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PKR Raffs' Recovery Thread<'

Thank you very much for the birthday wishes. I had a lovely day.

Opened lots of gifts first thing then got myself ready and went to the salon for mani and pedi. Was my first pedi since before the surgery and it was just fine, no problem moving my feet around on and off her lap as needed.

Hubby picked me up in the car, 30 min drive to a lovely pub for lunch. Then a 10 min drive to a country house hotel called Sopwell House in St Albans. Checked in, unpacked and went to explore. I felt very nervous and very self conscious walking around as it was busy and I am SO slow and limping. I tried not to let it bother me too much. Decided to be brave so on went the bathing suit and into the pool I went. Getting into the water was the worst thing, steps from the locker room into the pool area, slippery floor etc. Once in the pool I did lots of walking up and down, some bends, gentle squats and a little swimming. Was a DIY hydro session! Had a very quick sauna (thought the heat might make knee swell too much) then headed back to the room to ice and elevate. Got showered and dressed up a bit, glass of champagne, nice dinner, two glasses of wine then by 10.30 I was so tired so called it a night. Seeing how much I did and how little resting I was surprised how ok my knee felt. Champagne is a good painkiller!

Slept ok, woke up quite early, had breakfast and then walked for a while in the grounds. Yes, I am still limping because of the tight bands and swelling but it actually almost felt normal there for a while. Got home around midday and have been doing some housework and watching the Athletics on TV.

Knee has been pretty good. I'm pleasantly surprised. What has made me happy is that this little bit of normality has boosted my confidence a bit. I can almost reach out and touch my revitalised life and it's wonderful to see it in the not too distant future.

So, birthday very good and my relationship with my knee is better. Seeing my PT tomorrow and will report back after that. Need a nap now so will catch up on your threads afterwards.
 
So happy you had a great birthday, my hubby wouldn't have a clue about booking a luxury break for my birthday, bless him. Glad you took full advantage of the facilities. Your knee appears to have behaved herself too, which is brilliant. So pleased that you are beginning to see that light at the end of he tunnel with your knee. xx
 
Yay! Glad it was a wonderful birthday. So happy you are feeling almost normal! It's time right? Your husband sounds like a keeper to me.
 
That glimpse of a revitalised life. Excellent birthday. My birthday is a week and a half before I get my left knee replaced. Might try for a weekend away myself. You inspire me!
 
@jbrooklyn I've felt over the last couple of weeks that there have been more down days than up days. Purely, I think, because of frustration that I'm still healing and still cannot do what I think I should be able to do. Comes down to lack of patience. I could not agree more about feeling ancient. I turned 47 on Saturday but have felt at least 30 years older for most of this year, since my knee gave up in January. I haven't been able to wear anything other than flat shoes, have had to modify my activities and, of course, since the surgery there have been other delights such as TED stockings, walkers, catheters, crutches, toilet frames and walking so slowly that I think a snail overtook me last week! Come ON sums it up perfectly. I keep joking that I'm going to have my midlife crisis once I'm feeling better - but I'm actually not sure how much I am joking!!!! Definitely been feeling a bit better these past couple of days, I was still so slow over the weekend doing birthday things but I pretty much could do what I wanted to do, albeit slowly and wearing flat shoes!!
 
Real life (mainly work) is starting to creep in and although that's great, it means I'm struggling to keep up on here which I really don't like! Know that I'm still with you all in spirit even if I'm posting less.

Had PT at 9am. Told him that I've not been doing my exercises as diligently as I should because of the swollen fat patch - the exercises were making it worse. He had a look and said that there is nothing to worry about and that it will go down but that I will have to back off exercising for a couple of weeks to allow this to happen. He said that it might take a while for it to completely go. He suggested I do my exercises three times a week, walk on the other days and go on my exercise bike for 5 mins once or twice a day. He said to try to increase activity slowly and see what effect this has. He agreed that I need to give this last problematic area time to heal and that trying to do too much strengthening exercises would only upset it. It does mean that it will be a few more weeks before I am strong enough to walk downstairs properly but I'm ok with that. I need to concentrate on my gait and alignment as I tend to roll my foot out to the side and my knee tends to bend in - valgus I think he said. He measured my flex, still 120. He said he would expect me to gain another 5-10 degrees but slowly over the next year. All in all, I'm doing fine, not looking at it as a setback, more a chance to stop pushing for a while and let healing take place.

Have done 3.5 hours of work again today. Knee is sorer than it was yesterday and Saturday. @CATSMUM says it is this horrid damp and cool weather! Haven't iced or elevated much today, going to do that for most of the rest of the day.

The weekend has given me confidence to go to Brighton in three weeks time for the conference that I want to attend. I will be slow and I will need to take breaks but it will be so good for me to get back out there. All I've got to do now is lose a little of the weight gained over these last few weeks of chocolate comfort eating so that my clothes fit me again!!
 
I shall be starting working from home in 3 weeks time! Slightly daunting as its been so long since l last logged onto the system. Still at least I'll be doing as you did and gradually building up towards working full days.

Glad your Physio was supportive and told you that there's nothing to worry about, sometimes l think that's just what we really want/need to hear. Think he's correct about stopping exercising as you are probably just aggravating that area by doing them. Healing takes a long time and, even months in, you may find that you overdo things (I know l did with my first tkr). 120 flex is great and you more than likely will get to 130 by your year anniversary. You've probably overdone things, missy, so take it easy!

Have a glass of wine tonight for medicinal purposes (I am!!), you deserve it. Well done on competing 3.5 hours - any further news about your building?

So pleased to hear that you have a new found confidence after this weekend, really great news. Believe you me, that weight will go when you start doing normal day to day things again. Xoxoxox
 
@CATSMUM it was weird starting work again but I'm getting into it now and will start to ask for more to do, I think. I've caught up and made a nuisance of myself so now time to work!! Each day I'm experimenting to see what pattern of hours works best.

PT still wants me to exercise regularly but I'll do less until the swelling goes down a bit. Got to walk to the dentist tomorrow so that'll be my exercise for the day. Will be 20-25 mins. He said that 120 flex is plenty for normal day to day activities. It'll be even better once the knee is not stiff at all. I've decided not to focus on the swelling so much and to enjoy doing what I can do.

No wine tonight! Might have a teensy bit of chocolate.... No more news re the building yet.
 
120 is fine for day to day living, however, I would agree with your Physio and say that you'll probably get upto 130 in due course, probably without even realising it! Enjoy your choccy, hubby bought me back some Belgian choc truffles and Belgian cherry beer!
 
Not much to report so far today. Knee was more sore yesterday than it had been over the weekend. Slept ok, managing to sleep a bit on my sides now, then the knee wakes me up and I move onto my back. Weirdly, knee prefers me to sleep on my operated side with the knee on the mattress rather on the other wide. Whatever the knee wants!!

Feels better again today. I've been working all morning with an ice pack strapped to it, taking a 30 min break every hour. Just about to have a little break now and elevate on the sofa. Then I've only got 30 mins more to do today - yay!

Got a dentist appointment this afternoon so will take a slow walk up the hill and back. Will take my cane and will use it on the return downhill journey.

Right, sofa and athletics time....
 
It looks like you are doing really well and healing slowly but surely. Its so good to be out walking isn't it? We might be slower at the moment but we are on the right track ready for Fortnums!
Its healthy to get back to work I think - it helps stops the focus on the little niggles that come along as a matter of course with the recovery. I know how easy it is to worry about each twinge and twang. Work gets you more active too.....think calorie burning. Slow in my case but happening.
Brighton sounds like a great plan. You might even get into some small heels!
 
@Raffs i slept on my operated side with my left leg thrown (gently) over the TKR. Not sure how or why this worked, but I was thanking heaven it did. Of course I couldn't stay like that all night. But it was wonderful for even a short while.
 
I try to sleep on operated side but find it is uncomfortable, sometimes l put a pillow under the leg which is a little better.
Glad you're managing working from home without too many problems, good idea to work an hour and then take a break.
Hope the dentist went well!!
 
Just got back from the dentist and have decided that I hate walking outside because my knee really does not like the hills where I live. Unfortunately, there is a hill everywhere I turn so I'm finding I'm avoiding walking outside which I know isn't good for me. It made such a difference on Sunday morning to be able to walk around the grounds and gardens of a hotel, my knee was happy so I was happy. It was so nice. The short walk downhill back from the dentist has made my knee really sore and swollen.

I'm at 8 weeks today. Is it still usual to have some issues with swelling and soreness? And to walk with a limp? What about meds? I'm taking ibuprofen regularly to try to help with the swelling. Am also taking paracetamol/Tylenol on an as needed basis. The only pain I have is the swelling and resulting soreness. Am I under medicating?

Bend is good. Extension is good. Knee is much less stiff in general than it was a few weeks ago. I can move it around pretty easily and it has lost most of the "block of wood" feeling. Quad is very weak which I think is contributing to the difficulty in walking downhill. But strengthening exercises only cause more swelling. Sleep is ok, I'm not a great sleeper anyway and I've been very lucky in that this surgery hasn't really affected my sleep much.

@Hopper you are quite right about work providing some distraction. I do have the tendency to obsess so I will benefit from not thinking about my knee all the time.

@KarriB that is exactly how I sleep on my side! It feels wrong but is comfy so it must be ok!

@CATSMUM I've tried using a pillow but knee is just not happy. Dentist and hygienist were fine thanks, fangs all clean and shiny again!!
 
Swelling and stiffness is certainly something that is around at week, I still have at and I'm at week 12 almost, although l did have my fall, which really means I'm at week 9! I started taking ibuprofen but went back onto naproxen as l found it better for inflammation. Are you taking your meds regularly? If not then you need to, l still do. My bend isn't too bad but still haven't got zero extension. Where abouts in London do you live? I lived and worked in the Woolwich area for some years and originally came from Romford in Essex. Hubby's brother lives in Eltham, so know that area quite well!
 
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