Revised PKR to TKR My Revision Journey<

[Pheebs52]

I'm not going anywhere near a Costco until I am much further down the road. Color me *chicken*!
When you look back and see how far you've come in the first 3 months, it's not hard to imagine you'll be flight-ready in another 3 months. I know we often don't see the healing changes occurring on a daily basis, but each week (other than those first 2; ugh) does seem to bring something positive. Maybe you can arrange for a little vacation with a short flight just to see how you manage in the airport and on the plane? You deserve a getaway and this could also serve as a bit of a test.

 

[becticu]

@flyaway79, I just have got caught up on your thread. Great report from your Dr. Are you still using the kinesic tape? If you look back in my thread you will see a pic where my PT taped me when my swelling was at it's worse. She still tapes certain areas and I know it helps it go down because she has taped this knee consistently. Mine was a boring tan color tho, lol.

You were brave for a Costco trip, I haven't ventured. It's hard because things my left toddler knee are ready to do my right baby knee isn't! I travel with my job as well although I don't fly every week like I used to. I still have lugging suitcases, getting them in and out of the car, checking in and out of hotels etc. It's a little scary to think about isn't it? I guess time is our friend as well as well as our enemy!

 

[flyaway79]

So last night when I went to bed I found out my knee was not as thrilled with my trip to Costco as I was

I had lots of zingers, and all sorts of sensations that I hadn't felt in awhile. Finally I had to take a pain pill to get her to settle down which I hadn't taken in awhile. Today she is still a little peeved at me.

Today I'm going to give her a day of rest

We will try another adventure in a couple of days.

 

[flyaway79]

@becticu I did not end up using the tape for long. I didn't like the feeling of it on my leg. It reminded me of the wrap I always had to wear prior to my surgery and it took me back to reminders I didn't like. Weird I know but so much of this is a mind game

Traveling is a challenge with two good knees even on the best of days for sure. I get nervous when I think about going back but I'm not going to rush into it if my knee is not ready.

Glad to hear that you are feeling better after your second surgery! I need my second one done as well but that won't be until sometime next year.

 

[zakmick]

You're giving me hope lady!! I've been good during the day after my rant the other but nights have been tough here too.

Are you feeling the ligaments still as you bend and walk? It doesn't hurt but makes me feel queasy.

Are you really going hiking????


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[flyaway79]

@zakmick LOL noooooo I'm not going hiking!! That makes me laugh haha!

That squishy ligament feeling wasn't bad at all yesterday, but today it's back again and I also have a small pain on the inside part of my knee that wasn't there before. Not sure what that is all about. It's kind of like one of the pains I had prior to my surgery so I get a little nervous when it flares up like this. That's also the area where is have the most remaining numb feeling and where my doctor said the inside incision was made. It's been tender to the touch since my surgery.

I'm going to rest it today, no stationary bike and minimal walking and see if it settles down.

 

[flyaway79]

@zakmick did you see @sandi4213 walked around an amusement park yesterday??? She made my trip to Costco look like a walk to the mailbox. I'm so proud of her!!!

 

[zakmick]

I just read Sandi walk or TREK around the park, that's awesome lol... I love rides, can't wait to do that again. She gets a gold star, not just her knee [emoji16]

Hahahaha I was wide eyed and shaking my head saying 'she can't be going hiking!' Lol

I had that pain on the inside of my leg before surgery it was one of the reasons for my surgery too and it has been coming back when I over do it now which scares me as well. PT told its one of the spots where the ligaments connect, I find heat is better for this pain. Been getting shin pain as well.

Numbness is on the outside of my knee mainly, actually probably whole right side of it, there are previous scars from old surgeries on that side.

I haven't used the bike the last few days and just been walking more, I've found my gait is getting better by just the extra walking, I've been needing the cane less and less around the house. I do like how the bike seems to oil/loosen it up though.

Will be nice when the knee doesn't feel like it has to tell us to rest. Enjoy a relaxing day. I've been hooked on Orphan Black on Netflix.


