sandi4213
graduate
United StatesPheebs, I think you are doing a great job of dealing with this temporary setback. You will be back to collecting badges in no time. 
TKR Pheebs52 Recovery Discovery Journey May 22
- Thread starter Pheebs52
- Start date
OP
OP
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Good morning Smarties! I'm knocking on wood, but I *think* perhaps being a model couch potato has paid off! Naturally, I have a lot of practice in this particular arena, so of course I excel at doing absolutely nothing. Isn't it grand to excel at something? I think @Thesoutherncook, Helen, should start making a slew of "Model Couch Potato," badges in brilliant colors. 
I'd like a screaming, loud purple, 'cuz I'm at that age where we can wear purple, lol.
This morning, we had a contactor show up at the door to install a new trash-masher (don't ask) and w/o thinking, since I was in my usual morning coma, I went down the stairs to answer the door, foot-over-foot, with no problem. 'Twas very different than yesterday's one stair; yay! Once down, I did mentally slap myself in the head, but...it didn't hurt. The knee that is. It's just something I intended to avoid until I see Gary again tomorrow. Oh well, *stuff* happens, eh? I'm still consciously avoiding all other bendy stuff and will continue to enjoy a very close relationship with my ice and recliner until tomorrow.
So, my house is sparkly from yesterday's cleaner visit, I finally have a *filler* in the formerly gaping hole in the kitchen cabinetry, the sun is shining and I went down the stairs pain-free. Life is good!
I'd like a screaming, loud purple, 'cuz I'm at that age where we can wear purple, lol. This morning, we had a contactor show up at the door to install a new trash-masher (don't ask) and w/o thinking, since I was in my usual morning coma, I went down the stairs to answer the door, foot-over-foot, with no problem. 'Twas very different than yesterday's one stair; yay! Once down, I did mentally slap myself in the head, but...it didn't hurt. The knee that is. It's just something I intended to avoid until I see Gary again tomorrow. Oh well, *stuff* happens, eh? I'm still consciously avoiding all other bendy stuff and will continue to enjoy a very close relationship with my ice and recliner until tomorrow.
So, my house is sparkly from yesterday's cleaner visit, I finally have a *filler* in the formerly gaping hole in the kitchen cabinetry, the sun is shining and I went down the stairs pain-free. Life is good!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
How wonderful to hear you're bouncing back, or at least appear to be bouncing back, and are within a day -- certainly no more than two -- of traipsing down the stairs again. Gary will be pleased to see how well his patient, your knee, is dealing with setbacks. We're just bound to get setbacks, I think. Something, somewhere, is going to trip us up, whether a miscalculated bike rotation, or a misstep over a curb, or just about anything, because... life. It's how well our new knees bounce back, or whether they need to bounce back at all, that determines how well they've healed. I'm find I bounce back much more quickly these days, and hope you do, too. 
sandi4213
graduate
Wonderful! Isn't it funny how we discover that we can do things by "accidentally" just doing them? I am happy that your knee has decided to forgive you and move on. 
OP
OP
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Well....all is not *sunshine and lollipops* yet; hah! I went downstairs *gimp-style* to do a load of laundry. On my way, I passed the bike. It looked so lonesome just sitting there with no one to spin it around a bit, lol. It called my name. I know you're all familiar with *Curiosity and the Cat*, so of course, I got on *just to see* how it might feel....hmmm. It was dicey at best. I lasted for a minute, mostly pedaling very slowly backwards, my former nemesis, because frontwards is just too ouchy. I CAN do it (yay, I think?) but it's definitely not how it was pre-mishap; pffft!
So, it'll be interesting to see what Gary has to say tomorrow and if he encourages using the bike or not.
Now, I'm off for an errand in the car where I can stay away from all bendy temptations!
So, it'll be interesting to see what Gary has to say tomorrow and if he encourages using the bike or not.
Now, I'm off for an errand in the car where I can stay away from all bendy temptations!
gertie
post-grad
OP
OP
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Good morning Smarties! As promised @Polkadot, here is the view from "Both Sides," of my bike mishap. A) The knee still hurts and is still quite stiff. B) Most mysteriously, I discovered at PT yesterday, despite my mishap, my uber-cruddy flexion has increased! Whoohoo! I am now in that stellar range over 100, clocking in at 105 during a prone heel-slide. Yikes! I made Gary measure twice just to be certain, lol.
Now, I won't bore the rest of you who've already read all this over @kmak81230's thread yesterday. Instead, let's just say, today is a *bit* better than yesterday. I was able to manage 5, mostly backward minutes on the bike tis morning, so that's an improvement, just not exactly back where I had been at 15, smooth minutes forward. Forward is still in ouch territory, but I can do it. So, it's been a slowly, creeping sort of progress, much like the entire TKR recovery.
