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TKR Slainte's Big Adventure

Sounds like you are doing great. Due to insurance I am in the same boat. After my knee and then falling that surgery was needed when the doctor took out the back staples on Wednesday he asked when I wanted to do my right knee. My new knee is great but my back is still swollen and sore. I live in the recliner lol. I think I will wait until I can't take it anymore. You have a great outlook and inspire everyone who reads your posts. Good luck on your second one. I'm sure it will be great:doggie:
 
Rob 68 said:
If my home state had that shoeless law, no one would be able to drive. Better check your first pay check for any "new" deductions. :cool:
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Too funny! Will definitely be watching for any unusual deductions!

I am learning about my new knee, only 8 days old now. Every knee is different, and mine are no exceptions. In some ways this knee is easier - no swelling at all aside from the little hematoma, much less pain, and I could do straight leg lifts from day one. In some ways it is harder - I don't walk nearly as well and I have much worse ROM. But overall I think I will recover very quickly. My in-home PT is not happy because I refuse to do squats, but I dutifully do my leg lifts (because they are easy). I also refuse to do heel slides in bed, but will do them in a chair. She tried to play the MUA card, but she is the same PT that I did very little for with knee number one, and it really takes the wind out of her sails when I demonstrate how fabulously functional that knee is now. I am working gently and steadily on extension and ROM. Going back to work a week from Monday (4 hr days the first week) and I know my comfort in that office chair will be markedly affected by the diligence I show now.

I watched about 3 hours of TV today. I don't watch much TV and it was very fun. I can now get out of my favorite recliner, and I had the house to myself, so I splurged on TV. Today I also moved my nest from my daughter's old room in to mine. My husband was very happy to have me back. After 32 years of marriage we like to be together. I warned him that I will be up all hours, but he says I don't wake him up.

So life is great, and I am so glad to have two new knees. My boss came by today to work on a couple of things. She did not take her shoes off.
 
I am glad you are doing so well. In preparation for my LTKR, I was cleaning one of the spare bedrooms and my husband came in and said, "you are NOT sleeping in here!" Hahahaha! I tried to explain about the elevation, CPM, and the way I snore when I sleep on my back :dubious:. He said he didn't care and wanted me to stay in our bed. We shall see. It is nice to feel so loved though isn't it?
 
Oh, my new knee is not happy today. I tell myself it is only 10 days old, so of course it is going to hurt sometimes. I did make myself breakfast (oatmeal in the micro) and lunch (scrambled eggs and toast) but both times I moved so carefully, holding on to my walker the whole time. I have my CPM machine up to 86. My extension is still not zero, and I think that is what is making me hurt. Walking on a knee that cannot totally straighten hurts. So have been icing and elevating. And medicating, of course. It is so achy. I think I have finally found a comfy position in bed with my leg propped up on my body pillow. Waiting for the meds I just took to kick in and getting ready to whistle down a family member for a fresh frozen water bottle for my cryocuff. Thanks for listening, bonesmart friends. I know this too shall pass.
 
I'm sorry your knee is sore today, @Slainte . :console2:
You are keeping up a regular schedule for your pain meds, aren't you?

Can I suggest that you scale down the numbers on the CPM machine? It will still be very hard for your knee to bend or straighten because of the swelling, so don't expect big numbers on flexion, and don't strive for full extension. All the CPM should be doing is keeping your knee moving gently. It shouldn't be causing stress.
 
Thanks, Celle. I am trying to get that flexion, but will stop pushing so hard. Like you say, trying too hard just sets me back. And yes - meds on schedule.
 
Slainte said:
After 32 years of marriage we like to be together. I warned him that I will be up all hours, but he says I don't wake him up.
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That warms my heart! My husband and I have only been married 26 years, and I didn't even want to think about sleeping in a different bed.. I sleep better (and so does he) knowing we're each there.. He severely broke his ankle a few years ago and I was "there" for him.. It all evens out in the end.. or something like that.. :heehee:

Slainte said:
My boss came by today to work on a couple of things. She did not take her shoes off.
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:rotfl: Have you not found the shoe yet??? Did she say anything??? :rotfl: While it's not funny, it is SOOOOO funny!!!!! :loll:

Slainte said:
Oh, my new knee is not happy today. I tell myself it is only 10 days old,
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My dear Slainte... have you forgotten???! At only 10 days out, you should probably be pampering your knee a bit more.. (UNDERSTATEMENT) Remember.. you cannot rush this!
Slainte said:
My extension is still not zero, and I think that is what is making me hurt.
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My extension was not zero until about week 8, or 9....11?? I can't even remember.. except I KNOW it wasn't at 10 days....

