TKR One year kneeversary

[Pheebs52]

@keefsmom, sorry to hear you've been having a rough time pain-wise of late; pffft! This entire recovery is just so unpredictable, but it's certainly different every single day. Doing the Aztec Two Step is definitely par for the course, so you're right on target with that dance.

It's all too easy to experience more pain once we become more active; such a drag, when the mind and spirit are willing, but the bod really is not. So, here comes the patience part....big time.

Wow, look at you starting back to work so soon! Great to hear you can work from home and at reduced hours; phew! Let's hope you can keep that routine for up to 12 weeks, eh? Or maybe even longer.

Glad to hear you'll be planting yourself in the garden with a good book tomorrow; me too!

 

[knit2tog]

I think @Pheebs52 said it right. Our minds and spirits are definitely willing. I love that you had a nice outing.

 

[Pheebs52]

Well...I had my first *normal* outing today to a small supermarket and a CVS. To avoid pain and swelling I had to abandon hubby in the checkout aisle. I just can't stand still. Hey, it worked, lol!

 

[IowaNana]

@keefsmom - I have the same incision sensitivity that seems to come and go and mainly hits when I'm trying to sleep at night. I haven't tried the suggested techniques, but they may be worth a shot.

Good luck at going back to work. It's great that you can work from home.

@Pheebs - you've got it right when you say are minds and spirits are willing but our knees are not. I have two gift cards just wanting to be spent, but my knees just aren't where my mind and spirits are to face clothes shopping.


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[sistersinhim]

Great on getting out and enjoying life again! I'm sure your hubby enjoyed the break, too, but not as much as you did!

 

[keefsmom]

Sent hubby for a massage today, a just reward for putting up with me! I don't think I've been a terrible patient but if the roles were reversed I might be heading for the exit by now!

 

[Pheebs52]

What a great gift idea for hubby @keefsmom! My own has been a saint and I'm not so sure I could compete if the roles were reversed here....

 

[keefsmom]

A day of victories!
First, got go ahead to drive and did so quite easily today. That's victory number 1!
Also, new therapist today at what I hope will be my final PT home. The PT whom I "trained" at the former affiliated location must have passed on notes because today's physio told me repeatedly to let her know if anything she did was causing pain. Victory number 2!
Victory number 3 is reaching 0 extension today.
Tomorrow is 5 weeks since surgery and I'm feeling pretty dang good about my progress, even with the recent scar pain/sensitivity struggles. Much easier to take the bad when you've got a bit of good to go with, amiright?!?

 

[Pheebs52]

@keefsmom, I just couldn't be happier for you! I'm not sure which victory is best, lol! So many victories, not enough time; hahaha!

 

[sistersinhim]

Whoppi! What a good post! You are on the road now, in more ways than one!

 

[Pheebs52]

@keefsmom, has the scar calmed down at all? Hope so!

 

[keefsmom]

Re scar I forgot to mention that I went for follow up to OS On Monday and his assistant was able to get rid if the stitch that had broken through so I'm much less weirded out about touching the scar and trying to desensitize it and work on massaging the scar tissue buildup. It's gonna take a while though methimks!

 

[knit2tog]

Yea for all of your victories!!

 

[Celle]

so I'm much less weirded out about touching the scar and trying to desensitize it and work on massaging the scar tissue buildup. It's gonna take a while though methimks!

It's really not necessary to massage your scar. De-sensitize it by all means, but you don't need to massage away any scar tissue build up. Mother Nature knows what she's doing - she's been healing wounds for thousands of years - and all the tight areas and lumps and bumps will go away by themselves, given time.
It's normal to have scar tissue beneath your skin. That's what holds your wound together. It will soften and your incision will become more mobile, just as a result of normal healing.
Massage post THR

I've had 3 knee replacements an no one ever mentioned massaging my incisions. They all healed perfectly, by themselves.

 

[keefsmom]

Good to know celle, thanks!

 

[VW54]

Celle that's good for me to know as well!
I posted a photo of my scar at the photo thread, mentioned that it was all "puckered". So I too was wondering if and what (and if yes, when) I should do something about it.

 

[Pheebs52]

Good news on getting rid of the wayward stitch! That had to be annoying, eh?

I don't massage my scar, just my uncooperative quad muscles because they actually need it. I have quite a scar collection from various surgeries and have never given them any special pampering. Even the most ghastly ones became almost invisible within 2 years.

 

[keefsmom]

The PTs at the practice I have been going to keep tells by me that they are focusing more on extension than flexion because you can always gain flexion later on but extension has to come in first 12 weeks.
I haven't told them they're misinformed in general about a limited window of opportunity, just wondering, though, if anyone else has heard this extension first flexion later philosophy?

 

[Pheebs52]

@keefsmom, yes, I have. My PT hasn't mentioned any particular time frame, but he is thrilled that my extension is quite good (-3) and that I am *only* dealing with subpar flexion. According to him, working on poor extension is a much more complex process that creates a whole set of other difficulties involving the hamstrings and limping. Apparently, it can also take much longer to achieve, especially if it's radically poor. He used the -20 number as an example of what he considers tough to rehab.

 

[keefsmom]

Interesting. I'm glad you're a minus 3 then!