TKR No Kneecap and a TKR Experience

[gertie]

Our houses and yards do require constant maintenance and when we're single, it's all on us, which can be an issue during recovery. Sounds like you're managing--but sometimes paying a physical price.

I have grass that needs mowing and lots of perennial beds that need edging, mulching, weeding. Luckily I found someone willing to take on the maintenance of the flower beds this summer--and he knows what he's doing so doesn't need supervision--and also found someone who will mow. This all costs $$$ and I'm eager to take back some of that work--I enjoy it--but not 'til next year--and even then I might hire someone to do the heavy bark mulch spreading.

 

[sistersinhim]

@gertie, you are blessed to have found someone to help you. This is worse this time than it was after my tkr because I was non weight-bearing then partial weight-bearing for so long after the break. I was out pulling weeds at 3 weeks after my tkr. Not this time! It has been a chore but the worst is over!

 

[Pheebs52]

Paula, *Before the Fall* doesn't count now. You fell. You broke bones. The foot needs just as much TLC now as your knee did. Let that poor thing heal! If you don't, you pay, and hey, it's not much fun, is it? I hope you are much better tomorrow, but if you hafta skip the grocery shopping a day, so be it. Give the foot/ankle a break, ok?

Good grief, you weed 3x a week? Why? How many gardens do you have? How big are they? Do you have weed cloth and about 4 inches of mulch down?

 

[Pheebs52]

I used to enjoy gardening and had 4 areas with flower beds and one with vegetables. After my THR, I got rid of all gardens but the one out front. Mowing is so much easier than weeding, so perhaps you could consider getting rid of some of the flower beds? These days, we pay someone to mow because I used to be the mower. I'd still do it if I could, but I cannot. DH has never liked yard work and now he has his own health issues, so this is the best solution for us. I still trim shrubs because I can and I enjoy it and I have a few hanging plants on my deck; that's it folks and it's so much easier!

 

[sistersinhim]

I have 5 acres, of which about 1 is cleared. I have cut out 6 flower beds through the years. I now have them only around the house and detached garage. One, on the end away from the driveway, I've let go. And now I'm letting about 1/3 of the back go. I still have irises and rose bushes that will have to be moved and that means digging with a shovel. That will have to wait. I have concrete walking stones from the garage to the deck to the screened in porch, at least 100ft long by 4ft wide. A lot of these will have grass and weeds growing up between them. I am having all those removed and the area paved in a couple of weeks, so that will be off of me.

I bought this lot and had the house built 20 years ago. I could take care of it then, even with the bad knees that I was born with. Being 20 years older makes a huge difference! How disappointing it is to have the side effects of getting older!

I called and left a message at my OS. I want to know if there is something I can do to help my foot. It's no better, even after about 1/2 of the walking yesterday. The limping I'm doing is causing my new knee to pain. It's amazing how everything is related. Oh, to be 30 again. I didn't appreciate it then, I sure would now, knowing what I know now!

 

[sandi4213]

Paula, it is sad what a difference time makes. I have been slowing down the last few years and blamed most of it on my knees. I think now that some of it was actually my age . I am just not able to do as much as I could when I was 40. Or even 50.

Please listen to everyone and baby that foot as much as you can for now, it will be worth it in the end. God is faithful, but He expects us to be smart.

 

[Pheebs52]

Paula, I'm really glad to hear you have plans in place to make your property maintenance much easier! Brilliant idea to pave that 100' walkway! The digging projects will obviously have to wait, but....that's ok. Your foot/ankle is much more important than those plants.

My single, SIL, who is a few years older than us, (68) recently had to give up her home with a lot of property and moved into a an "Active Adult Community." She struggled for about a year in making this big decision, but she had developed health issues that just made all that outdoor manintenance impossible. She couldn't afford to hire outside help and her four kids all live in different states, so they weren't of any help at all. I feel she made the right decision, but, it wasn't easy, and she's still adjusting. As Bette Davis said, "Getting older is not for sissies."

I hope your OS has some better solution, but I *think* he'll just say to rest more, ice and elevate....boring and very frustrating, I know; pffft!

 

[sistersinhim]

I found on Amazon, (is there anywhere else?), a walking boot for a broken foot and ordered it. It will be here tomorrow. It has the adjustable velco straps and lot of support. Because of my swelling I have been wearing FitFlops and Mary Jane type shoes to work in. There's very little support in those. I think the shoe style walking boot will be a huge help. I expected the ankle bone to hurt, not the foot, so I wasn't prepared mentally for this. When the ankle didn't hurt, I just kept on keeping on! Not smart, as I have found out!

I'm trying to get this place much more user friendly. It's a perfect location and I still have 9 cats to take care of. I have thought about down the road haven't to sell, but it breaks my heart to think seriously about it. I'll do what I can as long as I can!

I have a sick kitty to take to the vet this afternoon. Other than that, it's a lazy day! They're calling for rain tomorrow, so no outside work again! More rest time! That can't hurt!

