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TKR Sandi's knees, take 2

:friends:Oh, Sandi! It WILL get better! You and I know that, but sometimes the road seems sooooo long!
You have a baby and a "threenager" ( 3 -5 month old acting like a teenager). Think back to the days of having a newborn baby.... ( assuming you have kids! ) I thought IF ONLY I could sleep all night AND have some energy.....
Then one day they were grown!! These knees are similar! :wink: Hang in there...look at how far you've come and you'll never have to do this again!!
 
@sandi4213 I'm sending "this too shall pass" vibes your way--and keeping a few for myself. Yes, the fatigue is significant--a sign our bodies have been through a lot and need rest to heal but man is it frustrating. I had a med appt yesterday--the 4 wk checkup--late afternoon which is nap time for me so I was falling asleep at 7 p.m. Sleepy all day today too. But...it will pass.
 
Oh Sandi I am also sending you some "this too shall pass" words. I had almost used up my store of them but I found a few more in my shiny red box and share them with you! Finding patience to just wait things out is the hardest part of the recovery I think. We all want it to happen now and are disheartened when it doesn't.
Take care!
 
Thank you for sharing your dwindling store of this too shall pass words, @Canada35. It really helped. I went through my share really fast this time. :flwrysmile:

I went to PT yesterday. My hammie is healed, I think. He did a lot of massage to loosen everything up before doing any stretching just in case. I am able to peddle on the little floor peddler for 10 minutes, but I can't wait to be able to do the recumbent bike again. He didn't measure, but eyeballed me at 95 and said I should be able to start.

The tight band feeling is more pronounced this time. I don't like it. :groan:I also am having a really difficult time getting comfortable to sleep at night. These are small complaints in the big scheme of things, so I am going to use Peru's shared this too shall pass to deal with them.

On a positive note, I took a shower a little while ago and I am not totally exhausted! :yes!: Happy day, everyone!
 
Today a shower, tomorrow the world! You're doing great. I wonder if having had a TKR before, everything feels like it takes longer the second time, even if it isn't really taking longer. Because we anticipate. No matter how we look at it, though, this recovery is a long, pot-hole filled, road. :tiredwheel:
 
Sandi, sending you some additional patience and some extra stamina! Watch out for the Pixie Express delivery!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Sandi, glad that your physiotherapist could help with your hamstring issue with the massage, heat and ice. sorry nighttime sleep is eluding you which doesn't help with your daytime energy and stamina. great that you had a shower and not totally exhausted ~ that is a positive sign. i know what you mean about walking with caution, concerned about injuring yourself ~ i'm the same walking in the backyard or down the stairs, "guarding"! it won't be long and we'll be able to trust our new knees. wishing you a good night's sleep.
 
Oh, I feel for you. I was expecting the pain, but the absolute exhaustion was way more than I expected. At 8 weeks I am just starting to come out from under that now. Rest much as you can, dont feel guilty or that you should be doing more. you need all the rest you can get to heal right now . You will get your energy back, but probably more slowly that yoy would like. Listen to your body, do what you can, and appreciate tiny milestones as you more forward. You will be fine and walking well eventually.
 
Listen to your body. If you fall asleep during the afternoon, it is because your body needs it. There was a lot of trauma to your knee. Your body is working very hard to heal everything. Enjoy your rest. Enjoy your naps. This will be such a short piece of time in light of your lifetime. And ICE! Every chance you get.
 
Hi Sandi - read through your posts/thread. All too familiar with the energy drain (Why am I soooooo tired!?!?) and the highs/lows associated with recovery. One moment healing is on target; the next moment, I ask myself what is going on or what am I doing incorrectly. Ice has certainly been my bestest friend for a very long time!!
 
Even though I know that no 2 knees are the same, don't compare, yada yada...it is so hard to not compare this knee to the last. I didn't realize what an easy time I had with flexion last time because I had nothing to compare to. Every time I went to PT I had gained another 5 or more degrees. Extension is what I had to work on. This time I really understand @Pheebs52 "concrete knee". It just won't bend! I was able last time to make revolutions on the recumbent bike the first time, now I can barely rock back and forth. I know, I know, don't compare. Other staggers, how did you get past comparing? Or did you?

