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

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@Bentley's Slave

You are very early in recovery, so a lot is happening in the knee right now. The pins and needles is normal. Are you still on pain meds? Icing, even if it is cold outside,:ok: will help so much! Elevate your leg, don't worry about the housework, or getting dressed up! I wore oversized shorts and big t-shirts around the house! I wasn't very fashionable when I went to PT either, but comfort is everything right now!:console2: Take care of your knee and it will thank you. :)

@DogLoverx3

I am glad you aren't heading up and down stairs right now! Give that knee some time, and you won't have any problems.:)
 
Wow, I'm impressed with the lack of pain pills and ability to sleep @Bentley's Slave . That's wonderful! I just started being able to sleep less than a week ago. Don't tell, but I've gone to PT several times wearing slippers! None of my shoes for for a while so I figured why not? Hmmmm ability to get comfortable. Nope, haven't found the secret to that yet. A friend asked me to the movies and the sheer thought of having to sit anywhere for 2+ hours made me cringe. Needless to say, no movies. I've only found one sleeping position that works for me and it messes up my back, so that's quite the dilemma as well.

Hmmmm, may have to Google suspension devices now ;) Hope you're having a great day!
No clue why my ROM wouldn't budge for those 2 weeks, or what kicked it back into gear, but glad I am able to give you some piece of mind.
 
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Hi: My LTKR incision took about a year for the sensitivity to totally settle down. Maybe lidocaine cream would help --think it's a prescription med.
I have shorts on today and have been wearing rolled up capris most of the time --must look like a right dork but I'm comfy :rolleyes: I like my knee kept cool but not iced.
OS is happy with me -- says they can never predict who will recover well and not have scar tissue and swelling issues. See him in again in 6 weeks time when they will x-ray the other knee as the patella is wobbly. :doh:
Hope your OS appointment goes well :)
 
I wear shorts a lot wherever I go, when the temp is high enough!:happydance:

I have had people ask me about my knees and I tell them about BoneSmart!

I have also had look look at me with disbelief, because it is 40 outside, and I am grocery shopping in shorts and a sleeveless top! I used to be self-conscious, but then I realized, I have done something about my pain! I have gotten to the position where I am challenging Abby to step it up a notch!

I love life, exercising, and feeling great!
Something you wouldn't have heard from me before October!:yahoo:
 
So today wasn't as much of a 'do nothing' day. Woke up a bit sore this morning and went to deliver to my little couple (up & down 1 flight of stairs), then off to the grocery store where I parked in handicapped (thank you MVD) and rode the little electric cart around to stock up on frozen dinners (my clients eat WAY better than I do). Was gone a total of about 2 hours and my knee didn't appreciate that so much. Was very achey by the time I got home so I iced and elevated until it was time for PT. I forgot to take the saran wrap off my knee beforehand, so they all got a good laugh out of that when I got there. Decent PT session. Measured at 125/-5. So although I gained ROM of 5 since last week, I can't make my extension budge any closer to zero. All in all today I ended up taking 4 flights of stairs (hope that doesn't come back to bite me tomorrow), a little walking around, PT for 2 hours and now back home.

I have my 6 week follow up with my OS tomorrow morning and will ask him about better pain management as I can't seem to get things right, additional PT sessions (as my balance is still a bit wonky) and some other assorted questions......... that's my update for today. Hope everyone had a terrific day!
 
Well done @doglover3 sounds like a very full day and that you are doing well. I can't envisage ever doing that much at the moment! Good on you.

I actually made dinner last night and could barely eat it I was so exhausted and my knee really told me about it.......still that is another small bit of progress.

Physio today and I think I will be berated for not making any progress...... Doh!!!!
 
You're definitely expecting too much of your TKR at this stage; my own experience completely!

