TKR Mireille's RTKR 4 months

But the strange thing is that I had read BoneSmart for hours but can't read a book. Go figure. That's probably more ADD than it is surgery
 
Its interesting that, as I'm now scheduled for a MUA on Friday, I've done no PT since before Christmas (PT said they couldn't do anything more for me). However, although my ROM is absolutely stuck at about 50, my knee feels so much better. It seems to me that a lot of healing has taken place over the past few weeks. I'm braced for a painful time after the MUA but I already have appts booked with a good PT. I'll be taking it easy though -that definitely seems to help.
 
@nancyjo thanks for the suggestions. I couldn't do squats even if I wanted, lol. I couldn't do those before so no loss there . I'll keep doing the gentle stuff. My OT PT starts Wednesday and I'll see how that goes. Thanks again!

@mbrown yeah, may be ADD cause I can also read bonesmart for hours too. Go figure.

@Spex10 Best of luck to you on the MUA. Keep taking it easy and listen to your body. Only time will heal. When I'm having a bad day, I try to think about better days ahead. Doesn't always work but hey, I try
 
I'm having issues with Metlife short term disability who seems to think I should go back to work 4 weeks post op. I still take narcotics on a regular basis for the pain, I can't sit or stand for any extended amounts. I can't even do "normal" things yet. Has anybody had any experience with this type of problem? FMLA will kick in but I won't get paid. My doctor is requesting an extension. I think it's ridiculous even if I have a sedentary job. I can't even drive yet and FL doesn't have an extensive public transportation system. Ugh...like I don't have enough things to worry about with this knee.
 
I think your surgeon should be able to sort this out. it's probably not the first and it won't be the last time that surgeons have had to certify that a person is not yet fit to return to work.
 
:hi:
I hope everyone is having a good knee day! Today is my 4 week "Newkneeversary" and I had my 1st outpatient physical therapy today and it went well. Gentle stretching, gentle quad massage. I was put on the TENS unit with Rushing (new to me) while doing quad sets at the same time. It was not tons of fun but it actually felt good in a weird way to get my quads fired up. It actually made me feel better. No pushing on my knee, no squats. Didn't take pain meds before going and knee is doing well. A bit stiff but went home, elevated and iced. So far so good. Of course they gave me homework but I'm not doing it today. I think PT was enough for the day. Will see how I feel tomorrow. I don't post much but I read a lot of Bonesmarties posts and everyone's experiences are a great source of knowledge and encouragement. Deepest thanks for being there for me!

BTW, I actually found that using ice from my icemaker, putting it in a extra large zip lock bag, then in a pillowcase is a wonderful way to ice my knee, especially while sleeping. The ice lasts longer than my gel packs and it molds nicely around my knee. My tip of the day, lol
:ice:
 
Still have pesky glue and black is from the marker, can't wait to see it without any of that, lol
 

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Your knee's looking good, though.

Have another look at your pillows and, if you can, try to get them like this, so that they support your whole leg.
pillow-stack-jpg.32383

The ones in the second photo are pinned together, so they don't slip around.
pinned-pillows-jpg.53214
 
Thanks @Celle I've looked at that so many times and now when you mention it, I realize that my feet dangle at the end. :flabber: Will make the adjustment. Thanks again!

It's been a good day. Don't have to deal with disability insurance anymore, will be working from home starting Monday until I return to work in March. Pretty happy about that. :dancy:
 
So happy PT was gentle with you and that work is no longer a concern!
 
Thanks @KarriB both the PT and work situation help relieve some of the stress of this whole ordeal. Entire focus is on getting better. Have a great day!
 
@Mireille, your leg looks good!

I have nothing new to add - just that my surgeon and PT both advocate doing next to nothing other than ice and elevation for the first 3-4 weeks - they say pain and swelling control come first. Your knee definitely still has some swelling, so I bet as that goes down, everything else will fall in place.

I, too, couldn't figure out what to do with my time (still can't LOL).... But I've learned to just take it minute by minute and commit myself to not getting up to do too much... Otherwise, that pesky swelling comes back!

Good luck!
 
Thanks @L.I.T I'm feeling yesterday's activity today. Pain and stiffness. Resting, elevating and icing today. I'm tired of the roller coaster ride. I have therapy again tomorrow. To be honest, I'm a little stressed and worried that I'll never get back to normal again. I know it's only been 4 weeks but I can't help feeling this way.
 
@Mireille, I know what you mean! My PT is completely gentle, and we don't do anything strenuous... But I still spend an entire 24+ hours trying to get the after-swelling and pain under control. I think some of us are just more prone to these things. I know before my surgery, even 1 hr of water aerobics would cause my knee to swell.

You are going to be fine - we all are going to be fine. I have had about 30 people all tell me they were so glad that they did it - and would do it again. So hang on to that... Because if they all went through this, but would be willing to do it again, it must be worth it!

Keep on keepin' on. Take it an hour at a time (or a minute at a time b/c this has been the longest 3 weeks I've had since I got divorced 12 years ago :oyvey:).... And eventually, we'll end up on the good side of all this. Hugs!
 
I'm tired of the roller coaster ride. I have therapy again tomorrow. To be honest, I'm a little stressed and worried that I'll never get back to normal again. I know it's only been 4 weeks but I can't help feeling this way.
4 weeks is right in the middle of the angry tissue stage. It's hard, because your mind says you ought to be feeling much better, but your knee says "Not yet, my friend."
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)

You will get back to normal. There will come a day when you forget about The Knee.

This recovery does take a long time, and it's a huge test of patience, but it is well worth being patient.
 
Be sure that you aren't over doing things right now, especially when you want to be "normal". It's easy to think you can do more than you should.
 
Well, today was OP PT #2. Mixed emotions. It went relatively well but I did cry while my leg hung from the table at a slight angle. It was short and I got over it quickly. Went on to other exercises without any excessive pain or crying. Then got iced and walked out feeling ok. My ROM is 70, extension is 3 @ 4 weeks out. Feels like I'm so slow....

I had internal stitches and glue on the outside. One of the internal stitches is sticking out a bit, she said it was normal and not to worry about it. What are your thoughts?

Once I got home from therapy, I went out into my garden and watered my plants. Took a pill, now resting, elevating and icing.

Hope you're all having a nice day!
 
Well, today was OP PT #2. Mixed emotions. It went relatively well but I did cry while my leg hung from the table at a slight angle. It was short and I got over it quickly. Went on to other exercises without any excessive pain or crying. Then got iced and walked out feeling ok. My ROM is 70, extension is 3 @ 4 weeks out. Feels like I'm so slow....
If the exercise with your leg hanging over the table made you cry, don't do it again.
You should never feel pain with any exercise. No pain at all. If it hurts, don't do it.
Discomfort is OK, but pain is not, because it upsets and irritates your tissues that are trying to heal. They then get more swollen, which could slow down your recovery.

Don't worry about your ROM. It will improve gradually, as you heal and your swelling goes down. It might even be that doing exercises that hurt has already slowed down your ROM.
It's not exercising that gets you your ROM, it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen so it can show itself.

ROM can continue to improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR, so there's no need to rush.
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
One of the internal stitches is sticking out a bit, she said it was normal and not to worry about it. What are your thoughts?
I'd leave it alone. Tell your surgeon - will you be seeing him again any time soon?
You shouldn't cut the stitch or try to pull it out. If it's cut, that needs to be done with sterile scissors, preferably at the surgery.
 
I had TKR in November 2016. I did some pt for the first few weeks after surgery. I could never understand why you would exercise a leg that just had major surgery. When I backed off the pt the swelling went down. I'm on week 9 of post surgery and do a lot of walking. I can now see light at the end of the tunnel! It will get better, patience patience patience.
 
@Celle You're so right. I'm so afraid of not recuperating if I don't follow my PT's advice. I should know better after reading the mantras and other people's experiences. I'm a pretty assertive and confident person so I don't know why it's so hard to just say NO.

I see my OS on 1/25 but I'm going to call on Monday to move my appointment up a bit. PT told me not to pull or do anything to that stitch It would just fall out on its own.

Thanks for the reaffirmation of saying NO and encouragement!
 

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