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

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@DogLoverx3 - OMG I am so stupid, why didn't I think to pay someone to have my TKR??

Thanks for the kind words you 2 - I know I am fortunate to have help, pay for loads of physio etc - I just don't want you guys to think I take it for granted. However nice you are about it (and you are lovely) it does make my life a lot easier not needing to work or worry about things. But @Nana moon 27 you are right, we have worked very hard to get to this point, and it wasn't always easy.

Here's a little story about Dogwheels having things done for her .... when we lived in Indonesia we had to get Driving Licences. I was petrified that I would have to drive around the manic streets of Jakarta 'on test'. I was told not to worry as I wouldn't have to be tested. I innocently thought that I would front up at the test centre, pass over my brown envelope ('incentive money') which was the standard way to get things done, show my UK licence and it would be sorted. I had to wait AGES, but eventually got my licence. It was years afterwards that I found out that the way it worked was that some poor little Indonesian acted as me, and took my test. I still wonder if he had to wear a blonde wig?? Driving test by proxy - brilliant! Just wish I could have had TKR by proxy - however, it would have taken a very large brown envelope!

@susanne - your post made me laugh about the ants and the cookie on the floor. Interesting what your Dr said about the bike. I asked my PT if I should do longer bouts of pedalling for strengthening - up to now she has only had me doing about 30 'revolutions' each time, moving steadily closer just to increase knee bend. She said pedalling is good for loosening up, but I would increase strength/stamina better by taking the stairs a couple of times each day. My OS and PT's view on bend is to achieve the very best that you can manage for your knee, and providing that enables you to do all the things that you want to do and could do before, it's fine.

Sorry it is so hot @DogLoverx3 - I suppose the only positive thing is I am guessing it's dry heat? (I've only been to Arizona once and can't remember - it was a long time ago). The humid Tropical stuff is the pits. Although it was evilly hot in the summer in UAE, at least it was dry heat. At the moment I think everyone in UK would give anything for any heat - I know I would. However, when we do get the odd burst in the 90's everyone moans how hot it is. Just can't win.

Well husband has just left for the seaside. He's going to finish polishing our motor cruiser and take some photos as we are selling it. It is not getting as much use now, and he is still worried about me jumping off to moor up. (So am I!) Then it is racing for him tonight. The sun has just come out here -hurrah! Off to the shops to buy Birthday cake candles.

Talk later
XXX
 
Hi @DogLoverx3 how are you doing? Xxxxx I actually got a cancellation from the Chest clinic. I've posted about this on my page. I'm suffering quite bad with anxiety, shakes, profuse sweating and feel generally awful. Xxxx
 
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You are welcome to laugh at me any time @susanne ! I do get myself into sticky situations at times and as turn about is fair play, I laughed at the cookie under the counter/fridge/whatever it was - I would have wanted the cookie to eat, not to avoid bugs. :heehee:

So pleased to hear about your appointment at the chest clinic @Nana moon 27 ! I just posted on your thread how cross I am at your GP for putting you in the position that you're in with the morphine. I think it's hugely irresponsible of him to have not tried other alternatives in the hopes of avoiding the dependency/withdrawal issues you are now suffering. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this but I am SO PROUD of you for following through my friend. You are a strong woman and your suffering will pay off!

You're going to buy candles instead of making them @dogwheels :rotfl:? You disappoint me. :wink: I'm sure the cake will turn out wonderfully! Yes, the heat here is 'dry' but who cares when it's 110+. It feels like being hit in the face when you walk outside. Yuck. In the dead of summer the temps don't even cool off at night so there is absolutely NO relief and I have just found out that my new house has insulation issues so it's going to cost me a small fortune in order to keep it cool until I can manage to save enough to get the insulation issue fixed. My finances certainly seem to be going in the wrong direction. There is a stead outflow (more like outpouring), but as it's the start of summer, business is slowing down. Poop.

@hopefaith , I hope your knee is feeling better today!

I just did a final walk through with a tenant at one of my investment properties this morning and I will be very sorry to see him go. Always paid rent on time, wasn't a bother, and was a generally nice guy. Kinda set the bar high for the next one. Let's hope that my past trend doesn't carry forward of when a good tenant leaves, I inevitably end up with a nightmare tenant the next time. Anyway, he left the townhouse in good shape but there are some repairs and cleaning that need to be done - not his fault, so won't come out of his deposit. *sigh* more $$ to come up with.

