TKR right knee *my first* Date of Operation 3rd October 2013

[leejaa]

Don't forget plenty of fluids. I am glad you are feeling a bit better. Good job taking some pain meds and taking it easy on exercises.. Keep letting us know how you are. Lee

 

[Titianlady]

DAJ. Hi sweetie! Oh, my gosh, You are the owner of a nice new knee!! It sounds like all in all your recovery is coming along ok.now don't do what I did and over do it my dear friend!! I'm so sorry you feel ill right now. Please take care of yourself and get some extra rest.

I'll be thinking of you and sending healing thoughts. Take care my friend!!

 

[DAJ]

hi Toni Titianlady well its a month out now. about this time last month I was all nervous about going into theatre. The two weeks in hospital were awful mostly. Well this week ive been focusing on just taking it easy, I have good bend my knees are about the same in bend, 120 and extention 0. But im still using crutches and I do 100 cycles on the bike or more depending how I feel. I still feel a little stiff and numb when I sleep in one position too long. Theres a fair amount of clicking and clunking in my knee I hope thats normal. The internal stitch is still there and covered over with a plaster. MY knee is a little warm but not as hot as before. The cat loves my new knee he cant get enough of it hes always trying to knead it and climb on it. my goodness its still tender. Im getting a visit from the physio this week and I hope thats a good thing because up to now, ive been doing good on my own. Im not in the mood to listen to any BS about what I should be doing. My scar pulls a little I think the assistant wasnt as good a stitcher as my surgeon who stitched me up before.
I noticed Toni. that your second knee is not named you had a stryker first and what was the second knee? Did you have a revision?. How do you feel.
I got a de Puy knee which I panicked about at first due to some hip and knee recalls, but im just holding thumbs.

 

[DAJ]

Reflection
I was terrified and would wake up in the night before my Osteotomy in 2008 and I wondered should i just skip this surgery? My virgin knee would be cut into!! I sweated! Post op was bad. 6 months to recover ,I survived.
Four years on, and newly separated from a marriage from hell, the pain made me go back and plead for more. I wanted that plate out, gone!
My hardware was scheduled for removal in June to prepare the way for RTKR. I cried onto the hands of my surgeon, I shook I shivered. I came out of the spinal alive but fighting. I was sent home with 30 staples in my femor to recover alone. I survived. I had peace
I was just enjoying the first pain free walks with the plate out in September when I got the call for TKR. I was on the list!! I didnt want to be on the list! why so soon. I had second,third,and forth thoughts. I had nightmares about bone-carpenters cutting and sawing and a huge contraption metal knee. I was terrified, what if I never walk again?
I was wheeled into theatre again on Oct 3 like a terrified baby!, the man who inserted my drip was a brute I screamed out.I fought and shouted as they were inserting a femoral nerve block on me which I wasnt told about. Then I went into theatre saw the kind eyes over my surgeons mask, felt the tourniquet squeezing my leg and said "GIVE ME THE MEDICINE KNOCK ME OUT!" the spinal and sedative kicked in.. I awoke back in the theatre all bandaged up and once again saw my surgeon and asked "I hope you did a good job because Im not coming back!" he smiled.
Im now one month out and too soon to say if it was worth it all. But I trust I will soon be doing things I havent done since 2007
Its natural to be afraid and put your life into a surgeons hands,all the pre-planning that goes into TKR gives us lots of time to think. Too much time in my opinion. Do your research find a surgeon you trust who does hundreds of these and then close your eyes.

 

[GeekGoddess]

Hi DAJ,
I just read through your entire surgery and recovery journey ( thus far). Wow, I sure learned a lot about the differences between USA and Italy's healthcare service. I only wish you had NOT had to experience it to tell us about it!

I can't believe you went thru so much in hospital, coped with so little meds AND had no help at home.
You are made of strong mettle ( I think it is required to survive TKR, but you far surpass the norm it seems)!

Thank you for sharing your journey and demonstrating how the community can support people!

 

[DAJ]

Dear GeekGoddess Cathy thankyou for your kind message. I am indeed very happy to have been able to share with others on here, thats been so important especially during sleepless nights! I think being able to help and encourage others is the best way to get through this. I feel lucky that i have the strength to have got through this month but I did it with some great cheerleaders my bonesmart buddies!! Good luck with your healing and look forward always x Donna

 

[DAJ]

Got on the bike again today and cleaned up my tomato plants ready for winter, made lunch. Now I'm ready for a snooze. I swear I've got a serious love affair going with my bed! Cant get enough of it, adopting a new knee sure wipes you out! going to watch a comedy show on utube
As I always say,I can live without sex but not without the internet

 

[DAJ]

Dear GeekGoddess quote "I can't believe you went thru so much in hospital, coped with so little meds AND had no help at home.
You are made of strong mettle" No, its actually Titanium that Im made of now
Heres my theme song I am Titanium

 

[DAJ]

The Lyrics in case you need them
You shout it out,
But I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud not saying much
I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up
[Chorus:]
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
[Sia:]
Cut me down
But it's you who'll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud not saying much
[Chorus:]
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
I am titanium
I am titanium
[Sia:]
Stone-hard, machine gun
Firing at the ones who run
Stone-hard as bulletproof glass
[Chorus:]
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
I am titanium


broken link removed: https://www.metrolyrics.com/titanium-lyrics-david-guetta.html#ixzz2jm5SlfaJ

 

[GeekGoddess]

Too funny! Video clip AND lyrics...we got the point!

Btw I just saw your last tag line....
I can live without sex, but not without the Internet??????

We have to have a talk!

 

[DAJ]

what I should have said was I can live without sex, but I cannot live without fast internet.
Its true Skype enables me to talk to family and friends across the globe.

 

[Pjmc]

I am so impressed you are so far along . But do take care of yourself . At 2 month mark and still only able to rock pedals back and forth . Which PT has me do 20minutes every time I go to warm up . I detest it and it makes feel so useless because I can not get a full rotation .

 

[maggie may]

So tell them no. Or do it just for 5 minutes. Really!!!

 

[DAJ]

Josephine VERY USEFUL VIDEO made by top Knee surgeons in UK for those of you looking for a very experienced KNEE specialist.
This particular video discusses osteotomy procedure followed by a TKR. This was exactly what I had done,and although I did not "enjoy" my hospital stay. My surgeon does about 250 knees TKR a year, and I needed that experience,for that I had to tolerate the system.

 

[Josephine]

Fantastic! I'm quite won over by their explanations. Thanks so much for sharing these, DAJ.

Jamie

 

[Jamie]

I agree. Excellent videos and an interesting approach to treating a misaligned knee. It will be interesting to learn more about their longevity and pain-after-surgery results with this two-step process.

 

[DAJ]

I agree. Excellent videos and an interesting approach to treating a misaligned knee. It will be interesting to learn more about their longevity and pain-after-surgery results with this two-step process.

Just thought this may help some of the members in Uk who are looking for a specialist for TKR this is the hampshire hospital and NHS/.
I wrote my account of having had this exact Proceedure in my thread as to pain, recovery time etc. Hope its useful

 

[leejaa]

DAJ you are truly a strong woman and a remarkable one. Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. Have a great day and take care of yourself. Lee

 

[Jozilla]

I agree. You are inspiring! What a journey you have had. I hope I have half the resiliency you have shown. My best to you.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®

 

[Hwa1538]

Hi DAJ, thank you for sharing. My leg was bowed before the knee operation. My OS told me that he has straightedge my leg. I wonder what kind of approach did he use.