TKR My TKR 12/16/19: Easier Than I Thought - THEN AGAIN!

@LD of Michigan you and I have these early morning hours, don’t we?

Until my surgery, I worked out at Orange Theory, and those bands were the bane of our existence. Much moaning ensued when we were told it was a mini band day.
 
You are one tough, energetic cookie LD! I'm tired just reading all the stuff you accomplish in a day. And I'm a couple weeks ahead of you! I'm more in the right hand slow traffic traveling lane & you clearly are in the left passing lane. You go with your bad self!
 
Uhhh. I am FEELING it with my 'bad' self...:groan:I am in the bed by seven-thirty.

Resting if not sleeping. So GLAD week will soon be over.

My lower calf swoll up this afternoon/ evening so I am on ice. I had a few zinger pains too. But that's part of the healing. I've had them before...
14 degrees here! Fahrenhiet! Brrrrrr...:ice:
 
Last edited:
Isn’t American food very different from English? I’ve been reading a book set in America which describes the food eaten and most of it I’ve never heard of at all, like you with the weetabix. (You eat weetabix with milk). I have them to put something in my tummy along with the meds.
I enjoyed my outing but was tired afterwards of course. Still using ice at night and on waking. Staples out today.
I agree some sun would be nice, but I liked having mine done now as being retired in France, means there’s less going on in February than in the summer.
 
Mainly we have a large variety (foods). A fast trip over to Windsor, ON Canada (half an hour from Detroit by bridge or tunnel show us that. Their standard grocery store has far fewer brands/ varieties of cold cereals stocked than we do. Same with the fast food options. But all options are not good.

We had a mild winter up thru very recent. Now we are deathly cold temps of 5 degrees F. Not pleasant. Very scary for those who are homeless. Exposure to this weather has to be minimal. I only plan to be out as long as I have to be at work - nothing more. My knee feels stiffer than normal for certain.
 
The UP (Upper Peninsula) is even colder then down here SE Michigan. I was born here but will never get used to or like the bitter cold days of the great lake state. Though the snow on the trees can be lovely and if you like skiing we've go that big time!
I’ve got you beat here in Alaska...
 
Last edited:
I was born here but will never get used to or like the bitter cold days of the great lake state

I was born in interior Alaska, last week some places were -40 and -50. I remember going out to start my car when I was 16 or so and it was -60 out and I couldn’t steer the thing because it was so cold out. I don’t miss any of that one bit!
 
And here, in North Carolina, it’s in the freaking 60s and 70s. It’s been eerily mild. Today, we’ve got a cold snap of highs in the 40s. Just like our knees, it’s all unpredictably different, I guess.
 
Virginia is the same way. Two or three days it's winter then three or four days it's spring. No wonder everyone has been coughing and hacking. These fluctuations also affect a healing knee. It's something about change that they don't like. It does get better, though. My new knee hardly ever feels weather changes; only if it a huge drop in the barometric pressure does my tkr knee fuss and then it's only for a a minute or two. MUCH better than before the replacement!
 
Wow! So many different places and temperatures. Today here in south west France the sun was shining and it was about 70 degrees f. Husband cut the lawn which is growing more than it ought. Leaves coming out and daffodils. We may go for a drive in the Mazda with the top down tomorrow. Half staples out, rest due to come out by 9.00 pm when the nurse Jonathan arrives.
 
It has been in the 80’s here in Florida and I took my first trip to the beach today 9 weeks after surgery. Felt good to put my toes in the sand. Used zinc oxide on scar to keep it out of the sun as my MD said to keep it out of the sun for one year, but that is not possible where I live!
 
20’s here in Philly burbs, but heading to near 50 tomorrow..have been very fortunate no snow , or wife would need to use snowblower..
 
Hola! Wrapping up 10 week post TKR! FEELING GRAND~! Week 2.5 back to work full time.

Entering my 11th week of PT completing all week 12. My extension is not zero but improving. Flexion has always been pretty good. I try not to get over-angsted about the numbers as I know they'll improve as I go forward with my ADLs, stretching and gym work.

I take regular Tylenol as needed (once a day or so). Ice now only once in a while. Outside of the occasional zingers (the normal pain of healing) my pain is from the incision.

My incision looks great (glued not stapled) yet remains tender at 10 wks, far longer than other surgical incisions I've had. It does not hurt alone, but to the touch severely at times! I suppose it just needs more time. I can wear pants and jeans. I just tune out the discomfort as it comes up.

The mechanical clunking is less noticeable as my new knee graduates from infancy (smile). Stability is good. And I've noticed the redness of knee is nearly gone at the end of a long day.

A few times a day when I am walking without a cane I almost forget about the TKR implant.

Great to now have that JOINT pain gone. After a very strenuous day I'll still use my four-wheeler in the house a bit. Though less. Less cane as well. Though I think I'll always travel with at least a collapsible cane as I have had back issues the past.

I took a short trip on a commercial coach buss mid-state -- three hours each way. I didn't want to drive that far on the my knee (RTKR). Ride was great! At stops I stood and stretched - making sure to extend and flex knee. Minimal swelling - didn't need to ice.

Thank you mods/ advisors and TKR voyagers here for your support! I will give updates as I go. The incision tenderness will get better over time.
 
Last edited:
Hola ALL: 12 weeks post RTKR! Using cane less (about 30% now) but tired by the time Friday rolls around from work week (returned to wrk @ 7.5 week).

Work is going well, walking more and more sans cane - using it now mostly for the extended walks down longer hallways. Total TKR healing takes time and I'm ok with that...:hugzz:... At weeks end when too exhausted, I still opt to roll about my home here and there using my four-wheeler. Then back to work less cane. It all balances out.

I find I am strongest in 9AM thru about 3PM. Evenings are when my knee reminds me it's not done healing! I'm able to lift and carry more, but still must consider weight level when shopping.

FINALLY, my incision (glued option) is starting to fully heal/ flatten, and is less red and painful. The 12th week must be the charm for that!

I just completed 13 full PT sessions which I opted to spread out to once a week towards the end.

My ADL's (Activities of Daily Life) replacing some of what I was doing during PT sessions allowed that. The other PT-like exercises I continue are either in bed or at the gym. I do some weight training but very measured, and I'd done some of that pre-TKR. I mostly peddle - increasing my levels.

I look forward to spring so as to get out and walk outside. Drinking more water to help with weight loss. I've found that drinking water from those oz. marked bottles helps me monitor my intake and set benchmarks for success!

I had a few re-bouts of with my ole' friend 'insomnia' :yawn: recently, but working on that by way of mild sleep aids and getting into bed early!

Thank you for all of your support and feedback. I'm paying it forward to help, and educate others as I can.
 
Last edited:
Micro-update: Slept a full seven hours :sleeep:last night and not too bad the night before!:ok:
Insomnia has been an issue since my TKR and I did not sleep well before...:tiredwheel:
I'm exercising at the gym more and that extra exertion is making me more sleepy. Woo-hoo!
Thank you all for your support (wk. 13)...:loveshwr:
 
Last edited:
Yay, you can't buy a good night's sleep!
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,180
Messages
1,597,057
BoneSmarties
39,364
Latest member
All2Gd88
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom