Become an Insider

TKR Tennis Nut's Recovery Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
bottomshollow

3-4 months? Should that feeling be gone by then? I've been sitting here since the 4th watching the pouring rain so have nothing to do but obsess about my knee.
 
[Bonesmart.org] Tennis Nut's Recovery Thread
Tennis Nut, you certainly could use a change of weather---we had a lot of rain for several days, but had only one shower the 4th and none since. And yes, the tight band can last 3 or 4 months---but slowly decreasing in tightness. It's very difficult not to obsess about your knee--it's going to be the center of your universe for quite a while. Recovery is what it is and is going to take as long as it's going to take. It's up to you to have the PATIENCE to allow your knee the TIME it needs to heal at its own pace. That's the secret of successful recovery---TIME & PATIENCE, TIME & PATIENCE, and more TIME & PATIENCE. I can only suggest that you take long deep breaths, gather all the positive thoughts you can about you, and accept the slow flow of recovery and roll with it.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! I believe in you, and I promise you it WILL get better eventually. You could probably use a change of scene, too. When the weather clears, why don't you arrange for a brief outing to something special just for you. You've certainly earned it.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
bottomshollow

I went to an event Friday night called Art Walk. The first Friday of every month, all the downtown galleries and several businesses are open serving snacks and wine. That was fun but I did walk a lot. Then went to dinner and sat. Sitting kills me in spite of wiggling, standing , stretching, walking. Always stiffens me up and I hurt the next day and feel really sore. Tomorrow, will do an outing to Target. That always perks me up.
 
Tennis Nut, next time get take out so you can go home, elevate and ice while you eat. I wouldn't go to resturant until I could sit for at least 2 hours without being miserable. And you did note that I said BRIEF outing----no fun if you overtax yourself and end up miserable and in pain.
 
bottomshollow

The food and wine was REALLY good!! A girl needs a real, dressup date night now and then you know just to lift the spirits. I did pull an extra chair up and throw my leg over it. Helped marginally maybe. I know this too shall pass.
 
And the wine kept me from being "miserable". LOL
 
bottomshollow

I have a question for you because you seem so great about answering. But first, 8 weeks tomorrow and beginning to lose some of that tight band feel. Gee that makes me happy. ROM still 120 and 0 extension.

Got one little issue to ask about though. I work on a lot of stretching for flexion and my wort scabs are just at that bend. They both get loose and bent up. Today a lot of gunk ran out from beneath one and I took a tissue and pressed a little and lots more came out and the scab lifted off. Kinda raw looking there but all I did was squeeze a little Betadine over it and have loose bandaid over it. I've had the darn stitch abscess and was on 10 days of augmentin. I see my OS 23rd. You think this is anything to worry about. I think the other one is going to come off too. Keep raising up and I think it's better for it to come off like the one did today than to be yanked off. Seems like the scabs raise up after my shower. I rad somewhere about soaking in tub with Epsom salts but tat idea worries me a bit. Think it could cause infection.

So when you have a minute, let me know what you think. Hope you're doing well and thanks for all the info so far.
 
Tennis Nut, I think what you're doing is just fine. And yes, just wait for the the other scab to come off on its own. I would keep a bandaid on the raw area for several days. The word is that cuts and such heal better if they are completely covered for a while.
 
I'm going to be at 9 weeks post surgery this coming Monday. Today, here I sit boo hooing and having a pity party. I had been sleeping great till about 3 days ago and the past two nights have ached, throbbed and thrashed all night. I'm so sore today I could just scream. I'm not over doing PT. mostly doing biking and stretching but suddenly aching all the time. I've Had a Celebrex and two Tramadol and an ice Pack. Still hurts. Do these bad days just happen out of the blue and for no reason? Does rainy wether still affect the knee! I wouldn't think rain would matter since the new knee gets rid of the arthritis.

I've done so well it just blindsides me when I have days like this. Haven't had one for almost two weeks. And i think i thought all the pain would be gone by now. I'm sure this will pass and I have a checkup with my OS on Tuesday. I can go blubber on him. Im also worrying because a friend of mine who is getting her knee done later informed me that the quad sparing TKR like i had is very risky and that alignment issues can be a side effect. Also said thy are too new. They've been done since the 90's and Rush in Chicago does them as outpatient surgery. Sometimes you really don't want to hear thing like that. Maybe I'm just obsessing now and worrying about every pain and sound in my knee. Hope the weekend gets better.
 
