Revision TKR Sondrals’ Revision

[TKRsharon]

@sondrals I am so sorry you are having a difficult time. Maybe you should consider finding a different therapist. Do some research and find someone who is trained and works with a surgery population. I remember crying all through my PT in the beginning and the PT telling me I was not trying hard enough. Your PT sounds like mine ; a terrorist, not a therapist! Working on gait is difficult. This is what I am working on now. Find some videos and work at home by yourself for a while if you feel comfortable with that. I understand your frustration and pain. She/he had no place making those comments too you. As Jamie said, if she/he was concerned, they could have mentioned this to your surgeon. They added insult to injury, literally. I still cry at the drop of a hat and during the first 12 weeks I thought I was losing my mind I was so depressed and cried all the time. Please find someone who is more in tune with your needs. Let me know how you are doing. I will be thinking about you.

 

[sondrals]

I’m actually on my third physical therapist and by far she’s actually been willing to focus on what I want to work on. I’m also working virtually with another physical therapist in addition to this one that is specifically for gait issues. Honestly a lot of it is the pressure I put on myself. I just want to be rid of it all. I want to go back in time and never have done it. It’s destroyed my life, my ability to be independent and my relationships. I just want it all to be over and be able to just do everything myself and never need help again.

 

[Jamie]

Sondrals, I feel your frustration when reading your post. With all you've been through, I know it must seem like this has just been one endless battle. Sometimes things in life just don't turn out like we plan. But even if this part of your recovery is going slower than you would like, it's still "going." That's a very good thing. Try to focus on what your surgeon has told you and what you've heard from this therapist who is working with you. You are getting better slowly. It's just going to take some time and patience on your part.

Sometimes people benefit from keeping a daily journal. Then when you go back after several weeks, you can read and actually see the progress you've made. You might give this a try. You can either journal on paper or here in your recovery thread. Each entry can contain things that you've been able to do that day, how you feel, and also document when you have a bad day. We all have those sometimes!

 

[sondrals]

Was so angry and frustrated I went Friday night without my cane around the house. People keep suggesting that by using it I’ll never be rid of it (and maybe they’re right) and I just need to stop using it. So I did. Saturday morning I woke up and couldn’t walk hardly at all. My hip and lower back on my right side were completely seized up. I could barely move at all yesterday let alone attempt to walk without a cane. I’m just barely able to move without excruciating pain today. So much for that theory.

 

[FCBayern]

Sorry you've had this set back @sondrals. It would be nice if the people around us realized they've never been through a TKR, let alone all you have endured. We've had many members that were still using a walker at your stage of recovery. We all have to listen to our bodies, and you certainly want to use an assistive device as long as you still limp. You will know it's time to transition away from the cane when you realize you left it in another room (or in the grocery cart like I did!) and didn't even think about picking it up. For now ice, elevate and rest until you feel better.

 

[Jamie]

I'm so sorry you've had this happen. Were these "people" friends and family? Someone from your medical team? Who is telling you that if you don't drop the cane you'll never be free of it?

As you've learned, that is bad advice. Please....if you are hearing this type of "you should do...." come here and ask questions to at least have another opinion on what you're planning to do. A setback like this won't hurt your recovery, just delay it a bit.

So, now that you're hurting like this, it is important for you to rest and allow things to settle down. Don't push yourself. If you need to use your walker for a few days to get around, do it....and then move back to your cane when you're out of pain. Take something for the pain on a regular schedule. Use ice or heat (whichever seems to work best) on any parts that hurt. I suggest that you keep a heating pad on your lower back to try and relax your muscles. Muscle spasms can be especially stubborn and it might take a while for this to resolve. But it will if you keep your activity at a minimum. That said, I'm not suggesting that you do nothing. You'll still need to keep your knee mobile. But you can do that through trips to the bathroom and kitchen or walking around the house as you can tolerate without a lot of pain. If things are too painful, do bends and stretches in your chair or bed or on the couch....wherever you are resting.

