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TKR New brand new Knee

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3 blocks post op is a lot to cheer about. This is a place to celebrate all progress and all victories - the small victories and acts add up and they are good to celebrate so you can remind yourself if you have a bad day.

So cheer and celebrate:yay: :yay: :martini: :dancy: :dancy:. Lee
 
tmwillia said:
I have no way to get there unless I want to call a cab
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I'm sure you'll do fine as long as you can do an emergency stop. It appears state laws differ; mine has no such drs requirement; I would have chosen Hawaii for surgery if I had to spend time lying around waiting for rides. Might as well relax on a lounge chair with a pineapple drink in hand as the waiting would have driven (yes, a pun) me crazy. :)

And three blocks is fantastic! You've set the bar high. :heehee: Now your dog is going to expect a walk every day.

Good luck and let us know how you do!
 
Had PT today. Made it from 83 to 93 degrees of flexion! Yay me! Then the therapist said I'd better fit in some additional appointments before I see the OS next Thursday because "You'd better be in the hundreds when you see him". She didn't say what would happen if I'm not. I suppose he would say I need the dreaded MUA.

Needless to say, I have an appointment everyday between today and the 12th. I am a wimp.


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Sounds like the PT is being a bully. I'm nine months out and my ROM is still improving. My OS told me to give it a year right from the beginning and the MUA word has NEVER come up. Stay the course....
 
ema8447 said:
Sounds like the PT is being a bully. I'm nine months out and my ROM is still improving. My OS told me to give it a year right from the beginning and the MUA word has NEVER come up. Stay the course....
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I am going to try.


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ema8447 said:
Sounds like the PT is being a bully. I'm nine months out and my ROM is still improving. My OS told me to give it a year right from the beginning and the MUA word has NEVER come up. Stay the course....
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That is great!! No threats and no hurry!
tmwillia said:
I am going to try.
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While we do say that the knee is in charge of recovery, you are in charge of what others can and cannot do to you. Hang in there, be tough, and do not, at any time, let somebody push you in a way that you do not wish to go, nor should you allow somebody to threaten you---there is so much time left for you in recovery!
 
Three days ago at PT my flexion was around 93 today I was told it is just at 85.
I've really been working hard on my exercises and thought I must be improving. Now I am sitting, and icing again, had to take a pain pill though I swore I wouldn't and feel miserable.
I really thought I was making progress and now I'm wondering if this is as good as it gets.


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I'm at 8 weeks tomorrow and 95 ROM. I think in the beginning we are all so hung up on the number that we create anxiety over it, at least I know I did. The more I read on this site the more I am truly trying to ignore that dreaded number. I'm going to start judging my range on how my knee feels and I feel like I'm walking better and bending it better every day!
 
kgang1957 said:
I'm at 8 weeks tomorrow and 95 ROM. I think in the beginning we are all so hung up on the number that we create anxiety over it, at least I know I did. The more I read on this site the more I am truly trying to ignore that dreaded number. I'm going to start judging my range on how my knee feels and I feel like I'm walking better and bending it better every day!
Click to expand...

I absolutely know I'm a wimpy coward. But in one week I have to see the OS and I'm terrified that he and his PA will tag team me and I will leave his office with an appointment for MUA. I'm worried that if he says I need it and I don't comply he won't approve further PT.


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My OS never said or told me what he expected when I saw him at 6 weeks. He was more worried that I couldn't straighten out my leg. I was at -12 of extension from years of just slightly bending that knee when standing because it felt better that way! So I was more focused on that and got it down to 5. My PT keeps telling me not to worry about an MUA, that I'm nowhere near needing one and again, after reading many posts here, I would like to think I would refuse it if my OS suggests it when I next see him on January 2nd. I already have my speech planned...."just give me 2 weeks and if no progression then I'll think about it!" Hahaha, we'll see.
 
Same here. 8 weeks and 95. No matter what I do it doesn't increase. I think I'm ok with it. I can live with 95.
 
I would like to be able to progress further and at least get in and out of the car without getting my foot stuck. And get up off the ground without looking like a mess. I want to use my kayak again, and launch it from the boat launch which means having to be down on the ground. Other than that the goal of being able to kick myself in the butt escapes me.
I want to be able to take a walk without having to ice and elevate for half a day softer.
Whine, whine, whine.


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[Bonesmart.org] New brand new Knee
tmwillia, you are barely 6 weeks post op from very major surgery. And recovery is a long bumpy road that has to be taken slowly and with purpose. The secret of success with knee replacements is TIME & PATIENCE. We have to have (or find) the PATIENCE to give our knees TIME to heal at their own pace. Nothing else works like these two things and nothing can take their place. But it is a very hard truth to absorb in the beginning of our recoveries.

