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

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Work went fine. Glad it was only till noon. Had PT this afternoon too. Tonight I'm icing/elevating and hoping I sleep really well tonight. I'm exhausted but want to try and wait until at least 9:00 hoping that I'll sleep all night.
 
I don't know about that! Tonight I'm feeling far from normal. :)
 
I saw a man in PT yesterday get to a 142 flexion. Guess it pays to have really skinny legs! Ha!
 
Back to work Day 2 - this is harder than I thought it would be. Woke up this morning in pain and knee swollen. Drove to & from work with ice on my knee. Despite taking pain meds this morning I just couldn't shake the pain & achiness. And just feeling exhausted. Only working 1/2 days and yet today found myself watching the clock. Got home ate a quick lunch and took pain meds 1/2 hr earlier than I was suppose to and went to bed. Limited my sleep to 1 hr 15 min. Woke up and I'm feeling great! Yesterday in PT she measured my flexion and I had lost a few degrees, which she said is perfectly normal when you start back to work. I feel like I've regressed by a month. Can't imagine working full days next week. But this is only Tuesday, so I'm hoping it will get easier as the week goes on.
 
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It's Friday!!! Made it through my first week back at work. A lot harder than I thought it would be - and that was only working half days!! I don't know how I'm going to make it through an 8 hour day. I told my boss today that I may have to do half days next week too. He just looked at me as if I was joking. My leave is approved thru August 1st so I think I will take advantage of that and decide each day if I can make it 8 hrs or not. My knee has been swollen all week and today the swelling extended into my calf and ankle. In part because I was on my feet more today and because of the heat. And my left knee is hurting too. In PT today when she measured my flexion it was down. I don't remember if she even told me the number. I think it was 125?? She hadn't been able to get it over 127 all week and that's with her pushing it. Just last week I was 131. She says this is all normal just because of going back to work, etc. She said with the weekend the swelling should go down and it will be better Monday. But I don't see how. Working 8 hrs I would think it would swell right up. Today I woke up with both knees hurting and it just brought me to tears. The pain I was having in my knee was identical to the pain in my left knee. And even though I know there is absolutely no bone on bone pain in my right knee, that's what it felt like. My therapist just keeps reminding me that pain is a funny thing in how the brain perceives it. I got home, took meds and laid down for a nap. I know that you should never put heat on swollen knees but I needed some relief after laying there 2 hours of throbbing pain. I put a heating pad on my left knee and a moist heat pack on my right knee and it was almost instant relief! Aww!!! Today has been a discouraging day for me I think because it just felt like I had regressed by a month. Every day was filled with pain. Last week I was barely having any. Even for meds - I have been able to control my pain with just taking Tylenol/tramadol 2-3 times a day, but usually just in the morning and at bedtime. This week I've been taking it every 6 hrs and at bedtime I'm taking Percocet. And in the midst of all of this I've had several other things flair up - my De Quervains syndrome - which is an inflamed nerve in the wrist, which is painful, and I've had a flare-up of Divirticulitis. Today has had tears and discouragement. I think it all just came to a head today. And tears are just a way to release that frustration. Well I think it's time for bed. I've iced both knees all evening so I hope I'm good for the night!
 
Going back to work is hard on a new knee. Use the weekend to rest and ice. I think you're right to try to ease back as much as your boss lets you.
 
I hate being perceived as weak or that I can't tolerate pain. Which I've never thought of myself that way. I just think that working with people who don't understand can sometimes take a toll on you.
 
I don't think anyone could understand how hard and painful this surgery is unless they have had it. I know nothing I had could compare to this recovery and mine went pretty well. It does get better but it is hard when you first go back to work. I hope it gets better for you soon!
 
Just remember - you can't fix stupid! Lol.

I hope you settle back into a routine soon. I go back Thursday and Friday for a few hours and then half days next week.
 
