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

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Hello @ DogLoverx3! How are you? Did you manage to sleep some last night. I assume you're getting ready for you art class. Please have a fantastic time and enjoy the little lady's companyxxxx I can't wait to hear all about it! And yes the profile pic is me and my grandson on his 18th birthday last September x x any way have a great time :puppysmooze:
 
@DogLoverx3 Oh yes :headbang: and :no-fin: but I'm hoping more for :friends:. It is very hard give your heart and soul over to something like a knee!
My very wise, and cute, home PT guy told me that he has found that folks who have a lot of swelling tend to be walking too much. For once I really took this to heart and decided that I needed to heal first, get ROM sorted out, and then slowly increase the walking and standing. My LTKR has been rebelling as it is now my "good" knee not the protected knee. It all just takes a long time. I don't think anyone is truly prepared for how long that year really is. Just think we are about 1/6 of the way through it
 
I did a similar semi-squatting-while-going-sideways type exercise a couple of weeks ago and it swelled up my knee...that came off the PT list pretty quickly!

The tight half band feeling might be the bottom end of the IT band. That is a long ligament that extends from the hip, outside the thigh and connects just below the knee. The bottom part has been tight ever since my surgery, and is common, according to my OS. Some days it feels larger or tighter than others. Yesterday it felt like a large bandage across the knee, other days it sort of surrounds the lateral side. Some of the hamstrings also connect in that area to the rear of the IT band, and if they are inflamed, it feels tight toward the back, also, especially when I raise my knee in a marching motion. I am told it will loosen up with time. Personally, I would like that time to be yesterday!!

Enjoy your painting class...you have more courage than I do!
 
I don't know if I'm one of those miracle people or not. I had my left tkr done on Jan. 15 and righty will be done this coming Wednesday. Both of my knees were so arthritic and bent that it was a chore,walking any distance at all! I certainly didn't get out of bed and dance...can't wait until I can dance...but I am walking without any assistance after 3 1/2 weeks. I do get the crying jags, mostly because I'm so fatigued by about 2 pm. I'm going to PT 3 times a week and try to get a knee workout in at home at least once a day. I'm really hoping that my right knee goes as well as the left did. I think it's really different for everyone. I hope that you'll be feeling significantly better soon!
 
Hello @mimi53 Good luck with your coming-up-soon right knee! It is very different for everyone and every knee. My OS told me that they can never predict who will recover quickly and those who will have swelling issues. Please post a recovery thread so we can keep up with your progress.
 
Hi @mimi53 . Gotta love those crying jags. Not. That's great that you're walking without assistance at 31/2 weeks! I was still using my walker then! Good luck with you other knee and keep us posted!

@Chihuahuan , yes, apparently I don't like a silly knee bossing me around and I probably do walk too much. It just boggles me that walking back and forth in my house could be too much, but apparently it is. I've got a rough week ahead of me, so I'll try to take all the downtime that I can get. Uhm, how do I get one of those good looking PT guys?

@Ziggysmom ~ pretty sure the sidestep squatty thing is coming off the list tomorrow. Not a fan of sticking my butt out and walking sideways with an audience. Nor is my knee. Thanks for the input on the IT band thing. I get a lot of hamstring soreness to the back of my knee because I work on extension so much (to no avail).

@Nana moon 27 ~ great pic! I didn't sleep well at all last night. Maybe got a total of 4 hours. Bleck. I had a great time at the painting class today. I took my ice pack with me and iced while I did something on canvas that I'm not sure could be called art, but I get my main enjoyment from seeing my ex's daughter do such a wonderful time and to be able to excel at something she's good at. That sweet girl needs as many confidence boosters as she can get!

I hope everyone had a terrific day! I'm back home now and will relax the rest of the evening and rest up for PT 1st thing in the morning. Yey? ;-) xoxoxo
 
@DogLoverx3 Both my Pt's have been ultra cute and smart --and married with kids.
Glad you had a lovely time at your art class --I'm a scientist and my artistic side does not emerge very often. I enjoy quilting but I'm in the middle of sorting out cataracts so that is all on hold. Have a new serger that is yet to be opened :yikes: Had both eyes "done" in the Fall but one now has loads of floaters and the other has something on the back of the new lens --joy!!!
We went to the symphony this afternoon --all American composers -- Bernstein, Copeland and Herbert. Fabulous!!!! First time I had sat in a seat where I couldn't wiggle too much --oooh those stingers!!! Fortunately they go away once I stand up and walk a little.
We never got as far as the side-step squatty thing in PT -- had enough trouble with the balancing act --think I scraped by with a D. I'm not great on stairs either --manage okay but it's not automatic. It will all come naturally by next December :egypdance:
Olympics and Downton Abbey tonight.
Rest when you can. Jen
 
Hiya I'm ever so glad you had a lovely time with the little lady and she has access to draw on her talents. It's a wonderful gift to be able to pain and I am a firm believer In harnessing it. I'm glad you like the pic it was taken on his 18th birthday last September!

I'm sorry you didn't have a good night last night but I had a feeling when you said about the pain and the swelling. I hope tonight you sleep, it's almost 1am here and I'm still blinking awake.

You are doing ever so well, I don't think you realise how much you actually do!!! I know the knee extension thing is a pain in the proverbial .... Butt, however, I'm sure it will increase when it's ready. I have similar issues, the bend isn't too bad but extension is not great x x x we are all individuals recovering at our own individual pace!!!! It's just frustrating at times!!!!
:puppysmooze:
 
Just been reading all your posts which has helped. Went to hydrotherapy on Saturday and it was great but today my knee feels stiff and swollen and I've been getting strange feelings/pains in the knee. Knee feels lumpy and definitely got the tight band. Knee still feels hot even though I'm 5 weeks in.

Love reading about all your activities. I'm afraid I'm not doing much at all. Not a good day!

Best of luck to everyone for the week ahead.
 
[Bonesmart.org] My Journey as of 12/16/13 - Over 1 Year and Still Trying
. Been training bentley not to get on the bed. So he just sits with his head on it.
 
((hugs)) to you @Bentley's Slave . Remember that I'm 2 weeks ahead of you in my surgery, so I bet in 2 weeks, you'll be ready to attempt some outings. I didn't leave my house aside from PT or the grocery for over 6 weeks! I'm still very self conscious about being anywhere and limping, etc.... but I make myself do it. My knee still gets hot sometimes and was constantly hot thru last week (that's how I get the plastic wrap to stick to it ya' know) ;-)

I'm glad you like hydrotherapy but sorry that your knee is tight and sore today. Any exercises in particular that you can think of that may have aggravated it? My tight band is still back (boo). I'm off to PT this morning bright and early so I'll get that out of the way and I'm sure he'll have something to say when I ixnay the squatty bendy side steppy thing, but too bad. ;-)

Uhm, Bentley is ADORABLE!!!! I love that picture! Such a good boy! Is his with you this week or back at the minders?

Don't get discouraged, my friend, you're almost thru the worst of it, I PROMISE!!!! xoxoxoxoxo
 
@Bentley's Slave...my knee started to cool down for the first time about 3 days ago...the heat means there is a lot of healing going on....don't forget, your knee went through a terrible trauma, even if it was done on purpose!

I love the photo of Bentley's head on the bed....I wonder how long you will be able to resist those sad eyes, LOL...I used to be such a disciplinarian with my dogs, and then Ziggy came along....

@DogLoverx3, I hope you got a better night's sleep last night! I hate the fact that I hate it when it's time to go to bed, no matter how tired I am....

I hope everyone has a great day....sans squatty side stepping thingies!!
 
Hi. @DogLoverx3 how was PT ???? I hope it was ok I'm a bit confused today with the time zones again. I don't know what's wrong with me. It must be sleep deprivation xoxoxoxoooo
Think @Bentley's Slave pic is sooooo cute!!!!!!
 
@Nana moon 27 I live in New Mexico where it is a 7 hr time difference from the UK. I think it's the same in Arizona at this time of year. So approx 10 am at the moment. You will feel so much better once you are off pain meds and sleeping normally. I finished PT last week and miss going --now it's up to me.
 
Hi @DogLoverx3, How are you? How did the PT go today? I've been better today. Now come on I need to hear all about your day please? FYI I went to my eldest daughters tonight and there was a new born baby in the house and I cuddled and loved it....soooo cute and even better to hand him back!!!!!!!
I hope you're not suffering tonight and in too much discomfort!!!!! Hugs xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :puppysmooze:
 
Did my own version of PT this morning --not a smart move as I'm sore sore sore. Need to stick to their routine --duh!
 
Uh oh @Chihuahuan , be a good post PT patient and stick to the routine! :umm: I'm sorry you overdid, but I totally understand the urge to try new things. As I've pointed out to my lovely friend over the pond @Nana moon 27 , just because you can doesn't mean you should.:wink:

I went to PT this morning and we compromised on the squatty side step thingie. I didn't put the stupid :-x elastic band thing on my legs and just did the semi squatty side step thingie 'free-style' and it wasn't nearly as hard. Funny thing, I apparently swing my operated leg out and to the side when doing my step ups and I just noticed today that when I do my straight leg lifts, the portion of my leg beneath my knee sort of juts off to the right. So strange. I mean I can see my entire shoe when I do a leg lift off to the right side. Shouldn't be that way. No-one has mentioned my crooked leg when walking and I haven't sent any children running away screaming in horror, so I guess it's not too noticeable.

I seem to be having a 'lovely' (crappy) battle of sorts with my OS's office trying to get a refil on my Tramadol. I requested a refil online (like we're supposed to) last Wednesday. When I was at PT this morning, I went over to the Dr. side to talk to one of the gals about what happened and although she saw the request, she didn't see it ever being called into the pharmacy. Nice. She promised to call me and let me know when she got it straightened out. She didn't. I called back and spoke with one of the triage nurses as my OS and PA are in surgery today and she said that the request came back from the Dr. 'signed off but not approved' which usually means it's been denied?!?! Excuse me? It's been 6 days since I put in the request, I'm now completely out, and not one word from the office. I asked if it was SOP to deny meds without letting the patient know (as I'm stupidly waiting for my pharmacy to just text me that it's ready to pick up) and she said she'd need to speak to my OS tomorrow. No clue why he would deny it. This would be my 1st refill and although yes, it's been 8 weeks, I still have pain that Tylenol doesn't hit. I've managed to take myself off of oxy, but geez, gimme a break. :thud:

I haven't been sleeping well at all for the past 5-6 days and I'm not sure what that's about. I do know that it's getting annoying 'cause I'm tired! :mcoffee:

@Ziggysmom , are you sleeping okay? Has your weather gotten nicer?

It's supposed to be 88 here by the end of the week (sorry everyone being dumped on by snow) but knee is nowhere near shorts worthy yet! All of my shorts, skirts, dresses, skorts are above the knee (no, not innapropriately so - i don't think) :wink:, so this is going to be an issue. I'm not looking forward to having to wear jeans with my saran wrapped knee!

Hope everyone had a great day!!!
 
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