TKR So grateful to have found this community

[Jockette]

@HoneyB That is so awesome that people say that to you. I’m sure if all of us had that kind of support we would feel emotionally better.

I felt so angry at people who thought I should do more PT “since I was having problems” or just “keep doing your exercises “ when I agreed with the Bonesmart approach. One acquaintance asked if I’d done pool therapy. I said yes but it hadn’t gone well. Oh my, I can still see her look of surprise and disapproval.

Two of my best friends are very pro PT and I don’t feel I can even discuss my replacement with them. It’s sad. (and neither of these 2 friends have had a knee replacement. And one lives in Chattanooga. But she’s from the north, so that explains it! )

 

[Relle]

@HoneyB it sounds like you live in a lovely area. I don't know why it is here that everyone thinks it's their place to put their opinion forward. I'm sure they think they are all doing me a favour and want to help me "fix"the problem without having any knowledge o how this recovery process works. I'm also feeling vulnerable and extremely uncomfortable when I am away from home so have decided to stay put at least for the next few weeks. My mantra for now is one day at a time ad I think finally my nearest and dearest have begun to understand this is the way it is going to be.

 

[HoneyB]

Honestly, in the south, if you’re in a check-out line at a store that’s longer than two people, by the time you’ve paid, you and the person in line behind you will know each other’s names, where your folks are from, where your kids went to school, etc. in some attempt to find some common ground. “My neighbor’s sister’s son went to that school, too” makes us almost kin. We talk. Several of my neighbors have asked to grocery shop for me, run errands, etc. Most people tell me I’m doing too much. I have to tell them that it’s good for my knee to walk and do some everyday activities. Y’all need to come on down here! (You’ll need to learn to say, “y’all.”) I haven’t been given a disapproving look by a single person in my 9 weeks post-op. I’ll take you to the grocery store. You’ll meet a near-relative in line.

 

[Relle]

@HoneyB sounds like a great place to live. Would love to visit your country one day. Have to be content with seeing it on the television for now.

 

[Jockette]

Y’all need to come on down here! (You’ll need to learn to say, “y’all.”)

Done, I love that phrase!

 

[Relle]

Back for my 6 week check with OS today. Extremely nervous as for the last 2 weeks I have not increased my rom from 60 degrees and my knee has become stiffer, I am finding it difficult to walk and my pain levels have increased, especially at night. I know I have overdone it at times which has certainly played a part in how my knee is at present.
I was surprised at how considerate he was. He was gentle and didn't cause me any pain. Asked a lot of questions and really listened to me when I told him what had been happening. He then gave me two options for proceeding forward starting with taking my time and letting things heal naturally, explained his ideas on time frame and expectations and then suggested as an alternative to have an MUA and went through the pros and cons of the procedure. At no time did he pressure me either way. I have decided to go with the MUA and have booked in for this Monday. I feel this is the best way forward for me and can only hope I have made the right decision.

 

[SusieShoes]

I also hope you've made the right decision. Just keep in mind that following a MUA, your knee will be pushed back to an earlier stage of healing -- tissues will have been torn and some of the healing undone -- so you will need lots of icing, elevating, and only gentle movement to ease it back to where it is now, and further. Some people have very good results from MUA, and I hope you will be one of them!

 

[sistersinhim]

Back for my 6 week check with OT today. Extremely nervous as for the last 2 weeks I have not increased my rom from 60% and my knee has become stiffer, I am finding it difficult to walk and my pain levels have increased, especially at night. I know I have overdone it at times which has certainly played a part in how my knee is at present.

You said it yourself. You've over done. That causes swelling, stiffness and pain. That also causes less ROM. You don't really need a MUA, you need to rest, ice and elevate that knee. The MUA will set your recovery back to almost the beginning again. Why don't you postpone it and give your knee a month of just ADL, (activities of daily living)? That is all your knee needs to rehab itself.

 

[Relle]

@sistersinhim I understand where you are coming from. I am not dealing with my recovering very well and I feel like I am at the end of my tether. I am still in a lot of pain and very restricted in what I can do. As a result I have become very depressed. Maybe this won't be the best way forward but my OT assured me that he has great success after doing this procedure and feels that I am a good candidate.
On a positive note the X-ray I had done early this week shows that my new knee is sitting perfectly so under all the trouble I've got a lovely new knee.

