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TKR Sewhat's 2nd Recovery thread LTKR

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I cut my ringer off when I'm napping! I learned that years ago when I worked the graveyard shift.
 
I had therapy today. I played "Let's Make a Deal" with my therapist. If I got good numbers, I don't have to do wall slides. He countered with "If you get to 1 on the bike." He moves the seat forward on the bike and it gets harder. I had gotten to 2 last time. So he wrapped my knee in a warm wrap and we did some work on the table. When we got to the bike, I did get to 1, no problem. Then the shuttle and back to the table to measure. He wanted 120. I was 123. No wall slides! He calls me Miss Overachiever.
I did school with my granddaughter all afternoon, so that was mostly sitting. So it was an okay day for me.
 
Saturday , my favorite day, no appointments, no kids. My medicine alarm awakened meat 7. I took my Parkie pill and laid back down. 30 minutes later the alarm goes off for the next pill. Imight as well get up. I made my pill packs for next week and spent the rest of the morning in my schoolroom. I prepped for next week and got first grade packed up. I prepared my Sunday School lesson and it was time for lunch.. After lunch i took a nap. Hubby grilled hambugers for supper and we cleaned up. So it was a take it easy kind of day.
 
sewhat said:
I had therapy today. I played "Let's Make a Deal" with my therapist. If I got good numbers, I don't have to do wall slides. He countered with "If you get to 1 on the bike."
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Congratulations on stopping the wall slides, and on your excellent flexion.

However, you shouldn't have had to make a deal with your therapist. He has no right to do that. If you say you don't want to do an exercise, he should respect your wishes. It's your knee and you have the absolute right to say what happens to it - you, and nobody else. You don't have to please him. He has to please you.

Maybe you felt that doing it his way was less confrontational than insisting you wouldn't do wall slides anyway? I can understand that, but you handed him the power over your knee.

It makes me angry that he dictated his terms. What would you have done if you didn't meet his requirements?
sewhat said:
When we got to the bike, I did get to 1, no problem. Then the shuttle and back to the table to measure. He wanted 120. I was 123. No wall slides!
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So, he imposed his agenda on your knee. I know you're happy that your numbers are good, but what he did is just not right.
 
This therapist is the one I have for Parkinson's Disease. We have a very good relationship. If I said I didn't want to do something, he would have no problem. We joke back and forth and the other patients and therapists laugh at us. He doesn't force me to do anything.
 
What kind of things do you do at PT for Parkinson’s?
 
Jockette said:
What kind of things do you do at PT for Parkinson’s?
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We do the LSVT BIG and LOUD program. I was doing therapy when my knee gave out last year. I had balance issues that he helped me work out.
 
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Today I made it to both Sunday School and Church. I was getting a little antsy before the service ended. I wanted to get up and stretch my leg. I had to take the 3 year old granddaughter to the potty a couple of times. That helped.
After church we went to Taco Bell for lunch. Fast and easy with kids. We came home, the kids went home, and I took a nap. I worked in the schoolroom a little and now I'm in my recliner on my laptop.
I lost another steri strip today. Some of the incision is still scabby. I think it's where the drain was. I don't have swelling anymore, but I still ice. I'm not taking pain meds, but still have the tinnitus.
 
I had my first TKR (right) on August 13th. A lot of problems with anesthesia, dizziness, nausea, blood pressure, and could not keep anything down. Finally released from hospital August 16th. Its been 5 weeks today and my left TKR is scheduled next Monday. I came back to work one week after surgery. I am at 125 on my bend and told I'm an overachiever but I am so tired of not sleeping well at night and having no energy. I am also very skeptical on having my surgery next week. I wanted to heal longer but my insurance starts over on October 1 and I will have to start my $750.00 deductible over along with the $3000.00 out of pocket before it will cover the surgery 100%. Right now I'm covered 100%. I would not take any pain medication when I came home due to the dizziness and throwing up. I take only Tylenol 500. Any suggestions from any and all on what I should do. My left knee is not unbearable but hurts getting up from a sitting position or walking long distances. I know my expectations were high going into and thought it would be a breeze for me.....WRONG...lol. Thank you!!!
 
@kray , you might want to start your own thread to talk about the issues you are facing, in depth. That said, here's my thoughts:

We are each different with different priorities, and only you know first hand how tired you are and how much this has sapped your energy.

But, if it was ME, I'd wait until I felt 100% ready for the second surgery. I'd just plan to cut back on discretionary purchases for long enough to get back the extra $3750 for surgery. For ME, having surgery on Monday would be more than my body could handle and also I'd be emotionally distraught at having to go through all of this again so soon. Are you even done with PT? I'm not, and I can't imagine enduring PT on my first knee right after the TKR on my second knee. I'd suggest thinking about how you feel and basing your decision on that and your overall health, not on money.

Bear in mind that I am 71, not 56, and not in the best of health.
 
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sewhat said:
Today I made it to both Sunday School and Church. I was getting a little antsy before the service ended. I wanted to get up and stretch my leg.
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When I first went back, I took an ice pack and a pillow and sat on the back pew by myself. I propped up my leg across the pew and iced. It really helped! It was a few more weeks before I could get back up into the choir loft comfortably, but I did it! That's when I knew I was on my way to a good recovery!
 
Carole4815 said:
@sewhat , have your doctors figured out what is causing the tinnitus? That sounds awful to endure.
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I haven't seen a doctor for it. My last knee, I had hydrocodone also and that's the first time I had it. It sounded like a mini chainsaw then. This time it's singing, mostly men, mostly hymns. It's crazy. Where does this stuff come from? It will change from Thou Art Worthy to the Star Spangled Banner in no time. At least I can sing along, which I couldn't do with the chainsaw. lol

I only have one steri strip left, the very bottom one. I've been putting vitamin E oil where the blister was.

PT today I got out of wall slides again. He added another rubber band to the shuttle. My numbers were 124/0. That's what I had on day 2 at the hospital. I think I only have 3 PT sessions left.
 
sistersinhim said:
When I first went back, I took an ice pack and a pillow and sat on the back pew by myself. I propped up my leg across the pew and iced. It really helped! It was a few more weeks before I could get back up into the choir loft comfortably, but I did it! That's when I knew I was on my way to a good recovery!
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I can't do that. I have a 3 year old to corral. She's a mess. I give her money to put in the offering and she puts it in and yells "I DID IT!" really loud.
 
Oh wow, a brand new knee and a three year old! You have your work cut out for you. I bet everybody in church loves to hear her yell that!
 
I took off that last steri strip today after my shower. Then I used a Q tip dipped in alcohol on the scabby area. It was just a little crevice that had dried blood in it. When I was in the hospital, the drain line caught on the foot rest of the recliner when they were getting me up for the first time. It pulled on the drain line, but my doctor had stitched it in. I think that's why that area had blood on it. I massaged vitamin E oil into the whole area and now it looks so much better. The blistered area has just about finished peeling.

I feel stiff like I need some good stretches. I tried, but the bruised areas hurt and felt crampy. I just need a good massage. They give good ones on the beach in Progreso, Mexico. I wonder if I could get a prescription for a cruise...
 
I think that is a fantastic idea! I think very highly of massage in Cancun. We should definitely petition for a restorative cruise to Mexico! Sun, massage...sounds perfect.
 
sewhat said:
[...]I think that's why that area had blood on it. I massaged vitamin E oil into the whole area and now it looks so much better.
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That's terrific! Now you need to take a new photo and post it. I am hoping some of that bruising has lessened over time.
 
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