Bilateral TKR Nensi_New_Nees

[nensi]

Honestly don't think I am having a great recovery, don't get me wrong, I am grateful for many things:

• not anywhere near the pain I feared
• Pain under control with minimum of narcotics (4x 1g Tylenol, 1x Tramadol 50g @sleep
• Able to go the bathroom under my own steam
• Can eat dinner at the table with my family
• Kids really stepping up to my care and household duties and working well together
• Not having to fear the night, in general good nights
• Able to do nights alone, didn't need anybody to sleep downstairs with me
• Able to take short walks outside
• Scars healing well
• Good appetite, kids cooking tasty and healthy meals
• Constipation issues worked out and stable now (with stool softener every other day) and prunes
• With the exception of an odd hour or so, able to keep boredom at bay swapping out lots of activities.

I am at Day 21, 3 weeks out. Not sure if I am ready to start counting in weeks, the magnitude of the number in days feels like more of an accomplishment. Yeah, I need markers to differentiate the days from one another - they flow together. We all are developing a routine and a rhythm around my recovery. The kids still have all kinds of stuff going on: working, volunteering, going out with boy/girl friend and that connects me with the outside world a bit.

Not so many visitors, it's prime time vacation time here, many are travelling, but enough to add to the mix.

I have been home-bound, outside of my almost daily walks in my neighborhood. Outside walks have 3 stairs to get out. My last car ride was the one from the hospital 16 days ago!
ADL's: shower (with bench and hand held shower), dress myself, make-up. Feed the cats. Get my own ice bottles. Make my own latte and oatmeal, sometimes a snack. Leg massage with body butter (not the scar).

Exercises: pretty much not. Last 2 days 2 min Exercycle revolutions with my special pedal arm.

Most of the day elevating and icing. Energy level ok, mostly an afternoon nap 1½ hours.

PT scaled back to 2x per week, no fall out after PT.

No idea what my bend is but much much less than 90, extension good, probably 0, was from the get go.

So, @Celle, @Josephine, here's my question, am I in a good place ? Should I be adding ADLs? Go out in the car?

Suggestions are welcome. And if you all think I'm being ungrateful or pretentious or whatever - don't hold all punches - lemme have it ! You are my rocks.

 

[nensi]

@Thesoutherncook, your comment about an unladylike outburst at PT got me thinking - are there rules of conduct about language on this forum ?

 

[VW54]

Yes. I found out by having a post ( or two?) removed. Just use the smiley or two below and we will all insert our own expletives as we read what you wrote.

 

[Celle]

To maintain the acceptable tone of BoneSmart, we have a profanity filter that will change certain words that are not allowed.
It's best explained in Section 3 of the Forum rules and warning protocol

@nensi - you're doing very well. The first month is mainly for resting and recovering, allowing your knees time to start healing. I don't think you need to formally increase the level of your ADLs - just start doing more as you feel able, but try to stick to the guidelines suggested in this article:
Activity progression for TKRs

 

[nensi]

Sitting outside in a very low armchair - doing some much needed weeding out of one of our house plants. Gonna go for an upper body triceps workout getting up from this baby. Or just call for help from strongman Tonio.

 

[SusieShoes]

I will say having BTKR has been wonderful for my upper body! Those muscles get a workout.

 

[Josephine]

here's my question, am I in a good place ? Should I be adding ADLs? Go out in the car?

You have this reference article - have you read it lately? Activity progression for TKRs

 

[knit2tog]

I think you are doing well at this point. You will start adding activities as you feel up to them.

 

[nensi]

You have this reference article - have you read it lately? Activity progression for TKRs

Dear Josephine, I have read this over and over again. I'm a bilateral, do I factor that in ?
I just don't know, a little out of sorts with everything, three week dip? Or just needing a nap, maybe.

 

[Happydale]

Nancy, it sounds like you're a bit discouraged, and that makes me . I would love to have you read through the recovery threat of a BoneSmartie friend of mine from last summer. Her doctor thought she should have a MUA because her bend was coming so slowly. But instead she did stuff on her own, and ended up with a great recovery and plenty of flex. Unfortunately I can't find her thread, so I'm hoping one of the advisors can help. @sistersinhim, can you find her?: I thought she went by @Suz, and she is a farmer in North Carolina, raising a handicapped daughter. Her avatar is her photo with long blond hair. Her posts are upbeat and openly honest with her recovery journey, and I think you'd find her story to be very uplifting.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yes, I remember Suz. I'll see if I can find her. Here she is: https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/suzs-recovery-journey.35976/

 

[nensi]

Thanks @Happydale, you're a great pal! Must be telepathic. I have gone quiet for a number of reasons. I need to find my voice, I will find my voice.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Kare2dare]

@nensi you are doing awesome! The worse thing you could do now is over do! If we have learned anything from the bonesmarties is that this is a long road and we have just begun! not even a month in and look at all you are doing! Healing takes time and energy so focus on all these great things you've accomplished and enjoy the little projects and the special time with your family! It won't be long before this time is just a story we tell!

