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TKR Progress Report Mazza November 1st 2013

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Great report! Keep up the good work! Like you, my recovery was smoother than expected and I am so grateful, especially when you read how difficult it can be for so many people. You may yet have a difficult day (or two!) now and then, but keep up that positive attitude!
 
Well, I have written on my previous One Week In thread and felt it might be useful (I hope so) to summarise some of the events of my second week post TKR :)

Contrary to the first week, I have actually enjoyed being able to carry out all my care, to the point of taking a pride in my appearance which had gone to pot previously. I was quite happy to stay in PJ's during the day. Now I get up not too early, shower, dress, groom my hair and put on my makeup. That gives me back a sense of pride in myself and while I'm moving around the bedroom, I can abandon the sticks and almost forget The Leg!
There's no getting away from the fact that without the care and attention of my husband and the rest of the family, the second week could still have been a nightmare. :beg:

Added to this, I've been for a couple of evenings, not having to do too much walking as we borrowed my mother's wheelchair. Today we are going out for lunch at a local restaurant. Last week I wouldn't have dreamt of doing anything other than staying in the house in the comfort and safety of either my bed or recliner chair. :umm:

During the middle of this second week, I even managed to manoeuvre around slowly and carefully, to give myself the chance to just carry out little tasks like dusting or cleaning the sink. Nothing for too long at a time, but what a wonderful sense of achievement. I have regained my courage to do things without constantly thinking about The Leg. :yay:

Steristrips were removed on Friday and I have such a neat wound/scar that the nurse was even impressed. That lifted my heart no end.

Will write more later, but hope this gives some help to others who are anticipating their second week!
 
Good to hear you're doing so well, Mazza. Now you need to be careful to not over do it. Always remember the BS mantra. Linda x
 
Have overdone things a bit today as we had visitors and went out for lunch at a restaurant, but back to icing and an early night with the leg raised. Visitors were astonished by my progress :angel:
 
There's always a bit of payback in these outings but so long as we are prepared to cope with it, generally no harm done. Glad you had as good day. And thank you for understanding about the thread merge. Under the circumstances, perhaps you'd like to consider another name for your thread? Just say and a member of staff will change it for you.
 
Mazza said:
Have overdone things a bit today as we had visitors and went out for lunch at a restaurant, but back to icing and an early night with the leg raised. Visitors were astonished by my progress :angel:
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I remember the first time I was able to leave the home to go out and about; I went up the the school to see my students and then went to a store to purchase a new snow-blower. It felt great to get out, but I paid for in two ways---I was exhausted that afternoon, and my knees went on strike for the next day or two.
 
Mazza I too am astonished by your progress! And I must admit a little worried that you are overdoing it. But perhaps you are just fine and cheers! I know that when I was 3-4 weeks I wasn't even leaving the house. Ha!
 
maggie may Gosh, I hope I'm not being over ambitious, but have used my sticks and only walked to and from our car on a couple of outings.

I've moved around the house and managed to do a bit of dusting, carpet sweeping (carefully) and ironing while seated. The leg does ache up into my rear if it's down for too long.

My only concern now is that from side view in the mirror, my TKR leg isn't as straight as it will need to be, although I have concentrated as hard as I can endure on the PT exercise for pushing it into the floor. When I walk I do make a conscious effort to "lock it back", but it doesn't seem to happen. The tendons/ligaments down the outside of the knee are still sore and I'm not sure that my ROM will be impress the physios when I go to see them tomorrow, back at the hospital. Considering that I could hardly lift my knee more than an inch off the floor a week ago, I'm now quite impressed at the way I am able to put pants, socks and shoes on now. Standing on the TKR leg is fine too.

Josephine could you rename my thread Progress Report Mazza November 1st 2013 or something like that?

Ooh, bless the day I found this Forum :happydance:
 
Mazza I admire you!!! You are doing great!!!
 
Mazza said:
My only concern now is that from side view in the mirror, my TKR leg isn't as straight as it will need to be, although I have concentrated as hard as I can endure on the PT exercise for pushing it into the floor. When I walk I do make a conscious effort to "lock it back", but it doesn't seem to happen. The tendons/ligaments down the outside of the knee are still sore
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Mazza, Mazza! You're not even three weeks out yet - stop being pushing yourself so much! Do you know my surgeon forbade me any exercises or activity other than a few heels slides for three whole weeks? Slow down and let things happen! Recovery is not something you do, it's something you go through, something you endure. Results don't come in 2, 3 nor even 4 weeks but s-l-o-w-l-y, a month at a time.
 
Mazza said:
and I'm not sure that my ROM will be impress the physios when I go to see them tomorrow,
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Who cares? It is not your job to impress them! It is their job to help you along! Remember, they work for you!

Physio's (or as we call them, over here, "PT's") are always obsessed with numbers. What you should be concerned about is simply being gentle, taking your time, and being patient.

Mazza said:
Considering that I could hardly lift my knee more than an inch off the floor a week ago, I'm now quite impressed at the way I am able to put pants, socks and shoes on now. Standing on the TKR leg is fine too.
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Yes---this absolutely great---do not worry at all about numbers. Just keep taking it easy and be patient. Remember, recovery can take upwards to a year---the more you try to move things along, the slower your recovery will be!
 
Thank you for the feedback; you are a group of angels to me :angel:
When I see the PT's today, I will remember what you've all said and perhaps I'll even get a pleasant surprise when they see what I've achieved!
I will use the old dental joke: grab hold of a sensitive part of their anatomy and say, "Now we're not going to hurt each other are we?"
 
Well PT assessment fulfilled and I didn't find the need to grab anything or anybody :yikes: . Being checked out on the examination bed was OK, but I couldn't achieve the knee lock down (not sure what to call it) by a couple of inches.:shrug:

The PT showed me some exercises to carry on with to ensure that the knee will eventually straighten.
She measured my ROM with a protractor thingy and told me that it was 90 deg, which was a bit disappointing as they had discharged me home with a ROM of 95 deg (not that I have any recollection of it being measured). This PT commented that it might have been recorded from a visual check only. :skep:

I have to focus more on the way I position my foot (lift the knee forward, land on heel, raise toes) and then roll the motion forward over the foot to draw the TKR through (hope that makes a smidgen of sense!) when walking. :eeeuw:

Now using one stick, which suits me fine as it leaves me with a free hand to carry things. :rotfl:

On the way home my husband treated me to a HUGE surprise (as much for him) as for me) a 55" ultra high definition screen TV, with 3D, Blue Ray and all singing and dancing stuff to play with. That's our Christmas presents and holidays sorted for each other :console2: :friends: and my reward for getting through the worst of this surgery journey.

Best wishes to everybody on here and may your experiences be as positive as mine (in the end :sos: )
 
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