TKR New life with my new knee 8/11/15

[bdink21]

Good morning and Happy Sunday everyone! So I've had my 3rd night in a row of decent sleep and am feeling pretty good this morning. Sleep is still in blocks but I wake up, usually take a pain pill and after a few minutes I'm able to fall back to sleep. I woke up around 6am with some pretty good knee pain but it was too soon for pain meds, I put my ice wrap on and fell back to sleep. Woke up a couple hours later with no pain at all!! I have been successful just using Vicodin during the day but I save the oxy for at night. My knee is still swollen and squishy over the kneecap but appears to have gone down a little. Everything else is status quo.

It is absolutely gorgeous outside so I intend to take a nice walk today and clean up the house a little. I found a great recipe for cannoli nachos and feel adventurous today so I may make them. I have drawers and things I can go through while icing my knee and since I'm starting to get bored at home, I might as well do something useful lol. Hope everyone has a great day! Happy healing

 

[Raffs]

You sound very upbeat today, that's great. Good to hear things are going so well.

 

[Poz222]

Spunds like a good start for your day, I can't wait to get back to cooking (I have been directing my husband how to make stuff from my chair but it's not the same) lol... I am achy today (probably the post tropical Erica remenants rain and low pressure) but I feel you on the bored thing! Do you get the strange "electrical shocks" every once in a while? Man, they make me jump sometimes!

 

[bdink21]

I am a bit achy too today, not even really in my knee but both of my legs and hard to explain but my skin too. I think I'm just tired of laying around. Even though I get up and do things, the majority of the time I just lay around doing nothing.

A lot of the cooking I do is in a chair. I put it next to the counter and stove and I'm ready to go. I only stand some of the time. I wish I had a bar stool lol, the height would make it easier. It's good to let hubby do the cooking while you direct him, gives him a better appreciation for all you do

@Raffs I'm normally the glass half full person. I find it too tiring to be down all the time lol although I do have my days. When I was in college my roomies used to call me 'Sister Mary Sunshine" lol. I generally tend to look on the bright side of things.

 

[Poz222]

Hmmmm great idea with the barstool... My brother has some I might borrow one so I can do more actual "chopping"

 

[bdink21]

So I thought I was about to join to ODIC with my activity yesterday, fully expected to be paying for it today. My son needed some school supplies and hubby was working soooo...I went to Target, mostly walked the whole perimeter of the stores, spent some time where the school supplies were then left. Was there about 40 mins. Then I had to go to the grocery story for a few items, 1/2 hour later and 3 bags lol and I was on my way out. Again mostly just walked the perimeter of the store, only went down 1or 2 aisles. I could not wait to get home! Once there my son came out to carry all of my packages in the house...he was doing his homework like a good student which is why I didn't drag him with me lol. All I wanted was my recliner and ice, but I toughed it out and made a quick dinner (grilled chicken, cole slaw, and French fries easy peasy). Finally I jumped in my recliner with my ice wrap, my dinner, and a lovely glass of wine and betweenthere and the couch I spent the rest of the night. I slept WELL last night and woke up this morning feeling so GOOD. The only after effect is that I am tired so I will be resting and icing today.

PT came this morning, Wednesday will be his last day and I start outpatient PT on Thursday. I already know the therapist where I am going and he is very good so I'm not afraid of him pushing me too hard.

 

[Braunzie]

@bdink21 - Wow. Just got caught up on your thread. You are doing GREAT for where you are with recovery!! Nice job!! Glad you are finally getting some good blocks of sleep!!

 

[bdink21]

@Braunzie oh yes sleep has found and seems to be ALL I want to do today lol! Did you ever feel guilty about napping the afternoon away while your hubby is hard at work? Too funny....I have slept since I last posted and would like to continue that nap....

 

[Poz222]

Amazing! Out of all those things I might have accomplished.... One (prepare quick dinner and ice, rest elevate). I think I might adventure to the store tomorrow if I can get a ride (I am not confident enough to drive and still take pain pills). But I will use a driving buggy! I could not walk it...

I been dealing with an issue with my photo booth, it got blown over at a gig yesterday, so far the computer seems OK, I have to wait for hubby to set up and help me check the rest as I can't move/lift the pieces.

 

[bdink21]

@Poz222 I figured it would be a quick in/quick out thing and the walk was therapy. I am surprised at how low my endurance is although I shouldn't be surprised considering I'm only 3 weeks out from surgery.

Well glad Erika petered out but stinks about your photo booth. Hopefully everything gets repaired quickly.

 

[Slainte]

You sound terrific! And didn't your shopping trip and cooking stint give you a glimpse that your life will be normal again? I know you were tired, but what a boost to your spirit. Good going!