Anywhoo, I know I whine and complain a lot on here, but I know that I have things pretty good. I have a few very good friends, my knee could always be worse, I don't live in a cardboard box and any number of other things. I do appreciate all that I have and all of you. Just wanted to throw that out there. xoxoxoox
 
and OMG @dogwheels , wouldn't that be wonderful to be able to hire someone to go through the TKR surgery and recovery for us like you did when you were in Jakarta? I know you were very lucky with the pain factor, but I can't even imagine what someone would charge to go through the pain that I suffered! :swoon::sick:
 
wow - work is certainly interfering with my ability to keep up with you lot!
@DogLoverx3 - you are in Phoenix, forget the doctor - be on the lookout for an engineer - they make nearly the same salary without that pesky medical insurance and massive student loans they have to pay for (much less likely to have massive egos, also)…plus, engineering companies have much better benefits than health care. They are also highly likely to be the one that has been too busy until their 40s to figure out how to talk to a woman. My husband is 45, as I mentioned, we’re about to go to Boston to meet his family for the first time (oops!) and he’s acting kind of weird. Turns out, he has NEVER introduced a woman to his Mom. Not even in high school. Seriously.

Ok, all this talk of getting up off the floor – I realize I’m still on the before side of this equation but why is it hard to get off of the floor? I just shut myself in my office and sat on my floor (in a short dress with wedge heels…hope there are no hidden cameras!) and I still can’t figure out why it would hurt you guys at this point?

@Nana moon 27 – so sorry you’re having such a hard time with the withdrawals – on the positive side I’ll bet you will feel MUCH more like yourself when all of that is out of your system. So pleased to see you mention your chest appointment moved, will head over to check.

LOL @dogwheels – that’s too funny about the substitute Driver! Have you finished the cake? How did it turn out?

I can’t believe how hot it already is in AZ – if anything, we are cooler than normal and much cloudier than usual. I wonder what this summer will be like?
 
Hiya @TexasTee . Uhm, engineers have a hard time thinking outside their little 'engineering box'. Most of the men I've dated in the past were/are engineers of one sort or another - computer engineers, structural engineers, etc.... - they all seem to be a bit emotionally challenged, if you will (I wanted to use a totally UN PC word that is uber fitting, but refrained). One I dated for several years and when his father passed away, who I'd never met or even spoken to, I cried more than he did! Not sure which is worse, having to deal with a god complex or someone who is emotionally stilted and ONLY functions/understands logical thought processes. Honestly though, I don't much care about the money - i've supported myself this long - I just can't seem to find a good guy with a 'plan' (no peter pan syndromes) who likes me! Or who I like.....

As for the floor thing. It's the pressure that goes thru the knee. If you kneel on your 'good' knee (which many of us don't have a 'good' one anymore), then you are putting all the weight on your TKR knee. For many, kneeling on your TKR knee in order to push off with your 'good' leg is impossible. I can't kneel. For some it hurts, others it just feels 'creepy' or weird. Also, you need to be able to bend your TKR knee to a certain degree in order to have it at the right angle to be able to get up. I can bend my knee all day long as far as I need to, I just can't put all the weight and force of getting up onto it. It's honestly a big, annoying production and one I didn't even think of prior to having this done (I also can't sit 'indian style' anymore which I find highly annoying as the bend + angle doesn't work with my robot parts). If I can scoot over to a counter or ledge, I can pull myself up, but sitting in the middle of the room, on the floor, I'm kinda stranded.
 
