Become an Insider

TKR No Kneecap and a TKR Experience

You really are doing well. Try to just keep your best ROM numbers in your head and don't even try to measure or compare your ROM to when you are at your best. You will just keep putting yourself on the roller coaster ride that affects your emotions since this can continue for quite some time yet ( remember that year timeline?). Just try to look at the 'things' you can do now and how far you've come since day one. Think about the things you were cutting out of your life before surgery. That's how I am able to stay 'up'.
 
Paula, I think you are over the hump, you have done really well and things are just going to get better and better from now on:dancy:
 
When you all wake up aching at night, do you have to actually get up and walk around to get rid of your aches? I don't think I've noticed anyone else commenting on this. The aches don't go away unless I do get up and walk around. Of course, this disturbs my sleep. It happens at least 2 times a night and some times 4 or 5 times. If only my nights were better, I'd feel so much better during the day. Sleep in important.

You wanna hear something funny? I have to teach the SS lesson again this week, so I started on it last week. I had a whole page of history background of our Scripture study and was really happy I was that much ahead! Well, I got back working on it again this morning and low and behold I had worked on the lesson for two weeks from now, not this week! So I had about 3 hours of work for the wrong study! How about that for brain fog!! Thank God I caught it today and not Sunday morning at church!

@uva55, I too think I'm over the worst part. It will be mostly up on the hill now, but sometimes I realize I'll be sliding down again. But, thinks are looking better than just a few weeks ago. How did you make out at work today?
@newlybionic, I like your new avatar! I think I'll quit measuring my ROM. I can tell when I improve by just the way I get along during the day. For instance, I use to have a really hard time getting my leg over the tub into my shower. It just wouldn't bend enough. Now, I have no problem getting in there! Going up and down the steps is easier! I can, at times, go up the steps the normal way. Not down yet, the leg is still too weak for that. But, that will come!
 
I had a great day today, yesterday I kind of felt like I was in a fog, I had to do month end and it was a very busy day, not a very nice way to get back to work, sort of sink or swim, but today I felt more like my old self, a little, I really mean little, more energy. Still no pain but plenty of swelling, even after icing and elevating. Overall much better than I anticipated.:yahoo:

My boss told me he really missed me, I had to bite my tongue not to tell him that the feeling was not mutual.
Even though I would have loved and benefited from a couple of more weeks off, in a weird way it feels good to get back to some sort of normal :egypdance:
 
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How encouraging your post is! You are doing so good, and I pray you continue to do so. I'm sure normal does feel great! I got back to the string trimming this afternoon. I was going to do just half of it, but since I was already dirty, I went ahead and finished it. It felt good to get back to being able to do that!
 
Sounds so good @sistersinhim , I can't believe how much stuff you do.

I cant wait to hopefully be where you and some others are. I hope I do as well.

Be careful with that weed wacker, they can be dangerous
 
My avatar is Sandy my 13 year old Yorkie who is quite a hand full. She finally let me take a picture of her after being groomed on Saturday.

There are some people that need to get up and walk around because if night time aching. Others change out the ice while others find the cling wrap to help them the most. After my original TKR for the first few months I had to get up every two hours and walk all the time because of muscle spasms to my thigh. Eventually everything will calm down. Continue to sleep when you can.
 
I have to get up and walk at night as well usually a trip down and up the stairs to get ice is enough. I also do my 'prancing horses' walk where I lift my knees as high as I can. Unfortunately, I don't usually go back to sleep. @sistersinhim it sounds like you and I are at similar points going up and down in recovery. I do think we're both having more ups now! Let's hope for a good night's sleep.
 
Sleep was still sporadic last night, as usual. But, another goal met...I slept without the pillow under my knee! I had to move a lot, but that's pretty normal. With having string-trimmed the whole yard yesterday, I was concerned that I might have overdone it, but I'm not much more sore than I usually am! Today will be spent icing and resting until church tonight. @newbionic, Sandy is beautiful! And 12 years old. It's wonderful when we can keep our pets for many years! My oldest was 20 in May. Following close behind are 5 in their teens. @TNL, it is an up and down journey, but our ups are lasting longer. If we could just get some decent sleep! @dianehelen, my string-trimmer is a high-wheeled one. Instead of carrying it and slinging it back and forth, you push it like a lawnmower. I've been using this type for years.
 
I can empathize with your bad nights. I had on last night. I was awake until 2:45 a.m. My knee didn't hurt. I was just restless. I'm determined to stay away from the sleeping pill. My rash is gone. I think we are just about at the same place in healing now. It sounds like you do more work than me - but then I have been playing. :)
 
I wish I had time to play! My yard and house work got a month behind and I'm trying to catch up a little bit at a time. The warm weather was a good time to have this surgery because the icing makes me so chilled. I can't imagine doing it in the winter! But, doing it this time of year means all that yard work is not getting done until I can get to it! It will take me at least a couple of months more before I can get my flower beds in shape again. One day I'll get to running the vac inside. Thank goodness I have the Roomba to get the surface dirt and cat hair. The carpet needs shampooing again, but that will have to wait, too! Thank God I can finally do some work!
 
I have all natural landscaping but still have a yard man come about once a month to trim the ground cover that goes over the curb and pick up dead wood and trim back some trees. I decided that it was worth the $45! Because of my shade I can't grow much of anything that's pretty or good to eat! I'm sure your yard work will keep you young and strong.
 
I advertised for lawn service from local people, but I got no response. I really can't afford to hire a professional service. They'd charge a fortune just to drive out this far! I don't know about all this yard work keeping me young. I'm feeling pretty old right now! I think yesterday is catching up with me. I'm sore in all kinds of places including the knee and quads. I guess all this work is my way of doing therapy besides the extension and heel slide exercises! Oh yeah, and the bike riding!
 
Oh, you are certainly getting your share of exercise. There is no doubt about that. I just saw my PCP and he told me to "work on my diet." That is always a challenge, especially in hot weather when ice cream is so good.
 
Oh no, not give up ice cream! You can get the no sugar added ones and they have only 80 calories per 1/2 cup. Nurtrisystem allows 150 calories for their evening snacks, so guess what I get! Yep, that ice cream. Maybe when it get cooler I won't crave it so much. But, ice cream and protein drinks got me through the first month or so after this surgery! Now, that I'm eating, though, I'm going to have to watch out!
 
Sometimes sorbet can be just as refreshing and has less calories. WW has ice cream bars that keep in the freezer during the summer.
 
@sistersinhim I get tired just reading all the yard work you do, hahaha...is it as hot in Virginia as is it here 95 degrees??? I feel like I'm going to pass out after being outside for 10 minutes.

I think I get less of a workout going to PT:upright::treadmill:
 
It is unbearably hot here in PA too. I refuse to do a thing outside except swim while the sun is out. In the evening I water my flowers etc. I don't know how Paula is doing yard work in this heat and humidity.
 
It has been awfully hot here. 11 days in a row were in the 90s with heat indexes in the 110s+. Sunday before last the heat index in my back yard was 122*. I have never seen it that high before. But, ladies, I do my work before 10am. After that I'm in the house with the a/c running, and icing and elevating in my recliner. I don't go back out, not even in the evenings because it's too hot and humid. So, I'm out from about 7 to 9:30am. After that I'm worn out for the day! Now, yesterday I was out during the middle of the day while string-trimming, but it was in the mid 80s. I wonderful break from the heat!
 
I suggest you get a massage after all your yard work. I had a 90-minute one this afternoon and I feel terrific. OS said she couldn't touch anywhere on my surgical leg, which worked out fine. Most of my tension was in my back, neck and arms, which is not surprising. It didn't help me sleep - it's now 1:30 am but at least I'm not sore!
 
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