Become an Insider

TKR Pain 2 years after TKR

Go and see her. Show her the Doctors letter giving you another 4 weeks off. Don't despair. Check out medical retirement. The paperwork around that would give her something to think about. Also check out other sources of reliable info re recovery. NICE guidelines maybe? Check out the situation with your union rep.
What would your plan B be? Just retire now? Are there massive implications financially? If not, keep it in the back of your mind.
DONT PANIC!
 
IMHO, she can think what she likes, but unless she's gone through this, she is actually clueless. Tell her to look again at the guidelines; they say 6-12 weeks, and that's the average. Some people will take less time, some will take more time, and you will take whatever time your knee needs. Regardless of what she thinks, she's not your doctor, and has no say in your recovery timeline. If she has a problem with it tell her to call your doctor. IMHO, if you can manage it I would think about an earlier retirement due to stress from your boss and your upcoming second surgery. You don't need her stressful attitude bearing down on you when you are getting ready to do the second TKR. I would also refuse to go to the office as she may use that as fodder to say, "See, you can go back to work since you made it here today" and then hound you even more.
 
She may also feel differently when she actually sees you....and especially your walking. Are you uncomfortable sitting for more than 15 minutes? If so, let her spend 30 minutes when you if you have to constantly move, re-arrange your leg, stand up, sit down, etc. A little quiet moaning might help too. :yes: Seriously....sorry you have to go through all that. All these friends, family, and employers should be required to look at videos of a tkr before being able to question "why can't you (fill in the blank here)".
 
Good idea @Laurenkate! Show willing by turning up then show her what its really like!
 
Personally, I don't think your boss sounds like someone who cares too much about your health and the condition of your knee(s), but only cares about her bottom line. Going in to the office gives her "proof" that you can get there, and I suspect she won't see anything else if you give in and go in. Get the new note from your doctor to her by email, or snail mail, or however it can get there without actually going in to give it to her, and leave it at that. If she won't stop hounding you, tell her to cease and to call your union rep if she has a problem with the time your doctor signed off on. Bullies won't stop bullying unless you stand up to them, and she sounds like a big bully. Be polite, but be firm.
 
Speaking with my occupational health nurse's hat on, that's only her opinion. She is not allowed to enforce because she has no medical background. Though the 'rules' say 6-12 weeks, what is that applied to? I know of protocols like that where that 'rule' applies to any orthopaedic procedure which could be from an carpal tunnel to a knee replacement. It's obvious that in your case, the 12 weeks apply what ever your manager thinks!

However, I also agree that you should get your union rep (assuming you belong to a union) on board or the occupational health team - you must surely have one of those! I know from past experience that these managers don't set much store by doctor's letters so you may just have to be assertive and face it out for yourself. You also have the right to have a friend or colleague present to give you moral support. Do let me know how it goes because I have lots of experience in this and may be able to help.
 
Probably shouldn't bring this up but is it possible the manager thinks "well, if she can go on vacation, she can get back to work"?
 
Can you take a photo of your swollen knee and send it to her. Then tell her your doctor says at least 4 more weeks until you're released. What a cold, heartless person your boss is.
 
I have contacted the union tonight and someone will call me tomorrow. I will get hubby to drive me in and will use both sticks whether I need them or not to get me into the office. I haven't driven yet and as knee not happy bending then I can't see me being able to drive. My work is 25 miles away from home. I will be taking the full 4 weeks doctor gave me yesterday. She won't get me back any earlier. That would still be 2 weeks before my holiday and she would need to give me reduced hours for that 2 weeks. Doctors fit notes are disregarded on the whole. Their attitude is you don't need to do what the doctor says and we say you need to get back into work and if you don't we will terminate you. End of. I won't go into the meeting without the union. I doubt she will accept that I possibly won be off again shortly with other knee. I will hold on as long as possible. I won't give in and retire early to suit them because if they want me out it will cost them.
 
How come you sleep well one night and the next you are awake and can't sleep. Tonight I am so restless it's a awful. Its 2am and there is no sign of sleep. Can't keep legs still and can't find a way to get my knee comfy tonight. Oh well where is my book ...
 