Since Monday will be 4 months post-op for me, this is a great time to note improvements and still lingering deficits.
1) Prior to last week's injury, my knee felt almost *normal.* Not quite, but almost. It was quite livable and we'd become *friendly.* I'd have hours on end where I just *forgot* about it. That said, I forget lots of things, so this might just be my experience.
2) It was much less stiff with no more of that tight-band business prior to the mishap. Right now, it has a semi-tight band, more elastic than the former concrete, but still, who needs it? I expect it will return to the no tight-band status over the next week or two. If it doesn't, I'll demand a new one.
3) My energy level is quite high, as are my spirits in general. Yes, i have the occasional cranky day or an occasional bout of "Will this ever get better,?" but, they are just that...occasional. Phew!
4) I sleep like the dead, which is not unusual because I always did prior to TKR. The knee never wakes me; yay!
5) I'm still in PT, but not exactly for the knee, just kinda/sorta. I have back and hip issues that need to be addressed so that I can climb stairs with the grace of a gazelle and walk with better form, ala Gisele Bundchen. I'm a *hip dropper* (the fake one, not the real one) and this does indirectly affect my knees. My glute is very weak on the bionic hip side and I actually had not been able to climb stairs, foot-over-foot for the last five years. So, stair climbing is actually new for me, and has been made possible by my new knee, butt...it's a bit of a struggle. Yes, I wrote that intentionally; hah! As such, I continue to see Gary Glitter and will until my insurance puts their foot down which will probably be very soon. I will really miss him and his marvelous staff once I'm done. Unlike most here, I've been very fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with such a knowledgeable, gentle therapist, who also never tortured me about crummy numbers. It's my understanding that soon he'll be contacting @SusieShoes to make a YouTube video on how to get a RockStar pair of knees in one fell swoop, while following Bonesmart principles. Pretty cool, eh?
6) Last, but definitely not least (perhaps most?) Real Life has been calling more and more of late. I've rather forgotten (see Number One) just what this entails, but it's all coming back to me. Slowly, of course. If I was still working, I think I could actually be working now. That makes me a bit of a laggard since many return at 12 weeks, but I definitely would not have been ready at just 12 weeks. Slow-Benders really do take the Scenic Path everywhere, including work.
In line with Real Life, I've become an avid house-hunter online in preparation for Mistah's retirement and our desire to get the heck out of here! I'm sure there will be many trips North while lying comfortably in the back of the Geri-Car. Maybe I'll even do some of the driving once we get beyond the odious Boston traffic.
So, life is returning to Planet TKR, and I just kneed a wing and a prayer that Righty, aka, Sweet Loretta, will hold up until at least next June or so. So far, so good, just the crepitus, some dull aches, but no major discomfort. It's really odd since she was such a loud whiner prior to my TKR, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth! She's really been a trooper throughout this recovery, so I'm knocking on wood, throwing salt over my shoulder, crossing all digits and just trusting in the Universe that this will be so.
Next installation is in a month, 'cuz things happen very slowly here in "Phase Two," lol.
Now, I won't bore the rest of you who've already read all this over @kmak81230's thread yesterday. Instead, let's just say, today is a *bit* better than yesterday. I was able to manage 5, mostly backward minutes on the bike tis morning, so that's an improvement, just not exactly back where I had been at 15, smooth minutes forward. Forward is still in ouch territory, but I can do it. So, it's been a slowly, creeping sort of progress, much like the entire TKR recovery.
Since Monday will be 4 months post-op for me, this is a great time to note improvements and still lingering deficits.
1) Prior to last week's injury, my knee felt almost *normal.* Not quite, but almost. It was quite livable and we'd become *friendly.* I'd have hours on end where I just *forgot* about it. That said, I forget lots of things, so this might just be my experience.
2) It was much less stiff with no more of that tight-band business prior to the mishap. Right now, it has a semi-tight band, more elastic than the former concrete, but still, who needs it? I expect it will return to the no tight-band status over the next week or two. If it doesn't, I'll demand a new one.
3) My energy level is quite high, as are my spirits in general. Yes, i have the occasional cranky day or an occasional bout of "Will this ever get better,?" but, they are just that...occasional. Phew!
4) I sleep like the dead, which is not unusual because I always did prior to TKR. The knee never wakes me; yay!