Sending you (((HUGS)))) and the hope this resolves soon.

 

[Jamie]

@sondrals ..... we haven't heard from you in a while and I see that you've just completed your pilot OneStep program. Congratulations!!! How are things going with both your knees? I'd love to hear an update.

 

[Sara61]

Funnily I was also wondering how you are doing, I loved reading your updates hopefully this message find you in good health and recovery has become easier sending hugs to you xx

 

[sondrals]

Still struggling with both knees.

Left - slowly gaining back strength, I still am nervous about it, but it doesn't seem to hurt much, I just don't fully put my weight on it most the time yet. I am starting to be able to stand on it by itself (like I can stand on one leg.. barely, holding onto something) but I have a tendency to put most my weight through my right leg still unless I super think about it. Maybe it's something I've always done, no one really knows.

Right - I'm still numb a good portion of my knee down to my ankle. Some of it's starting to come back but with numbness leaving the un-comfortableness has come back as well. It hurts more, maybe always will, feels swollen still and just generally feels... yuck. Maybe someday I'll not notice it as much. It pops a lot and honestly doesn't quite feel "right" but I'd rather not mess with it since it seems to be the stronger more stable leg.

Walking/Normal day to day stuff - Walking I can do without a cane, I prefer not to. I still have a bit of a limp but it's markedly better than it used to be. Everyone says I may always walk with a limp now. So that's fun. I do make a point to walk without my cane indoors a good portion of each day but it takes so much thought to walk that way. I'm still not sure where my legs/feet are and everything still feels alien to me. Maybe someday I'll get used to it and not think about it too much.

I did finish the OneStep program and it has helped and I'm still going to PT but my insurance has cut me off after 3 more visits. It's still very much winter here and icy and snowy out, so walking outside hasn't really been an option yet. I did shovel the driveway the other day which was maybe a mistake but I did it out of desperation since we'd gotten almost 12 inches of snow. I paid for it later in my left hip trembling and being pretty sore but in a way it was kind of nice to know I could if I had to.

If I look back, I've made progress, but it's been so slow and taken so much work that I tend to always feel stuck in this constant recovery. It's pretty depressing and pretty frustrating most the time. I just want to be able to do things, but most the things I want to do I still can't.

 

[Jamie]

Everyone says I may always walk with a limp now.

Try to keep in your mind that whenever "everyone" gets their orthopedic medical degree, then they can offer advice to you. Otherwise tune them out as just noise. They know nothing.

it takes so much thought to walk that way.

It's true that it takes time and work to relearn proper gait. Trust me, this is time well spent and you're doing it just right by walking slowly and deliberately so you do it right.

If I look back, I've made progress, but it's been so slow and taken so much work that I tend to always feel stuck in this constant recovery.

You most certainly have made progress!!! I'm so proud of all you've accomplished so far. You're stronger mentally and physically and I know that you can do whatever is needed to continue your recovery. It's hard to have to hold back from things you want to do. And all of us sneak in things like your snow shoveling. We then just take a step back and start again. It will be worth it. Hang in there. You've had a tough challenge with your knees, but you're on a good path.

 

[sondrals]

@Jamie thanks for the reassurance, it's so easy to get caught up in our recovery and just start believing everything everyone tells you.

I do feel like eventually I'll get somewhere where I don't hate my knees, it's just frustratingly slow, but given I've had 5 surgeries in under 2 years... it's probably fair that it's slow. I still have soreness and swelling even. They (surgeon) told me the swelling may not go away for a year or better The tendons in the back of my left leg hurt... a lot. But I think it's because of them straightening it so much, everything's just... tight.

Probably won't be brave enough to shovel snow again this year, but it did make me realize how out of shape I am!

