Become an Insider

TKR Phrog's Great Expectations - Downgraded a Little<

I am not surprised at all that a trip like that took a lot of of you. I will not try to do a big trip for a year based on my experience with my first knee replacement. It really took a year for me to get my strength back. I think that it is easy over estimate on your stage of healing when ADL no longer bother you. That IT band stuff is a bear!!! Even my 29 yr old daughter struggles with it.
Great picture - places like that are my happy place
 
Good for you, getting back up! I haven't tried getting on the floor yet, so admire those who have. Also, your trip looks amazing. Gorgeous picture of a happy, smiling you! Not unexpected, though, that your knee is a little aggravated by the stairs and paths. Definitely break out the ice and elevate, use your roller, and settle in for a little convalescence. A different kind of mini-vacation. You deserve it!
 
I hope you're feeling a bit better by now @phrog? If it's any consolation, I also have sniffles (hayfever) and am experiencing a *zag* in the zig-zag recovery path. This means we can ice and elevate together!
 
Ah, @Pheebs52, misery does love company - but not in the case of knee replacements. I wouldn't wish the miserable parts of it on anyone (now improved function is another matter). Hope your allergies calm down and your zag is short lived. Does it seem to you that we make a little mistake (me overdoing the exercise and you giving yourself an MUA) and it takes twice as long to recover as the original mistake took? My cold is lingering but I'm better. Went to Tone-Up - my half chair/half standing exercise class today. I did OK - couldn't do all the standing without "cheating" but then is it cheating if you need to put your leg down when it hurts? If you need to hang onto the chair when you start to lose balance? I don't think so either and neither does Kevin, the instructor. Funniest thing happened in that class today: Kevin had us say a state name as we were doing a routine in the chair that involved stretching using opposite arms and legs in a pattern - he was checking us out for mental flexibility I think. Anyway, I said "New York," and the woman next to me said, "I don't know." Kevin looked concerned and he came back to her and asked her again. She said, "IDAHO. I already told you IDAHO!!" Maybe you had to be there, but there were fifteen over-sixties laughing 'til we almost fell out of our chairs. Good news is class actually loosened me up some, but I'm about to go find an ice pack now and sit in the recliner. I'll think of you as I ice-
 
Well, @phrog, methinks when we are in a *zag* (the retro part of the zig-zag path) and it feels as though we lag, (because we do) then time stands still against our will and everything is all askew; just ask Dr. Who! Or Alice in Wonderland, eh? Yes, our perspectives most definitely warp; pffft! Heck, just a bad cold can do that, eh?

I'm happy to hear you felt well enough to cheat at Tone-Up; whoohoo! That means you had your thinking cap on straight, lol. Now, I will never view IDAHO the same and thanks for that, lol. :heehee:
 
I've been AWOL again as Hubby and I and our 39 year old daughter (how did I get old enough for that to be true?) took off on a three day trip to the coast to celebrate her birthday. We chose Ft. Bragg (CA) about four hours from home. For the most part, this also turned out to be a trip to celebrate how my 7 month old surgery knee performed.

We stopped half way there at a Foster's Freeze (that may be just a California thing - think very old fashioned and a little Dairy Queen like) so I could stretch, walk, and eat a burger and soft serve. It worked - not much stiffness when we arrived at our motel a couple of hours later. I hadn't specified a room upstairs or down and we got up - which was actually great. I have no stairs in my house and only two into the house, so stair practice involves me going up and down the same few steps - BORING! so I don't do it as often as I should. I got lots of practice for a few days. At first I could just use the railing, but discovered I needed the cane after a few trips as my quads were screaming and the outsides of both knees were upset with me. Still, glad for the practice and glad I didn't fall. I had just a twinge on the back of the surgery knee.

Another exciting revelation: I can walk farther than I thought I could! I wore my pedometer so I know I walked a mile on a trail along the beach the first night (no pain, oh yes!). The next day we walked three miles (we got a little lost on our way to a light house). My leg was angry that night, even though I used the cane for the whole walk. On the last day, we walked two miles, including stairs on the state park trails that lead to harbor seal viewing. I managed all of it. Sometimes I think I am not making progress and certainly getting up out of a chair is still pretty horrid, and my quads are not gaining much strength (thyroid adjusting is ongoing with primary) - but I walked three miles in one day and lived to tell it with only moderate discomfort. So, I just took the long way around (just like the lighthouse trip) to say (as the Beatles did), "I've got to admit it's getting better!"
 
@phrog, you and your knee performed admirably! It sounds like a gorgeous trip, so a little bit of stiff/ouchy is a small price to pay, eh? Congratulations on all that walking and especially the stairs, since that's not something you typically do; huzzah!:yes!:
 
sounds like a wonderful trip. good for you walking 3 miles in one day and practising your stair climbing ~ oh and a walk on a path along a beach. that must have been lovely ~ i love beaches. getting up out of a chair is horrid for me too and my quads need strengthening. all in good time.
 
Great report Phrog! I think it is much easier to walk longer distances when there is new and beautiful scenery to look at. Sounds like you had a great trip as well as a good workout for your knees!
 
[Bonesmart.org] Phrog's Great Expectations - Downgraded a Little< @liam2015 , and @kmak81230, you would love Ft. Bragg. All the walks were either on paths right by the beach or on trails along the cliffs overlooking the water. I think the beauty of the whole thing was mesmerizing and made the walking easier.
 
