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Revision TKR Motherbone's Recovery Thread

Extremely pushy, who calls on Christmas Day for such a thing. You did well to get him out of your life so quickly!
 
Pushy? Beyond!
You definitely did the right thing. My first pt was a big, hospital affiliated place. Which I ditched after 2 sessions.
The new place is small, independently owned and very personalized to your recovery.
 
Glad to read I am not the only person who finds a 9:15 AM appointment repulsive. And yes, i agree, it takes a long time to get ready for anything after two major knee surgeries. I am more efficient with transfers and showering now, but I still need 45" for a shower and an hour if I also wash my hair; not all of that is time in the water, preparing, wrapping and unwrapping the knee immobilizer, drying, hobbling, etc., all take lots of time. Add dressing, makeup, struggling with my brace and with getting into clothes with it, and I need two hours from start to being door-ready! I sure hope it gets better over time.
 
A while back I purchased something on amazon called an evenup. It is a whole shoe sole sized elevator that straps onto the bottom of your shoe. It has two layers so the height can be customized to some extent. It is marketed as a device that levels your legs when one is longer than the other because of being immobilized in a brace. What an amazing difference it made in my walking. My pelvis doesn't rock back and forth because of my leg length differences, and I can just put one foot in front of the other without hip pain. I still need work on the muscles that maintain an erect torso stance but this thing has really helped. I ordered another one for the only other pair of shoes that I can wear right now. If I could only also get rid of the intermittent leg cramps that have bedeviled me for the past several nights! I go for my PT evaluation tomorrow so I will report back then.

We had a quiet New Years. Here's to better times in 2019! :loveshwr:
 
Had to reschedule my PT evaluation because of bad weather, so I'll be reporting tomorrow instead.
 
My PT evaluation went well. It's a small all female private practice, most have their doctorates. They were very supportive and I felt that I would be able to be in charge of saying no when I felt uneasy or uncomfortable. The therapist watched me walk and gave me input about what to focus on in my gait. She also gave a few pointers on actions and exercises to wake up the muscles, as she put it. When evaluating my current range of motion I reached 45 degrees on my own with heel slides. She did not "assist" with flexion in any way. The goal is 90 degrees so I'm halfway there. I still have good extension. Where I lag mournfully behind is in standing upright. My back has always been a problem child and three months of activity restriction has only worsened the problem. We will have to work on it. What I also have to accustom myself to is the fact that I have to walk mindfully and think about my form with every step I take. Gone are the days of walking upright heel to toe, foot over foot, effortlessly and without conscious thought. I do hope I can get some of that back, though. They have a portal that I can access to review videos of the exercises. She told me to allow a day in between exercise for now, which is different from what other therapists have said in the past, but it's consistent with what I understand body builders do, allowing recovery in between workouts. I did feel a little sore at bedtime but it was gone this morning. She warned me about this while saying that I should not be in a lot of pain, and she recommended ice if necessary. I was already in bed when I realized the feeling, which was also one of inexplicable itching just under the skin, so I didn't get up and I eventually fell asleep anyway. I'm scheduled for twice a week. Hoping first impressions are lasting impressions!
 
What a really good post! I hope the PT continues to be good.
 
Motherbone said:
I've noticed that sometimes I have a lot of anxiety about leaving the house
Click to expand...
I felt like this too after my accident, but it was really only about going out by myself...or being home by myself! What if i fell?? I cant get up!!!
Thankfully i was able to have a good chat to myself:console2:
Luckily it didnt last too long and i can go anywhere, have even braved some serious holiday crowds.
Maybe tho, i might have chickened out then, if i was alone:scary:
 
Another milestone happened this weekend. I cooked parts of dinner last night and tonight. I got a rollator that lets me sit and work at the kitchen table or counter. I still hobble, it was a bit arduous, and I didn't do the whole meal, yet it was still a happy thing for me!
 
All those baby steps add up to a big step! I know it felt so good to get back into cooking! Good job!
 
Well, just completed my first week of PT. So different from the other experiences. In my history of PT I was never provided tens or ultrasound and only once in ten years did I ever receive therapeutic massage. After one week I've had all three, not to mention supervised exercise movements. None of that practice of assigning me a set of fifteen reps of an exercise and walking away while I did it. Exercises seem to be well thought out and adapted to my abilities and limitations. I am already walking a little better though I clearly have a ways to go. I like that their focus is as much on my hip and back functioning during gait, as it is on my knees. And they have given some attention to the unoperated knee and its limitations as well. I'm going twice a week and the experience has motivated me to keep up with the simple assignments given in between appointments.

I'm planning a stir fry for dinner this weekend. I figure I can do one meal a week and work up to more!
 
I'm really glad that your PT therapists are working on an individual recovery plan for you.
It all sounds very positive.
 
Things seem to be progressing. Following the plan of advancing flexion by ten degrees every week, I set my brace to 60 degrees of flexion yesterday and all of a sudden my gait feels more natural. Interestingly, I find I have more ease of flexion when walking than when I try to do prescribed heel slides. I've just about decided to abandon the heel slides; they feel artificially forced. One thing that has troubled me is a sensation of itching under the skin along parts of my healed scar. Anyone experienced this? What might it signify? I've dealt with it by smoothing lidocaine cream over the area, which seems to help. There is a lot of firm scar tissue under the skin that I guess formed because the incision was opened twice. I can feel it pulling on flexing. PT has wanted to do more massage there but I'm not sure that would be ok with my surgeon so I'm going to ask him at our next appointment. Oh, one more milestone: since I can bend the knee more, I was able to sit in a regular chair at the supper table tonight instead of the wheelchair with the leg extension. I still needed help to get up but it sure felt great!
 
I’m so glad you’re coming along well! Yay for sitting at the table not in your wheelchair!

It was a very long time before I was comfortable at the table with my feet on the floor. I kept a small pillow for under my foot, as even a couple of inches of height made my knee more comfortable.

I still have less of a bend when laying down as compared to sitting on a chair.
 
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@Motherbone
I have been reading your thread for a bit and tonight for some reason it brought me to tears. I want to thank you for being so open on some of your fears and emotions. :console2:

While your recovery has had some tragic moments there are parts I read and stopped as they mirrored my struggles and fears about the future and daily challenges.
I just wanted you to know that you are making a difference - even without knowing it.

Thanks
 
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