Become an Insider

TKR New knee 30th October 2012 - Age 34

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I have decided that when I go back there tomorrow I am going to pull him aside and tell him that he needs to listen to me more and that I understand that his job is to push me when I don't feel like doing the work but that he also needs to listen to me when I tell him how I am feeling. I used this place for my last surgery recovery and had a wonderful lady PT. She was great! I asked for her again but she was booked up for the time of day I needed to have so I couldn't get her this time. If he doesn't change his ways I will have to change places or something because I just can't take that kind of pain. I am also going to discuss with my OS where he sees me as far as my progress and where he expects me to be at this point in the game.
 
Shelly, I am so glad to hear that you feel better after a day of taking it easy and resting, icing and elevating. Great Job!!! :yahoo:

Looking forward to hearing what your doc has to say. Hope that he gives you a great report.
 
Ok, back from the OS now. He said that I am below average in my bend but he tried a different type of replacement and doesn't have enough prior history with it to know if it is what is causing the lower ROM early on. He said that I looked like I was doing well other than that and that I am cleared to drive if I feel up to it. He also said that I can start using the cane instead of the walker if I feel comfortable with that so I think I may try that around the house first and then when I feel comfortable enough, I will start using that out of the house too. He did say to start using the stationary bike at home even if it is just to rock it back and forth to increase the motion but don't push it like the PT was doing. He said to tell the PT that yes, he needs to make me bend it but not to the point that it hurts me that bad. So I am glad that he said that so I have more to stand on when I talk to the PT tomorrow. I set a follow up for 4 more weeks and he said that if I am at 100 degrees by then that I could decide if I want to see him again or not. Oh, and he also said that I need to start using an NSAID again to help with the swelling. So, I feel better about my progress knowing that I haven't dissappointed him.
 
Shelley,
Glad to hear your OS is see everything as good and is on your side with the PT. He seems to be quite the understanding type and thats good.
 
Yay!!! Sounds like you got a great report. Now, remember that swelling does keep you from being able to bend your knee very well also. As the swelling goes down the bend should come along more and more. At the same time when you overdo it, if you are anything like me...lol, it will swell more and you will get less bend.

Now hang in there tomorrow and be firm when you talk to your PT. You can do this!!!
 
Marina blue said:
Josephine...This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but I had a therapist come to my house the week that I came home from having my knee done, then she came for 3 more weeks..twice a week, and that's all the therapy that I've had, except of course my doing it on my own. Every time I have seen my OS, he has praised me for being able to do what I need to be doing now. Sometimes I wonder if all the Pt is necessary, but of course I know everyone is different. I am just so grateful that I am where I'm supposed to be without doing all that PT....
Click to expand...

That is also all the therapy I will be getting. My doctor says that resuming normal activities takes care of mot everything else. He is not pushy about PT.. It's just these darned PTs in the hospital. They are way too pushy.
 
Ok, so I went to PT with the intention of being strong and telling the PT "The way it is" and before I could get a word out, he asked me how I was doing today and I just started balling:boohoo:my eyes out. I did manage to tell him that we need to adjust my therapy and be less aggressive in between sobs and what the doctor said so he agreed with me that we do need to be less aggressive in the PT sessions. I promised him that I would do my exercises at home each day that I was not going to therapy to stay on top of it. When I told him that I was up from 2am-8am crying in pain after Monday's session he apologized and said he would not push me like that again. So, though I didn't come off as tough as I had hoped, the message got through and he was much better with me today.

I sure wish I could understand what it is about this surgery that causes us to be so emotional. I don't know if it is just the constant pain or the pure exhaustion because we can't sleep through a single night or if the pain meds do it or whatever else it might be. I just feel like I am on the verge of tears all the time. A stupid commercial or TV show comes on and I have tears welling up. I just don't get it. Does anyone out there know what it is? I have cried so many times and then I cry harder because I get mad at myself for crying in the first place. Anyone else have this problem? What do you do to stop it?
 
