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

[DogLoverx3]

So here's my bass-ackwards story of stairs. No, I didn't walk them backwards as was suggested as that just seems waaaaay beyond my coordination abilities (now or ever). I've been working on walking stairs 'normally' - one foot per stair and find that I'm kinda hauling myself up by the railing (oh so gracefully). I know everyone says that going down the stairs normally takes much longer but since I usually do things backwards anyway, I thought I'd give it a go this morning (and hope that the dogs know how to dial 911 should things go awry). So I grabbed onto the rail with one hand and walked down the stairs! No lurching, no hanging on for dear life. Crazy right? I guess I'll keep 2 footing the steps going up but 1 footing them down. If I average both methods out, I'm doing them almost 'normally' in both directions.

 

[Billy]

Does the PT folk's have a set of stairs? The PT facility I used had stair platform wih four different types of steps, a 6 inch, 8 inch and I think 12 inch stair. This really helped with re-training the body to maneuver the stairs. They had me do them sideways, backward an forward. I know it was a pain in the blank for the first few times at home as there are 17 down and 17 back up. You will get there!!!!!

 

[DogLoverx3]

Thanks @Billy ! PT does have steps but only 2! There's no way for me to work on the step thing other than 1 at a time when I'm there. They are 6" on one side and 8" on the other but since they're just 1step then platform, they're fairly worthless. Since I've been off from PT this past week, I've just ridden my recumbent bike and then done my stairs a few times a day. How are you doing?

 

[DogLoverx3]

Hi @Nana moon 27 ! Here's my house hunt update: I lost out on my 1st choice and since futzing around with that one wasted time, there are now 4 offers on my #2 choice. This market is very competitive in my price range, so now I have to just sit it out and wait as the sellers aren't even going to look at offers now until Monday :( If I don't get this one, then it's back to the drawing board.

I cancelled dinner with friends tonight. My knee is acting up and I haven't slept in 2 days, so just not up to it. I don't have anything planned for the weekend so i'll just putter around the house and keep getting rid of things.

I'm sorry that your knee is hurting :( You're having a rough run lately. Hopefully you can just relax, do minimal stairs and take care of your knee this weekend. Xoxoxox

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @DogLoverx3

I have got my two granddaughters staying over tomorrow night until Sunday. While their mom and dad are away for the weekend. The weather forecast is pretty good for Sunday and if I don't overdo it, I'm hoping maybe we'll go out for the day with them. I'm getting increasingly fed up with my knee now, it is getting to me.

I will cross my fingers for you regarding the house hunting and hope something good comes along.

I think that was a wise move on your part cancelling dinner, especially when you've had a rough couple day/nights. I hope for your sake you can get some shut eye tonight and have a lovely relaxed day tomorrow xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

[DogLoverx3]

Your weekend sounds like fun @Nana moon 27 ! I bet your grandkids would LOVE to be able to help their Nana out should need be this weekend. You can have your very own mini ice & tea Sherpas! I know what you mean about your knee getting to you. It's like 'enough already'! Hopefully things will turn around for you very soon!

yes, I HOPE I am able to sleep tonight! You too!! Xoxoxoxo

 

[Billy]

Well it sounds lik your doing good, it is just a long slow process and I have no patience. I tried to plan this operation during the do-nothing winter months. I hope to be at least 75 percent by Mid-April. I would say 60 percent normal today. I love the water and being out on the lake so I must get back to normal soon. I feel for you on the moving, moved from Louisville back to the lake in 2011, had a contract on th house dropped two days before closing, finally sold at 10k less than expected. The search for a new house seems like it would never end, but we found something we liked by accident, FSBO, just a simple sign and ended up buying he home, crazy after looking for hours and hours, weekend after weekend. Hang in there.

 

[DogLoverx3]

I have no patience either @Billy and at almost 12 weeks, I'm OVER this. This baby step business is for the birds. I still can't believe I thought I'd just sail right through this and pretty much be back to 'normal' after 3-4 weeks. Either I'm a huge idiot or very impressionable. When my OS said I'd be using a walker for 2-3 weeks, I assumed that meant I'd be 'all better' afterwards. Ugh. My bad

Good for you for finding a FSBO. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, but also believe that some of those reasons are very hard to see (and even harder to understand). Sorry about the deal falling through on the sale of your house too - I've been there a couple of times as well.

I'm quite positive that you'll be at least 75% by mid April and able to enjoy the summer and the lake! I'm a water lover as well. Every boat picture of me last year I was sporting a knee brace. Would be nice to not have to wear one (messes with my tan lines)

 

[saltyal]

So I grabbed onto the rail with one hand and walked down the stairs! No lurching, no hanging on for dear life.

.... now that you can go down almost normally, going up will happen real soon! ... and when you can do that comfortably you'll have turned a major corner so strength and endurance will come back in leaps and bounds!

This baby step business is for the birds.

After beating the stairs you'll be taking Big Girl steps!

 

[DogLoverx3]

Big girl steps?! funny play on words @saltyal just tried walking up the stairs and could only do a couple .... lots more work to do

I've opted to call it an early night and am upstairs watching season 1 of House of Cards on my laptop. So lame that it's only 6pm here....

