TKR Susie-Q's 2nd TKR Recovery Thread

[Susie-Q]

Olive, Daisy and Maggie

 

[Jockette]

My lab, Daisy, turned 2 in late Feb, so she's full grown but still has that puppy energy. I've been told they don't settle down until they are at least 3 and some even later!

My daughter’s lab is a year and a half, and she’s very energetic, in addition to 3, somewhat young kids.

 

[Susie-Q]

Well, just to prove that we're not invincible yet...... even at almost 9 months post-op, one can over-do it. This is nothing compared to earlier in my recovery and to be honest, it's mainly just a twinge in the 1/10 category.

Since my daughter took Daisy to work with her yesterday (she was going to use her as practice for wrapping leg wounds for her continued Vet Tech schooling), I took my road bike out in the morning, went to Home Goods, Old Navy, Hagen (grocery) and Costco (which included some heavy items such as cat litter and Traeger pellets). Came home and unloaded with a little help from the family. Made dinner (Four cheese baked spaghetti squash and steak kabobs, which meant a lot of walking outside to the grill and back) Walked Daisy when she came home that night about a mile. Last night I could feel that I had a tiny bit of swelling, the left knee didn't bend as well as it had earlier. I iced it while watching tv. Today I can feel that familiar twisting twinge in my calf when standing and walking. It's not all the time, just occasionally. It's not slowing me down at all, although I won't have as rigorous a schedule today and will take some time to rest and ice. I just notice that I over did it a little bit as I have a twinge rather than no pain at all. I can feel that twinge fade in and out as I'm sitting here on the couch.

I still have stiffness when I get up from sitting awhile, especially with my legs stretched out straight. I need to use the arms of the chair to help me get up. It's not the knee joints but the soft tissue and muscles that feel stiff and weak. Carrying around too much weight is also probably a reason. But walking, standing and other daily activities are pain-free.

 

[sistersinhim]

Even after almost 6 years, if I overdo my knee will get a little angry with me. I also sometimes have minor zingers. I'll just look down and pat it and tell it, it's doing a good job with the nerve repairs. Since I've had 5 previous surgeries on it I still have a lot of numb areas that need nerve repair! When the weather changes, it lets me know, too, if it's a drastic change coming. So, to say it's at least a year recovery for this surgery is being conservative for many people, myself included. It depends on each knee.

 

[Catalien45]

Good afternoon! We’re both just sitting here, “loafing” after a busy weekend. Our daughter & grandson came for a “ slumber party”, & after our brunch this morning, we made a visit to our favorite local nursery here so she could get some plants for their garden. She loves going there; it’s a small, family-run place, with beautiful plants. We’ll have our grandson here with us 2 days & nights most weeks this summer while Mom & Dad both work from home.... we’re all excited. He already has some ideas for projects ( “ Grandpa & I are gonna build a birdhouse!”). It’s gonna be a busy summer!
Thankyou for the photos of your kitties & your puppy! I just loved seeing them all! I feel like I kinda know them, & seeing their photos is special. Our Felicity was termed “overweight” at her last checkup, so we’re trying to watch her intake a little. She’s a bit on the tubby side (our son nicknamed her “ fuzzy watermelon “), but we’re also trying to encourage her to be a little more active. I’ll have to see if I can get a photo of her to post. Don’t our little furry family members capture our hearts....... I’m impressed that your pup was the “ patient “ to help with your daughter’s training. I think any of our little feline friends would not have been so cooperative . Aren’t labs wonderful, sweet beings??
Gads! I’m in awe of your day! I cannot Imagine doing what you did! First, my performance on a bike, in general, is pretty sad. We didn’t have bikes growing up, & although my husband & I got a couple of old, basic bikes for getting back & forth to campus early on, and, later, some more sophisticated, multiple speed ones, I never really mastered navigating one. I’m much better at walking!
Your meals always impress me! I remember your posting of some meals early on in this recovery, & they always sounded So good! I love to cook, & am really enjoying being back in my kitchen. Right now, at night, I’m enjoying exploring some of my older issues of Cooking Light magazine. I subscribed for a number of years, still have a couple of favorite recipes from Years ago, that I make for us. I find that my older issues have some incredible recipes. OK..... all this talking about food is making me hungry! Time to get us some breakfast going.. we are definitely serious breakfast people. And today, I’m hoping to get the rest of my bedding plants into pots, and my beloved crookneck squash & some green bean seeds into the garden. Busy day.
Have yourself a lovely day, and give all your little furry family members an extra pet for me. Some of their antics have added pleasure to my day, particularly in those early days of recovery. Miss Felicity blinks a little hello from the loveseat as she rests after a little “ cat fit” of romping upstairs. ( sounding like a miniature herd of elephants!)
Off to start that breakfast!

 

[Susie-Q]

Well, all this excess activity is having an affect on The Knee. Yesterday it hurt quite a bit when getting up off the couch and I know I have a little swelling in there as it doesn't bend as far. I'm icing it this morning and I did a couple of times yesterday.

Yesterday 3 friends of mine, we all got together with our labs, they are all from the same breeder, and had a romp up at the field in the pouring rain! It was the only time we could all do it and one friend is moving to AZ at the end of June. I will try to post a picture or two. I also took Daisy for a walk last night. I don't feel like I'm overdoing it that much but I have done something to make the knee a little annoyed. Afraid to take NSAIDs as I'm trying to heal my esophagus. I have a bit of GERD and so I'm taking Omeprazole to help. I'm sure I can get by without taking anything, it's really not bad.

Speaking of food, I've been watching Julia on HBOmax about Julia Child. Really enjoying it! Today begins another week of figuring out meals for the family.

