TKR One Year Update: problems cycling

[newlybionic]

When I first started driving I always had my seat set all the way back to get in or get out of the care. My youngest daughter's car is very low and I used my elbows on the door and frame of her car to get out. It was much easier than I thought it would be.

 

[PegGar16]

The incision is looking better and I love your car I like the backdrop also. I really miss the ocean

 

[KarriB]

Really, getting in and out is the reason I use my handicap placard. My left knee just doesn't bend as well as the TKR and the parking spaces don't leave enough room to open the car doors wide enough for my left leg.

 

[LoveGiants]

Four Weeks!

I got my new knee four weeks ago today!
But even more importantly, I married my best friend and beloved 13 years ago today . We're having a nice dinner in since I'm not sure about going out yet. I'm so blessed and thankful.


Knee update for four weeks:

• I am no longer taking percocet at all . I'm finding that the tramadol and tylenol is working well, even at night.
• My incision is looking better, which is a relief. It seems to be slow to heal, but at least it's improving.
• My knee is feeling stable and stronger. I never feel like it's going to give out.
• I'm able to sleep on my side for a bit . I do have a queen size pillow I prop my leg on when on my back and put it between my legs when I'm on my side.
• Speaking of sleeping, I'm doing well with an OTC sleeping pill because sleeplessness is so hard on me. I just can't deal with it. I do read until I feel sleepy, which can take an hour or more.
• I'm still icing at night because I find it helps and I'm still too swollen. I noticed that icing started making me cold at night and I put the comforter over me. That didn't work because it made the icing sleeve hot, which woke me up. So I started wearing a sleeping sweater to bed and that is perfect!
• I'm walking a little every morning, about ⅓ mile. It was feeling stiff this morning, so I didn't go any farther. I'll build up as my knee says it's ready.

Frustration:
My knee still quite swollen and stiff and ROM is progressing very slooooooooooooooowly. ugh.

I will sit on the bed and let my leg hang. It takes a while to relax it and it will eventually get to around 80°. If I'm doing a heel-slide while laying on my back, forgetaboutit! It doesn't look like it's progressed very much at all. I'm doing the sitting stretch a few times a day.

I am able to do the passive extension stretch for quite a while. My extension was horrible before my TKR, so I hope that helps.

I do worry about the stiffness and swelling and redness around the knee. I'm trying to find the right balance between resting it and getting back to life activities. I elevate and ice for most of the day. Thankfully the Olympics are on!

I hope you are all doing well and feeling great today!

 

[uva55]

Happy Anniversary, have a wonderful evening and dinner

Your knee doing well, and you found something to help you sleep, that's great, I have trief several OTC sleeping aids with no luck, so when I get desperate I take Benadryl.

I think the swelling takes a while to go away for most of us, when I get up in the morning my knee looks pretty good but by the time I get home from work it is swollen and stiff. I still ice,ice, ice, through the day, I can't do it anymore at night, I can't sleep being so cold, then if I dress too warm I get hot when the ice pack gets warm, I think my sleeping tossing and turning, pull the covers on, them off can be entered as a Olympic event

Your incision is looking really good, I'm sure the ROM will happen when the swelling goes down

 

[sistersinhim]

@uva55, I'm using my ice machine at night and keep the extra blanket on me. When I have to get up and walk around I cut it off for a while and warm up. Then it's back on when the knee tells me to. It's like this all night. But, you can't do that and go to work the next day. Do you think you could just let run all night and stay dressed warmly? It might help.
You could enter the tossing and turning event and I could end the in and out of the bed event! That way were wouldn't be in competition with each other!

 

[KarriB]

Good for you, Julie! So happy to hear things are progressing. It's all those little things together that make for a successful experience.

Happy Anniversary!

 

[Floridagal]

It looks like there is a lot more on the positive side in your report! I am sure the negatives will go down in town.

I am joining in your Olympic event. I do all my toss and turning BEFORE I can go to sleep. Last night it was until midnight and then I took the Melatonin and a glass of port. That put me out of the competition with drugging.

 

[LoveGiants]

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary by having take-out fajitas (I *wish* I could have a margarita!!!) and watched the Red Sox/Yankee game and Olympics.

He gave me this card, which considering how things have been for the past month made me laugh.