Looking back I think because we are given exercises (to perform!) we think we should be doing them to the extent that the pictures display. NO!! That was what upset me until I drummer it into myself that was the Objective and not the Aim :hissy:

At 1-2 weeks I was crying bucket loads because I couldn't understand the fact that the actual pain was preventing me performing the exercises for a reason - the TKR was too swollen and VERY VERY sore. Then I found this Forum and read as much as I could. From then on and with the support and expertise of everybody who wrote, I took each day at a time and only aimed towards the movements of the exercises rather than trying to FORCE my leg to bend and then ending up in utter agony for the rest of the day.

I too have a dog and we never kept her away from me. Simple caution to fend off her excitement was enough and BTW, they sent me home from hospital with just two sticks, so I would hold them in front of me to warn her off from jumping up.

You will soon be walking with one stick and thinking back trying to remember how bad the first few weeks were. I equated the experience of pain to childbirth "It hurt like hell at the time but was forgotten once the best bit arrived", (although I will add that I thought the TKR was MORE painful!! :shocked:

Best wishes and just take it steady
 
Hi Ellen ... Good luck with your OS follow-up. I see my OS tomorrow too, but at 13 weeks rather than your 6 weeks. Already had my 6 week check-up. I will be very interested to see how he views my bend, or rather lack of it. I hope those stairs don't come back to bite you and you have to drag yourself into the OS office. :)

I did have a hiccup last week where I couldn't drive again for a few days and it played havoc with my mindset, but it is what it is and I will have to live with that.

It was nice of you to take your knee to PT all wrapped and fresh for them. :snork:

Hope you get all your questions answered tomorrow.

Take Care and BE KIND to yourself ... :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks so much @Mazza , @NetballKnees , @Chihuahuan , @RestAssured & @Bentley's Slave. Yesterday absolutely came back to bite me in the tush. Big time pain starting around 8pm last night and nothing seemed to help.

I had my 6 week follow up this morning and ............. he was very pleased! :-) My knee is still very swollen. It's odd, because looking straight on, my knee doesn't look swollen, but from the side, it's kinda huge. For whatever reason my swelling sits right on top of my knee cap. Not the most attractive thing in the world, but whatever. He was happy with my range of motion but does want me to keep working on getting my extension better. I'm hoping that once the swelling actually leaves the top of my knee cap, that will help but until then, he wants me to do the torturous exercise of sitting with my heel on a stool or chair and just letting my leg hang and gravity do it's thing. Yuck.

He did refil my oxy (thank goodness), gave me a script for Tramadol as he says that's a good 'step down' drug, and told me that he much prefers Diclofenac over Naproxen and gave me a script for that as well. He liked that I had all my questions written out and was actually able to go over everything before he even came in, so when he did, he already had my requested RXs in hand. Yey for being organized!

I asked to extend PT for a bit longer and he was fine with that as long as insurance is fine with it. He didn't have any suggestions for the hypersensitivity issues (kinda think I was the 1st to bring that up) but said if wrapping my knee in saran wrap helps, then go to it. When I asked what activities positions, etc... to avoid as time goes on, he said my knee should be able to do whatever I want it to aside from running or jumping. As my running and jumping days are long behind me, I was pretty happy with that response. He said unless I have any issues or problems, he doesn't want to see me again until my year anniversary! :egypdance:
 
Wonderful. I am glad you got your pain med refills. Now also remember, patience and take it easy - the knee rules.
 
Well done for everything. You certainly had a very positive meeting with your OS.

Yes, that "letting it all hang from a stool" is a very YUK feeling! I think I should still be doing more of that but just get too twitchy about the feeling; bad enough straightening the TKR in bed at night. I find myself constantly crossing and uncrossing my legs when I'm sat up reading in bed. Husband thinks I'm just a fidget!
 
@Mazza , I would rather do ANY exercise other than that one - I find it pure torture. I sleep with my leg bent too, so that's probably not the best, but it's the only way I can get comfortable.

@leejaa ~ I asked for a prescription for that patience thing you speak of, he was all out ;-)

Thank you @Chihuahuan & @Ziggysmom . I am happy. Just wish he had some magic solution for the pain, the swelling and the whining. :-)

Okay, I think all my dogs got together while I was out and decided that it was going to be national 'Thwack Ellen On The Knee With Our Tails Day'..... they're all beating me up! :puppysmooze::snork:
 
Sounds like you had a good appointment. Continue to try to find balance in your activities. You're getting there.
 
