TKR Progress Report Mazza November 1st 2013

[referee54]

DAY 26Still stiff, but I think I might have a ROM just less than 90 deg now. Perhaps 85?

You are doing wonderfully! I was stiff for quite some time---I was still stiff at eight weeks when I returned to the classroom.

The stiffness can take some time to totally subside, but the days will get slowly better.

I wasn't doing too badly this morning until a bundle of Golden Retriever and Cavashell lunged into me during their play.

Yes, I have three dogs and they can be a handful when they tussle. Do not worry about the implant; it is a tough cooky. Ice your soft tissues and don't think anything more about it.

All Christmas Cards finished yesterday and I am beginning to get some Christmas shopping done through Amazon.

That is the way to go! Ge the retail therapy done one way or another!

 

[Mazza]

@referee - Yes, the retail therapy is the best medicine; my Amazon Wishlist is growing by the minute!

 

[Celle]

On line Christmas shopping is a great idea for you this year!

I had my TKR on December 9th, 2 years ago, so I was out of action that Christmas. I sent everyone flowers, courtesy of an Interflora web site - it was so easy and everyone enjoyed the flowers.

Caryl

 

[Mazza]

DAY 29 - Not feeling any improvement compared to a few days ago and fed up with walking with a kind of limp. Trying SO hard not to swing the TKR leg but very difficult not to. Consequently I feel as if I will need a hip replacement after this; persistent pain in my buttock

We were out with the grandchildren during the evening and I had little choice but to walk where the wheelchair couldn't go! Have probably overdone things a bit, so back to elevating and icing today.

Just hope another week will let me see some more improvement

 

[denpucc]

Good for you! You have a great mindset! I love using Amazon to shop for presents. I went to a dollar store and bought bags and boxes so I don't have to wrap!!!

Hugs,
Denise

 

[lainie]

I know how you feel ...you hope for improvement daily but it doesn't always happen. I'm nearly 7 weeks post TKR and managed ROM of 120 at 6 weeks, lots of work to get there and I did push myself a bit, well maybe a lot and suffered quite a bit of pain. I have to say thanks to this forum I've stopped going so hard and have taken on the advice of others to just let it happen.

The one thing I have found helpful is the exercise bike. My PT suggested I try one, so at week 4 I bought one, had the seat at it's max and after doing gentle backward movements for a couple of days I finally managed to do forward rotations and did them very slowly for a few minutes. I'm now doing 15 minutes twice a day and have found that the best thing for me. My knee doesn't hurt at all whilst cycling and if I keep myself in check, not cycling fast I get very little swelling. I seem to get more swelling and that horrible elastic band feeling when I'm on my feet for too long.

So Mazza even though the bike seems like a daunting thing maybe you will find it more of a friend than foe. My guess is, from reading your posts, that when you're ready for the bike you'll do great.

My next big challenge is back to work tomorrow which I have to say is a little scary but I want to give it a go. If I find it too much I'll do half days and if necessary every other day. Time will tell.

Keep up the good work and I'm sure as with me your next week will be better than your last

Lainie

 

[Mazza]

denpucc That's a great idea. Christmas takes on a whole new meaning when you stop taking things for granted! This will be a lesson I will take through the rest of my life ..

DAY 30 - Although I still feel uncomfortable, I checked my extension this morning and it is brilliant; probably as good as before the TKR = perfectly straight and sustainable. Still working on other movements without much difference in measurement although I'm on the way to 0 deg

Enjoying last of the few days with the grandchildren as their Mum returns from Israel tonight.

 

[Mazza]

Duuuh! After what I've read in the ROM section of the Library, I haven't been "reading" my personal ROM the correct way round . For that reason my backward bend (towards the chair) is about 95 deg. ( I was thinking of the right angle as lessening in numbers from below the knee bend. Forgive my early onset silliness. Now I have it straight in my head I will continue to give reports (although not yet official) the correct way around.

Leg raised is 0 deg or maybe just about -5 deg if I am justified in that. Considering that I didn't think I'd see the day that I could raise my ankle even a quarter of an inch off the ground, that's progress for me indeed.

lainie - Did you get a recumbent bicycle for the exercising? I am tempted, but don't want to spend out on anything that wouldn't be a real asset. Thank you for your response; it has been really helpful.

 

[lainie]

No I didn't buy a recumbent bike. I bought the bike for $100 at a discount store in Perth. I'm amazed at the quality for the price. My intention is to continue to use the bike as part of my fitness regime which has been sadly lacking in the past couple of years. I don't particularly enjoy the bike but I'm looking on it as a positive and with any sort of luck both my knee and rear end will benefit.

 

[Celle]

You're doing just great, Mazza!

I don't think you need to buy a stationary bike, just to help your recovery. When you get to physiotherapy, you'll probably find they have one there. At home, walking is the best exercise. Stairs help, too, but don't rush to do those one foot at time. Some people take several months before they can do that.

 

[Mazza]

lainie and Celle Thank you, both of you, for the replies. I won't buy a recumbent bicycle but will wait until I can try out the physio one or even my own real one.

 

[kneeper]

You seem to be doing just fine! Bit by bit you will get there.

 

[Mazza]

kneeper I'm know I'm improving bit by bit, but what a slow process it is.

I NEVER envisaged just what a massive healing process it would be and sometimes wish I had my "old" knee (I wonder what they did with it?

