TKR On the road again.....

[Littlelady58]

Hi @Celle

Thanks, my knee is a bit swollen and I think that's the resistance I'm feeling when I exercise .... Sometimes it's good to have a little reassurance

 

[Kansas Teacher]

I ditched the walker today... Went out side, sat on my bench and planted some flowers into pots, it was great therapy !

Sounds like healing balm for the soul! I hope to be able to do that soon. I'm a bit behind you,having had my LTKR on May 1. The last couple days have been cool, dark, damp,drizzly and I've noticed the blues setting in a bit too even though everything is going well. I think being unable to sleep soundly isn't helping. I'm sure that this too shall pass and we will be through it in no time. Hang in there!

Roxie

 

[sharalder]

I must say you are a trooper having both your knees done in 1 year. At this point I think I'll wait till next April for my next one. I am happy you have your pain under control now. Good luck with pt!

 

[Littlelady58]

Hi @sharalder not sure about being a trooper, but in my current job I have very good benefits so I decided to have the second one sooner rather than later, plus my daughter is getting married next year & I wanted to fell
A ok!
Hello @Kansas Teacher those darn blues are playing with me its seems like a cat and mouse game, but I try to stay positive or go to bed save inflicting anyone else lol.... Sleep is a major factor with me, I need it and don't manage well without it.... My daughter took me for a little ride around town this evening it did wonders just getting out for half an hour. hope you have a good day and the sun shines on you.

 

[Kansas Teacher]

No sun yet @Littlelady58 . Still drizzly, damp and gray but the weatherman gave us some hope last night that it would straighten up this afternoon. I hope today is a better day for you too. Just think -- one of these days, this shall all be behind us.

Roxie

 

[Littlelady58]

@Kansas Teacher went to physio my bend is at 95.. Just were my first one was at this stage so I was happy, went and bought a hanging basket and a few plants with my Mother's Day gift cards today, I love flowers, I would love a rose garden but our climate is not always kind to them... Im giving myself a task a day, to chase away those blues, today I or gained my pantry, which makes me feel the day wasn't a total washout! Tomorrow it's the closet!

 

[Kansas Teacher]

Good for you @Littlelady58 . The plants sound just lovely. I have four bright pink knockout roses on the east side of my house and they are absolutely drenched with blooms this year. It's kind of a slope to walk down to them so I have to admire them from afar so far but my neighbor told me she sure loves looking at them out of her window! Glad to hear about your bend -- 95 does sound good. Today is cloudy again but we only have a slight chance of thunderstorms. But, tomorrow we have a good chance of thunderstorms -- possibly the severe storms Kansas is famous for. Sure hope they miss us. The smaller town we lived in before building a home and moving into Wichita, took direct hits by tornadoes two times a few years apart. Weather in Kansas is always interesting this time of year.

Roxie

 

[Littlelady58]

Hi @Kansas Teacher I've have a good day, didn't get the plants in the garden because it's given frost over the weekend so I'll wait until Monday. My daughter and I are planning a girls day tomorrow we are doing nails & hair etc...and on Sunday my big trip to Walmart yeh me! Amazing how something I took for granted a month ago is turning into a treat...have a lovely weekend & I hope the sun shines on you.

 

[Kansas Teacher]

Well, I think our days of having frost are behind us -- at least I cannot ever remember us having frost this late in the season in the Wichita area. But, the weather has been going bonkers so I guess you never know. We are expecting severe storms again today -- possible hail, heavy thunderstorms, maybe even tornadoes. The joy of living in Kansas. When I look at the weather radar, it sure looks like Wichita is in the bullseye.

I had probably the roughest night I've had since the surgery and wasn't expecting it two weeks into it. My iceman machine quit on me -- apparently the motor burned out. I wasn't comfortable at all without it. Hopefully, we can come up with something else today. Does anyone know where these are sold? I think it's going to be a bit before I can do entirely without it.

Have a good day and, if you are getting storms like we are supposed to be, stay safe!

Roxie

 

[Littlelady58]

I hope the expected storms are not too bad, did you get another ice machine? I haven't come across them here, in hospital they just wraped an ice pack in a pillowcase lol... So I just have my ice bags on hand in my freezer .

Jane

 

[Littlelady58]

Hello @Kansas Teacher, did you get the storms you were expecting? We got our Colorado low.. So we also got frost, but it's been lovely today.
I took a trip to the city today, it was 5 hr round trip, and my knee did very well. I did a little walking not too much but it felt great to be a little independent, I just took my big bandaid off my scar, I'm not keen to look at it so I've lef IT covered until now. It looks pretty good though, still some bruising,but it looks like it's healing well, I'm hoping to sleep better tonight, it took ages to get off last night lol....hope you got your new ice machine!