Thanks! This week is much better than last week but today I only worked 5 hrs. I find that my knees get so stiff. And they start out that way before I even get in the building from the 20 mile commute. Yes, people don't have a clue and they just look at you like you're crazy or a wimp. From now on I'm just going to say I'm fine. Tomorrow & Thursday I'll just try and work the full 8 hours. Friday I'm taking off for a wedding. After that it will be full time work with no anticipated days off for awhile. It's hard enough dealing with the physical but when you have the mental mind games to deal with. In people's mind - 11 weeks out I should be doing great!!! Which I was, until I started back to work. Oh well, enough whining for today. It's my issue and I'm just going to have to suck it up.
 
midwest girl said:
Work went fine. Glad it was only till noon. Had PT this
afternoon too.
Click to expand...

midwest girl said:
Back to work Day 2 - this is harder than I thought it would be. Woke up this morning in pain and knee swollen.
Click to expand...

midwest girl said:
In PT today when she measured my flexion it was down. I don't remember if she even told me the number. I think it was 125?? She hadn't been able to get it over 127 all week and that's with her pushing it. Just last week I was 131. She says this is all normal just because of going
back to work, etc.
Click to expand...

Your therapist is correct when she says that it is normal to have some loss of ROM with going back to work.

But you should not be going to PT at all on the days that you work. With just ordinary moving about, getting ready for work, travelling to and from work, and whatever you do at work, your knee has more than enough activity. And it is reacting by getting stiff, swollen and sore. It's giving you a message, my dear. Please listen to it. On the days that you go to work, all you should do when you get home is the absolute minimum - except for lots of resting, elevating and icing.

In fact, with the ROM and mobility that you have, and all your other activity, I have to wonder why you are going to PT at all.

Do remember the BoneSmart mantra:
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!

I've put in bold letters the things that especially apply to you. You should not allow your therapist to push your knee to get ROM.

It's still less than three months since your surgery. Ease off, my dear, and give your knee a break.
 
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I know EXACTLY how you feel. I am at work about 4 hours a stretch with a 30 minute commute. The drive is none too comfortable, and then the fidgeting in the chair whilst one is working!! I bring ice packs, pillows, and alternately elevate, bend and walk. Happy to be only a part time freelancer, not sure how I would make it through 8 hours. I would have to nap on a couch with my leg up for lunch!!!
 
Week 12 post op and week 3 back at work with this week working full 8 hour days. Still icing, still have achiness and some stiffness, still have energy drains. Otherwise my knee is doing good!! Last week with the increased hours of work I developed edema in my right leg. Bad enough that my doctor had me use a diuretic. Worked like a charm and haven't had much of an issue with it this week, but I've also not been on my feet as much this week at work (so far anyway). I have my 3 month follow-up visit with my OS next Friday and that will probably be my last follow-up with him. I will be talking to him though about my left knee and the restrictions for my new right knee. Obviously we want to wait as long as we can to have the left knee replaced, but I want to know how long is too long. Also want to know about cortisone injections. I've already had quite a few in this knee and want to know how many is too many of those. Does it affect the ligaments? weakens them? Overall I have no complaints and no regrets! Looking forward to months down the road when I don't even think about my TKA knee.
 
I had cortisone injections every three months for nearly 7 years. I was told that I could have them that often until the stopped working for me. :) sounds like your are doing well!!!
 
Right TKA 3 months old today! Doing pretty good. No problems with flexion or extension. Still have stiffness on rising and some tendon pain on rising. Its kind of funny because my knees have developed a repetitive pattern of a popping sound when rising from a seated position - 2 pops in the left and then 1 in the right - almost every time! Swelling is way down but if I do too much it will swell right up. Nothing that a little icing can't take care of. Still have issues with standing stamina but that is improving each week. The only big challenge I'm still having is steps. Climbing is ok - just ok - but I have to use the handrails. But the descending - still pretty painful on the patellar tendon. But I'm sure with time, I will master those too! I still take 1000 mg Tylenol + tramadol once a day maybe twice and some days Tylenol only. I know that I still have months of healing yet to do but overall I'm pretty happy with my new knee. Cant wait to get my other knee replaced! My OS wants me to wait as long as I can. He thinks at least another 3 years. But I have noticed that through this recovery my left knee has taken a beating. I have my 3 month follow-up appointment with my surgeon on Friday, and if all is good that should be my last post-op visit!
 
It sounds like you're doing just fine. The swelling and kneecap discomfort are both pretty common and can continue for a while. Likewise with the popping noises. Fortunately for most people that all goes away with time. But be prepared....it can be a year or more for some things. It seems crazy, but this can be a very long journey to complete recovery! Patience is key. And it sounds like you've got that under control!!!
 
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