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TKR Recovering & Getting Ready for #2

Aww, you guys - thank you all - you made me cry - again! But more importantly - smile, know I was among kindred, and feel hope! Jamie - thank you so much for the link (btw, the link itself didn't work, but your directions to the article did) - I've printed it out and it will be my weaning bible - when I am ready. And after the last few days, I don't think my family will question that I am not there yet!

I hereby rule that Type A's never develop osteoarthritis or otherwise be subjected to circumstances they cannot better control. It is just a toxic situation! Ha! Yes, Randi, I strongly suspect I am long past the bikini stage, but the prospect of beach walks is mighty appealing. Now, if only my body lost weight when eating so little - then we might start thinking about shorts! Alas! Lindsay, I can certainly understand why you were so anxious about your most recent knee! Wow, but I really understand. That must have been horrible for you. How wonderful that your pain level is so low this time - AND - that you realized early on, with Randi's sage advice, that you can continue to maintain that good pain management now!
 
Oh my.... I am going to jump in here. I did not have the blues more than a couple times.... and I knew it had to do with the Good drugs (the reason I don't like them).... I started feeling sorry for myself and no one understands how tough it can be.... :boohoo: you know... So I did not say anything before. No experience to speak of.:shrug:
Your first knee was 2 weeks after mine and your second 2 months after. One month ago (2.5 months) I was worrying about going back to work with the swelling etc. that I was experiencing and still having to take a lot of pain meds.:rolleyes: I have just gotten to the point that I feel I can consider it.... I will be 4 months on the 16th.... (Randi tells me I am her poster child of quick recovery.... not!) I have only stopped pain killers this week. My GP drastically lowered the dose of Morphine type pain meds at 3 weeks:cry: and gave me a prescription for Emtec (tylenol 3- acetaminophine and codine). That was a really bad night, it did not cover the pain. :yikes: I managed when he said I could take the codine with the morphine.... His concern was addiction....:doh: (we will be having a conversation before my next surgery).:hissy: This past month I have only taken 1 Emtec but have often taken the over the counter 222's (asprin and codine.... non prescription) These I take when I do too much and am sore... more now for the bad knee as opposed to the new knee.
I think you should give yourself a break. :console2: You are only 7 weeks out of surgery on the last knee and that is the point you should take your progress from.:ok: You are doing well for where you are in healing.... don't over do, ice, elevate and rest. It will get much better. Be patient. As you get stronger you will be surprised at how many things you can do, focus on that... Focus on all the little milestones you achieve. They will get you through the impatience. You are at the point that things will get noticeably much better soon.:happydance:
Take care of yourself! We will chat soon.:friends:
 
Hi Nightquilter, After bragging about my low pain levels on #2, I now have had 2 days of miserable to-the-bone bone ache pain. Instead of listening the Randi's "sage" advice I have instead insisted that I am too! icing enough. Wrong. So today is ice machine/ elevate, ice machine/elevate so I can't get up and do. :bicycle1: I think it is just a plot on her part to get the house to herself.... ruffian
 
NightQuilter Sorry about the broken link. I should have checked to be sure everything was working. I have fixed it in the post I made previously and HERE it is again for you. The information is in Post #3. Thanks for letting me know it didn't work!!
 
Joy - you are so right about the pain - I guess one "side effect" of having the knees done separately but not too far apart is one just gets tired of being on meds. :cry: On your swelling - have you considered some massage therapy by someone who is well-trained in shiatsu. It has made such a huge difference for me. They really get the lymph system working to move everything through your system well and out of your legs. :dancy:

Ruffian (by your photo, you so don't fit that handle, but I bet there is a good back story there!), you better let Randi know we are on to her little plot!! lol :heehee: But I am sorry you are now having to struggle with the pain. :hissy: Hope it is short term. I saw the photo of your "yoga position" - I did that for a couple days with good book and it helped a lot. Feel better.

