TKR Ten weeks later . . .<<'

[Cratchit]

@KarriB I know, bizarre! Just that one clump though and that`s in the more sheltered 'wild' part of the garden. All the other (sensible) daffs are still very much in tight little buds!

 

[Mireille]

@Cratchit Beautiful views!

 

[KarriB]

Ours went see the light of day until April!

 

[L.I.T]

My goodness, but I'm jealous! We have one TINY clump of white wildflowers that seems to have accidentally opened a wee bit early - all the bees are 'pon it. But no beautiful daffodils. Ours won' t be up till mid to late March, for sure!

Thank you for the beautiful pictures! Oh to have a garden like yours!

 

[Cratchit]

We are very lucky to have such a beautiful garden in such a lovely setting. We had been looking at houses for a long while then one day this one popped up online. I think it had only been on for about 2 nanoseconds when I saw it and booked a viewing straight away. I enthused so much about the garden and how much the hubster would love it that I think that swayed the vendors into selling to us as the garden, much (much!) less the house was their pride and joy. Unfortunately they were both of ill health and the garden (and house) had just got too much for them. Last year was spent chopping, pruning and weeding. It`s hard work but so worth it.

@L.I.T we have lovely rolling hills surrounding us but wow, your mountains are something else! I can imagine those little wild flowers are greatly admired!

A question for forum advisors or anyone else who knows: Are keloid/hypertrophic scars generally more sensitive than normal scars?

 

[L.I.T]

@Cratchit, that's what I love about different geography - there's always something different to 'ogle'! We love the mountains, and Zion certainly has it' s own way of humbling a person. But being the desert, we don't have much green - I sometimes think of how nice it would be to walk barefoot in the grass again LOL. Yet again, diversity is the spice of life!

About the keloid - yes, they do itch more and are hypersensitive. I've heard that using a silicone gel or strip on top can help minimize them - I believe it was something to do with inhibiting the collagen production, but I could be wrong. Maybe the forum advisors would know more. You can get the gels or straps off the Internet

 

[KarriB]

@Cratchit if you scroll down you'll read about a recommendation for the keloid scar.

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/scar-abnormalities-keloid-and-hypertrophic-scars.5779/

 

[Cratchit]

Thanks @KarriB. Would you say this was hypertrophic or keloid? (Sorry, couldn't get the phone to focus). I always thought the two were interchangeable? Either way it looks as thougb l may benefit from using silicone strips.

 

[newlybionic]

I would think it may be hypertrophic since it has stayed on the incision line. It may still flatten out.

 

[Pumpkin]

Crotchet,
Looks like a scar that will eventually flatten out and fade. I would tend to hypertrophic, keloids are usually raised, dark pink or red, and shiny.

 

[KarriB]

Since the part below your knee looks flat I'd say the top part may flatten out still. That's 3/3!

 

[L.I.T]

To ME (who is very much NOT a dermatologist), it looks like a hypertrophic scar - I have one on my shoulder from one of the scope ports during my slap repair. Mine has never flattened. I'm thinking silicone strips (which are hard to keep on a knee while moving) or a silicone gel (scar away or kelo-cote) might be a relatively benign thing to try.

The upper part of my scar keeps wanting to 'pop out', but every time I put my kelo-cote on it, it goes back down into place. I think there are things dermatologists can do to help, too.

Your green has inspired me to think about planting some seeds to sprout for March/April (we will likely have one more freeze before spring fully sets in)... Would you believe we actually had a FLY in our house yesterday? I looked at Bill and said "did we leave something electrical on?" He laughed his bootie off, and said "um, Liz.... It's a fly - you know, those annoying things that we see in the spring and summer?" I told him I was going to 'fly' over and use the 'swatter' on him if he wasn't careful!

 

[Cratchit]

Thanks girls! Will check out those silicone strips. @KarriB 3/3?

@L.I.T go for it! I love watching the flowers and plants breaking through after winter, though the weeds can be annoying. I don`t mind the wild flowers but the couch grass is too much. That`s one hardy fly. Did you swat it - or Bill?!

 

[KarriB]

Three BS advisors all thought the same thing. 3 out of 3 Sorry for my short cut.

 

[Cratchit]

Doh - sorry! I think the surgery cut the link between my remaining two brain cells! I think it's fairly conclusive that the scar is hypertrophic, wretched, stingy, itchy thing that it is.

 

[L.I.T]

@Cratchit, I am lucky enough to have a cat who thinks catching flies is a grand form of recreation. Buck-a-doodle made certain that our house would be buzzing no more!

BTW, what is 'couch' grass? We have something here called 'cheat' grass that spreads like wildfire. One blade with seed starts 20 new ones, and it's not responsive to residential grade sprays, so I spent the last 2 years furiously pulling them up by the roots to minimize the spread. I'm morbidly afraid for this spring since I can't squat down and do the culling.

Funny thing about weeds.... Here, most people's weeds are our 'flowers' - dandelion, thistle, clover..... One man's trash is another man's treasure!

 

[Cratchit]

Sounds like cheat and couch are very similar if not the same Liz. I was concerned about the seeds getting a hold again this Spring but so far l've managed to pull a fair few up, border by border. Lots more to do yet but l'm glad l put so much work in last year.

I actually quite like dandelions and clover especially, it's just their ability to dominate that is añnoying. If they would just stay in pretty little clumps it'dmbe great!

The wind's blowing a hoolie out there. I'm so tired but can't get back to sleep. Will have to start counting those sheep again!

 

[L.I.T]

Oddly, we've quite a wind over here, as well! 40mph gusts, they are saying.

You just send your weeds on this way - very little (other than cheat grass and Russian thistle) dominates in this desert landscape. Even the dreaded trumpet vine takes years to settle in!

Sending lots of your way. (Not sure if the Holy ones help anymore than the regular... But it can't hurt to try!)

 

[Cratchit]

Trumpet vine sounds like our bindweed, a tenacious, ancient plant which survives all attempts at culling. Great fun to pop the flowers though!

Thanks for the sheep Holy or otherwise they'll hopefully do the trick!

Hope the wind dies down

 

[Cratchit]

So, that`s me discharged from physio and a provisional date for a phased return set for the 6th March - and yes, @Spex that is going to involve a mix of clinical and the dreaded office work! The exercises I was given to strengthen my quads and hamstrings have paid off and I have achieved an acceptable level of strength and a much improved gait. ROM is still 110/-5 but I`m ok with that as I still have internal swelling. Also, due to the degree of valgus deformity I had it will take months for me to be rid of the aches and pains of the soft tissues which are in the process of learning a new way to work. I`m ok with that, too.

On the notice board was an advertisement for taster sessions of Nordic Walking which I thought I might try. The physio I saw does it and recommended it to me. Anyone on here done this especially post TKR? How was it?