Hi You seem to be doing great. ROM of 120 at this stage is terrific. TKR recovery is like being on a roller coaster. One day up the next down. You have to be aware of that or it plays with your head. I have never worked out why a bad day is bad or a good day good. Occasionally I do know I have done too much, but a lot of the time that's not the case. I am at the 5month post op stage. Today for the first time I could actually feel the tight rubber band stretch when I bent my knee. It has never done that before. It has always held my knee in a vice-like grip. Its a slow process. But again can I say you seem to be doing really well. Carol
 
patient 99

I like the coasting much better than the rolling I think. I can't figure this knee deal out either. Seems like days I did a lot and should have hurt I didn't. I've had only 3 pity parties total so far in 9 weeks so I guess that's within the "acceptable" range of self pity. Lol

I felt that tight band leg go a lot after week 7. Not near as bad as it was. I started doing two things that made the difference but they did make me more sore for about a week. I back up to a wing chair and put the foot of the TKR knee flat down on the chair cushion. You may have to wan forward a bit to do this while holding on to the back of a chair or u could use your walker. Straighten back up and tuck your pelvis in. It starts a stretch down your quad and into your knee. You might not be able to tuck your pelvis at first. Don't know your ROM. But you can control the amount of stretch you get by how straight u stand and how much u tuck your pelvis.

The other one, lie flat on your back with legs up and knees bent at 90 degree angle. Put your hands behind your bad knee to support it and just let it drop as much as it will. Gravity will pull it down some. If its not hurting cross your good foot over the shin of the TKR leg to add a little more weight and stretch. I just came up with these myself but I've always stretched a bunch anyway. I was surprised how mch they helped with that tight band feeling. Give them a try. If they work for u, let me know and I will send u my PT bill. Lol
 
Hi Mary, lets deal with the important stuff first. Money doesn't change hands here on BS. I've tried it. Not a sausage.

I'm familiar with the 2 exercises you describe. Your second one I found a bit too aggressive for me. But therein lies the key. We can pick up so much from each other, but then we have to find what works for our knee. In the early days I drove myself mad trying to get the right balance between rest v exercise. I'm a doer so I wanted to do. Sometimes my doing was my undoing. I now go to a hydrotherapy pool a couple of times a week. Helps a lot.

3 pity parties in 9 weeks. You bragging or what? Its more than in the acceptable range. More like in the medal range. But don't give yourself a hard time if you do loose it from time to time. Tears help our recovery too - a release mechanism. Carol

ps my extension is O. My flexion 120. But when I'm tired it drops.
 
Carol, we are TKR twins 0/120. Twins! Darn! No money huh? Lol

I tried some things a few others told me to do and some things were just right for me and some not at all. I've tried really hard to not cry and have pity parties because my husband has enough stress as it is. His mom is 85 and has altzheimers. But she's in denial and fighting us on everything we're trying to do to help her. Such as an RN coming in to help with her meds once a week. That and a stressful job, so he doesn't need me having melt downs. So, I hold it in and tell only the dogs and you folks here. He's so busy I had to go back to changing beds, cooking, taking care of the dogs and his mom sooner than I should have. But it's ok and I've managed.

Another thing tat has helped me is my office chair on wheels. I walk it forward and backward and just rock it too. I saw somebody her mention using a skateboard the same way. Very gentle exercise. No pain at all. Thanks for giving me a medal. Better than $$$$! Have a great Sunday.
 
patient 99

LOL is the abbreviation all us techies use online to stand for "laughing out loud". ROTFL is "rolling on the floor laughing". meaning it's really funny.
 
I'm fine doing what I do here in my house, but I'm not fine having to take my mother-in-law to the ER when it's all in her head and sit for 3-4 hours. She's the one we are trying to get in=home help for and she won't let them in. Literally, won't let them in and won't unlock the door. My husband has Power of Attorney over her but doesn't want to have to use it. It's going to come to that though.

I have cleaning ladies, 4 at a time, who come in every other week and get rid of the dog hair and mop and do the heavy stuff like vaccuming, cleaning shower, etc. I'm ok with the bed, and what I call "cooking". LOL There is it again. I mean frozen Stouffer's casseroles and salads from bags or something on the grill. I'm ok, just get down here and there.
 
Go To drink....ugh, dont know Haven't heard that one.
 
I know a number of people who have not wanted to put their mum or dad in a home. They struggle on and it nearly kills them. One couple actually split up. The strain was too much. If mum in law has altzheimers would your husband consider a home. C
 
You are close. Its get the drinks in. What's Alabama like Mary? I know absolutely nothing about it. Oh that's not quite right. There were race riots there back in the 60s I think?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,179 (members: 2, guests: 1,177)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom