Bilateral TKR Surgery Sept 22.......

[Threads]

@Mags113 - you are doing so well it's an inspiration to folks like me who are behind you on the path. Way to go!!!

 

[PuppyLove]

Hi @Mags113 , sounds like you're doing great! How are you doing with car rides? I've only been on two- home from the hospital, which was very painful, and the see the PA this week, which was a bit better. A friend picked me up in her minivan for the PA visit and I really wanted to elevate my legs!

 

[Mags113]

@PuppyLove Car rides have been fine, but they have been fifteen minutes or less. I did go out today with my daughter and walk a round a store she wanted to go to for about fifteen minutes....that was it! All I could do. I couldn't wait get in the car and get home. I came home had a pain pill, ice and elevation then a nap! That short trip out wore me out. I hope you care rides will get better! Maybe some ice on the way!

 

[supjam]

Congratulations! It will keep getting better & better. Enjoy each accomplishment.
Best wishes

 

[rosietosie]

Sounds like you are doing really well with your recovery. Awesome job on managing the stairs and going out for short trips. I find that my stamina still takes a hit when I try to do too many activities in a day and have learned to pace myself then ice, elevate and nap. There will come the day where we can have a full day of activity. For now, I'm enjoying being able to take the rests and get a cat nap if needed.

Good to know you can stay with your daughter longer if you need to. Just be comfortable that you can manage on your own safely. There's no place like home!

 

[Mags113]

Hello everyone! Still hanging in there and moving forward! My left knee tends to bother me more than my right which is funny to me since my left knee was always the better one. My left knee is just a bit more stiff and I don't get as much flexation on it. I am just gently as stretching it and hoping it will catch up. I am lucky that I have minimal swelling but the icing sure does feel good. I did go to PT this afternoon and my therapists ok'd the move from a walker to a cane. I was ready for it. I noticed I have been parking the walker and walking around the room. I will keep the walker for just in case. I have also decided that I am going home on Saturday. I think I will be fine and I am anxious to get home! We will see what the week brings.

 

[Hitech]

Sounds like you are on the good recovery path, I had a great recovery and just had my 1 year check up. I remember the bruising of the upper thighs you mentioned it was very colorful and the source of most of my pain.

 

[bottomshollow]

@Mags113, you are now an

!

Sounds like you are doing very well with your early recovery. I'm figuring you'll be about 3 full weeks post op the end of this week. Going home and being on your own should be very doable for you. And we all know that

. You just have to remember to follow the BoneSmart mantras to the letter and DO NOT allow yourself to get carried away and overdo just because you're having such a good day.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Mags113]

Hi, I finally made it home today and it feels great to be home. I over did it a bit and am paying for it now. I am icing right now trying to get control of the pain. Overall besides today I am doing well. I saw the OS this week and he was more than happy with my progress. I am off the walker and am now just using the cane. I am curious about my ROM. My PT has not mentioned it only say I am doing great. When I went to the OS he did not measure it, only made sure I was bending far enough. I think I will ask the PT tomeasure it just for my information. My biggest problem right now is sleep. One night I will sleep great and the next night I slept be up and down all night. I am tired! Sometimes I will nap during the day but there is no rhyme or reason to the sleep issues. I will just keep plugging along and see what the week brings.

 

[bottomshollow]

@Mags113, much, much too early to be overdoing. Follow the mantras:
rest

; take meds on a schedule ; elevate (toes above nose)

; and ice

, ice

, and ice

some more.

As for sleep, well it's going to be elusive for weeks---so have things to occupy you during the wee hours of the night and catnap off and on all day long. Here a link to our Library article explaining the problem:Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[kneeper]

Congratulations on being off the walker! Now just take it slow and steady and avoid the ODIC (overdid it club).

