TKR New Year, New Knee - Jan. 3, 2017<

[jaschembra]

I know, I know, I know... dang it

"Thou shalt not compare to other knees"

At PT: 1 person is same # of weeks as me and 1 person is 3 weeks and both are doing much better than me - this caused me to get all teary eyed at PT.

On the way home I called hubby. You would have thought he's been reading BoneSmart! He must have really listened to me these past weeks because he says "I thought you weren't to compare knees" and then he says "it's not all about your time, it's about your knees time ". One smart fella!!

I feel better now.

 

[KarriB]

Those others may just be having a good day. You've had those! Everyone has good days and bad days. Tomorrow is another day!

 

[Grammy211]

With my first TKR one day I went to PT feeling ok not really thinking too much about how discouraged I was. As soon as I saw my therapist, I started crying so hard. My therapist thought I was in terrible pain but I assured her that wasn't it. She was wonderful, put me in my room, closed the curtains, and tried to console me. I think I spent the entire session crying and telling her how discouraged I was. I felt like a crazy person but by the time I left I felt so much better and my knee felt better than it had since surgery. Sometimes I think we hold so much in from this surgery trying to control so many different emotions that all that stress has to be released somehow. When we are able to release it, we feel much better and our knees love us for it!! There's a lesson here but I definitely haven't learned it yet! I am a terrible comparer; always comparing my progress to others. It's not a good thing!!


Sent from my iPhone using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[L.I.T]

@jaschembra,

What you said is ironic, as I could have been the 2 others you mentioned. At 4 weeks, my PT told another patient to rub my shoulder so they could get good luck off me for their flexion and extension. She was the same number of weeks as I was but was around 10 degrees extension, and I was near 2-3.

The incident reminded me of marriage - a couple may *look* extremely happy, but you never know what is going on behind the scenes. What my PT and that patient didn't know was that up until 2 days ago, I couldn't even walk to the bathroom without my knee swelling to a point where it hurt to bend it. I may have had numbers, but my *function* was trash. Other people were talking about riding a bike, walking around the block, etc... And I couldn't do any of that. Heck, I couldn't take out the trash without immediately returning to my beloved ice machine! But, boy, did I have my numbers

Anyhow, you are doing great, and if I'm being honest, I've even been envious of your progress - because yours has been steady and tangible! How's that for not comparing!

It's hard not to look at others and wish that we were where they are. But the bottom line is by the end of the year, we will all reach the finish line the same. And trust me, I bet both those people had other issues that were making them feel demoralized at times.

You got this, girl (as all the millennials say now). Disparage not - you are doing a great job, and your knee even had a secret admirer - ME!

 

[jaschembra]

@L.I.T I needed a LIKE button AND a FUNNY button. Thanks!

 

[jaschembra]

Nothing makes a girl's mental outlook feel good like this, unless she is a Lifetime Weight Watcher who hit goal June 2015 (one of the many conservative measures I attempted to save my knees from pain/replacement).
Today was the first day I truly knew I could A. make it to my class and B. sit for the time period at my class. I have been really trying/watching, weighing and measuring (my hubby has done this for me too when he fixes my dinner every night!!) for the last 3 weeks so that I could weigh in and still be at goal (you know how it is... no activity coming from a very active girl). I went, I weighed, and I was at goal and FREE. Yippee!!

Those first 3 weeks were all about eating something before taking pain meds and that was happening so many times a day it was just necessary. Now the pain meds get taken after a meal or small snack. I feel like I should have bought stock in saltine crackers. I still keep them next to my bedside.

Now, back to regularly scheduled knee healing. Reminds me, time to get up and walk around a bit.

 

[Celle]

Congratulations on reaching your goal weight - and under difficult circumstances, too. Well done!

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh yes, congrats to you! It is really hard to not gain weight being so inactive. You really did a good job knee wise and weight wise!

 

[crstysue]

Someone asked about whether anyone else used their icing through the night. YES...I definitely do. Love my ice machine. So glad I made that choice, especially since I go in in just 6 1/2 weeks for the other knee replacement. I'm guessing that I will use the ice machine for the most recently operated on leg. I will still be icing both knees on March 28, but will just use ice packs for my 8 week old baby knee, and the machine on my newly-operated-knee.

 

[UACats70]

@jaschembra congrats on goal weight!!! I asked my OS at my 5 week appt how much the implant weighs and he laughed like I was kidding.

 

[jaschembra]

@UACats70 I had emailed my OS and asked. He said he put his display on the scale haha. That's how he came up with the weight. I'm ignoring the weight of the bone removed but it was less than the implant

 

[crstysue]

@jaschembra...so proud of you on the weight loss. Wow...that is amazing! I need to lose about 50 lbs. Thought I would make the effort to lose at least 20 prior to surgery. Never happened. I weighed myself once after I got home, and had expected to weigh a lot less since I barely ate anything the first 4 days after surgery. Instead , it was like I had gained 7 lbs. Someone said it must be the water weight from the swelling. Now I read about you all finding out how much the actual replacement pieces weigh. Ha....I had never given that a thought. Well, guess I need to add a few more lbs to my weight loss goal to compensate...and then a few more lbs for the second knee parts.

 

[jaschembra]

since 3:00 a.m.

 

[Mireille]

@jaschembra Congratulations on your weight loss, that is awesome! I feel recovery is at a snail's pace and find it hard not to compare my recovery to others. It's human.

I'm sorry you had trouble sleeping last night. For me, it still happens occasionally but that does get better with time.

I hope you you have a good knee day and are able to get some rest!

 

[newlybionic]

Hopefully you are now. Take naps when you can.

 

[sistersinhim]

A good night's sleep is a huge blessing! Even now I have trouble sleeping at times. I blame it on menopause.

 

[Ronsgirl]

Sorry you had a rough night. I hope it wasn't because you were hurting.

 

[jaschembra]

Thanks everyone. Nope, no pain going on, just wanting to sleep differently I think. I have a hospital bed in the family room and it's been wonderful, just tired of ice and elevating and I was trying for a new position. I even set up shop in my recliner for about 20 min. but the bed was better. I don't nap very well during the day - unlike my dog who is snoring up a storm!!
i know this too shall pass and I may even have a great night tonight. I did Sunday night. My Gabapentin that was initially prescribed is almost finished. I've been alternating nights with about 5 pills left and my sleeping pattern may have something to do with that. A Gabapentin night may be a good night.

 

[Grammy211]

Praying you have a restful night's sleep tonight and wake up feeling refreshed!!


Sent from my iPad

 

[jaschembra]

Thanks @Grammy211 I did have a better nights sleep last night. Only 6 hours, but it all came in one span!!