TKR Not a new patient but I need help, lots of it

[rubyyarn]

A Sunday go to meeting ice bag? I like that!

Seriously, that's what milestones are all about, little victories. Like the first time you lift your leg without using the other to help. Or the first time you shower without help. These things add up.

Hang in there and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. It isn't a train, really it isn't

 

[Jockette]

The first time I did a leg lift I wanted to jump for joy, I was so excited, but I couldn’t jump!

I had been swinging my leg up onto my elevating wedge in bed for a while before I thought, I wonder if I could do this if I wasn’t aiming for the wedge. I moved the wedge out of the way and lifted my leg up nice and high!!! Even better, I hadn’t been working on it!!! (as in x amount of leg lifts x amount of times a day) Just putting my leg up on my wedge any time I slept.

PROOF that activities of daily living will get you there!

 

[kneeper]

Wishing you a day of rest and

 

[Polkadot]

@SusieShoes, that ice bag cozy sounds like a TKR cottage industry in-the-making. I would make one; but I'd have to have more events to go to, with all the "jewels" and "embellishments" I have in mind!

I hear @Jockette is quite handy with the sewing machine. I bet she could turn out some fantastic ice covers!

 

[Jockette]

@Polkadot Well, several years ago while having root canals done I did make some little flannel bags just big enough to hold a sandwich sized zip lock bag of ice to hold against my jaw, but I never thought about a fancy one!

 

[Texaslady]

This is how I felt when I woke up at 2:30 a.m. I had two pretty good days no real pain just a deep
dull ache. Not this morning I am laying in my recliner leg up and in the good ole ice wrap. The bad thing is I
did not over do it yesterday, I did make the fudge, and my husband and I did a couple loads of laurdy that’s it,
I sat and crocheted on my little dog a new blanket, she gets her head stuck in the holes in her old one the one she has now. I am off track now. Like my Grandmother would say chicken one day and feathers the next. I know this is only a small set back,I am doing as much resting as I can because of te holidays. Maybe I can go back to sleep now for awhile,I will stay in my chair instead of waking my husband.

 

[Texaslady]

Really hate to do this but I need to know something which I think is pretty important. When all of this joint business started in early Spring of 2012 the OS at that time told me both hips and knees needed replaced, needless to say it was 2016 when I had my right hip replaced and 2017 for my left knee. My problem is that I believe that the left knee replacement has messed up my left hip pretty good l don’t think I don’t know if I have said anything about it yet, I hate to be repeating myself. My hip just is getting worse. I will have it x-rayed on December 1. to see how much more damage if any from the knee replacement. But I have got to be honest getting up to standing is pretty painful and it seems all the muscles are drawing up.I do some recumbent bike every other day for a short period to exercise my knee so I cannot help but exercise hip. My question has anyone had this kind off thing happen to them

 

[KarriB]

Sometimes the accommodations we make for our knees can put our bodies out of wack and I’m sure vice a versa. If your OS was concerned about your hip before TKR it is wise to get it checked out.

 

[Celle]

@Texaslady - you will see that I have moved two of your posts and one reply to them from Lynne Cleveland's thread to your own thread.

By putting the above posts in her recovery thread, you were disrupting her thread, which should be about her own recovery.
Forum etiquette: being polite when posting

Please post any updates or questions about your recovery in your own thread. We will see them there, as someone checks all the new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Just in case you couldn't find your thread, here are the instructions on finding your thread,
How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Texaslady]

I really hope this is my thread I keep posting in other peoples. I went to my profile and selected your content.
I hope this is right. Would like start by saying good morning to all, I have not been around for awhile, I think the last time I told you guys about my husband having a bad knee, and I was going in to see my OS for a follow up I she was to do some X-rays on my new knee plus some on my left hip which has become really painful. First for the results for my husbands left knee his TLKR is scheduled for February 28,2018, I will be about a week from
being 6 months from my surgery date of 9/5/2017. I am at 3 months now and still I am sitting here at 4:30 in the morning with ice on my knee and my hip killing me, I feel like I am in a impossible situation. For some crazy reason my refuses to read his forum he is a retired engineer. If it is not from a medical page he refuse to believe it, he is such a cynic.
My situation my TLKR IS healing well I have followed you all’s advice and for me it is really worked. My left hip
is shot. Nothing I can do right now, will be waiting awhile. One other situation that is kinda making things hard
my husband does not understand why after 2 months I am not doing better, he is upset that I don’t sleep past
4:00 a.m. which I think is an improvement from the 2:30 a.m. because of the way he feels I am now doing, laundry, shopping and cooking. I really feel Enough complaining once again I ha to get that off my chest.
Thanks for listening.

 

[sistersinhim]

You can come here and vent anytime you want to! We understand. Do you have any plans on getting your hip replaced?

 

[AnnieC]

Sleep during the day? I sleep when and where I can.


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[Texaslady]

@sistersinhim Not at the present time. My husband is having a TLKR on 2/28/2018, and I don’t see it happening
until he has recovered from that, which is as you know about a year. I am worried about taking care of him now
and me just 6 months into my knee recovery at the time of his TLKR..:tree lights:

 

[KarriB]

Full recovery is a year, but your husband may be good to go after 4-5 months. I returned to an active job (teaching first grade) part time at 12 weeks and full time at 18 weeks. I understand not wanting to plan your hip just yet, but don’t be surprised if you’re able to do it before the year is out.

 

[Texaslady]

I am just a few days past the 3 month mark. I see where people are doing much better than myself,
it is just 15 days away from Christmas it is crazy here I set at 3:30 a.m in so much pain. The OS said I was doing fine as for as my knee it is healing just fine. But here I set just about ready to cry. My husband seems to think
I am ready to get back to work here at the house. Yesterday I had to go to the store for a few things my husband rarely walks he uses the little electric carts but I walk and push the cart. By the time I was finished I was sweating and in pain and couldn’t wait to get out of there, I got home and put the groceries up and I was finished for the day. Little history on my husband he has had 3 back surgeries leaving him less than the heathy vital person he was also the least thing and he just falls apart. He needs a tkr and it is scheduled for 2/28/2018 every since he found out he says it’s getting worse by the day now he is using a cane. I am really worried about this surgery he is to having , am I going to to be up to taking care of him at 5 months out from my surgery, he demands so much attention!!! Since my surgery I have improved a great deal but not up to a marathon just yet, I am not young women I am 68 and have diabetes so it is taking longer I guess. My question should I be further along in my recovery? And here is the icing on the cake like I said yesterday when I went to the OS on 12/01 she did X-rays on my left hip then informs me it is shot. Right now I am really down in the dumps so to speak.

 

[SusieShoes]

Yes, you have improved a great deal... and you will improve a great deal more! Three months is still early, and look at much improved you are from just six weeks ago. I went and looked at my thread for how I was doing at three months and... I was doing well, but I wasn’t up to doing a full round of grocery shopping by myself without suffering the consequence. I had just worked up to walking a reasonable distance. I was JUST starting to feel I could go back to work SITTING at a desk (and if I sat for too long, I paid with swelling and pain). I adjusted by doing my work (on a laptop) not at my desk but on the sofa with my legs up on and ottoman. So you’re doing very well. It’s easy to expect too much of our recoveries.

Comparing knees and recoveries is misleading. For one thing, people don’t report everything. They say they’re doing great (and they are) but might gloss over the occasional setback. They know those happen and they want to focus on the positive, because they know the forward trajectory is overall a positive one. Ask any of us and we will say recovery is a back and forth thing, even when going really well.

I’m sorry to hear your hip is shot. That will make taking pleasure in your new, functional knee a little harder. And of course your husband getting a TKR of his own means you have his recovery to deal with. On the plus side, you know what to do! And if he’s too set in his ways to look at BoneSmart, then that’s on him. You can only do so much. But do encourage him. I come from a family of engineers, and they can be tough to convince.

 

[rubyyarn]

@Texaslady, you sure do have a lot on your plate! Hopefully your husband will take a look at BoneSmart when he is the one singing the blues from knee pain. At least there are plenty of guys here for him to compare notes with.

And...by the time your husband has his knee done, yours will be 5 months out and hopefully doing better.

As for the hip We are all praying for you on that one. Can you get extra help for the heavier household stuff?

 

[Celle]

I am really worried about this surgery he is to having , am I going to to be up to taking care of him at 5 months out from my surgery, he demands so much attention!!!

You know, from your own experience, that your husband will not be completely helpless when he is discharged from hospital. While you may have to help him lift his leg back into bed, and stay close by while he showers, there should not be any hard physical activity associated with his care. You'll fill his ice machine and prepare his food and drinks (but you'd be doing that anyway by 5 months).

Where your knee is now, is not where it will be in another couple of months.
You'll have to work out for yourself how you cope with his demanding nature.

 

[Texaslady]

Thank You all as usual you have put me back to right thinking. As far as the hip I have a keep going until I can’t
as soon as my I find a new OS I will see what the plans will be. I have had one replaced already to be honest it was nothing compared to this tkr. I just got really down over my husband and another surgical recovery with him.:dancing::dancing:

 

[AnnieC]

@sistersinhim Not at the present time. My husband is having a TLKR on 2/28/2018, and I don’t see it happening
until he has recovered from that, which is as you know about a year. I am worried about taking care of him now
and me just 6 months into my knee recovery at the time of his TLKR..:tree lights:

He hasn’t had his surgery yet. He’s still a way off. No good fussing yourself about things that haven’t happened yet? Time to look after yourself and ASK FOR HELP


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