Lounge Doctor

Hinged Joint Revision Complete, recovery continues

You will be going around the peddler in no time! @lovetocookandsew :upright:
The rainy weather today made my knee unhappy today, but it was still better than a good day last week.
No longer feel the need for a daily 2+ hour nap, but if I need one I will nap. Strength is still lacking, not too concerned this early in recovery, keeping up with some stretching and exercise every day, in addition to all the moving around you do just to take care of lifes daily business. I know my PT thinks I should do more, but no way am I going to hurt myself by doing to much.
While I did not actually use my left leg to step up, I was able to easly place my left leg on the next step. My ROM is good enough for stair climbing when my knee is healed :yay:.

lovetocookandsew said:
amazing-we're 6 weeks already by then
Click to expand...
Hard to believe 6 weeks has almost passed, guess that means we are out of the starting gate in our recoveries.:horseriding: :fasthorse:
 
getting better 5.jpg
@Pumpkln, PTs always think one should do more exercise----but I've yet to meet one who's had knee replacement. So in order to keep the knee happy, we just have to do less which we know will lead to more.

Take care, we care.
 
Thanks Bottomshollow,
This PT has had a knee replacement, and kneesrus, so we are out there, just far and few between.
Today my plan for PT is introducing me to the total gym, slowly of course, stretching my hip flexors, and some soft tissue massage for my swelling.
 
Hang in there Chris. Maybe keep a journal to enter into each day on how you are feeling, what you did, etc. over the next few weeks it will help you build perspective as time goes by. I know it helped me. Recognize that when you are tired, it's the signal your body is sending to rest, so follow it. I realize it's difficult and I too was frustrated after my revision. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I know you know all this but when you are living it, it's very hard to manage.

You have much support here and at home. Vent away, talk to us, your peeps care!:friends:

Be well,

Dawn
 
@Dhare63,
Thanks for checking in, it is hard when progress is so darn slow. Even with slow progress this week has seen significant improvement, for which I am grateful.
Resting, Icing, Elevating, and Medicating on schedule is still my main mantra.

Still have not figured out how to work around my medication schedule at night, I changed it from 2x a night to 1x because the alarm was waking me out of deep sleep, I am still being awakened when the alarm goes off, and feel liek this :alarm:. Wondering if I should let myself sleep through, and take the pain medication when I wake nauturally in the middle of the night? Maybe I will set it for an hour later, and see if I wake up on my own before it goes off.
Once you work everything out, then of course more healing occurs and your needs change, this is good, but stayng on top of it can be challenging.
 
@Pumpkln, I don't set an alarm to take my meds but I find my body wakes me up around the 4 hour mark or earlier. The pain works better than an alarm clock. One night I woke up after two hours then went back to sleep for another 2.5 so took my meds then and started the 4 hour gap from that time. I think sleep is the most important part of healing but I am not an expert.
 
I've been going to sleep around 10 and the little pain wakes me up at 1:30. I have the meds and water ready on my night table so it's only a few seconds before I'm out until my wife's alarm wakes me at 4:30. I struggle to fall back asleep until 5 or so, take my ibuprofen, eat breakfast, do a few things, then back to sleep till 9:30 or so and then start my day for real. I'm getting much more sleep than usual now.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
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I agree, I would sleep through and let your body wake you naturally. I never set an alarm for pain meds with the TKR or revision, but it never occurred to me that I should have. It's a lot of trial and error, that we all know.

Keep on smiling and chill 8-))))
 
I turned the alarms off at night a week or so ago-I couldn't stand finally falling asleep just to get wakened an hour later by an alarm, then try to sleep again, finally out and there goes the alarm. So now I sleep until I wake, take a pill if needed, then sleep some more if needed or if I can. But I have to be careful with night meds-empty tummy isn't good for me to medicate on (thus the bedside pretzels...lol). I like my new PT-he's of the no pain crowd, and told me today my main job right now is to get the swelling back down to lessen the pain, then to slowly build up my strength. He also said I may have torn some scar tissue the other day when I moved my knee away from a chair leg when it was bent and heard a kind of pop sound that hurt. He said that could be the cause of the new swelling and pain, and it'll get better. But I'm supposed to rest, elevate and ice a lot for now, along with some easy exercises that won't hurt.
 
