TKR Recovery Progress Stalled

[patriciad]

As long as it’s not painful and not affecting your bend I’d continue to just keep an eye on it and continue to massage the scar with a lotion you like. I used Vitamin E oil and gave the silicone patches a try this 2nd time around.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@patriciad , thank you for your reply, the scar is healing fine, it would be too late for the silicone patches at this stage, the lump is under the skin, the scar and skin move over it. It’s not causing any issue at the moment but if it continues to enlarge over time it will be a problem.

 

[Sara61]

At your next visit to your consultant I would mention it to him/her, it may be nothing but just for peace of mind no harm in doing so, at any rate keep an eye on it.
I use Bio Oil daily on both legs, not only does it deep hydrate them but the scars fade over time too.
Hopefully it will go away on its own accord xx

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 Will do, though the way things are here at the moment I wont see the OS till the summer. They are canceling the hospital clinics due to staff shortages. The next time we need to order from the pharmacy I will get some of the bio oil. I am using one the hospital recommended at the moment, should be running out in a little while.

 

[Sara61]

Do you have access to a online doctor, waiting till the summer is an awful long time, if you are anything like me I worry over nothing, whatever you do, don't brouse the Internet as it just scares you, hopefully it is nothing and will disappear on its own xxx

Today I was viewing my previous posts from my 2019 replacement, I seem to be at a fairly similar stage, although at 4 weeks I had already been to the mall shopping, although I did pay a price for it afterwards, I'm not sure if I am being overly cautious with this knee as I haven't ventured further than the PT sessions and doctors appointments, maybe after Wednesday consultation I will start venturing further even if its just a short walk to the promenade to see the sea, my husband will drive me as we live about 15 minutes away from the coast.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 no access to online doctors, will call my GP tomorrow, might be able to do a phone call visit. If I can arrange an actual visit with him I will, he is a superb doctor, he has caught problems both my husband and I have had before they became bigger issues. At the moment things are a little difficult due to covid both at GP and hospital, lower staff levels, no clinics etc. There is a strong possibility that it is adhesions that have built up- not going to panic, I will relax until I am able to act.
I am glad things are going your way with your knee but I am also glad you are being cautious, its a lot more difficult going out and about this year with Omicron. The sound of a walk to the beach is lovely, I love the tang of salt in the air- its so energising!
Take care xxx

 

[Sara61]

That sounds like a good plan.
I'm hoping to start my paint by numbers today even if I only manage a short while - I miss doing it.
Do you have a hobby ?

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

I used to knit ,free style crochet, paint, garden etc etc unfortunately I have arthritis in my hands and wrists along with carpal tunnel so pretty much had to stop all of it except for a little bit of gardening. I am hoping that once the knee learns to behave I can get back to the gardening, before the surgery if I needed to weed somewhere I would get a blanket out and pretty much throw myself down, lie on my side weeding or even on my tummy and figure out how to get back up later
I garden using native plants or plants and shrubs that provide food- at one time years ago I had over 50% of the garden in food crops, kept us going for fruit and veg for about 6 months of the year, potatoes, peas, carrots etc. I loved it, very therapeutic.

 

[Sara61]

Yes agree, I too garden but now leave all the heavy work to our gardener, he only comes just before we rent out the house so that it looks tidy.
After a disaster with kneeling on my other knee, I doubt I will ever attempt to kneel again, if anything is unreachable then it stays where it is until an able bodied person can retrieve even if I threw myself on the ground, I wouldn't ever be able yo get up again, last Summer I had to paint the low railings around our pool, I then had to bottom shuffle to the nearest step so that i could lift myself of the ground haha

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

Bottom shuffle- absolutely hit the nail on the head

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

I spent 2020 hiring a man to cut our lawn due to husbands heart issues and the fact our lawnmower was big and too heavy for me to use. 2021 I bought a cordless electric lawnmower so Darrell can use it easily, it’s light and very easy to operate- it cost less than what I had spent hiring a gardener the previous year. It gets him outside walking and the grass gets cut- a win win situation!
I am so looking forward to the summer, getting my hands dirty planting things- all of my tools are now the long handled ones and he bought me two planting tables which I can use sitting down if I want- they will be perfect for lettuce and tomatoes! Summer salads here I come
I haven’t dared to even try to kneel down yet- have to admit I don’t have the courage but I will try eventually

 

[Ghostpipe]

I have such a lump on one knee and not the other (had bilateral). It is on the knee where the quad tendon has taken 9 months to heal. It doesn’t seem to affect anything, and is no longer sore when pressed.

 

[Rubyroo]

I’m looking forward to being able to get back in the garden too!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Ghostpipe Thank you for your message- so long as it doesn’t get bigger or start to bother me then I am fine with it. I am only just over 3 months out since my TKR so I have plenty of time.

@Rubyroo There is something so relaxing in planting things and watching them grow - I started our garden or at least planted the bones of it 18 years ago- it was just .66 acres of bare scraped soil then, no wild life, not even daisies. Now we get masses of bird life, have hedgehogs having little hoglets in the wild area, pheasants living under the trees and we get to watch red squirrels and hares passing through. There are lots of daisies and primroses in the meadow in the spring.

 

[Sara61]

Hi and how is the knee & toe doing ?
I'm kinda getting cabin fever, longing for the days, I can take the car and escape, unfortunately terrain around my property is not crutch friendly so I'm limited to walking around my pool & garden, weather is wet & dismal so also not really safe underfoot either. Highlight of my week is my outing to see the consultant tomorrow hopefully I can get rid of the compression stockings. I didn't go to physio today as Carlos had his booster and has a sore arm so he's feeling sorry for himself so now tucked up in bed just about to watch Emily in Paris lol
Your garden sounds heavenly, mine is mainly boarder plants as we have most of the area towards the pool paved.

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Sara61 , Hello, I called my GP today like I had said I would- Covid is now in the Doctors practice, all doctors and staff barring one secretary out! She got the only doctor who can do a phone call to call me regarding increasing the Gabapentin( nerve pain returning) of course this is a doctor who has never seen me, in fact I don’t think he has ever actually been in the practice. He is increasing the dosage by one tablet but if my knee doesn’t settle down I am to call again in 2 or 3 days and he will agree to increase the dosage by one more tablet….he didn’t sound too well on the phone either, he was coughing badly. I didn’t even bring up about the lump once I heard they had basically locked down the surgery. The health board here have asked all hospitals to cancel any clinics or non critical admissions, they want all nursing staff being used for essential emergency services and Covid admissions for the next two weeks, we should hit the peak at that stage.
I am excited for you going to see your OS, I understand about wanting to see the end of the compression stockings, for you. It will be good to get an assessment from your OS regarding how everything is progressing.
I don’t walk outside, I have worn a figure 8 path from the dining table and looping around the sitting room chairs- it’s too uneven and damp outside to walk and since the nerve pain decided to remind me it’s there the last couple of days I have used a crutch walking. Once the weather dries up I am looking forward to getting outdoors as are my followers- when I walk I have a 4 legged parade follow me , at least 2 of the fur babies must walk behind me at all times, they only follow , they don’t dance around in front thank god!
I have to admit I would certainly sacrifice some of my garden for a pool if we got the kind of weather you get- must be fantastic exercise when things warm up.
Wishing you a good trip tomorrow!

 

[benne68]

That sounds like a really fun parade!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@benne68 yes it can be fun, the other two fur babies have more sense and stay on their comfy chairs.

 

[Rubyroo]

In my garden I have mostly perennials, some herbs & a few annuals & far too many weeds! In the springtime when things start coming back up & I recognize a particular plant- I’m so excited to see my little plant friend again!

 

[DEL2022Jan-23]

@Rubyroo How beautiful, so much colour! I understand completely what you are saying, just seeing the small fresh shoots breaking ground means spring has sprung! For me its the snowdrops that are the first ones.