TKR Recovery Progress Stalled

[Sara61]

Just wondering how your Toe & knee are?
Hope you are doing ok xxx

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 the toe is less swollen , so long as I don’t put on shoes- it’s not happy being squeezed!
The knee is progressing slowly, doing 20 min walks( really slowly since I broke my toe) 7 minutes on the pedal exerciser ( you should see how carefully I put my foot on the pedal - it’s like I am handling a bomb) 30 mins of electrical muscle stimulation on the quads, usual activities of daily living and the standard stretching exercises.
Had a spectacular 40 minute session of zinger attacks today, just as I was relaxing it would zing again. Just when you think all that has settled down it rears it’s ugly head once more. The weather here has been seriously wet and windy so my joints are more swollen, it will settle down once the weather improve.
I intend to cut back on the painkillers over the next few days, start with reducing the daytime doses and then the nighttime ones, fingers crossed it will go smoothly. I did this at the 4 week stage easily before I had my setback, hopefully it will go just as well now. I am told to keep up with the Gabapentin at the same level as the nerves are still letting me know they can make me fall any time they like- one good zap and they would have me buckling.
How are you doing? Are the pain levels reducing and sleep improving yet?

 

[Sara61]

Oh dear, poor you, and its a bit cold to wear open toed sandals, do you have some nice softy socks, you could cut a hole where the toe goes and that way it wouldn't pull against the toe, but keeping the rest of your feet warm.
My compression stockings have the toes open ( the reason for this is so that we can wear flip Flops in the summer)
Zingers- got that to look forward too remember them well haha, don't half take ones breath away, hopefully they are short lived for you xx
Only cut back on pain meds when you notice that you can go longer in between taking them. Too soon and you will set yourself back.

I'm doing ok, had a rough couple of days, today the doctor & I decided to give Tramadol another go in a lesser dosage, plus adding a new tummy protector pill, as the amount of pain I've been in is counterproductive, all I was thinking about was pain and nothing else, it was mind consuming, I saw the PT guy and both agreed that no further 20 minutes bicycle sessions were needed, today I just had a gentle massage and a 5 minutes on the peddler, both are happy with my knee, but both agree the pain is holding me back, so tonight 30 minutes prior to sleeping I'll take 1 pill. (Fingers & toes crossed)

Wishing you & your Husband a Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise with good health, Happiness & lots of love in 2022 xx

 

[Rubyroo]

Glad to hear you are coming along. Your comment about gingerly putting your foot on the bike pedal was like handling a bomb due to your boo boo toe made me chuckle. Those zingers are a beast!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 - I love it- you actually did Happy New Year in Irish- go raibh mile maith agat, a million thanks to you!
Feliz Ano Novo

Yes I have big thick socks on, it’s the only way and they are nonslip too - cause knowing me I could end up doing the splits unintentionally
I will be careful not to rush cutting back on the drugs- do it too soon and you end up feeling worse.
I am glad you are adjusting your pain medication, this knee is completely unique and won’t follow the same pattern you did with your other one, so just because you took xyz meds at such and such a time before or did xyz exercise before doesn’t mean it will happen the same way now. I am glad you are taking the tummy protector with the lowered dosage of Tramadol- it can do a number on your tummy. Before having my knee operation I was taking a tablet for my arthritis called Ixprim which is a combined Tramadol and paracetamol tablet , it is a low dose of Tramadol and I will probably be back on that once I am clear of the OxyContin, dosage was only 1 tablet three times a day- I found it great to control arthritis pain and just because my knee has been replaced I will still need pain meds for the rest of me! I am not sure if it’s available in Portugal but my rheumatologist was very pleased with its results for me.
Glad you had a chat with your PT and had such a gentle session- a massage, ooh that does sound nice! I hope you sleep well tonight, codladh samh leat( restful sleep to you) or Durma Bem!
I am enjoying double checking my Portuguese, I did a course years ago but would be pretty without google

 

[Susie-Q]

Just had a dog prove he is smarter than me- he likes my recliner and sits in it when he gets the chance, he made a big song and dance about needing to go outside so I went to the door and as soon as I got there he turned around and ran to steal my chair, he then puts his head down and pretends he is asleep!

My dog does something like this too. She goes to the door and acts like she needs to go out so I lower my foot recliner on the couch and get up. Turns out she doesn't want to go outside, she just wants me to put my foot thing down so she can sit at my feet!!!

@Sara61 , where do you stay when you are letting your house?

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Susie-Q It is amazing what our dogs can do and cats for that matter- we had one that brought a starving kitten to our door, dropped it there, looked at us as if to say “it’s your problem now” and went back to his normal lazy life. I wouldn’t be without any of the animals,the love they give us is unconditional.
I hope you get good results regarding Covid, stay and take care of yourself and family this coming year.

 

[2chains]

I love the stories about the pets and surgical recovery! Definitely creatures determined to make you smile.

My one cat has a very keen sense and is regularly sitting on my left knee like she is trying to heal it in the run up to my surgery! This cat has never been one to sit on people so it's intriguing to see it play out.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@2chains Animals can surprise us with the care they show to us particularly while we have illness or after surgery. My dogs are extremely careful with my operated knee, they gently sniff or lick it. The lunatic bouncing around happens on the other side of the me but they do keep it to that side. The cats I have are independent outdoor cats and they deign to let me pet them on their terms , royalty all of them .
Having animals in your life have great health benefits for us, walking the dog gets your heart pumping and stroking or petting an animal has been shown to lower your blood pressure!
Wishing you a very successful surgery and a healthy and happy recovery for the New Year!
Give your cat an extra pet from me

 

[Sara61]

Bom Dia from a finally Sunny Portugal.
Totally agree with you regarding the benefits of owning a cat or dog. I've always had dogs in my life, my earlier memory was a daschund called Kelly, she was a long haired, since then we have had many different breeds and many rescues too, 5 years ago when my daughter first moved to London my husband surprised me with Mali a black & tan daschund, she has been a joy and a faithful companion ever since, earlier this year we had to lay our Brittany Spaniel to rest, he had, had a good 16 years with us ( he was gifted to our daughter when he was just 6 weeks old by a school friend whom dad was a hunter) we still miss him - Mali especially as she grew up with him. I would love another dog but life is so much easier just having the one, especially as we move around quite frequently.

@Susie-Q Many years ago we invested in a few properties with the idea that in the Summer months when it was just the 2 of us we could let out our home with swimming pool in the Algarve, the rental allows me not have to go to work, giving us freedom to travel. Initially it was hard moving out, fortunately we have a granny flat below where we leave all our personal things, We do all the arrivals ourselves and it gives me pleasure when people love our home, we have been fortunate to have welcomed many lovely people from all Nationalities.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 Boa Tarde! I have been around dogs since I was born, my mother had a French poodle called Susie who decided that I was hers and she would only let my parents be near me- anyone else had to keep their distance!
Stay well and safe my friend

 

[Jaycey]

Don't forget to stop by our virtual New Years party in the Social Room!

 

[Sara61]

What are your plans this evening for the New Year, how is your tootsie doing ? Xx

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61…… what happens when you are doing your usual 20 minute walk around the table and the sitting room and your husband decides that is the perfect moment to step in your way???
You scream and grab the table before you fall, after you have hit your toe on the chair leg trying to get out of his way -the same chair leg- the same toe!
Luckily the toe was bound to the one beside it tightly enough not to crumple or bend wrong so I don’t need to go to hospital just had to double check it for cuts and rewrap it to the other toe, not quite as tightly due to the extra swelling.
Right back at the start all over again with healing it, it swelled up beautifully, turning a lovely shade of lilac so far. I’m now wearing a non slip sock plus one of his nonslip socks to add padding AND how’s your day going so far?
My only plans are elevate, swear, ice ,swear and repeat for tonight, definitely won’t be cutting back on pain relief the next day or so-
Honest to god I think I am only on this planet for comic relief- you couldn’t make this stuff up !
It is funny though….

 

[Sara61]

Oh goodness, hopefully 2022 is an accident free Year for you, funnily I though you were unusually quiet today so wondered if something had happened, you can always guarantee the harder you try to protect something you can be certain it always gets in harms way- thank goodness no visit to the hospital, plenty of Ice on it tonight.
Whilst check in with the BoneSmart New Year Celebrations..
Sending extra healing hugs for your toe xx

 

[djklaugh]

Yikes ouch! Again ... that is so not what you need! Maybe you need an "out of my way" bell or horn of some kind to warn hubbie and anyone else to give you space to move.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 ,@djklaugh, a bell would be a good idea, though I did have my 90s hits playing out loud as I always do when doing my walk!
He just zigged when he should have zagged and he is over 6ft tall and broad shouldered so kind of hard to avoid if he gets in your way.
2022 will be a better year- it has to be after the last couple of years! We deserve it!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

Now a question for everyone- I have found a large hard lump under my scar between my quad and the top of the patella. It is sore to the touch, like a deep muscular type of pain. It has been there a while but was quite small at the beginning. It doesn’t affect the movement of the knee but it is very noticeable while trying to increase my knee bend - I don’t have chairs that you can bend the knee back under, they all have bars across under the seat area. When trying to bend the knee I sit forward to the edge of the chair, brace myself with my other leg and then push the operated leg back while adding additional pressure using my hands , I do not go to the point of pain while doing this, just enough to get a good stretch. I can’t seem to find any information on this particular type of lump.
Any information would be much appreciated.

 

[Jockette]

I had a similar “lump” in that area for quite a while and it went away eventually, all by itself.

I really don’t see any need to add additional pressure like this, your bend will improve as you heal, whether you do this exercise or not.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@ Jockette Due to my size (obese) it needs that little push to go as far as I know it can- it isn’t swelling that gets me, unfortunately it’s just me, getting in my own way. Being also short means that I can’t sit as forward as I should to give myself plenty of room to bend, if I went any further forward I would fall off the chair.
Thank you for reassuring me that you had something similar and it went away-I do appreciate it. I have tried massaging it gently to see if that made any difference but there was no change.