TKR Susie-Q's 2nd TKR Recovery Thread

[lovetocookandsew]

Your bath adventure was no fun, I'm sure. I've always done a dry run before taking a bath. I get in the dry tub fully dressed, with hubby standing by. If I can easily get in and out, then I'm ready to take a bath. If not, and I need help (I can always get in-getting out hasn't always worked however) then I wait until I can get out by myself. Yesterday was my first bath, and I did my dry run as usual. I was able to manage, so went for it. There's nothing like a long hot bath on a cold winter's night...or day, and I never forget to bring a book!

 

[Sara61]

@Susie-Q You've inspired me to try and have a bath, I will follow Kim's advice and have a pre-trial first and make sure hubby around to help.
In our home in the South we only have walk-in showers (no tubs) but here in the North, my bathtub has jets so very tempted to try it and finally after nearly 8 years ( on-going building project) we have tons of hot water as a central water/heating system was installed last week, so we will in a few days be very warm too
Fortunately the weather is glorious, we arrived yesterday ( will post in my thread journey ordeal) so our solar system is providing the hot water meanwhile, but as we will have a full house the two systems will now enable 7 of us to all take showers/baths daily.
So glad you hit another Mile Stone, the little achievements are so encouraging xx

 

[Susie-Q]

There's nothing like a long hot bath on a cold winter's night...or day, and I never forget to bring a book!

I brought my iPad and watched Netflix!

@Sara61 please be careful! I could have easily gotten in and out during a dry run, it was after relaxing for awhile and the soapy water that made it too slippery to get out. I can totally see how people hurt themselves getting in and out the tub and why they make those tubs with the doors on them.

A little bit of gardening today. Hubby's going to cut back our wisteria (it's big and grows over an arbor between our house and the neighbor's) he's going up on the ladder and doing the cutting, I'm doing the clean up on the ground.

 

[sistersinhim]

I love the smell of wisteria! I cut mine back last year and it went into shock and didn't bloom. I hope it does this year.

I had a shower chair that I could use to scoot down into the tub then lift myself onto it again and easily get out that way.

 

[hawk2go]

When I was done I could not get out of the tub!

Oh my @Susie-Q! I'm so glad I read this after I attempted my adventure-free bath. Glad your husband was around to help. He's the one you want for minimal embarrassment.

 

[Susie-Q]

He's the one you want for minimal embarrassment.

If I'd had to ask one of my kids I think I would have died of embarrassment!

I cut mine back last year and it went into shock and didn't bloom.

I'm fully expecting mine to not bloom this year, which is unfortunate. It's an old plant with a very big trunk going up and it spreads between our house and the neighbors across an arbor. We cut back all the twisted upper branches so it's more level with the neighbor's side. We've only ever cut it back from growing up on the roof before so this was a pretty severe pruning. I tried to tell my husband to leave some of the nubby branches so we still might get some blooms this year but he gets very prune-happy and cuts before he thinks. When I told him we might not get any blooms this year he said, Good! His idea of a wisteria is obviously very different from mine. I love those beautiful lavender and white hanging flowers, even though they do make a mess when they are done. Ah, well, there's always next year! I'm glad we stopped when that project was done. After a couple of hours on my feet, cutting branches, The Knee was ready for a break!

I'm not sure if I mentioned this but we bought the house from my in-laws about 6 years ago and my father in law was a big gardener. We have a lot of plants to maintain and I'm just trying to keep everything alive as to not disappoint him (not that he'd know.....). It's wonderful to have all these beautiful flowers but a bit of a responsibility, even though I do enjoy gardening....

 

[sistersinhim]

When I first bought this house, 20+ years ago. I created 12 different flowerbeds. As the years have gone by and the body has aged I have had to let many of them go. I'm down to 6 now. My weeding has been pitiful this past year, so probably half of those will be forgotten.

We learn to do what the knees let us do. I look at it as a blessing to do what I can do. So many people can't.

 

[Susie-Q]

We learn to do what the knees let us do. I look at it as a blessing to do what I can do. So many people can't.

So true..... I've been able to keep up with my yard so far. Last year was the huge push to get our house and yard ready for hosting my father in law's 90th birthday party. We had about 40 people here on one of the hottest days of the year. Getting ready for that party is what finally pushed my left knee over the edge and I scheduled my replacement as soon as I could after that. We had our house painted that spring, spread at least 4 yards of mulch in our yard as well as everything you'd need to do to host a party for that many, both inside and out. Whew!!

