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TKR Snowdrop made it to the other side!<

It has been a while since I have updated here. it has been seven and a half weeks since surgery and everything is coming along. I only use the cane when outside the house now, and my pain meds have been reduced to OTC tylenol and advil, with the occasional Tylenol 3, especially before bed. I find that I am not sleeping that well, so I am feeling quite tired on some days. My energy level has increased tremendously, so I am able to cook again and do some light housekeeping. I have even been grocery shopping, but always with someone by my side. I have not, however, attempted driving yet...still feeling too weak in my muscles to try it, but hopefully soonish!

My issue right now is that my thigh continues to ache. Stairs going up are difficult, and coming down is impossible. I have swelling in my thigh above the knee. It is noticeable to look at and feels quite hard to the touch. It does not hurt when I press on it though. Is this just something I need to massage out? My ROM is about 125 now and extension is -3, but I feel pain in the knee and thigh whenever I climb those stairs. Oh, and the clicking...wow, does that feel weird! I have reduced my PT to once/week, but all I am doing there is strengthening exercises which ends up causing pain afterwards. I think I will switch to the aqua classes so that there will be less stress on the joints. My other knee is definitely feeling the extra stress from these exercises now.
 
I had the same problem with my quads. I alternating between trying to massage them and also putting ice on them to try to decrease the ache. Eventually the muscle started to relax. Those sounds in my knee decreased over time or maybe I just got used to it!:heehee:
 
Thanks @newlybionic ... it's good to hear that I'm not the only one and that hopefully this will get better! My quad feels like a rock!
 
You have great ROM! WOW! You can use heat on muscles, to help them relax. Even alternate heat and ice. Heat for muscles, ice for joints. At least, that is what I was told.

Have you tried massaging the muscle? You can use a rolling pin, or invest in something like the Moji Pro Curve. If you use a rolling pin, look on the manufacturer's site for the Moji, view the videos for how to massage the muscles.
 
I think some of it is just time and remembering that your tissues were traumatized by surgery and they're still recovering. I wouldn't see anything wrong with massaging your thigh, but it's not like there will be overnight results. You're doing really well!
 
You sound to be doing really well. Be nice to yourself. I think I was about 8 weeks or so before I felt confident enough to try driving. You will know when you're ready. As for stairs, I still can't do them "normally" my quads were so weak from before the surgery that they hardly have any strength in them now, I reckon stairs will be months and months away.
I am the queen of clunking and clonking. Check my thread for the latest!


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@sleepilu, you made me laugh with your line about being the queen of clunking and clonking! I must be your lady in waiting then, lol...lots of it happening here! Soooo, I finally got fed up with sitting around the house and took myself out for a drive in my car yesterday! Freedom!!! You were right...my body knew when it was ready, and yesterday was the day. My knee felt great! Of course I felt like I could conquer the world, so today I was out for most of the day, getting my winter tires taken off, grocery shopping, banking. I came home and slept for an hour, so I guess I am still in the ODIC ( over did it club ). BUT...still feeling great!

As for those stairs...well, I think they are going to be a challenge for a long time yet. Even going up is not easy...my thighs kill!
 
Isn't it great to just be able to do every day errands? It's just the little things that start showing you how your life will be like in the future. Keep up the good work!
 
Well done on driving! Fab progress and news!
I still try and do no more than 30 mins or I suffer for it later .... But you can escape a long way in half an hour!



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Please tell me about your clunking to help me feel better ....


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@sleepilu , my knee klunks all over the place when I bend it and especially when I climb stairs. I don't hear anything, but my hearing isn't that great, lol. I have my appt with my OS coming up at the end of the month and will ask him about it. My knee doesn't hurt with the klunking, but all the tissues around the knee are still quite sore and swollen. I often have burning pain along the incision as well, but after some painful heel slides, it eases up somewhat. I try to take it easy, but gosh, this is so frustrating at times!
 
Thanks for sharing! I think the clunking and vibration that it makes HAS to impact on the swelling and tenderness. it'll be interesting to see what your OS says.


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Well, tomorrow marks nine weeks. Overall, things are going well...compared to what some of you on this forum have had to go through, I really have no right to complain about anything! Sure, I could complain about how long it is taking to recover, or about my different aches and pains. However, when I look at the big picture, I am so happy that each day is a tiny bit better than the day before and that my recovery is moving steadily forward.

My highlights include the following: I am back to cooking in the kitchen without having to sit down every five minutes...I am sleeping in my own bed and not complaining too much when my dogs cuddle up to my knee...I am driving now, which has released me from the confines of this house and of constantly asking people to go somewhere...I am increasing the step count on my fitbit, with 6000 steps becoming a norm for me ( I think I may hit my first 10,000 mark today!)...and the thing my family appreciates the most? ...I am far less teary and frustrated now that I am doing more on my own!

Things I am still waiting for...getting rid of my toilet seat riser and bars...BURNING these yoga pants that I have been living in ( can't wait for the swelling to go down so I can wear jeans again)...being able to climb up stairs without thinking of which leg goes first...being able to climb DOWN stairs using both legs...only having to take meds for things like a headache...and best of all, forgetting that I have a bionic knee at all!
 
Glad your doing great, we had surgery about same time. It's such a slow process .


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