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TKR Sharon’s second knee recovery!

Can't imagine sitting a 3yo. You must have a ton of distractions, I mean toys. :)

Sks1997 said:
This morning when I got up, I was surprised that my knee wasn’t in pain when I walked. It was still very stiff but not painful.
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Love this! Enjoy the moments, they'll last longer soon.
 
I read that a lot of you say you can walk off the stiffness. That doesn’t work with my stiffness, it just gets worse and more painful the longer I am on my feet. I am however able to stay on my feet a little longer now. Was able to do quite a bit around my house today and knew when to stop and rest.
I sure am thankful for the ice machine my friend loaned me!
 
It was a hard day with my knee/leg babysitting and our sweet grandson was just miserable with ear infection and upper respiratory infection. Glad we were just there a few hrs. Brought back memories when my twins were babies and sick.
After I got home, took a long hot bath to soak my “log leg”. Heading to bed and hoping for a restful night of sleep!
Tomorrow will be better!
 
One more thing, just an observation. I have hardly cried since I started posting on here. Just knowing everyone’s journeys and that something isn’t wrong because I didn’t recover in 2 months has made such a difference for me. So everyone who reads this , give yourself a big pat on the back!
 
Overdid it today. Went to my grandson’s basketball game and my leg was bent for about 4 straight hrs. I get so frustrated with my husband because he just thinks that I should be “good to go” by now. Didn’t really over do my day before going to the game.
So hard to know how much to do!
I have a heating pad on it now. Sometimes the heat feels really good on it. Also took a pain pill. I only have about 3 left and I don’t look for them to give me anymore. I don’t even need them every day now but sometimes I really do need them like tonight.

Wish good aleep for all!
 
Sks1997 said:
I get so frustrated with my husband because he just thinks that I should be “good to go” by now.
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Suggest to hubby that he watch the surgery. This is major and recovery isn't instant.

Yes, recovery is about finding the limits, scaling back and starting again. Hope you get some sleep!
 
Sks1997 said:
Overdid it today. Went to my grandson’s basketball game and my leg was bent for about 4 straight hrs. I get so frustrated with my husband because he just thinks that I should be “good to go” by now. Didn’t really over do my day before going to the game.
So hard to know how much to do!
I have a heating pad on it now. Sometimes the heat feels really good on it. Also took a pain pill. I only have about 3 left and I don’t look for them to give me anymore. I don’t even need them every day now but sometimes I really do need them like tonight.

Wish good aleep for all!
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Interesting.
I am a Bridge player and our club main Duplicate sessions are still online. My partner is itching to get back in there but I can't sit for the required two plus hours, depending on how many boards and the speed of play, as I wouldn't be able to function after my new knee was bent for that length of time.
When we went out for a meal last weekend, I found myself having to stand up for five mins or so every now and then in order to stretch out. Luckily, our table for seven wasn't in the middle of the place so I didn't make a total spectacle of myself.
 
Sks1997 said:
My first surgery was a L partial knee on Jan 29, 2016. Just had a total knee on Rt one Aug 23, 2021.
I use Norco for pain. I can’t tolerate NSAIDs but can take occasional ALEVE. My Dr has started weaning me down on the Norco. I think they falsely believe everyone’s pain is down by 3 months .
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My Physio told me to reduce my pain relief gradually at week 3!!! Needless to say this did not help and I am back to taking what I was when I came home. Very brave to go for a TKR after already having had a PKR - not sure I would go through this again but I am at the stage of 'never again' which I hope goes when the pain does. This site is so helpful and supportive.
 
During my 8 wks of PT, I never had a massage and I don’t think they had a CPM machine or ice machine there either. I did have a good therapist that I trusted and liked.
I think so many things are done differently across the “pond”!
I remember working in homecare as an RN and we got lots of hip and knee patients and the docs wanted PT started the day after the patient got home and they were angry if that didn’t happen. Sometimes the patients would refuse it the day after. That was 2009-2014 and they were often using the CPMS.
 
4 hours is a long time to have The Knee bent the whole time. If I'm going to be sitting for awhile, anywhere, I try to have a way to stretch the leg out or even prop my leg straight up on another chair. I am much more comfortable being able to change positions from straight to bent and back again. Don't be afraid to advocate for your knee!! I remember going to one of my kids concerts in the gym of their middle school (with knee #1) and I brought a small pillow and literally told someone they couldn't sit in front of me because I'd had my knee replaced and had to be able to stretch it out on the bleacher in front.
 