Mystery solved! I don't kneel - unless someone points a gun to my head I'm not doing it! - sends just the most amazing amount of pain through my knee but I do love yoga and dogs so I'm on the floor a lot.
I push up - like a crab pose I suppose (if the knee hurts a lot I'd do that with just the better knee) then just rotate over into a down dog sort of pose and stand, no pressure on the knees at all. Might be worth a shot?
RE Engineers...hmmm, well, I suppose it’s all perspective. My ex-husband the ortho nurse was a big ole mush ball - super sensitive and well, a bit needy and if he was emotional about something he had ZERO ability to be logical. It made me insane. I’d much rather have a logical guy that needs some EI assistance…I’m in HR and all, if anyone can help him figure out emotional intelligence, it ought to be me! However – I do see your point, I’ve meet some members of the species that even I wouldn’t try to rehab. ;-)
 
@TexasTee I used to get up off the floor by just pushing my knees together - sort of knock kneed style - and up I went. There's something about angles + bends post TKR that make some seemingly simple things very challenging. I have a mental block when it comes to sticking my big ole' butt in the air in order to get up. I will warn you too, that with having to kind of haul yourself around in the early days in order to move in bed with your arms, hands, elbows, shoulders, whatever, it can create residual issues. I have problems with my right shoulder now that I didn't have before.

Well yes, you're right about the overly sensitive types. They're kind of a nightmare. Never know what's going to hurt their feelings. No fun walking on eggshells all the time and being as my main sense of humor style is kinda sarcastic, that doesn't often pair well with overly sensitive people.....

OMG, my OS's PA just called and they are going to order the compound cream from another pharmacy for me! They have a deal worked out with them that for patients whose insurance apparently sucks (who knew) it is a flat rate of $30!!! I'm SOOOOO excited!! She said I should 'hopefully' hear from them sometime next week, so fingers crossed that I do and that it is, in fact, just $30. The cream helps with both inflammation and nerve pain. I can't wait! :loveshwr::dancy::loveshwr:
 
Great news about the cream stuff @DogLoverx3 - see, things are beginning to come good.
Shame you couldn't get some deposit money back from your tenant. I've just had to do a paint job throughout on one rental property and a new en suite on the other. Hmmph .... luckily I have 2 tame and decent tradesmen!
You're absolutely right about the issues with getting up from the floor, AND the need to haul yourself around the bed. @TexasTee has all these delights to come.

Without wishing to appear rude to your brand new husband @TexasTee - no wonder the poor soul is 'bricking it' having his Mom meet the first girl he has ever brought home! Is she OK? Does he talk about her? I'd love to be a small fly on the wall when you meet up :heehee:. Nice for you going to Boston - hubby did the PMD programme at Harvard when our daughter was very small. We came out for a week or so and spent time on the campus there - it was great and I loved Boston. I found it strangely 'English'.
BTW - I need to know what a 'down dog' is ... I am off to Google it now. Ooooh - I will not look anything like that! More like a wounded walrus.

Sorry, I'm with Doglover - engineers and me just don't get on, and my daughter also gives them a wide berth! My husband is a PhD Chemist, but swiftly plotted his exit from smells and explosions and spent most of his working life running mergers and acquisitions for a well-known international company. At times he appears to have undergone an emotion by-pass - seems as though all the wires are joined up wrong .......... then suddenly he will be really thoughtful and lovely. Bit of a Jekyll and Hyde, which keeps me on my toes. But he is very calm, quiet and decisive, which balances me out somewhat - and it works! He has certainly mellowed over the years.

Tomorrow is cake day and I am dreading it. If it all goes horribly wrong it will be a quick ride to the local patisserie and the garden birds and foxes will get rid of the evidence for me! If it goes well I will be in gloat mode and will definitely post a pic .... don't hold your breath anyone!! And NO Doglover, I was really lazy and didn't make the candles - am I bad!

Just realised while typing this, my TKR was 4 months ago yesterday. Time flies when you are having such fun!
I've given up counting now - it is just one blur of knee bending, bouncing around in the hydro pool and sitting on my backside.

My wine bottle is calling - things sure are bad that I am resorting to drinking on my own.

Cheers all

XX
 
:wowspring:way to go new OS!! That rocks - congrats!

Yes, thanks for the heads up, in light of all the research on this site I've been keeping up with yoga but added an entire new segment to my workouts, I am working on a pull-up program (currently can only manage weight assisted ones but I'm up to lifting 90 or so lbs of my body weight) and I'm working through the 100 push-up training program to make sure the rest of my body is as fit as I can make it before the op. Doing what I can to stack the deck! I'm going for Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 fierce :egypdance:
 
:heehee: LOL @dogwheels - wounded walrus indeed!! I shall ask my yoga instructor if she knows this one...

