TKR Rosie's Recovery

[rosieJ]

So long since I have been on line and as I'm having a bit of a wobble today I thought I would check in.

My knee is doing well. Physio was pleased when i saw him a week ago and has given me some extra exercises. Not too much pain, just stiff. the most pain I get is at night. Not a lot but enough to have been turning every 3-4 hours to get into a new position. I am sleeping like the dead, which I tend to do when not feeling too good so I am getting about 8 hours sleep a night.

Unfortunately the last 5 days I have been getting tireder and tireder. Waking in the mornings feeling totally drugged and struggling to open my eyes. I think it may be down to me having to look after myself more over the last 2 weeks. I am not doing a lot (maybe I am in the eyes of everyone here). I get up, shower, make breakfast and also cook my other meals during the day. change the sheets and put the washing on if necessary. Little bit of cleaning throughout the house once a week and my son has taken me shopping the last 2 weeks. Friends and family have dropped by (1 a day) for 3-4 hours as they think I shouldn't be on my own. I have explained that I never get bored and it is nice to see them but maybe it has been too much. I have been tired when they have left. I am icing, resting and elevating but maybe not quite as much as before.

I was supposed to return to my 2 day a week job today. I rang them last week and said that I would work from home this week as I am still very tired. Please no comments about why I shouldn't be returning work. I do understand that 3 months is preferred (and definitely needed) but I live on my own and am self employed and can't afford to take more time off work. I just need to work out how to manage it. I have worked out how to elevate and ice the knee at work for those 2 days and I work with clients 2 other days from home. Rather than doing 4 clients a day I have reduced them to 2 a day with a very long gap in between so that I can rest. I think the rest of the week I shall have to do absolutely nothing and rest.

Did anyone else find that they got more tired as time went on. I improved considerably after the first 2 weeks at home, I had more energy and felt better but still had a long way to go, so I am surprised at how I am now feeling. I didn't have the 3 week tearful day and have felt very good mentally throughout but now all these doubts are creeping in. Is is the operation setting me back or is it the fact that my other health issues may have flared up (I have had ME in the past as well as having ankylosing spondylitis arthritis - the medication makes me tired - but not usually as bad as this).

Any words of gentle advice would be gratefully received.

 

[Jamie]

You and I are recovery buddies. I had my TKR on March 8th. I do think you're trying to do a bit much for this point in recovery. Since you are trying to get back to work, you need to prioritize what is really, really important to do each day and do just that - no more! I think the first thing to go should be the visits by well-meaning friends and relatives. That IS tiring!!! You are basically entertaining someone 3-4 hours each day plus doing some home chores!!! Instead, take those 3-4 hours as ME time. Put your feet up, ice, and snooze. You'll feel much better.

 

[rosieJ]

Thank you Jamie. You are so right. In my 2nd-3rd week i did do things and had a couple of little trips out but had plenty of days resting and icing and on my own. Last week things got busier due to be being optimistic and people wanting to drop by.

I have spent the day doing a little work and dozing in my chair with the cat, icing and generally relaxing. Am feeling very shaky but it will probably take a few days to get back on track.

My first client on Thursday wanted to move her appt..... God moves in mysterious ways so I have most of Thursday free now to rest with one appt for an hour late afternoon which should be ok.

I thought my knee was going to be the problem in the recovery but in fact that has been brilliant and it is the tiredness.

Must rest rest rest .




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

RTKR. 9 March 2013

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Rosie, I am pleased you are doing well.
I am a week ahead of you, I have been feeling very tired this last week. I may well be because I have been becoming more active but I certainly have had to sit back and rest more these past few days as I am tired. My knee is also more stiff and swollen than it was so I have cut back on my exercises for a few days.
You certainly sound like you are doing well and have a good plan for managing things and resting.
Could you consider doing your food shopping online for a couple of weeks?
Take care and rest, good luck with your return to work, Toothfairy x

 

[leejaa]

I think we get that exhausted feeling since we are doing more as physically we are able -- unfortunately the rest of us still needs major rest. I returned to work 3d/wk at almost 7wks and it is draining and worse it is harder to explain to people as you are up and moving around well and everyone feels like you are all done recovering and at times we think the same thing. Keep resting- you are the priority -the knee still rules.

 

[Fernie]

Hi Rosie, nice to hear from, sorry you are feeling so tired, honestly, this is so exhausting at times.

I appreciate you have to get back to work and you are going to take things easy. I was quite strict with visitors, even now, at first it was no more than an hour and they usually made the tea! Also prioritised housework and chores and did minimum nd still doing that, house is fine. I went back to the office yesterday and I was truly shattered when I got back and been trying to rest this afternoon whilst occupying my little girl!

Online shopping has been a godsend to me. You are doing well, but way too much. I know it's hard to rest when there is stuff to do.

Take care, Fernie

 

[rosieJ]

Hi Fernie, Leeja and Toothfairy

so needed to hear from you today. I know I am not online so much but I do check things out via my iphone to see how everyone is doing.

I have just done my Tescos online shop to arrive tomorrow. Now that my son isn't around anymore (he started a new job yesterday..... he texted me mid day to say he was "loving it", so that is great... I thought I should get the shop delivered. I even managed to stop myself ordering biscuits. Goodness I have put on some weight sitting here .

Also, no more big cleans, long trips out or visitors visiting for hours. It is sooooo hard to ignore the comments of ....." oh... you are still on crutches... OR gosh, are you still tired, I thought everyone got over the anaesthetic quite quickly....OR I'll only pop in for a quick cuppa tea...."

I know that I am going to be exhausted working but noticed that people mentioned it was important to move around and also keep the leg up and elevated so that is what I am going to do. It is easy to do at home with my clients but I work 2 days a week as a consultant for a company 5 minutes round the corner. It will be a little more difficult but they are pretty relaxed and I can turn up in trackies if I want. If I cant make it past early afternoon i shall leave and try and catch up with a couple of hours at home over the weekends.

I certainly didn't listen to my body well enough last week as it was probably telling me I was doing too much. My knee doesn't give me much of a problem at all so it doesn't give me much of a signal but the tired feeling does. My clients will be aghast at my foolishness since it is something I teach with much fevour... "head talk body talk" that serves me right for being so cocky about how well I was doing.

Well done fernie for being back at work and I know from previous experience that it takes a few weeks to get back into the swing of things and one day... it will occur to you that you lasted the day without feeling shattered.

Toothfairy.... I noticed how well you have been doing with your exercises especially your cycling. Truly wonderous. I have been so inspired that a friend of mine says her father has an exercise bike he doesn't use that I may be able to borrow for when I get my other knee done. I can't cycle at the moment because my other poorly knee won't let me but I will have something to look forward to. My biggest goal this year is to get my two new knees and to buy a new bicycle. Am glad you are also listening to your body and resting up a little. i am sure you will get there faster in the end.

I ordered a V pillow today to see if it helps with me sleeping more on my back and also sitting more comfortably all day. My lower arthritic back is giving a little bit of a problem so I'll see if it gives a little more support.

I have noticed though that my knee keeps improving. I managed to walk down the stairs one at a time this morning, using one crutch though, very carefully, for the first time with no pain. I have been walking up properly, very slowly to strengthen my muscles. the only exercise I still find difficult is the heel slide. I still don't get the bend very far. Strange, since sitting in a chair I can slide my foot back under the chair. Mind you, I couldn't bend it much before so maybe that is why it is taking a little longer. I have no worries about ROM, I just think it will all come in its own time. As long as I can walk, cycle, swim, drive and not have the awful arthitic pain I am happy.
Thank you all for being there today.... I have felt at times like having a little weep and feeling very sorry for myself..... but then I remind myself how well i am actually doing.

Well.... back to being VERY quiet lots of and and very little

 

[gami]

Rosie J ... I have so much admiration for those among the Bonesmartie family who are returning to work either full or part time and the admiration comes easy for my because I'm on my own recovery ride. It's hard work and unless someone has been where we are they don't know do they...they live in their own ignorance, so the thoughtless remarks float around us. We all have stories of people often near and dear who 'think' they are giving us encouragement or good advice who are doing exactly the opposite...in many ways we still quite emotionally fragile.

You sound like you have arranged your life the best way you can...take notice of the other strong bods amongst us who are returning to work...they understand where you are...all I can say is rest as much as you can when you can...and send you a hug.

hugs Gami

 

[leejaa]

Rosie, I too found heel slides on the bed more difficult and less. My solution was to use my rocking chair and sit in it and rock to get the flexion and as I got comfortable I would put a pillow behind my back so I was out to the edge of the seat more and could bend more with the rocking- I would watch TV or something so I was not thinking about bending and rock--sometimes just relaxing and rocking let the knee muscles relax more and flex more to gain motion. A cup of tea, rocking chair and something to occupy the brain and it seemed to help.

