Hinged Joint Revision Complete, recovery continues

[Pumpkin]

@kneesrus ,
I have some pain during the day, not much really, mostly that rubberband feeling. It is at night when it starts to hurt. The more active I have been, the more pain. Ruined last nights sleep as a matter of fact, and I am playing catch up today. Just glad I did not have to go into work. Labs are negative for infection, bone scan showed tons of inflammation.
I can make it wiggle and click if I do quick hip IR/ER with my legs straight.
I have revised my exercise program to avoid repeated knee flexion/extension, seems to help keep it settled down.
Thanks for checking in on me!

 

[Celle]

Hi @Pumpkin

I'm just chipping in to wish you well for your revision in April.

I was quite scared before my revision, but I was surprised how well it went. I hope the same is true for you.

 

[kneesrus]

Pumpkin, do you and your medical people feel it is loose? I can wiggle my knees and they click and clack. I am interested in your case because I always want to learn more about TKRs and the abnormal issues that can arise. It is easy to work with patients that come off the operating table and rock on. It is tough to be in a situation of "what to do, when you don't know what to do."
I wish you well with your decision, and will learn with you.
David

 

[Pumpkin]

All 4 revisionists I saw in the last 18 months thought the replacement was loose, the first three said it seemed to be in acceptable limits. The most recent revisionist in January thought this looseness was causing my pain.
Yesterday I did very little, but I did make my knee click and clack. I was up with a painful knee last night, avoided making it click and clack today and my knee feels better, even though I was more active.
You may want to read Jamie's post #242, about a slight imbalance causing problems, in some painful TKR's.
Thanks for your interest,

 

[Pumpkin]

Just frustrated by all the stuff I have to do before I can leave the house.
I have a stye going on 6 weeks, hot packs 4x a day 10 minutes, sitz bath for fizzures in the netherlands 30 minutes 2x a day, exercises that do not flare my knee up 1x a day 20 - 30 minutes. 2hrs on Pool days. Now my long standing dental problems with bite have flared up, been in for one adjustment, now going in for another today. I do not get head aches I get neck and shoulder pain, why to they only ask about headaches?
My shoes have broken down, and my left heel is sliding in them, not good for the TKR knee, or the way my teeth bite together. I purchased a replacement pair of shoes same size and width, except they are 1/4 inch narrower, ouch.
I kinda feel like I am stepping through a mine field of minor health problems every day, trying to be sure one does not impact another one, for those who sew, like threading a needle without our reading glasses. Argh.
Ok now I feel better, thanks for letting me vent!

 

[busylizzie]

Hi Pumpkin, I know exactly how you feel. I have the same problems with shoes. Hope your other problems improve soon. Sometimes a vent helps.

 

[maryo52]

I kinda feel like I am stepping through a mine field of minor health problems every day, trying to be sure one does not impact another one, for those who sew, like threading a needle without our reading glasses.

Well this is just the way it seems to go. Looking back, I've decided I must've broken a mirror or walked under a ladder and incurred 7 years of bad luck because I had 6 years of bad luck, which included a TKR with poor recovery, withdrawal from benzodiazepines (horrible and lengthy!), care of end-of-life mom, and a few minor health problems. Many many times when I wondered if it would ever stop, and held lots of pity parties. You know, there's nothing wrong with a pity party. Have a pity party with ice cream because, as someone else wrote on the forum somewhere today, ice cream is good for knees!

 

[Pumpkin]

ice cream is good for knees!

Thanks @maryo52 and @busylizzie, feeling better after the vent and the pity party. If only I had some Ice Cream for my knee .

 

[tashia]

I know after you have this done you will be so much happier. I know its hard but sometimes that is the way it goes. I glad that relief is coming and then be able to maybe ski? You can dream and it can become true. Take care . Tashia

 

[spinfanatic]

Hi Punpkin. Countdown to tax day. You go ahead and vent. But I must say revision is a funny thing that once it's done you feel so good! Moving forward after months of frustration is very uplifting even if you are in fact only back to square one. Thinking of you. Happy Valentines Day!

 

[DogLoverx3]

((Hugs)) hope you're feeling better about, well, everything today!

 

[Pumpkin]

Getting my bite sorted out has helped , whew, it was exhausting, all the referred pain is gone.
We are going to Mom's for Valentines day and I did not want to miss it, she is 90 and counting.
Thanks for the encouragement, moving ahead with this is intimidating. I keep thinking "oh it will get better", who am I kidding.
@tashia, very hopeful I can ski after this. Just to be out with the wide clear vistas on a bluebird day is enough for me.

 

[patient 99]

Chris, started to read your thread from the beginning. I hadn't realised you were a physio therapist. I wouldn't have said so many negative things about PTs had I known You didn't get defensive which speaks volumes. You have been through a lot - and it continues. I would be most grateful for any other tips/advice you can pass on to me while I wait for my PT appts (it will probably take about 6 weeks). Carol

 

[Pumpkin]

@patient 99. Just do the post op exercises in the bonesmart library. They will get you to physio, and are gentle enough to keep from irritating your knee.
Ligament testing should be no problem, I heard lots of noise, but no pain.

 

[RunA42K]

Hi Chris, sorry I've not checked in with you for a bit. Since I've been working again and going to Physical Therapy 3 days a week, so my time runs short. I am sorry to read of your recent problems but all that too shall pass. Just reading about the pity party part made me remember that I have some Dryers ice cream in the freezer and I think that I am going to go get some now...I hope that the time goes quickly until you can have your revision because it is the first step to getting your life back! So you are a Physical Therapist? So cool!! Do you treat yourself or do you go to Physical Therapy?

 

[Pumpkin]

Hi Bonnie, @RunA42K
Thanks for checking in, things are resolving, thank goodness.
I do both, mostly treat myself, see PT for things I can't do. I also have a wonderful massage therapist I see monthly.
I take great encouragement in your recovery, and follow your progress closely. Glad to see you back at work, and comfortable, not struggling.

 

[Pumpkin]

Continue to be frustrated by all these little health challenges, the stye in my eye is insisting on staying in-spite of my best efforts, and I am concerned it will lead to cancellation of my revision. My dental problems continue with me performing oral gymnastics at night to grind my teeth, through the splint, and with the tongue stabilization device I wear when not using the splint. I managed in my sleep to take my tongue out of the stabilizing device, and grind my teeth, all the while keeping the device in my mouth. I also use nasal pillows for sleep apnea, ordered a new style nasal pillow today that has half the weight, hope it helps.
The TKR knee stays the same, I have reduced and modified my activities to reduce knee irritation, and night time pain to tolerable.
Added up all the time I need to spend every day to follow doctors orders, it came to 3 hours, Yikes, that is a part time job.
This is all stress related, so have called to make an appointment with a counselor I have seen in the past.
Enough whining, thanks for listening .

 

[patient 99]

This is all stress related,

When you say the stye, dental issues, sleep apnea are all stress related, what is causing the stress? My first guess would be your knee revision, but sometimes the obvious isn't always correct. What kind of counsellor are you going to see - I mean what area does he/she specialise in. You always sound cheerful in your messaging - is this how you feel or is it your public face? Carol

 

[spinfanatic]

You vent away Chris! You have been a support to so many of us and we all owe you a big thank you and hug! I can tell you firsthand that the days leading up to my revision really played with my head. From family to new doc protocols to the rest of my bodily woes I could have found so many reasons to postpone revision. My husband said in our 30 years I've never been so uptight. But glad I got myself to the table and a bit surprised I did looking back. Today is day 21 post revision for me! Sorry about the stye, apnea and mouth issues. April15th is plenty of time hopefully to figure these issues out. Thinking of you and cheering you on!

 

[Pumpkin]

is this how you feel or is it your public face?

@patient 99 , I am cheerful when posting on others posts, I enjoy being able to encourage and support members in their journeys, and yes, at other times I am feeling stressed about this revision, and not posting so much lately.
@spinfanatic , I have about a 1000 reasons not to go ahead with this revision, but then awake I am in the middle of the night reminded why I need to go ahead with this.

days leading up to my revision really played with my head.

Thanks for this, I was really feeling like I was the only one, not feeling so brave right now. Thanks for the hug