TKR Stress

[Roy Gardiner]

OK sorry, opened my gob without full information again, I withdraw my daft suggestion...

 

[referee54]

In regards to stories, "I had a friend who was back golfing in a month",

We have all heard those stories about "somebody's friend's relative's mailman's brother" who has made an easy recovery and now is hiking 50 miles a day/playing 27 holes of golf a day/running a 1/2 marathon ---all just four weeks after their TKR surgery.

HOGWASH!!! I have heard of them, but I have never met one of them. Recovery can take quite some time and it does test one's patience. Be polite, but do not put any stock in the idea that "you should be here at this time of your recovery."

 

[Brownie51]

Tim, I have never met one of those people either who's TKR was just a minor convenience. I wonder if they really exist.
Kelsie you are doing fine. It's just a miserable operation and recovery which is normal. You just have to get through it despite your physical therapist. Just keep doing what you are doing but if your PT will not consider a more gentle approach, you will be better off if you find a new one. I found my PT just randomly but she does not have me do things that cause me pain. She will take the exercise and modify for me so that the same goal is accomplished but without pain. That's the way it's supposed to be. Tell her! It's your body and you will get better faster and with less pain if you do not do things that set you back. We are supposed to be recovering from the surgery, not the physical therapy!

 

[referee54]

I have never met one of those people either who's TKR was just a minor convenience.

In retrospect, boy, did I wish it was---I had an arthroscopic surgery on my knee that amazed me as to how good I felt just a few days after surgery...now that could be considered a "minor inconvenience"! A TKR or a BTKR---180* the other way!!!

 

[RestAssured]

Kelsie Lou,

I have degenerative disk diease in my neck and had problems in my back before I had a miminally invasive procedure done to correct it in 2005. Now I can tell you, on the days that my kneecap slides, my back hurts because even though I don't realize it, I am walking with an abnormal gait. One it is straightened I feel so much better. I hope that the knee surgery will take some pressure off of your spine eventually. We really do care about you. When you see your PT, tell her, you have a new routine, and it will be slower until the knee decides it's ok to forge ahead!

 

[Brownie51]

Sonja's right. "I have a new routine" sounds so much better than, "back off dumbie!"

 

[Kelsie Lou]

We have had a pretty stressful weekend with one of my stepkiddos. I feel like there is extra swelling and stiffness in my knee today... Is it all in my head or could stress be a factor?
Thanks.
~K

 

[Pumpkin]

Yes, I think stress was a factor. Were you up and around more than usual? Sounds like it is time to relax, rest, ice, elevate, and medicate. Take care of yourself, hope thing work out with your step child.

 

[livinginfl]

Oh Tim, so true with the knee stories

 

[Jamie]

Kelsie Lou ... stress can definitely be a factor as far as pain goes. I hope things are settling down for you. Just be sure you do as much as you can to rest, ice, elevate and treat any pain or swelling you are having. I know life goes on while you're healing, but this is really an important time for YOU to heal.

I have merged this latest thread of yours with your previous recovery thread. We like to keep each member's recovery story in a single thread so that it provides a continuous story. It also makes it easier when we have to go back to see what all you've been through. So please continue to post your updates, questions and concerns here. If you find you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

 

[Kelsie Lou]

thank you. I am still trying to figure out how to navigate my way through this wonderful forum. I appreciate your guidance.

 

[tashia]

Keisie Lou I didn't read all your posting. Welcome to the site. Healing from this operation takes time and patience. I wish it was fast but we all have out own speed and only your body knows the time and pase. Please rest, elevate, ice and do pain control. I know there is stress getting over this because life also keeps happing. Try to stay quite and do practice meditation if you can. I found it helped me a lot. Also a good cry helps. Keep us posted how your are doing. If you have a question, ask away. take care. Tashia

 

[1ELISEA]

Kelsie Lou
How are you doing this week?
Are things getting better with the pain and the physical therapy?

 

[Josephine]

Yes, I'd like to know too. I hope your absence is akin to "no news is good news"!

 

[Kelsie Lou]

Physical therapy went much better on Tuesday. She really seemed to be more empathetic and worried about my other knee and back problems as we were doing exercises. I actually got to go in the gym. Haha. I did some leg presses for my "good" leg and another machine to try to stretch out my right knee a little more.

Life has been absolutely CRAZY! My 16 year old stepdaughter stayed out all Saturday night, to be searched for Sunday morning by her father, to be found drunk in the arms of a guy (not her boyfriend) in a party house. **** hit the fan on Sunday when she came home. My husband was angry beyond words!! I am so disappointed in her on so many different levels. On Tuesday, the two of them went for a ride and worked out some arrangements, she's grounded - no cell phone for the next 3 weeks, no more drinking until she's 18... there was one more thing but I can't think of it right now. NEVER did I hear her apologize for her stupid behavior or the stress she put on the family and everyone is acting like everything is all better now. Yesterday she had a friend bring her home from school and the friend stayed and had a pizza... yup, she's grounded alright!! I am so flustered by the whole situation. I have never been a perfect parent, but I think I did a damn good job raising my girls (8 years as a single Mom). They are 19 and 21, out of the house, working full time and in school. They have made mistakes, don't get me wrong! But when they did something inappropriate it was addressed and they knew the boundaries and for the most part they respected them. They still show the utmost respect for me (still won't even swear infront of me. LOL). Like I said, I am by no means a perfect parent, but I don't agree with the way things go around here.