Jamie - glad you were able to fix that link. :bow: I really appreciate the article and I am sure others will as well!.

Felt yet a bit better today, so for now the pain seems manageable on the 10-325 mg hydrocodone, with a Tylenol 500 "chaser" about every 4 hours. Stomach is still not back to normal, but I have been able to eat a little the last two days (there goes that instant bikini body plan!). And tomorrow is another new day! :kittykiss:
 
Lynn, I'm glad to hear that you are feeling a little better! :console2: Life really stinks when you don't have control, but it will return and you'll be the better for it! Lynn, I wish you more good days then bad days, more happy days then sad days and more bright days then dark days!
Stay well my BoneSmartie friend! :friends:
 
my leg was also very crooked going into surgery and got straightened out and the decompensation in my back also triggered some sciatica - which - while not nearly as severe as yours - does certainly impact recovery. I realized that a lot of my post op pain was not my knee but my sciatica.......the crookedness of the leg caused by the collapsing cartilage and the resulting impact on my back was one of the reasons I went for the surgery now at a relatively young age. hated looking at the crooked leg and i could see that the back was just going to get worse and worse....

I would have to concur on the "walked a mile on crutches" seems unwise- why do this? ...don't do that! unless being chased by zombies, I would take it easy until the other leg is fixed. And this is coming from someone with a tendency to overdo....

take it easy
 
OK Nightquilter: Story Time
Once upon a time (way back around 1974-76) a lovely little dark bay thoroughbred filly was born and given the name ruffian. More than anything in the world she loved to run. She ran and ran and as soon as she was in the lead she somehow found the reserves to stay there. Her jockies never needed to urge her or regulate her, she did it on her own.
People came to speak of her as the greatest racehorse of the 20th century. She had a few leg injuries, but at that time horses were medicated or splinted and sent back to run. During her last race, when she was 3, she shattered a leg bone that had been previously injured , but she could not stop trying to finish the race.
She was operated on and put in a cast, but when she woke up she so was so distressed that she thrashed uncontrollably, causing further damage, and had to be put down.
She was buried at Belmont with her nose facing toward the finish line. Now racehorses are given proper rest (icing? elevating?) and wake up in a warm pool with helping medication to calm and still them after surgery. And they are often retired when tests show significant weaknesses.
Even though one could say, if ruffian were a person, that her behavior was sometimes unwise, her joy in her gift and love of life was exceptional She even was listed as #53 in the Sport Illustrated top 100 female athletes of the century. I'm no athlete, but love her spirit. I have borrowed her name as an inspiration and reminder to believe in myself and never give up. ruffian
 
Wow, thanks for the great inspirational story Ruffian! It gives me even more determination on my journey now!

NightQuilter, finally catching up on your thread! :rolleyes: You my friend have been through the mill, while running around and praying for everyone else! I will be praying for you that the pain starts to be manageable! That way, you will start forgetting to take pain pills, and life will be a breeze! In the meantime, stay with the pain schedule routine! We care about you! :console2:
 
NightQuilter ruffian Lynn thanks for asking about ruffian's avatar, I always wondered too, how it came about!
Lindsay, your avatar is very fitting, and believing in ones self is the most we can all do! Thanks for the reminder! :friends:
 
Lindsay - awesome! As I read your story, I started to recall that situation - not all the details. What a wonderful image for us all to keep in mind - but you get to keep the avatar!!

Thanks Sonja - good to hear from you again!

Hi Anevilweasel! (Ok, there must be a back story there too!) You must be loving the straightened legs as well - I still am surprised when i look down sometimes to see the feet are where they should be and allighned with hips and knees, rather than out to either side. But you are so right, every muscle and tendon in the leg - and many in the back - has to get used to the new configuration, which causes its own pain quite often. Why the crutches on walks a couple weeks past surgery? Because with the 2 new knees and discomforture I was having with everything realligning - hip to ankle - it helped reduce direct pressure off the knees and I was balanced, yet it allowed me to go out for some fresh air and get the blood circulating. I actually like using them - standing up straight and am able to move painlessly with them. The minute I went with just a cane, it set off the opposite hip and IT band. But I have tucked them away into a closet now to collect dust!
 
I went to my first 2 PT appointments with my walker and then took my cane to #3 .... PT said I was walking wrong and corrected use of cane and recomended crutches.... I concentrated on walking with good posture, straight stride and placing foot heel first then toe.... on my next appointment PT was amazed at the difference in my gate. no more talk about the crutches. I used my cane for the next month for balance, it was my security blanket. It really helped to recite stand up straight, heel, toe, heel, toe to myself. It took a lot of concentration at first but soon I found I wasn't thinking about it at all. The most important thing was standing up straight to eliminate back strain and limping. Now at 3.5 months I do not have a limp and have been told that it doesn't look like I have had surgery. (Still not sure that is a complement:umm:)
 
Lynn you aren't 8 weeks yet and I think 8 weeks is where we have a little "bump" better. Not pain free at all but that feeling that's "I think I'm gonna be okay!" Before then....not much light at the end of tunnel!
 
Joy - gotta laugh - so many of the same approaches - whether it was with the crutches, cane, or just my own two - I do a lot of that reciting to myself also - straight leg forward, knee aligned, heel first, lift over hip, toe, shoulders down and back, unclutch fists, bring other leg forward, etc. Same thing on stairs - knee steady.... But you are right - it becomes more natural. Someone commented the other day that they couldn't see any limp! woohoo!!

Marianne - we will see - newer knee turns 8 weeks tomorrow. Ironically, almost 15-week knee has been a little cranky of late, but it general, I am feeling so much better.

We are up at Big Bear today for 3 days. My awesome family who has been taking such good care of me since October said it was time for a family getaway. Their choice was skiing! Of course one of us is not!! But I can't begrudge them the thought or the fun.
 
Anevilweasel is the name i have given my avatar and its based on my little dog who is a pitbull/dachschund cross. Yes, think avout that for a moment. She looks like a doxie on steroids. She has a very larg pittie head and cute pittie ears. She is cut like Arnold Schwarzenegger and can bench press her body weight. She is aggressively affectionate to humans and my other dog (also a rescued border collie/lab/pit) but is simply agressive to all other dogs, squirrels, possums, birds. She like to kill them. Or try. She has made 120lb pit bulls cry. She is 30 lbs. its the daschshund part of her i have been told. The pittie is the sweetie. So we call her the evil weasel and we love her. Even though she is kept under lock and key. A rescue . My avatar is a paintimg Imdidmof her wearing reading glasses.
 
Well..... NQ if you had told us sooner about the ski trip we would have sent you all the bubble wrap we have been saving for our BoneSmarties skiing vacation! :happydance:
 
It is nice being up here - clean air and fresh snow. They were forecasting daytime temps in the 40s and no more snow, so we were all surprised with the dip to 20 degrees and 6 new inches last night! My family was not quite prepared for that, but have been having fun anyway. Sonja, I don't think all the bubble wrap in the world would have put me on skis this year, but I am a definite for the BoneSmarties Ski Trip! When and where?

Anevil - that IS a funny story - had me giggling all morning! And to know that is really your dog in the pic is so fun. You are quite the artist - I really thought that was a photograph!
 
Well... Jacky wants the Chippendales before she will show up, Rose might be tied up with back surgery, so she won't be able to sew matching outfits for awhile, and my plea for all the Bubblewrap to be sent to BJ's house was sad! She sat there and popped it all! :scare:

So, I don't know when the opportunity will present itself, but I will put you on the guest list! :happydance:
 
I have no idea where the Chippendales are - except for the male stripper joint in West Los Angeles. Not much skiing there, but.... So, yup, keep me on the list.
 
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