Jane

 

[referee54]

I did a little walking not too much but it felt great to be a little independent, I

That is what it is all about---taking these little journeys that bring the normalcy back---but being careful not to overdo it---giving you a taste of what life will be like---and it will get better!

 

[Kansas Teacher]

@Littlelady58 , we got a lot of rain -- several inches over the past week and more expected later this week. We were classified as being in a drought but I think we are now ahead in rainfall for the year which is a good thing long-term. We haven't had to run our sprinkler system in our yard for some time. It's definitely cooler than normal but, thankfully, no frost. We've had a tough winter -- lots of extremes with 70 degrees one day and 10 degrees the next. It has damaged a few of our landscaping plants so we're going to have to replace a couple dwarf butterfly bushes, a hinoki cypress, 2 false holly and one euonymous. Always something!

I did have my 5 1/2 hour round trip to Kansas City yesterday for a post-surgical check-up. I got staples out and that was very welcome. Hopefully the swelling will start to go down more which I think will improve my flexion from the 108 I'm currently at. We made a couple stops too -- one at Costco and one at Trader Joe's so I walked a bit there. In addition to that, they are tearing up and rebuilding the parking garage at my OS so getting from parking to his office is a pain.

I'm so glad you got out for a bit. It is good for the soul!

Roxie

 

[kneeper]

It's a battle scar to wear with pride, @Littlelady58 . Enjoy those steps towards freedom.

 

[KarriB]

My scar is VERY ugly because of the infection surgery and I've always had ugly legs, so this just adds to the look. I try to have a funny creative story when kids ask me (I'm a teacher), like a pirate got a chunk of my leg or Nemo was hungry, : )

 

[Littlelady58]

After my travels yesterday I was so tired today, my poor old kne nearly refused to bend at all this morning...
But with perseverance and ice it came back, and tonight it's ok....I've left my scar uncovered now and the sterry strips they put on are coming off, it looks good, does anyone know how long the surgical swelling lasts? Or if there is anything to do besides rest and ice? @Kansas Teacher I had a little laugh when you told me your winter temps, I live on the praires and it can go to -40 in the winter...... Not much survives that in my garden, that's why most of my plants are in containers @KarriB nobody sees my legs very often not a pretty sight lol... I remember with the first knee replacement mine got so itchy I used ice a gold bond (not directly on the scar though).
Jane

 

[Bilbo]

I let my scar air a little and cover it a little also. Not sure but I think someone posted on my page about swelling. I'll check. I'm finding 4 to 6months on swelling. I know you didn't want to here that. Ice Ice Baby LOL.

 

[KarriB]

@Littlelady58 last summer was my first with the scar. It can easily get in the 90s here in Pittsburgh over the summer. I did think about only wearing pants all summer but that decision went by the wayside with the first hot humid day it hit 89. Plus, I'm an outdoor swimmer, I do 20-30 laps a day in the summer. The swimming really gave all my therapists a good laugh as it has given me a weird flexibility. Therapists enjoyed seeing how far they could stretch my leg without bothering me at all, not my knee, but my leg from my hip joint.

 

[Kansas Teacher]

@Littlelady58 , I will be right upfront and tell you that I could not survive your winters! You are made of hardier stock than I obviously am. I grew up in Nebraska which is already quite a bit colder than southern Kansas. I think I'm meant to live somewhere warm like Florida, Texas or maybe Arizona. Our daughter and family live in Phoenix, AZ so at least we have a warm place to visit in the winter.

When I was at my check-up on Tuesday, I asked about post-surgical swelling. They said not to be surprised if it lasts up to 6 months and just to keep icing, resting and elevating. Apparently the exercises help to "pump" some of the fluid out but it all still takes time. As a matter of fact, I want the swelling gone so bad that I asked first the nurse, then the resident and finally the surgeon all separately, hoping for a better simpler answer each time. But, alas, I got the same answer 3 times. Ice, rest, elevate. So I guess we can expect the swelling to hang around for awhile. They said the steri-strips would probably only last 2 or 3 showers and just to let those come off when they did then keep it uncovered. I sure don't want to scare small children with it though.

We actually have sunshine today although more rain is expected by tonight and then is supposed to last pretty much all weekend long. I have PT later this morning at 11:30 and am going to drive myself today. It's not far and the OS cleared me to drive. It's surprisingly exciting!

Roxie

 

[Littlelady58]

@Kansas Teacher I sometimes wonder why I live here to..lol I know the swelling sucks but this to will pass I guess. It's really nice to start driving again, getting a little independace back is great.
I'm having an off day, my knees ok but I'm feeling out of sorts. I'm trying to be good rest, and ice today I think.