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Bilateral TKR Nensi_New_Nees

Being outside was a big help with turning Day 17 around. Combine with two afternoon catnaps, one outside and one inside just before dinner and top it off with delicious empanadas with all the trimmings. Who could stay blue? As far as the knees are concerned I am not gonna overthink them today - they are not front and center tonight, attention grabbers that they are - today it is not all about them.
PT comes tomorrow, ugh, not looking forward to it. My idea was to take 5-6 days off and ice and elevate like crazy and welcome a breakthrough in ROM. Hahhahahahahaha, I don't even have to reread that to realise how ridiculous and totally outta whack that it sounds. Where do I dream the things up?
I have actually done a few things which were a little more challenging than keeping my nest tidy and Indid not make a muddle of them. Promising signs.
 
i love that lounging chair you posted...looks so comfy. how do you raise and lower it to get in or out? good luck with physio tomorrow ~ hope it's not too hard on you.
 
I have already confessed to being an exact scientist so it won't be a surprise that I give in to that part of me occasionally and report statistics (No! Not ROM, never ROM!). Today, this morning I took my 50th Tylenol 1g. I finished the first box. That is pretty much adhering to the 4x daily and Inhave been home for 12.5 days. Still and all, I find it somewhat unsettling that I have taken so many. I hope that no one takes offence, but with my pre-thr knees, I only had to medicate when I overdid it and I pretty much knew my limitations. Chafed at them, hated them, but pretty much lived within them. Still and all, I am thankful that the pain in under control just with Tylenol and a Tramadol before sleeping at 2-1/2 weeks. Maybe I could do without the Tramadol but I am not gonna push that.
So here's another statistic - since I have been home I have weighed in every few days. Actually in my world of the last year trying to do anything that was under my control to alleviate knee pain, I started eating better, infinitely more vegetables and much less carbs, and then good carbs, daily weigh-in was a routine. Years ago, my GP convinced me about the reality check of doing so. Of course your weight fluctuates daily, but if you see an increasing trend over a week, you get confronted with the effects of your behavior. And yes, it is exactly that, confrontational! In my case and because I'm a bit of a techie, I kept track of it in a app and then you have a graph.
Where is she going with this, you might be asking yourself?
Well, I slept well last night, am enjoying a latte in bed with my ice cuff and there is a beautiful summer blue with wispy clouds day brewing outside. So, I am rambling.
Back to statistics, one week ago I weighed in after surgery, 2lbs more than the week before. Impossible to have a reference, considering all the deconstruction and reconstruction but it is the new normal.
Now, a week later, I weighed in 3lbs lighter! My appetite is fine, since being home with my kids cooking up a storm, and indulging regularly in evening ice cream, I was expecting an increase.
So I am guessing that this 3lbs is water weight - swelling from my legs ! Yes!
Okay, that was my rambling for now - time to make my oatmeal (ADL time).
 
@liam2015 the recliner is very simple, there is a rod with a knob on it which you use as a lever to recline. Reclining is adjustable with 2 knobs under the arms. Sweet and simple.
 
Nensi, you are really doing incredibly if you can control your pain at just 2.5 weeks with so few meds; amazing! I'm sure the scientist aspect begrudges taking a medication that doesn't seem needed, but remember, your pain is under control and it might not be if you were to go off schedule so soon. Once it gets out of control, it's a nightmare to get back, so....just don't go there yet.

I like your weight-loss stats! I've lost 10 pounds of blubber since my surgery and I've no idea why, since I wasn't nauseous, but perhaps all the energy that goes into healing is a factor? Of course, I'm also moving quite a bit more, so that obviously helps. Whatever the cause, I'm thrilled, as will my cardiologist be when I see him in September. Naturally, he'd be even more thrilled if I shed another 10, and perhaps that will happen over the next two months. :fingersx:
 
@Pheebs52 Well, I'd like to take credit for the pain control and so forth but it's just the luck of the draw I guess, kind of like the wrong end of the stick we got when it comes to ROM. Dju, I was trying to keep that out of my vocabulary for a day or two.
My PT session was gentle today starting with massage and very gentle exercises. She clucked a lot upon hearing my negative answers when she asked about whether I was doing this or that exercise. That massage caught me at a weak moment and my natural honesty reflex kicked in. Oh well. I iced right away and after an hour or so managed to walk half a block feeling comfortable then back to bed for a mildly successful nap. You may be wondering what the difference is between mildly and very successful as far as naps go ?
Seasoned readers will know - it is how loudly I snore/snort myself awake!
After the nap had another minor success. I sat on my Exercycle and while rocking the pedals back and forth - planned to do 2 minutes per leg - I inadvertently made revolutions. Stop yelling at me !
I have a special pedal arm mounted on the Exercycle which I had on my bike it is a gizmo that can allow a 60-70'degree flexion gimp like me ride a bike. I'll post a picture. Still I was surprised !
We'll see if there is any fallout; in any case I will not be doing anything else besides ice and elevation today.
Kicked Day 18's butt.
 
