TKR No Kneecap and a TKR Experience

[uva55]

@sistersinhim you are doing awesome, this surgery gets our creative juices flowing right? Like how you cleaned your flower beds.

Where I go to PT there is a gentleman, he is a radiologist and he had his TKR one day after mine, June 14th, I asked him if his knee felt stiff, he said he applies gentle heat and it helps with the stiffness, I have been afraid to try it,maybe we can ask Josephine if applying gentle heat can help? Mill do it on my thread so I don't derail this one.

 

[sistersinhim]

OK, @uva55, I'll see what Josephine tells you. I, like you, am afraid to use heat this early. I'm stiff whether I ice or not. The heat just might be the answer. But, this girl's not trying that yet until I get OK from someone that knows a whole lot me than I do!

It's after 9pm and time for this girl's bedtime! With being up and down all during the night an early retiring is necessary. Good night all! Have a very successful sleep and wake up refreshed and pain free!

 

[newlybionic]

I was told you could put heat wherever you want but not on the knee itself. Usually stiffness in the knee is caused by some swelling within the knee itself. It doesn't take very much to make it stiff. I started massaging my quad and calf to help me with stiffness there. I also realized the other day that the skin on my knee was actually very tight. Since my incision is fully healed I applied some nice lotion over the knee and the whole leg and it felt much better.

 

[sistersinhim]

@newlybionic, thanks for that suggestion. I'm going to try the massage. It seems to help my sore shin.

I tried cutting some of the grass with my riding lawnmower yesterday evening. I did only about 1/10 of the yard, that's all, but I think it's too early for me to do that yet. It was either that or all that scooting on my butt I did cleaning out that flowerbed. I had a lot of pain last night and had to go back on the Oxy. I'm also uncomfortable this morning, too, but can take just Tylenol since I have to take two kitties for their shots. When I get back I can take something else, if need be. After getting back, I'll just do computer work while I elevate and ice.

 

[Floridagal]

Your butt scoots sound great. I stay away from the floor. I try to get to 3,000 steps a day and have gone as high as 4600. I've never hit 5000 since surgery. I found out yesterday I am anemic. I hope this is part of the reason for the tiredness. My medial side of the knee still is burning at times. I can't figure out what triggers it. My guess there is just lots of internal healing that must still be happening. Where is that patience pill when we need it? I know you will continue to make good progress. We all wish it were faster!

 

[Floridagal]

My PT said that I could go in the arthritis pool at the gym. It is a shallow pool which is heated more than the regular swimming pool. He said the knee might like it. He also said I could try alternating being the cold pool (52 degrees) and the hot pool. I haven't gone yet. We'll see. Maybe Friday.

 

[sistersinhim]

@Floridagal, 52* sounds way too cold for me! Being anemic is bound to be adding to your tiredness. I wouldn't be surprised that a lot of us have it, too. I just started taking iron pills last week. Hopefully, they'll help overcome that energy drain. I still have the burning on the medial side, also. If I have any pains, it's usually right there on the same side, but thank goodness, not as widespread as the burning is. I can't lay on my left side and have that side of my knee down on the bed or other leg. I can sleep on my right side now! I just keep the pillow and other knee from that very sensitive area.
Have fun in the pool! My membership at the Y is on a medical hold, I'll probably start back up in mid-August if my doctor says it OK. It will feel really good to get back in that water, put on my earbuds and get lost in music as I swim!

 

[newlybionic]

I had pool her apt a couple of times here the pool water was very warm. I think it was 90-95 degrees. They also had a lap pool which is usually kept on the cold side. They even had one that as in between the two that I found to be the perfect temp for me and my knee. I think it was around 80 degrees or so. I had to quit that gym because it is just too far away. You will love it hen you finally can get there.

 

[sistersinhim]

I believe the Y keeps theirs 84-86. When I first get in it feels really cold, but once I'm in it feels great! Even if I can do only 1 lap, it will be such a reward for reaching another goal of mine. I have to get my OS's approval first. The Y is about 30 minutes away so I have to do my shopping at the same time to justify driving that far.

 

[sistersinhim]

I have stepped out in faith and moved my motorized recliner back into another room and brought my regular one out for me. Also, moved the loveseat back into the spot where the other recliner was. I have put up the ice machines and high leg elevators. I am not going to need these things anymore. If I have some discomfort I can use my ice wraps. I am tired of my den looking like a sick room and now it's back to it's old arrangement! My knee is 7 weeks old today and it's time for it to grow up and not be such a spoiled brat! I will be sensible and not do anything stupid to hurt it, but I'm ready to take my life back from it! It will get TLC when it needs it, but not all the time! Tomorrow is a new day with a older, new knee!

 

[uva55]

Good for you, I did the same thing last week, please tell me you did not actually move all that furniture yourself or you are going to need drugs and ice!!!

 

[Floridagal]

Wonderful news! It really helps to feel normal again to get rid of that stuff. I hope to go to the pool today. There is still that shadow of fear about falling. We all are moving forward quite gracefully.

 

[sistersinhim]

Well, my knee got the last laugh. I had the worst night I've had since shortly after my surgery. I could not get rid of the aching. I'd put a ice pack on and fall asleep. When it warmed up I woke up hurting again. This happened all night long. I couldn't set up my ice machine because the noise of filling it would have awakened Marilyn. So I suffered until 5:30 this morning when she got up. The knee was so weird, though. As long as I was sitting or walking, it was fine. When I laid down is when the pain would start. Wouldn't you just know it!! And yes, @uva55, I moved everything by myself except for the loveseat. Stupid me. Now, I know the knee is still in control. I can put on strong front and say that I am, but it'll get me at night while I'm trying to sleep. The worst time! All my brave talk and look where it got me! Back babying my knee so it'll behave and let the rest of me feel good. I am so disappointed. At least my den doesn't look so much like a sick room anymore. But, I do have that ice machine running. Of course, my swelling has increased and my achy pain. Yep, I learned the hard way. You win, knee.
@Floridagal, enjoy that pool! We are in for a miserably hot and humid weekend down here. Good thing I don't have anything I have to do out there!

 

[uva55]

@sistersinhim if I was your knee I would have been upset also with everything you did yesterday...you just had to visit that special club one last time (I hope).

Be good today, you know the drill, I really hope you find some relief soon

 

[dianehelen]

Ummm really? you moved FURNITURE 6 weeks out from a knee replacement? Wow.. I dont know whether to be amazed by your strength, or ready to put you in a time out for your bad behavior.. Please do take care of yourself, and no more herculean efforts, please... Im sorry you are hurting... Hopefully a short term painful lesson..

 

[sistersinhim]

@dianehelen. Oh, I need to be in timeout for sure! It was so stupid. The chairs aren't heavy and I mainly used my arms and pushed them, then walked to it, then pushed, etc. And a couple of end tables to move with my arms, too. But, obviously I was using my knee and didn't even know it. Today I've done only a couple loads of laundry. In between I elevate and ice. I hope tonight is a better one than last night. If not, I'm just getting up and watching TV. But, I will have my ice machine hooked up and ready to go if needed. Any newbies out there do NOT do what I did at 7 weeks. The knee is still a baby and can't handle it. I should have known better. I have read so many stories about the ODIC, but I still joined it again. I am really upset with myself! All of you all learn by my mistake so you won't have to go through it! Time for a nap, I hope.

 

[sistersinhim]

I just took about a 3 hour nap all together, with my leg elevated and iced. I feel much better now. But, I'm still not going to do anything out of the ordinary. Marilyn's bringing home Popeye's so I don't even have to prepare dinner! Yippee! I love Popeye's chicken. It's a good thing I don't get it very often or I'd be big as a barrel! I have lost 3 more pounds since this journey making it a total of 17 since I started the Nutrisystem in April. I'm not eating that now. Just don't have the appetite for it. Ice cream, protein drinks and cantaloupes this week. I'm looking forward to that chicken.

I got the SS lesson completed for Sunday. Wish me God's speed on doing it. I pray I sleep tomorrow night and don't have a brain fog on Sunday morning. If I do, we'll just laugh it off. We're all in our 50s, 60s, & 70s so we get brain cramps every once in a while. We just admit it, laugh and go on to another word or thought.

 

[LoveGiants]

Pushing anything will put strain on our knees. Time out for you!

Congratulations on losing 17 pounds ! That's wonderful.

I know you're excited to teach Sunday school again and I pray it goes well and is a blessing.

 

[Majella]

@sistersinhim
I'm amazed at your energy for only 6 weeks out, but please be careful you are in the early stages of recovery!
Look at me.... trying to give advice when at 3 weeks I bent down on my walker to fix the corner of a rug (OCD kicking in) and toppled over! good thing I'm flexible or I may have landed on the floor, I didn't tell anyone until now

 

[sistersinhim]

@Majella, how bad did you go over? Did you join our ODIC, too? I hope not. It's not a good place to be! It is scary how fast something can happen like that. One second you're up and the next you're on the ground or floor. Ever since my kneecap removals I've been a very bad fall hazard. I fell an average of every other month. So now, I have to be extremely careful. The one good thing though, is my tkr leg is my weaker one. Before I get the left one done I have to get this new knee much stronger that it is. @LoveGiants, I am in timeout! I'm doing very little except the basics. Thank you for your prayers for Sunday's lesson. I need them!