Revision TKR Sondrals’ Revision

i think I might try to find toeless ones
Oh! I completely forgot the horror that is full toe compression socks. Yes, definitely try to find the toeless. I don't really have problems, but I was always hot and sweaty with my original toed stockings. The open toes makes a huge difference for temperature control.

I wear my cotton socks over mine too.
 
Things I did that I probably shouldn't have but did anyway this weekend:

Shopped for 45 minutes at the grocery store after work on Friday. Non-surgery knee hurt, surgery knee felt tired but didn't swell or anything so guess it was ok? Did use my cane, so not sure it "counts."

Stripped/remade our king sized bed by myself on Sunday, washed sheets & comforters, and did 2 other loads of laundry. Emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it, made myself breakfast, swept, vacuumed and cleaned the bathroom. Hip hurts afterwards, probably from bending/stretching? A little sore today but nothing major.

Ate a huge, and I mean huge, piece of coconut cake. No ill effects on my knee but there may be some on my waistline. :snork:

We also had our first "icy" day here. Saturday we woke up to 24 degrees and ice fog. Drove my bf to work and planned on going back out early to get my oil changed but due to the weather/ice I decided to wait until later in the day. I wore my icebug shoes (studded) and swapped them out to my regular ones once I was in the car as the car place you pull right into the shop, so no ice.

Attempted to use the pull on ice cleats later in the day as I thought they'd be easier, turns out the amount of force needed to strap them onto my shoes is just too much torque for my knee. So I'd have to take my shoe off, strap it on, then put my shoe back on. So I may as well just wear my studded shoes, take my indoor ones and swap them out.

Still a bit freaked out about winter and getting around but outside of moving on short notice to a warmer climate I guess I better figure out how to deal.
 
Is anyone’s surgery leg a different color? Mines looked tanned since surgery. I’m really pale so it just looks weird. I also have a white spot about the size of your palm right below my knee on the front of my leg. I almost wonder if it’s where someone held my leg firmly or something during surgery.

also, when I first had surgery I despised shoes, I preferred to be barefoot. Now I hate being barefoot it feels... weird. Is that normal?
 
I was told to never go barefoot except in the shower, not even in the night for the steps to the bathroom.
 
Did use my cane, so not sure it "counts."
It all counts. You were standing on your own 2 feet. That counts. The cane is just insurance.

That sounds like a very busy day! All that bending and stretching would certainly have made me sore. I get a lot of weird random aches and pains from moving more and in different ways. I assume it will sort itself out over the next year.

I was told to never go barefoot except in the shower, not even in the night for the steps to the bathroom.
How odd. I wonder why? I didn't get any advice about that at all, except to wear sensible shoes right after surgery.
 
I get a lot of weird random aches and pains from moving more and in different ways.

Me too! My ankle has decided to feel sprained but I didn't twist it. My hip likes to act up a lot on my non-surgery side. I got stuck in one position in bed because my lower back decided it wasn't happy. I'm like if this is what getting older feels like I don't want it!

How odd. I wonder why? I didn't get any advice about that at all, except to wear sensible shoes right after surgery

I can't recall them saying anything to me about shoes other than to bring slip on ones to the hospital because many people can't reach their feet and tie their shoes. I wonder if it has to do with slipping? I work my grippy socks for a good long while after surgery because we have laminate flooring that can be slippery.
 
I think with me it was/is slipping, avoiding falls, and maintaining alignment.

At least my feet are always ready for those “little night walks” that my new PKRs and repaired shoulder seemed to need—to calm the nerves? Stretch everything? I’m guessing.
 
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I guess today will be trial by fire. We had freezing rain last night and I have to get myself to and from work safely. They’re calling for rain and snow later so I guess winter is here in Alaska, we were lucky and it’s late but I have been dreading this day.
 
@luvcats I am terrified of ice as well, I live in the wrong state for that. I made it fine, I have studded shoes I wore and changed them in the entry way when I got to work as they make walking on tile slippery. It's just a little nerve wracking I guess, I don't know why I'm more scared this year than in the past.
 
