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Revision TKR Motherbone's Recovery Thread

I’m glad you finally have some closure in the path you are going to take. It sounds like you were looking at returning to a stress bomb which was not the environment your healing process needed. What a wonderful opportunity now to see what new doors will open when you are ready

I still have problems with calf cramps and have found magnesium helped me a lot during the bad months as well as hamstring massages and quad massages. The more I could get the opposite muscles to let go the easier the calf relaxed. As the muscles are getting stronger and my gait is more fluid and relaxed I don’t have them as often.

Hope tonight brings you lots of sleep filled with good dreams
 
Doing some gentle stretches before bed helped me with the overnight cramps. Also make sure you are well hydrated.
 
As long as your recovery satisfies you the rest can pound sand.
:)
It's hard to give up something we've done and enjoyed.
 
Motherbone wow what a come back...we're similar dates. Magnesium oil sprayed on your muscles should help. ...your muscles will be tight for a while as you now onto baby steps walking.....I'm still using a couple times a week ....takes a while to build up muscle again. Try spraying and rubbing on feet...supposed to help promote sleep
 
When I would get night cramps (foot or calf), I found a heating pad to do the trick of relaxing the muscle and lulling me back to sleep. Mine were due in part to a medication I am taking, Lipitor. It can cause nighttime muscle cramps. Taking regular vitamins (that magnesium, mostly) helps a lot. And if I get one, a heating pad.

I hope something amazing opens up for you as you change your career course. Opportunity can bring surprising changes our way.
 
Well, things are coming along here. @Kiwigirl62 i got some magnesium oil and am using it. So far no cramping. I'm staying out of the brace longer and I'm doing cane training. She wants me to use the cane in my left hand, which is the side opposite my injured knee. It feels awkward because I'm right handed. I'm working on my glutes which are pretty weak! Walking is the best for ROM and I was at 84 degrees this week, close to the goal of 90. We have gone out to dinner twice now and I managed the restaurant seating without issues. I still need to work on stamina. I still wonder what my optimal endpoint will be. Hoping my walking becomes a little less effortful. Tomorrow we go to my office to begin collecting personal items. I'll post an update later.

Hobble on! :tiredwheel:
 
I think it is customary to hold the cane on the opposite side that has the issue, at least that’s what my husband told me. I don’t know what the theory is.

It worked out great for me as I am right handed and had my left knee done. PT did not correct me when I used it in my right hand.

I agree, it would be very awkward holding the cane in my left hand.
 
The reason opposite hand is it makes your base wider. If you put it same side your weight shift goes to the outside and actually pulls you off balance. Opposite side puts the weight point over center still. Think of it as using crutches - the weight is split but your one semi good leg is now a crutch.

I actually prefer it in my left hand so my dominant hand is free. I’ve also been on a cane or crutches for almost 18mnths now so I’m sorta used to it. Will seem naked if the time comes I don’t need one. :scaredycat:
 
Thanks, @traceys that makes sense. I was thinking it might be balance related. But I know it would be an adjustment for me, bring right handed, if I had yo use the cane in my left hand.

I have never used crutches, thankfully. I’m sure I’d fall with them and hurt myself badly. I’ll take a walker any day if I should need that kind of support again!
 
I tried to use crutches when I broke my foot/ankle. It was a disaster. I am no when near strong or coordinated enough for them!
 
I'm thinking about getting forearm crutches and using one instead of the cane. @traceys thanks for the explanation, the physics of it makes sense and might help me use the cane more effectively. I once had to use conventional underarm crutches and they wrecked my shoulders and wrists.

I know that yesterday I said we were cleaning out my office tomorrow. I got my days mixed up. We go tomorrow which is Monday. We didn't go today!
 
@Motherbone
I have used both types of crutches and they are veerrryyyy different.
The underarm are much more stable and you can easily go non weightbearing on them.
The forearm crutches are basically a long cane for stability only. I found them a huge help bridging from crutches to cane.
There is also a big diff in cane types too that may make a diff for you. The ones that look like candy canes actually have your hand not over the pressure point and when you push down it’s easier to be off balance and the cane to wiggle. The ones that have your hand directly over the shaft with that sharp V bend at the top put it so you are pressing right thru the shaft to ground and are sturdier. Put in a multipoint base like the HurryCane and way better yet.
 
@Motherbone i found the forearm crutches more stable than a cane. Like you i could not believe the muscle loss that happened post surgery....talk about climb back from the bottom....but it does happen and all of a sudden you will get traction in your improvement
 
Well, we finished clearing personal items out of my office and all that's left is to turn in laptop and company phone next week, with last day being February 22nd. I'm feeling better about the decision and appreciate all the emotional support and encouragement that everyone has shown me online here. You have kept me mindful of the fact that I am moving on to my next act and not just saying goodbye to the latest one. Now I can focus totally on rehabbing myself. They want to have a going away party for me so there's some fun to look forward to.

I've experienced more stiffness in my knee the more I use it but I'm persisting and icing at night, which helps. I didn't really reach the stage of using the knee post tKR before my kneecap broke so I guess I'm just catching up to everyone else's experience now. I've spent less time in the brace but I still use it when going out and about. I know I need to let go of it eventually and I think it might be contributing to the stiffness, but sometimes my right leg just doesn't seem very dependable. My PT thinks there is some fluid on the knee laterally and a little behind the joint. It feels really good when she massages those areas, LOL. I may need to investigate regular massages for my neck, shoulders, and lower back as well. I must have been a cat in a previous life because i love to be rubbed!
 
:loveshwr:

Congrats on your new freedom! You are now classed as “free range”!

Keep up the great work
 
Thursday we started stair training in PT. Wow, my legs are as weak as kittens, I could barely do one stair! I still have a sense of the knee buckling when I try to bear weight on it while bending it, which is a scary feeling. On the plus side, I've been tooling around the kitchen more and staying out of the brace unless I'm going somewhere where I think the ground might be uneven. Night time cramps in my calves returned last night, darn it. When they start, the only thing that brings them to a halt is standing up, which of course breaks my sleep. I continue to have a lot of stiffness in the knee as well. I see my rheumatologist Monday and I guess we will have a discussion about going back on the biologicals for rheumatoid arthritis. I didn't have the markedly positive response to that class of meds which I've seen others report and I'm thinking about not resuming them but I'll reserve the decision for after I talk with her. Hope everyone is doing ok.
 
Come on! You got this!! Steps were so scary for me until my pt made me try them and I kept thinking “swan dive. Down I go!” You are turning so many great corners lately.
:happydance:
And those pesky cramps may be the muscles freaking out with being used more now. Eventually they will tire of not getting as much attention and run away

Keep going!!
 
My rheumatologist is concerned that low bone density contributed to my kneecap fracture and ordered a bone density test. She also drew blood for inflammatory markers. The decision to resume biologicals will hinge on the results. Meanwhile, I have stayed out of the brace for the past three days and I am using activities of daily life as my rehab exercises, walking, up and down from chairs, and hobbling with my cane a little. I also ordered a set of forearm crutches to see if I feel more stable with one on my left arm instead of the cane. @traceys thanks for the moral support. I'll tackle a stair tomorrow!
 
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