TKR Slow but steady

[sistersinhim]

My first time in the pool after my tkr, I had a rough time and held off for another month. After that, I did fine. You are doing great to handle it so early on!

 

[Jacimarble]

Back to the ODIC! I went into the office for work yesterday, driven there by one of my colleagues. Actually working in there is no less comfortable than working from home (although I don't have a couch there to move to when I want to), I can elevate and ice. But the effort of getting ready and getting there adds to the aches and pains. And I made a bad decision and only took one crutch when o should have taken both. It's not actually the surgical knee that is the worst but I seem to have slightly strained the opposite ankle, and the opposite knee has also decided to join the pain party. So today I am home, on the couch, with ice on my knee and ankle and not planning on doing much!
So jealous of the people who can walk more normally after a few weeks - I am 7 weeks out and still struggling to walk without limping, aids. Just when I think it is going well and I am getting closer, the rollercoaster swoops down again and

 

[Desertgal]

But, you went to work! Something you couldn’t do last week? Today is a day of rest. Based on how you recover, then determine if it was a success. Congratulations!

 

[Jacimarble]

Thanks @Desertgal!!

Two miserable days with the strained ankle - at least it's taken my mind off my knee. Lots of rest, elevation and ice and it seems to be less of a pain. I'm hoping by the time I don't have to worry about the ankle any more I will notice the knee has improved too!

 

[DLR]

@Jacimarble so sorry to hear your ankle is acting up. Sometimes this feels like forever. Hope you have a good book and can rest ice and elevate...even if it seems a backwards move

 

[kneeper]

 

[Jacimarble]

A big step forward today - I drove for the first time in 8 weeks! Not far, only 5 minutes - but I booked myself a massage and drove to it. And very much enjoyed it too!

 

[sistersinhim]

Yay! Driving! Freedom!

 

[Jacimarble]

I went into the office again yesterday. A friend drove me in and this time I took both crutches. Still not an easy day :-( But not as bad as last week.
The bad side: I get grumpy at myself for not being able to do things. Everything still has some level of struggle. When I get tired and sore it gets worse.
I keep second guessing myself - what could I, should I be doing to get better more quickly.
The good side: I need to keep reminding myself - I can do so much more than I could last week, last month..... I'm only 8 weeks out!. Still not back to what I could do pre surgery, but it will come.

 

[sistersinhim]

You're at work a month earlier than what we suggest. You are doing OK for what your knee is going through. There is nothing you can do to speed up your recovery, but you can slow it down by trying to force it to do things before it is ready. Try to be as gentle with it as you can.

 

[Jacimarble]

Thanks Sistersinhim. I needed to hear that!
I also went and re-read some of the articles in the knee library about taking things slowly!

 

[Jacimarble]

9 week update:
I went to the physio today and all is progressing well. Rom is 10 and an easy 115. I can get ext to 0 when supported ie on the couch or if someone holds my leg. I am walking much more confidently without a stick at home and using "just" a walking stick most of the time when out, unless I know it is going to be a day with lots of walking. I am driving to the shops and drove to work once this week. I went into the office twice this week.
Yesterday was ODIC, but I knew it would be!! In the office, walked to the cafe at lunch, up the stairs twice to the upstairs meeting room, then after work we had a social event. On the tram down to the city, upstairs to a bar, downstairs to bowling, back upstairs to dinner!! I bowled one game using the ramp thing that the kids use, I sat out the second game. I was very stiff and sore last night and this morning but it wasn't the knee that was causing me the most problem - it was the rest of the body that has become unused to such exercise!!! I had already booked today off to recover and have tomorrow off as well to catch up with some friends. I was actually glad to have a go at putting the knee through a heavy day and seeing how it would react.
I am now on celebrex twice a day and long acting paracetamol three times a day, but they are more for other arthritis, rather than the knee - but I guess are also helping keep the knee under control.
I am doing ADL including driving as needed for appointments and small shopping trips. Pool once or twice a week for walking in water and some gentle knee bends and steps. 5 minutes pedalling on the stationary bike a couple of times a week. The PT has said I could add doing step ups each day on a low step to continue to strengthen the quad. As with all the exercises, I'll see how it goes and if I (and my knee) like doing it. Or not!
I am enjoying the freedom of being able to drive and moving around more easily. And looking forward to continuing to get back to "normal" life!!

 

[Jockette]

That is a great update! It was very wise to plan to have today off to recover from yesterday. You really did pretty well yesterday for only 9 weeks out! It shows good things to come.

 

[Kiwigirl62]

Gosh i am tired reading about your day....pretty big. Interested to read yr earlier comments about being so reliant on crutches. ...thats my big thing ....wondering if I'll ever ditch them as knee feels little wobbly.....same as you now working on quads. ....gently is so hard. Practising a little in the house on one stick. ...going snails pace and trying to focus on proper walking .
Interesting how your journey is going...we are an impatient lot aren't we

 

[Jacimarble]

Bored!! Frustrated!!! It's nice weather outside and I really want to be able to get out and do stuff.

 

[Jacimarble]

Week 10 update. Its been a rollercoster week. The beginning of the week I was frustrated and stiff and sore and generally had the blues. But I did go into the office Monday and Tuesday - physically it left me a wreck at the end of the day, but socially and emotionally it was a good move. Wednesday I turned the corner. The car was in for a service, so I was working from home. I decided that after dropping the car off I would bus it back. And because I felt good and steady I decided to go without any sticks! I walked about 300m to the first bus stop, bus to the shopping centre, changed to another bus - 200m walk - bus, walked 300m home. Iced and rested while working at home but felt OK. I took a taxi back to pick up the car in the afternoon!, but felt good enough to call in a the shops on the way home - again walking without any aids. Today was back in the office, again no aids. I have a folding walking stick so I have it with me just in case. Next week will be the real test as I will be travelling for work. 4 hours then 2 more hours flying, then in and out of schools for 10 days. Once it get there it will be relatively easy, so long as I can keep the energy drain under control! My schools know they need to look after me!

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow, what a week you have coming up. Your knee is mighty young to be doing all that so soon. Be sure to treat it like the baby it is. Elevate and ice as often as you can. That will help to keep the swelling and pain down.

 

[Jacimarble]

I definitely have plans for ice and elevation. The good thing is where I am going the school day is 8 - 2.30 so by 3pm I can be on the couch resting. That's the plan anyway.

 

[Jacimarble]

Hello ODIC (again!).
Well I've managed the first part of my work trip. I asked a lot of myself - school visit, fly to Perth (4 hours), stay overnight, up at 3.30am for an early morning flight (2 hours) to Karratha, straight to a school visit, checked in to apartment, rested an hour then an after school meeting. Phew! It wasn't my operated knee that was causing any problems, it was the other one!!
Came back to the apartment was in bed by 7pm and slept 16 hours - apart from a couple of bathroom trips. It was one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had for a while! I’ve caught up on lack of sleep from the night before, jet lag and mixed up drug schedule all in one! Today is a recovery day (bed, couch, ice). And the rest of the trip will be much easier (I hope!)
I guess the message is things can be done when you plan for them and manage them and make sure you give yourself time for recovery.

 

[SusieShoes]

Glad to hear your new knee was a champ! Giving yourself a recovery day is perfect. You need one and it sounds like the original issue knee is feeling put upon. Hope the rest of your trip goes well!