The weather is supposed to improve after today and get into the 70s this week! We've had so much rain and while everything is a million shades of green, I do long for some sun. It's almost June, for heaven's sake! My tomatoes are growing and I have some flowers on them so hopefully will get some tomatoes when it finally warms up a bit. I picked a bad year for trying to grow tomatoes.......

 

[Susie-Q]

Here’s a couple of pics from yesterday’s dog fun.

 

[Jockette]

Gotta really love it all to go out in the rain!

 

[benne68]

Lab heaven!

 

[Catalien45]

Hi@Susie-Q! I do hope today finds you felling a bit better. That GERD is no fun! I’m like you, I’m hesitant to take Nsaids, I have a Little GERD now & then, & take Pepcid daily to combat it. Several years ago, I had 2 bleeding ulcers ( they were actually caused by H-pylori, so not acid or nerves, but, still, a scary & unpleasant experience ). I think we are getting some of your rain! We need it, for sure, it’s very dry here in Colorado. My husband got fertilizer on the yard, so this rain will be perfect to set it in. Interesting, I’m noticing some aching & fatigue, wondering if it’s related to the damp weather? This seemed to happen our last rainy spell. Maybe you will see some improvement when the weather clears up some.
Look at all those labs! Pretty cute?...
Hope you’ll be improving soon. We’re hoping to get back to our walks as soon as the weather is clear again. I’m hoping that will help my balance, it has been pretty off lately. I’m thinking maybe because I’m missing that regular exercise. Do take care, & maybe just let yourself rest a little...

 

[Susie-Q]

It's interesting that some of our recovery is mental as well as the huge physical side. Trusting our knees to do things we used to be able to do but have learned during our times of pain to avoid.

My good friend is moving to Arizona. She's giving me her two cabinets with drawers and shelves, which will be perfect for scrapbooking (when I eventually have an empty bedroom in this house, kids will have to move out first!). We had to move those heavy cabinets from her upstairs down and into my car to move one at a time over to my house. Don't worry, my husband and son did the the heavy lifting parts. We took out all the shelves and drawers to make the cabinets lighter and it was my job to move those downstairs. They weren't very heavy and I made sure not to load myself up too much. Looking down that flight of stairs that went straight down was daunting at first. My first trip down was like a toddler, one step at at time and holding on to the railing. Then I thought, wait a minute..... my knees DON'T hurt, why am I walking like I need surgery? My next trip down I had something in both hands and I slowly took one step with each foot, carefully all the way down. My brain was screaming, no! what if you fall down and end up in a heap at the bottom! Well, I didn't. I took several trips down those stairs with the drawers. Yes, I was sore the next day (and my back is a little sore this morning too) but the knees did great! I am slowly learning to trust them again.

(my kids are going to use those cabinets for now, my friend has to get everything out of her house by the 17th. There's a decorative shelf that spans in between the cabinets, perfect for a desk to go underneath for my future scrapbooking adventures!)

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Good job on trusting your knees! I'm happy for you; being able to go downstairs like an adult is a wonderful thing.

 

[Jockette]

Awesome!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Wow, that's quite a lot of work for a knee that isn't even a year old yet. What a wonderful recovery you are having!

 

[Susie-Q]

I made sure to keep the weight I was carrying to a minimum (I'm carrying enough weight around with just me! )

 

[Layla]

Great accomplishment and confidence builder!
As a toddler we learn how to navigate stairs as an adult, then we go back to navigating stairs toddler style with our failing joints, only to relearn how to access them as an adult once again. I YI YI

 

[Susie-Q]

Well, I'm not sure what's going on but I thought I'd report on it. Sleep last night was not good between 3-4:30am. Tossing and turning. Laying on my left side got more painful. It's all around the hip area but not in the joint, on the surface muscle/tissue layers. A feeling of soreness. Maybe it's my IT band? I am finding while on my left side I am getting a type of restless leg syndrome but in my new knee. I'm thinking it's zingers as the nerves are trying to reattach. I've had a few episodes of a shooting spasm going through that knee, jerking my leg in the process. It's the only thing I can think of. This only happens at night. I'm also having some sideways pain when moving that leg around in bed. The dead weight of lifting that leg makes the joint hurt as it tweaks a little. I've also had a couple of instances of feeling like my knee was going to give out or jerk into a locking position. Maybe it's a lack of muscle strength? I walk every day, sometimes two walks a day with the dog. I haven't done the bike lately but I'm certainly back to doing everything I would normally do and more. I did a lot of driving yesterday and also took my FIL to the urologist. Maybe getting his wheelchair in and out of the car several times was more than my knee wanted to do and was complaining about it during the night?

Anyway, I thought I'd report in. I'm sure it's normal and all a part of the healing process. I'm not worried, I just find it strange.

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet lifting that wheelchair has a lot to do with your new discomfort. You have to use all kinds of different muscles to do that. Have you tried icing your hip areas?

Your knee jerks sound like zingers to me. They were so annoying. Time is the only healer that I know of for those zingers.

 

[Susie-Q]

I've been having the hip soreness for awhile now but I wouldn't doubt the wheelchair lifting annoyed something. The zingers are new! (I think) I don't remember having them with my first knee but it was so long ago, who knows. They seemed to be more frequent when I was laying on my left side, woke me out of sleep!

I haven't tried icing my hip but I do have a pouch for an ice pack with a big elastic strap so I might try it. It doesn't bother me during the day, only at night.

 

[sistersinhim]

My hip does the same thing. It runs from my hip to the lateral side of my knee. I'm pretty sure it's the IT band. I just started using a rolling pin on it and it hurts a lot, but hopefully, it will relieve some of this nighttime pain. I also found that when the pain wakes me up, if I get up and walk around it goes away and I can go back to sleep.

I haven't tried the ice either and probably should. I need to practice what I preach!