Just gorgeous @phrog! Looks like Maine to me, lol!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
What a beautiful place! You're so fortunate to have such a scenic place to walk.
 
Gorgeous scenery! Sounds like an amazing trip and your knee held up admirably when you pushed it! Great work!

I'm sure the walks became easier because of the view. A little visit to the ODIC is so worth it for something so special.
 
Despite your ups and downs, you are one tough lady, and I like your optimism! Celebrating the stairs at your hotel is definitely seeing the silver lining. Beautiful photo, too.
 
@Polkadot , thanks for the vote of confidence a few days ago. I am not feeling so tough the last few days. In three days, it will be seven months since my surgery. I've tried to keep my posts positive and emphasize the things that are going well, but this week has been a challenge. I am thrilled to be able to walk farther even though I need the cane to do it, but have been secretly worried about the pain on getting out of a chair and the numbness and the feeling that my knee is hanging there and the IT band problems that seem to come and go. And this last week, my legs (even the one I did not have surgery on) were so weak that I couldn't do most of the standing exercises in my arthritis exercise class. It seemed that overnight I'd lost the ability to put weight on one leg while lifting the other oh-so-slightly off the ground.

Six weeks ago, I tested hyperthyroid again and my doctor adjusted my meds downward. I've been through this twice before and they gave me meds to slow the thyroid then. Four years ago, however, the meds slowed me down to the point that I have had to supplement with levothyroxine. I retested last week and the results were much worse than six weeks ago. I got an auto generated email yesterday (Saturday) telling me to check the website for test results and am pretty much devastated when I saw what it said - very low TSH and the T4 too high. I'm sure I'll hear from my doctor Monday or Tuesday and she'll lower the drug again or maybe send me back to the endocrinologist. It will get taken care of, but in the meantime, I feel as if I've lost strength in my legs that I've worked very hard to get over the last seven months, both at PT and by taking these classes at the senior center. I'm back to needing the cane except for around the house. Four years ago, it took forever to rebuild strength in my legs. I'm sorry. Can you tell I am tired and generally out of sorts? Poor hubby! I see the OS Oct. 13 and I so wanted to stun him with the news that I was making great progress. I've got other hyperthyroid symptoms, too, (palpitations, hair growing fast, being hungry, shakiness, a three day cold lasting a month, and sleeplessness), but loss of leg strength is what has me grumpy.

Ending on a positive note, husband and I made an effort to get some walking in today. We drove up to Apple Hill (about an hour from our house) today and walked through the farm stands and craft stands. Bought some apples, ate some apple pie. It was a beautiful ride and an amazing 75 degrees - so nice after months of temps in the 90s and 100s. Reminder to self: Life is good. I will get there!
 
I hope they will get those meds straightened out for you and quickly so that you can get yourself back to feeling a bit more normal again. Sounds like you got in a nice walk. I too try to stay positive most of the time, but as you, must give in and post it at times - I figure, it's part of this journey so might as well record it. It's okay. We are here to support as best we can. I really wish I was a much faster runner in this marathon called: TKR recovery! We will get there. Your legs will become stronger again. :friends:
 
(((@phrog))) I'm really sorry to hear about your present difficulties and wayward thyroid. Until you can get the thyroid under control, perhaps for the sake of your spirits, you should just try to avoid the activities that seem impossible right now? I'm referring specifically to the arthritis exercise class you've been attending for quite some time. I can certainly understand your fears about strength, but I do feel it's a positive sign that you are able to walk with the cane for greater distances.

Your walking trip through the farm stands and orchards is a great example of this and hey, you had apple pie at the end!

And yes, you will get *there*, it's just that some of us run into detours along the way; pffft! If you can manage it, keep
:hiking: every day, eh?
 
Oh, @phrog! I struggle with thyroid issues as well--but at the other end of the scale: hypo-thyroid and Hashimotos. I can only wish for the fast hair growing. I worry about the thinning instead. (Thank goodness I started with very thick hair!). Recently I became convinced that the thyroid balance was being disrupted by my TKR recovery. I was having palpitations, restlessness, etc, which as you described are more indicative of hyper-thyroidism. My doc has just semi-retired (gone down to two days a week), plus he took an extended vacation, so I haven't been able to re-test yet. I lowered the dose of levothyroxine I take by switching to a previous prescription I still had pills from. (This thyroid balance thing is so delicate that I often get one prescription and a few weeks later, after my tests come through, the doctor has to change the strength. Drives me crazy.). I'm going in to see the doctor very soon, so I can get re-tested.

People who haven't experienced thyroid issues don't get it: our thyroid regulates just about everything in the body, even including muscle performance. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can contribute to muscle weakness and difficulty moving, exercising, etc. Before I was diagnosed, I had terrible muscular neck pain--so bad that when we went to a movie, I had to sit in a certain row so I wouldn't have to incline my head! So I wouldn't be surprised if you start getting that leg weakness under control once your thyroid is regulated again.

If you keep on with the exercise class, try not to worry. Do as many of the standing exercises as you can while seated, and call it a good day that you exercised at all! I suggest that when you see your doctors, you make sure they know about and take into account the muscle weakness you are experiencing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 739 (members: 6, guests: 733)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom