TKR Michele's RTKR recovery journey

[hawk2go]

What others have said is true, you do have to train your body to walk correctly. I have walked toes out all of my life. It seems my new knees don't have that issue but I have to remind myself to walk with my feet straight, even now.

I think if you're limping, you should continue to use your assistive device - cane, walker, crutch. You're only 3 months out and there is no prize for giving it up sooner. My PT would not move me from the walker until I demonstrated good balance walking with the cane. Then he insisted I continue to use the cane until I walked well without it. Toward the end of my reliance on the cane, I think I did well without the cane until I walked too far, then I started to limp.

Be sure to check with your doctor if you have new pains that are causing the limp.

 

[Cheleigh]

Happy Thanksgiving, BoneSmart ladies and gentlemen! I’m so thankful for this group and the encouragement and wisdom you share. I hope your knee is feeling great today! I’m thankful for a new knee!

 

[sistersinhim]

Happy Thanksgiving to you, also. I'm thankful for Bonesmart, too!

 

[JusticeRider]

Happy Thanksgiving, Cheleigh! I’m so grateful to have you and all our wonderful BoneSmart friends

 

[beachy]

Happy (day after) Thanksgiving!

 

[JusticeRider]

Extra grateful for my August 40-somethings surgery pal @Cheleigh Hope your holiday went well and your knee is feeling ok today!

 

[Cheleigh]

I typed a big ol message and lost it. Boo hiss. How’s everyone doing? Heyyyy @JusticeRider ! How’s your leg? @Jockette how are you? How’s your leg doing?

Something different is happening in my leg now at 13 weeks post op. It feels a little less swollen and range of motion seems to be improving. I don’t have a way to measure rom.

I drove my daughter to dance this morning - 30 min drive one way, stood for an hour or so to watch her dance, drove back home 45 min ride and it was quite tolerable. Driving usually makes me so stiff and sore but it seems like something is changing.

How are y’all doing with driving? How are steps? I feel like I can start going up like normal but down scares me.

 

[Jockette]

What a great update. The ROM number doesn’t matter, you are having some great improvements, and that’s what counts.

@Jockette how are you? How’s your leg doing?

My knee actually doesn’t feel good today, I hurt my back/hip yesterday (all I did was pick something up off the floor, twice, within a couple of minutes, and wham!) and it must be throwing my knee off a bit. Holding my breath that it will correct itself!

 

[benne68]

How are steps? I feel like I can start going up like normal but down scares me.

What you're feeling about descending stairs is totally normal! I couldn't do it comfortably (i.e., without holding onto the banister for dear life!) until almost six months out!

My PT told me that only part of problem is ROM; at lot of the problem is fear. What's more, we do the "double step" down for sooooo long that it gets to be a habit.

Be patient and it will come when your body is ready. It sounds like you are doing very well!

 

[JusticeRider]

Hi Cheleigh! Great to see an update from you It sounds like you’re turning a corner! And so am I! Yay us! I feel like my swelling has gone down a lot too recently. And like you, I am going up stairs now like a normal human! It has been two years since I’ve been able to that. I tried going down once or twice and I am not ready for that yet It will come with time. I’m not measuring ROM either but I can tell by the stairs and the bike (all the way around!) that it’s improving bit by bit. It’s been a long hard slog for you and I both thus far so here’s to progress and hope

 

[panammaniac]

I have the same issue with stairs. No problem going up at all. I go up stairs now better than I did before surgery. Going down it’s still a step at a time with a death grip on the railing. Part of that is my house is all wood floors including the stairs, and I usually don’t have shoes on, so it can be a little slippery. I have plenty of ROM but I don’t feel like my balance has completely returned yet.

So glad to hear you’re doing better!

 

[Cheleigh]

My knee actually doesn’t feel good today, I hurt my back/hip yesterday (all I did was pick something up off the floor, twice, within a couple of minutes, and wham!) and it must be throwing my knee off a bit. Holding my breath that it will correct itself!

Oh no! @Jockette I hate to hear that! How are you feeling today?

