On my own next week........

[ship4]

I know I have not posted a whole lot since my surgery. For those who are new, I had BTKR on 6/18/08. So I am 8 weeks post op.
I own a child care business which I run from our home with 9 children enrolled for the summer between the ages of 11 months and 9 years of age.
I re-opened for business post-op on 6/30/08 with the help of a teacher (off for the summer) client Mom of 2 children in care. Tomorrow will be her last day working with me. She was truly a God send with running the business when I first came home from rehabilitation. I will have 7 children next week rather than 9 to care for by myself, and possibly only 5 children, if my helper client Mom keeps her children home doing activities as a family before school starts on the 26th of August. Once September arrives I will only have 5 children in care; a 14 month old boy, a 15 month old boy, and 3 ~ 4 year old girls. I will have room for another child over the age of 2 years for the school year.
I had PT at home for about 10 sessions. I had to miss 2 weeks as my incisions split open and had to be steri-stripped together. They have finally healed nicely and I have been able to enjoy my hot tub in the basement. It has been wonderful to soak at the end of the day and then ice my knees before bed.
I have run into an issue of discomfort with the low pressures that have come thru 2-3 each week. It really gives my knees a workout with pain. Anyone else run into this? I am hoping it will go away once I am further along in healing. I am still taking dilaudid, celebrex, and visteral in the AM and the PM with 2 Arthritis Strength Tylenol mid day.
I also have recently had an issue where I like to sleep on my side and my knees are uncomfortable together. Do any of you sleep with a knee pillow? I just ordered a leg wedge pillow (that opens up to allow it to also be used to elevate the feet at night) yesterday hoping it will make a difference for me at night. I have tried a large bed pillow (too big), a feather bed that could form to any shape (it was hot!), and recently a small feather pillow that helps some.
Best,
Crystal

 

[carolinagirl]

Hi Crystal,

I have a huge problem with the thunderstorms we get here.
Yesterday we had a slow steady all day rain that came in slowly and it did not bother me at all.
But those storms that come up suddenly are awful. My leg aches like crazy. It is the change in the barometric pressure. Like you, I hope this improves with time.

 

[JenniferG]

Ye old weather knees. that gets better. I think it started being less of an issue around 4 months +/-. Pillow between the knees started reducing for me around 4.5 months. I still do it sometimes just because it feels better, but I'm OK without one.

 

[NJW]

Hey Crystal,

My BTKR was on June 9th so I'm one week ahead of you. Can't help you with the low pressure thing. I live near Ft. Worth, TX. We haven't had any rain to speak of since before my surgery. I too sleep on my side and have had problems with the "knee thing". Never have found the right pillow to use between my knees. I finally learned to throw the top leg slightly forward of the bottom one and that works. I don't have a hot tub but do have a nice garden tub that I started using again about a week ago. The challenge was getting out since kneeling is still tough; learned to kneel on one of those plastic blow up pillows. I'm impressed with you working so soon. Child care is exhausting work! I'm actually retired but went back to work part time 2 years ago. (2-3 days a week) I'm in law enforcement so I have to totally off pain meds. Will have my first day back on the 21st. Been walking around the house with all my equipment on, seeing how my knees handle the extra weight. Also doing 1/2 mile every morning. I am SO ready to get back to work. Will be thinking of you, "on your own". Let us know how it goes.

Nancy