I ditched the TEDS on day 4 felt like my legs were being strangled. I just get up and move and lots of heel pumps and ankle circles when I'm laying down. I am still struggling with the sleeping more than a couple of hours, mostly not being able to get comfortable, but also the random itching and nerve pain (at least that what I think it is-like my nerve endings are finding their way)
 
I complain about the TEDS but it really is a love-hate kind of thing. The support actually feels good and they fit me pretty well. The last few days I take them off for an hour or two morning and evening.
Sorry to hear about the sleep @Kare2dare, this too shall pass, it just never seems fast enough! Hang in there!
 
You sure did kick today's butt! Go girl! You'll be riding that bike without the pedal arm before you know it! I love your positive attitude!
 
Nensi, can't wait to see the photo of this bike pedal-arm gizmo, lol! You certainly did kick butt today; hah!:snork:
 
[Bonesmart.org] Nensi_New_Nees Okidoki, Pheebs, your wish is my command...
I'll post a video of me and you can see the bend. These babies saved my sanity. It had been three years since I had biked. This part of Belgium (northern) is really flat and like the Netherlands, biking as transportation is for all ages (6-86)! You should see the swarms of school kids in the morning !
Two summers ago I just got mad about not being able to bike and started searching the internet and found these babies invented by a guy in Amsterdam. He sent them to me as a free trial - marriage made in heaven!
The film clip shows one pedal with special doodad and one normal so you can see the difference in the bend.
I showed it to my OS and he has shared it with many patients.

Here's the website:
https://www.fietsenopmaat.com/eccentric-pedal-device/?lang=en
 
Wow, that device is pure genius! I can see why you sing its praises. Biking is such great exercise for recovering knees, or even knees that need surgery. You're really onto something.

I love reading your updates. You take such joy in all your daily activities and the people around you. Your body must be happy healing because of all that positive energy. And the weight loss is, for many of us, a nice bonus. I'm also losing weight. A lot of it initially was water from the swelling, but later on it comes from increased activity (I think). I'm eating pretty much the same as before surgery (a low-carb, diabetes friendly diet) but I'm moving four to five times as much. It makes a difference.

Yay for new knees!
 
I'm ahead of most of you guys it's 2.30pm here and Day 19 is a bit of a dog day: hot and muggy, threatening rain. Had a good start on a nights sleep last night - first 5 hour lap good and then my DH decided to get up and put the laundry though another spin cycle. These European machines spin at 1200 revolutions per minute so it sounds like a rocket turbine taking off. Needless to say, it woke me up. Tried to snooze but eventually gave up. Tired. Cranky. But as usual good things happened along.
Shower day ! Gabriella made me a delicious salad.
Now I am going to have an early afternoon nap to shake the crankiness. Knees are achy and not wanting to bend anywhere near yesterday. My Tshirt size is M, @Pheebs52 .
 
Wow, that pedal attachment is sheer brilliance! I'm going to talk to my PT about it and see if they know of anyone here who has them! My guess is they don't, or wouldn't they already be using them at PT, but....I could be wrong.

T-Shirt size duly noted Nensi, but....I still can't ship it until you've reached 6 weeks, lol!
 
That is one neat gadget! I looked for something like it here in the states and couldn't find anything online. I seem to remember about a year or so ago someone else on this site wrote about something like this, but I sure can't remember who it was, or even if he was from the states or not. I think this attachment would help many people rehab from this surgery!
 
I'm sure the inventor would jump at the chance to export to the US. I should have signed on as a salespromotor for him, right ?
Anyway, checking in after my nap...it was a delicious, extended version and much needed after last night. I did wake up in a bit of morning funk, nothing a walk won't help. My daughter Elena took a clip of my nap, haha.

Gonna get some fresh air !
 
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It comes through your posts loud and clear that you have a fantastic family helping you through this. I'm sure that is a comfort to think about when you're struggling through a rough spot. The video is so sweet.
 
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