DAY 31 dawned and I felt pretty good when I got out of bed and pottered around. I'm walking just as well without the stick as long as I'm indoors, but actually forgot to take it with me to the garden and found myself sweeping up a few leaves and then I fed the chickens with a scoop of corn. They were surprised to see me! Somehow, the distraction of doing something different is enough to take my mind off any unpleasant sensations in my knee. When I came indoors I dragged the vacuum cleaner around the downstairs and felt good when I saw what a difference it made even though my husband has tried to keep on top of most things.

Having now mastered walking upstairs one foot after the other, I'm still stuck when it comes to the downward steps. Can anybody explain why this is and if it is "normal" at this stage?

 

[Celle]

When you try to go down stairs one foot at a time, you are putting quite a load on your operated leg. You're bearing all your weight on that one leg, while trying to bend it and balance as well. it's a bit like trying to do one-legged squats, on your bad leg, if you get my meaning.

Don't worry about it yet. It takes most of us at least 3 months to be able to do it, sometimes even longer. It's more important to stay safe on the stairs than to go down one foot at a time.

We don't have any stairs in our house, just a couple of steps out in the garden. So, every time I went to the mall, I used to go up and down one particular flight of stairs, multiple times. People must have wondered who was this mad woman who kept going up and down, when there was an escalator close by!


Caryl

 

[Mazza]

Celle Thank you for the reassurance. I was beginning to wonder if my TKR had gone on strike when it came to going downstairs! I'm just not going to try it for some time now, as it does feel precarious and i might trip. Other than that I am back to doing a crab walk as before the operation!

DAY 32 has at least seen me walking in the garden without a stick; I cleaned out the chicken coop (their roost is at shoulder height to me and no trouble), swept up a few leaves that hubbie never notices and put laundry through. Now I am settling down to relax with the leg up with a satisfied feeling, but dog tired! My leg is feeling fairly comfortable today which is a blessing, so I feel that the healing process is well under way inside. My scar is looking better than ever; I will upload a photo for the Badge of Honour section

 

[Mazza]

DAY 33 - Not such a good one Woke up early with a very sore throat and have felt totally out of sorts all day. This must be the first day in at least two weeks that I haven't got up, showered and dressed! Instead I've stayed in PJ's and dressing gown and been in and out of bed several times other than coming downstairs for a change of scenery. What a waster!

My leg feels constantly sore in several places and I wondered if anybody can identify with a "bruised" pain that I have had constantly in my upper thigh. It feels as if I have been jabbed with a stick and I find myself rubbing it to soothe the area which is a very specific place. It drives me crazy even when I'm sitting still!

Improvement in my walking ability has definitely slowed in the past week and that's been disappointing but I know it's still not quite 5 weeks since surgery and I have to be patient. I can honestly say that these have felt like the longest 5 weeks of my life and I feel drained of energy all the time.

It's SO hard putting on a brave face most of the time and I get annoyed with myself for stating the obvious to my poor husband. I was laying on my front across our bed this morning, doing the knee into mattress exercise. Then I attempted to curl the TKR leg upwards to my butt and he said how well I was doing. When I looked in the mirror I said, "But that's pathetic!" He reminded me that two weeks ago I couldn't have even lifted the leg from the mattress let alone achieve 90 deg angle. He's right of course, but I feel despondent that the knee simply won't "give" across the front to let me bend it further.

Sorry for the moaning report today, but I feel very depressed today. Sure I'll be back on form tomorrow.

 

[icep707]

Hey mazza, im pre op but have been knee deep in reading this forum since last week. I read pre op and post op. Im sure you are not alone in your despair as you probably thought you were alone before you had tkr. No one understands! Well I think we all understand. I so will suffer though post op pain and depression in order to regain my life back. Im actually looking forward to having my fibula and femur sawed off abit and severe trauma to soft tissue. And metal drilled into bone and cemented. I believe you are doing just GREAT !!! Be patient and we look forward to more updates!!

 

[Celle]

Aw Mazza! It's hard to have days like that! I hope tomorrow is better.
Getting "the blues" is also part of this wonderful recovery. We've all had days like that, so we know how you feel.
Don't be afraid to have a good bawl - the tears are healing.

You're doing amazingly well and I know it's hard not to wish for everything to go faster, but remember that your knee is doing its job and healing at its own pace. This recovery really is a marathon, not a sprint. You're at the stage where you have seen so much progress that you feel everything should happen faster - but it can't. Inside, your knee is still healing and the tissues are still angry.

Would it help to think about what you can do now, compared with what you could do 2 weeks ago? You're making progress all the time.

I know that, right now, you probably feel like hitting anyone who tells you that you have to be patient - I did - but it really is true. Here in NZ, we have an advert for cheese, where 2 old men remind each other that "Good things take time." (Thank you Margaret, Campervan , for telling us about that.) It applies to recovering from a knee replacement, as well as cheese!

Caryl

 

[Mazza]

You're at the stage where you have seen so much progress that you feel everything should happen faster

Yes, that's so true; in the earlier days progress was noticeable by the day and now it can't be seen so easily, I want to "run" and can't! I will remember you every time I look at a piece of cheese from now on

icep707 and Celle Thank you, both of you, for taking time out to write what you have to this little old moaner. I have tried to keep positive and was doing pretty well up until today. Maybe the onset of a cold just makes things feel worse?

I made myself look at the graphic pictures of TKR surgery earlier just to remind myself of what my poor leg has gone through. That did the trick and also helped me to recall just what it felt like those first few days in hospital.

 

[kneeper]

Yay for your husband! We often can't tell that we're making progress but spouses, friends etc. can notice the difference. That said it's ok to have a good sometimes. Also it's normal to need a good nap. there's an article in the Library about "energy drain." Remember you had a major procedure and you don't bounce back quickly or all at once.