 

[Pheebs52]

I get it, Paula. We'll most likely be moving within a year and it's been a real struggle just coming to terms with the necessity, but finally, we have. We've been in this house for 31 years, so it's a big change! Last year, we decluttered everything and had the interior painted and the floors refinished, so it's ready to go on the market when we are. It was a very emotional process, but we've come to realize a house is just a building and home is where we are. I am really looking forward to buying a place without all these blasted stairs, possibly a flat yard, much less traffic and hopefully, a 2 car garage. A screened porch would also be a real perk! We'll also be located much closer to other family members and that's a real plus for all of us.

 

[Pheebs52]

Well, that boot/shoe sounds interesting and I'd imagine it should help a lot!

 

[Celle]

We're downsizing now and getting our house ready to go on the market. We've committed to moving into a retirement village, where we'll have a little, 3-bedroom house. It's about a third the size of our current house, which we've decided to give up.
It was the garden that caused us to make the final decision. We just can't cope with it any more.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh man. I hate to even think about that. I know I will have to one day, but am going to fight it as long as I can. There are a few retirement communities that allow a pet but the prices are outrageous. I'll just put my faith in God's direction and that I can hear Him!

 

[Celle]

We can take our two cats to our retirement village, Paula. Two cats are in the contract. They're both 12 years old now. We would be discouraged from getting a new kitten, but the property manager says no one goes around taking photos of the cats, so if we got another adult cat to replace one of ours who died, it probably wouldn't even be noticed.
I'm not sure that we would want two cats again, but I'd like at least one. It doesn't feel like a home without a cat, so a rescue cat could be in our future.

 

[sistersinhim]

Wonderful that you can take your two family cats. At 12 years old, they'd have a hard time adjusting to anther family and would be almost impossible to adopt out. Mine will go with me where ever I go.

Oh, I completely agree about having a cat. That's a must!

 

[VW54]

I envy you all with cats and dogs.
I grew up with both.
Now I'm allergic. More to cats than to dogs.
30 min to1 hr in a cat household and about 5-6 hrs in a dog household. Then it's asthma. Same w horses and goats...but that's easier to avoid.
I was told by an allergist that the allergy might go away the same way it came. So there's hope still!

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh my @WV54, I'm so sorry you can't have pets. Life would be so lonely without mine. They are a lot of extra work and money, but a lot of company. I feel like it's my calling, along with being on BS!

Well, you guys were so right yesterday. My The PA called back yesterday afternoon. I do have 2 broken bones in my foot, #s 2 & 3 marsupials. I have been doing way too much walking, so to stay off of it as much as I can is ordered. Why didn't they tell me that when I went last week?! It would have saved me a lot of aches and pains! Just like many don't tell us what to expect after a tkr. Grrr!! The walking shoe I brought yesterday should help to stabilize the boot until it's fully healed.

 

[jaschembra]

Darn. When I had 2 broken bones in my foot (and I don't know which they were)... I had to be non weight bearing for 8 weeks. Gosh, this does explain the swelling and pain. But yes, they should have told you this - guess they weren't looking in that direction. Sounds like you're getting your walking aids in line.

 

[sistersinhim]

@jaschembra, they were only concerned about the fibula break, not the foot. Once the OS saw that was healed, he cut me loose. He never mentioned a thing about the foot. Maybe he expected me to go to the podiatrist. Crazy! Someone should have told me what to do and what not to do! This assuming thing doesn't work for broken bones! My walking is cut back at least 1/3, so I should start to see improvements soon.

BTW ladies, all this talk about the Lounge Doctor spurred me on to get one. It just came this morning. I'm using it right now! I'll see how much the swelling goes down later on. I'm on just Tylenol yesterday and today, so that's better! Resting is the key.

 

[jaschembra]

let us know your Lounge Doctor report after a few days if you think it's better than what you've been doing. I've pretty sold on my long king size firm pillows. And... my podiatrist missed my broken bones on X-ray. My OS ordered the MRI or scan of some sort (long time ago) and that's where they were found. We are our own advocate sometimes, aren't we.

 

[sistersinhim]

Jasc, we sure are! The funny thing is, I can see it on the xrays and when I asked the PA yesterday she said oh yeah I have two broken bones in my foot. Why did the OS address that, too! Boy, am I angry and disappointed in him. I had thought about letting him do #2 knee since he has 'said' he has done them that have no kneecaps. Now, it is no way I'll let him touch my knee! I'll travel 3x further to go to the one who did my first one! I'm pleased with the outcome he did. It's not painfree, but better. I can do things I couldn't do before the surgery. That's what counts in my book! As for pain, it's there, but nothing I can't deal with, with Tylenol as needed!

I'll be sure to let you know how the LD does. I had bought 2 elevators from the foot locker before my tkr. It works fine in bed, but is too wide to fit properly in my recliner and every time I tried to get on it, it'd pull my pants way down! The LD is about 4" or 5" narrower and fits super in my recliner and no falling down pants!