TKR Suz's Recovery Journey

[LFitz]

Suz I'm just catching up on your thread and was so sorry to read about your ROM and the concern it is causing you. But I'm really happy that you are going to wait and revisit the mua in a couple of weeks and then make a decision if the doctor still believes it's warranted. I think given some time for swelling to go down you will see some progress. You have been so positive on here and I know this is very upsetting (been there) but just breathe and continue with what you have been doing. Sending positive healing prayers your way. Oh and I agree with Marian that it could have been that you had increased swelling from whatever you had done prior to getting to see your surgeon. Gosh even sitting with your leg down for any length of time getting to your appointment and sitting waiting to be seen.

 

[Suz]

TY Lynn- you are so kind! When I got home and back into bonesmart I calmed down and got my positive composure back- lol! I went in hoping to leave w/ an appointment to see him for a follow-up in 6 months! He wasn't at all pushy and I appreciated that. And he knows I'm not doing PT and never once brought that up to me.

Full disclosure time: I absolutely LOVE making jam. Our strawberries are in full production mode and I spent 3hrs Sunday preserving them up into strawberry jam. 57 1/2 pints for the pantry. I KNOW- but I just couldn't help myself-!! It's so much fun for me.. I'm addicted to preserving!

My pain level has so improved- it doesn't hurt at all to walk on it now. But, it does swell. The trip to my surgeon's office is 45 minutes so you called that correctly.

I'm going to behave myself now that my strawberries are in jars in the pantry- I promise! My daughter and husband helped me. Sunday was the first time I had put shorts on since my surgery- gowns have just been easier on me. In this picture my daughter Audrey is trying to tickle my bare legs- LOL! She's been so sweet during my recovery. My private nurse. She's mentally challenged and doesn't understand surgery. But she knew her mom was in pain and she makes sure I keep my leg up on pillows whenever I'm sitting!

 

[LFitz]

Oh my gosh you were busy and that was a lot of jam! Love homemade strawberry jam - can't wait to go home to Canada this summer and have some of my mom's. Yes being on that leg the day before probably had that leg really swollen. Girl no wonder it didn't want to bend So happy to read that you walk around pain free. And I love the picture of you and your daughter. Have a good night Suz and remember to keep that leg iced and elevated tonight.

 

[SassyGirl]

Hang in there Suzie the ROM will get better. You have a beautiful daughter and what a great nurse.

Wow 57 pints of strawberry jam, you were really busy. But you need to ice, elevate and rest.

 

[Suz]

We have a commercial kitchen here on our farm- we sell allot of jams and honey at our local Farmer's Mkt. We also use 4 of those Ball FreshTech Jam & Jelly makers, and make big batches up all at the same time. They're AWESOME!

It only took us 3hrs to make the preserves on Sunday- and yesterday I did a small batch of peach preserves. 1hr.

When working on the strawberry preserves- I had a chair & ottoman in the kitchen and sat down several times during the process. Well, I did!

This was funny. Today when my surgeon and I had finished our discussion- I started to stand up and he reached out to help me. I laughed at him and said, 'I can stand up'. I had been sitting there long enough that the knee stiffened up on me pretty good. Of course after I refused his assistance, I stumbled around trying to get up- HAHA!

He again apologized for the communication break down. I think I really got through to him that better patient follow-up is needed. I could just tell how regretful he genuinely was that I was left without proper pain control. Especially when I 'politely' told him he wouldn't be doing my left knee. (With a smile)! We left on 'somewhat' friendly terms!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

You're welcome, Suzie.

 

[Tabbycat]

@Suz
I wish I lived near you, I love jam and honey!
I'm sorry you are concerned about the ROM at the moment, but remember you are barely six weeks post op. As Josephine often says the ROM is there, waiting to reveal itself in its own time, and it won't till it's ready. I'm bothered about the same thing, but my physio reassured me yesterday, that recovery takes as long as it takes, it's not a race. I got a goniometer too to check my progress, but don't fall into the trap of checking too often, you might not see the progress you hope for and get discouraged. I find my ROM increases a bit after a nice warm shower and then is worse after sitting a while or doing extension stretches. We are going through lots of ups and downs on this journey, but a positive attitude is everything, and you definitely have that. We will get there in the end even if some of us have to take the scenic route, and lean on each other a little bit.
Accept where you are right now, look forward to improvement in the future, and keep smiling
Love, Tabby

 

[Suz]

What a wonderful post to wake up to @Tabbycat! I know you've been going through allot lately and I pray for you! I intend to remember just as you said!
(((Hugs)))!!

 

[uva55]

@Suz , yummy preserves, I wish I lived near you also...I think overall you are recovering very nicely....we are all going to have our ups and downs!!!!

@Tabbycat , I'm so glad to hear you are doing better AWESOME!!!

 

[Creek lady]

I love your commercial kitchen! What a wonderful setup! I love to can and preserve for family and friends.


RTKR January 6 2016
LTKR March 23 2016

Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Suz]

Thank You @Creek lady! I love your member ID name- haha! I hesitated even mentioning last Sunday's jam making here but since it was apart of my excuse to my surgeon thought I better. Truth me known, some would say it wasn't wise for me to do anything several days prior to my appt. But we've had a heat wave come through and those beautiful berries were sitting in my garden demanding to come in! And of course they had no intention of waiting on a surgeon whose hurrying my ROM.

They had to be picked and at least I didn't do that part of it!

 

[Suz]

Here's a little side note commercial for my gimping friends here who might enjoy home fresh jams! Walmart has it on sale right now for $54.78. I paid $90 for mine last summer on Amazon!

Love her I do.. but I'll never go back to granny's recipe again after using this.. LOL!! You go through the produce isle and notice they have their peaches marked down trying to move them. It's so nice to bring them home, cut them up- throw them with only 3 other simple ingredients into this and in 21 minutes (while you're elevating your knee and reading the magazine, 'Simple Times'), your jam is done and it's time to fill your little jars! 5 minutes under boiling water and those jars are sealed and ready for the pantry! So simple! And might I add.. bursting with flavor! It heats the fruit up so hot it's amazing how much flavor comes forth!

 

[Tabbycat]

Sounds delicious...!

 

[birdwatchr]

@Suz
That's funny that you stumbled a bit when you went to stand up. Reminds me how I forgot I could no longer do gymnastics, and went to hop off the table when I first went to see about my knee.... I almost brought the table down to the floor. The dr grabbed me and kept me from falling, then said he didn't mean to grab me! Course, I looked at him and said So you meant for me to fall? We had a laugh about it. I really liked that dr. Unfortunately, he does not do TKR's.

 

[Creek lady]

I wondered about the jam maker. You make it sound so simple! I'm planning on making strawberry jam this week. They are just coming into their season in Western NY.


RTKR January 6 2016
LTKR March 23 2016

Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Suz]

@Creek lady, Ball has come out with several new canning devices that makes the process healthier and more efficient. While you're recovering, I'll leave below a wonderful link that will show you just how simple this jam maker truly is. And surprisingly, the jams are bursting with flavor. More so than the traditional recipes I have used for years.

How are you doing in your recovery? As much as I love working with my gardens I have seen in the past couple of days how you really have to watch after your knee recovery. I haven't felt too much pain at all so of course it's easy to want to get up and go. I'm suffering pretty good today because of what seemed like such a short time on my feet the past few days. You are 8wks ahead of me so hopefully you've behaved yourself better than me and are able to be up and doing more by now! I promised my knee (I think for the 7th time since surgery), I would stay out of the kitchen now until she's stronger!

Below is the link. It's to the Ball web-site and has some neat short clip videos. They also have a new canner now that will be my next purchase. Once the knee fairy leaves me a little something under my pillow for behaving- HA!

https://www.freshpreserving.com/jam-maker

 

[newlybionic]

All the jams sound so delicious. I'm sure though that I would be incapable of using it correctly.

I'm sure your ROM will keep getting better. I just kept doing some gentle stretching and heel slides. I always iced my knee after any activities.

 

[Creek lady]

I gave myself aChristmas present of the new Ball wb electric canner. I plan to do my first run with it with jam. I also bought the 2016 new Ball canning recipe book. I am dreaming of all the wonderful things I want to can. The garden is scaled back quite a bit this year due to my long recovery. My March knee is recovering much faster than my January knee but I have faith that all is getting better. My energy level is still so low, like you but that will improve I'm sure. I would love to visit your kitchen some day!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I'm amazed you have the energy for canning! I surely don't! My husband mentioned last night that he hates to see so many of the tangelos on our tree go to waste this year, so I told him to pick them all and then juice them. I'll then show him how to freeze the juice so I can make some freezer tangelo jelly later when I'm able. Btw-I have made jams and jellies for canning and the freezer for many, many years-and out of fruits of all kinds. But last year I made this tangelo jelly for the first time; since we had so many of them I decided to try it. Man, oh man, was that the BEST jelly ever! I was totally shocked at how amazing it was! I expected it to be good, but not to be totally blown away by how good it was. I quit canning a few years back as it's too hot and too much work-now I freeze or dehydrate everything. I also make very little jam/jelly anymore as we just don't eat it. But the tangelo jelly is delicious just by itself, and also in recipes, so I'll make that every year we have a lot of tangelos. Plus, my daughter and granddaughter love it so I share......

 

[LFitz]

Hi Suz just wanted to check and see how you are doing. Hoping the last couple of days have been good for you.


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