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TKR Second TKR Done, but still not very patient

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Ellen, check out the thread by scaredinCA re JAS system. There is also some information in the library about it according to Josephine. I wonder if it would help your knee at all. ScaredinCA will keep posting on how it works for her or as she states she is willing to be a labrat for us regarding this system. She is trying it 10m post op.

Have a great day. Take care. Lee:puppysmooze::puppysmooze:
 
Hello @Ellen, I haven't been posting for a week or two - been busy (like everyone else), and decided to try not to think about my knee quite so much. I am pleased to see you are doing OK (even though you've had some ups & downs). I see you as a very strong woman and as we have often said "we will get through this". I see you are interested in the JAS system.....for me the Tens machine has been wonderful & my set of bike pedals are great - I actually enjoy "riding" my mini bike! I can do full rotations with no resistance, and just starting to introduce the resistance & so far so good. Do hope the cooler weather will be kind to you - so pleased your house finally sold - one less worry for you to deal with. Hope you & your "babies" are happy in your new abode & look forward to hearing from you. Much love, Kerry
 
Hi Ellen, just popped in to say hello. Hope all is well with you, xxx Lyn
 
@icep707 and letting me know about Jean. I hear she is now off again for the next one. I have been reading your journey and while I am so glad you are doing well, you are one of those people I just want to smack. :heehee: But you put in the hard yards before the op and after and you seem to be reaping the benefits.

Thanks for visiting again my special friends Lyn @Ellejay Lee @leejaa Kerry @pakline. You keep me humble with your concern.

I am doing well - very busy with work. Knee still won't let me ride a bike but is not too bad otherwise. Swells after walking and the numbness and tinglies still bother me. Not sure why - I thought I would be used to it after 6 months. Yes, that's right - 6 months since the TKR.

The big news is that I have a date for the second TKR :shocked:I saw the OS today for the 6 month check-up with x-rays of the TKR. It is the first time I have seen a photo of the replaced knee. He was very pleased with the x-rays, said it was exactly as it should look - no loosening, no spaces. On the side view, the plastic kneecap looked really weird - more like a bottle cap really. He is still disappointed I can't ride a bike yet (HE's disappointed??????), but happy that I thought the knee was strong and there was no pain. He seemed to think (by eyeballing) that the bend was about 90 today, but I had pulled it back as far as I could, until it was very uncomfortable. Then we discussed the right knee. He had expressed concern that I was limping still, but then realised it was the non-surgical knee causing the limp, along with the Achilles. Originally he gave me a date of 29 May for the right TKR, but as my son Matthew is getting married the next week, I decided this was not a good choice of date. I would be just out of hospital and still on the "heavy" drugs and possibly falling asleep through the ceremony. The next date was 26 June, but then he realised he was going on holidays on the 27th and he said he wouldn't do a TKR if he wasn't around for the week I was in hospital. July was out as he was going overseas to a conference, so the end result was I have been booked in for 21st August. He said he will worry about the Achilles once my knees are done. So hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have two strong knees and much less pain, but possibly more numbness and tingling.

The depression is much better now and I am almost back to my normal bouncy self. The sale of the old house settles on Monday, so that will be a good thing. This weekend is a long weekend (another one) here in Oz (for ANZAC day) and my nephew is getting married, so I am off up to Noosa for the wedding, staying the weekend at Noosa North Shore Retreat. The weather has been glorious here of late - days still hot, but the nights are beautiful - much cooler.

I am walking the dogs much more often and for longer distances. I could walk even longer distances on the TKR, but I cannot walk too much on the other leg. I am still not back at gym - without being able to ride my favourite bikes and do the cycle classes, it doesn't have the same appeal, but I will return probably the beginning of May and start to lose more weight before the next op.

Sebastian is still as precious as ever. I was over his house the other night and was only there for a short time when I said I had to go home and feed the dogs and cat. He said No Nanna, stay. You have to play a game. So I said I would play a quick game with him and he was the Amazing Spiderman (his words) and I was his "best friend" Ironman. After playing for a while I again said I had to go home and he said "No, not yet. I will read you a story". So he picked up a book that was just photos of cats and "read" me a beautiful story about a little boy who loved to play with cars. When he was finished and got to the end of the little book, he said "The End" and ceremoniously closed the book. Apparently he had been the Amazing Spiderman at kindy all day and led all the other little ones around, telling them they were either Ironman, Superman, Batman and Captain America. When he ran out of names he knew, everyone else was "Bengers" (Avengers). It is such a delight to be admitted into their little world.

So, all in all, things aren't too bad and improving all the time. It is late here now, so I will visit again tomorrow.

Take Care lovely Bonesmart friends ... will be back tomorrow. Much love, Ellen
 
Im glad I found bonesmart when I did, months prior to the surgery. It gave me plenty of time to prepare , it also gave me time to scare the dickens out of me after reading horribly painful storys. Im currently waiting for my flight to southern California from northern . 1 hour flight. I took a tramadol and tylenol about 1 hour ago. My flight leaves in about 40 minutes. Im at the terminal , trying to look cool on my tablet. Everybody is typing away. Im going to enjoy the beach and the sun and view down in laguna beach . Its gorgeous were I live but this place will be heaven on earth. When is your next surgery ?? Im sure you will be much more aware of whats happening . Well got to go . Best wishes . Iceman
 
Hi Ellen @NetballKnees, what an upbeat post, it was lovely to 'hear' you, sounding so happy now, well done for getting through such a rough few months. It's good that you are getting out with the dogs now, I'm sure they are loving the more mobile you.
We could be knee buddies again, I am going to see my OS on Monday and I hope that he will bring my second TKR forward from the planned January date. My first knee is pretty good now, like you I still can't ride my bike, which is very frustrating, but it is fairly strong now, doesn't swell much and is not very painful any more. BUT...... the left knee has just given up and is far more painful than the right one ever was. I cannot walk properly at all, I'm back to a stick and even a mobility scooter for shopping trips. I had just one week of pain free walking, I am so upset. I did start Pilates and was back at the gym for a short time, but the pain is too bad, so I'm a bit worried that the right knee isn't getting the exercise it needs. I have been lucky enough to enjoy some trips away from home, a change of scene has helped tremendously, and I was even able to walk along the beach one morning, and do a glorious cliff walk another.
I smiled at the thought of you as Ironman, quite appropriate really with the metal in your knee. Aren't grandchildren just the best things on earth? I had my two yr old stay for four days a couple of weeks ago, I was totally exhausted but I just loved every minute with him.
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the wedding. Lovely to hear from you xxx Lyn
 
Yes wonderful up hear from you. You sound much better! You just went thru a great deal in the last six months! Glad you can now enjoy some of your time. I love your stories about Sebastian. He sounds so precious and fun. I will be right behind you in September. I did not want to recover during the summer and miss it! There looks like we already have a lot of buddies including Josephine! Take care. It was lovely hearing from you!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013
 
@Jozilla ... JoAnne ... lovely to hear from you. I can't find your post. I have always had trouble finding particular threads and usually just scroll through page after page till I stumble across the one I am looking for. That's why I didn't know you were going again too. You won't be far behind me at all. How lovely (probably not the right word) that there will be a group of us recovering together now that we all know each other so well on the forum. Lyn is looking to bring her second one forward from January too, so that might be another one in the fold.

As I just said to Lyn, by this time next year we will all have lovely strong knees and we will be unstoppable.

Speaking of unstoppable, we have a phone system at work called Lync that requires us all to wear headsets when we answer the phone or make calls. There is a little blank space at the top of the Lync box that some of us use to put funny little sayings. At the moment mine says "I would be absolutely unstoppable ... if I could only get started". Describes me quite well at the moment.

Take Care JoAnne ... I will try to post on your thread when I find it.

Ellen xoxo
 
I don't know if I can find my thread but really need to update it!!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013
 
@Jozilla The way i find my posts is to click on my name at the top right hand side of the screen and then go to 'your content'. It shows all the posts you have ever made. You should find your post that way.
 
Thank you @busylizzie. I have been reading your thread too! Wow you have also been thru a lot. Looking forward to your new and improved version!


RTKR - 9th December, 2013
 
Ellen, so glad your days are going better. Your time with your grandson sounds so great. Work does take a lot out of us - especially since you still have the one disobedient knee and the Achilles tendon. Come August you will have another strong knee and hopefully the tendon will be less of an issue than for you. Something to look forward to and a wedding - how wonderful.

It must feel good to be able to walk more with the dogs. I think a bit of outdoors with nice weather does help with the mood. We are in early spring here- and really very early since the weather keeps getting cold but nice enough to go for walks with the dog and husband and it really does help. At first my husband had to talk me into it - got into a bit of a funk but the fresh air and watching a happy puppy really helps.

I have not been on the forum in a while - work got even more hectic as my director is out for open heart surgery and I have a few more tasks to do plus the usual ones but I have been thinking about you and I was so glad to see your post.

Lee
 
Hooray! Things are looking up for you, Ellen @NetballKnees ! I think once your second knee recovers, there will be no stopping you! My mother said he second knee was so much easier because she could trust and rely on her recovered knee so much more!

I think your surgery date is well planned. You will continue to recover and have some fun before you have to rehab again.
 
BOO - it's me - resurfacing. Work and everything has been so busy lately. And I have been terribly lazy. Short recap on knee at 8 month mark - it is doing well, still not flexing past 80-85, so still can't ride a bike, still swollen, still tight, still numb and tingly BUT it is strong. It clunks a lot and maybe I will get so used to it that I won't notice in the future. My second youngest son, Matthew, got married last weekend. What a beautiful day, beautiful ceremony and stunning bride and groom (but I could be a bit biased on that point). It was a long weekend in Queensland, so the family stayed around the area of the wedding for 4 days (bride and groom included). One day we went for a walk to some falls (Kondalilla Falls) and Rock Pool. It is in a national park and the track winds down and down the mountain - a gazillion steps (at least), not evenly spaced some timber, some concrete, some just cut into the hill. Beautiful at the top of the falls and then back again. I did not attempt the much longer walk that a few of the others did to the base of the waterfall. Good news - the replaced knee (left) handled it beautifully. I am afraid though that the right knee did not like it one bit, with the result that this week I am again using a cane. All the pain etc. is in the back of the knee and when I walk and do the extension part of the stride, it hurts, grabs and nearly causes me to fall. Makes me feel so much better for scheduling the TKR of the right knee. Although I really can't believe I want to go through all that again. Still, this knee's recovery could be much better. Heaven help me if it is worse!!!!
I have been reading through lots of stories of new TKR-ers who have had their procedures in the last couple of months. I am so envious of the good ROM the majority of them seem to have attained. With a limited flexion of only 85 at its best, there is still so much that is uncomfortable, impossible or just plain painful for me - bending over to pick something up, riding a bike - even being able to reach a long way forward for something is hard. Still, you learn to cope with all that. That doesn't mean I don't wish it was all different though. I really don't know what I did early on that resulted in such little ROM still. Maybe I took it a bit too easy. I am going to be a leetle more aggressive with therapy this time around though and see if that makes a difference.
Bad news - I have piled on so much additional weight. I am now officially the heaviest I have ever been. Totally my own fault - no discipline, no self control and very self-indulgent as far as food goes.
Achilles problem is no better - worse if anything. The over-5k walk to the waterfall did not do it much good either. Very, very painful. Panadol Osteo does nothing for that type of burning, stabbing pain. But, I still manage.
I'm still whinging, as you can see.
I send best wishes, thoughts and hugs to fellow Bonesmarties, especially my good mates @GimpyGal
@Ellejay @leejaa @pakline @Jozilla and others who my befuddled senior brain can't think of right now. I hope you and your loved ones are all well and your lives are going well for you.
I am not sure - do I need to have a post in the pre-op area for my next op or just continue on here?
Take Care Everyone ...:puppysmooze:
 
NetballKnees said:
I really don't know what I did early on that resulted in such little ROM still. Maybe I took it a bit too easy. I am going to be a leetle more aggressive with therapy this time around though and see if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...
I wonder whether taking it too easy was it, and 'aggression' in knee recovery doesn't really work.

I guess the answer is either (a) you have adhesions in the knee preventing flexion (b) you haven't done stretching exercises enough. What does your Dr say? Has MUA been discussed?
 
@NetballKnees

Hello again! Congratulations on being able to walk as far as you did! That is great! When you have your second TKR, your first knee can get in on the exercises again and that might help ROM. Have you talked to your OS? What does he say? You can talk about your second knee here and in post op if you want to. You might find new people who will be going through surgery at the same time, and you can help them. We care about you!:console2:
 
Hi stranger! I am running out for an MRI but will be back later!!! ESP - I was just thinking of you!!! Xoxo
 
@NetballKnees, how lovely to hear from you again, I've often thought about you and wondered how you are getting on. Your son's wedding sounds a wonderful affair, and well done you for joining in the walk. Do you have a date for your RTKR? I was hoping to have my left knee replaced this autumn, but my OS says there is still some wear in it, so will only do an arthroscopy in August. I've had a strong cortisone injection to keep me going and enable me to enjoy my current trip away - we are touring the French Mediteranean Coast, from Italy to Spain in our caravan. I managed to peddle my bike just days befor we left England, so I am able to cycle places over here. My new knee is coping really well, I did a five mile walk the other day. We are away from home for eight weeks, so fingers crossed the injection keeps working. At Easter my left knee was so bad I was using a mobility scooter!
Great to hear from you, xxx
 
The wedding sounds like it was beautiful! Things for me are good. I see my OS the end of June to get ready for the left knee! Today I had an MRI on my back as that also suffers from osteo. They just want to see if it has deteriorated since my last MRI three years ago. I hope your new place has been good for you and your puppies! I have missed you here but hoped that it was a good thing and you are doing well. I am almost at my camper which is in South Jersey and I love it! I could live there all year if I didn't have to work. My grandson was one and my granddaughter 12 on Monday. And I will also be a year older Ugh! How is Sebastien?? Hope to hear from you soon! Xoxoxo
 
Ellen, it was so good to see your post again. Wedding sounded wonderful, you must have been so happy. You did quite a lot of walking so even with your limited ROM that was pretty awesome. Having your other knee done and then the achilles tendon will make you be able to walk better and might help the first knee. You have had so many issues to overcome with the other knee and leg.

My last knee is doing great - still some swelling but no pain. My first knee is good though I am getting a strange pain on the front of my tibia below the knee that has me a bit concerned and it hurts at times. Also, a strange groin pull on the left is giving me some pain and sleepless nights. Considering seeing a chiropractor - something i have never done before to see if it is positional and they might help.

Work is tiring so am not doing enough exercising to build up strength and I have a feeling that this would help immensely but usually too pooped. In fact have been going to bed around 830pm.

Will try to write more another day. Take care of yourself -- do not overdo when you have the other knee - more force or more strain in PT does not necessarily provide more ROM. I agree with o ther that something else is going on with your knee and slowly you will find the reasonf or the lack of ROM.

Take care of yourself. It was so wonderful to see your post again. Lee
 
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