Recovery is what it is, and it's going to take as long as it's going to take. So be PATIENT and let TIME take care of things with some assistance from you. You will get to do all the things you mentioned, but it won't be today or tomorrow.

You must keep in mind that full recovery from TKR takes at least 12 months. You are not even 1/6th of the way. Improvement must be looked at in terms of weeks and months not days. You need to stop looking at how far you have to go and pay attention to how far you've come since surgery compared to where you where before. Make a note of all the little milestones as they occur---take that list out and look at it when you're feeling discouraged---it will help you see the blessings you should be counting.

Take some deep, deep breaths, relax, and dig down deep for some really positive thoughts and repeat them often. A positive mental attitude will take you a long, long way----and you'll feel much better.

Take care, keep us posted, we care. And I promise it will get better eventually.
 
Thank you, I know you're right. I've never been patient and I'm a terrible baby about pain. But I have progressed some , especially when I read my first posts. I was ready to swallow ALL the pills if I could be guaranteed that I'd stop hurting.
I will just keep doing my best and stop bring a whimperer.


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tmwillia, You are allowed to whimper if you need to. Venting is good for the inner spirit and helps us let go of a lot of negativity. Just know that we're here for you and you are not alone.

FYI: It is not necessary to use the "Quote This Message" to reply to a post. This feature should be used only when there is a post or several posts on another topic between your post and the post you want to respond to.

To reply to a post, just scroll down and put your cursor in the dialogue box and start typing.

You can quote a sentence or a section of a post by simply highlighting it and clicking on the "Quote Me" oblong that appears in gray at the end of the highlighted selection. This is frequently a better choice than quoting a whole post.
Please do not be upset by this bit of info---many new members have this very same problem---so you're in very good company---and we're not mad at you---just trying to keep the forum neat and tidy. You will note that I deleted the quote of my post to you in your post.
 
Ok, thanks for the information. I use an iPad and some of the feTures don't seem to be the same. But there is a little icon in the upper right for replying.


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Hello all. Today I am 6 weeks post-op. I had PT today and since last week have gained over ten degrees of flex! I feel euphoric. I had a different physical therapist, who did a bunch of different things and spent about ten minutes just doing traction (sort of) while I sat on the edge of the bed/table.
I have been stuck at about 85 for weeks, this Thursday is my follow up with my OS and I've been TERRIFIED, because he said if I wasn't in the hundreds he would insist on a MUA. I know, I know he can't do it without my say so, but the more research I did the more I had convinced myself I would have to go along with it. All the ortho journal articles indicate the best results from a MUA come when done before 8 weeks. But I am progressing -now I'm not nervous at all about the appt.
I feel so different now, I only take 1 pill per day, I'm driving, finally moving in the right direction and I got some Christmas shopping done.
I am the poster child for happiness today.


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tmwillia, you are not a wimp! And all of this talk from your OS is just words. There is NO TRUTH to this threat of gaining a ROM of 120 NOW!!! Oh I would like to talk to your OS!!!

Here is my story, I had a RTKR in April of 2011. I had an infection, a ROM of 96 ,when I came home and an extremely swollen knee for 8 months!! My ROM increased a little. I was told it got to 118, but I feel that never really happened. My knee remained painful and swollen due to too much PT. I had PT 3 times a week from April to September!! My swelling and pain did not go away till I STOPPED all the PT. Fast forward 2 1/2 years to now. I went to a new PT person and he agreed that I had far too much PT and that caused the swelling and a swollen knee does not bend!! He worked with me and I gained 13 degrees of ROM after 2 1/2 years. It was all done with NO SWELLING and NO PAIN!! So don't let anyone bully you into thinking that there is a "window of opportunity" to gain ROM. When your swelling goes down and your knee is ready, the ROM will come with some work. OVEREWORKING a new knee does not get you more ROM, it gets you swelling and pain. Perhaps you need an new OS, since he sounds like an over aggressive tyrant!
 
I made it to 100 degrees of flexion yesterday and had my dreaded follow up with the surgeon today. I've had weeks to be dreading this appt. because I've been terrified I wouldn't be strong enough to say no to MUA.
Turns out, he said he won't do it. He ordered more PT., told me not to bother with the Jas Brace anymore and ordered some more pain medication when I explained I'm in a lot of pain the day after PT.
All in all, pretty satisfying.


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