TKR Patience really is a virtue….

[Jaycey]

@Loulou67 Still very early days for you. Please don't force your knee into a bend. ROM will come with time and patience. Focus on icing and elevating as it is the swelling that is limiting your bend.

Been doing little bits of housework to keep me occupied, just washing up, dusting, etc…. This morning I’ve washed all my little bits of crystal , and ironed 2 shirts which has actually exhausted me!!

That's a lot of chores for only 2 weeks out. No wonder you were exhausted. Ease into any new activity. You are indeed on the right track!

 

[CatieViv]

Please go easy on your knee. At 2 weeks, I was still napping in the morning, late morning and afternoon as well as evening! Well, not quite that much but definitely sleeping when I needed to. It is lovely to get outside but limit how far you are walking yet. If you really want to go chores, find things you can do sitting. I'm crocheting Christmas gifts. Keeps me from going stir crazy with the weather getting colder.

 

[Loulou67]

So yesterday , day 17 post op, was a pretty good day….. feels like the swelling is going down slowly on my knee…… did my exercises throughout the day and I think I’m getting a little bit more of a bend ….. I can actually sit up in bed with my leg fully flat on the mattress for a lot longer now before I have to put a pillow, lengthways, under my leg.
I’ve ordered a lounge doctor elevating pillow for my leg , after reading so many good reviews so I’m really looking forward to that arriving
Nighttime is the worst time….. sleep is very sporadic, all sorts of jumping nerves around my knee seem to start when I go to bed. I can’t get comfy and I’ve been waking up with a headache at the base of my skull.
Just had a lovely shower and washed and dried my hair, guess what, I’m now exhausted , lol.
Still can’t lift my leg unaided , but feeling more hopeful …… really want to get that bend in my knee before my PT next Monday….. Happy Tuesday all….. hope you all have a great day ;)

 

[Jockette]

really want to get that bend in my knee before my PT next Monday

Please don’t worry about your bend, it will come all on its own as you heal and as the swelling goes down. Don’t let your PT cause you stress about it. Some PTs have a misconception about this recovery and have unrealistic expectations for their patients.

Regaining our ROM does not require forceful bending or painful exercises. That is counterproductive.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[mendogal]

The swelling, which limits your bend, will eventually go down with "tincture of time" yet each time we overdo things it will make a reappearance (ask me how I know.... )

Many of the staff here recommend evening magnesium for both resting better and addressing leg "jumpiness," and I've had good luck with it both oral and (for the jumpies) a topical spray.

 

[Loulou67]

I seem to be in a never ending round of good day , not so good day….. today I think my knee feels less swollen but I keep getting an ache and a sharp pain on the outside of my knee.. it doesn’t last but it’s hindering my exercises today, so icing and elevating.
I’ve not taken any of my codeine today , just paracetamol, going to take 2 at bedtime in the hope that it helps me sleep!!
Going a bit stir crazy indoors and would like to accompany my partner on the food shop tomorrow, but I think it’d be too much for me….. I’ll see how I feel in the morning.
So grateful for this forum , to be able to share my feelings with like minded people really helps

 

[CatieViv]

I get the going stir crazy at home! I went to church at week 3. It was painful but oh so good to get out and be with people. I haven't attempted any shopping yet.

I took am grateful for this forum.

 

[trinket]

It took 11 months for all the swelling to disappear from my rtkr. Just in time to have lefty done, which I did yesterday. The cycle begins all over again. Be patient. The swelling will resolve, but it takes time.

 

[Dmcfad2]

I seem to be in a never ending round of good day , not so good day….. today I think my knee feels less swollen but I keep getting an ache and a sharp pain on the outside of my knee.. it doesn’t last but it’s hindering my exercises today, so icing and elevating.
I’ve not taken any of my codeine today , just paracetamol, going to take 2 at bedtime in the hope that it helps me sleep!!
Going a bit stir crazy indoors and would like to accompany my partner on the food shop tomorrow, but I think it’d be too much for me….. I’ll see how I feel in the morning.
So grateful for this forum , to be able to share my feelings with like minded people really helps

I’m feeling the same. Maybe in a couple of days, i will see if I feel up to going out to eat, just to get away.