I have found that I'm fine regarding the ice machine and being warm enough at the beginning of the evening. When my husband refills the machine, I get cold and put my seater on. I wear this and it's perfect for keeping me just warm enough with two light blankets (we have either the smart vent or AC on in addition to a ceiling fan): https://www.eddiebauer.com/product/...52819158000130__24500505_catalog10002_en__US?

He didn't wake up when I got up last night and I couldn't bring myself to wake him, so I turned the machine off. I found that I got very warm and couldn't sleep. I was doing olympic-level tossing and turning myself. He did swap out the ice later and I went right back to sleep. It's amazing how HOT my knee gets!

 

[PegGar16]

Now I am watching the Red Sox/Yankee game Hope you had a nice anniversary. The Olympics have been great. I have been watching quite a bit.

 

[KarriB]

I bought the Eddie Bauer pj pants that are on the same page as your sleep sweater and lived in them while recovering. They are the most comfortable pjs/sweats ever! I'm planning on living in them in my first winter of retirement! I think I should pick up a few more pairs! I actually wore the gray out of the house.

 

[LoveGiants]

@PegGar16 - We had a quiet and very nice anniversary. I'm so blessed. My hubby is a native New Englander who grew up going to Fenway like I grew up going to The Stick (old Giants park in San Francisco). Than God my husband wasn't a Dodger fan!

I love watching the Olympics! The women's gymnastics is one of my favorites. Of course I love the cycling, too. I record the prime-time broadcast and watch it in the morning.

@KarriB - I have four pairs of pj pants I got from Penny's and Macys. They are *perfect* for recovery! Super comfy and provide a perfect barrier for the ice machine. I can see wearing these around the house after recovery, too. I love wearing that sweater when it's cool. I love fall!


I took the steri-strips off my knee and that pulled spot is still not healed and started coming apart after a minute of sitting. UGH!!!!!! Good news is that it's better and I put the strips back on. Being patient can be soooooo hard!!

 

[dianehelen]

@LoveGiants your update sounds pretty good. I don't remember, but are you doing any formal pt, or just daily activities

Sorry about the frustrations,

And most important

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

 

[kneewords]

Yay progress and glad to hear the scar is better. the anniversary card is perfect too bad she dosent have a scar on her knee maybe you could draw it in lol. happy day!!!

 

[newlybionic]

I hope your anniversary dinner was nice. I love the card he gave you. I agree with kneewords. You have to draw in a scar on the knee.

 

[LoveGiants]

Thank you for at the anniversary wishes. My husband is a sweet man. I was married before to an emotionally and verbally abusive guy and had to leave when our daughter was eight months old. Fast forward six years and I met my hubby. He's been the best Dad to our girl (he adopted her after we got married) and has been a rock for me. His family accepted my daughter like she was a blood relative and it's been great. I'm so thankful.


@dianehelen - I had *one* appointment with PT, to remove the staples and it was an hour from hell. I won't be going back. If the OS thinks PT would help with gait or strengthening down the road, I'll find another PT provider.

I'm doing stretches at home and walking around .3 miles in the morning. I'll build that up as I can. I noticed that my quad is *tight* when I walk, but my knee feels ok. The quad will get better but to be able to walk without that bone-on-bone pain is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

Once I have sufficient ROM, I'm going to set up my bike on the trainer and give that a go and start working up to a century!

I know that will take quite a while. I don't want to be stupid and rush things only to make them worse down the road.

My frustrations are just that, me being impatient! I really don't have anything to whine about. Well, except for not having WINE .

Speaking of stretches, I find that sitting on the edge of the bed and letting my leg stretch feels really good. This morning I had a supervisor making sure I was going a good job:

 

[KarriB]

Ahhh so sweet! Happy Anniversary! It sounds like you're taking it nice and easy, making all the right decisions for that new knee.

 

[sistersinhim]

You have a mighty cute supervisor!

 

[PegGar16]

You have a cutie for a Sup Where in NE is your husband from? I grew up right outside of Boston.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Your supervisor looks like he means business! Happy belated anniversary! You got yourself a good one for sure (and vice-versa). It's happened-you've lapped me. You are walking farther than me and your knee swelling looks like it is almost gone. I'm happy you're doing so well. Even though I'm not a dog person, that really is a cute picture of your puppy. I know you think you're recovering slowly, but IMHO you really are doing quite well for one month.