TKR Puffin is soaring into the sky

[puffin]

Sorry for the delay in replying - I have been feeling really down and depressed the past few days as it feels like I will not recover and yet I am living in limbo with limited functionality and with a lot of pain.

Thanks @skigirl and @Josephine for the PT suggestions. I actually went to see my PT and she has recommended some new quad exercises to strengthen my quads and hopfully improve my range of movement. Both PT and OS keep saying to keep up with what I am doing - but this is wearing rather thin on my own after almost 4 years while I still cannot drive myself or shower without assistance. The quad exercises are doing something although in the short term it seems to be increasing pain and swelling. Both the PT and OS said that after all of this time since the dislocation it is unlikely that I will regain full feeling in my foot and toes. The nerve pain is hard to bear as it is in the form of painful pins-and-needles (charlie horse??) that sensation you get after a local at the dentist when the feeling has not fully returned
I am trying to work more with my Nordic Walking poles but it is slow going as I have to concentrate on every step - my OS says that I have lost the "automated walking" function - so when I get tired or the knee starts to swell my knee no longer "follows instructions" from my brain and fails to move properly - leading to strange lurches and stumbles as I cannot control where and how my foot goes down. so at he moment when I use the Nordic poles I have a family member trundling along behind with a walker
The swimming costume story was bad - there seems to be a shortage of actual swimming costumes - instead many seem designed for lying on sun loungers and not 1½ aquarobics!

@new knee in June - thank you so much for your help and support - you really are the sunshine of the sunbeams

@lavender - I know what you mean about not feeling safe on ice - glad you can get back in the park - we have had a flock of cranes in the field behind the house for a week

 

[new knee in June]

@puffin
Dear Puffin,
I am so sorry your recovery has been so difficult It breaks my heart to see you in so much
Discomfort & pain. Have you looked into any of the nerve pain medications ? Also, some anti-
Depressant medications help with pain. Please call your G.P for an appointment....4 yrs. is an
Awfully long time to be in such pain, it's bound to depress any of us.
I will always be here for you & will continue to pray for you
As you know...." JUNE SUNBEAMS 2013" are there for each other
Thinking of you,
Diana

 

[lavender]

Hi @puffin I am sorry that you are having so much pain. It seems to take forever to get past all of the things that we encounter during our recovery and I wish the news about your nerve pain could have been better. I still find that I can't stand in one place for very long and am thankful for the benches that are in our park lots of them so when we get tired we stop for a little while to sit. I saw a crane today on the way home from breakfast in a pond by the road where a pair of horses live. Had to look twice he was stnaing and realized he was so tall no way he could have been a goose The rivers here are very high with all of the melting areas are flooding. The river that runs through our park is very high and the water is running very fast turbulent sign are all over the park. I have never seen it run this fast and there are even waves and whirl pools. Worry about any little animals that might fall into it as they would have no chance. Its nice to see nature come back after such a long winter. We are all here for you and know how much you have had to handle seems unfair. I hope things improve for you and wish the best for you. My bend is still around 95 but managing well doing the best I can. Thinking of you Holly

 

[skigirl]

I know it is hard--but it has been four years since you have walked---it will take some time for your brain to catch up to this new activity. How about moving your feet in the walking positions when you are sitting down. Go brain, go!!

 

[gazelle7777]

Dear Puffin,
So sorry you are having a set back in your recovery.... So impressed that you keep on fighting, using the poles and not giving up! I do hope you can go and see someone new who perhaps can give you new hope and insight to dealing with and hopefully healing your discomforts. I will keep you in my prayers. I know it can be hard to keep the faith, but, I hope you do and that you get relief from your pain. ((HUGS)) Joan( June sunbeams 2013)

 

[puffin]

Well today is my one year anniversary of my TKR as one of last year's June Sunbeams



It is a little bittersweet as my recovery continues to be very slow with pain and swelling still an issue and I am still not able to walk unaided or without pain - I have a pain clinic appointment to try a TENS machine tomorrow.

