TKR MSuki’s Fabulous Recovery Journey

[sistersinhim]

Don't you just love these healing milestones? Good going!

 

[benne68]

Happy one month an-knee-versary (one day early), @MSuki! Sounds like you are progressing well.

Here's hoping your recovery continues to be a smooth one.

 

[mendogal]

Milestones!!!!!
And yeah, aching muscle after exercise is different from overtaxing the baby joint!

 

[MSuki]

I have been feeling a little sorry for myself today and then I feel guilty because my problems are not that major, but I’m just exhausted with still not getting enough sleep and SOMETHING always hurts. I accidentally went up a stair with operated leg (ouch) but the big one today was again the lower back or glute pain I have been waking up with every morning. After heat and ice all day my lower back is better but I know it will be screaming when I wake up. Not sure what I can do to prevent it. My hips still feel like I have bursitis on both sides. I did very little today but did have to sit at desk a while and catch up a few things, and did 10 minutes on my recumbent bike since that doesn’t seem to aggravate anything. Going to the chiropractor tomorrow and hope that helps.

 

[Layla]

I am sorry you're exhausted and hurting. It is such early days for you. While the fatigue and pain are normal for many at this point as your body is adjusting to the prosthetic and your gait is changing it is still hard to feel upbeat when you're struggling with discomfort. Hang in there, it will improve as you know. Hopefully you feel better and more relaxed after your chiropractic appointment tomorrow.
Wishing you a great Friday and weekend as you reach one month post op. Happy One Month Anniversary!
@MSuki

 

[mendogal]

I'm really sorry you're having such pain especially starting off the day. There's no reason to beat yourself up about it affecting your mood - pain alone totally does that, plus your exhaustion on top of it.
May Friday be a better day!

 

[MSuki]

Today's milestones - drove myself to physical therapy for the first time. ROM was 123. So moving along there. I did several new exercises at PT so I'm sore. Also I had to run an errand and do more walking than I would have liked.

I have to go on a 2 hour/each way trip tomorrow. We are planning to take ice and pillows so I can sit across the back seat and ice when I need a break from riding with legs down. Hope it goes well.

I'm still having pains in my upper back from sleeping on my back, although I am able to get on my side for about an hour at a time now.

 

[Layla]

I have to go on a 2 hour/each way trip tomorrow.

Consider taking a break halfway into the trip and do the same for the return trip. Getting out to stretch and walk around for 5-10 minute may make it easier on you. For a few months post op I struggled being in the car for over 30-40 mins. Too confining and not enough leg room to stretch.
Safe travels tomorrow! I hope the drive is bearable and the ride is not bumpy.
@MSuki

 

[sistersinhim]

I have to go on a 2 hour/each way trip tomorrow. We are planning to take ice and pillows so I can sit across the back seat and ice when I need a break from riding with legs down. Hope it goes well.

Getting out to stretch and walk around for 5-10 minutes may make it easier on you.

I agree with Layla. Walking will help to move the fluid along, too, plus will be good for the rest of your body. Be sure and let us know how you do.

 

[MSuki]

I survived my car trip. We left home about 7:30 am and drove to another town where they make brick. After walking around at the brick place, we headed back. At this point I felt like I was at my limit, so I moved to the back seat. We drove my Dad’s 2004 Navigator. I put my lounge doctor in the floorboard and had the middle seat lowered flat with a pillow on it. So I was able to ride with the leg up for a while, and we had brought some gel packs in an ice chest. There was another brick place on the way back so we stopped there also. Did not get home until 2 pm and I was toast.

We are having a major problem with our brick on front of house. The brick above the garage is coming loose from the wall. If you look out my upstairs window in my office the brick is over an inch away from the house. Our brick was a test run and they didn’t make any more after the year they made ours. We were trying to see if we could get a good match for the brick, but I think we learned it wasn’t going to work. We are going to go with the brick restoration specialists who will try to keep as much of our original brick as they can by cutting off the mortar. They also will stain brick as needed to make it look right. They are going to cost about $8,000 more than the alternative, but his idea was just to demolish and replace all the brick with the closest match (which isn’t that close and would look terrible.)

After icing my knee a while I felt better, and we went to my 10 year old grandson’s first band “concert.” He is learning to play flute. Luckily it only lasted about 15-20 minutes and I’m back home again. I have aquatic therapy in the morning.

PS we did stop about halfway coming and going.

 

[sistersinhim]

You had a really busy day and it sounds like you made out just fine. Now, you'll probably need a couple of days to rest up, ice, and elevate. Or maybe your knee will be fine. Let's hope so!

 

[WFD]

He is learning to play flute. Luckily it only lasted about 15-20 minutes

Ahahaha… this brings back memories…

 

[mendogal]

Sounds like you did well... And scored super grandma points!!!!!

 

[CricketHip]

Now that is a busy day! Sounds like you approached it in a very mindful way.
Hopefully you get some good rest tonight and are rewarding yourself with multiple ice packs.

That is a real bummer about your brick situation on your home. Does your construction guy have an explanation as to why this happened?
But hey, you got there and looked at the brick choices so you can move on with the repair. Congratulations!

 

[teacheri35]

I have been feeling a little sorry for myself today and then I feel guilty because my problems are not that major, but I’m just exhausted with still not getting enough sleep and SOMETHING always hurts. I accidentally went up a stair with operated leg (ouch) but the big one today was again the lower back or glute pain I have been waking up with every morning. After heat and ice all day my lower back is better but I know it will be screaming when I wake up. Not sure what I can do to prevent it. My hips still feel like I have bursitis on both sides. I did very little today but did have to sit at desk a while and catch up a few things, and did 10 minutes on my recumbent bike since that doesn’t seem to aggravate anything. Going to the chiropractor tomorrow and hope that helps.

I had hip pain. Discovered my atlas was an inch off. I also had posterior hip rotation on the surgery side. I have been adjusted by my chiropractor 4 times since surgery. I am almost at week 6.

 

[Jockette]

we went to my 10 year old grandson’s first band “concert.” He is learning to play flute. Luckily it only lasted about 15-20 minutes

Ahahaha… this brings back memories…

When my granddaughter was learning to play the clarinet, their new cat was very upset about the noise! My daughter was at their high school concert this evening and sent me a video, the band has improved a lot since then!

 

[MSuki]

Sounds like you did well... And scored super grandma points!!!!!

I even got a text message saying “TY for coming love u” from Ian. He is oldest of 3.

Jockette, they have cats as well, I’ll have to ask my daughter if the cats are bothered by his practice. Although living in a house with 3 boys those cats are likely ready for anything.

 

[MSuki]

That is a real bummer about your brick situation on your home. Does your construction guy have an explanation as to why this happened?
But hey, you got there and looked at the brick choices so you can move on with the repair.

They are thinking that they didn’t put brick in a section above the garage where there is like a little roof part (not sure what this is called) so that the brick above is not supported, or they didn’t properly install the ties to the wall. They won’t know for sure until they get in there. I think where we are now is that we are probably going to go with the restoration specialists who try to save a lot of the original brick and can stain what they add to match as needed. They are much more expensive than the alternative guy who wanted to just demolish and put in new brick. But there is nothing we can find that would blend in well enough to go that route.

 

[MSuki]

I have been adjusted by my chiropractor 4 times since surgery. I am almost at week 6.

I went to the chiropractor last week and it really helped my lower back for several days, going back on Friday.

 

[Axx72]

Gotta love those small steps in the right direction!!