Bilateral TKR My BTKR Journey

[NatureLoverCD]

Tomorrow will be 15 weeks since my BTKR.


Last night the floor lamp in my bedroom wouldn't turn on. I changed the light bulb. No change. Soooo, it had to be a problem under the bed where the lamp is plugged in. Not a good thing. It occurred to me that I was going to have to go under the bed and get on my knees to get up . I could slide down the side of the bed to get down, but gravity wouldn't let me do that in the opposite direction. Getting on my knees seemed like a major undertaking to me , but I didn't have much choice. I slide down, got on my stomach and inspected under the bed. Not to my surprise my cat, Psycho Kitty , had unplugged the lamp, so I replugged it. I slowly got up on one knee. Which one? It didn't matter. really. No pain. Got up the rest of the way. A small victory for me .

Anyway, things are going pretty well for me. My last outpatient PT was two weeks ago. I got out a week early because the PT said I had accomplished all of the goals he had set for me. My ROM was 123 right and 121 left at that time . I don't know what it is now. I'll find out in three weeks when I see the OS. My biggest problem is walking. after a while, my left knee gets stiff and painful. I have to consciously think about bending my knee when I walk and that means that it's time to call it quits.

I hope all of your recoveries are going as well as mine. If not hang in there. It will get better.

 

[NatureLoverCD]

I'm 15 weeks out and doing pretty good. I saw my OS on Thursday. I was really up tight about having my ROM measured after all of the stories in the forum about unsatisfied doctors in regard to ROMs. Anyway, the doctor says "Bend your leg...OK. good. Now straighten your leg....OK good." for both knees. What a trip.

In the knee area, I have bad pain (about a 7) when I get up from sitting, and some pain (4) when sitting down. The good doctor told me this could last a year or more. That was uplifting as it is my only complaint at this point.

I hope you are all doing well in your recoveries.

 

[NatureLoverCD]

Does using an exercise bike help with increasing ROM and decreasing extension?

 

[referee54]

IT helped with both my flexion and extension---slowly---but it helped.

 

[referee54]

Having a BTKR truly taught me the meaning of PATIENCE. I thought that I would never, ever, be truly back in good form again---it took me five months or so to lose a limp and six months to feel about 80%-85%. It was not until around eight months (Finally!) that I was 90%- to 95%. A BTKR truly challenges one's patience!