Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees

[SusieShoes]

@sistersinhim, my knees were great this morning. Sore last night and I iced before bed, but I slept well and this morning Lefty was the only one with residual soreness, and that was way minor. Once i started walking around, even that soreness became a whisper. I'm walking better every day, it seems.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yippee! You are definitely on the way! I wish everyone could have the recovery that you have had. I bet you having done so much training before your surgery has something to do with it. And then again, maybe not. Whatever it is you have, too bad you can't bottle it and give it away to those that are having a rough time!

 

[SusieShoes]

Week 5: Training Your PT

After a four day break from PT (I go twice a week), I waltzed into the gym twirling my cane like a baton and showed off my moves. Yes, after no PT for four days, even Lefty was a model good knee and I walk like a champ. I told my PT, "This is what four days without PT can do." He of course said my stellar performance is because of his wonderful work last Wednesday. I smiled and said nothing. It's maybe a little of both.

I say that because I think I get some benefit from PT. I'm also going to qualify that answer by saying I TRAINED my therapist. We only do exercises I find useful. I encourage massages, some nice stretches that NEVER go too far and always stop when I say stop. Balance exercises are useful. I have had good flexion from day 1 (literally... my OS the day after surgery tested my flexion, found it at 90 in both knees, and beamed as though he'd given birth to a prodigy), so I've been walking a bit ahead of the curve. Balance is where I'm most lacking. Trusting my knees is where I'm also lacking. So working on these things in PT, with the therapist on hand to prevent falls as I (today) stepped over cones sans cane, is beneficial to me.

You control your PT. My mother, who has had both knees replaced herself, finds this concept alien. She says I must follow the PT, and do everything they say. I smile and redirect. She had great results, so can't argue with her. But I'm having great results, too, and I use my PT as a resource. Now that we've butted heads a few times, we understand each other. He knows I won't agree to strength training. He knows when I say no, I mean no. He also knows that if I reject an exercise one week, I might reconsider it a week or two later when I feel my knee is ready. He knows I'm in charge. And he knows I'm serious about getting good results and exercise at home--I say all the time that's mostly just walking, lots of it, and ADLs--and am making good progress. Progress is what he's most interested in, after all. Progress is how his contribution will be judged. So he's getting what he most wants, and I'm getting those things I most want.

Yesterday was a full day of Father's Day celebration and game-playing at SIL's house. I took advantage of the change in venue to take a nice walk around her subdivision, which is a bit hillier than around my house. It also has way few tall trees and, so, much less shade. Very hot. I enjoyed the walk but ended up thirsty. Of course I had brought my great big gel ice packs, so I iced and sipped fruit coolers out on the shaded patio. All I needed was a servant with a fan and one to feed me grapes.

The knees were sore last night (iced again on the car ride home and then before bed), but they woke up almost pain-free. Lefty continues to be sore until loosening up, but that didn't take very long. I went down the stairs foot over foot this morning. I've been practicing a few steps here and there for a week now. It worked, but it was probably scary to watch. All I can say is thank goodness for handrails. Though I was never in any danger of falling, I think I'll keep using my cane on stairs for a while.

I've also got a pimple or something on the left incision. It's like the incision split and this tiny red pimple is poking through. It doesn't hurt at all, is in no way sore or tender; it just looks funny. I'm thinking it might be a stitch coming through or something. The PT also thought it might be a stitch. I figure if it gets angry, red around the edges, or spreads in any way, I will call the OS. Any thoughts?

 

[sistersinhim]

I bet it's a stitch working it's way out, too. Just keep an eye on it. You can always call your doctor if you need to.

 

[Pheebs52]

I am mentally walking along with you Susie; whoohoo! Today, my walk was around a parking lot at PT's, but hey, it was still an *outing*, lol. Yes, the bar has lowered quite a bit as to what constitutes an outing. Still, it's a rather pleasant, landscaped parking lot with a little pond. Not quite a park, but I take what I can get!

 

[sistersinhim]

Walking is good for you no matter where you are walking, as long as you're very careful!

 

[Pheebs52]

Holy Moly, @SusieShoes, you actually walked DOWN stairs sequentially? My PT told me today that will be the very last thing to happen and may well take up to a year! You're not by any chance...er...well, an alien with superpowers, are you? Double check with your Mom, lol!

