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

[SusieShoes]

I wish I could loan you my box set of Doctor Who. All the seasons but the last Doctor. That's enough TV for a year. Game of Thrones picks up once they've thinned the cast a bit and the dragons get bigger (lots bigger). I binge watched old 1950-60s TV shows on ME TV. I grew up with those shows, and it was kind of fun to realize that some are 1) better than I thought, or 2) dreadful, though I thought at the time they were good.

My OS and his PA never measured ROM either, though they eyeballed. And that week 3-4 is rough... not painless enough, not mobile enough, not able enough to do all we want to do.

 

[Pheebs52]

SusieShoes, you nailed it. Weeks 3-4 are just *Not enough,* on any level....so frustrating; aargggh!

 

[kmak81230]

Hang in there Gertie - I hope over the next week or two you will start to feel better, become more independent (although you are hugely independent doing this on your own!), and begin to see a light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel for you.

I love Six Feet Under - of course I do. My grandparents had a mortuary next door to where I grew up so lots of funny jokes that those of who grew up in, or next to, the funeral home could relate to.

 

[Canada35]

Lynn,
Hang in there girl! You are doing great! We will be here to keep you company whenever you need it. Just don't try to do too much out of boredom! No ODIC membership!

 

[liam2015]

gertie...it sounds like you are doing fantastic regarding your recovery. glad you had some social time during the week. sorry the weekend looks a bit glum but you never know who might pop by, that is, if the weather clears up. i 2nd and 3rd vote for "Six Feet Under" and for something a little lighter, but set in the Caribbean, "Death in Paradise".

 

[gertie]

Can you read, or is that impossible right now?

I'm doing a better job of watching video on my computer than reading, although reading stamina is improving. I have a couple of mysteries (about my speed right now) on my Kindle that I've been saving for pre-bed since they seem sure to put me to sleep but last night I read quite late into the evening.

 

[gertie]

@Pheebs52 A friend just came for lunch (brought by my friend from a local Mexican restaurant, yum) and we spent some time looking over upcoming concerts at a local venue and planning some events for fall--I'm hoping that by October/November I'll be ready to sit in a movie or concert. I actually managed the "feet on the floor" aspect of the recent med appt fairly well--minimal pain and stiffness--and it was at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours of car, waiting, car.

 

[gertie]

I keep telling myself that it's just another 10 days or so and then I might be able to drive or at least get out for longer strolls around the neighborhood--and I'll be careful not to join the ODIC in my impatience!

I also keep reminding myself to be grateful that all these recoveries have (so far) moved along without complications (hesitate to say that for fear of jinxing).

Thanks for the series recommendations! @SusieShoes I forgot about Dr. Who. A friend turned me on to that series many years ago but I have lost touch with it.

And several of you have mentioned Six Feet Under--I'll look for that.

I have a subscription to Acorn TV (and BritBox) and love the English series. @liam2015 I enjoyed Death in Paradise--think I've seen all that's on offer so far (and can hear the theme song playing in my head as I type).

 

[rubyyarn]

Gertie, are you still feeling low and blue?
Here's some empathy for you
Hopefully you'll soon feel fine
And your two knees will feel sublime

 

[gertie]

Thank you @rubyyarn!

 

[gertie]

OK. A mini-rant. I get frustrated with well-meaning friends who exclaim at the fact that I'm still taking opioid pain meds at 2 weeks and a bit. "You're not getting addicted are you???!!!" This was from a friend who had her knee replaced a few years ago. She should know better although she had a psychotic reaction to oxycodone and stopped taking anything within a few days of surgery and toughed it out (I think she must have a really high pain tolerance--she continued to walk 4 miles a day up to the time of surgery even though her knee was totally bone on bone and she was limping badly). I sent another friend to refill my Rx and she too was concerned that I needed more than 2 weeks worth. I assured her I was starting to taper off--but really, I'm not an addict!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

I understand that feeling! My DH wrote down every narcotic I took and counted them out! Drove me crazy! I was tempted to sneak some away and hide them!

I saw your post about looking at concert, etc... my daugnter already has us and the Grand Darling scheduled to attend Beauty & The Beast Ballet on Sept 30. It's great to have a goal..!

 

[gertie]

and counted them out!

Oh, my, that would drive me crazy too--even though it's meant with love and concern I'm sure. But it's not surprising given all the press about addiction and stories about people whose road to addiction began with some sort of pain situation. I just tell people that I hate the way these drugs make me feel--they don't get me high--so no fear of addiction on my part.

 

[rubyyarn]

@gertie, I had my 8 week knee-versary this past Tuesday. At that point I'd been off of Percocet for about 3 days. Two weeks?? Madness!

 

[Canada35]

Oh my goodness! I couldn't imagine being without a strong pain medication for at least 4-5 weeks! My OS renewed my prescription at my 2 week check up without batting an eye! He said stay ahead of the pain!
Although I got off mine in a bad way ( if you follow my thread you will remember!) I needn't have if I had been told in advance it was important to wean yourself off them! I still have a whole bottle of the Tylenol3 which is what I took but haven't needed any of them since because I started a regimen of 4000 mg of extra strength Tylenol a day and now take only 2 extra strength Tylenol at bedtime. You take what you need - within the prescription guidelines and don't pay any attention to your friends! They aren't in this recovery!

 

[gertie]

Oh, trust me, I will do what I need to do re pain meds! With the first knee I was able to wean off daytime meds in about 3 1/2 weeks and just take ES Tylenol--I took nighttime meds a bit longer. We'll see how this one goes.

 

[KarriB]

I've just recently begun watching Outlander. That's over 20 episodes and they do get a bit steamy.

I'm always amazed at you staged TKRs because I'm nearly 4 years post op and putting off leftie!

 

[gertie]

@KarriB I think I needed the momentum of doing it quickly. If I put it off it would be really hard to go back.

 

[Pheebs52]

Hmm, I'm guessing your friends have never had a TKR if they think you should be weaning off pain meds at 2 weeks. I finished with them at 5 weeks, primarily so I could drive, but had the odd night here or there when I still needed them.

I hope to follow KarriB's footsteps and wait for four more years, lol. However, I don't think I'm going to be quite so lucky. The OS told me I'd be lucky to get another year or two out of Rightie. Time will tell....

 

[Celle]

I get frustrated with well-meaning friends who exclaim at the fact that I'm still taking opioid pain meds at 2 weeks and a bit. "You're not getting addicted are you???!!!" This was from a friend who had her knee replaced a few years ago. She should know better

They mean well, but they just don't understand how big an operation a knee replacement is.

My DH wrote down every narcotic I took and counted them out! Drove me crazy! I was tempted to sneak some away and hide them!

I took responsibility for all my medication. I kept a journal and ticked off each dose as I took it, so there was no danger of overdosing.
My husband wouldn't have dared to intervene! I can be a dragon about such things.

But it's not surprising given all the press about addiction and stories about people whose road to addiction began with some sort of pain situation. I just tell people that I hate the way these drugs make me feel--they don't get me high--so no fear of addiction on my part.

There's a lot of misinformation out there about addiction, but actually you are unlikely to become addicted through taking adequate medication for your pain.
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
I like your response!