TKR Recovering in Western North Carolina

[Piglet]

Becky
Well done. It's good to hear you are progressing and are already a month down the line

Great news that you have walked for 30 minutes. I can't wait to be able to walk for the long. Keep at it
Take care

 

[Organist]

Judy, thanks for the reminder. Last night was one of those nights that my knee didn't like much of any position. I finally did get to sleep though. Also there ARE days that an extra Tylenol really does help.

I am so glad to be a part of a group of caring friends here -- encouraging each other before, during, and after the surgery. The recovery time really does seem to crawl by.

Jacky, my mall walking was more like a snail's pace -- pausing every now and again at one of the indoor trees for a moment of support with my right hand holding onto a branch (or a skinny trunk) while shifting my weight back and forth to relax my leg and hip. But I DID make it around the main part of the mall. It felt like a major accomplishment. Coffee and conversation with my hubby and the mall-walker group was (and is) a good way to relax for awhile after the exercise.

PooShay, I like your way of describing the actions of the nerves -- "lightening bolts going thru my legs ... Nerves looking for their little friends". That's a great way to put it. My right calf is protesting today. The pain meds are good for that too. Last night it was my calf and foot protesting. Having supplemental pain meds is a "life saver" these days and nights.

Last night seemed cooler, so I used the quilt on top of the sheet. I've made it a habit to make sure that my right knee is "sticking out" from under the covers (even when using just the sheet) because my right knee is good at being warm regardless. With the quilt on the rest of me it was more of a challenge, but I managed by stuffing that part of the quilt under my right knee.

:wubroses::grouphug2:

 

[Organist]

Becky
Well done. It's good to hear you are progressing and are already a month down the line

Great news that you have walked for 30 minutes. I can't wait to be able to walk for the long. Keep at it
Take care

Piglet,
Thanks. It won't be long before you start your recovery on the other side. Hope that you have a good weekend meanwhile. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. :flowerysmile:

 

[Nyland]

Hi Becky!
How are you doing? I just caught up on your thread today. This week was filled with end of the semester business, finals, and 2 patient consults along with difficult family meetings. I'm just catching up on my friends and you were one of the first people that i checked in on.
Sorry about the sleeping. A friend that had a hip replaced in November told me that even though she had an easy recovery, she just couldn't get comfortable at night.
I hope you have a peaceful night's sleep tonight.
Best!

 

[pclane65]

Hi Becky, I hope you are continuing a good recovery. I am glad you were able to go to church. I hope it won't be too long before your knee will let you get back to pumping that organ! I haven't ventured out much for car rides but I have been walking a bit. My in home PT ends next week and I have to decide what to do about out patient. Since I know the exercises I am considering doing it on my own. I live alone and the PT is a good drive away. Since I am still taking the pain meds I am not driving yet so it presents a problem. I go back to the doctor for my final visit on the 23rd. I have pretty much decided not to decide until I see him. Wishing you good sleep and a happy knee!!

 

[Nyland]

Hi Patti,
Sounds like you are doing well. How are you feeling? How's the knee?
Best!

 

[Organist]

Nyland, Good morning. Hope that your weekend will be better than your busy week was. It's good to hear from you. You're doing great with your weight loss. Thanks for starting that thread.

My knee is OK this morning. I’ve decided to “take it easy” today – except for doing my regular exercises throughout the day. I have the new ones from outpatient physical therapy. It went well. I was “wiped out” and SORE when we got back home though. It didn’t help that my first appointment was at 8:00 AM. That’s when I usually take my morning meds, and I forgot. BIG MISTAKE ! ! ! So I’ve updated my “pill box” to include the Tylenol and some aspirin. I don’t want to have that happen again. It will definitely help when we’re out for the day. So when we got home I took a couple of Tylenol, and rested for awhile. That helped tremendously, and I took a nap.

Some nights I get better sleep than others, but - as you and your friend said - getting comfortable at night changes from night to night.

I’ve had “one step back” in the recuperation journey in the past few days. I had Liam take out the “3-in-1” toilet seat last week. My right knee protested with a slight burning, but it would usually go away after 20-30 seconds. However that became very “tiring” and “energy-draining”. So I had him put the “3-in-1” toilet seat again. The physical therapists (the regular one and the student he’s supervising) agree that’s good idea for another week or two. Oh, and the physical therapists have adjusted my cane to a “proper” height for me, and I’m to use it when walking so that I can get used to walking more normally – now that the cane is at the proper height.

 

[Organist]

Hi Becky, I hope you are continuing a good recovery. I am glad you were able to go to church. I hope it won't be too long before your knee will let you get back to pumping that organ! I haven't ventured out much for car rides but I have been walking a bit. My in home PT ends next week and I have to decide what to do about out patient. Since I know the exercises I am considering doing it on my own. I live alone and the PT is a good drive away. Since I am still taking the pain meds I am not driving yet so it presents a problem. I go back to the doctor for my final visit on the 23rd. I have pretty much decided not to decide until I see him. Wishing you good sleep and a happy knee!!

Patti, so good to see you again. We're moving right along.

It may be awhile yet before I play the organ. I can play the manuals fine, but apparently one of the hard things to do after knee surgery is to let the leg dangle. I'm still at the stage of shifting my leg around every few minutes, and getting up to walk every now and then. So we'll see. Meanwhile, Liam is doing wonderfully as the organist. We make a good team.

The main thing that I want to work on with outpatient PT is getting my legs stronger, and using those exercise machines -- like the stationary bike -- to help with everything. We don't have equipment like that. It would be nice if there is a community center or somewhere that has equipment that you can use.

As for driving, I've been told that it would be good to just get in the car and drive around the neighborhood for a few minutes -- as a starter. So I might do that later today -- maybe. :th_heehee:

We're getting better -- slowly and surely.

 

[Organist]

Happy Mother's Day -- to all who celebrate it at this time. Hope that you all have a wonderful day.

 

[Jacky48]

Back at you Becky! I hope you had a great day!

 

[Organist]

Last night and today have been a bit rough. Last night I woke up to take a pain pill at 4 am, and could not go back to sleep for an hour. My whole leg and hip hurt. The spot on the front of my right calf where I fell and I hit the curb on the way home from a Scottish highland game last May included itself in “screaming” at me. I’m wondering if the colder weather with rain for the past 2 days has something to do with it – a personal permanent “weather forecasting system”. I spent the time massaging my knee, calf, thigh, and hip – sometimes sitting up, but much of the time lying down on one side or the other with my leg bent – sometimes stretching it out for a different kind of brief relief. I alternated gentle, deep, circular, along the sides of the scar, etc. Today I’ve been better, but this evening my leg and back are “starting up” again. So I think I’ll get ready for bed, take my pain meds, and go to bed. It’s almost 9:00 now. Good night, everyone.

 

[Janet2012]

I hope tonight and tomorrow are better Becky!

 

[Jacky48]

Wow Becky, it sounds like you're going through a rough patch.:rolleyespink: I hope you get some relief soon! I also hope tomorrow and your future days a more pain free! Let's hope this is a turning point!

 

[Organist]

Thanks, Janet and Jacky. Last night was better. It took awhile to find a comfortable position, but once I got there, it helped and I slept most of the night.

I don't know if part of the pain Sunday night was because I decided to practice a bit on the organ that afternoon while Liam was out getting groceries. I played through the hymns for next Sunday AND a Passacaglia by J. S. Bach. It's a fairly long organ piece with plenty of pedal work.

It felt OK at the time, but my knee, leg, and hip might have had a delayed reaction to the increased exercise. Then too, while I was playing it, I was concentrating on playing the piece -- not on how it felt to my knee, leg, etc.

Physical therapy session this morning went well. Thanks again.

 

[bottomshollow]

Gee, Becky, that's the thing with these knees. They seem to feel just fine, and then you do something you haven't done for a while or more than usual of something---and voila! they're aching and we're hurting. But I bet you enjoyed your session at the organ and hope it was worth what it cost.:th_heehee:

Been following your recovery. You are doing very well--not trying to be in charge. Keep up the good work.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[speccybecky]

A good day and you feel like you can do more..and it's ok at the time. It's the next day you feel it. Well you've tried and it hurt so wait another week and try again for a bit less time and soon it will be ok. We've all done it!

 

[Janet2012]

Becky, I think it is largely all about delayed reaction. The sharp pains get us to stop what we are doing, but otherwise, it takes awhile for the inflamation to set in to where it hurts. Think about how working out an unaccustomed muscle slowly starts hurting, and a day or so later, can be very painful. Probably didn't hurt at all to do the original activity!

 

[Jacky48]

Actually Becky, what happened was that you introduced your new leg muscles to a new activity and they were not use to it yet, so as they say, "Time will heal all wounds"! That too shall pass!
So please Becky can you remind me of that when I'm on the other side!:biggrin:
Here's wishing you great progress in you recovery!

 

[Organist]

Judy, speccybecky, Janet & Jacky, thanks for the reminders and encouragement. :grouphug2::ThankYou::coffee:

Janet, you're right. It didn't bother me at all while I was practicing on the organ at home Sunday afternoon --- and yes, Judy, I did enjoy practicing for awhile. It was worth it to see what would happen with my 2nd practice session.

Jacky, we will remind you to take it easy on yourself as you recover too. It won't be long now. :flowerysmile:

 

[Jacky48]

Thanks Becky! The best thing about that whole experience is that you were enjoying what you were doing, then you massaged your leg to show it that you still loved it and all will be better soon!