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[flyaway79]

@zakmick I'm going to try the heat thing on my sore spot and see if that helps. It is disconcerting when old pains show back up again. And yup my shin pain has been acting up again too! Wow! So similar.

My numbness is in the spot where it had never gone away from my PKR 6 years ago so I'm not surprised it's still here. Frankly I think this will be with me forever. No big deal as long as I am ultimately painfree.

Haven't seen Orphan Black. Will have to look it up. Thanks!

 

[flyaway79]

Decided to get on my stationary bike and see if it "worked things out" and it did indeed. I love how easy the bike is on my knees while still feeling a stretching in my knees and a strengthening in my thighs. The tight band feeling is always there but I feel like the bike lubricates my joints without pressure. My little sore spot seems to have eased up as well. <fingers crossed it continues>

 

[sistersinhim]

It's amazing how just a little riding helps the knees. I remember my new knee gave me a fit when I wasn't allowed to walk on my foot for almost 5 weeks. I called and asked my foot/ankle doctor if I could ride my recumbent bike and he said gentle. That helped my knee a huge amount! These knees want to be used! I'm glad your bike worked out your soreness.

 

[flyaway79]

Yes I can tell that my knee now likes to be used. I get way too stiff if I sit for too long a period.

Unfortunately my "other" - won't say bad cuz I don't want to tick it off - knee is not so happy about the up and down. I've got to find a balance until that one can be dealt with

 

[jaschembra]

I think your knee is just telling you that you may have just been on the edge of the ODIC and you're giving it what it needs and wants now. Rest. The 1st (and bad) time I ODIC (over did it club) it took nearly a week to get back to where I was. It felt like I had taken 5 steps back, losing a week of recovery (it involved getting on/off a 4 wheeler like 6 times in the rain to open close gates!! Bad me.

What a great mental lift though - walking around Costco.

 

[Celle]

Carol, @flyaway79 - I think you'll continue to get weird aches and pains for a while yet, although they should settle down a lot. Your knee is still quite new.

Even though my knees are 2+ and 5+ years old, I still get the occasional niggle from them, not that it interferes with my daily life. I just put it down to the fact that my knees now have large, metal foreign bodies inside them and they're entitled to grumble from time to time. I'm very thankful for the way they have improved my life, and I always get a shock when I see the X-Rays.

 

[Cybil62]

@flyaway79 it sounds like you are doing awesome! Good for you when you say you ride your stationary bike and it feels good, is it a recumbent bike or a regular stationary bike? I can walk 5 miles no problem which I have been doing 3 or 4 times a week but I can't get a full rotation on the stationary bike:( I am really bummed out about that. I think I should be able to but I can't do stairs the right way yet either.

 

[flyaway79]

@Cybil62 I ride a stationary bike. I can't do the recumbent bike because I think my legs are just too short and it's not comfortable for me to ride those. We have one and I've tried it many times. Finally broke down and bought and upright and that works great for me.

Good for you on all that walking! I don't think I could walk 5 miles. Do you walk that all at once or theoughout the day?

 

[Cybil62]

@flyaway79 Yes I walk the 5 miles all at once, that is when my knee feels the best. A girlfriend walks with me if she can and if not I force myself to go alone. I just wish I could bend my knee more, I guess it will come

 

[flyaway79]

With all that walking it will surely come!!

 

[Celle]

With all that walking it will surely come!!

No. It's too much walking for this early in recovery. Too much exercise irritates and inflames your knee, making it more swollen and therefor reducing ROM. Over-exercising is counter-productive.
Exercising is like taking medicine: If the right dose is good, double the right dose is not good, but bad.

It's not exercising that gets you your ROM - it's time. Time to recover, time for swelling and pain to settle, and time to heal. Your ROM is there right from the start, just waiting for all that to happen, so it can show itself.

 

[flyaway79]

When I get up first thing in the morning and also as the day progresses I find my hamstrings and calf really getting tight.

I purchased this half circle foam roller from Amazon. I place it on the floor by my counter and put my foot on it. While I lean forward into the counter I can feel it loosen up the back of my leg. I do this several times a day and it feels so good.