 

[Cheleigh]

I should have read all the posts first. Face palm emoji hahaha @benne68 that makes sense! Funny I told my PT today, “I believe a lot of this is in my head”. We worked on steps some today during PT. PT says I’m good posture and movement going up but down needs more work and time. I think it will be a bit before I am not afraid of the descent.

Yayyyy @JusticeRider for improvement! High five! And how about the bike all the way around! Woo! Awesome! I can’t do that yet but I sure hope so by summer. I love riding bikes at the beach.

@panammaniac its so helpful to know the decent takes a while for so many. How cool that you go up better than before surgery! Sometimes I don’t know if my woes are part scaredy-cat or if it’s common.

 

[JusticeRider]

I’m high-fiving you back, Cheleigh!

Sometimes if there are two railings in a stairway and no one is around to see, I’ll just use my arms to swing down two steps at a time so I can get it over with faster

I KNOW you’ll be riding that bike at the beach this summer!!

 

[Jockette]

Oh no! @Jockette I hate to hear that! How are you feeling today?

Much better now, thanks!

 

[Cheleigh]

Just tracking for recovery measurement purposes - 14 weeks post op and 92 ROM yesterday. Rom hasn’t changed since week 12 but so much other has and I feel good over all other than my left hip and calf are feeling strained and overworked by now because of the lopsided pressure on them I guess. Hopefully that will ease up soon as my gait improves and I add more weight to my right side. My sweet PT “released” me yesterday, I’ll still go back two more times to work on stairs but as far as my recovery she doesn’t feel like there’s much more she can officially help with. I explained that I fired the jerk OS and his PA and she was very understanding. She was not happy with my ROM and says I’m looking at never getting past 100-110 but I don’t believe that and don’t hold it against her. She has been a godsend to me during this recovery and I didn’t want to have a debate with her here at the end because I care about her and didn’t want to have the journey with her end sour. How’s everyone doing today? It’s raining and cold here in NC and I’m stiff haha!

 

[Jockette]

She was not happy with my ROM and says I’m looking at never getting past 100-110 but I don’t believe that and don’t hold it against her. She has been a godsend to me during this recovery and I didn’t want to have a debate with her here at the end because I care about her and didn’t want to have the journey with her end sour.

Very diplomatic of you! It’s ok to agree to disagree and keep the peace. You go, girl!

 

[Cheleigh]

My knee actually doesn’t feel good today, I hurt my back/hip yesterday

@Jockette how are you feeling now? I hope your back and hip are back to normal.

 

[Jockette]

I’m all back to normal (whatever that is ) Thanks for asking!

 

[Cheleigh]

16 week update - Since last posting, I had an uneventful birthday, had a family Christmas gathering, sang in our Christmas choir musical at church and followed through on a Christmas tradition of organizing a group for homeschoolers to carol at a local rest home. Had the best turnout ever, 34 singers!

4 mos post op and I’m finally feeling closer to normal. I’m walking pretty fast again. My balance and quickness going backward is better. I can go up steps two at a time but I still need the hand rail. Descending stairs is still no go. My left hip is still bothering me from overuse, but I’m hoping as I continue to heal and improve on my right, my left hip pain will subsiside.

Yesterday at PT my ROM was 95. That’s three degrees improvement from 2 weeks ago. My sweet PT is just so surprised that I’m gaining degrees this late. Bless her heart. I told her again that what we’re seeing is what I’ve said all along - as my swelling continues to slowly go down my rom improves. She is so helpful and has been the best encouragement to me. All throughout PT yesterday she was saying, “you’ve come so far” or “you couldn’t do -fill in the blank - last time” or a month ago or whenever. She was comparing the exercises I was doing yesterday to when I did them a month or so ago and helping by telling me how much I’ve progressed. It was so encouraging. She said that based on how I was walking, if she didn’t know otherwise, she couldn’t tell that I had a new knee. She is just the best cheer leader. I’m going to miss her so much.

How are y’all? Doing any baking? Hiking? Christmas Traditions?