TKR ROUND 2: MotownGirl made it to the other side

[MotownGirl66]

@Jane B. - Not really. The kickback is minimal and primarily occurs in my hands and wrists. Even the shotgun doesn't bother my back, hips, or knees. Now the 25lb. gear we wear? THAT affects everything! Lower back issues, hip issues, knee issues, etc....

 

[gr82cu2]

What a day Robyn! Congrats on your upcoming retirement. That is awesome! I've never shot or even held a gun myself. I believe completely in the right to bear arms but have no desire or need to myself (I hope!). Guns scare me My husband does have a gun and a concealed carry permit as do both of our sons. Let's hope none of them ever need them.

 

[Josephine]

for what purpose do you intend to have a concealed weapon?

btw, I reduced the size of your image

 

[kneeper]

Just your description of that day wears me out! Congratulations on your retirement.

 

[kaw205]

Hi Robyn,
Your new knee looks great and congrats on your retirement! Are you in FRS? You had a busy day yesterday, bet you're feeling it today! Put your feet up and relax...

 

[jeano]

@Josephine here in the snake infested south you never know when you might encounter a Burmese python or a canebrake rattler.... then there's the human varmints.

Like an idiot I decided to carry once in a fanny pack while horseback riding. Predictably I came off the horse at a canter and landed on the gun.

 

[MotownGirl66]

@kaw205- I definitely am! Are you familiar with it? I've decided not to go into DROP but to take my money & run while I am still young, LOL!
@Josephine-I have seen the absolute worst in mankind. Humans are cruel to each other, children, and animals. I have carried a firearm off duty for 25 years and now need a CCW permit to continue doing so. I would feel naked without it. I have a profound fear of not being able to protect myself, my family, or others when a lunatic has decided to harm us or them. Thanks for reducing the image size. I think I chose "actual" instead of "thumbnail".
@jeano- OUCH!!!! Gotta love those fanny packs though. Too bad they went out of style. But I have a nice Coach purse that has a zippered center compartment that allows me to carry it there safely. But I prefer fanny packs for the hands-free option.

 

[MotownGirl66]

I am definitely paying today for yesterday's activities. Finally gave in and started icing it this evening. Why-oh-why didn't I do it 10 hours earlier? I am an idiot, that's why. LOL! Ice, Ice baby!

 

[kaw205]

I will have 30 years in with FRS next month and I'll do the DROP for 5 years.
Then I want to be a "snowbird".
How are you feeling today?

 

[MotownGirl66]

@kaw205 - GOD bless you! You made it to the 30 year mark in FRS, but to do another 5 in DROP? You deserve a medal. There's no way I can do it anymore. Our Agency is large, about 1600 members and I am the 39th highest ranking officer in the Agency. The politics have become too much to stomach. I need to get out while I can, LOL. Do you work as a First Responder, teacher, etc?

I, too, want to be a snowbird. Our house is For Sale and we are refurbing my husband's deceased mother's home so we can move into it and still have a home up north in Michigan.

 

[kaw205]

God Bless you too, and thank you for your service!

 

[MotownGirl66]

God Bless you too, and thank you for your service!

AWWW! Thank you!

 

[Josephine]

I think I chose "actual" instead of "thumbnail".

Actually, don't use thumbnail. The image quality is ghastly! I reduced the size of your image from 2000+ pixels to 400!

 

[kaw205]

Hi Robyn,
Just stopped in to say hi and get an update on your knee.
My coworker came back to work on Mon.(5 weeks post op), and is doing well. His incision looks great and no swelling. He's been pretty aggressive with PT and it seems to have served him well. He does still have aches, pains and spasms, and said he's glad he did it but wouldn't want to do it again. He, like most, was not prepared for the pain.
I will have a surgery date this week as soon as I decide which hospital to go to, as the doc works out of 2 local hospitals. I also got a Rx for my CT scan.
Hope you are doing well.
Karen

 

[MotownGirl66]

Post Surgery Day 23:

I am doing out-patient PT three times a week now. They seem primarily concerned with getting my leg to go straight. He said something like "6%". All I know is it hurts like heck. What is interesting to me is that some days I awaken and it is more swollen than it was when I went to bed and more painful. I walk around a bit and it feels different. I go to PT, do my exercises, come home and ice and viola! it feels better. Magic!
The PT put me on the bike the other day. That's my favorite exercise. The leg lifts are being done with a 1.5lb. ankle weight. It doesn't bother me. I've abandoned the cane. I returned to work today for 1/2 day & I definitely was uncomfortable sitting for longer than 2 minutes, standing for longer than 2 minutes, or riding in a car for an extended period. All I could think about was coming home and elevating and icing! Thank goodness I only have to put on a brave face for one more day (tomorrow) before I can call it quits.
Of course, I still like my afternoon naps. My son, who is recovering from being hit by a car 2 weeks ago, is also learning the value of an afternoon nap. He is waiting for his broken femur to heal.
The other day, I allowed myself a bath. We have a jacuzzi tub in our master bath and it was PURE HEAVEN! I don't know what heat does to swelling, but I iced my knee immediately upon exiting the tub. My knee felt pretty good the next day.

Best regards,
Robyn

 

[MotownGirl66]

Hi Karen! Your co-worker is right! That pain is something else and not anything I was prepared for either. In fact, I confronted my OS and my PT guy. The OS said "I told you it would be painful" to which I responded that he didn't tell me it would be excruciating! My PT said he told me it would hurt like heck but no one told me how truly bad it would be. Words cannot describe it. I googled the pain from a knee replacement and learned that females, between 45 & 65, who are moderately overweight, with knee arthritis have a harder time with pain than other test groups. I fit into 5 of their 6 categories.
Your co-worker is lucky his swelling is gone...that seems to be my big problem. You are anticipating a surgery date sometime in January, right? The only advice I can honestly tell you is this: move, move, move...I didn't want to and for the first 7 days I didn't, because my pain was so uncontrolled, but then God stepped in and my son was hit by that car and then I HAD to get up and get my butt out of bed to care for him. It was the best thing for me. I am definitely afraid of the pain for knee #2 - I am going to prolong THAT as long as possible in spite of the fact that it is acting up because of me over-using it because of my right knee being operated on. We shall see!

Best regards,
Robyn

 

[Jane B.]

I wondered how you were doing and just caught up with your thread. We are only two days apart.

I agree the extension exercises really hurt when your knee doesn't want to go flat. But it's worth getting there. If it isn't fully extended, I think we will limp. I got a lot of passive exercises to do. (They still ache)

My surgeon said that "I'd hate him for a month." I get that now.

Take care.

 

[Josephine]

He's been pretty aggressive with PT and it seems to have served him well. He does still have aches, pains and spasms, and said he's glad he did it but wouldn't want to do it again. He, like most, was not prepared for the pain.

hmmm don't suppose he figured there was any connection between the "aggressive" and the aches and pains. Noooo!!

All I know is it hurts like heck

Then stop them! Remember the mantra - - if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you

The leg lifts are being done with a 1.5lb. ankle weight. It doesn't bother me.

Well it should. using weights at 3½ weeks it insane. Make them stop it.

I returned to work today

You returned to work at 3 weeks? also insane!

The only advice I can honestly tell you is this: move, move, move.

On the contrary - for the first 3-4 weeks it should be rest, rest, rest. Read the mantra.

learned that females, between 45 & 65, who are moderately overweight, with knee arthritis have a harder time with pain than other test groups

That's not what I've read. At a recent conference, some in depth studies were done from the National Joint Registry UK and it was found that older and/or obese patients actually do best of all other categories. Overall they have better outcomes and are more psychologically adjusted to the procedure.

 

[kaw205]

Try adding 2 cups of Epsom Salt to your bath. I buy it at Costco.

 

[Josephine]

For what purpose may I ask?