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TKR Snowdrop made it to the other side!<

Day 17 post-op...and all I can do today is cry. Period. I thought I would be stronger than this.
 
Snowdrop, your emotional ups and downs are perfectly normal as well as feeling "what in the world have I done?" You are in what is called the dark days of recovery. They are dark. I focused on the one month mark and just looked at each day as one I did not have to get through again. Yes, there is pain, Yes, you will be frustrated, yes, your emotions will be all over the place, and yes, you will have terrible energy drain. You WILL get through this. You are a brave and strong woman. I have faith in you. You are in my prayers for comfort and less pain.
 
There are days where the best thing you can do is cry. It will help release all of the negative feelings you are having. I've been there and have gone through it. You'll make it.
 
It's a good job we love our dogs isn't it?!
Ouch!
Sit down, watch a sad movie and have a really good long cry .... And feel better and stronger each day x



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Thanks everyone, for your encouraging words. Today is a better day for sure. The sun is shining! Had PT this morning and although it was tough, it was also encouraging to see the progress I'm making. Flexion has improved from last week's 90 to today's 108, and extension from two weeks ago of -20 to today's -8. PT tells me to do my exercises 2 to 3 times a day, but I have been managing only one...after that I am exhausted. I try to follow the BS mantra of not overdoing, and it seems to be the right thing for me. So, I continue to chug along. I even walked outside for a few minutes today since the weather was nice for a change...I am sure the fresh air helped my mood as well. However, I certainly look forward to the day even half of my energy comes back!
 
I did exercises 2 times a day, but not all of them each time. My PT said it was fine to split them up over the course of the day.
Don't worry about the energy--it will come back. But right now you need lots of rest--you're barely out of surgery in the tkr scheme of things.
 
snowdrop said:
PT tells me to do my exercises 2 to 3 times a day, but I have been managing only one...after that I am exhausted. I try to follow the BS mantra of not overdoing, and it seems to be the right thing for me.
Click to expand...
Once a day is enough for the exercises. The tiredness is caused by almost all your energy being directed towards healing your knee.
 
You can do it. Wishing you the best :)


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Today my new knee is three weeks old! Things are going fairly well. My biggest complaint, as with many of you, is the increase in pain in the evening and night. So I make sure I maximize my meds towards the evening and try to grab the sleep when it comes. I have been sleeping in my recliner so far...I have been trying to lie down in bed during the day to see how that is, but within minutes I am in pain so I know I could never last the night. Each day, however, I am able to lie there a little longer. But today I have set a goal for myself to spend a night (or whatever part of it my knee wants) in bed this Sunday. It's all a mind game with me though...almost like convincing myself I can do it. Besides, there is a lot of moving of furniture around in order for me to sleep in bed (long story), so once the move is made, it will be hard to undo.
Otherwise, I am still playing queen around here. I elevate and ice for a good part of the day, determined to let my knee heal as much as possible. Energy levels are increasing bit by bit, pain levels during the day have gone down a lot, swelling is minimal. It's all good. I am doing a lot more for myself each day now...showering without help, making myself breakfast and lunch, making up the beds, even doing some of the dinner prep. I am so lucky to have my family around to make sure I'm not doing too much though...they are constantly making me rest! Now to just get myself a good night in a bed...getting sick of this recliner!
I hope everyone is doing well on their journeys!
 
It sounds like you're doing really well. Be careful not to overdo it! Sleep will come .... eventually
 
Yes you are doing really well! Several members here have reported sleeping much better in their recliners, so maybe you shouldn't change it yet, if it's working for you. Cleopatra would certainly have insisted on whatever made her most comfortable, right? Hang in there! :console2:
 
Well, I am certainly rethinking the bed/recliner situation. Perhaps I will go one more week before the big change. I am having issues with pain in my hip( where the thigh meets at the torso). The PT says it is from not being used and extended normally as it would be. The recliner will only go so flat and as a result my leg/torso is never completely flat. I know that sleeping on my side and extending the leg that way would help, but the pain in the knee wins out every time I try. I guess I just have to go with the lesser evil for now. PT has suggested placing heat on the upper thigh/hip area to help.
In the meantime, I am thoroughly enjoying my little castle...daughter gave up her bedroom for me. We removed the bed, placed the recliner in its stead, added a large flatscreen tv with internet and netflix, and best of all, I can shut the door to keep the dogs and noise out. Not bad at all. I will certainly miss my little paradise when I move out of this room! Yes, maybe another week in here won't be so bad after all...:happydance:
 
Post-op day 23. Surgical site has healed nicely, almost no scabs left. Can't wait to start massaging some Vit E into it, but PT says to wait another week until there are absolutely no scabs left. Bruising around the site is still obvious, but going down a bit each day. Swelling is still minimal most of the time. I find that I am taking just tylenol during the day, more for aches than anything. Hydromorphone is still my friend in the evenings and night though, but the frequency is reduced to 1mg every six hours or so. My biggest enemy right now is energy drain. I am still astounded at how much this procedure saps out of me! I just finished sweeping the dog hair off the floor in two rooms and now I feel like I am done for the day. Knee feels fine (but I am icing and elevating anyway), but the rest of me feels like I just worked a farmfield all day. Just wow.
It is nice to have a place like this to come to, where I can commiserate with people who know exactly what I am talking about. I have learned so much here, through the articles and by reading other people's journeys. So glad to have found this haven!
 
You're not even a month out yet---I'm not surprised just sweeping tuckers you out. Good for your family for making you rest.
It's interesting how some people do well with a recliner and others not so much. I liked the recliner for a change, but could never really rest or sleep in it. I just had a system of pillows for the bed.
 
Okay, did too much today and learned my lesson. Sitting around was killing me so I went ahead and prepared a complicated dinner this afternoon. Yeah, not doing that again for a while. Such sharp pain in my knee now. Boy am I stupid.:doh: I am going to rest, ice and elevate for the rest of the week now. The knee is definitely in charge.
 
Sometimes you just have to do things so you can set a benchmark for overdoing things?!
Well that's my excuse ....


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@sleepilu , I think I have to agree with you, lol! Sometimes I lie here and all I can think about is how utterly lazy I am being. That's when I tend to get up and start doing something, only to have Max ( yes, I named my new knee) tell me in no uncertain terms, that I need to lie down again. We are in a power struggle lately, but I think that Max is backing down just a little more each day. Ha! Don't worry...since he is so new around here, I will take it easy on him.:yes:
 
Back from PT and I am excited to say that I did a full rotation on the bike today! Actually, I was able to stay on it for 7 minutes...that's not to say it was continuous cycling though. I did maybe 5-6 rotations per minute. But Max did not complain one bit! Since my ROM is 114, the PT said I should be able to get a rotation out...just get past the fear. She did not push me, just encouraged me and before I knew it, I did it! I am thrilled! Cycling before surgery was a difficult thing, so this is pretty amazing. I am also thrilled to learn that my extension is -2!! Before surgery, my extension was a permanent -11..,I have been walking with a bent leg for about a decade, so this is so new and thrilling for me. I am babying Max right now with ice and elevation, but he is a happy camper. My quads, however, are voicing their strong dislike, lol.
 
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