5) I'm still in PT, but not exactly for the knee, just kinda/sorta. I have back and hip issues that need to be addressed so that I can climb stairs with the grace of a gazelle and walk with better form, ala Gisele Bundchen. I'm a *hip dropper* (the fake one, not the real one) and this does indirectly affect my knees. My glute is very weak on the bionic hip side and I actually had not been able to climb stairs, foot-over-foot for the last five years. So, stair climbing is actually new for me, and has been made possible by my new knee, butt...it's a bit of a struggle. Yes, I wrote that intentionally; hah! As such, I continue to see Gary Glitter and will until my insurance puts their foot down which will probably be very soon. I will really miss him and his marvelous staff once I'm done. Unlike most here, I've been very fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with such a knowledgeable, gentle therapist, who also never tortured me about crummy numbers. It's my understanding that soon he'll be contacting @SusieShoes to make a YouTube video on how to get a RockStar pair of knees in one fell swoop, while following Bonesmart principles. Pretty cool, eh?
6) Last, but definitely not least (perhaps most?) Real Life has been calling more and more of late. I've rather forgotten (see Number One) just what this entails, but it's all coming back to me. Slowly, of course. If I was still working, I think I could actually be working now. That makes me a bit of a laggard since many return at 12 weeks, but I definitely would not have been ready at just 12 weeks. Slow-Benders really do take the Scenic Path everywhere, including work.
In line with Real Life, I've become an avid house-hunter online in preparation for Mistah's retirement and our desire to get the heck out of here! I'm sure there will be many trips North while lying comfortably in the back of the Geri-Car. Maybe I'll even do some of the driving once we get beyond the odious Boston traffic.
So, life is returning to Planet TKR, and I just kneed a wing and a prayer that Righty, aka, Sweet Loretta, will hold up until at least next June or so. So far, so good, just the crepitus, some dull aches, but no major discomfort. It's really odd since she was such a loud whiner prior to my TKR, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth! She's really been a trooper throughout this recovery, so I'm knocking on wood, throwing salt over my shoulder, crossing all digits and just trusting in the Universe that this will be so.
Next installation is in a month, 'cuz things happen very slowly here in "Phase Two," lol.
sandi4213
graduate
"Real life" is a really cool place to be, isn't it? I am really happy for you. Have fun with the house hunting!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
House-hunting! What fun! I hope you find the perfect place and snag it. And of course you'll get to enjoy some glorious autumn weather and colors. New England is the best for that. 
OJ2
senior
Glad things are looking up for you.
We moved right after my husband retired. From Ohio to Delaware. We ended up in a 55+ community. We were not looking for that, but that is where the house was that we liked. I love the house and the community! I hope you find a great house, too!
And I hesitate to mention, lest you be jealous, but our community does have an outside salt water heated pool. Water Temperature does not go below 82. It is open Memorial Day-Labor Day.
The community is also why I am in a bowling league. Who knew I would like bowling so much!
Happy House hunting!
And I hesitate to mention, lest you be jealous, but our community does have an outside salt water heated pool. Water Temperature does not go below 82. It is open Memorial Day-Labor Day.
The community is also why I am in a bowling league. Who knew I would like bowling so much!
Happy House hunting!
kmak81230
post-grad
Awesome report @Pheebs52. I can hear your contentment, or perhaps acceptance, with where you are in Phase 2 in your writing. It is actually a pretty good place to be, aside from a few late night grumblings among us slow benders, or even not so slow benders who have recovery struggles several months after surgery. I'm glad you are recovering from the mishap and from your PT measurements it appears things are looking more bendy even if you don't feel it with the additional swelling. Happy house hunting! I always have house envy and like to look at houses but the reality is that our house is great for impending aging issues and because it's relatively small it prevents packrat behavior. And at this point we like our town. It's at 8,000' so you never know if down the road the elevation will present health challenges but we'll take it as it comes. I am so glad you have Gary for awhile longer to get some additional assistance with your hip and back - he truly is a gem! I feel the same about departed Chris, and now Taren, though they are not quite as experienced as Gary. Several of us have benefitted from your work with him. It's nice to be more focused on real life more of the time -- though I can't seem to remove the shower chair from living room (and it does not have a cute cushion to make it look less like hospital décor).
Happy Friday -- hope you have a great, normal life weekend.
Happy Friday -- hope you have a great, normal life weekend.
liam2015
post-grad
excellent update Pheebs52. thank goodness you didn't injure anything in that bike mishap and you've mostly recovered ~ just remember to wear the appropriate footwear riding your indoor bike. i guess you'll be looking for an outdoor bike soon. have fun with the house hunting and i hope mistah actually does retire, unlike my hubby who was supposed to this year, but circumstances had other ideas.
