Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees
- Thread starter SusieShoes
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Kare2dare
junior member
Happy Birthday! Can't wait to hear what's in the box!
KarriB
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My iPad along with an Appletv came in very handy and was always close by.
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
@Kare2dare, the box held a floor model elliptical strider I can use while seated. Currently have it on my screen porch for summer pedaling. I love using it!
I'm waiting until after I see my OS on Monday before I decide what to do about my fuzzy legs. I have a few questions about how to go about it.
Love online shopping! I'm counting the days until Nordstrom has its annual Anniversary Sale in a couple weeks. Nothing pings all my bells like free shipping and returns.
I'm waiting until after I see my OS on Monday before I decide what to do about my fuzzy legs. I have a few questions about how to go about it.
Love online shopping! I'm counting the days until Nordstrom has its annual Anniversary Sale in a couple weeks. Nothing pings all my bells like free shipping and returns.
KarriB
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Susie, my doc was ok with shaving once I was off the heparin. He just asked that I shave around the incision for a while.
Lilli215
senior
@SusieShoes I was very wary first time I shaved at 12 weeks out ( thank god my op was in January) and just tickled the area around the scar and the numb patch with the razor. Must admit though a lot of my scar sensitivity went away after that first shave, think the hair on knee was rubbing on trouser material making the sensitivity worse!!!
KarriB
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That could be, Lilli. I shaved pretty soon after the staples came out and had just a little scar sensitivity. However I did wear super soft, super stretchy pj pants for months!
sandi4213
graduate
I was shaving last night and thinking about how scared I was the first time I shaved over my scar. I could just see me cutting it open, especially with all the numbness. Of course, it was fine but it still feels weird.
becticu
graduate
To enter in on all the shaving discussion....@sistersinhim, you said your hair was dark under your cast and you didn't understand why that was dark and the other wasn't? It's because it didn't get any sun!!
becticu
graduate
liam2015
post-grad
lol re the shaving...i think i did one complete shave of both legs at the 6 week surgeon check up. after that, i've just been shaving operated leg the day before my weekly surgeon visit and physio visits. 
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Had a nice Family Saturday at SIL's house. Her low toilet was less of a problem this week, though I still use the cane to help me make my escape. My biggest problem now is that SIL keeps her house icy cold! It's 90 outside and she cranks the AC to 68. Maybe 65. It's COLD in there. I dress for it: alpaca socks, fleece lined booties, long wool pants, summery top but with a thick cashmere sweater over that. Everything but a winter coat. It's July and I'm dressing for a WIsconsin January. What's worse is that when I ice my knees, I get so darn cold I need a heavy blanket to keep my teeth from chattering. On the plus side, my pregnant niece has decided she loves, loves, loves the way I stack the living room sofa's pillows to elevate my knees. Another convert to keeping down the swelling.
Today has been great so far. My knees are doing great, even Lefty is almost pain free, so Mr. Shoes and I went to the mall to see if I could get some new athletic shoes. My olds ones all have wear patterns and I tossed them, so I need a good pair of walking shoes now that I'm actually walking more than a couple blocks. Naturally, the store had moved to the other end of the mall from its previous location, and from where we'd parked. I said let's hike it. So we did. No difficulty at all.
At the store I found a pair I liked, but one had an unsightly blemish right on top of the shoe's toe box, so I asked for another pair. The sales guy took them away. He brought back a box and gave it to me... with the same shoes inside! And a wet spot on the blemish, which was not gone, just more smudged. "This is the same pair of shoes!" I said to Mr. Shoes. He examined them and agreed. I pinned the sales guy down and he admitted they only had the one pair. Of course I didn't buy them. That was very underhanded of him. Plus I'm not sure the wet spot wasn't spit. Thank goodness I carry hand sanitizer with me. Yuck. Anyway, I am ordering the shoes online. And Mr. Shoes, who had found a pair he liked, didn't buy from that store either. Just... no.
But the knees handled the whole outing, including the long walk through the mall, very well. We decided against stopping to buy a new suit for Mr. Shoes--we can do that tomorrow after seeing my OS--and treated ourselves to some burgers. It's been a lot of activity today, starting with a trip to the grocery store earlier this morning, but all walking and "normal" activity, and I'm tremendously pleased by how well my knees are working. It has been YEARS since I could walk this much without pain. I'm elevating and icing now, not because my knees hurt but because I did walk a lot and whenever I do that, I like to cool things down. Babying my knees has worked well so far, so I figure I might as well continue.
Today has been great so far. My knees are doing great, even Lefty is almost pain free, so Mr. Shoes and I went to the mall to see if I could get some new athletic shoes. My olds ones all have wear patterns and I tossed them, so I need a good pair of walking shoes now that I'm actually walking more than a couple blocks. Naturally, the store had moved to the other end of the mall from its previous location, and from where we'd parked. I said let's hike it. So we did. No difficulty at all.
At the store I found a pair I liked, but one had an unsightly blemish right on top of the shoe's toe box, so I asked for another pair. The sales guy took them away. He brought back a box and gave it to me... with the same shoes inside! And a wet spot on the blemish, which was not gone, just more smudged. "This is the same pair of shoes!" I said to Mr. Shoes. He examined them and agreed. I pinned the sales guy down and he admitted they only had the one pair. Of course I didn't buy them. That was very underhanded of him. Plus I'm not sure the wet spot wasn't spit. Thank goodness I carry hand sanitizer with me. Yuck. Anyway, I am ordering the shoes online. And Mr. Shoes, who had found a pair he liked, didn't buy from that store either. Just... no.
But the knees handled the whole outing, including the long walk through the mall, very well. We decided against stopping to buy a new suit for Mr. Shoes--we can do that tomorrow after seeing my OS--and treated ourselves to some burgers. It's been a lot of activity today, starting with a trip to the grocery store earlier this morning, but all walking and "normal" activity, and I'm tremendously pleased by how well my knees are working. It has been YEARS since I could walk this much without pain. I'm elevating and icing now, not because my knees hurt but because I did walk a lot and whenever I do that, I like to cool things down. Babying my knees has worked well so far, so I figure I might as well continue.
Ladies, I've felt the stubble growing out each time my knee was scoped. Only I did not have to worry about it.@Arttie, thanks for being so brave to enter this conversation!!
@becticu, you might be right, except, I haven't been in the sun! I sit out in the mornings before it gets too hot, then come in about 9-10am.
I bet our OSs have seen many hairy legs and couldn't care less. I, too used an electric razor. The one I have isn't worth too cents and I had to do it over and over on the same spot, but it beat braiding them!
Susieshoes, I can't believe how well you are doing for less than 2 months! You are the poster girl for a bilateral tkr! You listen to your knees and obeyed them and look where you are today! You, and we for knowing you!, are truly blessed!
I bet our OSs have seen many hairy legs and couldn't care less. I, too used an electric razor. The one I have isn't worth too cents and I had to do it over and over on the same spot, but it beat braiding them!
Susieshoes, I can't believe how well you are doing for less than 2 months! You are the poster girl for a bilateral tkr! You listen to your knees and obeyed them and look where you are today! You, and we for knowing you!, are truly blessed!
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KarriB
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Great outing and you're absolutely right about icing/elevating after such a activity filled day. Keep at it!
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Week 8: Released!!!
Saw my OS this morning and I don't know who was happier about the visit, me or him. He has the most amazing way of manhandling knees. He puts his hands in just the right places, gently stretches out the leg, scissors it in, pronounces the extension and flexion (pretty much what PT measures it at) and not one moment of the manipulation hurts. Well, Lefty protested a little, but not much, being in the hands of a master.
Doctor asked a few questions about how I was doing (great), pain control (I'm only using Tylenol here and there), and my activity level. He looked happy as can be with my answers, and deemed my ROM excellent, telling me I would gain more as I recover, that I'm doing just fine. He looked over the PT progress report and asked if I wanted to continue. I said no, I wanted to drop PT and just keep getting better on my own. Just because I have 40 hours of insurance-paid PT left doesn't mean I have to use them. Let insurance put that money toward paying for someone who does need it. He agreed. The best rehab for me now, he said, is to just go about my daily activities. Stay active, but do it my way. It's my body, my life, my knees. Walking. Recumbent bike. All good. I asked about Aquacise and swimming, and he gave the thumbs up. "Good," he said.
So, no more PT for me! Yay! I found PT useful, especially that at the rehab hospital, but at this point I don't need it.
When I called PT to cancel my visit for today, and say I wouldn't be coming back, my therapist made one last plea for me to stop by. Why? Because he wants me to do just one leg press for him. I'm not sure what his fascination with leg presses is, or why he's so determined to have me do one. I know what they are. I've done them in the past. They're nothing special. Mystifying. An evil plan to undo my excellent recovery, perhaps? One cannot be too careful. I'm not falling for it.
After thanking my OS for doing such excellent work, Mr. Shoes and I went off to buy Mr. a pair of new suits. It's so nice to have these holiday weekdays off. Half the Philly metro area is at the shore, so the traffic is fairly light and the shopping uncrowded. We visited a couple stores and had a nice lunch at a local diner.
And what am I doing now, but what I always do after a long outing... elevating and icing, and reading on BoneSmart!
Oh, and Doctor doesn't need to see me again until May of next year.
Saw my OS this morning and I don't know who was happier about the visit, me or him. He has the most amazing way of manhandling knees. He puts his hands in just the right places, gently stretches out the leg, scissors it in, pronounces the extension and flexion (pretty much what PT measures it at) and not one moment of the manipulation hurts. Well, Lefty protested a little, but not much, being in the hands of a master.
Doctor asked a few questions about how I was doing (great), pain control (I'm only using Tylenol here and there), and my activity level. He looked happy as can be with my answers, and deemed my ROM excellent, telling me I would gain more as I recover, that I'm doing just fine. He looked over the PT progress report and asked if I wanted to continue. I said no, I wanted to drop PT and just keep getting better on my own. Just because I have 40 hours of insurance-paid PT left doesn't mean I have to use them. Let insurance put that money toward paying for someone who does need it. He agreed. The best rehab for me now, he said, is to just go about my daily activities. Stay active, but do it my way. It's my body, my life, my knees. Walking. Recumbent bike. All good. I asked about Aquacise and swimming, and he gave the thumbs up. "Good," he said.
So, no more PT for me! Yay! I found PT useful, especially that at the rehab hospital, but at this point I don't need it.
When I called PT to cancel my visit for today, and say I wouldn't be coming back, my therapist made one last plea for me to stop by. Why? Because he wants me to do just one leg press for him. I'm not sure what his fascination with leg presses is, or why he's so determined to have me do one. I know what they are. I've done them in the past. They're nothing special. Mystifying. An evil plan to undo my excellent recovery, perhaps? One cannot be too careful. I'm not falling for it.
After thanking my OS for doing such excellent work, Mr. Shoes and I went off to buy Mr. a pair of new suits. It's so nice to have these holiday weekdays off. Half the Philly metro area is at the shore, so the traffic is fairly light and the shopping uncrowded. We visited a couple stores and had a nice lunch at a local diner.
And what am I doing now, but what I always do after a long outing... elevating and icing, and reading on BoneSmart!
Oh, and Doctor doesn't need to see me again until May of next year.
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AlaskaGrandy
junior member
Wow! So awesome Susie! Freedom