His Mother and I did an end run around him right around the time we got married and chatted on the phone, she was perfectly nice woman and we got along just fine. I think my logical fellow has just emptied out the logic bank on this subject.

However, like yours, he is a redeemable one, also. He never fails to bring me flowers and we still go out on a date at least once a week. He read a book or 12 on it, you see...couples who eat together often, go out together socially and are thankful for each other statistically stay together much more often than couples who don't. So - we do all of that and more, he tells me often how much he loves me and how much he values having me around...18 months in and he's sticking with it so I think it's his real behavior. I definitely lucked out!

I'm sure the cake will be fabulous! Is it to be a wedge of cheese?!
 
Oh @DogLoverx3, that's great news about being able to have the cream, I'm so pleased for you, let's just hope it has the desired effect.
Well done @TexasTee, all your exercising will pay off during your recovery, you will be do glad you did it all.
 
@TexasTee , all of your conditioning and preparing for this surgery will absolutely pay off. I had no idea it would be hard on anything other than my leg. All I was told was to work on strengthening my quad muscles beforehand but it is so much more than that.

Thanks @Ellejay - I'm very happy that the cream is accessible to me and hopefully it will do some good :-)

@dogwheels , I really don't like being a landlord, but that's what I chose to invest my money in so here we are. ;-) At one point I had 8 properties, but am now down to 4. I found some terrificly hard working and honest handymen that helped me get my 'real' house ready to go on the market, so hopefully they will cut me a deal on getting this little townhouse ready. The aggravating part is that everything that needs doing I usually do myself and have in the past, but Richard won't let me right now. Darn him....

I'm sure your cake will turn out wonderfully! I look forward to seeing the pics!

Hope you had fun tonight @Nana moon 27 ! xoxox
 
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, as I am married to an engineer. He's civil engineer and he's interested in everything. He has a wide general knowledge and he's never boring - a bit annoying at times, but never boring! :wink:
 
Hi @DogLoverx3 I had a nice time. I had to fight my withdrawal symptoms. I wanted to curl up in a chair and not go. I didn't want to do my hair, put on makeup I had to force myself. I didn't have long to get ready. I was rewarded with the fact that a dress I usually have to wear leggings with as it's a bit short seemed to have gotten longer. Somehow I must have lost some weight. Anyway I ended up wearing thick black tights(pantyhose), flat shoes with them. I didn't overeat. I struggled to pour my coke into the glass because of my shakes. I only ate until I began to feel a bit full and then stopped. I picked the meat out of the sauce, only ate two tablespoons of rice and about two inches of naan bread. I was very good. I think the dress fitting so nicely now made me think about what I was eating x x x

What fabtastic news you got from the OS. Really marvellous. You sound so happy now x x. Thank goodness for your new OS. I really like him x he's helped you my friend x x x

I'm glad you have someone that you can cut a deal with and I so get your anger at not being able to do stuff yourself! I hope you can get a nice tenant once the works done x x x

Love Nana moon 27 xxx
 
Hi @DogLoverx3 I hope these symptoms settle too. The sweating and shakes are the worst. Dreadful x x x I'm going to see if they settle in a day or so. Then I'll reduce again xxxxxx

I hope you manage to get some sleep my friend x x x x

Love Nana moon 27 xxx
 
Ugh, slept like poop. I cannot sleep in the new house. Probably managed to piece together. Hours i. 20 Minute increments. The a/c is really loud and cycles on and off constantly. I'm afraid to have it checked as I know it's going to be an insulation issue and a very expensive fix :(.

@TexasTee , I so wish I knew what was in store ahead of time. It's ridiculous how much my OS downplayed the intensity/length of the recovery process. You'll do great! Uhm, but weren't you planning to have your surgery in the fall this year?

compounding cream is being delivered today between 4-6! Yipeee!! Cost $45 instead of $30 for 4oz, but at least it's coming!
 
Glad the cream is done in time for the weekend!! Hope it works. Ugh on the AC - not something you want to be without in AZ...hope it's something cheap to fix.

I have two options for the TKR. If I have the surgery in August I have to be back to work full steam in 8 weeks - if I wait until February then I can have up to 12 weeks and I'll be able to buy up my short term disability for 2015 so my pay is 90% instead of only 75% so ideally, I'll wait.
 
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