Guest viewing is limited

Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees

Mine still has moments where it's like, Uh NOPE. Not gonna Fire. But it's mostly cooperating. I even asked at PT today if building up the right quad will help prevent that. She said it couldn't hurt but it's kind of the luck of the draw. So I'm basically doing reps with my rt leg of all the movements that are so hard with lefty.
 
Susie, reading your posts bring tears of joy to me! One thing for sure...I'm gonna build up my left quad before my next replacement! It has done you worlds of good!
 
Napping was THE best part of recovery for me! I haven't napped since! Good to hear you're doing so well!
 
Rehab is interesting. Patients are scheduled for three hours of therapy a day: two physical and one occupational.
The remainder is billed as rest. Rest can be hard to come by, though, which is how Susie hit a wall.

Last night was all but sleepless. Pain is a poor companion to relaxation. So not much rest, unhappiness over aggressive PT the day before, throbbing in my left knee that put to rest my hopes of walking more... it was a great big wall.

I was going to brave through it, naturally. It's what I do. But my first hour of therapy was early, though the therapist helpful. She taught me new exercises that were gentler, but worked toward ROM. After that it was straight to OT where I filled gigantic pots with dirt and lettuce seedlings. Yes, my insurance paid for me to create lettuce baskets. But it was cool and I also walked outside and navigated uneven pavement and non-linear paths.

Lovely. However I barely gulped my pain pills and lunch before I headed to the final hour of PT. The Hour of Measurement. I told this therapist also to be gentle with my left knee and why, and she was, so no horror story here. A few gentle stretches and pushes later, she measured my ROM as 98 in the right knee and 95 in the still achy left. 0 for both legs now. Though mystified, I'm vindicated. We talked about PT strategies for when I went home.

So it's 2:30 pm when I'm done... and there's that Wall.

And I can tell it won't go away.

Sweet Mr, Shoes is waiting in my room. He arranged especially for someone to come watch his Dad so he could be with me today. This should be his time. Only I know it belongs to the Wall.

"I'm going to crash," I let him know.

He smiles. "I see that."

The nurse got me in into bed, elevated and iced my knees, Mr. Shoes and I clasped hands... and I crashed.

I woke two hours later. All my bravado about napping and not letting therapists have the final say with my knees, lay in ruin at my feet. Mr. Shoes was still there and remained for another hour.

After Mr. Shoes left, I took another much needed nap. I called my mother. I laughed with the nurses over how often Mr. Shoes shushed them.

I'm rebuilding my pain med schedule again. My knees feel much less achy! I don't dread tomorrow's therapy (though I'm hoping for a shower).

This, not tomorrow, is where another BTKR day starts.
 
Susie you have done so well. It also sounds like you have stood your ground and they listened. You have come a long way. Hopefully you find the rest you need tonight. :sleeep:
 
Well, I'm sorry you hit a wall. I hope thy aren't doing anything but heel slides and stretches. You know you have time to gain ROM once the swelling is gone. Three more sleeps...
 
SusieShoes, what an amazing recovery you have had so far! You continue to serve as an inspiration for all of us who will follow.:-) I was delighted to see you'll be heading home this Friday; whoohoo!
 
Day 7: One Week Down, Lifetime Ahead

A week ago, my OS gave me new knees. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what would happen. I'd done a lot of research here on BS and in other places. I'd engaged in serious planning. For all of that, the answers to my questions lay on the other side.

I freaked out my husband, Mr. Shoes, with those words. When the surgical team wheeled me away, I waved chipperly. "See you on the other side!"

He thought I meant Heaven.

Lots of my questions have been answered. Lots, of course, remain.

I started this recovery thread thinking I would have an average recovery. My OS would certainly call it one. I'm hitting all his targets. And it's just as he promised: he's not pushing me, because my knees want to heal, my body is following its own timeline for recovery.

I know I'll have no trouble at home after rehab. I can walk 500 feet without trouble. I can go to the bathroom. I can shower with the help of grab bars and a tub bench. I can dress myself, including socks and shoes (love my long shoehorn!), and get into and out of bed without any problem at all. I can do stairs! More than once a day if I wish--though I must keep an eye on my energy.

My knees were so bad I can walk better now, and farther, and with less pain than before surgery.

I'm really happy I replaced my knees.

I'm not convinced my recovery is ordinary or average, though. My PTs here at rehab, and the nurses and techs, say my recovery so far is unusual. I'm going to credit the BS method in
Part: I rest a lot, I elevate at every opportunity, I ice constantly, and I've striven to keep my PT gentle.

Maybe that's why my recovery is running ahead of the curve. :yes!:
 
I believe it's the Bonesmart way, too. It's so good to hear of someone having an exceptional healing! It tells all those behind you that the Bonesmart way works!
 
Susie, I just caught up with your thread. You are doing amazingly well, and will be a great encouragement for those coming up behind you. Although it is hard sometimes to see someone doing much better than you are, I have found that I am still encouraged more by the people doing well. It's like my mind says, it CAN be done, and if it can be done, I can eventually do it too.
 
Susie, I second what @sandi4213 said! I'm thrilled you are doing so well. Keep up the amazing progress but remember the mantras!
 
SusieShoes said:
unhappiness over aggressive PT the day before, throbbing in my left knee that put to rest my hopes of walking more...
Click to expand...
I do hope that is the last time you will allow aggressive PT!
SusieShoes said:
After that it was straight to OT where I filled gigantic pots with dirt and lettuce seedlings.
Click to expand...
What a waste of time and energy! Your time would have been better spent resting.

OT is supposed to help you with the activities of daily living - not things like they had you doing there.

Activities of daily living (ADL) are routine activities that people tend do every day without needing assistance. There are six basic ADLs: eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking) and continence.
Once you can do those, you are good to go home.
 
My OT had me in the kitchen baking cookies in a wheel chair. I wasn't in a chair at home, but it was a learning experience.
 
@Celle, yes, it was the last time. They gave me a different therapist. This one finds ways to work within my boundaries. We walk lots more--outside on different surfaces, for example--or do more stairs, find another way to work a muscle group, etc.

I highly respect PT. It can make immense difference. Too often, though, it's not done for patient benefit. Me, for example. I met the PT discharge criteria the day after I entered rehab. Did I receive less PT? Oh no. They warned I might regress and need MUA or a revision. The language of fear, geared toward making the most money off my (insurance set) stay.

  1. And that lettuce basket thing is priceless. They get free labor. All I got was dirty, broken fingernails. :badspidy:
 
Warning! Graphic picture. 'Tis the grand reveal of my incisions. They've been under wraps since surgery.

Looking good, so I'm being told.
 

Attachments

  • [Bonesmart.org] SusieShoes' New Knees
    FullSizeRender.jpg
    26.8 KB · Views: 587
I'm so angry at the fear tactics. Even when you meet their milestones, like when I was at 90° before 2 weeks, they still threw the MUA threat at me.
 
Nice neat scars, Susie! It's the marking on your legs that make them look worse. They draw those lines to help them align your skin properly when closing the wound.
 
Looking good! And they are even decorated!
 
@Celle - thank you for explaining why they put the three lines. I asked in the hospital and the nurses didn't know why.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 730 (members: 2, guests: 728)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom