TKR Midwest Girl's New Knee Journey - A Year Later.

[midwest girl]

It's 4:00am and I've gotten hardly any sleep. I, or should I say my knee, just cannot find a comfortable position in my bed. In my friends home I had gotten to wear I was comfortable and could sleep for hours in bed. Now my bed feels like a strangers. Gave up and came out to the recliner. But my knee is just so achy now and my alarm is going to go off in another hour as a pain med reminder. And this morning is a PT day. I see a nap for my afternoon!

 

[Wednesday]

It may not be the bed. If your knees are achy, you probably are needing some stronger meds. I'm at eight weeks and only started getting good sleep a few days ago.

 

[susanc]

the only way I've had success sleeping is in the recliner - but I get so achy all over when I wake up - it 's like ALL my skin is super sensitive. very strange feeling -

 

[Tamsmom]

I slept in my recliner for at least a month. Just give in and do it for a while. I started to have anxiety when I thought about trying to go to sleep in my bed because I could never get comfortable. It took along time and when I would wake up after getting to sleep in my bed I would go to the recliner and get right back to sleep


4/1/2014 TKR

 

[susanc]

I found out today that I'm really not doing good with PT - they said I am at a 60 and I should be at a 75- also I am having touble building up that quad - the PT was quite surprised - I think I am building up my gluts instead! oh boy!

 

[Wednesday]

@susanc Thats absurd. You're only about two weeks from your surgery. There's no rule that says you should be at 75 at this point or at any point for that matter. Don't overdo, rest when you can, stay on top of your meds and keep icing. Don't let the PT intimidate you. You need to progress at your knee's pace not theirs.

 

[susanc]

i know - don't think he was trying to make me feel bad but was just telling the truth- I had my staples out today after PT my PA said not to worry either and it will come - I do need to do more exercises though and he suggested that I get off my super comfortable bed that is very cushy and the recliner as well while doing exercises- tomorrow I will try a couch that is very hard - that should help with the exercises of the quad. my PA said I could take more meds to get through the knee slides, etc. but he said I would probably want to sleep instead. The PA also told me to sit up in a kitchen chair to work on the knee bend which i haven't done yet. They gave me 4 exercises to do 5 times a day- I need to keep remembering the mantra thought and not hurt myself - I can't believe how hard it is to streghthen that quad - it's like rubber - I thought I was really doing well but instead I was developing my right butt cheek!

I've had 2 weeks of wonderful meals made for me by co-workers so I feel very lucky but I also have to be careful that my butt doesn't morph into the shape of this recliner chair bottom!

 

[Wednesday]

Those are all good suggestions, but be careful not to overdo it. My quads are still like jello. My PT told me that is typical.

 

[susanc]

wow - they are still like jello since april - i feel better now - but you did have 2 done- which is quite a feat- if I had my way I would only do as little as possible because of pain but I really want a semi-normal knee in 3-4 months or so - so I can swim again - unfortunately outdoor swimming is over on Labor Day here - and another thing - I have no clue how to start swimming with a new knee - i'll look it up here on bonesmart - maybe it is just walking around the pool in the beginning. also, I got to make sure I don't have any areas on my skin that aren't healed - probably thinking that clorine water is better than lake water. it will be a while to think that far ahead - also , one more question - do you know when is it say to fly? 6 months out or so? i could ask my doctor. i have my first grandbaby in AZ

 

[Wednesday]

How exciting for you. I'm expecting my third in September. Grand kids are great.

My PA asked me if I was planning any long trips within a year, but at this time, I have nothing planned. He said if I were to go on a long trip, I should take two aspirin in the morning and two at night and wear the tight hose from the hospital. Sounds a bit like overkill.

The flight to Arizona is not terribly long, and I'm sure you'll be ok. Be sure to walk the aisles often to keep the blood circulating. Ask your OS. You can't miss that grandbaby.

Congratulations!

