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MsBlue
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Unfortunately, neither was mine. Next time I'm just sending husband with a list!
Bilateral TKR Ms Blue's recovery
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MsBlue
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Hubby - although he is going to work 4AM to noon. The dog walker will be in around 9 or 10. The neighbors are home too, so they'll be here if I need them.
Braunzie
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Yup. Your body is using ALL available resources to heal, leaving you with very little extra. This is good, please listen to it. Remember the mantra? There's this line
- If you won't die if it's not done, don't do it; if you must do it, short and sweet, not hours on your feet.
Don't feel guilty about this, your body is attempting to recover, it's not so easy.
Sit in the back, across the seat?
jbrooklyn
senior
Ms. Blue--Just caught up with your thread. Welcome home, and sounds like you are doing great. Take it as easy as possible--that is what your knees will like best, and that's the quickest way back to doing all the things you want to do. Doesn't it feel great to be at home and not to have to ask for everything? I hope you are sleeping okay, and enjoying a little peace and quiet in your own home. Sitting in the back seat of car with legs out, or putting the seat back so you are more flat are possible ways to feel more comfy in the car--also really like the idea of sending your man out with a list. Getting out does help the state of mind, but taking it easy helps the state of knee, right? Always a balance. Anyhow, great to read all about your rehab so far. I have you on "follow" but have not been getting alerts, so there was a lot to catch up on. Your sense of humor and liveliness come through all your posts. Have a good day. 
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MsBlue
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YAY! I just took a shower. We have a heavy plexiglass low stool that I can use as a shower chair. I also picked up a tip from the rehab hospital - I put a large towel in the bottom of the tub to provide "grip" for the stool and for my feet and a small towel over the seat of the plexi stool so that I wouldn't slip off of it. Worked great!
I'm so clean
But it was an effort, so I'm glad it's almost time for bed again.
I'm so clean
But it was an effort, so I'm glad it's almost time for bed again.
LHop
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My husband has a new name for me "One and Done" meaning I can do about 1 thing; one store, one meal, one errand and I'm done. I agree, even sitting in the car isn't easy because your knees have to be bent.
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MsBlue
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Today is two weeks. Pre-surgery I could not conceptualize this far out - what it would be like, feel like, and what sort of state I would be in. Now that I am here, I am bored with sitting and laying down. The back of my heels hurt because my feet are always up. The dog walker came a while ago, and I grabbed my canes and went out and walked with her. I could not bear one more minute in the house.
It's OK though, and I am taking heart from all the posts where people kind of hit a wall at two weeks. I know this boredom / frustration is natural. I'm trying to focus instead on being two weeks closer to being done with the healing phase.
It's OK though, and I am taking heart from all the posts where people kind of hit a wall at two weeks. I know this boredom / frustration is natural. I'm trying to focus instead on being two weeks closer to being done with the healing phase.
jbrooklyn
senior
Ms. Blue, you are singing my tune. One of the very pleasant surprises for me personally has been that walking around the neighborhood, short distances, is very doable. Being able to walk the dog is just great. But the slow-mo improvements with everything else, while definitely expected, are harder to handle. We just have to understand that it's finite, and that each passing month we will be able to do much more. Meanwhile, I am playing a ton of Candy Crush Soda Saga, and getting money's worth from Netflix! What are you doing to pass the time?
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Having energy left over is good, I was a zombie at two weeks. If your knees don't swell up over the next day or so that'll show that you're ready to take walks. If they do, it's a signal to slow back down again.
Watch telly, relax, take it easy.
Watch telly, relax, take it easy.
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MsBlue
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I went to outpatient PT this afternoon for the first time since leaving the rehab hospital 6 days ago. I did continue doing my rehab PT exercises at home, but felt like I was getting tighter and stiffer the whole time. That was borne out by my ROM measures at the new PT. I was over 100 L and 90 R when measured at rehab last Friday. Today my measures were at 87 L and 81 R. To say I am disappointed would be a massive understatement of how I am feeling right now. I am trying to find reasons for it, but reasons probably don't matter. For instance, I walk quite a bit more at home, and that may be one reason why I am stiffer. I also had a long walk all over the hospital to find the PT area, and that did not get my session off to the right start.
