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TKR So glad the knee is in!

It sounds like you are doing well. You do need to keep the positives in mind. It's easy to get down during this long recovery and reminding yourself of the positives does help. It does for me.
 
charmed-life said:
Thanks Celle, I was going to have to look that up on my computer - easier than my phone. I agree with the advice in the car! I had a cast for a month and had to sit across back seat - bring a bunch of pillows too, it can be hard to be comfortable, at least in our small car.
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@charmed-life
You posted the above on Veronica's thread. I'm glad my advice was helpful.
However, if you have a question or concern, why don't you post it here, on your own thread? As well as being a diary of your own recovery, that's what your thread is for.
Don't ask your questions on other people's threads and don't give updates there on your own progress, because that tends to hijack their thread and take it off course.

You don't have to go searching on the internet, either.
We have people here who've experienced almost everything you could want to know about when it comes to recovering from a knee replacement, and who can give you practical advice, based on their own experience and knowledge.
 
I understand, although that post was 1.thanking you for giving her my link that she asked for (which doesn't show up on my phone app, and I would need to get to my computer browser to give it to her) and
2. sharing something (pillows in back seat) when she had asked about traveling.

None of it was a question or update on my progress. I posted that here on my thread.


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It wasn't clear what you were thanking me for. Since you posted immediately after my advice about the car journey and went on to talk about it, I thought you were talking about that.
 
Sorry, middle of the night on my phone in bed, I should have used more words!


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Husband and I have a habit of going out to eat on Friday nights at a favorite small brew pub near us - had to miss it the week of surgery (and quite a few last fall after my accident!) but it was the highlight of my week to get there last night and the Friday night before. They know us well and are very good at seating us so I have room to situate my leg comfortably. The distraction of being out and not too strenuous an outing is better than pain meds! (although I'm still taking them). Sometimes I feel like things that make you feel normal and part of the world are so much help - it is easy to get tired of the same 4 walls!

Other update is PT went well again - feel like I got lucky with a PT who agrees with me (and you guys) that nothing should hurt. "Safe word" is "ouch" and usually he stops to make sure even before I say it. Usually afterwards I feel better than almost any other time. Wish I could send this guy to everyone who has what sounds like over-the-top aggressive PT. Slowly improving with 70 flexion and 0 extension. Walking with a cane, still on approximately 8 hydrocodone a day so pain is under 3 at all times (my personal acceptable level).
 
I'm glad you enjoyed your Friday evening meal out. It was probably a little early for your knee to do that, but I'm sure the outing was good for your soul. Were you able to elevate your leg at the restaurant?

It sounds as if your knee is progressing well and you have everything else under control. Your ROM will increase gradually, as the internal and external swelling goes down. I'm glad you have a sensible, helpful PT.

Best wishes for continued good progress.
 
I am glad you got to go to your brew pub! My first outings were going out to eat and I also found them to be just right - a small amount of mild activity, getting outdoors, yet being off your feet and able to elevate most of the time.

And of course, hearing about your PT is wonderful news.

Kimberly
 
I did not elevate it really - just prop it up on the other foot as I've been doing for several months. The knee seems to be able to handle sitting for an hour or so that way with no problem.


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@Jamie - couldn't find how to send this (cartoon in last post) in a message, at least not from my phone and not sure if many saw this but i thought you admins might like it!


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Cooked a whole meal for family by myself for the first time in five months! The vacation (from doing that) was kinda nice but it feels good to be able to accomplish something.


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Ok, four weeks since TKR surgery! Due to my injury in Sept and healing from that followed by TKR and removing other hardware and manipulating leg with removal of adhesions, my ROM has been slow coming but weekly I add a little more, I believe in large part due to the expertise and relatively gentle but also challenging handling by my physical therapist. I now am at zero extension and 80 flexion, with much less swelling and less pain. Working on more movement over knee cap (site of previous adhesions) and stretching of quads, still doing CPM until 90 degrees plus several exercises then icing with elevation three times a day. I also ice and elevate when I go to bed.

I can walk well, better with a cane so using that, cook, do some work in my business (which is at home, luckily) and get out to dinner every Friday evening with my husband. Weather will improve soon and can't wait for some longer walks.

In some ways it seems like much longer than four weeks and in other ways I can't believe a month has gone by since this surgery.

If I could wish a piece of equipment
for everyone it would be a bed like mine that can elevate head and foot.
And my bits of advice, remember it can take much longer than you want, keep looking for small positive signs, and look for things that work for YOU and keep at them! It will get better.

One upside, the hip replacement of two years ago has not been on my mind at all since the knee stuff happened!



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That all sounds like good progress. :yay: :yes!:

Remember to continue to be careful about not doing too much. It's still very early days - and knees do take longer to recover than hips.
 
Progress report: Doctor visit today - at 5 ½ weeks from surgery. Due to the type and severity of injury I had back in Sept, doctor is pleased with 85 degrees flexion, although goal for this visit was 90. No longer thinking I need MUA at least for now since I am progressing. He says he doesn't necessarily expect much more than 100 but I'm still hoping for a little over that. I want to ride a bike again. Doctor is a orthopedic trauma expert and also specializes in revisions and complications (like fractures) after TKR so I suppose he knows.

Still in home PT twice a week, will switch to outside for awhile starting next week. Biggest issue they deal with is very tight quad and IT band and it's improving. I've had great PT people so far, going back to same outside PT I had before TKR and he was good.

Pain is much less most of the time, definitely cutting down on pain meds. Along with that I'm up doing more during the day with much more energy. I can walk further and do some shopping. I'm sure it helped I was in good shape before my accident but six months now of recovering has taken its toll on my strength! Walking with a cane much of the time to keep my gait correct (no limp or straight leg walking) but often forget the cane around the house.

Swelling is way down, one thing I think helped me was ace bandage on knee which PT thought would keep swelling down. I take it off to exercise.

Still icing and elevating several times a day for at least 30 min. I usually go to sleep that way too.

Ok, hope it helps to hear one person's experience through this. Amazing how differently it goes for each of us.





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That sounds like a good report from your visit to your surgeon. 85 degrees is so close to 90 that it's hardly worth thinking about. I'm sure you'll continue to get improved ROM. There's no need to rush, because it can improve for a year, or even longer, after a TKR.

You get the best results from icing if you do it for at least 45-60 minutes. Icing overnight is OK, as long as you have something between your skin and the ice. I used to go to sleep like that, too.
 
I have a holder for two ice packs given to me by the hospital with stretchy part with Velcro that holds it on. If I wake up at night, I take it off.

Hoping to ride my bike again this summer but for now satisfied with how it's going.


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I used to keep two more frozen gel packs in a cooler beside my bed, so that I could change the thawed ones for some frozen ones when I woke in the night.
(I think I used the right word for the insulated, portable thingy you put picnic stuff in to keep it cool. Here in NZ, we call it a chilly bin and I believe they call it an esky in Australia.)
 
Yes we'd call it a cooler, interesting all the other words!


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