 

[susanc]

congrats to you too! 3 grandkids soon - how awesome! I never thought I'd ever be a grandma - but age 60 isn't too bad - at least i will be able to able to climb their stairs now. do you want to hear something strange - just before I had surgery I wrote a 3 page letter to my first grandson describing everything that we felt about him and everything we did with him for 7 days (from first bath to first time I babysat him) this was a month before my surgery. I put pictures in the letter and it turned out pretty good and my daughter is going to put it in his baby book - she said she cried when she read it so I guess it was as heartfelt as I could get it . The reason why I wrote it was just in case something happened to me in surgery- I must be pretty morbid or just really OCD. Life is too short as we all know - knee surgery is pretty serious but I'm happy we are both doing well.

when I go to Arizona I may have to spend the money for those more leg room seats for 28 bucks more - geewhiz what a rip off but it would be nice to have that option

I saw an xray of my knee today and pretty much our body parts are gone and there are big white shadows there- very surreal - I was trying to avoid the image and I never wanted to watch the surgery on youtube- did you do that?

 

[Tamsmom]

Susan-My husband watched the surgery on YouTube and has forbid me from watching it. It did get me a lot more compassion and sympathy once he saw what had been done to me. I might be putting myself through this again in the fall so that is part of the reason I didn't watch.


4/1/2014 TKR

 

[midwest girl]

@susanc don't get discouraged and base everything off of your ROM number. I'm happy if I'm improving at each PT session. And I have already been made aware of by another therapist that everyone hits standstills or regresses a little. Knowing that ahead of time won't make it feel so discouraging to me if and when it happens. I do find that doing my exercises at home on my bed is more difficult than when I do them at PT on a harder table. But I don't really have any other options so I stick with my bed as my exercise place. I still have problems with my quad in that I really have to think and tell it to move. But I'm happy that today I could start all my exercises on my own without the therapist getting me started. During my reps if I have to stop mid count I do. I rest a second and carry on. And my therapist has never said I can't do that. Be bold and be in partnership with your therapist! She did tell me to quit using my leg lifter. So last night I did and it was work getting my leg up in bed but I did it and am proud of myself that I did. The same with getting in vehicles. I had to have people help lift my leg up into the car. Not anymore! All about baby steps and little accomplishments! And I'm suppose to be doing the exercises twice a day - oops! I've only been doing them once a day.

Today I saw my OS and had my staples removed. That had a little bit of a bite to it! At least she forewarned me when she knew one was stuck a little and that it would hurt. He was happy with my progress - yea! And told me again about how bad my knee really was. Got lots of steri strips with a couple already falling off. :-( I just want to end up with a "pretty" scar. I know, that's pretty vain. We talked about my 50% weight bearing due to the MCL repair, and he wants 2 more weeks at 50% and then two more weeks after that with still using the walker and then move to the cane. By that point it's getting so close to my scheduled return to work on July 9th. Can't imagine I will be ready by then. I need to talk to my therapist about that. I also asked about getting into the pool at PT and I'm cleared to do that starting next week.

I have a question about the TED hose. The other day I switched from wearing the thigh high ones that I got at the hospital to wearing knee high ones. The thigh hi ones constantly rolled, I think in part because they cut the top so they would fit around my thigh. So they would roll and on my surgical leg that roll would sit right about where the tourniquet was and where I have a varicose vein. It just hurt. So I switched to knee high yesterday. Works great as long as I have the swelling down. But if my knee area is swollen, it really cuts into the leg. Tonight I noticed there is a bruise there. But not positive if it's from the hose or not. Is anyone else having these kind of issues? I still have 2 more weeks that I'm suppose to be wearing these on my surgical leg. I've paid my 2 week dues for the non-surgical leg and can quit wearing one on that leg!!! Yippee!!!!

Oh, and I watched several videos on YouTube showing knee replacement surgeries. Especially the ones using my particular implant. Loved watching them!!! When I see my OS in four weeks he will be taking X-rays of my new knee. Can't wait to see them!!

 

[susanc]

