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TKR My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying

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oh heavens, that's why I went 1st thing this morning. if there wasn't a cart available, I wouldn't have gone in. now THAT would have been overdoing it! :yikes: I actually use the electric carts whenever I can and won't even attempt to go to a store without one. I didn't realize the little gourmet store i went to yesterday wouldn't have one until I was already inside, so I only made it through 1/2 the shop when I started to get tired. Heck, I still use either my walker, crutches or cane when I go anywhere. PT yesterday was the 1st time I've attempted anything without them!
 
Now if they would only outfit those carts with a place to elevate our knee, and some ice. :heehee:
 
And a nice little blanket for when we have to ride into the refrigerated areas :loll:
 
And a Margarita machine would be nice......:rotfl:
 
:goodpost: I like the way you think Jamie!!:iagree:
 
Wow, I should have hung around this thread last night! Tricked out electric carts...you are my kind of people!:snork:
 
@DogLoverx3 ,
I know you have to work and I hate hearing how you are not able to get sleep at night! I don't know about the ODIC club because I am an "unofficial" denying member!:heehee:

You see I had gallbladder surgery the Friday before last. I went to the doctor a week early to get released. I figured "I have NOTHING to worry about the Monday after surgery, and "thought" I would head in to exercise w Abby! If it hadn't been for the kind people on this forum and my husbands pleading......
His last comment stopped me in my tracks! He said you are so bullheaded! You are going to do what you want NO Matter what anyone else says!:shocked: I actually listened, waited til Wednesday, probably should have taken the week off! :doh: I am driven to achieve my goals.

That's why I think of my antics with my knee, falling etc, because I was silly! Please take care and if you can, ice between jobs! I have a small ice chest that I carried w ice and bags when I used to go out!

We really do care!:):console2:
 
Hi Ellen: What great advice you have gotten. I love the definition of doing nothing :)
My next OS appt is on Monday --he is only a block away so I'm going to drive over myself.
Regard next week as a vacation --give yourself the gift of time to recover. :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks @Chihuahuan & @RestAssured . I had being the seemingly stubborn one that doesn't listen, but I really am trying. There are just things that have to get done and I'm the only one that can do them. :-( If I would have realized, going into surgery, that the recovery was going to be as long and hard as it is, I might have had time to work on training someone or had some other sort of a Plan B in place. I had no idea though. I didn't find this wonderful website until a week after the surgery (and thank goodness I did). I do take ice packs in a cooler with me whenever I have to leave the house and do take many breaks to ice and elevate, I just wish there was another option for me. I SO WISH that I didn't have to work, or that I could just relax and take care of me. 46 years of bad habits are hard to break though :umm:

I was able to get some decent sleep last night at least. I woke up every couple of hours (twice in HUGE pain), but was able to fall back asleep after taking some pain meds and getting some ice. I'm a side sleeper and I figured out how to use a large gel wrap to stay on my knee in that position (I can't use the polar ice thingie at night as it doesn't like when I'm on my side and makes weird noises).

I've started charting my meds and sleep patterns thanks to @Nana moon 27 . It helps to be able to see exactly what's going on.

I am very much looking forward to next week with minimal things to do and will absolutely take advantage of the down time!

Thanks again everyone for caring and for your hugely valuable input! ((hugs))
 
Good to hear you were able to figure out a system with the gel wrap. We do have to be inventive sometimes, don't we?
 
That's for sure @kneeper ! Who knew finding a comfortable position would be SO hard, so to finally find one that's doable only to find that I can't ice that was kinda sad. ;-) It's funny, I'm only somewhat comfortable laying on surgical leg side. Can't do the non surgical leg. Can't do back. Certainly can't do stomach. I had no idea I was so high maintenance. :cheers2:
 
I don't think I've ever been so happy to be in bed with my leg propped up and my ice water machine strapped on my knee. I WAY overdid the past 2 days. I feared it would be too much and it was. Boo. Although all 3 events went great I was surprised with the house I was at last night having just about a bazillion stairs. Either up or down 3-4 at each room. Darn mountainside homes. ;-) I got home last night with my knee the size of melon only to have to turn around and be back out the door again at 5:30am this morning. It's now 11:04am and I am settled in with the pups, my TiVo and nothing on the agenda aside from picking a friend up at the airport tomorrow night for the rest of the weekend. YEY!

I've blocked out my calendar and aside from my little old couple that i cook for, I have no impending jobs until 2/5 and I have every intention of turning down any last minute jobs that may come up next week.

