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TKR No Kneecap and a TKR Experience

@ sistersinhim I had to laugh when you were pulling weeds 2 weeks after surgery! :heehee:..It sounds like something I would do (can't bare to have them take over my flower garden) but at least I waited 4 weeks before I tackled the nasty things. I too can't squat down, so I bend at the waist and have manged to touch my toes quite easily.
I'v even been known to do the downward dog yoga pose while pulling weeds...looks very strange but works for me!:wink:
 
We all learn to make accommodations for our pain. I am also very limber. My PTs used to have fun seeing how far they could stretch me out before I said uncle. I never yelled it. :yay:
 
LOL- I thought to myself- now if I had told Paula that I was out pulling weeds 6wks into my recovery she would have lovingly told me the weeds should wait-! :heehee:
 
@Majella, I attempted to pull weeds at 2 weeks. I pulled only about a half a dozen before I couldn't stand the pain anymore! I didn't attempt it again until yesterday.

Last night and today I'm paying for yesterday. But, I think I'm learning how to handle work and this knee of mine! Bending over obviously is pulling the muscles and tendons in my knee. I started getting uncomfortable last night before bed. By the time I crawled into bed I couldn't get comfortable in any position. So, around midnight I got up and took an Oxy. That calmed me down enough to sleep until around 3:30am. I got up and took a Tramadol because the discomfort wasn't as bad. I slept for a couple of hours after that. Needless to say, I'm slow today and achy and stiff. But, I'm thinking that if I do a day of a little extra work then rest the next day, then on the third day I'll be fine. All I've done today is to run a battery vac that's not much more work than walking. I bet I will be much better tomorrow like I was yesterday! If this is the pattern of my knee for a while, fine. I can handle it. One day work, the next day rest. Sounds good to me and like a plan that will work for my circumstances.

Something I didn't tell you all that I did yesterday...a fourth goal reached! I pedaled frontwards on the bike! I have to admit, though, that I did raise my right cheek to get around. But, I still did it. I rode and rocked for 2 minutes. After working on the patio, I figured that was enough!

@Suz, you are probably right! But, some of us can be stubborn! I won't do anything else today except feed the cats. Marilyn is even bringing home dinner. Yum yum, maybe it's Popeye's! Their wings are on sale!
 
I know what you mean Paula. I remember one day after a windy, rain storm and a lot of sticks and branches came down. I felt guilty that my husband was outside having to do all the picking up and so I decided I could help him with that! I don't know what it is about that bending over...but I think you are right it must be the pulling on muscles, etc. I paid for it too. Another thing that I think puts a strain on my knee is walking around on the uneven ground. We live...then we suffer...but we have learned something too! Hope tomorrow is better for you! Take it easy!
 
Thank you, Julie, @jmp65! With my resting day today, I feel certain that tomorrow will be better. But, Saturday Marilyn will ride with me to see if I can drive 30 minutes for our grocery shopping day, so I'll really have to pace myself. We're also having a cookout in the afternoon at church, but I'll pass on that. It'll be too much to do in just one day. Plus, I need to be in good enough shape to get back to SS and church! It was so good to get back last week!
 
Hi @sistersinhim
Yay! for your accomplishment on the bike! It took me almost 6 weeks before I could make a full revolution with the peddle and that's with the seat raised up high! Now I'm riding the exersise bike everyday and hoping to get on my real bike soon .. just a little scared to get out on the road by myself yet :scare:
 
@Majella, I so agree with you. We have some really good bike trails in this area and I haven't been able to ride on them since last fall. I really miss it. At least being able to begin to ride my recumbent bike inside will get me ready eventually to be on the road on my real one! But, that I will be extremely scared that first time! And probable many times after that!
 
My night was a little better last night. I got up and got ready and drove, with my roommate riding with me, to our local Walmart and then Petsmart. Walmart didn't have any motorized carts so I had to use my walker for about an hour. Petsmart doesn't even have motorized carts so I just hung on to the grocery cart. By the time I got back into the car my swelling was quite obvious visually and physically! I asked Marilyn to drive for me since I was hurting, but worse, was woozy. Home is about 30 minutes away and I was getting pretty uncomfortable. Marilyn unloaded my groceries and put them up for me while I elevated and iced. After a few hours and a nice nap the swelling had come down a lot and I was feeling much better. We have a cookout at church tonight, but I was afraid that would be too much activity for one day, so I stayed home and will eat some leftover Popeye's chicken wings and a biscuit! Things could be worse! I have a feeling another nap is coming!

I'm learning this knee and what I can and can't do with it. That makes things easier. No one yet has commented on my slow recovery. Which it isn't! But, those not in the know would probably think I should be back to normal in a month. At Walmart, our checker is also a medical field worker who has been doing it for 12 years, and said I was doing great to be shopping at one month out! I'm glad Marilyn heard that. I don't want her to think I'm trying to get over on her!
 