I am doing approx 4 hours water training each week plus a lot of walking training but sometimes it feels tough . At the moment noone can tell me what is likely to be permanent and what will recover eventually

I have bought a training walker to work on my balance a bit more

Hope all is going smoothly with the other bonesmarties who had surgery at the same time @new knee in June @gazelle7777 @lavender @My way and all of the mods and other bonesmarties that have helped along the way @RestAssured @skigirl @Josephine and everyone else

 

[new knee in June]

@puffin
Dear Puffin,
Happy Anniversary I am happy to see you posting on the Forum. I've missed you
I am sorry to hear you are still having problems &I wish I could make your recovery easier
Please know I think of you often & Things get better for you. Thank you for visiting my page,
I would of tagged you but, I didn't think you were posting any more.
Love,
Diana

 

[puffin]

Hi @new knee in June thanks for your post - I do read here quite a lot but sometimes it is hard to post on my own thread as I don't know what to say anymore and it always feels as though I just post negative things

 

[skigirl]

When things are not going as well as you would like, that is not a negative post!!! I think you need more support when things are not going well. I admire your strength though--not giving up, not sinking into an abyss of pain and despair.

The new walker is a statement that you are still trying which is a very positive post!!! Your situation was so difficult and you have done so much!! Loosing a ton of weight, learning to walk at all let alone unaided!!! Recovering from a major accident---give yourself some credit---you are a long way from last year when you were stuck in bed all the time.

We never know for sure what life will bring. Celebrate each day and the small achievements that you are making---you are an inspiration to many---and there are many Bonesmarties who are not doing so well who read your posts too. They need your strength and hope. One year later---you are still moving forward!! yes, that is an achievement. Kelly

 

[RestAssured]

@puffin

We are here for you in the good times as well as the trying times! Please remember at a year out, my kneecap was still popping out and the PT's wanted Dr. Maale to do a lateral release! He said, " the only possible thing to do at this time would be to remove the patella Which would leave you using a walker for the rest of your life. He suggested instead, that the PT's get busy w different exercises to strengthen the muscles. It wasn't until I met my personal trainer Abby 8 months ago, that my knee started to turn the corner! Now, I am looking in the rear view mirror as Abby and company continue to challenge me in new ways everyday. Abby will comment, "do you remember the first time we did that? It scared the heck out of me!" Out of her?! LOL

 

[new knee in June]

@puffin
I agree with Kelly & Sonya We want to hear from you, good or not so good.
You are an excellent example of Determination & the folks on here need to hear from
You So, post when you feel up to it.....we will be here for you
Love,
Diana

 

[gazelle7777]

Puffin! Here it is a year for you, me ,and Diana.... what a year! We all have had challenges. I know your journey has had many bumps in the road. Just keep your self facing forward and never look back. Each bump may be challenging, but each bump helps you move on and prepare for the new road ahead. You have come so far in your healing journey and helped so many with your updates and posts along the way. Someone else is going to come along and read your thread and it is going to help them cope with whatever challenges they may have. You are helping others even when you post you are having a bad day.
My one year anniversary is tomorrow and I will post on my thread.... please keep in touch and know we are here to listen, hug, and share.
Joan

 

[lavender]

Hi Puffin Congratulations on your first year anniversary and wonderful to hear from you. Your walker looks neat never seen one like that but sure it will help you manage getting around a little bit easier. It has been a long getting things back to normal a bit more but for lme so happy that the pain has stopped. Looking back we have all come a long way.

Must feel nice getting into the water hoping to spend a while this summer at one of our local Conservation parks swimming we have a few nearby and they are beautiful places to spend time. Did not get the chance last year. Enjoying the park and the new little baby geese and ducks and although I walk a lot with my husband it is more often with him holding my arm lots of benches to sit on when you run out of steam. Walking yesterday we came upon a family of geese. Eleven babies and their protective caring Mom and Dad. 12 baby geese the day before. Love when the little ones are born so cute to see them. Hope things get easier for you and nice to read your post. Have a great week Holly

 

[puffin]

@skigirl - thanks for your post - it really means a lot. I know you are right - I think it was a psychological thing after about 6 months that I still needed a walker - let alone now I have reached one year and cannot balance Your words are very similar to those of the OS last week - that I cannot expect to make a fast recovery after 2½ years barely walking and major surgeries.