That being said, I'll bet I just ruffled some feathers and some of you are saying, well then stand up and do something about it! Yeah, I have tried and my husband tells me they are "his kids" and he will raise them as he wants. We have had major blowouts on this issue. I never knew it was going to be like this... almost 2 years married.

I could go on and on and I am sorry. This may not be the right place for this...

 

[Kelsie Lou]

Ok, I have to finish this last rant and then I'll really feel better.

My husband is a salesman for his own company. He has become quite successful in the last year. He's been traveling more and more, especially since I have been off of school (I am a teacher) for medical leave. I am the child care provider to five of my stepkids every other week (becuase I can't have a say in how to raise them, that's what I am). He has been able to go on trips and not worry about things at home - including me. I rely on my Mom and daughters to take me to appointments and keep me company. It has definitely brought me closer to my family. So, that's kinda nice.

Anyway, he needs to plan a business trip to Philadelphia this month. He looked at the calendar and saw that the kids are on spring break the week of March 25. He said this morning to 3 of his 6 kids that they should come with him on his business trip and they can stay in the hotel and swim. "YEAH! Cool! Can we Dad?" Then he asks me... "doesn't that sound good. You can hang out at the hotel while I am in meetings. You want to do that?" My reply of course was not what he wanted to hear. I said "No. I can't do that. I have about an hour at a time on my feet or sitting up before I need to elevate. I can't do that." - Fact of the matter is that I don't want - can't - chase the kids around a hotel. That would set me back further in my recovery because I know I do too much now!

When he left to bring the kids to school, the 10 year old was so excited about this trip that she is going to take. He barely said good bye to me. I am the bad guy. AHHHHHHHHHHH! I have already had my cry as soon as they left. Am I wrong? Should I be doing this for the family?!? I just don't feel it's a good idea for my knee's sake. I can't walk, I can't sit in a restaurant with out putting my leg on the seat, I can't travel well in the car...

Thank you for listening!
~Kel

 

[skigirl]

Kelsie Lou, we all do a lot of things for our family---but, sacrificing your health seems excessive. It seems that your husband cannot say no to his kids----but that does not mean that you cannot say no. Perhaps he can hire a sitter (we have gotton referrals from the hotel itself at times) for the children.

It seems that your needs are not on the top of the list, but if it will cause you pain and slow your recovery, it seems obvious that this is not a good trip for you. Neither is having three kids in the house for a week, to be honest. If they end up staying home with you, perhaps you need to hire someone to help you with them too. K

 

[Nanners]

Hi Kelsie Lou,

I am 6 months out from a LTKR. I have Crohns Disease, Fibromyalgia, and too suffer with chronic pain. I was on pain meds already before my tkr, so between already being on opiod pain meds, and suffering with chronic pain, my pain was worse than most, and I suspect you are probably experiencing things much the same as I did.

Our pain is a bit harder to control. I had issues finding the right pain med for me, but found that 2 Dilaudid every 3 hours was what worked for me. There was a confusion that happened between me and my OS office, and when I requested a refill it took a week for them to get back to me. So afraid he was not going to refill it I weaned down on the Dilaudid and went to the other med he had given to me for breakthru pain, Percoset with tylenol. Well becuz of my delicate digestive system due to the Crohns Disease, the Percoset w/Tylenol gave me a horrid case of gastritis. So from weeks 2 thru 6 I was stuck in my bed really nauseous and having lots of diarrhea. I couldn't even move during those days without feeling really ill. So as you can imagine I did not do any PT between weeks 2 thru 6.

Yes my range of motion suffered a bit, but now 6 mos out I can bend between 105-110 and my straightening is about 5. Its not perfect, but it is functional. And what I am trying to tell you thru all this, is that you don't have to go all crazy with PT at this early stage. If you can do some mild stretches 2-3 times a day, even that will help. And of course, PT should never be painful. One thing I did that made it a bit easier, was I made sure I took my pain med at least 45 min before my PT session. This helped me not hurt so bad.

I hope this helps a little. And hang in there this is a long recovery and you have to remember that the knee is in control NOT us. Hugs!

 

[pdx]

A small suggestion: Rather than saying "I can't," perhaps say "Let me check with my doctor & PT and see what they think about flying/being in a car for X hours at that point." My bet is they won't sign off, or they might be able to talk with your husband about recovery in a different way. In other words, make them both your allies and the bad guys, if you can. And I do like Skigirl's idea about going but hiring a sitter when needed. So sorry you're going through this.

 

[Kelsie Lou]

PT has gone much better this week than last. I am not sure what changed in my therapist, but she is working with my limitations. That is a huge relief! I got to work in the gym even... Yeah, my workouts are pretty lame to the rest of the world but whoa! It's a big deal to me. I am amazed at how weak my left knee is and of course my surgery knee isn't doing much of anything yet. She didn't check my ROM at all yesterday. Usually it's 2-3 times a visit as she tries different things to see if she can get things moving.

My leg looks normal. Still can't bend it, but it looks beautiful.