 

[Mags113]

Thanks Everyone, it is exactly 21 days since surgery and it is really hard not to overdo it. I over did it on Saturday and paid for it on Sunday. Today I did a few things but mostly sat in the recliner and iced. I am so tired of just sitting and icing. I did get to the PT todAy and found out my ROM in my left leg is 110 and my right is 105. Not too bad I don't think. My knees are feeling pretty good unless I am on my feet for too long then they ache. I am guessing that is normal. Still having sleep issues but that is normal. We will see what the week brings.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds great! I would have been thrilled to be where you are in 21 days.

 

[Mags113]

Hi everyone! I am doing fine just having a lot of pain in my thighs. I think it might be from going up and down steps and getting out of chairs......none of them seem high thousand when I go to stand up my thighs kill me. Any ideas on how to get past this. I have iced my thighs it just hasn't worked. Thanks!

 

[PuppyLove]

I have a new intense pain in my calves. Not that I'm sleeping that well, anyway, but it keeps me up. I have. It had thigh pain, but I also don't have stairs. You may want to ask your PT for advice.

After my last PT in home visit yesterday I decided to drive my son to the library. Like you, I was tired of sitting around in the recliner. I hadn't had narcotics in 2 days, it was very light traffic, and I was feeling flexible. The worst part was releasing the emergency brake (hubby really locks it hard), but no problems driving. We were gone about 15 minutes, and I was stiff and sore when I got out of the minivan. I think short trips are my limit for right now.

 

[sunny-island]

@Mags113 Your recovery is so good to watch. It's too bad all recoveries can't go as smoothly. You're fighting the temptation to overdo it but that ends up being self-limiting as you pay for it pretty quickly, don't you? But we can't help wanting to test the waters now and then. I wish all surgeons and especially all PTs were as casual about ROM as yours are. How refreshing! More undue pressure has been put on TKR patients over that one issue than just about anything else - at least that's my take on it (my experience, as well, but thanks to Bonesmart I've survived). Keep up the good work.

 

[Mags113]

@PuppyLove ....I had some calf pain early on and it did go away. I know what you mean about short trips. I have only been out a few times other than PT and each time I came back exhausted. I did ask.My PT about my thigh pain and he also thinks it is.most likely from my steps.since.certainly I did not start having the stiffness until I got home and started using the steps. I will see were this.goes in the next few days.

@sunny-island ..yes the urge to do more is getting to me and just hurting me in the long run. My PT is awesome......he is a one man office not one off these centers that have many PT. When you get there he work's with you and only you. This is the third time he has rehabbed a knee of mine and I have had good results each time.

 

[Mags113]

Hello everyone......still working with my PT two days a week and doing my exercises at home. I am noticing new things that I can do everyday.....like getting up from a low chair without a struggle. My knees are still achy if I stand on them too long, like when I am in the kitchen getting my dinner together. My hamstrings are bothering me and today I had to take a Percocet in the middle of the day for the first time in over a week. The outside edge of my kneecap are sore and I am not sure what that is about. It seems like new pains come and go. I am still spending most of my time sitting in the recliner and it is making me go stir crazy. I am trying to stay relaxed and just go with the inactivity but I have to admit it is driving me crazy. I will be seeing the OS next week to get his opinion on my recovery. I am not supposed to go back to work until right before Christmas but I am considering going back at the beginning of December but just for half days thru the month. I will have to see how I am feeling as November progresses.

 

[Jane B.]

I'm going crazy, too.

I don't like that word, patience!

 

[Mags113]

Hi everyone, I am now seven weeks post op and am doing well. I went to the OS last week and he was very pleased with my progress. My ROM is about t 125 in both legs. I think I have finally turned a corner and am able to do more. I am catching my self going up and down the steps normally now. I haven't done that in years! I have been riding my stationary bike each day, gradually increasing my time. My legs still do ache if I stand on them too long. I am scheduled to go back to work on Dec 8, for half dAys thru the month of dec. I think this will give me a chance to get back into the swing of things gradually. I am looking forward to seeing what the next few months has in store for me.