 

[liam2015]

that is super amazing SusieShoes walking down the stairs foot over foot. i am walking up that way, very slowly and carefully, but i accidentally put the wrong foot down first going downstairs and wowza, did that ever hurt! congratulations on another new milestone.

 

[SusieShoes]

Well, I was pleasantly surprised last week when I accidentally went down foot over foot and it didn't hurt at all. Just felt wrong because I hadn't done it in a long time. So I figured if it doesn't hurt, what's the harm? The thing is, I'm not quite ready to do it as a matter of course. My balance is a bit wanting. But it's getting better every day, so one of these days I'll graduate to regular stair climbing and descending.

 

[Celle]

Susie, I love your description of how you work with your PT, to get the therapy that your knees need. Way to go!

That little pimple probably is a stitch working its way out. Don't try to pull it or cut it off yourself, will you? If that needs doing, let your surgeon or PA do it.

 

[kneeper]

I agree with what you said @SusieShoes that your PT is a resource. I picked up some good tips and exercises, but like you (certainly after learning from knee #1) didn't do them all until I was ready. There are actually a few stretches and exercises I still use.

 

[KarriB]

Susie, you're absolutely right! The PT works for you, not the other way around and you've found a way to work together. I found PT helpful also, especially as I was dealing with an absolutely straight and stiff leg. But my PTs were given a script from my OS that said non-aggressive PT, so they were super careful and followed his orders to a T. We did work on balance, gait and the massages were hard to give up. Much later 4-5 months there was some strength work. Keep it up, girlfriend!

 

[keefsmom]

That little pimple probably is a stitch working its way out. Don't try to pull it or cut it off yourself, will you? If that needs doing, let your surgeon or PA do it.

I have two spots along my scar where what look like the ends of thread are sticking out. More stitches "working way out?" hate to sound like an idiot, but since I had staples to close the incision it never occurred to me that I Have stitches below the skin.

 

[Pumpkin]

The incision is closed in several layers, this article will explain how it is done. @keefsmom
Closing surgical wounds: how is it done?

 

[keefsmom]

Thanks for the explanation but I couldn't look too closely!

 

[SusieShoes]

My OS explained before surgery how he closed the incision with "layers and layers" of stitches. He was assuring me I could bend the new knees without fear of the incision popping open, even though it might feel like it would. He also mentioned it might be possible for a stitch to work out through the scar. We discussed this because my body has rejected sutures in the past. According to him, having a stitch work out like this isn't unusual.

Today, still a reddish pimple. A teensy bit tender now, but looks no different. Might be rubbing on my pants. I'm keeping an eye on it. I see my OS in two weeks.

 

[jaschembra]

My little spot got a little red halo looking, pimple looking (my gynecologist popped it - not that I wanted him to, I think he barely squeezed it when it popped). However, the day before when it was red, I noticed a little puss so I had called my OS - They had me text him a pic. (a Wed.) He wanted new pics on Friday (he said, neosporin and a bandaid). Instead of new pics Fri.. he wanted to actually see it. He felt it was a stitch and may have come out when the dr. squeezed it - But... It took nearly another 3 weeks before that itsy bitsy little stitch worked its way out like a tiny splinter. That spot still has a deeper healing color to it, but no skin has been broken for a couple weeks - that little stitch left a pin hole that took a bit to heal. The whole 5-6 week process - I did NOT go into the pool. OS said to stay out of the pool during that time. This is what it looked like in the beginning and now

 

[SusieShoes]

Thanks for the info and photos, @jaschembra. Here's a picture of mine. I'm not picking at it or anything. Just ignoring it for now and not using the softening cocoa butter the PA said I could use on my incisions. Might try Polysporin just on the spot.

 

[jaschembra]

Sounds like a plan and if your OS is anything like mine - I just called the office and asked if they had an email address where I could send a picture. That's when they gave me his cell phone to text a photo. I got the feeling that they don't want to mess around with anything associated with the incision - they want to make sure it's viewed. Everyone says it's nothing to worry about and Josephine said typically no antibiotics for a stitch abscess - but if I was you I would make a call. After mine was popped, my OS said if it got worse, he would give me antibiotics (but it got better). Also, I had gotten my teeth cleaned that Thur. and took the antibiotics for that procedure.

 

[katdog]

Wow! Doing stairs the old way, I am impressed. I have been able to place my operated leg on the next step going up, but know it is not ready to lift me.