 

[Jajakio]

Thinking of you. Plow on through the rough moments. We've done the hardest part already. Better times are coming.

 

[gertie]

@nensi I've been finding the 3 1/2 week to 4 week point to be tricky, with lots of low and frustrated moments and I think it's a theme on here. The frustration is relieved for me somewhat by being able to drive--but still there. It's great to drive but what can I do once I get to my destination?

The activity progression article is helpful but in the end we need to figure out for ourselves what is enough activity and the right kind of activity and it's a bit of trial and error. I live alone so I am doing more in the way of household chores than is recommended in that article but possibly doing less in the way of daily walks.

 

[nensi]

All right, here we go... I've gotten stranded, feeling sorry for myself and just plain fed up with where I'm at with recovery. I hate not being able to actively DO anything. Yes, I am icing and elevating and resting - bleah - it's coming out of my ears. It's just too darn slow.
And then the rest happened, last night one of the huge shades just let go and fell down. Lemme explain - the back side of our living room where my hospital bed is situated, is all glass. Just before surgery we had huge blackout shades installed so I could sleep there comfortably.
Irritating, right, when we spent good money on what we hoped was good material. In normal times (me healthy), I think we would have taken it in stride. But even going into this surgery one of my big concerns was managing the emotional well being of my elderly (D)H. See right at this moment I can't say the "D" word. He made such a drama about it, and managed to get an installer to our house on a Saturday to install a temporary solution. Sounds great, right ? Fully in our rights to demand service. Absolutely agreed. But he ranted and raved about it so much and it washed over into all kinds of unrelated things that he is unhappy about. Among other things, that the kids are not doing this and that. And I am captive here. So I said some stuff and he said some stuff and that was that. Nobody happy.
So the combination of that altercation and my sad sack self has gotten me down.
Weepy, but not allowing myself to cry.
Bored. Sigh.
I know, this too will pass. Got the big ice flaps on my knees because the evening tightness has set in.
Drunk me a latte.
Gonna design me a new sweater for my Boris Bear.
And you guys, thanks for being here with me, it really makes a world of difference!

 

[nensi]

@gertie, you know - that's exactly what I have been doing with the Activity progression list - that thing is driving me nuts - as an absolute scientist sometimes I simply cannot deal with gray areas. It's meant as a guideline but at this moment in my recovery I so much need a trusted person to just give me direction.
I am doing very little in the way of household activities, in fact I am doing so little that I just feel I should be gaining by leaps and bounds. That's part of the problem though, the leaps and bounds are there but they are tiny, compared to our expectations.
Thanks for reaching out, my friend.

 

[sooz58]

oh Nancy ((hugz))!! It is comforting to know marriages in Belgium are fairly comparable to here in the US!!!! This to shall pass... occasionally I will say: it will pass or he will pass..one way or another!!!!
I sat in my corner recliner this morning, thinking what in the heck has been wrong with me yesterday and today, and realized it is the birthday of my daughter in heaven, so I have been weepy right along with you!
I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but it seemed like all of a sudden my swelling went down and everything became easier. From reading your journey, you did not start out with good rom in the beginning, and you had the bilateral done. It will come, sending you another big hug~

 

[liam2015]

awww nancy, that is so annoying to have your shades fall down, especially after being professionally installed. you're vulnerable (as we all are) and your (D)H might be worried about you and overwhelmed with extra responsibilities, even passive responsibilities such as delegating duties to the kids. my (D)H and i had a huge fight a couple of weeks ago when my sister came to the door delivering (unbeknownst to him) a birthday present and Prince Liam started prancing around, jumping and misbehaving. i wanted to take Liam to his crate, but (D)H said, "no i'll take him, you answer the door", then i said "no you answer the door, it's something nice". well he yelled at me and the dog and my poor sister just left the gift at the door. now when she has to deliver a document (she works in same office as him as does my other sister), she leaves it on the chair outside lol! i was so upset but now 2 weeks later, he is taking the dog training more seriously and all is forgiven and forgotten. i realize he has been so stressed out, especially the first few weeks of my surgery and it has to come out sometime.

i can't even imagine you ladies (and gentlemen) that have the bilateral knee replacements ~ you are brave and have to be resourceful in managing your recovery. you have been a shining example that it can be done and with humour and friendliness. as the late, great Gilda Radner said: "well jane, it's always something, if it ain't one thing, it's another" (roseanne roseannadanna.) Feel better ~ sending hugs!

 

[sistersinhim]

Your husbands have a hard way of showing how stressed they are over you and the extra responsibility on them. You know men, they can't admit anything, so they act out. Once they do that, they're OK, even though we haven't forgotten it. It takes us longer, at least it does me! Just realize how blessed you are to have someone who cares about you. Many of us faced this recovery all alone. BS was my sounding board! Let us be yours, too!