I expect you'll have had the whole work thing on your mind. It occurred to me that last time I was off for any length of time (Campylobacter food poisoning-one way to lose weight but not recommended!), my boss would phone to see how I was but when I went back I had to have what was called a 'return to work' interview. In it I was asked if I needed any 'reasonable adjustments'. In my case at that point nothing needed. But for you it could be a chance to ask for various things to make life easier eg a different chair plus foot stool or access to a fridge for gel packs or different hours etc.
I think your plan to go in with your sticks etc is a good one. Once they see how you struggle they'll surely understand. The TKR plus Lymphoedema is a nasty double whammy. Good luck.
 
Eventually I think I feel asleep about 3.30am only to be woke at 6am with the dogs barking. Managed to stay in bed till 8.30. Would you believe I had more pain in my knee last night/ this morning than I have had since just after the operation. Obviously seeing physio and doing all the exercises hurt it. It's not in a happy place today.
Talked things over with hubby and he agrees he will drive me to work next week and I will agree to go back on 4th Sept on reduced hours for the 2 weeks before my holiday providing I improve and can drive by that time. If doctor/ physio say my leg is still weak and says I am still not fit for work then I won't be going. Its 4 weeks away so i expect I will be. I will not be bullied into going back before this date.
 
Mollymax said:
Obviously seeing physio and doing all the exercises hurt it.
Click to expand...
Then don't do them! All they are doing is setting back your recovery by causing this pain. Just pretend to do them!
 
@sistersinhim I won't be doing them. Today both knees hurt. Physio had me do the exercises on right knee as well to prepare for its operation. Both knees are stiff and swollen today. Back to just normal living movements.
The physio was nice enough and didn't do anything like I have read happens. Just my knees didn't like what they were made to do.
 
Oh dear. Sorry to hear youre suffering today. I had some exercises to do with my leg prior to my most recent TKR. I did wonder if that had helped my quads this time. They seemed much better this time.
 
Good for you, @Mollymax . You are your own best advocate and the fact that you won't allow your boss to push you where you aren't ready to go speaks volumes. It also says that while your knee isn't strong enough yet to do everything it will eventually be able to do, the mental fatigue and weakness we all get with this surgery is well on the way to recovery with you, if not pretty much back to normal. Now, take that attitude with you into your next surgery and you'll be great!
 
Mollymax said:
Today both knees hurt. Physio had me do the exercises on right knee as well to prepare for its operation. Both knees are stiff and swollen today. Back to just normal living movements.
The physio was nice enough and didn't do anything like I have read happens. Just my knees didn't like what they were made to do.
Click to expand...
Molly, you do realise that you don't have to do what the physio says, don't you? You're the boss, not her, and you know that doing the exercises hurts both knees. so just say "No, I'm not going to do those today. Last time, I was in pain for ages afterwards and it also kept me awake most of the night."
You are in charge of your knees, and the physio is not.

At this point, when your other knee is so bad, no exercises are going to help it, either now or in preparation for surgery.
 
She wanted to see me next week but I said I had other apps so she did the next week but as she only does a Wednesday I have something on that day too so it's 3 this till I see her which really isn't much good but at least I have no pressure to do exercises. I will wait till next week and what surgeon says about my recovery.
Union was meant to call me today but didn't. Hopefully I will hear from someone tomorrow as I won't go into a meeting on my own knowing what managers are like
 
Yes, definitely use your union rep to help you with your manager. That's what they're for. I like that you will use the two sticks--not just to make a point, but it will take some pressure off your new & old knees, both of which need some help. :)

Your quad strength will come gradually and naturally as you are able to walk more. I did leg lifts but no more than 5 at a time and probably no more than 10 in a day if I was feeling good. But the key was to do the quad set.
Actual "exercise" can wait until the knee settles down more.
 
@kneeper what is the quad set? I keep thinking I am now 6 weeks post op and should be walking a lot better than I am doing and not needing to rely on sticks but every so often my leg gives way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 5,236 (members: 2, guests: 5,234)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom