Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees
- Thread starter SusieShoes
- Start date
What a classy lady you are. You looked beautiful for your Happy Anniversary dinner! I'm glad no one paid any attention to your knees. I didn't think they would!
@SusieShoes - I just got caught up on your thread. You look fabulous and I am glad you wore the dress! A very happy belated anniversary to you and Mr. Shoes.
I loved the discussion on pain free and the word "wonky". It's a perfect description for me. I consider myself "pain-free" compared to pre surgery pain. I can walk without pain and I am not woken up at night with that sharp stabbing arthritis pain. But yet... there is that "awareness" of the new knees. I would describe it that things still feel a little mechanical - more so with my right than left. And there are still activities that lend to a quick twinge... getting up after sitting, twisting, and for me... I am still not able to sleep on my side, probably because I sleep on my right which is my laggard knee.
Perhaps we were each given a problem "child" so we could appreciate the progress.
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I loved the discussion on pain free and the word "wonky". It's a perfect description for me. I consider myself "pain-free" compared to pre surgery pain. I can walk without pain and I am not woken up at night with that sharp stabbing arthritis pain. But yet... there is that "awareness" of the new knees. I would describe it that things still feel a little mechanical - more so with my right than left. And there are still activities that lend to a quick twinge... getting up after sitting, twisting, and for me... I am still not able to sleep on my side, probably because I sleep on my right which is my laggard knee.
Perhaps we were each given a problem "child" so we could appreciate the progress.
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Jajakio
graduate
Happy anniversary Susie. You wear your scars like the badges of honor they Are! If I can just get back to moving comfortably and walking as much as I want to I will cheerfully trade that for a scar or two.
jaschembra
post-grad
Happy Belated anniversary!! Loved the pic of you.
Also giggled at your comment, we'll see which knees show up for the party. I also think wonky is a good way to describe them. We have suffered from this heat all weak: 100-105 for the last 4 days! That does not include the heat index. My husband has spent the last 7 nights at his mothers since his sister is on vacation so I have had about 1 hour of chores to do outside each morning. I think my knees like the heat, but I'm not sure.
Can't wait for you to enjoy some water time, you just have to be careful in the beginning as it is very easy to overdo.
Also giggled at your comment, we'll see which knees show up for the party. I also think wonky is a good way to describe them. We have suffered from this heat all weak: 100-105 for the last 4 days! That does not include the heat index. My husband has spent the last 7 nights at his mothers since his sister is on vacation so I have had about 1 hour of chores to do outside each morning. I think my knees like the heat, but I'm not sure.
Can't wait for you to enjoy some water time, you just have to be careful in the beginning as it is very easy to overdo.
OP
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
@IowaNana, my OS said every bilateral seems to have one knee that lags behind the other, and he said they always catch up. I'm holding him to that. Interesting that you find it harder to sleep on your side with the laggard knee. Mine is the left, and I find it easier to sleep ON the left. I think the reason is that the pain Lefty experiences is on the inside of the knee, and when I lie on my left side, Lefty is supported on the outside by the mattress, with less stress on the inside of the knee. I still have trouble sleeping for more than a couple hours that way, though, because something, either my hip or Lefty, starts to grumble. Sleeping on my right is what I prefer, but I have more trouble with that. Every position seems to put a little stress on Lefty's inside. It doesn't take much.
My Mom tells me she never thinks at all about her knees. She doesn't feel anything other than what any person feels about knees. I'm looking forward to that. Though I think I'm recovering very well, and my OS and PT agreed, I'm aware still at all times that I have new knees. I don't consider them "fake" or "unnatural." They're authentic enough, but not quite at the finish line.
My Mom tells me she never thinks at all about her knees. She doesn't feel anything other than what any person feels about knees. I'm looking forward to that. Though I think I'm recovering very well, and my OS and PT agreed, I'm aware still at all times that I have new knees. I don't consider them "fake" or "unnatural." They're authentic enough, but not quite at the finish line.
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
@jaschembra, my knees like the heat, too! I know they do. My husband, while not as bad as his sister, keeps the A/C at 72, which is chilly for me. So I love to go sit out on the screen porch in the heat and just soak in the heat. My knees almost purr as they bask in the warmth.
OP
OP
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Week 11: The Bionic Parts Club
While walking this morning--post-thunderstorms, so the sidewalks were wet and the journey awash with fresh smells, but also mercifully cooler than last week--I met up with two other walkers. We cross each other's paths regularly. Today we stopped to talk just a few minutes, first one and, later on, the other. Both nice ladies I've seen walking in the neighborhood before. I'm the new kid on the circuit. I carry a cane, which prompted them to ask what I'd had done.
Turns out one had a knee a couple years ago, started walking then and never stopped. She's prepping for her other knee come fall. The other lady had a hip several months ago. Good results, all three of us. The lady with the hip is pondering knees in her future, so we talked a few minutes about bilateral vs. singletons, was it more painful, or a longer recovery.
The answers to which I think are "no" and "no." It's just as painful, not more, and the recovery is just as long, not doubled. I'm doing as well in week 11 as most single TKRs, better than some and not as far along as others. She was intrigued. We learned we live one block from each other. In a few more weeks, when I can walk a little further without fear of repercussion, we're going to walk together to the local Wawa for coffee. It's a bit of a hike, about a mile and a quarter, so a two and a half mile round trip, but completely doable. Better with company, plus there's coffee.
I have FIL this week, so no long walks for me, just what I can squeeze in before he gets out of bed, and at lunch if he's napping. Walking is pretty much the sum of my structured exercise these days. I stretch my legs out to the ottoman at least once a day, but don't consider that exercise. All other movement comes from ADL and stair climbing, which is getting easier the more I do it.
In Week 11, I can do or have noticed the following:
* can walk 5000-6000 steps a day, but usually do 3000-4000
* lift my leg easily to put my foot on a comfort height toilet seat (21 inches) and lean forward to do my foot care
* about 50% of the time, my left leg has no pain on walking; the other 50% it has very minor pain
* less stiffness upon waking, including in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks
* less stiffness upon rising from sitting, though it's still an issue I want to go away
* much less tightness along the incision when bending the knee
* can now roll over in bed without having to sit up first to manuever hips into position
* can sit at my desk for extended periods-- I could return to a desk job, if I had one
* have ceased to use cane for anything except carrying on walks, and don't really need it for that
Things haven't progressed in any great leaps or bounds from last week. A little better some days, maybe not at all on others. Occasionally I feel like I've stalled, but never feel like I've regressed. Good days and days that are just all right. I keep in mind that we're still recovering.
While walking this morning--post-thunderstorms, so the sidewalks were wet and the journey awash with fresh smells, but also mercifully cooler than last week--I met up with two other walkers. We cross each other's paths regularly. Today we stopped to talk just a few minutes, first one and, later on, the other. Both nice ladies I've seen walking in the neighborhood before. I'm the new kid on the circuit. I carry a cane, which prompted them to ask what I'd had done.
Turns out one had a knee a couple years ago, started walking then and never stopped. She's prepping for her other knee come fall. The other lady had a hip several months ago. Good results, all three of us. The lady with the hip is pondering knees in her future, so we talked a few minutes about bilateral vs. singletons, was it more painful, or a longer recovery.
The answers to which I think are "no" and "no." It's just as painful, not more, and the recovery is just as long, not doubled. I'm doing as well in week 11 as most single TKRs, better than some and not as far along as others. She was intrigued. We learned we live one block from each other. In a few more weeks, when I can walk a little further without fear of repercussion, we're going to walk together to the local Wawa for coffee. It's a bit of a hike, about a mile and a quarter, so a two and a half mile round trip, but completely doable. Better with company, plus there's coffee.
I have FIL this week, so no long walks for me, just what I can squeeze in before he gets out of bed, and at lunch if he's napping. Walking is pretty much the sum of my structured exercise these days. I stretch my legs out to the ottoman at least once a day, but don't consider that exercise. All other movement comes from ADL and stair climbing, which is getting easier the more I do it.
In Week 11, I can do or have noticed the following:
* can walk 5000-6000 steps a day, but usually do 3000-4000
* lift my leg easily to put my foot on a comfort height toilet seat (21 inches) and lean forward to do my foot care
* about 50% of the time, my left leg has no pain on walking; the other 50% it has very minor pain
* less stiffness upon waking, including in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks
* less stiffness upon rising from sitting, though it's still an issue I want to go away
* much less tightness along the incision when bending the knee
* can now roll over in bed without having to sit up first to manuever hips into position
* can sit at my desk for extended periods-- I could return to a desk job, if I had one
* have ceased to use cane for anything except carrying on walks, and don't really need it for that
Things haven't progressed in any great leaps or bounds from last week. A little better some days, maybe not at all on others. Occasionally I feel like I've stalled, but never feel like I've regressed. Good days and days that are just all right. I keep in mind that we're still recovering.
Thesoutherncook
post-grad
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Happy Birthday!! Can't wait to see what your big surprise is....!!!!
kmak81230
post-grad
I appreciate your updates Susie as I think I am just a bit behind your lefty with my recovery - hopeful to note that perhaps less stiffness is in my future (those middle of the night bathroom trips are treacherous with the stiffness!) - and I was glad to read in your post on Pheebs' thread that the discomfort for lefty while lying on back with leg straight is diminishing. You are doing so great -- and how nice to have found a walking buddy once you are up for the coffee trek!. Keep up the good work 
liam2015
post-grad
funny you should both mention the stiffness as i've been thinking about it a lot lately. i wonder what exactly causes this stiffness? i was never quite this stiff before. my legs are so stiff even after a 20 minute car ride. will this go away? (these are just my random thoughts; not sure if there's an answer as to whether the stiffness will go away).
it's annoying to be stiff like this after driving to physio which means i'm at my worst and probably not as flexible as i could be without the drive.
it's annoying to be stiff like this after driving to physio which means i'm at my worst and probably not as flexible as i could be without the drive.
OP
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SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
The stiffness is annoying, isn't it? I keep thinking "If I didn't have this stiffness, I would have normal knees!" (I'm leaving out that Lefty still has minor pain on occasion. This is for all other occasions.) Mostly it's the stiffness that reminds me I have new knees: stiffness upon getting out of bed, stiffness when standing up from sitting, stiffness when getting out of a car. It's not that the stiffness is incapacitating; it's not. It's just THERE. It means I take a couple to a few steps that are stiff instead of fluid, before I can walk completely normally. But then I do walk completely normally, and all is well.
I'm not sure when the stiffness will go away because, well... it hasn't yet. My mother and sister, both of whom have had both of their knees replaced (a total of four surgeries between them) tell me the stiffness will someday be a thing of the past. I am counting on it!
I'm not sure when the stiffness will go away because, well... it hasn't yet. My mother and sister, both of whom have had both of their knees replaced (a total of four surgeries between them) tell me the stiffness will someday be a thing of the past. I am counting on it!
mechellec
senior
I too am anxious for that stiffness to go away. Both my parents had knee replacement replacement five and more years ago and they say they never ever think about their knees anymore. I'm excited for that day to come 
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Pheebs52
big-cheese
Susie, I find your updates on progress always make me hopeful, smile and often LOL! This one is no exception, hah! Leave it to you to find a walking/coffee buddy....cool beans! I do see some regular ...er...*vintage* walkers here when I'm out and about and what I find is the ones I come across in parks stop and chat, but on the street, nope, not so much. Go figure, eh?
Just this past week I've noticed I can roll over in bed without that cruddy, medial pain business and it makes getting out of bed much more pleasant. I also feel somehow less *mechanical* but definitely not less stiff! PT tells me 6 months to a year for the stiffness to subside and I'm sure he's probably right. As everyone has said, it's not dreadful, it's not incapacitating, but it's a drag. It makes us negatively aware and we just don't want that. No, we certainly don't. Now, let's all push out our lower lips for a great group pout, eh?
Just this past week I've noticed I can roll over in bed without that cruddy, medial pain business and it makes getting out of bed much more pleasant. I also feel somehow less *mechanical* but definitely not less stiff! PT tells me 6 months to a year for the stiffness to subside and I'm sure he's probably right. As everyone has said, it's not dreadful, it's not incapacitating, but it's a drag. It makes us negatively aware and we just don't want that. No, we certainly don't. Now, let's all push out our lower lips for a great group pout, eh?
jaschembra
post-grad
...embrace stiffness. It's around for awhile. From what I can tell, I believe the stiffness is all the internal swelling in the joint.
...yes, I'm trying to mentally embrace stiffness, lol
...yes, I'm trying to mentally embrace stiffness, lol
The stiffness hangs around for quite a long time. I think it was at least 6 months before it stopped and even then I was still stiff when I got out of bed in the mornings.
Pheebs52
big-cheese
Let us know how that works for you @jaschembra, lol!
major pouting occurring on my couch