@DogLoverx3 I love your sense of humour when writing about your experiences. I sent my husband to get a prescription for that stuff called Patience, but he said he'd used it all himself.

Fortunately, my own dog doesn't do the thwacking tail trick, but my daughter's Golden Retriever does, so I can empathise with that feeling OUCH! One time she was so pleased to see me she also pushed the whole side of her body into me and that made me yelp. Now on entering their house I must look as if I'm trying to cover my private parts although it is actually my TKR
:scary:
Since early weeks post-surgery I've slept on my side with both legs bent, but that just happens naturally since I stopped using a pillow between each leg with the TKR on top. I can't sleep any other way.

You're doing really well, so keep the chin up and the hands down to protect your leg from the doggies.:puppysmooze:
 
Hi Ellen ... what a great check-up with your OS. You must be very pleased with that. You have a great ROM and the extension will probably come soon, especially with hanging your knee between the chair and another support. When I do this I find that when I get up, it's always a bit stiffer until I walk it out.

I'm sorry but I did have a big smile when you described your tail thwacking dogs. Mine aren't too bad with their tails, but they are both lickers, so have been protecting my scar from them since I came home. Last night though Kimbo managed to get to the side of the knee and lick and boy did it feel weird as that is where it is still numb.

Keep up the good work Ellen. You are doing a fantastic recovery job.

Take Care ... Ellen
 
One of my friends has two big Eskimo type dogs. I think the name is Alatians? Any woo...... Every time I am climbing their stairs , the two dogs who are both way over the normal weight, find it necessary to get behind me and lean into me!:umm: Sometimes, I wish I had a saddle,and I would just ride one of them up to the top!:rotfl:
When you get in the house, if you are in their way, they just shove by you! They have helped me with my balance! LOL :rotfl:
 
Hi @Mazza @NetballKnees & @RestAssured ! It was the oddest thing with the dogs yesterday. I haven't had any issues with them thwacking me for the past 2 weeks that they've been home, but for whatever reason, they all ganged up on me and thwacked me repeatedly throughout the day. I'm going to need to start carrying my cane around with me to fend off those ferocious beasts! :puppysmooze:

I have a licker too Netballknees - he always goes in for the numb side and it just freaks me out every time.

I'm doing some much needed laundry this morning and will go pick up my new prescriptions when the pharmacy opens in an hour or so, but aside from that and cooking for my older couple, I have a big day planned of not much interesting followed by PT later this afternoon. I've enjoyed having minimal work to do this week and it's been a much needed break for my poor knee. I keep looking at Josephine's timeline of activity progression, but as I've already screwed that up so much, I have no clue what I should be doing. I walk around the house and back and forth when I'm cooking so much, that I think that probably makes up for my not walking around the block?

I have to figure out a new schedule for my pain meds too. Maybe someone has an idea for me to try. I know @Josephine has posted a schedule for someone before, I just can't find it. I find that I need to take something every 3-4 hours or so but am trying to cut back on my oxy. Since the Tramadol is new for me too, I'm not sure how to space those. I have Tramadol 50mg, Oxycodone 5mg & Dicoflenac (SP?) 75mg. I know I should take the Dicoflenac twice a day, but can't figure out how to space everything else. Of course, some days I need more than others (like yesterday - boo) and I have been tracking my intake, I just can't seem to get everything scheduled properly.

Goodness, I'm rambling (how very like me to do) ;-) I hope everyone is having a wonderful day so far!!!
 
Well Ellen,

Let's see..... What are you about 6 weeks out? Hmmmm..... All the activity you are doing is A LOT more than Jo's progression chart and she will "explain" that to you.:heehee: As for the meds, I was never on Oxy, so can't help much there. Icing and elevating are your best friends right now! Yes, I know the dogs are, but at this point in time it is critical to be kind to your knee. You don't want any setbacks. (From one hardheaded person to another!):beg::rotfl:
 
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