TKR SpaceGirl - Blasting off to new knees (staged)

[SherrieT]

Happy to read your reports. I'm only 4 days out but already itching to get out there and start living again.
The picture your daughter did is so beautiful and strong.
Keep updating us please

 

[SpaceGirl]

Hey @PoetryChef long time no talk! No haven't scheduled yet, but it'll be in the fall sometime. We just have too much going on right now and I can't risk not being ready for vacation or dd's move to college. How cool on the website. My middle likes calligraphy, she does ok, but would do better if she would practice LOL

@Rickochet thanks, it has been off and on busy around here, so I am doing what my knees allow and then resting/icing.

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So here I am, 12 weeks out! Crazy! Unfortunately I don't have any news good or bad to share in regard to the knee, still plugging along. Doing more and more as I can. The last two days I have been busy because my husband came down with the flu, had to take care of meds and such for him. Today the youngest tested positive for flu so back around to the store again for her meds. OH and did I mention our fridge is dead? Then on Wed dh was driving from Dr and a rock or something hit windshield, so now there is a good chunk/crack there from it. Calgon take me away!

Oh good stuff this week, my middle was inducted in the Junior Thespians and National Jr Honor Society this week. I am still well as is the 2 older kids, pray that it stays that way because both of them have competitions this weekend they have to be at. EEK!

Say a prayer for us! Catch you again soon!

 

[SherrieT]

How exciting that you are so busy. Too busy to worry too much about your knee?

 

[Arttie]

Good to hear your knee is doing well. Hope the rest of you can avoid the flu. It is good to have things to plan and look forward to. I'm going to Vegas next week for a quick meeting. I splurged with frequent flyer miles and upgraded to 1st class.

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh no, so sorry to hear about the flu hitting your family. I pray it goes away quickly. It's nothing to mess around with!

 

[SusieShoes]

Sending those prayers, and hoping the flu goes away without striking anyone else. Like you. Don't get the flu.

 

[SpaceGirl]

Gosh I have been MIA for a bit, sorry about that! So yes, let's see, hubby had the flu, then the youngest came down with the flu, fridge died, cracked windshield, so you think that would be enough right??? Of course not. Nope. First a week ago, oldest ended up with a flat tire as she was leaving school, went next day, had a nail, easy fix, but of course the two front tires needed to be replaced. Oh what is another $400 out the door after spending nearly $1000 on a new fridge? Fast forward to last week, took van in for an oil change.....and you know of course it couldn't be that easy, had to get 2 brand new tires for the front of it as well. I don't even know how much it cost because I didn't ask hubby, and I really didn't want to know.
Alright, so that's all the "bad" news I hope!

On to good! I am now 14.5 week out, 15 weeks this Thurs!

I am done with PT! They told me to just continue working on my exercises and ROM, which I was at 102 bend and -11 for extension, so good if you ask me. Going to get my stationary bike out and work on it. I have started getting out shopping more, went grocery shopping last week and did fine. Went military ball dress shopping with oldest with no issue. I no longer use my cane, I have it, but rarely ever use it unless going somewhere completely unfamiliar or lots and lots people where I might get bumped. Driving is not an issue, getting in and out is fine, I do find I have to have the car door open all the way to get out when driving due to the angle. I am getting dressed mostly normally now, I can still feel a little twinge when I bend it to put in the pants leg, but it's not really painful. I mostly sleep through the night now, waking when occasionally turning over when my foot gets caught in the blanket

I feel pretty good, I only take Tylenol a needed now, not necessary even for my knee most times, usually headaches. I feel like I am getting my life back slowly, which makes me happy. I guess that is about it for my update for now, I will continue to check in

 

[jboles]

Great update, on the knee anyway. Sorry you’ve had so many “bumps in the road “ with cars and fridge and that awful flu. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing for a while now.

 

[SherrieT]

You are one of the first people I saw when I signed up here. So happy to hear that there is some point where our lives come back to the forefront and our knees go back into the background

 

[SusieShoes]

We're all doing the No More PT happy dance with you! Sounds like you're doing great in recovery and can only get better from here.

 

[Jockette]

The good parts all sound great! The bad parts are just bumps in the road. Glad you’re coming along so well!

 

[phrog]

Your knee report sounds great!! Now if "Life 101" would just cooperate!

 

[sistersinhim]

You got all those bad parts behind you so you can enjoy those new knees!

 

[Beckadeez]

Happy to hear that you’re doing so well.

 

[SpaceGirl]

@jboles yes it was quite the run there for a bit, I am kinda glad it's done and hopefully over for good!

@SherrieT How fun is that! I really read a lot before my surgery, so I too follow threads of those who had surgery around the time I joined. It's nice to see where they are now etc. I don't think about the knee too much lately, which is good!

@SusieShoes Hahaha, thanks! I am so glad to be done with pt!

@Jockette Bumps are right, giant speed bumps that make you stop before you can go over them at all LOL but it's in the past now!

@phrog Yes, I am very thankful to be doing well!

@sistersinhim I sure hope so! One knee down and one to go!

@Beckadeez thanks so much!
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Good afternoon friends! Here I am 17 weeks out from my right tkr and feeling pretty good these days. I had my 4 month checkup this past Monday and everything is a-ok according to my dr. He did not even require me to make another appointment LOL I just need to call him back if my left knee starts bugging out before our Disney trip so I can get another injection and then when I am ready for knee surgery number 2.

Life seems to be returning to pretty much normal, I overall don't really have any pain from my knee, just discomfort from time to time. A little stiff when I first stand up and in the mornings. I find I am sleeping better, can move around now without much waking, which is a huge improvement. I actually find my thigh hurts more than my knee and again not really pain.

It is funny how after years and years of pain, that you kinda of forget you had surgery because the pain is not there, just forget I had a bad knee before. I mean, that's the point right? LOL

 

[SpaceGirl]

Hello friends!

I am now almost 20 weeks out, life has almost resumed normal if you will. I am struggling to find the balance of doing enough in prep for our vacation at the end of May with over doing it. I am still icing it, seems more so lately when I am trying to get my stamina up for all the walking. I mean like I can walk around for an hour or so it's fine but by the time I get home it's stiff and sore. Any suggestions? I also know I need to exercise more in general, just need to figure out what I need to do to make our trip enjoyable for me.

 

[Celle]

I mean like I can walk around for an hour or so it's fine but by the time I get home it's stiff and sore. Any suggestions?

I think your knee is trying to tell you that walking is too much for it. Try cutting back the amount of time you walk .

You still have 2 months before your holiday, so don't try to force your knee to do more than it is ready for.
Both your stamina and the amount of time you can walk before your knee tires will increase by the end of May.

 

[SpaceGirl]

@Celle thanks, I will try. I really hope I am ready by then!

 

[SherrieT]

@SpaceGirl - How long can you walk without stiffness and soreness? Can you start there and every couple of days go 5 minutes or so longer for a few days and see if you can extend your range without the soreness?
This is what I'm trying now. At least I try it when the weather agrees. The sun is really playing hide-n-seek with us lately. So good to see your post

 

[SusieShoes]

I agree with the strategy of pushing your knee only a little at a time. You can do it by time or by distance. I did distance, starting with driveways, then blocks, then so many steps (fractions of miles, then miles). If my knees complained, I gave them a day off with icing and elevating, then went back to the previous distance for a few more days. You'd be surprised the progress you can make in two months! Also, by not irritating your knee, you allow the healing to take place more quickly and are less likely to lose (or set back) the progress you do make.