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MUA My LTKR journey continues to RTKR<

I think you might be right on target with the bubble baths. I know my granddaughter gets used to get UTI's readily, and bubble baths were a big no-no. Hope the new antibiotic helps quickly.
 
Hi @becticu , I take trazadone for sleep, I have taken it for a couple of years since I lost my husband. It works for me for about 4 hours but that is way more than I had been getting. I am up to 2 pills a night, I hope the low dose works for you!
 
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Thanks @Cybil62. I got the prescription yesterday but haven't tried it yet. I saw a new recipe for an essential oil blend that I made tonight. It has lavender and Roman chamomile in it which I've used a lot before but this also had magnesium oil in it. I got the magnesium oil today and made the blend tonight. I'm hoping maybe this will work so I don't need to take another pill. You use this blend on the bottom of your feet.

I am 8 weeks out tomorrow. So how many times do I have to be in the ODIC(over done it club)? I really thought my day was going to be very reasonable. I went to the grandkids school to have lunch with them. My hubby woke up sick and couldn't go so I drove. It's about 20 minutes. This afternoon since hubby was sick I thought I would go to the store and get stuff to make soup. I had my list carefully made in order of where all was in the store. I didn't make it down 2-3 aisles before I knew I wasn't going to make it. I started hurting so bad it made me nauseous. I just had to leave. I grabbed a soup mix bag on my way out. I got home and left what groceries I got in the car, milk and all. He got up and brought everything in and put the pre-fab soup together... I wanted to help take care of him because he has really been pretty amazing and patient with all the craziness that this knee evoked!

I have my epidural for my back in the morning. I'm hoping and praying for relief and that the nerve wont be so irritated down the leg. I'm planning on staying totally down the next three days!
 
Ugh. Im Sorry. I needed bananas for my daughters school event tomorrow. Just bananas. I stressed so much about navigating a store that I ended up using the new scooter I rented just to go in and buy a single item. It's so hard not to be 100% functional.
 
Hmmm, so why is it that it never one time crossed my mind to use the scooters they have at the grocery store....of course I've never operated one of them before and probably would be really dangerous for anyone else in the store!:gaah:

@Jennszoo that will be amazing when I'm at 90 or even 80% of feeling normal but anxious for that 100. I know, I know it's a year recovery. Sure wish I had found this site before my surgery so I would have known more before surgery!
 
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Hello again @becticu. Have just finished catching up with your progress since we're just 2 weeks apart with our surgery dates. Have realized just how true it is that our recoveries are all so different. Tomorrow is 10 weeks post-op for me and as much as I think I'm getting on with my daily activites pretty well - driving, housework, shopping - my ROM is still in the 90 degree range, while your ROM is enviable but you're having your troubles with sleeping and energy.

For sure, I am hardly experienced with this recovery business, but I hope you can gain some reassurance knowing that my energy level is good and I am at a point where I still take anti-inflammatories, but not pain killers. Yesterday I even went kayaking with a colleague from work and we were on the river for 3 hours. I had help getting in and out of my boat - not terribly graceful I'll tell you- but did it ever feel good to move!

Kudos to you for going ahead with another knee replacement right away - you are such a warrior!
 
@becticu good luck with your epidural! As you know I am at 8 weeks also and I would Love to go see my Mother in law she was just put in an assisted living as she has Alzheimer's. But it would be an hour drive and I know I can't do it. My knee hurts to much to be in the car the long. I talked with a PT person yesterday and was scolded for not doing more, he told me do them until I can't stand it. I can't do that, I went for a little walk yesterday and I am down like you for the next few days. You have had a tough time enjoy your down time for the next few days! Thinking of you!
 
Ugh. They don't have to live with the pain. I think about that everybtim I try my leg lifts. I can do them now, but they stress my kneecap. And I keep thinking that if I push it, I will be in so much pain later and not able to do my ADLs, like prep meals, walk around the house, etc. so why would I sacrifice a functional activity for an exercise. But maybe that's why I'm a Speech Therapist and not a Physical Therapist. Lol. I'm all about whatever gets the job done, communication wise.
 
I sure hope that shot brings you relief, Becticu. @Jennszoo, functional activities are all you need to rehab your knee. Using it brings it back where it needs to be without all that exercising and pain!
 
