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Second knee report :)

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Gretchendz

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As many of you know I had RTKR last April. Although my progress in PT was slow, it was steady and I AM very happy with the new knee.

Had my LTKR Oct. 15. I am pleased to say I am doing better than the first (ROM already over 100, which took me weeks on the first one). I did try to exercise the left knee well before surgery--which I believe helped a lot. Also, this knee was not as bad as the right (although it sure hurt as much!)

However, I forgot how much it hurts the first week or so! *grins* Even with all I know from here and before, it's only been today I can say I have actually gotten on top of the pain management.

Did some bone-headed things like put weight on my new leg with a femoral block and took a tumble at the hospital (gee--there were only about 90 signs posted in my room saying not to do it that). The main fallout was more paperwork for the poor nurses....

Then the day after I got home I was feeling quite good for a few hours so I went careening around the house doing things.....which I paid for it all night long! Ouch!

Hardest part (again) is stretching the muscles to accommodate new straight leg after years of messing them up--and learning to walk straight. Best part is realizing how good my right knee feels and knowing it won't be long before they both feel that good.

This truly is life-changing surgery and I feel so blessed I live in a time it is available. 100 years ago, we would have just become progressively more crippled and immobile.

I also so appreciate this forum. I've told many people about it and how much it can help.
 
Glad to hear you are doing great with your second knee. I had BTKR and after hearing how you did with just doing one at a time, makes me wish I went that way. Keep up with your PT and pain meds.

God Bless,
Rick
 
Thanks Rick....my sister did bilateral (most docs around here will not do BTKR but she had crappy insurance & she talked her OS into it). I tell her I can't believe she did it--I am in awe. She says the same to me as she doesn't think she'd have been able to schedule the second one.

However, after watching her recover from BTKR, I gotta give full props to those of you who go that route!

If I ever get tempted to have a private "pity party" as our family calls it, I think about you bilats and I get over it immediately!
 
I'm with you Gretchendz! Those BTKR people have my admiration for sure! I am not even sure how I would have been able to get up and down from my sometimes *lengthy* sessions in the bathroom! (Dang those stool softeners took a long time to work sometimes!). As it was, I had to prop my leg up on a stool even WITH the toilet extender!

And I admire you for how well you are doing this time around! I know that I have more surgeries coming up sometime-- but KNOWING it would be so soon after the first one and having such a great attitude says a lot for your strength of character. Way to go! And keep up the good work!
 
Congrats on your accomplishment with your 2nd knee surgery Gretchendz, way to go!!
I could not have gone Bilat either, I alos admire these brave souls!!
 
Speaking from the BTKR camp (I am about 9 weeks post-op), I am always thinking how amazed I am by you folks who split the surgery. I can't imagine having the fortitude to go back in, knowing what was in store. Then again, the good thing about doing them both at once is we have no basis for comparison! Doesn't sound like it's that much easier to do one at a time though.

One interesting they told me in the rehab hospital is that one knee always ends up hurting a lot more than the other one. Which was definitely the case with me. They assured me that had I only replaced the one knee, I would have had roughly the same amount of pain, no matter which knee it was (if that makes sense). It seems like some way the body has of coping with the double insult. It's only recently that the pain has started to even out but it still seems (thankfully) to alternate -- sometimes it switches off hourly, sometimes daily; only rarely do I feel like I have absolutely no leg to stand on.
But enough knee-gazing, I have to get back to work!
 
Great news about your surgery going better than first. As a bilateral I would have to agree with your sister, I give full props to you guys who go one at a time, I would never have scheduled the second surgery. For me it was either all or nothing, I just had too many other problems to even think I was up for going through it two times. Continued good luck on your recovery. Rowdy
 
A little update as I am two weeks out...

Still in home PT but flex is usually over 100--I am sure this knee will be my better (more flexible) one when all is said and done. Extension still sucks (10 at best) but I am not worried as it took my outpatient PT about a month of jumping on my other one to get me to zero but the first knee now extends beautifully. Besides, this one was never better than about a 13 before surgery!

Got the staples out yesterday; removal was much more painful than first time as the skin had gotten red and sore. I just kept thinking how good it would feel to have them gone and clutched the table edge. I asked the nurse for a sticker when she was done :)

OS was pleased with x-rays and my faster progress on this knee than last.

One odd moment. I have not been prone to depression or much of that...my only crying is when the pain is not well managed....but as we looked at the x-rays of the knees I suddenly had this thought "My real knees are gone forever." Freaked me out for a minute until I reminded myself how totally useless those "real" knees had become. Told hubby about it tonight. He sympathized appropriately and reminded my how totally immobile I was becoming before the surgery. Now we are planning a trip to Egypt in the spring!


Thanks to all of you posters here (and even the lurkers--I hope we help you.)
 
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