Aww Shelly, well I am so glad that you got your message across anyways. As far as the emotions go, I think that it is a combination of all of the things that you have been through. The surgery, lack of sleep, and the meds all contribute to the emotional crashes... I think that there is an article about that in the library.

((((hugs)))) Hang in there!
 
Shelly, I really do know what you're talking about... I cry for no reason too. It is better now than it was a month ago, but I still do get very emotional. And it isn't always just being overly emotional. My feelings get hurt easily and the next I know, I'm all blubbering. My poor husband can't figure out what's going on, and I can only say that I'm not sure. He's always very understanding and that does help a lot. I think that's one of the reasons we like Bonesmart, understanding and empathy. You're not alone.
 
Today was a great day! First, I showered and got ready for the day. Next, I put away some clothes that had been in a basket for over a week. Then, I decided I wanted to test out the driving skills to be sure that I would be able to drive myself to PT this week and to start working the following week. I drove to the drug store to get a refill on the pain meds, then drove to get some lunch and then to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I used the walker around the drug store and then used it to get into the grocery store and then rode the cart there. I had no problems until the very end when I was an hour behind my pain meds (I forgot to bring one with me!). I made it home though and threw in a load of laundry and now I am icing and elevating. And I feel good! It is amazing how the littlest thing can make a gal happy when she hasn't been able to do it for 3 weeks! Just being out in the world instead of on my butt on the couch all day was so nice. I feel like i have progressed so much this week. I am so happy!
 
Good for you to use your walker in the drugstore and to ride the cart in the grocery store! Smart thinking. Doing more but trying to avoid pain is great. I'm sure you are icing, icing, icing while you're elevating, elevating, elevating! I have to say, I definitely was not doing that much at 3 weeks. Good for you.:dancy:
 
:thumb:
 
Nice! :happydance: I am glad to hear that you used the walker and the cart. Try not to do tooooo much all at once though, cause for me when I would feel good I would often wind up doing too much and then hurting a lot... and having a setback.:sad:
 
I have learned to listen to the newest member of the family. When the knee says I'm tired it is time to rest, elevate and ice. That's exactly what I did. Though I still can't figure out how to get myself comfy enough to go to sleep before midnight, I make sure to elevate and ice before bed. I feel like I am doing very well for not even 3 weeks PO. I will work with my PT tomorrow to try to get more ROM. That is my biggest problem right now is my lacking ROM but I am working on it every day.

Good night Smarties! I can't wait to read more updates tomorrow!
 
Wow Shelly you are doing alot on your own at barely 3 weeks. I am sure your flex is going to improve with all that activity. You must have had a good bend while you were on the grocery cart.
And you are not alone with the emotions! We all seem to have this. I was on another thread commenting about it. I feel like it's a combination of severe pain, the meds and the barbaric surgery we just went through! No one but another TKR understands what we are going through. Most people just don't "get it" including your physical therapist. I'm glad he apologized but he will probably still torture his next client! Anyway you are doing awesome!
 
Shelly, have you ever tried icing while you are in bed? I still do this every night and I am three months out. I don't have to ice much at all during the day, but I have a FootSmart wedge pillow that I use at night and it makes it very easy for me to sleep on my back (I was not a back sleeper) and so then it is very easy to put that ice pack on that is secured with velcro and when I wake up and it is not cold anymore, I just take it off and throw it on the floor until morning. When I was early after replacement, I would get up and take more pain pills and get another ice pack so would ice all night.
 
Yes, Debbie, I actually ice every night when I get in bed. I bring it upstairs with me and then when it is not cold any longer, on the floor it goes. I don't know if I have trouble falling asleep due to the napping during the day or what but then I wake up several times in the night because I am uncomfortable. If I could sleep on my tummy I am sure I would be out all night long, but on my back or side just doesn't feel as comfy to me. I slept a little on my tummy with my leg out to the side last night and that seemed to last a few hours so that was good. I do elevate at night on a large fluffy pillow but that is only comfortable for a short while. I am sure I will figure this out eventually. The pain has lessened for me ever since I started taking my NSAID again so things are getting much better for me this week.
 
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