TKR Pecanpie's recovery thread<

[Pecanpie]

Sneaky staple removed with minimal drama by lovely nurse practitioner....who also has 2 new knees!!!
Theres definitely a bond between people who've been through this... she was great , lots of chat about understanding pain and the transformation this made to her life.

Back home , leg elevated , icepack on

 

[snowdrop]

Okay, so you confused me with the bad leg getting in first...when I saw that you had a RTKR, I thought to myself “she can’t possibly be driving yet!”. THEN my foggy brain noticed that you’re in GB

It all makes sense now, lol.

 

[Pecanpie]

@snowdrop that made me laugh !!
A small reminder that everyone's 'normal' is not necessarily the same thing

Although international driving issues and spelling aside.... it is actually amazing the things we all have in common on this website... our common ground definitely outweighs our differences

From a rather beautiful sunny Edinburgh today x

 

[snowdrop]

I sat in the passenger seat for the first time last week and it was so wonderful to feel quasi-normal! Yes, international differences aside, we all have our eyes on the same goal, don’t we?

I’ve always wanted to visit your beautiful country...it’s pretty much on the top of my list! When I am ready to tackle the highlands, I may just get there!

From a breezy, pleasant (but getting humid) day near Ottawa x

 

[luvcats]

Edinburgh! I loved Edinburgh! It's on my short list of places to go soon with Beloved. He's never done any traveling outside the US except what we've done together. I'm thinking we're going to do a castle cruise of GB with a few days in Edinburgh on one end, and London on the other. Year after next maybe. I have a lot of international travel I want to do with my new knees, but I think I'll start him off with an easy destination where he at least speaks the language. lol

My sister lives in Scotland. They were in Edinburgh for a while but moved to Aberdeen.

 

[KarriB]

I’m happy the staple removal was relatively painless. I hated having my staples removed.

 

[Pecanpie]

@luvcats Edinburgh is certainly an exciting place to visit in August...loads going on with festivals (Christmas and New Year is another big celebration time)

@snowdrop Canada is the same for me! Always wanted to go....maybe this knee will feel normal enough sometime to be able to make the trip!

Talking of normal...made it out on Saturday morning for breakfast with hubby in supermarket cafe (I know.. romance isn't dead )
But suffered a bit yesterday.... elevation and ice to the rescue

wound is healing nicely and I'm at the stage where I feel like tentatively rubbing it..... physio suggested gentle massaging to 'loosen' the tightness as it heals. This work for anyone else

I cant tell you how great this website is on days like this....sometimes feels like my concrete knee will never feel like its mine , but reading all the articles and experiences it really helps to know so many have been through exactly the same before

 

[Pecanpie]

So somehow I've arrived into week 6 and progressing all the time.
I still have the tight feeling across the whole knee area and various other twinges, soreness and sensitivity but I know this is all to be expected.

I reread the article on scar tissue today and that makes total sense at the tightness I'm getting....I'm reducing my dihydrocodeine to 3 times per day and trying to balance that with activity , rest and ice.

Overdid it on Saturday with a trip to the supermarket in the morning and a friend over in the afternoon , but took a gentler day on Sunday and today.

I have a stationary cycle, and I've tried a few times over the past week to turn the pedals....came closest to making a revolution tonight, and just rocked the pedals to and fro for a few minutes . So so close to getting one turn, but dont want to push too hard.

I have physio on Thursday. She should see quite a difference (2 weeks since last appointment) .. the wound is healing nicely and I think the swelling is marginally reduced (most of the time!)

Still feels like so long to go until i feel anything close to 'normal ' and i have a serious case of cabin fever.... I'm desperate to get out !!! But patience patience patience

 

[Ladyala]

Congratulations! Sounds like you are doing well overall. I overdid it yesterday grocery shopping but oh it was GOOD to get out & make decisions on food! Hubby was with me so I just enjoyed walking with the cart. It's the little things!!

I hear you on the cabin fever. Any time I get a chance to hang out with anyone I want to take it!

By the way, your name here is my hands down favorite kind of pie. I call it candy pie...yummy!!

Hang in there, even though it seems like 3 steps forward & 2 back we are still making progress!!

 

[KarriB]

I had serious over the top cabin fever during my recovery, probably due to my 2nd surgery/infection. So when I had my biweekly dr appointment my friend or family member who drove me would go out for a meal with me, just to feel a bit normal and see people. But I elevated even at the restaurant, mostly because I had on an immbolizer, but also because if my leg was down it would swell and ache. So if you need to get out pick someplace with a booth where you can lean against the side with your leg up on the seat beside you or somewhere else you can elevate, like a movie theater that has recliners.