none of the surgeons put TED hoses on patients that I could see. just the air compression hoses while in the hospital bed - I had the staples out yesterday and ouch yes a few of them hurt - and I was surprised my PA didn't use gloves - strange - some areas bleed - but for some reason I was happy to get them out and looked forward to it -he said I could shower with the strips but don't get them soaked - my scar looks pretty straight so I'm like you - glad it looks kinda ok instead of like Frankenstein- I don't think I ever want to watch it on you tube - maybe someday if I have to get my left knee done - I hear that one crunching and clicking all the time - I hope I don't have to to back to work too earlier even though I'm a workaholic - this is whipping me to a pulp - but we have to go up from here! My PT yesterday (an assistant ) said I was to do the exercise 5 times a day - I thought I heard her wrong - 3 times should be good enough but what do I know, The left side of my leg (muscles) is so sore I'm dying - I'm trying to press that quad too much - I moved the furniture (my friends did really( around in my living room and now I have a nice hard couch to do my exercise on but it is low and that is a little problem. tonight I think I will try to sleep in the bed I brought downstairs - I would like to thrown the lounge chair out of the windows right now. PT is 9 tomorrow - i'll see what happenes and I hope they don't show their disappointment as much as they did 2 days ago - it is hard to be positive if they aren't positive - a few of the assistants are great tough so i'll stick with them. At least I have the positivitiy of you both Midwest and Tamsmom- let me know when they say you can swim again - I guess it would depend on the healing rates of our incisionsl They never mentioned how much weight I should be using on my leg- you sure are getting more info than I am - also wonder why I'm not on stockings - another thing is I probably won't see my surgeon for the yearly visit - -maybe he would at least look at my xrays taken yesterday.

 

[midwest girl]

I'm horrible with doing home exercises. I only did a few today - a very few. I've learned now that too much sitting in my recliner with my leg extended is not a good thing. Pretty stiff & tight for flexion. Lesson learned. I'll probably pay for my laziness in PT tomorrow. :-(

It's been a weird day for me today. Operating on not much sleep at all. And I don't like when I get that way because I then get in that pity party funk. I think it's hard sometimes having to deal with this and living alone. It feels isolating. A lonely journey.

 

[Tamsmom]

When I first got the TED hose I hated them and they didn't roll or anything...they were just hard to get on by myself! I think I posted on Facebook what an accomplishment it was the first time I did it! But, I really feel they help with the swelling so I got used to them and didn't really mind them in the end at all. My husband bought them for me at a local pharmacy, I called ahead of time to make sure they had them and they fit great.

Are you stuck at that PT clinic? Shop if you can!

I have done aquatic therapy for over a month now and love it!

Hope you get to get in soon. My PT and dr just wanted the incision to be healed and I think for the first week or so the PT put this tagaderm tape on it and it was fine.


Tonight I asked my husband if my replacement made my knee look fat? Lol! Now what is my excuse for the rest of me! I have lost about 10# since surgery...


4/1/2014 TKR

 

[midwest girl]

Told my PT today that my OS wants me using the walker for 4 more weeks. I was to return to work on July 9th with that week only working 1/2 days. She said that I wouldn't be returning to work then. It will be another 2-4 wks before I'm cleared. Fine with me! Sent a text (actually it's the easiest way to get ahold of him) to my boss today telling him that and emphasizing that with the MCL repair things changed as far as PT & recovery. Haven't heard back yet, but I'm sure it won't be a problem.

 

[jbucks]

Tonight I asked my husband if my replacement made my knee look fat? Lol! Now what is my excuse for the rest of me! I have lost about 10# since surgery...

COngrats @Tamsmom that is great. keep up the good work

 

[Celle]

My PT yesterday (an assistant ) said I was to do the exercise 5 times a day - I thought I heard her wrong - 3 times should be good enough but what do I know, The left side of my leg (muscles) is so sore I'm dying - I'm trying to press that quad too much - I moved the furniture (my friends did really( around in my living room and now I have a nice hard couch to do my exercise on but it is low and that is a little problem. tonight I think I will try to sleep in the bed I brought downstairs - I would like to thrown the lounge chair out of the windows right now. PT is 9 tomorrow - i'll see what happenes and I hope they don't show their
disappointment as much as they did 2 days ago - it is hard to be positive if they aren't positive

@susanc
It's only a couple of weeks since your surgery and I think that you are trying to do too much. Don't tire yourself out trying to live up to your PT's expectations. Your main job right now is to let all your wounded tissues heal.

So, you should be spending most of your time resting, icing, elevating your leg, and taking your pain medications when they are due, in the doses prescribed. Any exercises you do should only be very gentle.

It's too soon to be worrying about strengthening exercises. Heal first, then strengthen. As you go about your daily activities, you will automatically recover some of your lost muscle tone anyway.

 

[Tamsmom]

Next week at PT will be the first time we work a building muscle and strength and I will be 9 weeks out!
Midwestgirl, the clinic I go to sees patients where you live!


4/1/2014 TKR