Bilateral TKR Recovery Diary

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 3 day 18

Swelling continues to decline. I wonder now how useful the Cryocuff will be, as there's much less fluid to attempt to disperse. Used them yesterday and my knees were much stiffer afterwards.

Stairs now less daunting; continue to descend backwards, but now go both up and down without the comedic leg spreading of a few days ago. Hope to be close to normal within a few days.

 

[srn]

Hi Roy,

It's great to read your updates and lovely that you are doing so well and being so positive. Please keep posting and have a great Christmas.

 

[Josephine]

You are doing awesomely, Roy! A star patient and no mistake!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Thank you srn, Josephine (and others) who have said kind things.

But I'm not actually doing anything. There is no magic formula or special thing that's happening. Just lucky I guess.

 

[karmigirl]

Roy,

I have really enjoyed reading your diary everyday. It was a wonderful idea to help others see what might happen for them. You are doing a magnifacent (sp?) keep up the great work.

May you have a VERY Happy, Healthy Holidays

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Thank you, Karmigirl, it's nice to know that I have readers; I had hoped to show a (relatively) normal recovery, it's a bonus that it looks like that so far I'm ahead of the game

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 3 day 19

The nature of the pain and discomfort is definitely changing. Stiffness is worst first thing in the morning, but gets better with gentle moving around -- just like stiff legs would be the day after some demanding event like a long walk.

Cryocuff, so good for the first days, now doesn't seem to have much effect.

Drug free during the day now, but will take paracetamol + Advil in the middle of the night if and when I wake, just to help getting back to sleep.

The oddest thing is standing; I find myself unconsciously adopting a kind of very slight crouch, the knees slightly forward. I have to think to move my knees backwards to the 'locked' position. Goodness knows why my body decided this way, but it did.

 

[ruppbike]

Sounds like it is getting time for the heat massage and gait training. At least that is how it was for me at the 3 to 4 week stage. everyone is different though.

 

[Tykey]

. I have to think to move my knees backwards to the 'locked' position. Goodness knows why my body decided this way, but it did.

That will correct itself as soon as you start going for proper walks without any aids. Just take proper strides with the heel hitting the floor first, then continue to make sure your knees straighten up properly. That's what I did, after a week the problem (which it isn't really) just disappeared.

Also if you are comfortable to sit with just your feet on a stool, that will help that last little bit of bend to feel easier.

Merry Xmas Roy, you've been a star since you joined

 

[Josephine]

amen to that, Tykey!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

. I have to think to move my knees backwards to the 'locked' position. Goodness knows why my body decided this way, but it did.

That will correct itself as soon as you start going for proper walks without any aids. Just take proper strides with the heel hitting the floor first, then continue to make sure your knees straighten up properly. That's what I did, after a week the problem (which it isn't really) just disappeared.

Thanks for that, I wasn't really sweating it but it's nice to know it's not a big deal

Also if you are comfortable to sit with just your feet on a stool, that will help that last little bit of bend to feel easier.

Yes, it's quite uncomfortable but seems to help as you say

Merry Xmas Roy, you've been a star since you joined

amen to that, Tykey!

Awwwwwww thank you and Merry Christmas to you too.

Bit of a salutary reminder today; went to lunch with my family, came home, sat down, slept for 2 hours. Still some way to go...:th_heehee:

 

[Josephine]

for sure! But you're doing all the right things. Getting all the notes in the right order :th_heehee:
(just been watching that Morecombe and Wise and Andre Previn sketch!)

​

 

[zjrog]

My (figurative) hat is off to you Roy... Seems like everything is going fine.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 2 day 21

Slight setback

My knees woke me this morning by hurting. This is a new trend, for the first while laying down was the best relief I got.

Knees not really swollen, but very stiff. Moving around helps, but still more painful than yesterday.

I wonder if wandering around the house a bit, going up and down stairs a couple of times rather than just once a day, actually constitutes too much? It's the only explanation I can think of.

Sounds like it is getting time for the heat massage and gait training. At least that is how it was for me at the 3 to 4 week stage. everyone is different though.

This reply when I first mentioned the stiffness thing as a one-off a couple of days ago. Sounds good to me, except I'm not sure I'm walking far enough for gait training!



BTW Happy St Stephen's Day to all.

 

[Josephine]

I know you know this but it bears repeating that recovery is never a straight line. It can take dips and curves from time to time for no apparent reason.

Are you doing too much - or too little? Only way to know this is to listen to your knee. It seems to be complaining about something. My bet is that it finally wants something more than paracetamol! You've got a junky knee! :wink1:

 

[referee54]

I call the recovery a "roller coaster" as it has its up and its downs. You will have some great days and great periods and then, for some reason known only to your knees, things will regress somewhat..

You are doing great---don't let these little regressions worry you; just keep looking forward and yo will reach your destination.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 3 day 23

Last evening the family (five of us) out for dinner, the furthest I've been from the house since The Day and walked about 100 yards from the car to the restaurant and back. About as uncomfortable as just before the operation, but less painful. No pain from extended sitting down! Fairly good Vietnamese.

Whether related to the little walk or not, it was stiffness which disturbed my sleep last night; lay still for too long and the legs stiffen up and are a bit painful to move. This is probably progress, as it's even more moving on from 'just' pain and swelling. That is, the stiffness is now the main thing to struggle against, not just one of several.

Time to do a little longer on the static bike, perhaps, to get the blood going. Maybe a visit to massage man soon, too.

 

[Celle]

Hi Roy,

You're doing just great. I had my operation 2 days after you and you are my inspiration! I read your entries every day.

Celle

 

[Deeden]

things change on a daily basis - 98% of the time, for the better.

:biggrin: 2%...


Hi Roy,

Remember this conversation? Recovery is a zig-zag path but you'll end up in the right place.

If you feel that you need more rest, then rest is definitely what you need. As everyone says, listen to your body.

The knee rules!

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Hi Roy,

You're doing just great. I had my operation 2 days after you and you are my inspiration! I read your entries every day.

Celle

Thank you. What I am deliberately trying to do is to track a normal (or as it's happily turned out so far, a better than normal) recovery. This is because many of the stories here are - understandably - about people who are having trouble, but who in fact are a minority of those who have knee surgery. It'd be nice to show a good/normal progress for the pre-op readers!

My surgeon Mr Ireland called around today to check on me. One thing he pointed out is that I am walking 'train-tracks', that is, feet moving forward parallel to each other as if each following its own track.

Normal people walk much more in a single line, swinging the feet inwards as each one comes forwards. Obvious -- well, it is now.

And he brought some pix. Scale in cm.