@Nana moon 27 I hope you're sound asleep right now

 

[DogLoverx3]

So besides catching up on episodes of House of Cards, I've been practicing on walking properly. Uhm, does anyone else feel like they have Transformer parts in their leg? It's just so unnatural. I feel like I'm either marching like a tin soldier or taking these totally exaggerated steps. Like I pick my leg up to far, extend it too far and plop it down too oddly. Who knew walking would feel so foreign? I still walk about as quickly as a 95 year old, but that paired with my lovely gait I fear has people wondering what in the world is wrong with me!

Anyone else feel like this?

 

[Nana moon 27]

Oh @DogLoverx3 I'am right with you on that one. It's even worse since my stair mishap. I practice in front of a full length mirror but I feel weird. The quality of my walk is better if I relax and take my time and someone said that if I work on the quality, the speed will come later.

The girls have put themselves to bed which is nice. They came in for a hug and a kiss goodnight. I mean the 13yr old is 5ft 5" tall but her daddy is 6ft 2". She looks at least 16/17 and we have to watch out for her constantly. She is sensible but had an incident where two men tried to get her into a car last year. It was reported but nothing ever came of it. Lucky she was sensible and ran into a shop, the shopkeeper ignored her! And she phoned her mom. Her elder brother came flying round in just his boxers and bare feet the guys clocked him and sped off. Bold as brass my grandson walked into the shop called the guy a name or two and took her back home but her mom was halfway up to the shop by now. My daughter went mad at the shopkeeper. He couldn't have cared less.

Ive rested well tonight have took all my meds and settling down it's just gone 10pm. Not tired though cos I slept earlier but it was a lovely sleep.

I hope that you are ok my lovely friend and having a good day today. Love Nana moon 27 xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxo

 

[Billy]

I must laugh at the 95 year old remark, because you are exactly corrrect. We left the Mexican Restaurant yesterday afternoon, still much ice in the parking lot from the storm, so there I go with the baby steps, praying I would not fall, then climb into driver's seat of the truck and seemed like I could not lift my surgical leg. I felt stuck for a minute, somewhere between the truck and outside of the door, my wife and kids thought it was funny, so I can't help but laugh at this madness, I thought to myself time to get home and pop a bottle of wine, call it a day

 

[saltyal]

does anyone else feel like they have Transformer parts in their leg?

Not anymore, but up to around week 10 or 12 I often thought it felt like I was using someone else's leg. But once I got going on longer walks in tougher terrain & hikes in the bush with Woodstock my gait improved a lot, along with renewed confidence in my new knee's strength and stability. So hang in there, it WILL get better!

 

[DogLoverx3]

Thanks @saltyal - i'm right around 11 weeks, so hopefully it will get better soon. I may actually try to walk around the block tomorrow (take one of my more ancient dogs). With all the walking I do back and forth and around the house and everywhere else, I have yet to actually walk around the block as I'm always worn out by the end of the day!

Oh no, @Billy ! I honestly cannot fathom having to manuever on snow or ice with a new knee. I am in awe of all of you that have to do it! I have a hard enough time on plain ole' pavement! I can totally see you trying to get into the truck last night! I've had that happen so many times when I get to my car and just kinda stand there staring at the drivers seat trying to remember how/ will myself to get in! I hope the wine helped when you got home!

@Nana moon 27 - how frightening for your grand-daughter! I'm so glad all turned out well. Good on your grandson as well for coming to her rescue. Sorry he got clocked for it, but very very commendable! I do hope that you're feeling better this evening and able to rest. This is just not your week, but please allow your granddaughters to wait on you this weekend. No stairs! Send them to do your bidding and to pass the time, you all can do nails and hair and watch bad tv and gossip and that other fun stuff that can be done upstairs!

I'd be okay with my lack of speed when walking if I felt that I could walk a bit more normally. I just feel that people from miles away look at me and wonder what the heck I'm doing. So weird that I can't figure out how to make my transformer knee work like my real one! xoxoxo

 

[Nana moon 27]

"With all the walking I do back and forth and around the house and everywhere else, I have yet to actually walk around the block as I'm always worn out by the end of the day!"

You probably do round the block several times over around the house so please don't be fooled. Look what's happened to me through those stairs and doing the set exercises!!! You don't always realise how much you do? However, the fresh air will do you a power of good. My colourings gone very pasty looking through being indoors so much...yuk!!!! Xoxoxoxo

 

[Billy]

The wine is the new replacement blood thinner,works great, sometimes used as a pain killer too

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hey @Billy I wonder if it might pep up my complexion too? Ha haha xxxxx

 

[susanne]

I'm wondering if wine is so helpful what about a little vodka?? Too soon?.

 

[Pumpkin]

How about a Martini, with olives. That way you also have a serving of fruit. (is an olive a fruit or a vegetable?)
@Nana moon 27 very to hear about your grandaughters close call, glad everything turned out well.
@DogLoverx3 , I think when the swelling goes down your robotic knee will feel more normal.