 

[bdink21]

@Slainte oh yes it was a great boost to the spirit! Even though I know I have a long way to recovery I don't regret having my TKR one bit. So glad I didn't wait. This (so far, knock on wood lol) ihas been a walk in the park compared to the 10 out of 10 pain I felt every day before my surgery. You know as a nurse when someone says they have arthritis, I was like 'yeah ok arthritis everyone has it' because I had no personal experience with it. But NOW I have a new empathy for those who suffer with arthritis and I know just how much it hurts. Can't wait to heal up a bit and get the other knee done.

 

[Braunzie]

@bdink21 - Well, I was never really able to nap during the day, but I wouldn't feel guilty anyway.. From my perspective, it all evens out in the end... My husband can fall asleep any where, any time.. and I'm kind of jealous of that! hahaha!!

 

[bdink21]

I started outpatient PT yesterday. I had this therapist before so I had no fears of these being torture sessions lol. He didn't officially measure my ROM (why do they just eyeball it? Inquiring minds want to know!!) but he said I'm at least 115 flex and almost at 0 extension before any stretching. All of the exercises were not painful and felt good and I do have my homework to do but it's not too much or too difficult. It does feel effective though. He said my quad strength is actually very good which I thought too. The session ended with ice and TENS and I love both. All in all it was a good beginning and I will be going twice weekly. I can only get 12 sessions max.

I'm so over the not sleeping hump although I do still wake up at least once during the night. I have a very busy weekend coming up and hope to balance it well with rest. Today is my son's football jamboree from 4p-6p, I'll only go for about an hour because my sisters are all coming over tonight and bringing munchies and wine. I'm really looking forward to that!! Tomorrow evening we are hosting a family picnic for the Boy Scouts, we are supplying the hot dogs/hamburgers but everyone else is bringing the rest and someone else is manning the grill. My house is clean enough, we'll be outside anyways, it's supposed to be gorgeous outside. On Sunday I will REST all day!!!

I've been feeling pretty good. Pain is not too bad although at 3am I did need an oxycodone. I usually just take 1 or 2 Vicodin during the day. My knee just mostly feels tight from swelling and there are actually times when I don't feel it at all!! I walk without my cane around the house but I do take it when I'm out, I'm just afraid of falling but I really don't need it. I'm starting to do busy work that I've put off for so long like cleaning out drawers and shredding papers, easy enough to do while sitting. I'm hoping to go back to work on Octboer 6th, that will be my 8 week mark. I really don't want to go past then because I'm doing this again in January.

 

[Raffs]

Just got caught up on your thread. You're doing so well, wow! You don't sound that different to where I am and I'm at just over 9 weeks! Good going!

 

[Poz222]

Great, you are moving right along. Funny how we have to schedule ahead our ice/rest times whenever we plan anything! Are you driving everywhere yet? I have not tried yet but I am thinking about giving it a go this weekend. We are thinking about taking a trip by air around September 20 but I am nervous about flying with the knee (specifically sitting in cramped position) if I can get a bulkhead seat or business class no problem... We will see. What new stuff do they have you doing at outpatient PT vs. home?

 

[Braunzie]

wow.. @bdink21 - the fact that you are walking around the house without a cane is awesome!! I'm impressed. I'm at 7.5 weeks, and I've only just started do that within the last week or so!! It sounds like you are doing GREAT!!! Congratulations!

 

[bdink21]

@Poz222 just different laying (stomach and side) and seated exercises, step ups on low step (I still go up one step at a time on regular steps), and sloooow treadmill with exaggerated step...I didn't think I'd like that one but it felt like a good stretch in the front of my knee. They were all easy and I did them this morning without difficulty (except the treadmill, I don't have one). At no time did he push on my leg to push my ROM and I was so glad. By my last home PT visit I would tense up when he would stretch me out because he would push a bit and I would guard...it's hard to relax when you know it's going to be uncomfortable. I have only driven short distances, couple of miles. I think it's much easier being the left leg. I would be nervous about an airplane too unless I had the aisle and could stretch the leg out. How far are you going?

@Braunzie i couldn't let my 82yo father show me up lol. He had his TKR in March and was walking with a cane in 1 week and without by 3 weeks, what an amazing man!! My energy is still quite low and I can only tolerate small periods of activity.

 

[Slainte]

That long stride on a slow treadmill sounds like what I need. Will Give That A try.

 

[bdink21]

Well one busy day down with no problems! Was able to clean the house yesterday taking frequent ice/rest breaks. Went to my sons football jamboree for an hour, geez I didn't want to leave I am such a football mom, love football!! I'm so glad I took my cane but people don't really pay attention, I was really quite afraid that people would bump into me and I would fall. But I made it out with no problems and looking forward to a great football season. My sisters came over around 6 and stayed until 930, they cleaned up before they left which I really appreciated. I was finally able to sleep in my own bed for a couple of hours but woke up around 3am and needed to come downstairs to my couch. Today I have to go to the store for some party stuff, then everyone is coming over around 5, it's a pretty good crowd, around 25 people. I have a lounge chair with my name on it and will rest as needed. Should be a good time. Weather is supposed to be gorgeous. I'll check in later....