TKR Second TKR Done, but still not very patient

[leejaa]

Do not be sorry - this surgery just gets to us and plays havoc with our emotions. I had some other issues going on at work today - just stupid stuff and was almost in tears and I am not a crier and definitely not in public like work. This surgery really brings some odd things in our personalities. This forum is the place to share this as we all understand and have been there.

I am glad to hear that you fell calmer for your sake. Hope tomorrow is a good day for you. Lee

 

[lindaladyishere]

Just read all your postings...hope you r feeling better. I had my tkr 10 days before u andi can relate to many of the things u said and r going through, we all can. Remember to take one day at a time and to try and be patient, recovery takes a while, but u will get there.

 

[NetballKnees]

Thanks for visiting Linda Lady. Appreciate it. I am going to see if I can follow your thread as 10 days difference is not so much in the life of a new knee. Let's see how my detecting skills go.

Lee ... I am sorry you have had a bad time at work. I hope things go better for you. It is probably hard enough for you to go to work as it is without worrying about additional stuff happening.

 

[NetballKnees]

I am going to try and upload some photos of my life and surroundings: Here goes ... This is the view from my bedroom window.

 

[NetballKnees]

This is my fur baby - Mikki (female). Both dogs are nearly 11 and are brother and sister from the same litter, so have been together all their lives. (Photo of Kimbo in next post).

 

[NetballKnees]

This is Kimbo ...

 

[NetballKnees]

And this is me after completing the 12-week challenge at the gym this year, where I lost 18kg (almost 40lb) and when I had 2 knees that sort-of worked:

 

[Jozilla]

Your photos are beautiful - and your dogs gorgeous. They look like they are smiling! I hope after both my knees are done - my OS will not do them together - I can adopt an older dog. I miss my furry friend Rascal who died at almost 16 years old and was my soul mate. How are you feeling and how is your non operated knee feeling?


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®

 

[NetballKnees]

Hi Jozilla thanks for the visit. I am feeling okay - much calmer in myself and I think digging in for the long haul. Knee is much the same - still swollen and not much bend. I do basic exercises and mostly elevate and ice, ice, ice.

It must have been a sad time when you lost your Rascal. They do work their way into our hearts, don't they? I am kind of hoping that when the day comes (well into the future I hope) that both dogs somehow go together. I don't know how each one would cope on their own.

I hope you are well and things are going along nicely for you.

Take Care ... Hugs ... Ellen

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I hope after both my knees are done - my OS will not do them together

Is there a reason specific to you for this? If so, fair enough. If it's a general principle, good reason to research a new OS.

 

[speedy2]

Hi NetballKnees,
I'm sorry that you have been having such a hard time. I can completely understand your frustration about your recovery. I felt exactly the same as you at that stage. It takes so much longer to recover than you think. Even now at 14 weeks I am still not as active as I originally thought I would be. I am now trying to walk as independently as I can but I still use my walking stick at times. I still get swelling around my knee and above and below it. I also get an uncomfortable, tight band feeling around my knee but looking at other posts this seems quite normal. However, my life now is so much better than it was previously. I can go for out with my husband for walks/shopping which I couldn't do before. I have also tried driving a short distance which was a fantastic feeling. So hang on in there. it does get better but just takes longer than we think. I have every confidence that I will improve even more as will you.
Good luck in you journey
Speedy2

 

[Jozilla]

Hi Roy - my OS indicated to me that he thought I would have a better outcome with my knees done separately. I do have many health issues which he is dealing with including some neurological ones in my right leg which I am doing first. He does do bilaterals although he does not prefer this. He has been treating me for several years, we have a great rapport and I trust his judgement. I am getting the leg with so many problems out of the way first. I appreciate your concern though!


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[Roy Gardiner]

OK, good. Some docs don't like to do bilaterals cos it's too much like hard work...for them!

And it's good you trust him, IMO; I don't know so was just raising the question.

As close together as possible is worth thinking about, I'd say that with one knee recovering and the other waiting, your life would be a bit 'on hold'.

Again, all just IMO and based on my very favourable experience.

 

[leejaa]

Ellen, your puppies are beautiful. They do become part of our lives don't they. I had to put down my dog at the end of April -she was over 16 yrs old. We had her since she was one year old when we got her from the shelter. It took us a bit but we decided to adopt another dog and now we have Riley a shepherd mix who is 90# and at 2yrs old still a puppy. He also came from a shelter and is very sweet but very energetic.

The view from your bedroom is also quite beautiful. So different from where I live.

I am glad you are feeling more at peace. Have a good day. Lee

 

[NetballKnees]

Thought it was time to post again. Thanks for your visit speedy2 I appreciate you taking the time.

It must have been such a sad time when you had to let your mate go Lee. Last year I needed to put one of my cats to sleep - she was nearly 21 and we had her for such a long time, it left a big hole in the family, but she was in so much pain and had gone blind, that it was the best thing for her. Sometimes I think we are much kinder to our animals than we are to humans where suffering is concerned.

I was hoping that by not posting for a few days I might be able to report some progress, but sadly I have gone backward. I am 5 weeks post-op today. I was looking after my gorgeous two year old grandson 2 days ago while my DIL had some root canal work done. I had just made him a sandwich for lunch and was taking a seat in my recliner when I either forgot to lower myself, or dropped too soon but my surgical leg bent right backwards (see, it does bend ) and I also twisted the other knee with the medial ligament strain. So the back of my knee is even more swollen and the front is burning and walking, even with the walker, is so difficult. Siiigh. My grandson was so concerned. He kept patting my leg and saying 'you hurt your sore. You okay Nanna?" So sweet.

Have spent the last 2 days elevating and icing and not much more. Still, the scar is looking really good!!!! A few ladies from work are coming for lunch tomorrow. They have been coming one day a week since I came home from hospital and I so appreciate them making sure I don't feel "abandoned" by the people at work.

My 6-week follow up with the OS is next week and I don't have any progress in ROM to show him. I know he will bring up MUA and as much as I have read that it is my right to refuse and that ROM is quite attainable after 6 weeks, I am so desperate for some sign of progress that I my resolve might weaken and I agree to have it done.

I am due to return to work on 2 December (about 10 days away), but may need to review that as the walker will be very awkward to manoeuvre around the office and going through the security doors to different sections and the Ladies will definitely be hard. Plus I am not driving yet as I have a manual. I think driving is a long way off.

Oh well, onward and onward with slow dragging feet. I hope all other BS forum members are doing well and your recoveries are going smoothly.

Take care everyone ... and hope you have a great night/day ahead of you (depending on where in the world you are). I am thinking of you all.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Please, please don't even think about MUA at this early stage, especially after your incident which has caused more swelling.

 

[lindaladyishere]

Im soooo sry about your accident.....sounds so painful. I agree that u have to get the swelling down first, and remember you have internal swelling you cant see, with all that swelling you will not get the bend i took a hot bath for the first time this week it felt so good, maybe you should try that (i had help getting out of course). Maybe it can help idk

 

[Josephine]

sadly I have gone backward. So the back of my knee is even more swollen and the front is burning and walking, even with the walker, is so difficult.

It happens and you had an accident which has not helped. Don't worry about it.

I know he will bring up MUA

No you don't!

I am so desperate for some sign of progress (and) I am due to return to work on 2 December

You are 5 weeks out which is very very early. Don't keep expecting the world to end because you're not flexing like you want to. Remember, we ALL said how this take not weeks but months. And it does. 5 weeks is absolutely nothing. Worry about it when you are 5 months and not before!

As for going back to work, you will set yourself back big time if you do that at only 6 weeks. You're worried about your ROM now? See what it's like after you've been back to work for a couple of weeks. You'll regress no end because your leg will swell up like a barrage balloon and you remember this article Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Am I scaring you? I want to scare you - I am very, very worried about you planning to return to work so soon when you are already depressed and anxious about your 'lack of progress'.

Oh yes, and an MUA will do nothing but make it all worse. When you are wavering about accepting his notion that this will make things better - remember that and going back to work has has a real chance of actually making things a lot worse! Sorry, but you need to know this.

I'd also urge you to think about this. Don't see my comments as negative. Please see them as positive in that I want you to have the best possible chance of getting where you want to be. You probably feel that you're caught between me and your surgeon, each telling you "do this, don't do that" and I can imagine it must be really scary and frustrating. But your surgeon is (probably) more interested in his outcomes while I am more concerned about you!

And remember that the MUA can wait until 12 weeks and then, if you've reached a plateau, you can have the it done. Most surgeons do them around the 12-16 week mark anyway.

 

[leejaa]

Ellen, I am so sorry you had that accident and injured both knees. You are amazing to be watching a 2yo at 5wks and able to manage. Wow, give yourself a big pat on the back and a hug .

You really do not want to go back to work this early if you can avoid it. It will be so hard on you and will slow you down. Please consider options of taking more time for you and your knee.

I hope tomorrow is better. Take care. Lee

 

[NetballKnees]

Thank you everyone for your caring, supportive and knowledgeable posts. As you all know, this journey is a long and slow one and I am just coming to that realisation. I holidayed in Fiji (beautiful place) last year and the Fijians have what they call "Fiji time" where things happen, just not when you expect them or want them to. It did not take long to get into that mindset, so I think I need to start living on "Knee time" when things will get done when the knee wants them to. That's what I will do - "Knee time" from now on.

Lee, I hope work is not too hard on you. You are so giving to be advising someone to not go back to work if they don't have to when it has been necessary for you to go back so soon. Today is better. Knee is still stiff and bit more swollen, but am icing and elevating lots.

Your very concise advice was appreciated Roy, as was your very knowledgeable advice Josephine. I have had to cancel some physio as my funds are running very low at the moment and physio is not included as part of a TKR over here. I am not too concerned about that though as I am still doing some basic simple exercises here at home.

Linda, I would have to be able to hop into a warm bath, but as my support is being provided by my ex-husband, it probably sounds a bit funny to say I would feel really weird with him helping me in and out of a bath.
My shower is taken still sitting in a shower chair and while not the same as a bath, is still very relaxing. I have one first thing in the morning before I start the first exercises.

Overnight I have decided to put back my return to work - even possibly until after Christmas. I just need to ring HR and check on sick leave and annual leave balances, so that is one concern sorted.

IF OS brings up MUA at my visit next week, I will listen to his arguments and give him the Bonesmart arguments and go from there.

Thanks again everyone. One day I hope I will be a support on here and not need so much advice and reassurance.

Have a great day / night.