I don't know why I'm more scared this year than in the past
I think you are more scared this year because you just had a traumatic surgery. I was surprised by how much fear I had of someone bumping into me in a store, even if they weren’t that close to me. It was a spontaneous response to stop short if someone came remotely close to me. And my knee did not like that stop short motion.

I even felt it driving. Not that anyone would bump my knee from another car, but it just scared me for other cars to come too close.

Even though we have anesthesia during the surgery that keeps us asleep and prevents our conscious mind from remembering the surgery, I personally believe that somewhere in our brain it is remembered and causes us certain fears for a while.
 
I think you are more scared this year because you just had a traumatic surgery.

That's absolutely part of it. I also think I'm not 100% convinced the new knee won't dislocate like the old one. I'm not sure when/if I'll ever get over that. I hope I do. Living with dislocating knees has given me a PTSD type fear of it happening again. Because, IF it happened again THEN what? And I'd feel like it was MY fault.

Having one knee that's still at risk for that happening probably doesn't help. Especially since the last time I dislocated my non-surgery knee it was in the parking lot at work, walking to my car, during the winter and it was icy/snowy.

I even felt it driving.

Oh good it's not just me! I drive slower now, as if that's even possible. My bf teases me that I drive like a grandma. But he's also said that's the ONLY reason he can fall asleep in the car, because he knows he's safe and trusts my driving. So in a way it's a compliment. I know riding with other people was super nerve wracking after surgery.

I personally believe that somewhere in our brain it is remembered and causes us certain fears for a while.

You're probably right. The human brain is pretty amazing on how it manages to deal with the stuff we put our bodies through.

But I made it to work which is a big deal (especially since my boss is out of town and I'm in charge of running payroll :heehee:). But I kind of feel like a failure because I can't figure out the walking thing. I am STILL hiking my hip on my non-surgery side if I attempt to walk without a cane. PT is kind of clueless as to why I am doing it and how to stop it. We've started focusing on core exercises rather than just my knees as they think my core and/or hips might be weak and that's why I do it. Or it's something I always did and never noticed. Or my non-surgery leg is shorter and I feel the need to hike it up when I walk. Give me a cane and it goes away. Take away my cane, it's back, it's SO frustrating.
 
Try not to stress over using the cane, it’s helping you so much.

Persnally I think PT is over stressing you. They come up with more things to do when in reality, this recovery just takes time. Right now you have one healing knee that’s only one third the way healed, and another one that needs to be replaced. When both are done and healed you’ll see a huge improvement. :console2:
 
Try not to stress over using the cane, it’s helping you so much.

I think it's annoyance at myself for "not being good enough" to give it up.

Persnally I think PT is over stressing you.

I think they've gotten into my head to where I'm overthinking every single thing I do. And honestly last time I went I couldn't walk the next day because it irritated my other knee and the muscles in that leg

When both are done and healed you’ll see a huge improvement

I really hope so. My biggest fear is that some how this won't "work" for me for some reason.
 
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If it was me I’d take a break from PT. It’s one less place you have to go in bad weather. Your knee might appreciate some time off to just work on healing.
 
I think they've gotten into my head to where I'm overthinking every single thing I do.
I found it helpful to not dwell on what I couldn't do, but to be thankful for what I could. Having used a can for over 25 years, I didn't give it up until I was about 9 months out. I was always afraid that someone would knock me down. I didn't worry about that cane and considered it an announcement to people to watch out for me. Even now, I cringe and am uncomfortable in crowds. I still have a cane in my car, just in case!
 
@Jockette so apparently I graduated PT tonight. I didn’t know I was and it’s the only time I’ve ever cried at PT. So guess I’m getting a break until after my other surgery.

our driveway is a solid sheet of ice tonight. I almost made a mistake because I forgot to put my grippy tip down on my cane. It’s downright scary out. My bf put ice melt all up and down the driveway. We were going to do a Costco run but e postponed it until another day.
 
@sistersinhim thanks for the perspective. I’ve been feeling really down with winter setting in. A little more limited because of our weather and I’m feeling trapped. I’m not giving up my cane especially living in an ice and snow climate. I may just have to be ok with using it until spring
 

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