TKR Sooz Bionic Knee Journey

[sooz58]

@SusieShoes Thank goodness it happens to someone else, thought maybe I was a freak!!!!

@VW54 Thanks so much I've kind of made it up with the walking and knee lifts and sideways walking, need to add in the backward and balancing!

 

[VW54]

@Pheebs52 :Read slow motion version! IOW: feet apart then feet together repeated 5 to 6 times Underwater, water at chest level.

 

[sooz58]

Went to the pool this evening, swam 4 laps with very little leg involvement! Walked frontwards and backwards, high steps, went out to where I couldn't reach and worked a bit on jumping jacks with no jumping involved. I tried the balancing on one foot and then the other, both ways need some work! I did the steps a few times, walking up 4 and then down 4 but I backed down into the water, I need to turn around and try coming down them frontwards. It felt really good! The hardest part was swimming the 4 laps, I have lost so much endurance, I used to swim 40 minutes of non stop laps, I was out of breath after the 4!
One more thing I want to note is I don't think I have really felt any pain or hurt in my upper leg until I woke up this morning. I have felt like I have had a band around it, but it never hurt or ached. It was always the lower portion that hurt. It was just weird, after 8 weeks it would hurt... Sweet dream bonesmarties!

 

[sooz58]

tomorrow 9 weeks post surgery for lefty
today 4 weeks pre surgery for righty
I am having a grand time doing the water therapy! Tonight I had the pleasure of spending time with a little girl who is 8 years old and she really wanted to tell me her entire family history... LOL... and She was a question asker as well, what are you doing in the pool, why are you doing that, how old are you... etc etc etc...
Swam a few laps, still whipped after 4 laps, kind of feels like I am having to re-learn swimming.
Righty knee is in my thoughts every day, praying righty will go as well as lefty has!!!!

 

[KarriB]

When I began lapping again it felt weird. I had one knee clicking with no pain (TKR) and the other knee clicking with pain when I flutter kicked. It also felt like I was relearning how to swim, like those muscles didn't have a clue what I was asking them to do. My OS said no whip kicks for a few months.

 

[SusieShoes]

You've really had a model recovery, Sue. I too hope your Righty does as well. Swimming is still a goal of mine. I used to swim laps for an hour, before my one knee got so bad I couldn't do it. I'd love to get back. But yeah, I imagine it will take a while to build up those muscles--and the stamina--again!

 

[sooz58]

@KarriB & @SusieShoes I told my husband what really felt weird swimming was, I could feel my upper leg and then I could feel my lower leg, but you could really feel something was missing in between. Strangest sensation!!! Good thing there was skin there to keep them together! LOL

 

[KarriB]

It was very strange, but it got better. Everything is a new normal.

 

[sooz58]

Going on a bus trip this afternoon to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates play... 2 1/2 hour bus ride... walking to the stadium, packing ice and ibuprofen & some arthritis strength tylenol... hopefully will have some empty seats to put my leg up... hoping lefty is up for the trip and righty holds out!!!

 

[kmak81230]

Hope you have a fun outing today - will be curious to see how it goes for you as I am going to a Rockies game next week and wondering if I am bendy enough for the seats.

 

[Canada35]

Sounds like fun! I love going to ball games. We got to go to one in Pittsburgh when my grandson was in a tournament. They treated them so well, parading the team's out onto the field! It was great!
Here's hoping your knees behave themselves!

 

[sooz58]

So far I have survived! We had a rain delay, it's after 2am and headed out of Pittsburgh on the bus. Walking was fairly easy, the long hours sitting, standing to get out of the way and the steps weren't a picnic, but surprised I walked up some of the steps normally! Could have been more room for legs, but I was able to put my foot under the seat in front of me. Long long long evening! I tried to move every little while.

 

[sistersinhim]

 

[sooz58]

Strange tightness in my kneecap area and above it a bit... Not pain just real tight, not as bendable.. anyone else??

 

[SusieShoes]

I sometimes get the same thing (I think). Tightness over the kneecap, under the incision. I call it a webby feeling that encloses the knee joint. Some days it's almost absent, but sometimes--often after I spend a day sitting with my legs down, don't get in my walk, and don't elevate and ice as usual--the "web" feels like it's thicker, and tighter. I ice, elevate, take several short walks during the day, and it gets better.

I think it's due to increased swelling in the knee capsule. If you look up knee capsule and see what structures are involved, you'll see that it pretty much describes the area of tightness. Even a tiny amount of swelling in this area will result in the kind of stiffness we feel. And when I think about it, that's ground zero for the surgery, too.

Oh, and I find that rubbing my knees helps it feel better. Not tightness free, but better.

 

[kmak81230]

Thanks for the game experience update Sue. I'll hope that I'm a little more bendy next week when we go to the games - or that there are some empty seats around us for stretching out. Sounds like a long day - hope you had a good time. Will also hope there are no rain delays . .

 

[VW54]

@sooz58
Yep. EXACTLY the same feeling. It feels also like I've lost ROM or flexion. I can bend it ok, but a heck of a lot slower and with more hesitation.
Am icing and elevating as I write.

 

[sooz58]

@SusieShoes & @VW54 just glad I am not the only one and will be looking that up Susie!

@kmak81230 I hope you have a grand time, If the game hadn't gone so long, it would have been so much more enjoyable. The one thing I wished I had done was take ice (TOTALLY FORGOT IT AT HOME) with me to have on the way home! I was uncomfortable on the bus ride home but it was 3 hour ride, put my feet up on the seat next to me so I was able to elevate. It was great to get out and about. I love going to games, baseball is my favorite. Have fun!

 

[Fire wolf]

Glad to hear that you were at least able to elevate on the bus ride! No ice is yucky, but sounds like a great outing!

 

[kmak81230]

Thanks for the ice tip! hoping to
Do some back seat riding with the lounge doctor as well.