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TKR Put the right knee in...and then the left.

Oh Gertie, I wish we lived closer to each other; darn! I'd whisk you out for a drive and an ice-cream cone! When the spirits lag, and the friends are out of town, this is definitely the place to be. More later....Mistah is calling for a TV show and I need a change of chair. But, I'll return, and perhaps you'll still be awake.:SUNsmile:
 
Thanks Kathleen. I'm sure the ongoing fatigue has something to do with the blahs, plus the pain meds are a depressant. And yes, tomorrow is a new day for sure.
 
@Pheebs52 So close and yet so far! I'd love to go for a drive and ice cream with you. I'm off to bed soon with a book, which will surely lead to falling asleep, but I'll see everyone tomorrow.
 
Sending you some sparkly, Pixie Dust, guaranteed to make sweet dreams Gertie! Good zzz's always make such a positive difference!
 
I think the hardest part of a phased TKR approach is the psychological part, at least for me--and I suspect others. The dependence and isolation of the early days is hard enough the first time through--and for me exacerbated by being single and living alone, which contributes to the feeling of isolation. But I'm finding it even harder the second time around, especially with only 6 weeks in between. Yes, I lined up resources, made sure I have things to watch, supplies on hand, books on my Kindle, friends and family to talk to but...I'm feeling like a caged animal and I can't even get up a good head of pacing steam.

Here's how I'm trying to cope, with mixed results:
1. I do something that breaks the routine a bit. Today I took a shower, my first since leaving the hospital (took until late in the week to get the shower transfer bench set up). Tomorrow I might put in a load of laundry.
2. I reach out to friends--I'm tired of feeling needy and many friends are away but there are a couple of people I can call just to chat. I try to keep it light so I can get my focus off of my knee.
3. I try to keep perspective. This is temporary (even if time is moving at a snail's pace right now).
4. I try to put into practice what I've learned through sporadic attempts at mindful meditation. Don't get caught in whatever is going on--feel weepy and let it pass, take a step back and observe myself.

I think the knee is slowly improving. Last night I was in the bedroom getting ready for bed and realized I'd left something in the living room and got halfway down the hall before I realized I had left the walker in the bedroom. I very carefully went back to get the walker of course since I"m not ready for unassisted walking but it was a small sign that things are moving forward. Next week, I'll start making the transition to a cane.
 
I am with Helen @Thesoutherncook! Function is where it's at! Numbers are only scratches on a paper ( or so I keep trying to tell myself) Because I am done with the insurance PT there is no one who measures my ROM or extension. My OS saw me sitting on the side of his table this week with my legs hanging down at 90 degrees. He lifted my op leg waist high to see how straight it was. No measuring, no testing, no questions. Just told me to keep moving and stretching and it would continue to improve!
 
@Canada35 I agree--and let the PT's fretting go over my head--my right knee is holding up well as the "good" knee, no matter what the #s say.
 
Hang in there Lynn!! As others have posted, you folks who do the staged knees one after the other are true warriors IMHO. And to be by yourself - extra medals for you. I like your idea of breaking up the routine each day. Sounds like you are making good progress even though it seems slow -- transitioning to cane should give you some additional freedom - plus it just makes you feel like you're improving.
 
Gertie, I hated that *caged animal* feeling, perhaps more than anything. For me, it didn't completely disappear until I was able to drive again, but I did find that doing just what you suggested helped. I'd acknowledge it, feel it and try to let it go. Those first few weeks are such a rough passage, more so for a staged knee and even more so if one lives alone. Though my husband was a model nurse, I hated depending on him for everything....it was loathesome. I think loss of independence, even though we know it's temporary, is probably the worst *side-effect* of this entire recovery.