I chose a well regarded hospital program for PT, and I am really rethinking it now. First, it took them almost a week to get me in for evaluation. I thought about going elsewhere instead so that I could get in sooner, but I hung on to the reputation of this place as a "must have." However, it was a huge pain to get over there (Chicago at rush hour), and they don't have much flexibility in scheduling. All of my appointments are going to be early evening. More troubling than that, I felt like the PT that I met with today didn't listen to me. I tried to show her the papers of exercises I was doing in rehab, and she didn't even look at them. She also espoused the "no pain, no gain" philosophy. "I'm going to have to push you and you're going to have push yourself beyond the range of comfort." Although we only did a little bit at this initial meeting, I do not feel great tonight and my knees are stiff and sore.
I can't decide how much of this is just me being cranky or whether this really is not a fit. I think I am going to do some calling around tomorrow to find other options for PT. I have many to choose from in such a large city, but I know it's going to be hit and miss depending on which therapist I am assigned to. More than anything, I am missing my wonderful therapist from the rehab facility. Today was the first time that I wish I had gotten the two weeks I originally wanted at rehab instead of the 6 days. I wish I could have been working through this over the past week with the therapist that I liked so well.
Sorry for a downbeat post, but I am feeling discouraged right now.
I chose a well regarded hospital program for PT, and I am really rethinking it now. First, it took them almost a week to get me in for evaluation. I thought about going elsewhere instead so that I could get in sooner, but I hung on to the reputation of this place as a "must have." However, it was a huge pain to get over there (Chicago at rush hour), and they don't have much flexibility in scheduling. All of my appointments are going to be early evening. More troubling than that, I felt like the PT that I met with today didn't listen to me. I tried to show her the papers of exercises I was doing in rehab, and she didn't even look at them. She also espoused the "no pain, no gain" philosophy. "I'm going to have to push you and you're going to have push yourself beyond the range of comfort." Although we only did a little bit at this initial meeting, I do not feel great tonight and my knees are stiff and sore.
I can't decide how much of this is just me being cranky or whether this really is not a fit. I think I am going to do some calling around tomorrow to find other options for PT. I have many to choose from in such a large city, but I know it's going to be hit and miss depending on which therapist I am assigned to. More than anything, I am missing my wonderful therapist from the rehab facility. Today was the first time that I wish I had gotten the two weeks I originally wanted at rehab instead of the 6 days. I wish I could have been working through this over the past week with the therapist that I liked so well.
Sorry for a downbeat post, but I am feeling discouraged right now.
jbrooklyn
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Wow, Ms. Blue--Sorry to hear this. If a PT said this to me first day, I'd probably say, 'Thanks for letting me know that's how you do things. Sounds like I need to find someone willing to work with me at my pace.' It's discouraging, but you can definitely find someone who understands that healing is the main job for first few months . . . the hell with stellar reputation, and definitely fiddlesticks to the hardcore pain-ridden route. There is so much evidence here that that just backfires for most people. Perhaps get a nice long list of PT facilities, and commit to calling a dozen or so, asking about the less is more vs. more is more philosophies. Better yet: Could you ask your beloved PT from rehab for some leads?
jbrooklyn
senior
ps: Taking a few days off from PT while you find someone more suited to you can only be good! More gentle healing time. Don't think about ROM numbers . . . but it IS good to take painful/tight knees as a sign that you might benefit from more ice, rest, elevation, and less vigorous pushing toward goals.
I have been a big old slacker with PT, and somehow my ROM increased from 95 to 105 over the past week. I think it is just because of the healing process--this is NOT from my pushing anything, but the total opposite. LOTs of ice, lots of Netflix, short walks, and almost NO PT exercises. I think I've had time to heal.
I go to outpatient PT starting next week, and it's worrisome! There are only a couple of places I can get to easily on my own, and if they are macho, then I don't know what I will do!
I have been a big old slacker with PT, and somehow my ROM increased from 95 to 105 over the past week. I think it is just because of the healing process--this is NOT from my pushing anything, but the total opposite. LOTs of ice, lots of Netflix, short walks, and almost NO PT exercises. I think I've had time to heal.
I go to outpatient PT starting next week, and it's worrisome! There are only a couple of places I can get to easily on my own, and if they are macho, then I don't know what I will do!
PolarBear60
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I wouldn't worry about the week to get in for evaluation. It seems outpatient PT started too soon won't be as effective. What is more troubling is the "no pain, no gain" attitude. I took a week to begin sessions after my initial evaluation, and I think it worked to my advantage.