Patience is certainly not one of my virtues, and I need to stop setting my recovery back. I'm exhausted, swollen and painful. Yes, I need to work, but I also need to heal. I've cancelled my PT for today and will do my best to undo what I've overdone these past 2 days. I won't worry about the car full of equipment that still needs to be unloaded, I won't worry about the dishwasher that needs to be unloaded, or the house that needs to be cleaned (desperately). I have every intention of just laying in bed, toes above nose, with ice, pain meds, my comforter, remote control and doggies. :yay:

I hope everyone is having a great Friday!
 
Hi Ellen Just reading your posts and knowing how frustrationg this whole process can be. The best thing that happened to me during my recovery was taking the advice someone gave me to join bonesmart. I was so relieved when I started reading and writing to so many other wonderful people here who actually made me feel that I was doing ok and that the feelings and other stuff was normal. I had no idea what this type of surgery would involve my Mom had two knees replaced and never really understood why I was having some difficulties. I have never had the type of pain that this surgery caused and thought that I would never get past all of the pain meds and lack of getting back to what I thought was normal quick enough. I I was well cared for by my husband who encouraged me along never judging and alway positive about the progress I was making but felt like a lot of what other people were accomplishing was so far away for me. Actually thought it was the end of my driving days waited till 8 weeks and finally told my surgeon that the results would get better if I could just get out and away from the medcal side of it and spend private time with my husband doing something outside our home other then just taking a cab to appointments revolving around my knee. I am lucky have had so much support from my dear husband but always felt that I was just not up to standards with others. I mentioned this to the surgeon who did my surgery always seem to feel like you are letting others down. He was very concerned and told me never let anyone make you feel this way and never let anyone hurt you kept saying take care of your leg and keep it safe dont let anyone push you.

Many hard to hold back tears asking myself why can't I do what the other people can this feeling stemmed from the aggressive manner that was used during pt. the result that came out was that the leg no matter how hard they pushed was not going to make a bend over the 90 degree mark. Your dogs are good medicine for you love love love that only is given so unconditionally. They are missing you so much to and just like us worrying about where you are and how you are doing.

My Moms second replacement was 2 months before mine so we took her to have her checkups took her for exrays and how much she had pain and so much troule walking but when my time came she could not understand why I was unable to drive before 8 weeks as I was slowing her down. My doctor suggested massage therapy and said that he was suspending pt. This was a great uplift to my healing I met my doctor one day at massage and he wanted to talk verykind still having issues with bend and he said this will probably be the way my leg will stay. Enjoying my leg now so much easier to get around. Visiting with my surgeon and will discuss my left knee has been waiting till my right leg gets stronger now thinking after this 9 months that the choice to have the first surgery was a very good one. Hoping you are are dealing with a kind surgeon and knowing that this bonesmart site will give you friendship and so much support to help you through your recovery time. I now can say I really love my new knee very much. Holly
 
Okay--my turn to chide --just a drive to the airport with a melon knee :yikes: Can anyone else do that or is a shuttle available? I sure hope your friend is coming to help not be fed and entertained….. The only reason my knee has done so well is that I've stuck to the mantra --no exceptions for anything or anyone. :flwrysmile: I hope you can find it within yourself to focus on constantly moving forward.
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
 
Chihuahuan said:
The only reason my knee has done so well is that I've stuck to the mantra --no exceptions for anything or anyone.
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[Bonesmart.org] My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying
@Chihuahuan! Wish we could get everyone to follow your lead.
 
Doing nothing or minimal can be difficult but it is a priority. For me, also the mantra is what got my knee moving and recovering- a swollen knee will not bend and it will hurt. You are a priority and you need to love yourself enough to make yourself a priority. Be kind to yourself as if you would to your best friend.:console2:
 
Thank you all for your advice and to Lavender, thank you for taking the time to share your story with me.

I know it must seem like I'm a bit of an idiot for doing too much and then being surprised by the outcome. Not to make excuses, but being self employed does not allow me to 'relax' fully. I wish I had the benefit of PTO time and disability benefits, but if I don't work, I don't get my bills paid. I'm just trying to find the happy medium between not destroying my company and not derailing my recovery. It never occurred to me either that just driving to the airport to pick up a friend (wasn't even planning on getting out of the car, just waiting at the curb by baggage claim is all) was doing too much :sad:

I've still got a lot to learn..........
 
@DogLoverx3 ,

When you pick up your friend could they drive? That way you can get the ice on the knee as you enjoy a nice visit with your friend. Please don't think you have to do everything! Let your friend be your legs and feet!:)
 
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