It is great that you have the flexibility at work plus it is not far- that will make it much easier. I too am hoping for another shiny new knee this year -the pain just starts getting old and now one knee says you might be able to do things but the other is objecting.

 

[gami]

Rosie a friend of my mothers uses a pot stand on wheels the same way as Lee uses her rocking chair. Mums neighbour rests her foot on the pot stand and rolls it back and forth while both inside and when she's out side sitting in the sun on her porch. I reckon whatever works is good.

hugs Gami

 

[bottomshollow]

Us human beans are a pretty resourceful bunch when we put our minds to it.

 

[Toothfairy]

Hi Rosie, how are you doing?
I expect you will be tired after starting back at work but I hope it is all working out really well for you.
Take care,
Toothfairy x

 

[rosieJ]

The sun is shining, steaming into my sitting room as I am sitting here with my foot, highly elevated , newly iced and my laptop precariously balanced on my other knee.

i have had a strange old 7 week and a bit. Last week I was exhausted and realised I had been overdoing it so I "shut down the hatches" and rested. Felt much perkier by Thursday. I was supposed to return to work last week and I did manage to do some work on Tues and Weds but not very much and then I saw a client on Thursday and one one Friday which went very well and left me feeling very perky.

I began to have a pesky sharp intermittent pain kick in when I was walking. it would hit like a "ping" and then ease off and this made me very cautious about walking. I went to my physio appt on Saturday - a lovely young man who would rather I called him "Mr XXx" rather than by his first name who also said I had been overdoing it. Swelling up, even though I religiously am icing throughout the day. I can do all exercises easily apart from the heal slide one and only have 90 ROM. He seems so unconcerned with my ROM (how refreshing... I am not usually but am a little now) but he said it wouldn't improve much until my swelling had done down in my knee and thigh and that I had good ROM to be able to do anything I wanted to. He thoroughly approves of doing nothing, resting, icing and elevating. He said the pain could be overdoing it and to continue to do nothing and ice and that it would be re - xrayed at the end of the month when I see the surgeon. he offered me an appt in 2 weeks or I could be booked in by him to the exercise class once a week, which i chose to do.

So I was back to work again yesterday. 2 clients and I wasn't too tired until about 6.30 when I felt done in. I made the decision not to go into my consultancy job again today and tomorrow and I've had a long talk with the owner of the company today who gave me a list of things to do with the promise that I will be in for an important meeting next week which I will do . I can spend the day working but with my leg highly elevated and iced all day.

I am a little despondent that the niggly sharp pain appears now and then whilst walking. It does make me nervous and I can;t seem to gauge if it happens at a particular position. I do so hope it is only healing pain rather than anything else. I didn't have it for the first 3 weeks and if it wasn't there now, I would be feeling pretty good. Obviously knee is a little sore occasionally but really rather impressed with it. Now I seem to be nervous to do any sort of exercise in case I am aggravating it. Must keep calm and relaxed and be patient me thinks :rolleyes:

I decided that if I had to go back to work so early I would work the best I could and spend the rest of the time in my chair doing nothing. Friends and family have not taken my decision to not allow them to visit (unless they can promise a short one). why is it that people don't understand. surely they can trust me to know my own body. Still getting........ but my friend OR someone I know didn't have to rest so much.... blah blah blah. doing my best to be in track

well, I had better get on with work.... am thinking of you all too and am hoping you are enjoying your day. I would rather be doing my patchwork cushions that I started. I have done the 3 or the 4 patchwork fronts and just need to add some edging and then the backs. they are supposed to be for my outside patio chairs to hopefully we get some sun so I can enjoy them.

Love to all XXXX

 

[rosieJ]

My son kindly bought me a exercise bike and came to get it out of the box and set up today. Its now plugged in, in my study and I have been on it twice. I was only able to do a couple of minutes (full rotations too) before my knee started some squeeks of annoyance. I thought my other knee might give up to as the steriod injection I asked for during my operation has work off the last two days. I had forgotten what it was like to have the terrible arthritis pain and it is now back with a vengeance. that made the decision of my second TKR a done deal and it should be around October time.

Even with loads of icing and resting I still have quite a swollen thigh and right hand side of my knee cap so i don't want to overdo it too much. Still needs some healing. I am walking around the house most of the time without a crutch but don't want to irritate it. As I can't get a better ROM than around 90/95 at the moment I am hoping to cycle my way to a stronger knee . Was thinking of Toothfairy

gami I tried a pot stand with wheels. What a good idea. the only thing is it is quite high and I found it quite uncomfortable so I have started lying on my back with my knee bent and allowing it to hang down for a while. leejaa Wish I had a rocking chair because that sounds great. shall have to do with the plastic bag on the floor.

I had my first bath yesterday (have to say I don't have a bath often as I prefer showers) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I lay on my back with my knee up on the side in front of me and slid forwards and backwards. Aqua aerobics in the bath thank the Lord no one could see me. Especially the rolling on the stomach and hoiking myself up on to my other bad knee to get out.

Managed to work some last week and next week the hours are ramped up so I am hoping I will be alive by Friday afternoon when I finish. I shall take a deep breath and try and go with the flow - resting in between. Hopefully will do as well as Fernie

another week to go before my visit back to the hospital. I hope he will be pleased with my progress and not be too phased by my lack of ROM. I know I didn't have a great ROM to start with but I don't think it can go much further until the swelling everywhere goes down. How odd that some people's goes down quite quickly while other's stays. I spend a lot of time icing and my knee is always elevated when sitting (which I do alot of still)

Hope everyone out there is having a good sunday and enjoying life wherever you all are. Dying for a cuppa ....so I am on my way to the kitchen. xxx

 

[leejaa]

Congratulations on your bike and being able to go all the way around. It will come, it is the patience that is hard to find for many of us. Take care.

 

[Toothfairy]

Hello Rosie,
You are obviously well tuned in to your knee and listening to it. Good plan. I am sure the execercise bike will be great. My consultant recommended both cycling and swimming when I saw him last week. I am itching to get outside on my bike but am regularly on my exercise bike for now. I built up gradually. Alison jetthugger had a good suggestion, cycling for one song three times a day, thought I might try that. I do 5-6 km in the morning but I am sure I could fit in another two songs later in the day. A fun way to do little and often. It is wise to build gradually and not over do it, I got a bit carried away and increased to 12 km and learned that my knee did not like it. I have cut back now and am having no problems. I would also suggest using the lowest resistance and when you increase it do it very gradually. Probably keep to very low till you have had knee 2 done so you don't aggravate it.

What colours are you doing your patchwork in? Is it hand sewing or machine? It will be lovely when you have the time to finish it, please post a picture when you can.

I have not ventured into the bath yet, I hadn't thought of doing aqua aerobics, good plan. I might venture in to the bubbly depths later.
Sounds like you are doing really well. Take it easy when you can this week,
Hugs, Toothfairy x :rolleyes:

 

[exhausted with knee pain]

Hello Rosie so good to read all your posts. I am also getting a new exercise bike tomorrow , I think it will be good for me. You sound as if you are doing very well. I can't wait to get rid of crutches they drive me mad. I seem to limp a bit , so I think I should keep using them. When have other people thrown the crutch away? Well done for all your progress keep up the good work.

 

[RICBAK1]

Best piece of equipment i have is my bikes and doctors and surgeon all agree it is a low impact high exercise benefit next to swimming.If i do not go out on bike i use exercise bike with laptop playing youtube clips of cycling with loud music .

 

[gami]

Hi Rosie...you are smashing it...well done ...listening to the knee is a definite necessity it WILL let you know if you do too much.
I know exiting the bathtub with our new knees is quite a tricky procedure but hey well worth the effort as once you have experienced that warm relaxation...with a little bit of exercise added...a few heel slides will do it's just so nice any effort is worth it.

Mums neighbour had her son adapt her plant stand and it is definitely lower than the ones I have...my husband dug out an old skateboard from within the deeper reaches of 'his shed' a while back and it works too as long s I sit on a slightly higher chair.

Nice to hear everything is moving along for you...the swelling will go down, as you know for some of us it will just take longer but that's okay isn't it...we are all going to be so much better than we have been

hugs Gami

 

[jetthugger]

Hi Rosie, just checking in.
I agree that exercise bike is the way forward. Mine is second hand & the electronic doodah is banjaxed, so as Toothfairy mentioned, I use a song to give me a timeframe (which works well until you get one anthem which goes on for ages!!!!)
Keep listening to your knee, it's so hard if your other knee is sore too. I'm lucky that my right knee is ok, however, post op it's been acting up because of the additional strain of supporting my new knee till its healed.
You will soon have two bright shiny new knees & be pain free!!!
I found heel slides easier in the bath, I reckon because you're more relaxed anyway.
Take care.