@RestAssured - you are such an inspiration Sonja and have acheived so much. I was wondering whether you ever struggled with balance and/or your new knee giving way? Did your personal trainer recommend exercises to overcome these issues? I have worked a lot with stamina since February and can train in the pool for 2 sessions a week of 1½-2 hours each and walk with the walker for approx 1 hour but without the water/walker I can easily fall.

@gazelle7777 @new knee in June - that you both so much for your kind words and supportSo happy to have the support of the Sunbeams on this seemingly never ending journey

@lavender - glad you are getting out into the park - it is lovely this year with all of the wildlife. I try to get out as much as I can. The other week we had cranes in the field behind our house on their way north for the summer. It was a beautiful sight although not easy to sneak up for a photo with a squeaky walker and 2 nosey cats

 

[puffin]

One of the problems that bugs me the most at the moment is ending up in the ODIC if I try to do more than usual on several consecutive days - even normal type things. If I keep to my normal training/rest/activity/rest schedule it seems to be OK and I can even have a long day out once a week but consecutive days and the knee gets more and more painful and I end up in the ODIC and have trouble standing and have to take a kneecation .... . We had visitors this week from overseas and wanted to show them the sights but by day 4 I was really struggling. Luckily the couple were really nice and took themselves sightseeing on their last day and even cooked us dinner

The day they went I had an appointment with a pain PT (no not the PT causing pain this time) They have lent me a TENS unit to see if that helps with some of the nerve-type pain I still have in the scar.. Has anyone else used TENS after TKR?

Hopefully I can take my walker out tomorrow

 

[RestAssured]

@puffin,

The best thing (that Abby and Jill talked me into has been yoga) for balance! I am learning to center my body and rely on my knee more everyday. When I first started with Abby, we worked on learning to trust the knee again. She has a 4 inch square step without handholds. Abby would ask me to step up then step down alternating feet going very slowly and using her hands to steady me. Now, I am running up and down stairs while Abby hollers, "keep your toe in!" Your OS is correct, we have to reprogram our brains sometimes if they get used to doing things the same way for so many years! I will type out some great beginning pool exercises that will help with balance later, but for now, I have to get going! I just finished a three mile walk with Abby in under an hour, and I need a shower!

 

[puffin]

@RestAssured - the yoga sounds very interesting. Did you have a special program? Which exercises did you do? I used to do yoga but can't imagine how I would do the balances with the state of my knee although I do adapt some of the stretches into my water program

 

[RestAssured]

One of the greatest inventions for modifications is using a wall or a chair to help balance. You will hear of moves like pigeon, where you "shoot" your leg under you in a bent position and sit down! Well, this girl's pigeon is more like a dead one! My modification is lying on my back crossing my ankle over my thigh and lifting both off the ground. If that is hard, then try putting good leg in 4 o'clock position and leaving "bad" leg on ground. The more you work on one legged balancing, pulling in your core, keeping your body straight and shoulders back, using the wall, the stronger the "weaker" leg will become!

Soon, I will hear you talking about planks, and walking 5K's and perhaps even in 2016 walking the 13.1 with Bonnie and I! I think this is an excellent way to let people know that not only can you recover from knee replacements, but that you can set your goals higher than you ever thought possible!

 

[DAJ]

Dear Puffin, sorry to hear youre having a tough time. I am 9 months out. I still walk strangely up stairs as when I lead with my bad leg its strangely stiff, but I have no pain, and I have been walking up to 20 to 30 minutes on it. Im overweight by 20kgs from the inactivity before the op. I want to start swimming and nordic walking and hope to feel better and stronger every day. I do hope that youre recovery arrives. Greetings to all you knee buddies who got me through 2 awful weeks after surgery D xxx

 

[RestAssured]

You can also work on standing on one leg in the water! Be close by the edge of the pool and do kickbacks and move your leg slowly out to the side