Alarm turned off made for a good nights sleep, woke up once, took my pain medications and back to sleep. I keep saltines next to the bed, pretzels sound like a good change of pace.
Kim glad you have a good PT, he is right for you to take it easy after that pop.
Had a friend over for lunch, was able to sit longer that usual before my knee started aching. Another small step forward!
Did some gentle exercises, rested, iced, elevated, and medicated on schedule today.
Plan for tomorrow is more of the same. :elevate:
 
@Pumpkln , you and I had the same day, except I ate lunch alone. I'm almost ready for company, but not quite. I still tire easily. Neighbor came over a couple days ago, visited 10 mins and I was worn out. I'm glad you could sit long enough to enjoy the visit. Baby steps, good job! I did a few loads of laundry for the first time.....a little difficult but manageable. Tomorrow is my birthday and I wish I felt up to going out, but I'll stay home. My daughter was going to come and cook my birthday dinner, but she got a cold and I told her we'd do it another day as I cannot get ill again. Yes, I do have a good PT and I'll see him again in 2 weeks. Hopefully by then my knee will be back where it was or even less swollen. I'm so glad you got a good night's sleep-sleep is so important. I'm still not getting 8 hours a night, but hopefully I'll sleep better as time goes on and I can find comfortable positions, etc.
 
My knee let me know I over did it a little today, been icing and elevating all evening. Finally it has settled down.
Kim I hope you have a good day for your Birthday, you can always celebrate later. I agree, your daughter should not come over, the last thing you need is another virus. I consider it a good nights sleep if I only wake up once, like last night. With this replacement, I just accept what sleep I get, it is not like I have to get up in the morning to go to work. :sleeep:
 
Thank-you, @Pumpkln . Btw, I forgot to mention, the pretzels are the peanut-butter filled ones. I eat 3 or 4 b4 taking a pill in the wee hours if my tummy is empty. Not too many calories that way, but a little protein and it fills me up so I don't get sick from the pill. I told my daughter I seriously think another virus at this point would totally kill me, or if not, really do me in for a long time. Today was the first day I didn't totally feel like death most of the day. I am fighting to get some energy back by resting, eating and taking care of myself. I even make hubby sanitize himself when he comes in....lol. You take it easy and don't overdo it again...that's my orders....I think the only positive from these bugs is that I really can't overdo yet-and my knee is thanking me. I'm the type that pushes myself and I think I'd be doing a lot more already if I were able. My pj's smell so nice after I washed them today......hubby tries but his laundry never comes out as clean and sweet smelling as when I wash so it's nice to have done my laundry today. Yum, having a late night snack of sugar-free raspberry jello with a little whipped cream...almost no calories and so yummy.
 
Hi Chris, do you have any experience of chiropractors? Are they fully experienced people the way physiotherapists are? Also have you come across the Graston Technique. Carol
 
Hi Carol @patient 99 ,
Some chiropractors are excellent, ask your friends. Stay away from one that wants you coming back on a frequent schedule. As you improve the frequency should decline.
There have been some posts on the Graston Techniques here on Bonesmart, I do not have any direct experience, other than seems to work for some and not for others.
 
Have been able to use one crutch most of the day today, with out my knee getting that tight vise feeling. This is progress. Looking at my ROM yesterday, hmmmm that is what it looked like before surgery, sure enough it is, the numbers are the same on my iTouch goinometer app. Seems to go up and down depending on my knees mood.
Went to the bank and store yesterday, iced and elevated as soon as I got home, all with no complaints from my knee. I stuck to the front of the store so I would not over do.
Think it is time for my afternoon Ice, Elevate, and Nap!:sleep:
 
Way to go @Pumpkln! This bug keeps setting me back, I need to get moving and doing exercises but can't when sick. Then my knee gets stiff and I have to start all over again. What's a goinometer?
 
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