With all the respect in the world.. At the place where you are in recovery, I can't even imagine doing much more than getting out of bed to use the restroom, taking an assisted shower, walking around with the walker for a bit and getting to PT and back with some heal slides in there somewhere.. Please don't try to push yourself too much. I can only imagine, but your other knee is still just a babe.. how is IT doing??:friends:
 
@Braunzie , my first knee is perfect. I really don't even think about it anymore. And I think I get confused and think my recovery is further along than it is. The second knee is coming along, it really is. Just achy today. Writing a song in the back of my mind about my achy breaky knee.

My boss's shoe remains lost. And since I am the "finder" in my family, it probably won't be found until I can go look for it. She says they weren't all that comfortable anyway.

Thanks for hearing me whine. Lemme know when you find that patience ATM.
 
You are doing GREAT! Give yourself a hand! :yay: How quickly we ( would like to ) forget about the long slow journey. But, we know that recovery has to come on its on terms and in its own time. ( Says she who is also desperately searching for that Patience ATM! ) Good for YOU for standing your ground with PT! Slow and easy wins this "race" for sure - you've proven that! I LOVE that you can show the same PT your fully functioning TKR that you brought along using the Bonesmart mantra! :loveshwr: Hurrahhhhhh for you! You KNOW what it takes. Rest and be very thankful for that sweet hubby! Mine got up with me every time I had to pee in the night for 4 weeks! Isn't it wonderful to have someone to take care of you for a change? :friends:
 
Hello Jo, I just read through your entire thread and found it to be so helpful. I am going in on Oct 21 for my knee replacement. You have done so well with both knees. I will continue to read your thread. Keep up the good work.
 
Use that gravity to your advantage to slowly stretch it to 0. I used rolling chair and would push it out and back slowly until I got the knee existented and just relaxed for a bit. Over time the relax periods got longer and less uncomfortable. I plan to do the same with this revision. Being able to lock that knee back is a plus.


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You're to hard on your self. At 10 weeks you are doing great. I remember 10 weeks and was by myself and all I did was cry and eat cereal and watch a lot of bad tv. I did most of it all on my own and finally got to the happy place. You can do this. Remember to ice relax and make your couch your best friend lol. Hope today is a good one for you. Vent all you want. We are pulling for you and will always be here for you.
 
The extension will come. Every once in a while I let my leg rest on the ottoman with some space between the chair and ottoman. Gravity did the rest. But you're sooooo early, remember that word...patience. Three months between TKRs! You are a rock star!
 
You all are so sweet. @Pescara , I'm not 10 weeks out on knee number 2, I am 10 days out! Well, 12 days now. Celebrated by getting my staples out today. A milestone! I really am doing all right. I had just gotten the sleep thing sorted with knee number 1 and now I am right back to having a tough time sleeping. So I stay caught up on everyone's threads, and re-educate myself on the mantra. I know that in a couple of weeks' time I will be much stronger and more able. Once I get back to work next Monday I won't have time to focus on my knee so much. That will limit my pity parties, at least.

Tomorrow my PT is going to help me graduate to a cane. Using a walker feels very secure, but my family will quit feeling sorry for me once I quit lurching around on the walker. Have some yard work planned for the weekend, cutting back some massive bougainvillea along the side of my house. That stuff has inch-long spikes and is beautiful but deadly. I love it enough to suffer through its upkeep. This time I will be sitting in a chair carefully clipping the branches into big bags, and my children will do the footwork of lugging the full bags out to await pickup. Looking forward to getting out. I have not stepped foot outside since I got home from the hospital, and that no doubt is affecting my mood.

Good night, fellow bonesmarties!
 
I have been doing my cane around the house, walker everywhere else. This all is just cycling through what I did before, but with knee done right. After a while you will find yourself carrying the cane from time to time.


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Sorry,I ment to say 10 days. Please be careful this weekend and rest and ice when you have to. Enjoy the beautiful weather
 
Glad your moving along... But I would seriously think twice about cutting the Bougainvilla for a few weeks. Those spikes also can have lots of microbes, bug stuff, pesticides and the fluids in the stem itself is a known irritant etc and being so soon after surgery if you cut yourself or scratch yourself you are at a big risk of infection right now... I know whenever I cut them back I end up looking like I fought a cat in a plastic bag and those scratches swell up and I end up putting neosporin on them.... And they itch. My opinion is better to be safe than sorry, your scar is still fresh I would not take the risk and live with them overgrown for a couple more weeks... IMHO

But great job so far in your recovery!
 
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