 

[Jamie]

There are lots of ways to improve your physical health without shoveling snow! But I lived in Anchorage when I was a child, so I remember that things are still pretty cold there until May. Your last post is very level-headed, so I know you can do this. It's hard to be patient when you've been dealing with the problems for so long. I'm just thankful that it appears you finally found the right surgeon who could deal with them successfully. Now you have to do your part (patience and slow steps forward) so as to make his good work shine. You're right that the soft tissue getting normal again is what's causing that tight feeling. Things didn't get where they were in just a few months, so it will take plenty of time for your body to readjust. But it will. And you'll prove all those naysayers dead wrong!

Don't ever hesitate to come here to vent or talk to your BoneSmart family when things start piling up. We can always help talk you off the cliff. Remember, we've all been through surgery and many of us have had long recoveries too. We're always here for you.

 

[Sara61]

Hey! Good to read your update, you are doing so well especially for the amount of surgeries your have endured in the last 2 years, plus you have the set back of the icy winter weather. Hopefully by Spring /Summer you can take small walks out doors. I use a walking pole when I'm out walking ( looks trendier, than a stick..) it just adds extra reassurance as falling is my greatest fear, occasionally I take 2 and make it look as if I'm power walking .
Keep your spirits up you will get there in the end and update us from time to time or just come on for a good old chat xxx

 

[sondrals]

How long does swelling in your lower leg last after surgery? I am still experiencing lower leg swelling when I'm up and walking around a lot or work all day with my feet down. Is that normal or should I be concerned at this point? It seems to go back to "normal" every morning but summer is almost here and I'd like to wear shorts but my legs look like giant blobs so I won't wear them with my legs looking like that.

I can wear knee high compression stockings and it helps but forces the swelling into my knees which doesn't feel great at all. Have yet to find any thigh highs that I don't want to murder every time I even attempt to put them on.

I'm so sick of recovery btw.

 

[Pumpkin]

I'm so sick of recovery btw.

I hear you there, I am two weeks out of toe surgery and it feels like it is taking forever.
You are less than a year out from your revision and lateral release, what you are experiencing is normal.
The swelling can last for quite awhile, hopefully it will diminish a bit so you can wear shorts this summer.
Suggest you try support pantyhose, if you need something with more compression Futuro offers panty hose with firm compression 20-30 mm/Hg, or medium with 8-15 mm/Hg

 

[Jockette]

I would go ahead and wear the shorts, no one but you is looking that closely at your legs.

 

[sondrals]

I feel like I might roast to death in support panty hose. I'm already roasting if I try to wear my stockings. I can't stand having hot, sweaty feet. (or hot sweaty anything for that matter!) That and I can't seem to find a fit that works for me, I always feel like some part of me is being squeezed to death.

 

[sondrals]

@Jockette probably will, just a little (a lot) self conscious about it. Certain people in my life like to point out that my legs look swelled and then start down the path to shouldn't I see a doctor, aren't I concerned, etc etc etc. It's almost worth it to roast to death and not hear it. I mostly just tell them I'm very concerned and my legs are likely to fall off soon so the problem will be solved, I get a handful of dirty looks but anyone who knows me should expect comments like that.

 

[Jockette]

I understand how you feel, those comments would really bother me, too, but I don’t like to be hot, at all, so I would wear the shorts. Why can’t people just keep their thoughts to themselves?

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Swelling in your knee generally dissipates as it heals, so most people have no visible swelling by the end of the first year, and many have none after just a few months. But everyone is different, so there's no real date for when your swelling will be gone. I hate compression stockings, and they didn't help at all, for me anyway. I can't imagine wearing them in the heat-for the short time I wore them when it wasn't hot they made me hot and itchy, so wearing them in summer would drive me batty.

I've never liked typical shorts that end at the thigh, but I love walking shorts. Those end just above the knee, and still keep me cool during our 100-plus degree days. My TKR scar goes below my knee, but has pretty much faded to a thin white line, so I can ignore it. But the swelling in my knee and leg has never gone away so that does bother me a lot, plus now I have two new bright pink scars on the front of my lower leg, so will definitely be self-conscious this summer. However, no one has ever made any comments to me, which is a good thing for them. I like your line about your legs falling off any day now!