Pheebs52
big-cheese
@kmak81230, I can see it from here....well done!
Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees
- Thread starter SusieShoes
- Start date
dvannie
member
I just assumed that the some form of stiffness would just stay with me since I was experiencing it before the surgery. Now I'm excited! 
When I mentioned the tight band stiff feeling I have to PT this a.m. she said it's the lower layers of over stretched muscles (mangled in surgery) healing, and as they regain "original" length, the stiff/tight feeling goes away. It's nature's way to keep a body from doing more damage. BS mantra all pver again. My upgraded knee is still noticebly warm to the touch and compared to other knee. Again, a sign that it is healing.BTW she had no explanation for itchiness nor what to do.
keefsmom
member
@SusieShoes figured out what's missing from my recovery--a Wawa within walking distance! If I had that I'm sure I'd be doing 4 mile round trips. We are getting two in DC in next few months but they are going to be the new, "dine-in" prototype. As @Pheebs52 would say, "pffft!"
Happy (belated) anniversary! The dress was the right choice but what really looked good on you were those new knees!
Happy (belated) anniversary! The dress was the right choice but what really looked good on you were those new knees!
Hahahahaha @Pheebs52 ! We'd better get on topic on @SusieShoes thread or Celle is gonna boot us into the Social Room with a thread called......you fill in the blank Pheebs.
I love following your progress, Susie, it helps me visualize my future. I am letting go of the need to know which week that will be in my future, um well, sort of, almost.. but you give me confidence that it will be in my future.
And your very detailed descriptions facilitate that.
Wawa's have not found their way to Belgium. But w have enough cafes and coffeeshops so that you could coffee hop for many miles.
And your very detailed descriptions facilitate that.
Wawa's have not found their way to Belgium. But w have enough cafes and coffeeshops so that you could coffee hop for many miles.
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Suzieshoes,
Your last report sounds like you are doing great, don't forget you are still very early in recovery, less than 3 months. Enjoy all you have gained, and continued patience for the healing your knee still has to do before you are 100%.
Your last report sounds like you are doing great, don't forget you are still very early in recovery, less than 3 months. Enjoy all you have gained, and continued patience for the healing your knee still has to do before you are 100%.
OP
OP
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Though I pout, mine is nothing to that of Mr. Shoes. He too has the Italian lip, and his lower lip sticks out so far it could hold a champagne glass. It's rather amazing.
And Lefty today saved me from a pugnacious pug. More later. But that was also rather amazing.
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Pheebs52
big-cheese
Hahaha, great pout Susie! How the heck did you manage to still look cute?
Uh-oh...a pugnacious Pug? My Puggie is sound asleep on his leopard skin blankie in *his* new chair. He wouldn't dream of being pug-nacious....ever! A true gentlemen if ever there was one, lol. But, kudos to Lefty for being your savior!
Uh-oh...a pugnacious Pug? My Puggie is sound asleep on his leopard skin blankie in *his* new chair. He wouldn't dream of being pug-nacious....ever! A true gentlemen if ever there was one, lol. But, kudos to Lefty for being your savior!
liam2015
post-grad
i'm sitting out here on the steps of our deck with the prince trying to take a pouting selfie with him but prior to that i was reading all the posts that mention "stiffness" and just imagine reading them but not in this knee replacement context...hahahahaha...giggle. you gals are hilarious ~ brighten up my day.
Ahhhh......the stiffness! On my list of things I would like to kick to the curb side! Oh yeah, forgot I can't really "kick" anything these days!
Very heartened to hear it may eventually go away! My upgraded knee feels solid but I still have pain on the inside side of my knee ( especially when trying to get comfortable sleeping on my side) but it is the stiffness I find most aggravating grrrrrr.......!
Very heartened to hear it may eventually go away! My upgraded knee feels solid but I still have pain on the inside side of my knee ( especially when trying to get comfortable sleeping on my side) but it is the stiffness I find most aggravating grrrrrr.......!
OP
OP
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
Week 11: The Incident of the Pugnacious Pug
This morning I was walking as is my habit, hoping perhaps to meet up with another pleasant neighbor, when I passed by a hedge. This is a neighborhood of hedges, shrub borders, and other landscaping, and I have passed this particular hedge daily for a couple weeks now. It's quite innocuous, unlike the hedge around the corner which harbors a family of dive-bombing sparrows. So when I came to the end of the hedge I was caught completely by surprise to be lunged at by an animal intent on sinking its teeth into my right Achilles tendon.
Reflexes being what they are, when an unknown creature lunges at one, the body does what it must to survive. My survival instincts have always been acute. So I too lunged--in the opposite direction. My left leg, led by Lefty the Cranky Knee, powered the sideways retreat and took the full impact of a change in elevation as we ended up in the street. As retreats go, it wasn't particularly impressive, but it did the job. In getting a look at my opponent, I noticed the animal was 1) a pug, and 2) sported a leash. At the other end of the leash was a human who looked aggrieved that I had provoked his growling, ill-mannered pet.
I'm not sure if the pug or the man belonged to the house with the front lawn from which they'd emerged. Not that it mattered. I was off the sidewalk and into the street. Lefty's stellar maneuver (in combo with Righty's second push) had gotten us clear of danger. Lefty made a small whine of complaint, but I continued on my way. It seemed a good idea to put the growling pug and its surly owner behind me. A driveway later, Lefty ceased whining and settled back down to his usual "I'm a poor replaced knee and I'm never going to let you forget it" minor pain. Tell me something I don't know, Lefty. We finished our walk, made some tea, and settled in for some nice elevating and icing. It's our routine.
It's been a few hours and Lefty is a little sorer than usual. Not bad, hardly worse than any other of Lefty's "bad" days. But I think the unexpected movement made certain Lefty would not enjoy a good day today. I'll slap on some more ice and stay off my feet a bit.
On the plus side, it's good to know that in a pinch my knees behave like proper knees. If there's a need, they rise to the occasion. If my house catches fire, I'm betting I can run down the stairs (on adrenaline, all things are possible) and hot foot it out of the house. If there's an emergency in the grocery store or at the mall and I have to run for my life, I'm betting my knees will jog at the very least. I won't have to think about it. They'll just do what they can... and I'm realizing they can do a lot.
Just because they can do a lot, though, doesn't mean they should. They're still too new and tender to be subjected to some of the things they are mechanically capable of doing. The pugnacious pug was a complication I did not need. I would not willingly subject my new knees to sudden, unanticipated movements, abrupt changes in direction, and uneven elevations. I watch where I walk. I'm careful. But life is full of the unexpected... and if I'm going to go out in the world and interact with it, well, I guess I'm going to encounter these kinds of things.
Onward!
This morning I was walking as is my habit, hoping perhaps to meet up with another pleasant neighbor, when I passed by a hedge. This is a neighborhood of hedges, shrub borders, and other landscaping, and I have passed this particular hedge daily for a couple weeks now. It's quite innocuous, unlike the hedge around the corner which harbors a family of dive-bombing sparrows. So when I came to the end of the hedge I was caught completely by surprise to be lunged at by an animal intent on sinking its teeth into my right Achilles tendon.
Reflexes being what they are, when an unknown creature lunges at one, the body does what it must to survive. My survival instincts have always been acute. So I too lunged--in the opposite direction. My left leg, led by Lefty the Cranky Knee, powered the sideways retreat and took the full impact of a change in elevation as we ended up in the street. As retreats go, it wasn't particularly impressive, but it did the job. In getting a look at my opponent, I noticed the animal was 1) a pug, and 2) sported a leash. At the other end of the leash was a human who looked aggrieved that I had provoked his growling, ill-mannered pet.
I'm not sure if the pug or the man belonged to the house with the front lawn from which they'd emerged. Not that it mattered. I was off the sidewalk and into the street. Lefty's stellar maneuver (in combo with Righty's second push) had gotten us clear of danger. Lefty made a small whine of complaint, but I continued on my way. It seemed a good idea to put the growling pug and its surly owner behind me. A driveway later, Lefty ceased whining and settled back down to his usual "I'm a poor replaced knee and I'm never going to let you forget it" minor pain. Tell me something I don't know, Lefty. We finished our walk, made some tea, and settled in for some nice elevating and icing. It's our routine.
It's been a few hours and Lefty is a little sorer than usual. Not bad, hardly worse than any other of Lefty's "bad" days. But I think the unexpected movement made certain Lefty would not enjoy a good day today. I'll slap on some more ice and stay off my feet a bit.
On the plus side, it's good to know that in a pinch my knees behave like proper knees. If there's a need, they rise to the occasion. If my house catches fire, I'm betting I can run down the stairs (on adrenaline, all things are possible) and hot foot it out of the house. If there's an emergency in the grocery store or at the mall and I have to run for my life, I'm betting my knees will jog at the very least. I won't have to think about it. They'll just do what they can... and I'm realizing they can do a lot.
Just because they can do a lot, though, doesn't mean they should. They're still too new and tender to be subjected to some of the things they are mechanically capable of doing. The pugnacious pug was a complication I did not need. I would not willingly subject my new knees to sudden, unanticipated movements, abrupt changes in direction, and uneven elevations. I watch where I walk. I'm careful. But life is full of the unexpected... and if I'm going to go out in the world and interact with it, well, I guess I'm going to encounter these kinds of things.
Onward!
sandi4213
graduate
So proud of lefty for rising to the occasion and saving you from the vicious pug! It is good to know that the knees will do what they are supposed to when necessary. Thank goodness you didn't get seriously hurt.
On another note, after just over 4 months, my stiffness has lessened considerably. I don't have any in the morning now (which used to be really bad). About the only time I am stiff is getting out of the car or sitting upright for a long time.
On another note, after just over 4 months, my stiffness has lessened considerably. I don't have any in the morning now (which used to be really bad). About the only time I am stiff is getting out of the car or sitting upright for a long time.
OP
OP
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
@sandi4213, that's so good to hear! I'm at the point where the stiffness is the biggest part of what remains. Lefty's minor pain is less every week. There's still stiffness in both knees, more in the left than the right, that just lingers. Like you say, getting out of the car, getting up from a long time at a table, that kind of thing.
It's so much less an issue than the terrible pain of my arthritic knees that I feel silly to dwell on it. Even if it never goes away, I'd consider my knees a huge success. But it would be nice if the stiffness would just go away.
It's so much less an issue than the terrible pain of my arthritic knees that I feel silly to dwell on it. Even if it never goes away, I'd consider my knees a huge success. But it would be nice if the stiffness would just go away.
kmak81230
post-grad
So glad "the incident with the dog on the daytime walk" was not more catastrophic! Yeah for Lefty - a true champ!
. Lefty deserves to take most of the rest of the day off for sure. I'm also glad to hear about the declining stiffness that is still to come @sandi4213 and from your mom and sister Susie. Both of my parents had both of their knees done but they are now in their 80s and don't remember much about the recovery timeline. They continue to ask me if I am working hard at the exercises and my dad asked me at week 2 if I was back at work yet 
.
. Lefty deserves to take most of the rest of the day off for sure. I'm also glad to hear about the declining stiffness that is still to come @sandi4213 and from your mom and sister Susie. Both of my parents had both of their knees done but they are now in their 80s and don't remember much about the recovery timeline. They continue to ask me if I am working hard at the exercises and my dad asked me at week 2 if I was back at work yet .
