TKR SeptemberZen's Bionic Journey

[kneeper]

That's kind of how I was. Just some moments like that.
Did your doctor do a prescription for PT? It wouldn't hurt to have a couple of appointments just to check your progress and get tips on exercises. Most of us find it somewhat helpful if you get a good PT

 

[janmont]

Glad to see you are doing well despite no pt. It's best not to rush back to work, find out it's too soon and have to take more time off. Look at the bright side, if you are housebound, you can't spend money, at least that what my hubby says.

 

[Clipless]

The weepies. I didn't get them until two days ago. Two days ago I honestly thought I'd made a horrible mistake (having the surgery) and that I'd never ever feel better- then yesterday I awoke feeling better.

I fully expect to have these doubts and feelings for a while. A good cry now & then helps, so just let it out!

 

[ConnieJo]

Oh no, not you too! I would say welcome to the club, but ya don't want to be here. It's almost 3:00AM & I just got out of bed , laying on the sofa elevating and icing my knee. Couldn't sleep & kept crying...again. I think work is good for your mental health and even though I know I'm not ready to go back, I wish I was back in my old routine. That seems so far off to me right now. I just can't get past hating how my knee feels. I feel crippled and still feel like I'm walking around with a big ole foreign object attached to my leg. That may sound strange, but I don't know how else to describe it.

I can relate to what you're saying September. I have no idea where I'm at number wise. That would be the one good thing about PT. I'm going to have to break down and call tomorrow and get those visits started that the doctor ordered.
I wrote the office girls another e-mail late Sunday night to let them know I'm going to be off awhile longer. The Human Resource Directors Secretary e-mailed me back and said that I had 9.5 sick days left and 3 personal days. I hate the idea of having to use them all. My husband asked if I had to use them all before going to dock days, and I don't have the answer for that. I'm thinking I would. I would rather take 3 sick days and two dock days a week, if that would be an option. Guess I could check into that.
I just think it's hard to be off and couped up in the winter. My husband forced me to get dressed and get out of the house for awhile tonight. We went to our poor excuse of a Mall and ate supper and walked around for just a bit. I almost find myself not even wanting to leave the house. I got home and changed right back into my jammies. I haven't felt well since Friday.I've had a real upset, queasy tummy and had bouts with diarrhea today. I'm not sure if it's a bug, or if all the different meds are catching up with me.
My husband and I were talking tonight and he was talking to a guy that had a knee replacement, not that long ago. He said the first month,meh Hated it, the second month, he didn't like it and by six months he loved it....I would so like to be a that point. It amazes me to read some of the stories on here about excited and happy patients are from the get go with their new knee.....because I'm so not there yet.
Hang in there. You seem to be doing good all in all. If you've only had the one moment of weepiness since you've been home, I think you're doing pretty great! I think I'm probably getting on my husbands nerves at this point. The tears are there and ready to flow...& they do, a lot of the time. I'm kinda like you though, it is what is and I know with time, this too, shall pass. Just wish it was sooner, rather than later!
ConnieJo RTKR 1/05/2015

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hello @SeptemberZen

I have been reading you post with great interest. What I love about it is that no one is forcing you to hurt yourself, you're standing up for yourself re over zealous hubby. I really like that you're not forcing yourself to do stuff too soon. You are listening to your body. That is what is important.

I think it's fantastic when people can get back to work and drive by 8 weeks but it is not always the case. We are all individual. Our recovery can be affected by many factors. You seem to be doing nice and steadily which is good.

Anyway, what I really wanted to say to you and @ConnieJo was please remember. You have a long time to live after you've recovered from this surgery. You do not want to go into your later lives with disabilities brought on by returning to work too soon. It's not worth it.

September you are right about the hazards in your workplace. They're unavoidable like you say...it's a bus garage in it's truest sense of the word! Connie Jo, my eldest daughter does the same job as you. She's in her late thirties. She comes home exhausted. Mondays are the worst, she gets to her home virtually on her knees. It's all up down, answer the phone, meet visitor, guide visitors to the relevant area of the school, see to sick pupils as first aider, which she didn't want to be. She can't stand the sight of blood or vomit (oh dear)!

Hubby's just asked me to get ready to do a tiny bit of shopping locally. He wants to get me out of the house. He's going to finish our downstairs toilet later today as well.

Okay, I will catch up later. Take care both

All my love to you
Nana moon 27 xxx

 

[Nana moon 27]

Oh and sorry to read you got the blues. It seems like we nearly all have them at some point in recovery x x x

 

[ConnieJo]

Thanks Nana Moon for your encouraging words. I think your daughter and I can relate....no one knows the craziness until they have worked there for a day! By the time I get home I'm Done!!! That's why I know I need to be so much better than I am right now, before I return! I think I need to go back to bed it's after 5:00 AM....nighty nite or good morning..whichever!!

 

[SeptemberZen]

Thanks, Nanamoon, you are so right about not rushing, and I can relate to you, ConnieJo, regarding feeling like I'm walking around with a big weight attached to my leg. Patience is not my strong suit AT ALL. But everyone I talked to about this prior to my surgery told me that they did not regret having done it; in fact, they wished they'd done it sooner!

My energy is still down because I don't sleep through the night and my appetite is down as well, so even though I'm concerned about money, I know I'm nowhere near in optimum shape to go back to work. We went out to dinner last night and my knee was not as achy as it was a few weeks ago, but I still had some discomfort. I'm walking better with the cane but it's still slow going. I was getting a little cabin fever so I'm glad I went out --even though I'm walking like a 100-year-old woman!

Bottom line, I'm going to have to learn some patience whether I like it or not. We'll get there, ConnieJo! Slow and steady wins the race!

 

[referee54]

Patience is not my strong suit AT ALL.

Patience, Grasshopper, Patience!!!

Couldn't sleep & kept crying...again.

While I never really openly wept, I also had my "down periods", too. I would feel out of sorts and mopy and I would go stand beside my front window and watch the whole world go by.

. We went out to dinner last night and my knee was not as achy as it was a few weeks ago, but I still had some discomfort. I'm walking better with the cane but it's still slow going.

These little victories---"the adventure to normalcy", as I call them are tremendously worthwhile---and you are correct---it is slow going, but down the road everything will be normal---no pain, no stiffness, no aches!

 

[SeptemberZen]

LOL!! I actually have less pain and more stiffness lately. Most days it feels like someone tied a boulder around my knee.

 

[referee54]

My husband and I were talking tonight and he was talking to a guy that had a knee replacement, not that long ago. He said the first month,meh Hated it, the second month, he didn't like it and by six months he loved it....

That is a pretty accurate assessment--some take a little longer---others may be shorter---but I would agree with what he said.

 

[SeptemberZen]

I found another online forum for people who'd had knee replacements. Recovery experiences were all over the map! I just read one post where the woman said she'd had surgery TEN DAYS AGO and she's off the walker, using a cane and may be able to drive in another week!! (She must be the new Bionic Woman)!
Directly below her post another woman wrote that she had her surgery done 3 MONTHS AGO, she is continuing to have extreme pain throughout her entire leg and she regretted ever having it done!

I'm thinking that there are a LOT of factors in play here: a person's tolerance for pain, their general expectations and motivations and, no doubt, the skill of the surgeon.

I'll probably have my other knee done this time next year and now that I know what to expect, I can't say it will be easier (ha!), but it will definitely be at the same hospital with the same surgeon. I trust him completely.

 

[Celle]

Every knee recovery is different. You'll even find that your recovery from a second TKR is different from your first recovery. Similarly, different people recover at different rates.

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you should be doing better, because you've read someone else's recovery progress, but your recovery is uniquely your own.

Bottom line, I'm going to have to learn some patience whether I like it or not. We'll get there, ConnieJo! Slow and steady wins the race!

You're doing well and I like your attitude!

 

[SeptemberZen]

Thanks! I'm one who believes in trying to maintain a positive attitude whenever possible. I'm sure this will make me sound a little kooky but this aging hippie tries to stay in a 'zen' space most of the time, meaning trying to deal with what is right in front of me rather than looking backward or projecting forward. Doesn't always work... but I try.

Curious about something, you guys:
On another thread here, I read that some members were beginning to use heat on their knees. This surprised me because the followup paperwork I got from my surgeon mentioned icing the knee but no one had said a thing to me about using heat at any point. Well, I had my first appointment with my outpatient physical therapist today and when I told him that at this point I had more stiffness and swelling than pain, he said that you should ice the knee regularly during the first few weeks after surgery but once you are at the point where I am (nearly six weeks), I should STOP using ice on my knee unless I had been working it very hard or had done a lot of walking, etc. He said that heat works much better to ease the stiffness than ice. He was very happy with the amount of flexibility I have at this point (from a sitting position, I can ALMOST kick my leg straight out and take it pretty far back as well) but the stiffness has me moving in slooooow motion. I'm also happy to report that he said that my incision had healed beautifully and he was surprised that when he touched my knee lightly, I laughed because it tickled. He said that many people experience numbness and the nerves never regenerate. I do have some numb areas but they're not too extensive.

So -- what say you? Should I be using heat on my knee?

 

[janmont]

I am one of the proponents for the heat. I use ice for swelling, only after pt usually. I like to loosen the knee when it is stiff, especially in the shower.

 

[janmont]

By the way, I agree with what you said about people's expectations, what the are willing to do (or not), pain tolerance, surgeons skill especially and physical condition.

 

[Celle]

I think the state of your knee has something to do with it, as well. I know that my right knee was in far worse condition by the time I had surgery than my left one was. The left knee recovered much quicker, possibly also because I had not lost much muscle strength and my tendons and ligaments had not distorted.

Expectations do have something to do with it. If you expect to be fully recovered by about 6 weeks, then you are going to feel disappointed. But if you are prepared for a longer recovery you are probably more inclined to accept initial limitations.

 

[Clipless]

I use a heating pad sometimes. I use it for sore muscles/tendons and avoid placing it directly on the knee, though it probably doesn't matter anymore.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @SeptemberZen

Don't compare yourself to anyone. It's not worth it. We are all individuals and will recover at our own pace. I've had a rollercoaster recovery but I'm glad I've had it done. The reminder of very bad bone pain which is my left knee, makes me grateful I don't have that in my right.

You're doing just great x x (((hugs)))) xxxx

 

[referee54]

Every knee recovery is different. You'll even find that your recovery from a second TKR is different from your first recovery. Similarly, different people recover at different rates.

I agree---even with my BTKR, my right knee was the "problem child." With your second TKR, at least you will be ready, prepared, and understand what may happen.

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you should be doing better, because you've read someone else's recovery progress, but your recovery is uniquely your own.

If you compare yourself with others, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment---somebody will always be recovering faster, easier and quicker than you. We are all unique, and your recovery is yours---and you will get to the point of being fully recovered---on your knee's terms and time schedule.