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TKR PolarBear60's Stryker Triathalon Journey (Left)

Yes, Kelly, I believe I am. Just a few annoyances, which I believe will pass in time.
 
Wrote a post here, it disappeared. :shrug: Glad you are doing well.
 
It's on my other thread, Pumpkln. No worries--you're not losing your mind.


Jean

RTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 June 2016
LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
A 23-month update. In January, I was prepared to express my frustration to my OS during my 2 year follow-up in June about the ongoing problems with my left knee and stairs and standing from low seats. Over the last few month while I've been dealing with a cracked right patella, those problems seem to have resolved themselves with my left knee.

So, people frustrated with slow recovery, take heart! Healing and improvement can continue well after a year.
 
I am thrilled to report that three weeks shy of two years, standing from a low seat is becoming effortless. Going up and down stairs "normally" is nearly pain-free. I thought this day would never get here.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
After more than two years, I removed the toilet riser from the downstairs toilet today. I thought I'd never feel comfortable doing this, and today, it's done. I installed it almost as soon as I learned I'd be getting a TKR, and I needed every bit of it. Now, both knees are strong enough that I don't need it.
 
:) Even though my husband is welcome to use it, he says, I'll be glad when that riser isn't on the toilet. He's going upstairs to use the toilet. The height is almost as low, but I'm still using one of the railings to help rise. Someday it will be gone. Good to hear you are doing so well! Happy Easter.
 
My husband hated the riser. He, too, went upstairs for two years. Later in the afternoon of the day I took it off, he said, "You do love me." Of course, I'd been telling him for two years he must hate me because he saw the trouble the upstairs unit caused me and did nothing. Finally, I bought a "portable" riser and put it on and took it off as needed upstairs and when we traveled. With the brace on for the patella, it was the only way I could use the upstairs toilet.

Your day will come, too. Hang in there!
 
My left knee is two years and two months old today. I had my two year follow-up for my left knee and my one-year follow-up for my right knee with my surgeon's brand new PA today. Well, he's been there about six months, so he isn't THAT new. I'm okay with this. They want to use the PA for injections and follow-ups, which frees the surgeon to focus his time and expertise on people getting ready for surgery, doing the surgery, and just recovering from surgery. Since both my knees are doing great right now, I'm glad to not be needing the direct attention of my surgeon, and I want him to be attending to people like I was attended to by him leading up to and immediately after my surgeries.

Back in January, I had concerns, but all my concerns evaporated as I found myself resting in a chair while my cracked right patella recovered from February until April. Hmmmm. Would I have done better if I'd done that earlier? We'll never know, but I suspect maybe so. Since April, I've been able to climb and descend stairs normally (unless I'm tired or the there are some inhibiting factors -- no railing (back steps) or I'm carrying something bulky (laundry basket). I have little or no pain in my knees.

I do have some observations. The sensation on the outside of my left knee is approaching normal (I have heard this is a three year process), and my right knee's sensation is on target for regaining sensation, too. I have a lot of cramping in my left leg, usually at night as morning approaches. PA recommended potassium-rich foods and also tonic water (sound familiar?). He also recommended regular water, since I may be getting dehydrated. I agree witth all those things.

The only things that would make things better for me would be for me to lose weight. I've been trying to get back into my routine post-vacation (we took a month-long vacation in May). Part of that is getting back to walking in the morning (before the Texas heat becomes even more unbearable).

(Cross-posted an adjusted duplicate of this in my right knee thread.)
 
Very interesting. I thought I had a sciatica attack back in December 2015. Fortunately the pain stopped after a couple of hours, and my left foot has been mostly numb since then. Today, I had nerve conduction testing on my left leg and right hand. The right hand is confirmed for moderate to severe carpal tunnel syndrome (up from "mild" in 2009), so I'm headed to my OS to talk to him about doing my right hand (he did a fine job on my left hand two years ago). There's also an impingement in my right elbow, but the neurologist says not to carry grocery bags in that hand with my arm bent.

The left leg was interesting. He diagnosed a pinched nerve near my knee. Since I sometimes have lower back pain, he's scheduled an MRI on my lower back to make sure there's nothing there causing the problem. If the MRI comes back negative, he'll confirm the pinched nerve diagnosis. He says the typical path for treatment begins with PT. If that doesn't work, he sends me to ortho for an injection. If that doesn't work, surgery to relocate the nerve.

I forgot to ask the neurologist if the pinched nerve would also cause the increased cramping I've been experiencing, but I'll ask my OS when I see him about my hand on the 30th.
 