Breaking up your routine was an inspired idea, so great job on that score! Maybe a little walk outdoors, just down to the mailbox would help as well. If you feel up to throwing a load of laundry in, why not? Anything that restores a shred of normalcy is welcome. You'll get there, inch by inch, eh?:console2:
 
I totally agree with you. The psychological impact is much worse this time. It only took a day or two to feel the cage closing in this time. Even with the break between knees (or maybe because of it) it feels like I have been in recovery forever.
 
I wish I had my second knee done already. You two ladies are way ahead of so many of us. You will be all done and have two new knees and we just have to start over again! Savor that thought! You are done, your future is bright!
 
@sistersinhim That's a good reminder, especially on these days that seem to creep along.

I did go for a short walk outside, down the drive, across the street and down a bit. Nice chat with a neighbor and his 2 1/2 yo son. Beautiful weather right now.
 
How nice to be back on the site! It will take some time to catch up with everyone.

I had my 2 week check up on Wednesday. As with the other knee, it seemed like a lot of driving and waiting for a very brief appt. It was with one of the PAs. She did some gentle pushing and pulling, I guess checking for stability, looked at the incision, answered my few questions, and sent me on my way. Did not check ROM unless she eyeballed it while I was sitting in the chair. 5 minutes max. Seems all is well. X rays at the 4 week check up.

Physically, I feel as though I've turned a small corner. Walking feels smoother, less soreness, swelling going down, can spread pain meds out a bit more, ROM is good. Energy drain is still an issue but maybe a bit less--didn't feel the need for epic napping after this 2 week appt that I did after knee #1. I'm making the transition to the cane--almost entirely on the cane in the house. Walked down the drive yesterday with the PT using the cane rather than the walker and felt OK--she said if I feel confident using it outside, go for it. I might wait until I have a friend to accompany me (and wait for it to stop raining!).

Psychologically, I'm still struggling quite a bit--might even be a bit worse--as I gain more function, the desire to be independent and out in the world grows but I'm still on pain meds which means I'm still dependent on others for wheels and escape. Seem to remember that weeks 3 and 4 were the hardest emotionally with the last knee and I was starting from a better place.

Have had some nice social contact during the week but I suspect that this is going to be another really tedious weekend with friends out of town and me pacing around the house feeling caged. Really sick of this (and the gray rainy day doesn't help).
 
My OS never measured and never even voiced a #. He asked how it felt and what I was able to do, even at my one year appointment.

I can see how the weekend would a problem. Maybe renting a few good movies or binge watching a new series would help? I recovered in the midst of the Polar Vortex, so I was virtually house bound for 2 months. Just dr appointments and a hospital stay to break up the 2 month monotony. So movies and tv were my go to because I couldn't read at all.
 
Thanks @KarriB Yes, being housebound during the polar vortex would really be a bear! Since this is knee #2 in a short time frame I'm running out of options for binge watching (and running out of tolerance for sitting on my butt and passively watching--did a lot of that in the lead up to the surgeries as well). Wish I liked Game of Thrones but I watched one episode and haven't returned to it. That would keep me occupied for the weekend! About 10 years ago I spent a summer recovering from an ankle injury and binged on an Australian series called McLeod's Daughters--I think there were at least 10 seasons so it kept me well-occupied. Could use another series like that.
 
Gertie, in so many ways you are doing amazingly well, truly you are, but the itch to get back to a normal life becomes enormous at that 3-4 week point you mentioned and reasonably so. It just has to be exacerbated when you've had 3, major surgeries in less than a year; egads! As such, you're not wrong when you feel as if you've been in recovery forever, but you are already progressing along the well-worn path to a much brighter future. This time next year? Tanglewood, baby!:yes!:
 
@gertie, have you ever watched "Six-Feet Under?" There are quite a few seasons, and while it's not MacLeod's Daughters, it's certainly not Game of Thrones either. Do you have access to Acorn TV through Amazon? They have a lot of British series you might enjoy. Can you read, or is that impossible right now? I could read but couldn't watch TV the first 4 weeks of recovery. TV made me dizzy but reading did not; weird!
 
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