So on a better note, Ii had a bit more energy yesterday. I was able to cut out and put together some booklets for my daughter's 1st grade class for 1st day of school. They turned out really cute. I stretched my knee on the ottoman several times and swung the peddles on my bike a couple of times. Busy day for me lately. And, all of that was after a shower and blow drying my hair. Good day (except for the lousy bend).

I hope that everyone that can get out and enjoy this long weekend has a great time. It's going to be hot here in the inland northwest, so maybe it's good that I am stuck inside :)
 
Thanks to BS, I am often reminded the same............and, I tell myself, "no, two TKRs are alike!!"

Then, I scold whomever of the two lads needs a talking to........... Seriously, I try not to compare, but..... Congratulations on a good day!!
 
@sandi4213 Ah, comparing the knees--I do it all the time. And because I'm so DONE with recovery I'm interpreting things differently this time around. My subjective sense is that knee 2 is taking much longer to recover, feels stiffer, etc. but then I look back at my posts about knee 1 and realize that #2 is taking much the same course--I just have less patience and stamina.

Sounds like you had a good day yesterday--I'm so glad you felt some energy for "normal" activities. And send some of that warmth our way! We had temps in the 30s last night.
 
@gertie I just sent a good share of our warmth your way. I don't think anyone will miss it here. I hope it gets there quickly and still warm.

I think my biggest challenge is that my first knee did so well that it makes this one seem like quite the laggard. I think I have decided to not go back again to read my early posts, it just discourages me.
 
I'm just catching up on your progress. I gotta admit Sandi I was a tad bit jealous of your quick recovery since we had the same surgery date. You were out running around on vacations and I was just barely getting revolutions on my stationary bike LOL. My ROM was slow to come at the beginning but now I'm at 130.

I do still have the tight band feeling all the time. Sometimes worse than others. I also have a clicking in my knee that doesn't hurt and I usually notice it the most going up and down the stairs. Not sure if that will ever go away. I also get a crunching at times in the knee cap which feels more weird than hurts. Josephine said that will eventually go away.

I'm only half way through my recovery but I'm happy with the way things are going. I won't be doing my other knee until sometime next year so won't know if this is my easy one or not. My doctor seems to think my next one will be easier since this one was a revision. Hope he's right!

Good luck getting through the early stages of this new knee. I know you're frustrated but trust that it will all get better!
 
@flyaway79 I totally understand. I find myself jealous of those who only have to do 1 knee. I really didn't have much of the tight band feeling last time, so I guess I'm getting it all this time :thud: I know that it will get better. Do you have a return date for your job yet? I am sure you are anxious and scared to go back. :)

I have almost stopped taking the oxy, just 1 before bed the last few nights. As frustrating as this recovery is, my pain is more aching than actually painful. I am still taking 2 ES Tylenol and 1 tramadol every 6 hours. My tummy seems to be working pretty well now (a relief). I wish my leg felt stronger, I can't be up long before I have to sit down, but I know it is slowly improving.
 
THIS TOO SHALL PASS!! We parallel so many things Sandi. I had a hard time not comparing g too. I'll be 13 weeks tomorrow on the right knee and fatigue wise not where I was around week 9 of my left. It's close to it but that means I am about a month behind the first knee with endurance, stamina and strength really. It is frustrating but what I try to remember is that in a few more months that will be over. I need to go back and read your thread more carefully because somehow I missed you had a first grader! That's an energy pull by itself! We stagers will survive and be done with it!!:friends:
 
Ha ha, Sandi. I think I figured it out. Can I blame it on brain fog in this late stage of recovery....your daughter teaches first grade, right?? I knew you talked about your grand daughter and it just threw me off talking about first grade class?..oh dear....
 
I do remember, @becticu , that you had a harder time with your second TKR as well. It is nice to have people who understand where I'm at. :friends:

I started laughing when I read your comment about my 1st grader. I should have been more specific for those reading who don't know me. Honestly, I don't know how those who have very young kids survives this - I don't think that I could. :no-fin: I do live with my daughter's family, including 4 girls, but I am not responsible for all the hard stuff.
 
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