Bilateral TKR Recovery Diary

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 4 day 29

Another minor milestone. This morning it was not my knees hurting that woke me up, neither was shifting position in bed painful.

Next step is to be able to sleep through, without waking in the middle of the night & taking paracetamol and a 'drowsy' pill.

 

[Josephine]

:th_heehee: Well, when we get a good'n, Roy, I like to crow about it a bit! And you've made such good progress, it couldn't all be upwards and onwards, now could it?

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 4 day 30

... it couldn't all be upwards and onwards, now could it?

So, yesterday I awoke with no stiffness or pain, so decided to extend things just the tiniest bit.

Went to the supermarket. 0.6 miles in an auto-box car with power brakes - no problem. 10-15 minutes for some essential items, home.

Shattered for the rest of the day, back to legs aching and stiff first thing in the morning this morning and having to take paracetamol + a drowsy pill at 3am :DOH:

Oh well. More telly it is then...

 

[Tykey]

It's all a question of balance, isn't it. We have to balance the discomfort with the pleasure of living life a little bit more. In the long run, these shopping trips are good for you, as long as you don't overdo it. It won't be doing you any harm, it's a barrier we have to get over, remember if you had been laying in bed watching Jeremy Kyle for a month, even without two new knees, you would still feel sore and tired.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 4 day 30

Physiotherapy

1st appointment today. The best bit was the young woman examining my knees & feeling around the tissues, that didn't hurt even when it did. ROM is 115 and 120 without any pushing, and there wasn't a hint that she wanted me to go into the pain zone, v.good. She kept assuring me that I'm the best recovery she's seen in the 8 years she's been working there, but I dunno if she was winding me up or not.

Did some exercises; step ups (pretty easy), sliding the back up down a wall to strengthen the quads (but that hurt my knees so I quit that one right away), and 5 mins on a stationary bike.

At the end she said there's no real point in coming back, just carry on. Good news really.

 

[Josephine]

dunno if she was winding me up or not.

I can totally promise you she was not! :wink1:

 

[kneeper]

Another excellent report, Roy.

 

[referee54]

Another great report!

 

[ruppbike]

Way to go Roy. Keep up the good work.

 

[sheryl7]

Good for you Roy, I hope when I have mine eventually, it will go as smoothly as yours, tho i don't think i will have a bilateral, have to have that somewhat good leg to fall back on. Thank you you for providing you daily diary for us to see and learn from, it means alot to us.:cat-kittyandsmiley:

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 4 day 31

Good for you Roy, I hope when I have mine eventually, it will go as smoothly as yours...

No reason why it shouldn't I guess. I am so pleased with my choice of surgeon, I'm now more than ever convinced that's the key, then being World's Laziest Bas(ahem) Person thereafter.

..., tho i don't think i will have a bilateral, have to have that somewhat good leg to fall back on.

I think that's the brave option, because you are prepared to go through it all twice, and have twice the recovery time.

Thank you you for providing you daily diary for us to see and learn from, it means alot to us.:cat-kittyandsmiley:

Well I'm soon expecting to go to less often as recovery slows or plateaus.

Today I pumped up the tyres on my static trainer, so that there was the tiniest modicum of resistance. Right knee turned smoothly enough, but the left kneecap 'clicked' each rev, and some tendons (or whatever) behind the knee were ticking backwards and forwards, as if moving backwards and forwards over a small lump or bump. Not painful but unpleasant. Gave it up after a few seconds, knees too tight still.

 

[srn]

I know what you mean about that 'ticking' feeling. My knee used to feel like rusty cog and I could feel every little degree of movement. I felt that it squeaked with every little bend. It soon goes though, with a bit of use. Not a very nice feeling though.

 

[zjrog]

Hey Roy, its really FUN being one of the "oddballs".

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Hey Roy, its really FUN being one of the "oddballs".

are you suggesting that I am one or that I should become one? I must say I don't feel odd, so you must mean the latter; OK, what do I have to do?

Week 4 day 33

Good night's sleep last night (usual wake up once, but soon back to sleep again) and a slight easing in that 'tightness' we all know about.

Fatigue continues; cut up my Christmas tree and dragged the bits to the front of the house for waste collection. About 20 minutes work, absolutely cream crackered afterwards, had to watch telly for several hours.

 

[Josephine]

"cream crackered" Oh that's the first time I've seen that on here! :hysterical:

 

[zjrog]

By oddball, Roy, I simply mean one of the good ones. I have a bit more fun with it than others I imagine. For example, I was sitting at PT with heat on my neck yesterday. A visiting therapist was very surprised that I had my left leg ankle on my right thigh. Thats the replaced knee, the left one. Its fun being the "odd" one...

are you suggesting that I am one or that I should become one? I must say I don't feel odd, so you must mean the latter; OK, what do I have to do?

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 4 day 35

For the first time woke in the middle of the night but did not need to take pills to go back to sleep. Could now, maybe, be drug free. Roll on the day.

 

[bottomshollow]

:wow2: I sure hope this lasts for you! This is my biggest issue starting my 11th week out from BTKR. I can get through the day with just otc drugs three times a day, but cannot get through the night without taking at least one percoset.:hissyfit:

You are doing remarkably well so early out and have such a great attitude. And I really enjoy your posts. Judy

 

[Celle]

Hi Roy,

I'm still 2 days behind you.

My first physio appointment will be on Friday. I'm not expecting to do as well as you, but I am pretty pleased with my progress - 90+ degrees (improving daily) and full extension.

I'm only using one crutch now and may consider starting to use a stick around the house.

Best wishes,

Celle

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Week 5 day 36

Big day yesterday. As a guest of an invitee got to go to a '200 days til Olympics' event at the top of the BT Tower.

Taxi to Woodford tube; tube ride to Tottenham Court Road (hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be to get out of my seat!); steps and escalators up; black cab from TCR to the tower; 45 minutes standing drinking champagne (tough work but has to be done); dinner; home by car (thank goodness).

I expected to wreck myself. In fact the standing was remarkably easy - no arthritis pain! The general exertion has left my knees a bit stiffer today than yesterday, but no real pain. And no pain pills needed last night. A right result I reckon!

Celebrity name dropping challenge of the day: I met a VERY famous Olympian. I can confirm that (a) the very flash car is gone (b) the roomful of reporters challenge is a true story. Who was it?