with the department. :yay: My aide has done a wonderful job in the past 6 weeks holding down the fort for me with only a few minor issues. I have had trouble with not being able to be there for my aide and handling issues as they arise. I had to do the job of both my position and my aide before for 3 1/2 month and it is quite difficult to do alone. My reception center processes the majority of the inmates in the state and has the largest under 22 year old inmate population coming into the system.

Sorry for dumping, but it is quite difficult for me to deal with all of this while anticipating my doctor's appointment this morning. :scary: Thanks for reading through all of this. Anxiety Pity Party! :boohoo:

I hope that y'all have a great day! :flwrysmile:
 
You do admirable work, DS! I had deduced by other posts that your job may have been what it is. Your dedication shone through when you attended your GED student graduations even shortly into your recovery. Well done.

Although it may seem daunting, I believe its good for us to return to normal life as soon as possible. It will helpmus get our minds back on the rest of life, and let our knees acclimate to that. Just keep doing your exercises!
 
50yrold said:
I just feel for those folks who do no PT until about now in the process. It seems like it really prolongs the process!
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SFBaySailor said:
This. Agreed.
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Hmm it could be read two ways :) but I presume you are both saying that PT speeds up recovery -- or rather, lack of it slows recovery.

I must say I largely disagree.

It is certain that stretching exercises will help to maintain help to retain and extend joint mobility. But AFAIK there is no evidence that they make much difference to the healing process, or that more active training helps it, either. Recovery stats are much the same for UK vs. USA, where approaches to PT are very different.

It is certainly possible to have a fairly rapid and almost trouble free recovery without any -- see my diary thread below.
 
daughter stalker

Sorry you only managed three hours of shut eye :mcoffee:! I did manage to sleep well from 11 p.m. to 3:30, up for bathroom break, and back to sleep until 5:15 a.m. Not great, but I'll take it! :yes: We'll be thinking of you as you go to your appointment today.

Your job sounds fascinating and I can understand why you are eager to get back! :thumb: You have the ability to really make a difference in the lives of many people in a very positive way. It will be interesting to hear what your OS says about you going back to work. Mine said "many" do go back after 6 weeks after TKR. I am not sure how much of that to believe, since he seems very well versed on the surgery end of things...but not so informed on recuperation and reasonable pain management. :doh: I wonder how many of those go back to work and then decide it is too early? I suspect quite a few! :wink:

Guess what. It is raining again here in your hometown. :sigh:

Hope to hear from you soon!
Becca
 
Roy Gardiner said:
Hmm it could be read two ways :) but I presume you are both saying that PT speeds up recovery -- or rather, lack of it slows recovery.

I must say I largely disagree.

It is certain that stretching exercises will help to maintain help to retain and extend joint mobility. But AFAIK there is no evidence that they make much difference to the healing process, or that more active training helps it, either. Recovery stats are much the same for UK vs. USA, where approaches to PT are very different.

It is certainly possible to have a fairly rapid and almost trouble free recovery without any -- see my diary thread below.
Click to expand...

I'm not biting into this discussion, Mr. Gardiner. Suffice it to say PT has worked well for me, and I can't imagine not doing it. But, I was in great shape prior to the surgery, and feared loss of muscle tone, so that may be a difference I have from others.
 
50yrold said:
I'm not biting into this discussion, Mr. Gardiner. Suffice it to say PT has worked well for me, and I can't imagine not doing it. But, I was in great shape prior to the surgery, and feared loss of muscle tone, so that may be a difference I have from others.
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:) I wasn't fishing for bites. It's an entirely personal matter and I wasn't intending any criticism of what you've been doing. Far from it, in fact, obviously it's welcome to see anyone doing well.

I wanted simply to put forward the contrasting view (which is in general the BoneSmart one) for newer readers.
 
Hi D S and fellow over- achiever!

I'm 12 weeks into my right tkr, and it was only when I actually listened to this site, that I understood what being kind to my knee meant. I'm very active, have driven for hours and miles and this operation floored me. I'd wake up, decide to do lots of things and turned into a snarling harridan by 4 pm. Even on pain meds. here in australia we have a great new one that s not nearly as constipating, called Targen. Driving for 20 minutes after given the ok by the surgeon at 6 weeks was my maximum before my shins started screaming. If I had to go back to work, I'd try to find some way of elevating my knee during the day. But do get up and stretch because I find that my knee freezes in place! Do read the articles- they're a huge help.
Good luck with your recovery, Diminuata ( my thread is ' should I still feel this much pain at 11 weeks?"
 
Roy Gardiner said:
Hmm it could be read two ways :) but I presume you are both saying that PT speeds up recovery -- or rather, lack of it slows recovery.

I must say I largely disagree.

It is certain that stretching exercises will help to maintain help to retain and extend joint mobility. But AFAIK there is no evidence that they make much difference to the healing process, or that more active training helps it, either. Recovery stats are much the same for UK vs. USA, where approaches to PT are very different.

It is certainly possible to have a fairly rapid and almost trouble free recovery without any -- see my diary thread below.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm not biting either.
 
Hi!!! Remember me guys? :heehee:

Report - I just got back from the doctor's office. :umm: My OS was extremely pleased with my progress. He released me to light duty work no more than 5 hours per day beginning Monday. OS wants me to continue PT 3 times per week for 4 weeks. I received a prescription of Tramadol for the nighttime discomfort. I will return for follow-up visit on August 28th. OS mentioned to make sure that I propped my leg and iced during the work day, which I can do. He told me to continue to rest, elevate and ice when I am at home. Continue my PT. OS told me that if I find that working is a problem then he will write me a note to be off from work, but he wants me to try to get back to semi-normal (I am guessing since he saw how well I was doing). It seems fair to me. We will soon see...

Thanks for all your support! It means a lot to me. :flwrysmile:
 
Howdy Miss Diminuata,

Thank you for sharing your recovery and camaraderie of being an over-achiever also. :console2: I know that everyone is different and what works for many doesn't always work for everyone. I have read all of the articles. Some I've read twice or three times. There is quite a bit of awesome information there. :)

I don't know if you have read through all of my thread, but I have been driving since 2 weeks after surgery. I stopped taking opiates 12 days after surgery. I didn't like what the medication was doing to my system. I forgot to mention this before in my thread, but my blood pressure dropped dangerously low when taking the opiates. One time when the RN was at my house she couldn't get a BP reading. She tried again then found a really low reading. I pushed my PT way too hard on opiates because I wasn't feeling the discomfort that would make me stop doing the stretches and exercises when I should have stopped. I just pushed to where I felt discomfort which would be pain without the opiates. I was overdoing it. This excess push during PT kept my knee swollen even when elevating and icing many times a day. I decided to stop the medication and my system decided to work normally (BP and potty). I felt the push to discomfort without masking the pain while not on opiates helped reduce some of the swelling. Opiates work for most after TKR, but not for me after a short while. :sad:

I have stiffness and soreness which is considered pain on this site, but I don't consider it pain. This is where I personally differ with this site. It may be correct for most, but it isn't for me. I still have some swelling which I am told will stay for a couple of months or so. I have decided to take Tramadol at night for the discomfort so that I can GET SOME WELL NEEDED SLEEP! :sleep: The cap lock is not directed towards you. They are here because I haven't slept more than 4 hours at one time since surgery 6 weeks ago. I have napped some and often tossed and turned to find a comfortable position until I decided to get out of bed. I feel for my poor husband who has had to endure my tossing and turning. :friends:

Trust me, this TKR floored me also! :yikes: I can't not lie about that. I was all about getting therapy done and getting back to normal in 4 weeks. I was going to enjoy 2 weeks pain free then go back to work all refreshed! HAHAHA! :rotfl: That didn't work!!! :headbang: I have had a few setbacks, but have picked myself back up. When I had setbacks I did rest, iced and elevated. I learned the ice and elevation thing 35 years ago. I am able to do more than others who have had TKRs at 6 weeks. I am quite blessed. I truly wish I had a magic wand to wave over the people who are having problems so that they wouldn't have the pain and problems they are having. I would even wave it over myself in regards to sleeping. :heehee:

I wish nothing but the best for you in your recovery. I wish there was something I could do to help you. I can offer encouragement and an ear for when things are not going your way. I will catch up on your thread.

Take care! :flwrysmile:
 
daughter stalker

Yea! :) Good going for you! It is wonderful that your OS is supportive of you!

So you still have a couple of days to relax before going back. Do you have any plans for the weekend?

I am jealous you have something to help you sleep. I almost hate getting in bed these days because I know I won't be sleeping well, won't be sleeping much and won't be sleeping comfortably. :headbang:

Sleep well and know that normalcy is right around the corner! :yay:

Becca
 
Hi Becca,

No real plans for the weekend other than PT, rest, ice and elevation! :snork: We will see if the medication lets me sleep. I took it 20 minutes ago, but can't tell if it is working yet. :shrug: I sure need some sleep. I hope you get some sleep and are comfortable tonight if not sooner! :yes!:

I am apprehensive about going to work, but I need to jump into it with both feet and see what happens. :sos:
Things will soon come your way!!! I feel it! :dancy:

Good night! :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks, Becca! :)

Well, I can say that it makes me feel better to have 6 hours of sleep. Now if only I can stretch the 6 into 7 or 8 hours...or am I asking for too much right before going back to work on Monday???:scratch:
 
daughter stalker

I am so excited for you! Going back to work, sleeping, things are falling into place. You still have three more days to go and then Maria is launched back into the world with her new, shiny knee!:egypdance: I can't wait to hear how it goes for you; I will be thinking about you and knowing it will be me the following week. :umm: :shocked::flwrysmile:

Hope you have had a nice day!
Becca
 
Becca, you will be going back soon also. Please rest and take care of yourself. :friends:

I guess I am not jumping back into work feet first. I'll be diving in head first. I don't want to mess up that new knee on the first day back by jumping! :rotfl:
 
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