Jean,
You have a lot going on with your hands and leg. I hope all your tests can be done in a timely manner to answer all the questions about your nerves.
 
It's kind of reassuring to get confirmation that I have a problem -- and it can be fixed. My hand is not bothered too badly by the carpal tunnel at this point, and I was discussing delaying any action. Then I asked him about my shoulder pain, which is more intermittent and more a tingling than a sharp pain, and he says carpal tunnel can refer to the shoulder. I signed right up to talk to my OS about the surgery. LOL.

As for the leg, after what I learned today, I'm glad I didn't just chalk it up to something I would have to live with.
 
No word on the lower back MRI yet, but I'm experiencing mild lower back annoyances this week. My OS didn't think my peroneal nerve is the cause of my problems, and I tend to agree with him. He did explain what he could do if we determine it is.

The only real concern I have with my legs at the moment (besides a numb left foot) is cramping at night. I'm taking all the supplements recommended. I can eat the right foods, but I'm still having trouble with the cramps, and they have spread to my right lower calf (whatever muscle causes the big toe to lift is the one). The right leg cramp is more troubling than painful at the moment, but I don't like either one.

As a last resort, I purchased a couple liters of tonic water (with quinine) today, and I'm drinking it now. It doesn't taste nearly as bad as I thought it would (think tart grapefruit), and I hope it helps.

As for my right carpal tunnel, my OS said it sounded more like an inflammed rotator cuff to him, and the tests he did supported that theory. He gave me a steroid injection in my shoulder, and I return on July 31 to report the results. The shoulder is 80-90% better, so I think that's more my problem than the carpal tunnel (which I don't dispute I have -- it just isn't negatively impacting my life to the extent I want to do something about it yet).
 
Hi Jean! I have a big glass of tonic water with a splash of cranberry juice every day (cape cod minus the vodka ...lol). I didn't have any when I went on my trip and the charlie horses hit about day 4...I am a believer. Hope it helps.
 
@PegGar16, the tonic water is doing the trick. I like the idea of a splash of cranberry juice. I may add a few essential oils for mine -- probably citrus variety or peppermint.

I saw my OS for my follow up as we try to figure out why my left foot is mostly numb in a tingly way. The neurologist's EMG testing revealed an impinged nerve, but my OS doesn't typically see it manfesting the way I'm seeing it. He sees it more as a drop foot problem or someone not able to walk normally. That hasn't been my problem, so we were waiting for the results of my lower back MRI to see if that was a problem. According to the MRI, I should be having problems on the right side not the left. Thankfully, I'm not, so we're cautiously proceding as if I have a peroneal nerve impingement in my left knee area. Surgery to do a release is one option, but I'm not interested in that at this time. He did say physical therapy can teach me some exercises that may help stretch the nerve, and since this didn't show up until six months after my surgery, I have hope the targeted PT exercises may help, so he's putting me in for two therapy sessions. Other than that, we're going to monitor it closely for changes. I'm supposed to let him know if something changes, which I would definitely do.

In related news, the steroid shot worked on my right shoulder, so we know I don't have a nerve problem in my neck, and I'm not getting referred pain from my carpal tunnel. He thinks/hopes the shot will have calmed down any inflammation in the area and I should have minimal problems in the future. He believes the chance of a non-traumatic rotator cuff tear in someone my age are minimal, but again, if it troubles me in the future, I'm to let him know. The shoulder is at 90-95% good now, which is pretty normal for it.

The MRI shows extensive arthritis and several bulging herniated discs in my back, but as long as they aren't bothering me any more than they are, we're going to monitor them, too. All in all, a pretty good visit and I'm pleased with where I'm at right now.

At two years and three months, I barely think about my knee anymore. I don't find it limiting except in the most obscure ways. While I don't kneel on the floor, I can generally get up and down using what amounts to a combination planking/downward facing dog maneuver fairly smoothly. Some days are quicker and smoother than others. :heehee:
 
Sounds like me getting up from the floor..lol. Glad you are doing well!. I still can't twist the leg up on the other knee to tie my shoe...or wash the bottom of the foot in the shower. Just those weird motions :)
 
I haven't even thought about twisting the leg up on the other knee to tie my shoe. I either lean over and tie it with the foot flat on the floor, or hike the leg up on the bed either straight or bent to tie it that way. I figure that bend forward from the waist to stretch and tie the shoe is good for flexibility, right?
 
True! The only time it really bothers me is when I an in the shower trying to clean the bottom of that foot. My balance is the worst...but it was like that before the sugeries ..LOL
 
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