I was at least able to stretch it out on the bleacher below me while at the game. Had about 2.5 hr traveling time in car.
thanks for the good advice!
 
I didn’t go out of house at all today. I am finding that even just sitting in chair with my leg at 90 degrees really causes me problems late in the afternoon. When I first get up, I can bend my leg properly to walk without any discomfort or limp. As the day progresses and with sitting I guess, it starts getting more uncomfortable to walk and I have a little bit of limp. I iced a couple times today. I do still have some swelling and pops or clunks inside my knee when I walk which I understand is normal. I don’t hear anything but I feel it.
I did some things around the house today but not a lot. I know my kids wish this recovery was over but probably not near as much as I.
 
Thank you Ruby
I have a good friend that just insists something is wrong because I am not healing the same as her husband did a few months ago. I myself don’t feel normal but I am always reassured by all of you that what I am experiencing is indeed part of the healing process and that I am really early in the game. I have tried not to compare myself with others recovery.
I do think a recovery this long is quite depressing. I don’t even feel like going out because it causes me so much discomfort later. About the only places I go are my kids and a few sporting events and church.
it is a little frustrating when people ask how I am every week and there just isn’t much progress. I try to smile and say that I am doing fine!
 
There are people out there who need to just keep their pie hole shut. Saying to you that something is wrong because you aren’t healing as fast as her husband needs to just keep her thoughts to herself. She should be kind and encouraging and just listen. Try not to let this discourage you. Keep your chin up! You are a knee warrior Princess! You got this! Baby steps
 
Hang in there @Sks1997, it does get better. My knee was a slow one to recover. At a full year I only had 120 degrees of flexion and I was 4 degrees away from zero extension. By the end of my second year I was at 140+ and 1 degree past zero extension. My knee is spectacular now and I do any activity I want to without that constant grinding pain, or even thinking about my knee. This truly is a 12-18 month recovery for most people. It's not fun, but being pain free again is simply amazing.
 
Even at 3 months, sitting or standing too long can cause stiffness. It will gradually get better. People who haven't had this surgery don't have a clue. :(
 
I am sure trusting that you are all correct about the popping/moving feeling that happens with walking and other movements of my knee. It isn’t even that it hurts that much but that it makes me feel that something HAS to be wrong. And it pops with nearly every bend of the knee when I walk. I am sure it isn’t the hardware as my doc just did an X-ray just a few wks ago. I am 13 wks post TKR.
 
@Sks1997 My left knee has clicked/popped since the 2nd day of its replacement in 2019, initially like you I was concerned, everyone told me with time it would go away except my surgeon, he said it might stay with you for life, but will get less noticeable. Well 2 years have flown, I have a pain free left knee, perfect in every other way but if I overdo things, turn too quickly it clicks, on a day to day basis I hardly hear or notice it.
Eventually your will be the same, type knee clicking in the search bar and you will see dozens of people clicking awayxx https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/clicking-clunking-knee-joint-after-surgery.13534/
 
Thank you Sara. It helps to hear from others who are further down the road!

Man, oh Man, I am definitely a member of the ODIC today. We shopped at two stores this morning and I had a strange episode not having to do with my knee. We had been to Walmart to pick up a few things for the meal tomorrow and I was fine. Then went to another store and was looking at baby clothes when I broke out in a cold sweat, light headed and was just about to pass out. My husband found me a chair, went and found a wheelchair and got me out to our van. I took some cold medicine this morning before we left and not sure if it could have reacted to my heart medicine. Anyway, the other thing is that I had only had a protein drink with my meds this morning before we left but I do that quite often. I checked my blood pressure when I got home and it was on the low side. I suspect my blood pressure dropped. Cold medicine INCREASES blood pressure in some people. Who knows. I was fine when I got home.

Then proceeded to cook/bake for 3-4 hrs and my knee is SCREAMING. I am on my third ice-elevate session today.
I finally made the Hummingbird Cake that I’ve been wanting to make! Hoping it is as good as everyone says! Also made my husband a pumpkin pie which I don’t eat.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL! I am thankful for each of you and glad that I found you!
 
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