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Bilateral TKR Scheduled February 2016

Energy!! What-is-this? :wowspring:
I made it downstairs today to my college daughter's deserted room and did a ton of very necessary cleaning and folded a load of laundry! Found my swimsuit in there too. After all the walking yesterday I am so stunned. Well off to swim and we'll see if that exhausts me like I expect.
:swim:
 
You're doing so well!

Be careful with the swimming. Because the water supports most of your weight, it's easy to do too much without realising it, until you get back on dry land.
 
I wanted water therapy in the worst way, but with an infection it wasn't wise. Enjoy and take it easy!
 
Day 79 Week 12

Swim PT yesterday went pretty well. I have to say just getting there and walking through the locker room from the car made me feel like, "I made it here, PT done!" So I did get tired immediately which surprised the PT. I then explained my three years of no movement. That should be in my chart in red at the top ;) . She adjusted the workout to sitting on the steps in the water. That helped and did some leg lifts, knee bends and ankle pumps. Did some sidesteps down the length of the pool and walking back and forth. It was very challenging and I let out a big sigh which again surprised the PT. Then did some relaxing with a noodle for ten minutes before getting out, loved that. It was so nice to be in the pool again. Didn't try the hot tub, just didn't think it would be good for the scar.

The pool was so odd, it had steps and railings to get into but the railings were so low down that I had to hunch over to reach them, like they were made for little kids. Then it starts at 3.5 feet deep and goes to 5.5 feet deep, but not like most pools do from front to back of the rectangle on the narrow side, it goes from wide side to wide side. Hope I explained that right. So there was NO level ground in the pool to walk on and that was tricky for me with no good leg. Ha! So I went out to deeper water to help keep my balance and that worked.
How odd, this place is an exclusive expensive elderly retirement village with all levels of homes and apartments and levels of care. Very big. I don't see how this caters to their elderly population at all.

Came home and forced myself to prepare dinner, steaks on the grill, made potato salad and fresh asparagus. Then fell totally exhausted, but couldn't sleep till 3 am. Got up at 8:30 today. I have a weak ankle from a tendon surgery a decade ago and it kicked in this morning. I suppose it was too much walking for it yesterday. The main culprit was walking from the pool to the locker room with no shoes on. We will see what kind of energy I have today.
 
You certainly did quite a lot yesterday. I give you a lot of credit. You deserve a day of rest.
 
You did very well with the pool therapy. I agree that you deserve a day of rest now.

When I think how much difficulty you had with mobilizing in the early days after your surgery, I'm amazed at how well you are doing now. You are a star! :yes!: :dancy: :spin::cheers:
 
After getting up early today, I made some meringue cookies, went to a friend's house and got back by 6 pm. Had dinner on the grill again, it's just soooo nice out finally. Iced knees after dinner watching tv. 10 pm and my knees are starting to hurt a bit so time for tylenol. Bedtime soon if I don't stuck watching my Korean Drama too long. :fingersx:

Thanks for all the encouragement. The PT didn't encourage me much at all. She didn't like the gait I had, my heel strike was wrong and I didn't hold my back straight enough. I thought I was pretty impressive but noooo. :doh:Oh well they just don't get it, do they?
 
KayeKaye said:
The PT didn't encourage me much at all. She didn't like the gait I had, my heel strike was wrong and I didn't hold my back straight enough. I thought I was pretty impressive but noooo. :doh:Oh well they just don't get it, do they?
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Sometimes they don't get it, that's for sure. I think that's possibly because they don't know what state you started from and don't realise the progress you have already made.

I've just had a similar experience with the orthotist at the local hospital. I need an orthotic to stabilize my hind foot, because of arthritis in it. Stabilizing it should prevent the arthritic bones from moving over each other and causing pain.
The orthotist got fixated on the way I over-pronate my foot and has included wedges in the orthotic, to try and correct that. I know that I've been walking that way for about 15 years. I'm 74 now and I don't want to correct it, as my body would have to re-adjust to different mechanics. I just want to walk without pain. The wedges will have to go! I'm going back on Wednesday, to ask for the orthotic to be adjusted.
 
Yes it would affect the whole body when they use those wedges. I hope it works out for you.:fingersx:

Speaking of wedges, I had a wedge of bone taken out of my right heel bone to make me walk straight during a tendon operation. I would walk on the outsides of my feet and have many sprained ankles in the past. So that foot is generally weak. I explained that to the PT and she took it easy. But it makes it hard to do half the PT for my knees. :oyvey:
 
You don't need a lot of PT anyway. At your stage of recovery, most of your needed exercise comes from the things you are doing in your daily life.
 
The pool I am using for PT is closed down for repair for a week! There goes my swim time for this week. I will try to go with a friend to her club. My knees are crabby today, just hurting and won't let me stand long enough to cook and clean the kitchen. Oh well, sit I must. Time to ice again, but it's so chilly today it makes it hard to be cold. Bundle up and sit.
 
Day 84 Week 13

:tantrum:Well things are not going well the last couple days. Maybe I am just expecting more than I should, like it's been long enough now get well darn it! I am just crabby and having a bad day. I guess it happens.

I don't know if it's because of the chilly rainy weather or not but my knees are not happy. They hurt, the incisions hurt, they are not straightening out like they used to, it's hard to walk, I am exhausted. They feel like 100 lb cement knees, they burn, they itch, they zing, they feel like a bruised sore inside. If I sit still and ice long enough then they calm down and I can forget about them for an hour or so. But most of the time it's just nagging pain breaking through the tylenol that is giving me a headache.

Next week Wednesday I am supposed to go to the operating surgeon for a three month check up for x-rays but I think I will cancel it till I have more to show them. I am not ready for them to tell me it's not good enough and threatening MUA again, not going to happen. :no-fin:

Maybe next week will be better.:praying:
 
@KayeKaye, are you still below 90 degrees in ROM? My doctor had mentioned MUA but stopped 2 1/2 weeks ago after I was close to 90 and making (slow) progress. Also said to quit PT at that point. If it's other issues, a visit to doctor might get you some help/advice or explanation.

Our weather has been pretty gray and wet. I can't wait for a sunny day and some warmth again.

Hang in there, you've come a long way from where you were!


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Thanks @charmed-life . I am near 90 on one and bit over 90 on the other. I went out this morning to meet someone at McDonalds and decided to not go in but drive thu and sit in the car, ha! Then I had to get to CVS to get some tylenol and it was a major effort to walk through and get it even holding onto a cart. So I skipped picking up food at Aldis. I don't know, maybe I am just being crabby but these knees are getting to me. :sigh:
 
KayeKaye said:
:tantrum:Well things are not going well the last couple days. Maybe I am just expecting more than I should, like it's been long enough now get well darn it! I am just crabby and having a bad day. I guess it happens.
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I'm sorry you've hit a pause in your progress. I try to think of those days as a plateau, where your knees are taking time to consolidate the progress they've made. If you like, they're taking a breather, before continuing the race.

It's not 3 months yet since your surgery and you're doing quite a lot. From what you write, it sounds as if you're doing everything that means a normal life again. It's good that you can, but you may be pushing it a bit.
I'm going to use that dreaded word again - patience! Take a few days to rest and pamper yourself. You've done very well, so reward yourself with a few days of gentle things that you enjoy.

Try to remember that what your knees can do now is not what you will end up with. It will be a very different story in a few months' time.
KayeKaye said:
Next week Wednesday I am supposed to go to the operating surgeon for a three month check up for x-rays but I think I will cancel it till I have more to show them. I am not ready for them to tell me it's not good enough and threatening MUA again, not going to happen. :no-fin:
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Postpone it for a few days, until you feel more able to cope with the appointment. IN this lon recovery, a day or two (even a week or two) doesn't matter much.

Remember that you have the right to choose whether or not you ave a MUA. Your surgeon can advise and recommend, but the decision is yours.
Most surgeons don't do a MUA once your knee gets to 90 degrees and you are really close to that. So, if MUA is mentioned, just say that you would prefer to wait a bit longer. You have been making progress and, after all, that's what matters.
[Bonesmart.org] Scheduled February 2016
 
@KayeKaye ,
You are just two weeks behind me and about the same low ROM, but you did have both knees done and barely walked the three years before so I expect you will have a harder time with walking and standing a long time. Those things don't bother me much, just the lack of ROM and discomfort bending enough when walking. I think the idea of "live your life" one day, rest the knee the next day (or two) might help! You have to figure it took three years plus surgery to get to where you are - it will take quite awhile to get back to what you used to be before all this although hopefully not three years!

I was afraid of an MUA also but would do it if my doctor recommended it. He talked about it every 3-4 weeks when I saw him, as a possibility. For three weeks I've had no PT now, just stretching at home, walking and riding exercise bike daily and went from 85 to 95, where I'm a little stalled again but I emailed my doctor that and he said, definitely no MUA the way it's going now. Hope you get there too but if not, @vonjpo just had an MUA and is doing well, you should check with her.


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Thanks @Celle and @charmed-life . Patience is just hard isn't it? I guess I am just panicking a bit when I think about all the work to do in my house. We have a huge garden that needs a lot of care. I looked into hiring it done but it's too massive and costs a fortune for me. It's too much to ask for help too. (see photo and this is just part of it) Now my husband is getting sore too much waiting for his hip operation, we really thought he would be able to hold out till winter, but doesn't look like it. Well I am going swimming this afternoon with a friend, that might help my whiney outlook. :heehee:
[Bonesmart.org] Scheduled February 2016
 
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