Bilateral TKR Second Year Progress

[jboles]

@mlwreader Happy 7 month kneeaversary!! You're having a wonderful recovery. Getting up from the floor is such an accomplishment. I haven't tried it yet. I'm almost 9 months from the first knee, and just at 3 months from the second knee. Even kneeling on the bed is not comfortable for my lefty, it used to be, 3 or 4 months ago, but in the last couple of months it's really uncomfortable around the start of the incision. I guess it just needs more time. Like @MSgirl , I don't know too much about Colorado, I've always wanted to visit. I have a niece who lives there, close to Denver, she loves it.

 

[mlwreader]

@jboles Thanks for the good wishes. As for getting on the floor, I was strongly motivated by my desire to get my internet up and running! I haven't tried it again since, but its nice to know I can do it if need be. I expect it will get easier with time. When I knelt on the one knee to get up, it was with a pillow from the couch under the knee. I don't think I'm ready to kneel on the carpet yet.

And I shouldn't have bragged about the spring weather in my earlier post because when I woke up this morning and looked outside, there was a sprinkling of snow on the ground - lol. The sun is out now though.

I am up to walking a mile, and I notice that I get tired at about a 3/4 mile mark, so that the last 1/4 mile is a stretch. I did it twice the other day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. There's a wonderful park across the street from me that is accessed through a slight incline - this is a wonderful exercise for my legs. Just enough incline to feel like a challenge, but not too much.

I wouldn't do any kneeling on your knees until you feel like it is time. I hear you about something that you could do a few months ago that is challenging now. I had that experience too - nothing in particular, just it seemed like I didn't have as many twinges for a while and then I did. I expect that has to do with swelling, and maybe doing more activity on legs that haven't been really active in a while. As we do more, our muscles get worked more and then get a little cranky and need some TLC, and then they get stronger and we do more, and then new muscles get cranky for a while. It is all part of the process - slow and steady, like the tortoise.

For me its just getting back into a normal life - I am no athlete. I took my five year old to the library Wed. evening, and we sat at a table on those children's seats, the little and low ones, so she could "read" me a book. I was able to get up from that little children's seat no problem, had to help myself a bit with my arms, but it was such a great feeling. I could participate in my life and experience that sweet moment with my granddaughter. Thank you knees, thank you modern medicine. Hugs to all!

 

[jboles]

Yes, a big thanks to modern medicine.

 

[MSgirl]

We ARE lucky to live in a time when some very smart people have invented good artificial joints and doctors have gained the knowledge to install them. Now - @mlwreader, will you please stay out of doctor's offices? Enough! At least you are getting everything fixed before spring comes to Denver and stays. If I ever win the lottery (of course, I would need to buy a ticket and they aren't sold in MS), I'll go back to a doctor to get rid of my saggy neck! Stay warm. I'll try to remember to post my three-month update Monday.

 

[mlwreader]

I'll go back to a doctor to get rid of my saggy neck!

@MSgirl I read a book about saggy necks and other stuff by Nora Ephron called "I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman." I don't remember details, just that I loved her writing. I have a "neck" too, as did my mother. I think I'm stuck with mine, but really, that's why there are scarves. I'll be looking for the three month update.

 

[Mutti3]

All part of the aging process! I wear all my sags proudly!

 

[phrog]

Nora Ephron was hilarious. Such a talented woman.

 

[mlwreader]

@Jamie I just got an email with a link to the videos for last week's conference. I wasn't able to log onto the website last Saturday - for some reason I kept getting error messages - so I gave up. Now I am excited to go to the website and view the videos. I have my week-end planned and am looking forward to lots of good information. Thanks for all your efforts. Big hugs. I hope you are resting after all your work!

 

[Jockette]

I got that email too!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Me, too. I missed everything Saturday cause I was out of town and had no internet coverage. I look forward to catching up!

 

[AnnaF]

@SherrieT I’m 4 months post op. I’m having all types of symptoms. Numbness in my foot, sharp pain like a shock in the knee & stiffness. Not bending so well either. Tired of analyzing all this. I guess I’ll just deal with it. Spoke to someone who said she’s still stiff after 1 1/2 yrs.

 

[mlwreader]

Hi everyone:

I am beginning to get anxious about my walking. I always feel so herky jerky. I know I don't look that way because people I trust have assured me I look normal when I walk. But I feel a little . . . unable to pivot gracefully, or look around and maintain my forward progress in the same lane. I get the sense that it is related to the fact that the muscles and tendons right around the knees are not 100% recovered yet. I am talking along the outside of each knee and the medial side of each knee. When I go on my walks, those areas are the ones to let me know when I am getting close to the mile marker. That is the area of the leg that tires, still easily. And I still have slight swelling in those areas, in addition to some numbness there. And man oh man did I have a zinger Saturday - whew, haven't had one of those in ages. Took me by surprise and scared the you know what out of me.

I get the sense that once the muscles on the sides (outside and medial) of the knees get stronger, that my control when I'm walking will feel more natural. Does that sound right?

I still have aches in the knees when making certain movements. And stiffness after sitting for a while, although I don't seem to swell up after sitting - like after tutoring for an hour, for example. I am stiff in the morning upon getting out of bed too.

I am so hoping that the herky jerky issue will eventually resolve favorably. Has anyone else experienced this? I think it is also related to the fact of having both knees done, so neither one is able to carry the load. I just long for the day when I can march out the door and walk around, look at the sky and the pretty, puffy clouds, all the blooming flowers, smell the air, and just relax on a nice walk, no herky jerky, no worries. I can certainly walk now, no problem, just that feeling of slight lack of control is always there. And really, my quality of life is so much better than last year at this time. No comparison.

I am a bit over seven months out now, and I want it all, and I want it now. Hahahahaha. I know, its almost like I've regressed a little mentally. I will call upon my patience reserves now that I have told you guys what is bothering me.

 

[SherrieT]

I always think I'm walking funny and have had numerous assurances from family that my walking, finally, looks "normal". But I still feel like it's wonky. And I look down and it is so weird to have my feet facing the same way.

I pivoted not long ago and ended up overshooting it. Just stumbled at least, didn't fall down. I really think it's because we haven't been able to do so many things in so long that everything just feels weird. I say that my knee problems started last year but it had been coming on for years. It was just so gradual. I can't remember the last time I jumped down from even a little height.

 

[Jockette]

I felt unsteady for a long time when I was walking. It took a while for my balance to come back. It’s pretty good now.

I’m still careful when I bowl. After I throw the ball I stay at the line to see what the ball does, whereas before surgery I would start walking back from the line and looking over my shoulder back at the pin area. I still don’t do that yet.

 

[mlwreader]

I’m still careful when I bowl. After I throw the ball I stay at the line to see what the ball does, whereas before surgery I would start walking back from the line and looking over my shoulder back at the pin area. I still don’t do that yet.

@Jockette I am not a bowler, but I know exactly what you mean. I would not be able to comfortably walk and look back over my shoulder either. I would feel very unsteady.

 

[mlwreader]

I wanted to add a few thoughts. I spent some time today with last year's journal. I read many of my entries I wrote as I was waiting for surgery. I was filled with doubts and fears, and oh the pain. I had some real concerns about my doctor, and I felt less than confident in him. And then I went for my second opinion consult and was over the moon with confidence in the new doctor, and booked a surgery right away. And then all the phone calls and arrangements with my family, as I live alone and was getting both knees done and needed help. But really, the biggest part was the pain, and how difficult ADL's were in those months leading up to surgery. It was a really difficult and depressing time, and I'm so glad it is this year and not last year.

So really, who cares if I'm a little wobbly when I walk. Last year I could barely walk around my apartment, and was certainly not walking over a mile every day like I am now. And you know what else - I thought my recovery was going to be 8 weeks - I actually wrote that in my journal. Where did I get that idea I wonder. Oh well, I was probably better off not knowing what was in store for me.

Last year I had to plan and strategize each and every activity: laundry, groceries, library, drug store, shower, hair wash, all of it, because I was in so much pain. Good to keep a journal and read it back a year later. Makes for a lot of gratitude.

 

[sistersinhim]

Last year I had to plan and strategize each and every activity: laundry, groceries, library, drug store, shower, hair wash, all of it, because I was in so much pain. Good to keep a journal and read it back a year later. Makes for a lot of gratitude.

A very smart thing you did logging your journey before your tkr! Even though this is a really long and tiring recovery, it is worth it in the end. Being able to get back to normal activities is what it's all about! You've had it, and you've still got it!

 

[SusieShoes]

And then I went for my second opinion consult and was over the moon with confidence in the new doctor, and booked a surgery right away.

That was your best move (and everyone's best move), choosing a surgeon you knew you could trust. Sometimes it comes down to trusting your gut. (There's some fascinating research out there about how our "gut feelings" are part of our subconscious cognitive system, processing information in the background, so to speak.) That trust in a surgeon helps us by making us more serene during recovery.

It was a really difficult and depressing time

It's gets harder, as our recovery becomes better and the memory of those pains recedes, to recall why we were so very desperate as to allow someone to cut into us, remove our bone, put in metal and plastic, and hope for the best. That's a dark place to be.

So really, who cares if I'm a little wobbly when I walk.

About wobbly... I've been walking nearly every day since I could manage 500 ft. At first I too had balance issues when in motion, like walking down a sidewalk. If I looked to the side, maybe to admire some beautiful landscaping feature, I would wobble! Looking straight ahead, or down at the ground (which I did a lot early on), was no problem. It was looking to the side, or behind me over my shoulder because of some sound, where I would misstep. It was a little unnerving. That didn't go away as my walking distance increased. It did, however, become less and less with time.

I was just noticing this morning on my walk that I can look to the side without any problem at all. I thought about your post above, which I read last night, so a bit later I looked backward over my shoulder just to see what would happen. Wobble. But it was just a little wobble. Still, not like the old days when I could look backward while walking or running and not miss a step. I missed a step, or rather nearly did.

All along, I've been chalking up this interruption of smooth movement to balance and coordination. I figure my brain is still "learning" my new knees. Responses to nerve signals might be off now by the minutest of microseconds, but to our refined reflexes and nervous system, that's a discrepancy from the old knees that the brain has to reprogram. I figure this wobble, too, shall pass.

 

[jboles]

I am beginning to get anxious about my walking. I always feel so herky jerky.

I understand what you're saying. I too long for the day when I can just stand and take off walking across the room, no cane, no reaching out to touch the wall or furniture for balance, just walk...

But I still feel like it's wonky. And I look down and it is so weird to have my feet facing the same way.

I wish both feet faced in the same direction, but sadly with as bad as my right foot pronates, I don't think that will ever be the case...at least not when I'm barefoot anyway...

 

[KarriB]

Wish I had journaled my recovery, but I did post a lot on FB. It is so good to reflect on our life in general. It’s that said, I was very wobbly and had balance issues for a good while. Like Susie, walking has really helped me. I started using my cane when walking and tried to gradually depend on it less by putting less weight on the camera itself. Now I pop around the house and stores with no problem, although high curbs can still be an issue because of my bad natural knee.