Cybil62 said:
I talked with a PT person yesterday and was scolded for not doing more, he told me do them until I can't stand it. I can't do that,
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That PT person is preaching an out of date method and he needs to go to a refresher course. Don't listen to him!
Jennszoo said:
Ugh. They don't have to live with the pain. I think about that everybtim I try my leg lifts. I can do them now, but they stress my kneecap. And I keep thinking that if I push it, I will be in so much pain later and not able to do my ADLs, like prep meals, walk around the house, etc. so why would I sacrifice a functional activity for an exercise.
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@Jennszoo - Once you can do the straight leg lifts, you don't have to do them any more. They hurt, so stop doing them.
 
@Red's Mom, did you literally mean that you were riding again at 12/16 weeks? "Needless to say he was very happy when I was back on my horse at weeks 12/16" Because that would make me very happy if I could be back riding in that time frame.
 
Hi everyone, thanks for all the supportive messages. The epidural went well I think. The surgeon said the nerves were so inflamed. As he injected it kept sending bad zingers down my leg to my toes. He thinks this will give me the relief I need to get the other knee done on June 5. I may have to repeat once again after that one. He said my gait is off due to new knee as well as the old knee is extremely bad. It is good to feel hopeful. He suggested that I use hiking poles when I am walking outside, even on even surfaces. That will help keep the gait more even. I think I could do that easier than canes as I have used the poles for mountain hiking in the past and I'm comfortable using them. He also gave me some medication to help me relax during the procedure and that led me to have a 3 hour nap this afternoon. I haven't slept 3 straight hours in weeks. Many times the back hurt worse than the knees!

On another note...could anyone provide feedback on the best ice machine to purchase? I have the gel packs I use a lot and rented a machine for the first month. I could have purchased one for that money. My second knee is June 5 and my husband is have his left knee in the fall, so we need a machine! There are so many listed my head swims when I start reading reviews! :ice:Thanks everyone!
 
@becticu I purchased a Ossur Cold Rush and I'm not happy with it. The knee pad that came with it doesn't even cover the knee area and I never felt it did the job. Also even using frozen bottles of water in the container it didn't seem to stay cold long enough. Also the tubing was ackward to use. It seemed to be more of a pain to use than anything and I went back to the cold packs. I have about 8 of them I rotate. Then I can use one on the top and bottom of my knee at the same time. I have a Velcro strap that I use to keep the cold packs in place.
 
Thanks @flyaway79. That is one my hubby had checked out but when I read the reviews I was concerned. He's not a detail person but kinda looks at the big picture. We make a good pair cause I will read all the reviews. I just want to get one that will hold up for the rest of this knee, my new knee and then his knee! I think we are falling apart....:snork:
 
I wish I had gone with the universal pad rather than the knee pad. I think it would have worked much better. The knee pad just wasn't big enough and I don't have large knees or legs.
 
@becticu - I just put away my CryoCuff machine which I used heavily for a couple of months after my LTKR. I was very pleased with it (my husband always put the ice in it for me.) I will also use the machine when I have my RTKR, probably next year. I still use ice packs when I have swelling and soreness or pain, which isn't too bad now.
 
I purchased trekking poles for outside, yard, driveway walking (with some inclines) and I felt the change in my gait immediately.
 
@Knees4Me I will check out the CryoCuff brand. I want to get one before surgery again so I don't have to rent one. I've been using the gel packs since the rents one was for only a month.

@jaschembra, I loved your idea on Shelly's post about a gratitude journel. I've located a notebook already to start it. Did you purchase an ice machine for use at home? If so what brand did you use? Thanks.
 
Becky, I received an ice machine in the hospital and it was mine to take home. I know @Red's Mom needed a 2nd one (since she had her 2nd knee done in the same month) and she bought hers off eBay. I'm not sure of her brand but she will probably chime in here.

Gratitude - just 5 little things a day.

I had a journal I was keeping from day 1 in the hospital ( gave it to my sister to record my meds, stats, etc. until I was coherent lol). I kept this journal for 3 months. Recorded PT measurements etc. and on those down days, it held my gratitude entries as well.
 
Yep, chirping in. I have two Bregg Polar Cubes and I loved them! Holding onto them for when Keith has his knees done. I paid $$$ for the first at the OS DME store got the second on EBay for 39$! I've been gardening like crazy is week. I [emoji173]️ my new knees!!!!!!!


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