 

[Loulou67]

Okay, so advice needed please…… I live with my partner in a house in the UK.
We also own a cottage ( no stairs) in a small village in Ireland.
We were planning on going to the cottage for a week in November, before my Operation date came through.
The trip would be 3 hours by car, 3.5 hours on the ferry ( usually we go overnight so we would get a cabin) then a 3.5 hour drive the other side.
We could easily get lots of stops on the way for me to stretch my legs etc….
I will be just over 4 weeks post op.
When I spoke to my surgeon about the trip he said it was literally down to me, no medical reason not to take the trip, just possible discomfort…….
Has anyone taken a long car trip at this point in their journey?

 

[sistersinhim]

I think you'd be miserable in the car for that long. Just a 30-minute ride to and from church at 5 weeks left me swollen and painful. Personally, I think you need to put it off until next year. It will be much more enjoyable then.

 

[mendogal]

At 4 - 5 weeks I was miserable with the one hour ride to my surgeon. One problem about stopping en route... Ok, you can take a little walk to ease stiffness but will you ice and elevate for a half hour and prolong your travel accordingly? The other issue is lack of stamina. So while it's true there's technically not a medical reason, the overall process is likely to be most unpleasant.

 

[Loulou67]

Feels like I’ve gone one step forward, two steps back!!
Yesterday I braved the food shop with my partner, didn’t particularly enjoy it because the supermarket was hot and I felt uncomfortable, but it got me out of the house, and I managed to get myself out of the car on my own, which felt like a massive step forward!!
I did all my exercises, and felt that my bend has improved slightly.
Yesterday evening I felt a little unwell, stomach issues, and went to bed with a hot water bottle .
Had another dreadful nights sleep, got up this morning at 7am, OH already gone to work, so I had a nice hot shower.
I feel extremely tired and I’ve just been sick so today feels like it’ll be a day of resting , elevating and icing…..
3 weeks post op tomorrow, I’m really trying to take on board all the comments about, it’s early days, don’t push yourself, the bend will come etc… etc….. but I just want to be able to lift my leg unaided and bend my knee again. I know I’m time I will, but today, I just feel a little sorry for myself….. apologies for the miserable post….. I’m sure I’ll feel different tomorrow, and I hope everyone’s healing well x

 

[CatieViv]

You are going to have these up and down days on this roller coaster ride. I completely lost it one day and bawled my eyes out. Our bodies have been through so much. At 6 weeks, I still take rest days where I spend most of it in my recliner or bed and just walk around the house. Listen to that knee. And of course, come here to rant. I've found the best support here.

 

[Dmcfad2]

Oh, how I understand! I also went to the grocery store for the first time yesterday. I actually drove myself. It is very close and I wanted to see how I did. I made it with no problem, used a grocery cart as my walker and walked about the store and bought a few things. I did well, but I was very, very tired last night and extra sore and achy. It was a lot of activity for me. I also pulled a muscle or something in my shin walking a couple of days ago, so I have this new pain that makes it harder to take a step. This is on top of the stiffness and throbbing in my knee! I am going to skip doing exercise today, just rest and ice and give myself a break. I am feeling a little sick as I come off my pain meds, too. So, I understand. I hope you feel better tomorrow. We can do this!

 

[Jockette]

This is an article from the Recovery Guidelines:

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Post op blues is feeling depressed, weepy, nervy, shaky, fearful of the future, anxious, overwhelmed by what is happening to you, convinced it's never going to get any better and finally, uttering that most intense of all cries "I wish I never had this done!" It arises out of a variety of...

bonesmart.org

 

[Susie-Q]

Feels like I’ve gone one step forward, two steps back!!

This is exactly how this recovery goes for most people. You are in good company. Don't worry, you are doing everything right and the biggest thing needed right now is patience!

 

[Loulou67]

I’ve had a lazy day today…… have had 2 naps which was lovely, iced and elevated and my ankle is not swelling as much today , which is a positive managed to do a few heel slides too, thanks for taking the time to read and reply to my posts, it’s nice to be able to share my journey with similar people

 

[sistersinhim]

A lazy day is also a healing day. When you are sleeping your body can concentrate more in its healing.

 

[Jockette]

I’ve had a lazy day today

A lazy day is also a healing day.

Don’t think of a lazy day as doing nothing, look at it as giving your knee the best opportunity in which to heal.