TKR Released!

[daughter stalker]

I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. Well...I kind of over did it yesterday. I am doing okay otherwise. Thanks for asking.

 

[50yrold]

I just read about your pool incident, ds. Oops! I cant wait to be able to get wet again. But i still have scab over my scar, so my doc says no. Its ashame, as we are camping this weekend at a really nice lake with a bunch of friends from church. I wont be able to get off the boat. I have also developed a daily bath/soak routine over the last 5 yrs that I miss, but that should probably go away anyway as it takes over 45 min of my morning. I do love to swim, though, and cant wait to get back in the pool.

Wow. Today is three weeks since the surgery. So much has happened. I feel great about the progress. I am now doing stability and gait exercises in addition to the stretches and such. My knee is starting to look the shape of a knee, and the swelling keeps going down. Luckily, I am used to the loss of surface sensation from my original ER surgery 26 yrs ago, at which time I lost nearly all surface feeling from knee to ankle, and most has stayed away. The additional knee numbness over the kneecap is really not much compared to that. The biggest hurdle is feeling like I dont know where my kneecap is, but that gets better as the swelling reduces.

I am very thankful for the PT group I go to, and the fine work they are doing. Its really a first class outfit.

I keep hearing the real benefit is first realized at 6 to 8 weeks. I can see it coming, and look forward to it. I feel like I am halfway there!

Good luck to all! Keepmdoing that PT!

 

[Ready]

Great post! You sure sound good! Even if you can't get off the boat, the fellowship of the camping trip will do wonders. I do envy you getting away. We cancelled our annual family camping/hiking trip due to my surgery. Next year! I am at 6 weeks now, and yes! it seems I have turned a corner and there are way, way more good days than bad. PT dismissed me, so I work out at home now and am determined to start the school year at full time. Have a good day!

 

[daughter stalker]

Sounds like you are doing great, 50yrold. Keep up the good work and please be careful not to over do it on your camping trip. Stay safe!

 

[50yrold]

Thanks, Ready and DS! My kids are really looking forward to this trip. We've been doing it for over ten yrs with the same folks, and have had to miss the last two years. My wife and I enjoy it too, and now that my kids are teens and I can milk the lame leg for the weekend, they can do most of the work!

Had a fitful night last night, but I have a theory. I've been weaning off the percocet to just naproxen, and I have no trouble during the day; I might have to take one or two percocet for break-through pain. But, twice this week, I've had significant pain throughout the night. What's more, I can't really tell if its coming from the bones or the muscles. I think I've figured that the common denominator is that I had a diet coke (okay...with a splash of bourbon) on those two nights before retiring. I think its the diet coke! Maybe the bourbon has something to do with it, but I'll try eliminating the coke first and see what happens. I also didn't have my daily tall glass of whole milk with Ovaltine on those two days, so that probably also added to it. I am not a whole milk, or a big milk drinker normally, but I'm trying to increase my Vit D and calcium intake whereever I can.

Have a great day, all!

 

[My way]

Good morning, 50yrold I think you can safely bet the pain is caused by the surgery. We are only three weeks out and I still have pain. It's not as severe and there are times I have no discomfort at all. This morning I only had stiffness when I got up but after dressing, puttering around the house and doing some exercises I had to take 2 Tramacet. We're stuck with this for a while yet I'm afraid but it is getting better. I'm getting impatient but, I have to remember what they did to my two knees. The pain will increase after too much activity and this helps keep me grounded to reality. There will be days when you won't need to take as many meds and then there will be days.........

Your July 2 buddy
Wanda

 

[50yrold]

Thanks, Wanda! You are correct. I had to get some appts out of the way this a.m. (dentist and then lawyer), and did my PT after lunch. After that, I iced and elevated, and slept for an hour. When I woke, I had pain, and realized I had gone 12 hrs without a pain med, which is a current record. I've been taking 4-6 percocets per day, mostly at night. This week, I've gone to Naproxen at breakfast and dinner, and using the Percocet for breakthrough pain. I like getting away from the narcotics, which is one of the primary reasons I had my surgery - to be free from pain, and pain meds.

Incidentally, the dentist cautioned me against getting my teeth cleaned until I was 12 weeks out, and then only after prophylactic antibiotics. I had asked my OS, who wasn't concerned, but capitulated to the dentist in an abundance of caution.

 

[daughter stalker]

Hey 50yrold,

Are you trying to out do me again? Be careful with the pain. You have a big trip ahead of you this weekend and you will want to feel good for the trip. I know you can milk the lame leg, but you won't be milking it if it is for real. Listen to your July buddy. From the person who is just as bad as you when it comes to listening.

Have a great evening and take your meds to get some rest tonight.

 

[50yrold]

Made it through the weekend! The water was calling me, but I didn' respond. I stayed on the boat and laid in the sun, listening to the radio. Camp sleeping was camp sleeping...waking every hour, and taking several hours to fall asleep. I got 4 to 6 hrs per night total. I'll likely sleep today. I didn't keep my leg elevated, and paid in the for form of edema of the foot and ankle. I elevated on the ride home yesterday, and went to bed early last night and it looks somewhat better this a.m.

Glad we went, mostly for the kids sake. I don't have my PT until tomorrow, so there's time to rest, ice, and elevate today.

Hope everyone else enjoyed their weekend too!

 

[daughter stalker]

Hi 50yrold,

I'm glad to hear that you had a good time and were able to get out and be with your family. Shame on you for not elevating while you were gone! I am glad that you know to rest, ice and elevate today. Keep us in the loop. Take care today and rest!

 

[Ready]

Glad you returned without too much damage. Isn't it amazing how much we do for the kids' sake yet it can still bring us such joy. Hopefully, they had a great time, made some memories, and will pay forward to future generations. Now, listen to your knee and rest a bit.

 

[My way]

I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend. Too bad you couldn't get in the water. All my scabs are gone and my incision is completely healed. You shouldn't be too far behind. Hopefully you'll be able to swim on your next camping trip.
How did you feel today? I hope you followed your own advice and took it easy.
Wanda

 

[50yrold]

I did take it easy on Monday, and worked yesterday, then PT, which beat me upma bit. Bed at 7:30 and slept for ten hrs and now feel a bit "caught up". Today is an office day and i need to get my CEs done for my job, so I will have it iced and elevated quite a bit. The edema is already a lot better.

I realized yesterday that I had put all the camping gear away and straightened the garage when I got home. I dont recall the last time that happened. With all the picking up, bending, twisting, etc., I would always get a little done, and get frustrated, stop tomrest, have a beer, and then the gear would sit and clog upmthe garage for a week. This is nothing short of a miracle, folks. My knee didnt wear out!

Hope all are doing well on the healong path!

 

[Becca]

Yea, 50yrold! It sounds like you have had a great weekend and have learned to manage your pain/swelling so that you don't end up derailing yourself. I am a bit envious of your camping trip; school is starting back and my vacation has been my knee (really unfair for my husband! ) There is a fine line between doing things, including PT while trying to build up your resistance and endurance, and overdoing it. Sometimes, I get it wrong but most of the time I manage. Don't work too hard this week!

Becca

 

[50yrold]

Me too, Becca; the fine line is easy to cross. Fortunately, time and rest can assuage the taxes of overdoing it. This is also our summer vacation; hence, the weekend campout. Plus, it is an annual trip with friends from church that we've done for 10 yrs, (but missed the last couple), so I knew there'd be plenty of help. I had to get on my wife for over-discussing my knee and her concerns for it. I am ready to be done with the fuss, and be normal.

I should note, however that we are going to NYC over Thanksgiving week, mostly to see my son march in the Macy's Parade with his school band. I guess that's a vacation too. I partly planned my July surgery date around that.

 

[Becca]

50yrold

I had to get on my wife for over-discussing my knee and her concerns for it. I am ready to be done with the fuss, and be normal.

Ha ha! I understand completely! Every time my husband gets on the phone, I hear a meticulous recounting of my recovery with all its highs and lows.

I have always wanted to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade! That is a wonderful plan and seems very reasonably in the future. What fun! I'll bet your son is so excited and you and your wife so proud!


I should note, however that we are going to NYC over Thanksgiving week, mostly to see my son march in the Macy's Parade with his school band. I guess that's a vacation too. I partly planned my July surgery date around that.

Becca

 

[50yrold]

Thanks, Becca. The trip should be fun, especially as much as its gonna cost.

Today is the first day I've foregone pain meds! I can't remember what time I may have taken one during the night, but I'm pretty sure it was before midnight. I haven't taken a narcotic med since, just the naproxen and aspirin. And, I havent felt like I've needed one. I didn't really test it today, only doing a couple stretches. I iced and elevated better than over the last week. Maybe PT is starting to grind on me a bit, or maybe I am able to resume some activities like work and cooking, etc., so I'm not as interested. I need to get my head back in the game, I guess.

Anyway, I'm tired and going to bed, and will try to get through without pain meds, unless needed!

 

[daughter stalker]

Hey 50,

You sound like you have it all together! Good for you weaning off the narcotics. You are even getting sleep! I am envious of you being able to sleep, but happy for you!!!

Macy's parade is a wonderful experience. My high school band marched in it November 1978, my senior year. I ended up being the manager for the dance team as I had just had my first knee surgery in May of that year and couldn't march. I had a blast on that trip! It is a trip of a lifetime! You and your family will enjoy it. Your son will also have wonderful memories from the trip. The balloons are absolutely huge. They are overwhelmingly awesome! The whole experience is awesome. I will never forget my Macy's trip. Being from Birmingham, Alabama we had a little trouble with it being quite cold. We even were able to see snow flurries. All those New Yorkers thought us southerners with our southern drawl were crazy getting excited about snow flurries. I laugh about it now, but it was cool!

I hope you sleep well!

 

[50yrold]

Thanks, Maria. I just read your post on your thread, and admire your ability to get off the narcotics, even though it looks like you had no choice with the BP issue. I also had to chuckle with your preop vision of recovery. It mirrors mine exactly. Just a couple weeks of vacation, right? ;)

Well, I didn't make it long without meds after my post. I slept for an hour, and woke in an aching pain that had me tossing and turning and unable to sleep. So...I took a pain killer (Percocet 5, acetominaphen 325) and fell asleep, until 4:30, at which time I woke up in the same pain, and took another pill. BUT...if I can stick to that for the week, I will call it a win. I am 4 weeks, 2 days beyond my surgery, and consider my progress stellar, based on PT and OS feedback to date, as well as in comparison to others on this site. But, I need to get back in the game on making my PT a regular, daily habit. And why not? It's had some great effects. Ive lost 6 lbs, and my core is starting to see some good and long-needed toning.

So...in light of our shared preop expectations, as well as my camping goal being met, and in the interest of keeping the good progress going, I am re-dedicating myself to daily PT each morning as of today. I have to just make that time, and balance all other parts of life so I don't overdo it. That's the unforeseen threat to me; the activities of the day returning. My wife is loving me back in the kitchen, and she deserves that. My colleagues and clients are glad I'm back at work, but I have to remain mindful that I'm still in recovery here, and will be for some time. I'm taking my son and friends to an amusement park this weekend, and will stay at the hotel, leg propped/iced, working, hopefully poolside, while they do the park.

Sorry for the long-wind. Glad your progressing well!

Anyone seen Ready lately? I hope her and her family are doing okay!

 

[daughter stalker]

Good morning 50,

Sorry to hear that pain has returned. If you need the pain medication, take it! I just had issues with it and couldn't take it anymore. Keep doing the PT. I haven't stopped PT. I wish I could lose weight.

I have to just make that time, and balance all other parts of life so I don't overdo it. That's the unforeseen threat to me; the activities of the day returning.

This is what I worry about. I do PT daily and will continue when I return to work on Monday. I am only going back for 5 hours leaving me time to do PT every afternoon. We will see how things go. I am not absolutely sure things will go my way, but I am willing to try.

Have a wonderful day and remember to ice and elevate after you complete your PT.

P.S. I haven't seen Ready either. I hope she is okay.
Take care