@sistersinhim I'm sure Marilyn would never think that, she knows you well and knows that you are normally active, besides who in their mind would want to fake feeling like this??? As much as I hate cleaning the house, specially scrubbing the bathroom I look forward to the day I can do it without feeling like I'm going to pass out.
I'm not a petite delicate flower and I'm tired feeling like one.

You are doing amazing in your recovery, I just think we have reached the point where we ran out of patience :beg:
 
Oh yeah, neither am I that delicate little flower! We knew it was going to be a long recovery time, but living it is another story! I guess every so often we have to blow off steam and this forum is the place where we can do it. If any one saw me crying, they'd want to try and fix me. I don't need fixing, well the knee of course, but you know what I mean! Sometimes all we need is a shoulder to cry on! Thank God for BoneSmart and all it's wonderful members where we can be ourselves!
 
@sistersinhim I watch your recovery and as I have said before I can only HOPE to do half as well as you in such a short time. I admire your honesty in sharing this journey , I cheer for your milestones and hold you dear in your moments of angst. I think you are a remarkably strong woman and will continue to progress.
 
@dianehelen thank you so much for your kind words. I guess you can tell that I'm like a yo yo; up days, down days. But, I'm in company with many others that are feeling the same way I am. Diane, you will do great! You have gathered all this information and are following all these threads. You are learning from our experiences. You know that the BoneSmart way is the best way to achieve a successful recovery. And you know not to let PT bully you or hurt you. And you know not to hurt yourself either. You're going into this surgery so much better off than someone who hasn't used the site. Many people our age don't even use the internet. If they get an aggressive therapist they will suffer needlessly. I have a friend at church who's sister had a tkr a week before me and at her visit last week to the OS he said she needed more aggressive PT because she doesn't have the ROM he wants her to. This lady doesn't do the internet at all and I have tried to explain to my friend to please tell her about my experiences and my positive ROMs and that I got there without therapy. But everybody says, "You have to do the exercises!". I just smile and nod my head. You know better! You are way ahead of the game!
 
sistersinhim said:
Many people our age don't even use the internet.
Click to expand...


Ha :) that made me smile. I have been a tech geek since before the internet. :)

I know all the Bonesmart stuff, and I DO plan to play a very proactive role in my PT or lack of therein , but I guess facing the pain is whats troubling me the most. The lack of energy and mobility is not as troubling to me, as I am used to sitting around watching tv all day anyway. And of course, sounding like a broken record, reliving my hip deal, constantly wreaks havok in my mind.

But, as the countdown clock ticks on, I guess I will know how I do, soon enough.
 
You have learned so much from those who have gone before you that I am sure you will do well. You know all the pit falls and won't make the stupid mistakes that we have made. You are a strong independent person and I know it will go well for you.
 
As usual, I had another restless night, awake from 2:30 to 4:30, then up by 6am. I'll be glad when I can sleep normally! But, when I got up at 6am, I felt much less pain and stiffness! I was excited that it was starting off being a really good day! I ate breakfast then took a shower and started getting ready for church. The more I was up, the worse I felt. By the time 9am came and time to leave, I was dizzy and nauseous and my knee was paining. Marilyn had a non-sleepy motion sickness pill that she gave me and drove us to church. By the time I got the church I was feeling better. But, I did feel like I was trying to get an attack of IBS. Normally, when on probiotics that's not a problem. So far, that hasn't happened! Again, by the time arriving back home I was uncomfortable for the pain meds had worn off. I took a couple of Tramadol and Tylenol immediately and ate lunch. This afternoon all I did was ice, elevate and rest. I'm feeling so much better! I even rode my bike, pedaling frontwards and backwards for 5 minutes! Yippee! That makes me happy. Now, to get good enough to get on a real bike outside! That's going to be a long while, I'm afraid. Yep, that's it, I will be afraid to try! Probably before that I'll go to the Y and swim. I really miss that! All my muscles need a good workout!

Everybody have a really good night's sleep and wake up with less stiffness and pain!
 
Sounds like a full ride roller coaster all in one day. I hope your day is ending on an upturn and tomorrow is a better day all around
 
Thanks Diane. It will be. All I plan on doing is spraying some vinegar on the walkways since I've had two busy days in a row. A day of rest in between does a world of good! It's very helpful to learn the reaction of the knee and I'm learning it!
 
I'm so glad that you made it to church since I know that means a lot to you. Yes, do take it easy today. Those times when it feels like the knee are getting better are so rewarding. It's too bad they come and go so quickly. It would be nice if we didn't have to ride this roller coaster.
 
Sounds like we both had one of those days yesterday! Didn't make it to church! Son went down to see his FIL's family again. They are apparently going next weekend too. I don't like to go to church by myself, so they have been picking me up. A couple of people want me back up in the choir, but I'm not up to it yet. They only have 7-8 people left and everything they sing is in unison now. I don't like unison music very much! We used to have about 30 people in the choir. As we have gotten new ministers, people leave the church.

Hopefully today will be much better!
 
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