 

[Pecanpie]

Second trip to physio went well tonight.
ROM is 105/0 which seems pretty good for just under 6 weeks
More importantly for me, getting the bend is increasingly easier and less 'tight'. Doing things around the house is definitely easier, and the pain I'm getting is becoming more 'focused ' around the knee if that makes sense? Not just a general mass of pain !

So shes sent me home with some strengthening exercises. .. small squats, leg raises against a resistance band and step up and down using the operated leg

Also some stretches... calf stretches (which felt great, my calf has really been feeling it as I can now walk a bit further) and a stretch for my knee that gets me leaning into the wall.

Much of this is getting me ready to return to my pilates classes (not yet!) But no idea yet how I'm going to ever be able to get up and down from a mat !

Anyone else love pilates? How did you manage getting down to mat (and back up again?)

 

[Jockette]

. small squats, leg raises against a resistance band and step up and down using the operated leg

Squats, of any degree, and bands are not good for your knee yet. Give it more healing time.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/bonesmart-philosophy-for-sensible-post-op-therapy.37103/

 

[Pecanpie]

Thanks @Jockette it is really difficult to try to balance all the various differing thoughts on all this.

The squats that my physio advised are really just like sitting down in a chair (but not quite) and only a few at a time.

Anything I did tonight that hurt, she said to stop or not go so far, just being gentle and much discussion about listening to your body. Mostly stretching tbh. I hear what you say about resistance bands.

Next appointment is not for another 4 weeks and they seemed pleased with progress.

I am treating elevating and icing like a major part of the recovery, but I cant help it....desperate now to get some life outside my house again.

 

[Jockette]

Thanks @Jockette it is really difficult to try to balance all the various differing thoughts on all this.

I understand it’s difficult when we get conflicting information. I’ve been a part of Bonesmart for over 2 years and am continually surprised at the things members tell us that they are told by their medical teams.

I’ve also read of many who had unnecessary additional pain by doing things their PTs told them to do. We trust them to know what’s best for us, but that apparently isn’t always true. My PT caused me a lot of set backs that were totally unnecessary. That will not happen again in the future.

Just remember this is your recovery and you have every right to do it your way. Weigh everything you are told, including from Bonesmart, and do what you feel is in your body’s best interest. There is no one right way do do this recovery. Different approaches work for different people.

 

[kneeper]

Thanks @Jockette it is really difficult to try to balance all the various differing thoughts on all this.

The squats that my physio advised are really just like sitting down in a chair (but not quite) and only a few at a time.

Anything I did tonight that hurt, she said to stop or not go so far, just being gentle and much discussion about listening to your body. Mostly stretching tbh. I hear what you say about resistance bands.

Next appointment is not for another 4 weeks and they seemed pleased with progress.

I am treating elevating and icing like a major part of the recovery, but I cant help it....desperate now to get some life outside my house again.

Ok, but just really listen to your body on the mini-squats & what my PT called "sit-stands."

I tried to be compliant with my PT on my first knee and did squats (all I could do was these "mini" ones) and really aggravated the tissues around my knee for a long time. I didn't listen to the knee, I tried to do what was expected.
with Knee #2 I refused squats and just used daily life, slowly but surely and my quad strength improved without unnecessary pain.

 

[quicklabs]

Yep. Doctors here are extremely stingy with pain meds. I am almost out of my three week supply and I know that they will be reluctant to refill them. Need something to get me through the nights, which have been truly awful.

 

[Pecanpie]

Well slightly unexpected results from last nights physio!
My glutes, quads and calf muscles are all aching in a 24 hours post workout kind of way! Certainly helping to take the focus away from my knee (it's not too bad.... bit of a throb just now as I'm between meds) but feels like a 'different, ' kind of soreness today

I've done bit of housework ...hung out washing (when it wasnt torrential rain!) But felt ok all day really.

I am trying to reduce the dihydrocodeine to 2 a day.... someone recommended magnesium oil for muscle soreness. Anyone else had success with it?

 

[luvcats]

I'm the huge fan of magnesium oil for sore and tight muscles. I feel it makes a big difference for me when it comes to muscle aches and cramps.

I know physio is the right choice for me and I always think I'm being careful in the moment, but like any good workout routine, later that night is when you really know how careful you were!

 

[KarriB]

As far as the squats go, ask yourself how many times you get up/down throughout the day and if you have stairs in your home I’m wondering if you need the step ups.

 

[Pecanpie]

Entering week 7 and I have had a couple of major milestones!

Managed to turn the pedals on the stationary cycle! Just did about 5 revolutions, but that feels like major for me, been trying all week to get over the top of the turn, but did it on Saturday . Had a bit of a restless night on Saturday and iced and elevated all day Sunday but feels like progressing every day just now.

Last night I woke briefly at 5am (slept solid since midnight!!!) And found myself lying on my left side...
I have not been able to even attempt that since the operation so another glimmer that my knee is starting to feel a tiny but like its 'mine'.