Bilateral PKR On the other side

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary to our Brave Bilateral Warrior!
Let's celebrate your healing body, your strength, resilience and your....positive spirit.
Cheers to continued healing and the brighter days ahead, even though I don't like beer, lol
@Legseleven

 

[Legseleven]

Thanks @Layla
Been out today for a lovely meal. A couple of walks, one was .6 mile, the other not quite as far but up and down a slight hill. Plus lots of pottering with some standing. Few mins on the chair pedals today too.
I’m doing my best to trust the process, especially after the physio’s words but at times the recurring discomfort and stiffness do get to me.
Icing now as I write this.
You’re all brilliant on here.

 

[Jockette]

I’m doing my best to trust the process, especially after the physio’s words but at times the recurring discomfort and stiffness do get to me.

Yes, this is a long recovery and it’s easy to get tired of it and frustrated.

You’re 2 months into a 12-ish month recovery, and really, you're doing very well.
Keep on keeping on!

 

[eaglemom]

As Jockette said, and you know, its a long recovery. Sometimes it just messes with your head that you 'think' you should be farther along. You body knows best and boy howdy does it rebel when you do too much. Slow and steady.

And thank you for the wonderful compliment. Brilliant, I'll take that any day.

 

[Legseleven]

Thanks @Jockette and @eaglemom for your kindness.
Yup it’s down to patience again.
I know I’ve done well so far, and I also know I sadly can’t speed it up, however much I’d like to.

 

[Legseleven]

Week 9. Day 63.
Good news today… as Autumn is here and the weather has cooled and changed a lot I tried out long PJ bottoms last night instead of shorts and they were tolerated ok.
Today due to the lashing gales and rain storms I also tried some loose tracksuit bottoms to go out to the car in and they seem ok too. Only slight hitch is when I’m back and icing

Yesterday’s activities have left their mark too, so no outside walks and more ice and elevation required. Back on paracetamol and resting more.
Hopefully I’ll just about get the hang of it all by the time I’m fully recovered.

 

[Layla]

Hopefully I’ll just about get the hang of it all by the time I’m fully recovered.

That's a good one!
Recovery is ever evolving and takes a lot of patience. Realizing both helps. Well...at least a little.
Keep the healthy balance you have going, it's serving you well.

 

[Legseleven]

Morning all. Day 64.
If I had a desk job I’d probably be back at work part time, yet for me this recovery is still my job, and I’m a long way off being able to go back to my hectic job yet. That’s fine, I’m not worried about it.
A lot of pain/discomfort on waking today so I gave my knees a treat. I gave them a gentle massage exactly as the physio had done last week. A first for the right knee. They both felt better after and I didn’t need paracetamol.
After breakfast I walked to the letterbox and called into a shop. Didn’t have time to find what I wanted as realised this will take longer than the knees will allow today. That’s ok, another reason for another walk on another day. Still progress.
Later they’ll be another measured walk and chair pedals. It’s interesting as the quads do still occasionally misfire, and I'm grateful for the crutches, which is why I’m not allowed outside without them. I wonder how long it takes for the quads to be fully engaged?

 

[Layla]

for me this recovery is still my job.

Yes, great analogy. It is a job! Progress comes with consistency. It's not a quick project, it takes months of effort and dedication.

I'm very impressed that you dug into your bag of magic tricks and opted for massage over parapetamol. Wonderful news that it brought the relief you hoped for!

Quads - they will continue to strengthen for up to a year, even longer for some, and possibly so in your case experiencing bilateral surgery.

To my knowledge we don't have any thorough accounts of a bilateral PKR recovery so, Thank You, for taking the time to document your journey as you're doing here. I am certain it will prove beneficial for others recovering from PKR's.

Have a great rest of the day, Legseleven!

 

[Legseleven]

Day 65.
Today and yesterday I managed two walks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and have now managed a mile in total for these two, obviously still on my crutches. Often with full weight bearing, hardly using the crutches. It depends on the terrain of the pavements and also how tired or stiff I am. Sometimes I need them a lot.
I also managed the matinee at the cinema today although getting up and moving at the end took all my upper body strength to get upright. I had an end seat, and walked home in the lovely sunshine and did 4 mins on the pedals. I want to increase these sessions to twice a day to help try to deal with the ongoing stiffness. And possibly up to 3 x day, all being well. A little at a time.
Tomorrow, all being well, I plan to walk similar and add in a second pedal session.
I’m also back in my boots (see profile photo) as the rain has made some of the pavement slabs slippy and there were a lot pf puddles.
Onwards…

 

[benne68]

I want to increase these sessions to twice a day to help try to deal with the ongoing stiffness.

Are you still icing and elevating? Stiffness can be a sign of internal inflammation -- even if you don't see any on the outside.

 

[mendogal]

I agree with adding a second pedal session but don't increase the time per session. Our healing bodies do better with shorter exercise sessions spread throughout the day.

Prolonged sitting can definitely create stiffness even at several months out for many of us. I hope you enjoyed the movie! A real milestone.

 

[Legseleven]

Thanks @benne68 and @mendogal
Yes always icing and some elevation too.
I’ll try 2 x 3 mins pedals today.

Edited:
Not such a good day today, although more ADL’s.
One walk, one short go of pedals.
More TV and crochet.

This crazy upy/downy recovery journey… on it goes.

 

[Layla]

Tomorrow, all being well, I plan to walk similar and add in a second pedal session.
I’m also back in my boots (see profile photo) as the rain has made some of the pavement slabs slippy and there were a lot pf puddles.

Be careful, slips and falls are a
Kidding aside, stay safe and enjoy the fresh air, Legseleven.

 

[Legseleven]

Been a mixed week, Week 9. For a couple of weeks I’d felt as if I’d reached a plateau in my recovery. Plodding on with daily walking x2, pedals, and lots of ADL’s every day then on Thursday, Day 66, I had a real struggle walking home from the first walk. It was the hardest it’s been in the last month. I was almost in tears, due to pain, discomfort and lack of energy. So that day was written off, back to more ice, elevation and TV.
The next day, Day 67, I started over with pedals and then walking on my crutches to a regular community cuppa and back. 0.6 mile total. A bit later I went out again for the second walk, I wasn’t keen but I know it’s my “job” so off I went. Managed a bit further than expected then came home, maybe half a mile. Had another go on the pedals, 3.5 mins each time. Iced etc, all as usual.

A bit later in the afternoon I suddenly felt a slight shift. It’s hard to explain, almost like a veil had been lifted. The knees somehow felt better, but not only that I felt heaps better in myself. So much so that I went up to the attic for a couple of hours in the afternoon and again for an hour in the evening. This felt amazing. Huge progress.

Saturday, Day 68, brought horrendous storms and inches of rain so I was unable to go outside at all. Instead I did 3 x pedals, and walked around and around my small kitchen table and around the ground floor, many times. I still felt different, and much better. Got up to the Attic again in the afternoon and evening.

Sunday, Day 69 has returned me to the plateau, and that’s ok.
On Saturday I’d felt much more like myself, like it’s not quite so much of a struggle as it has been. The brief respite illustrated just how hard the last 9+ weeks have been and that I will eventually recover. It was a mere glimpse of the flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. I still have a long way to go, and I accept that.

Today I went out to lunch in a pub and had two walks and one pedal session, one walk was in a field, with crutches. First off-piste session. Plus 3 trips to the Attic where the Christmas Elf is already very active. Being off work so much means this year all presents will be home made and it keeps me occupied too.

 

[EalingGran]

Well done! So much about this recovery is our mental attitude and trying to stay positive in the face of adversity.
The post knee replacement land is a tough and frightening place and it is easy to start believing it will never be possible to get back to our old happy selves.
Hang on to those positive feelings. You are doing great!

 

[Layla]

Slow and steady wins the race. Stay consistent, remain patient and you'll achieve your goal.
Hope this week is a good one for you!
@Legseleven

 

[Legseleven]

Week 10
Day 72
Been out and about a bit more to a few community things this week, and that’s been quite tiring, in a good way. The energy drain still strikes. I do find I have to get up and move about mid way through these events because of stiffness. Managed to use a couple of disabled toilets successfully while out and find suitable parking spaces in order to open the driver’s door wide enough.
Still doing my regular outside walks and the chair pedals along with Attic visits up all those stairs. Physiotherapy on Friday.

 

[Layla]

I do find I have to get up and move about mid way through these events because of stiffness.

Haha...I still do this eight years beyond my joint replacement.
You're doing very well, Legseleven! I hope you have a good physio session tomorrow. Just remember which of you two is the boss...Hint - it's not the therapist.

 

[mendogal]

Yay for getting out and about!
That stiffness is pretty universal for the first several months and slowly we develop greater sitting (and standing) tolerance.