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope it turns out the way you want it to.

 

[Relle]

Sometimes I think I'm out to sabotage myself. First thing out of bed this morning and tripped on the assortment of pillows and small blankets that I use through the night to prop me up and cover my shoulders to keep me warm while I do my nocturnal activities. The pain nearly sent me through the roof so it was back to bed icing and elevating. Finally made it to the shower and had breakfast and tripped on the leg of a chair. Decided it would be in my best interest to bring my walking stick out of retirement to remind my brain that my knee is far from healed. I haven't wasted my morning though, I've been delving deeper into the archives of Bonesmart and have read some more pages out of a great book. I need a big dose of patience.

 

[Celle]

Decided it would be in my best interest to bring my walking stick out of retirement to remind my brain that my knee is far from healed.

I think it's a good idea to continue using a walking aid until you stop tripping. Maybe you're trying to walk too fast?
Slow down, look to make sure there are no obstacles in your way.

 

[Relle]

@Celle i think I should keep using it. I am easily distracted at the moment and unfortunately we have family members living with us for now who don't seem to get the trip hazard thing. Not because they haven't been told but one is my 4 year old grandson so I'm finding it quite frustrating. Turning into a cranky old women.

 

[Celle]

Be as cranky as you need to be, to protect yourself and your knee. This is your time to be considered, to be looked after. I can understand the 4-year old not remembering, but the adults should.
Nurturing mother: how to let go and accept help

 

[Relle]

@Celle Great read, thank you.

 

[DebCoz]

Another thing surgeons, etc. need to look at is the opioids they prescribe for post operative pain contribute to sleeplessness as they mess with the serotonin and melatonin in your system. I stopped the pain meds after a week or so and stick with extra strength Tylenol and have been taking melatonin and Tylenol PM to sleep. It wasn’t going well, so I went to my family doctor and got a prescription for Belsomra, which worked pretty well. Also, the post-op depression should be discussed a bit as it took me by complete surprise (I’ve had other surgeries and never had the depression, crying and mood swings like I have had with this surgery). I’m so grateful for this forum and the support.

 

[hopalong61]

Hi Relle,
I had an MUA 8 weeks after my TKR as my knee wouldn't bend. I was worried silly about it, more so than the actual knee replacement. It worked for me, i can now bend my knee and am back at work and driving again. However it has set me back and i still have a lot of pain and swelling, it was 7 weeks ago. I think for you, it will help a lot as once you can bend your knee and do more "normal" things again, you start to see the finish line ! I'm off to see my consultant this afternoon, even though i still struggle to sleep all night and still have to take painkillers and ice as often as i can, i feel as though i am on my way to a good result. I hope you will be too, the feeling of bending your knee after the MUA is wonderful

 

[Relle]

@DebCoz i am crying over any little thing. I feel like I am going through menopause again. I am crying with pain at night. I am crying because I am not progressing and feel like I will be like this forever. I have been told that I should be on anti depressants by a friend. Luckily I read on Bonesmart that depression is common after this surgery. I am constantly reminding myself of this and husband has also been reassuring me that I will come good.
Pain, lack of sleep and the realisation that recovery is going to be a long process must have something to do with it.
@hopalong61 thank you so much for your words of encouragement. It's great to hear from someone else who has had this procedure done. I am very concerned about having the MUA but I can't even walk more than a couple of hundred metres. Even walking around my home is uncomfortable and painful. So to be able to bend and function more normally will be great. I am expecting pain afterwards but I still have a great deal now, it really hasn't decreased much since my op. I am still having very little sleep and unfortunately can't turn my brain off enough to nap during the day. Trying to keep positive and looking forward to feeling like I am at least on the road to recovery.

 

[Jockette]

I cried a lot, too, especially early on but then even later.

I had quite the melt down at 5 months and I am not prone to melt downs.

I am now past a year and my emotions have settled down considerably.

A very swollen leg can cause a lot of pain and make bending very difficult. Things will improve as the swelling goes down.

 

[SusieShoes]

@Relle, I'm so sorry to hear you've been feeling this emotional roller-coaster. And tripping over things! You're wise to reclaim your walking stick and have it at hand to remind you to be extra careful. The last thing any of us need is a fall!

Be gentle with yourself in all ways right now. Rest all you can and make peace with your knee. It's doing the best it can, and so are you... doing everything you can to make it better.