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

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Hmm, guess you have to go to a therapist you trust no matter the distance!! I love my therapist! Very encouraging and positive!!
 
Oh, I see them here in GI! Just letting you know of options, glad you have a good relationship with yours also...I can't imagine dreading PT because of the therapist! This is tough enough when everything is running smoothly.


4/1/2014 TKR
 
Yep! Love my therapist, love the facility. I don't dread going to PT at all. If I do it's because I've done something stupid - like keeping my leg extended for the majority of the day - not realizing that it may make my therapy more challenging. Just things I learn along the way. Nope, I have a great relationship with the staff, so much so that while I was in the hospital I received flowers from the therapy staff. Very unexpected and kind gesture!
 
Question: is everyone faithful with doing their exercises at home? I'm suppose to being doing them twice a day and I don't even do all of them once a day. When I'm at the table eating meals I work in my flexion and I feel like I'm always lifting my leg for various things. I'm just wondering if I'm slowing my progress by not faithfully doing exercises outside of PT.
 
I was at the beginning, for about 4 weeks...now not so much.


4/1/2014 TKR
 
Just laying here in bed icing the knee and waiting for 2:00am to roll around. Went to bed at 12:50 and didn't see the point in going to sleep just to have my alarm go off in an hour to remind me to take meds. So to pass time I'm doing a little reading, surfing the web, thinking. And still amazed how the tears can instantly flow if I let my mind wander to a pity party. I may say close enough on the time and take my meds 30 min early. And hopefully get some sleep.
 
Exercise? What's that?:chinstroke: Seriously, I flex and straighten a few times before getting up in the morning. After that I consider my regular activity to be exercise. Works for me. :)

Sure hope you were able to get some sleep. I remember well those non-sleep nights. Not fun.
 
The first couple of weeks I did some of the more basic exercises but not as many nor as often as recommended. At my check up last week (10+weeks post op) my OS said he couldn't be more pleased with where I am in my recovery.
 
I find it interesting, sometimes discouraging or sometimes frustrating that when you mention you can't go here or there or do such and such because either it is too painful to keep my leg down that long or that it just wears me out that people don't believe you. When I say it takes 2 hours to shower and get ready in the morning just to go to PT that it really does take that long because every little thing drains you and you have to take all these little breaks. Or they ask how come you are making these quick meals like sandwiches or a microwave meal. Umm - because I'm on restricted weight bearing and use a walker and my left leg tires pretty fast when you're putting the majority of your weight on it. I make what's fast and easy. I can just sense that they are mentally rolling their eyes at you. Like they think I'm weak or being dramatic or I'm being a baby about it. I'm not even 4 weeks out from surgery and people just expect alot. They are just clueless to what this surgery entails. I'm glad I found this sight and know that what I'm going through is normal. That is my rant for the week. :) I've having an upset stomach all day. Taking an alka seltzer before bed - which usually calms it down. Going to hold off on meds as long as I can to let my stomach calm down. Hopefully that won't be a bad decision.
 
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Tomorrow (6/3) the weather channel is predicting severe weather for us, 70% chance of a tornado. They've already got their tornado tracker vehicles here. I live in a house with no basement but then thought of maybe going to a friends house. But then it occurred to me how do I get down a whole staircase that is carpeted and has no handrail and without putting more then 50% weight on my knee. And I was at PT today and didn't even think to ask her. So I emailed her. She emailed back and gave me detailed instructions on how to do that. And this is one of the reasons why I really like my therapist! That I just gave the availability to email questions and she always emails back, usually that day. Always a good idea to be prepared!
 
We will hunker down together! Yep weather channel is all over town. 34 years ago tomorrow June 3, 1980, when my community and home I grew up in were hit by5-7 tornados....it was a Tuesday.

I think peoples attention spans are so short anymore that anything that takes more than a few weeks to recover from they lose compassion and interest. I just always explain even my orthopedic surgeon calls the surgery barbaric! That usually takes them back for a minute and then asks oh what can I do for you?




4/1/2014 TKR
 
The nerves from the incision must be starting to heal because they are on fire!!! Just the littlest thing that touches them in the right spot - like sheets - gives you a good zing! Something new everyday!!!!
 
I hated that feeling, such a strange one in my opinion. I put a big band aid on it at night and I have read where some people use the cling wrap.

Stay safe tomorrow. Loved the feeling of working hard at PT today but at 1 am, I am paying for it...


4/1/2014 TKR
 
Nope still here. We really didn't get anything. Just some strong outflow winds around 8:00. It still was a miserable day for me. Even though I take miralax everyday, I have hit that slowing down that my dr told me could happen and now I'm dealing with constipation again. Took a dulcolax at bedtime and am hoping things start moving again. Also had a vomiting episode today. I'm pretty sure due to the pain meds. My last Percocet was at 6:00 am and I didn't take anything again until around 5:00 I took 2 Tylenol. And I'm being daring again and just took a Percocet. I'm just in pain. Getting ready to put ice back on my knee and hoping I get some sleep and that tomorrow is a good day!
 
I see you posted earlier...how are you doing tonight? I so hope you are getting some relief...I am sorry you are having such a difficult time getting your body to work with and not against the pain meds, it must be awful.


4/1/2014 TKR
 
Josephine said:
It's quite easy to manage your constipation - don't let it happen in the first place! I took Fybrogel every night in the first 2-3 weeks with good effect. Or there are plenty of alternatives in here Constipation and stool softeners, I understand the "Power Pudding" is very effective!
Click to expand...
Hi Jo .... When can we start the stool softeners? Before surgery date? Or right after? I agree with you, I want to jump start them... thanks
 
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@Tamsmom I'm doing so much better today then the last 2 days. Had an intolerance to the pain meds again with vomiting and constipation, despite using miralax everyday. And I think a lot of the problem with the constipation is that I'm just not active enough and I'm not drinking enough water. I think I'm done with the Rx pain meds. I just can't go through that again for a 3rd time. I've had nothing but Tylenol since Tuesday night and then that was only 1250mg at about 3:00am this morning. Today I went for 2 walks, one this morning & one this evening. Walking outside has ruined my guide caps on the back legs of my walker so I'm going to have to come up with something more durable for outside. PT is still going well and I made it through just fine without taking any pain meds before therapy. Today I've gotten along just fine for pain relief with just using ice and biofreeze. But as I lay here in bed I'm afraid I'm going to have to take some Tylenol. If I can get by doing that, Tylenol at bedtime and icing during the day, I will be happy. And as I become more active and if the Tylenol doesn't cut it I MAY take a tramadol now & then. And what's interesting is that it's not always my knee that hurts, most if the time it's the entire leg. I know it's all related but you just don't think of your feet or shin hurting because of TKA.

Today I also attempted to drive!!! I got the ok from my PT to give it a try. Getting in and out was probably the most challenging but I managed. It was just such a mood lifter to now know that I can leave my house and go somewhere else besides PT. Also tomorrow I start pool therapy. I'll be doing that every Friday. And my therapist says I'm going to love it. Therapy is going well, improving every session. Trying to do the best we can with my MCL limitations. But next week is the last week at 50% and so we will be trying some new things. And despite doing all the leg strengthening my knee still feels shaky sometimes. It will be interesting to see how it feels when I'm standing & walking in the pool without the support of my walker.
 
You sound so much better tonight! Although I can't imagine using only Tylenol just at night for pain relief, I can't imagine getting as sick as you have from the meds either.

You will love the water...just don't over do!

The whole leg pain is real, I remember it well. It goes away and you will be left with a tight, slightly burning feeling on the knee, that is how it is for me. That is until I over exercised and my hip hurts!


4/1/2014 TKR
 
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