 

[Catalien45]

Talking about your Wisteria gets me thinking about our next door neighbors’ trumpet vine. It’s on the wood fence between our yards, to the west. Early spring, it Really looks dead, & is one of the last perennials to leaf out. Then it really gets with it, & then forms these Beautiful orange trumpet flowers. In the evening, when the sun is setting, especially late summer- early fall, it can be breathtaking, especially if there is orange in the sky. It can be invasive, but we try to keep it out of our yard. I just love it. Looking forward to that this year, and, our vegetable garden. With my new knee!
@ sistersinhim, I relate all too well to your lack of weeding. Our side flowerbed Badly needs work! Maybe this year, we can get it in shape! It sounds like you are a Serious flower gardener! I’d love to know some of the flowers you must have......l

 

[Susie-Q]

I was just looking at a webpage the other day of shade-loving flowering vines and the Trumpet Vine was on there. Beautiful! Our neighbor has a honeysuckle that grows over our fence and puts on a nice display right outside one of our bedroom windows.

We should go over to the Social room and either start or continue on one of the threads about gardening. @sistersinhim and @Catalien45 I'm always thinking about spring and gardening this time of year when the weather is so dreary.....

(@Catalien45 , I'm not sure if you are actually trying to tag a person or not but it works better when there's no space between the "@" symbol and their name. YOu'll notice it turns blue after you post your reply....)

 

[Jockette]

We should go over to the Social room and either start or continue on one of the threads about gardening.

This is an excellent idea. Recovery threads should be mostly about your recovery, which gardening is a part of, so some discussion about it is fine. However, extensive discussions should take place in the Social Room.

I‘ll be honest, as a staff member who reads/checks every new post in the pre op and post op forums, it’s hard for me to do that, and it takes a lot of time, when there’s a lot of non recovery conversations in recovery threads, and especially if I’m not into gardening or cooking, or whatever the topic is.

 

[Susie-Q]

That's why I suggested it.

For anyone who is interested, I revived an old thread on Gardening in the Social Room. Not sure how to link it here but it's pretty easy to find.

 

[Jockette]

Here you go:

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/almost-gardening-time-again.13424/

 

[Susie-Q]

The time sure flies and I realized I haven't done a 5 months post-op update, which would have been Jan 30th.

Things are progressing very well, my knee is mostly pain-free except for some stiffness when I first wake up, after sitting on the couch for awhile and after sitting in a chair for a bit after a good walk. I don't feel like it's holding me back from doing anything I did before. I might think twice and pass on lifting and walking with something very heavy as I know things are still healing. I will get the occasional twinge or ache in the joint and it's still fairly numb on the outside of the kneecap. Totally normal, I know. No more swelling, both knees feel about the same. I can almost bend my left knee back as far as the right so I have gained ROM since discharging from PT. I'm guessing I'm a couple of degrees away from 122, which is what the right measured. This just goes to show those of you that think you haven't gotten your ROM back fast enough, it will happen, just give it time!

I met a friend up in the Skagit valley today in LaConner for lunch and shopping. Am able to walk around with no pain whatsoever. It was a glorious sunny day, temp around 50. Tonight I walked the dog and looked up at the stars, remembering how many times I'd walked her and just limped along, left knee in such pain. No more! The spring frogs are peeping at night now, have been for a few days. That means spring is just around the corner! (they seem a little early this year.....)

I'm still sleeping with my contour pillow between my knees. I don't really have to, I'm just so used to it that it's comforting and feels weird not to. No pain meds anymore, I rarely ice unless I'm feeling some pain.

Thanks for all your help and support, fellow BoneSmarties!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

 

[Catalien45]

This is great to see! And encouraging. My extension & ROM still seem to be lagging, but your words are encouraging, and many of the things you mentioned, I relate to, so much. I guess my biggest challenge is remembering not to overdo. Yesterday, our daughter & grandson came over for a visit. My husband kept bragging on my progress, & at one point said, “walk across the room, & show Liz how Normal your walk is! “ Later, he told me, “ I’m just so proud of you, I have to brag!”. So I’m still working on being patient with myself, & remembering that this takes Time... and finding your update here on your progress very encouraging. Thanks.

 

[Susie-Q]

Has anyone had a weird, almost rug-burn sensation in their knee while wearing jeans? This only happens when I sit and the denim is stretched tight over my knee. I'm sure it's normal and some kind of sensitivity in the scar or surrounding tissues. I've started wearing (loose) jeans lately after not wearing them since way before surgery.

Work has been slow since Christmas and not as many shifts/classes that have been taken by a couple of my more regular co-workers. I'm finally working tonight and it will be a full shift of 4 hours (on my feet). I'm sure all will go fine, just marking the milestone.

 

[Jockette]

The second I put pants on, it feels like a hard ball swells up in the lower lateral part of my knee, almost like my implant has slid down there. (which I know is impossible) This happens no matter what the material is.

 

[benne68]

and it's still fairly numb on the outside of the kneecap.

Hey @Susie-Q: So happy you mentioned this I was just complaining to DH that I still have numbness (not that he can do anything about it, I just like to complain once in a while .)
Since your TKR was several weeks ahead of mine, your post reassures that this is, indeed, normal!

 

[Susie-Q]

Yep, @benne68 . I remember from my first TKR that after a couple of years or so (at least for me) the nerves did regenerate. I have no numbness at all in my right knee anymore. It does take longer than we have the patience for, I know....