@jbrooklyn beat me to suggesting asking your wonderful rehab PT for leads. I had a great experience with my PT people, but they obliquely indicated the didn't always have patients as willing to work as me (I didn't do anything that hurt me, but I was willing to work), so maybe they could be a little more aggressive sometimes. Maybe you and your new PT didn't get off on a good start and the relationship will build over the next few sessions, but maybe this is the wrong program for you. It's hard to tell at this point.
My PT wasn't interested in what I was doing at home before getting there either. Mostly, they're pretty standard exercises and don't really matter for the next phase of your rehab, so I'm not surprised they weren't interested. As for the decreased ROM, I think you identified what happened. You kept doing exercises even as you began walking and doing more. Ideally, with the increased activities of daily living, you would have reduced the prescribed exercises. Too late for the last week, but not too late for this week.
I agree, also, that the Chicago rush hour traffic coupled with having to walk all over the hospital to find the PT place (I shudder to think of it at your early stage of recovery!) combined for a bad first impression for both your and your PT.
I hope things will improve with your next session. If they don't, I hope you can find a more suitable place for you.
@jbrooklyn beat me to suggesting asking your wonderful rehab PT for leads. I had a great experience with my PT people, but they obliquely indicated the didn't always have patients as willing to work as me (I didn't do anything that hurt me, but I was willing to work), so maybe they could be a little more aggressive sometimes. Maybe you and your new PT didn't get off on a good start and the relationship will build over the next few sessions, but maybe this is the wrong program for you. It's hard to tell at this point.
My PT wasn't interested in what I was doing at home before getting there either. Mostly, they're pretty standard exercises and don't really matter for the next phase of your rehab, so I'm not surprised they weren't interested. As for the decreased ROM, I think you identified what happened. You kept doing exercises even as you began walking and doing more. Ideally, with the increased activities of daily living, you would have reduced the prescribed exercises. Too late for the last week, but not too late for this week.
I agree, also, that the Chicago rush hour traffic coupled with having to walk all over the hospital to find the PT place (I shudder to think of it at your early stage of recovery!) combined for a bad first impression for both your and your PT.
I hope things will improve with your next session. If they don't, I hope you can find a more suitable place for you.
Slainte
post-grad
My in-home PT lady recommended a place for me. She said that some outpatient PTs just want to hurry you through the exercises so they can get you out of there and use the equipment themselves! 
Sounds like that particular PT was not a good fit. Sorry you were disappointed after you took the time to research it.
Sounds like that particular PT was not a good fit. Sorry you were disappointed after you took the time to research it.
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@MsBlue
I agree with the others. It sounds as if the PT in Chicago is not going to be a good fit for you.
Keep doing a few exercises at home - not too many - while you try to find somewhere else.
You really don't need to do a lot of exercise. These: Heel slides and how to do them and a bit of walking around the house are all you need. The ROM is there already in your knees. All they need is for the swelling to go down, so that they can bend. So concentrate on lots of Rest, Ice and Elevation, to help decrease the swelling.
I agree with the others. It sounds as if the PT in Chicago is not going to be a good fit for you.
Keep doing a few exercises at home - not too many - while you try to find somewhere else.
You really don't need to do a lot of exercise. These: Heel slides and how to do them and a bit of walking around the house are all you need. The ROM is there already in your knees. All they need is for the swelling to go down, so that they can bend. So concentrate on lots of Rest, Ice and Elevation, to help decrease the swelling.
iivesfam5
senior
@MsBlue I agree with all the above .... if you are walking a lot and feel stiffer etc... that is prob why the ROM is less. ... I like @jbrooklyn have been doing less and finding my ROM has increased. I start my outpatient PT tomorrow and if they tell the no pain no gain thing I will be done...... my OS told me he doesn't even believe in outpatient PT. LOLOL. He said if you keep bending your leg and push it a bit more and keep going and walk he feels it is unnecessary. He totally disagrees with the no pain no gain theory.
Braunzie
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@MsBlue - Not to sound like a broken record, but ditto everyone above.. Any rush hour traffic in my opinion would be worth avoiding.. extra time in the car and extra stress really doesn't help, on top of (what I consider the stressful) going out for PT to begin with. My first thought too, was to ask for a referral from the PT you really liked in rehab.. but I was late out of the gate for that suggestion.. haha! Hang in there!! I'm sure you'll find something that works for you. Think of this as a blip you will work through.. because you will. 
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