TKR Randi's In Recovery!

[Randi]

I am glad that you came back Randi. Sometimes I stay away when I am down or overwhelmed and I don't know why because this group helps me so much. Please let us know how you are feeling and what you are thinking so we can support you. You just lifted my spirits by replying on my thread!! We all need each other.

You really have to drive 45 min each way for PT? Or was that just the trip to the OS? Did you read that my left leg was hurting also? I also think that we can compensate too much for our TKR leg and put too much stress on the other leg. I am so sorry about you knee cap, I hope that it can be worked out in PT and not surgery.

Take care and come back often...besides I love looking at your dog!

Bonnie - Thanks for caring. We do seem to need each other's support. Glad I am of some help to someone.

Yes, 45 minutes each way - to the OS and to PT - both at the hospital where I had the surgery. But it's worth it. My physio is compassionate and smart. I've been through so many of them that I know a good one !

Tomorrow I'm seeing my family doc to start sorting out my other leg. Because I've had major , major, major back problems it's a concern -I'm afraid this is back and not just leg stuff but hopefully not. Luckily my family doc is also wonderful and also married to an OS (not mine..)-and a great listener who gets me to talk - so particularly helpful for me.

I'll try to stay more connected . It's better to come on the forum than my other coping mechanism which involves opening the fridge way too often...

Oh, Oliver, my goofy guy says thank you, too.

 

[tashia]

Randi, so sorry to hear about it. I know what you mean by staying away. Sometimes you need that but do remember we care and would like to support you when you are down. We care. Please keep us posted. tashia

 

[tashia]

Randi, How are things? Tashia

 

[Randi]

Tashia, thanks for asking. I'm a little better today. I'm staying home, not walking much and taking muscle relaxant for my back, and my knee seems happier for the rest. Saw my family doctor yesterday and she's more concerned about my back than my knee. Had back x-rays and getting a referral to a back specialist. Hopefully this is much ado about nothing...

Take care and have a good weekend.

 

[tashia]

Sorry to hear about your back. I also hope it not anything real bad. Sometime what we think needs attention is not what the doctor thinks is important. Glad that you are feeling better. Please keep us informed because we care. Have a good weekend. Tashia

 

[Randi]

Saw the physio today and she did a full assessment. We're going to try a 6 week regimen to strengthen the muscles at the sides and behind my knee and see if that helps the patella to realign. Also, she's going to tape my knee and if that doesn't work maybe look a a brace. She also feels whatever is going on with my other leg (back or knee or hip?) is having an impact on my new knee, and vice versa. I'm just totally frustrated and down because I really can barely walk at times between the two problems. No results from my back x-rays yet. Hopefully tomorrow. I really need to figure out what's going on .

On the funny ?! side ... I did attempt to go for a short walk in the mall today (it's too hot here now to walk outside) and after a few minutes I felt terrible pain in the middle toes of my left foot. I honestly thought OMG what else? I literally limped to a bench and took off my shoe to see if wiggling my toes helped relieve the pain...and found that a long tack had gone right through the sole of my shoe and my foot was all bloody....it was really that kind of day . Hope yours was better.

 

[Campervan]

Hi Randi, Wow a tack in your shoe, you really didn't need that! The taping will be McConnell taping and I think there's a great article in the library on it and video instructions on how to do it. From what I've read, its the non-invasive treatment for patella maltracking. I also read somebody else's thread recently where they thought weak muscles at the side of the knee were causing the patella to misalign. So fingers crossed this works for you.

Take care.

 

[tashia]

Randi, Please take care of that foot. Did you report to the mall. They should know about it. To look out for more and make sure that you are taken care off. My week started of ruff but I hope it will get better for the both of us. We will make it, I am sure. Tashia

 

[Randi]

Hi Randi, Wow a tack in your shoe, you really didn't need that! The taping will be McConnell taping and I think there's a great article in the library on it and video instructions on how to do it. From what I've read, its the non-invasive treatment for patella maltracking. I also read somebody else's thread recently where they thought weak muscles at the side of the knee were causing the patella to misalign. So fingers crossed this works for you.

Take care.

Thanks Margaret. It's good to hear some optimism now.

 

[Randi]

Randi, Please take care of that foot. Did you report to the mall. They should know about it. To look out for more and make sure that you are taken care off. My week started of ruff but I hope it will get better for the both of us. We will make it, I am sure. Tashia

Thanks Tashia. Hope tomorrow is a better day for both of us !

 

[Randi]

Anybody know where to find info re McConnell taping ? I can't seem to find it in the library. Thanks

 

[Campervan]

Anybody know where to find info re McConnell taping ? I can't seem to find it in the library. Thanks

Ah, its not an article in its own right. Its a link to Youtube within a Fat Pad Impingement library posting. Or search McConnell taping in Youtube and you'll bet quite a few videos on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMJBHBiZjCs

 

[Randi]

Thanks !

 

[Josephine]

Patello-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS), fat pad impingement (Hoffa's Syndrome)

 

[LinCan]

Hi Randi! sorry to hear you're having extra issues as well. I hope you get them all sorted out soon. I'm working on mine (MRI today, so step one for me). It's really frustrating for me that my TKR is OK, but I am so hindered by other things. Here's hoping we'll both get answers soon.

Linda

 

[Morning Glory]

Hi Randi,
Geez, seems like you can't catch a break. I hope the muscle strengthening and taping help. I've had some serious back issues (surgery was 12 years ago) and when the sciatic pain showed up after my second knee was done I was in a panic. Then PT said she wasn't sure if the hip pain was arthritis in my hip or if it was from my back. Just my luck to finally get my knees fixed and have something else pop up. Things seem to be calming down for me, maybe I just had to let everything settle down.
I hope you start feeling better soon!

 

[Randi]

Patello-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS), fat pad impingement (Hoffa's Syndrome)

Thanks !

 

[Randi]

Hi Linda - Hope the MRI results help sort things out. I can't do an MRI any more because of the amount of metal in me ! Isn't life so much fun...

 

[Randi]

Thanks, MG . We're also all wondering which is the chicken and hen here--back pain from knee, other way around ? or hip ? Or other knee??

Here's today's update - Went back to physio today. She brought in another PT for an opinion. They both looked at my knees and couldn't be sure what's going on except that somehow and for some unknown reason my knee cap is not behaving. So, tried electric stimulation - I was so stimulated i perspired profusely - a few strengthening exercises without much luck because there was too much pain to do them and/or they brought on sciatica or hip /knee pain in my other leg...and then got taped. That actually does seem to be helping..let's hope. I am to do no exercise other than a bit of walking in or out of water until my next appointment next Thursday -so Josephine; not all PT's "over the pond" are exercise freaks...Physio now scheduled twice a week for the next 6 weeks.

As for the other pain...the back x-ray showed that the fusion is intact -Yay !!!- and no broken vertebrae (I've had 2 previously). Other than that it was "inconclusive" because the "possibility of degeneration exists but cannot be assessed through x-ray alone". So - waiting for an appointment with a back super -specialist who may be able to sort this one out. Meanwhile, I'll be going for hip and knee x-rays on my "good" leg next week...

Just knowing that something is happening helps .I'm trying not to be discouraged. Today was better. Thanks all for your support. It helps.

 

[Josephine]

Randi, would you be a dear and put your surgery date in your signature like the rest of us do?
You can find the instructions here How to create a signature
That also applies to anyone else who is reading this.
Thank you.