PKR TexasTee finally has a new knee!

[TexasTee]

Feeling really great today - I'm simply amazed at how well recovery has gone so far. I know I've still a long way to go but it's so nice knowing that there is a pain free future where I will get to be an active participant in my life again!!!

I am trying to keep it slow and steady though - will do my PT in a bit and possibly get on the trainer to rock back and forth a bit though I might keep that for later, rest up - have lunch then a nap and though its not quite as warm today it will still be plenty warm enough this afternoon for a walk outside so I'll do the same loop as yesterday and that will be a full days work.

Happy Thursday everyone!

 

[Ellejay]

Great, keep it up, we're all behind you (at this rate we will literally be behind you ). xxx

 

[Maggie94]

Good plan Teresa. Do the dogs go with you when you do your outside walk? If yes how are they with you? Maggie x

 

[TexasTee]

Hi Lyn! Thanks for stopping by

Hi Maggie - I'm not that kinda crazy - My English mastiff outweighs me by a good bit, in general she's a lazy soul but every now and again she get a notion to go see another dog - RIGHT NOW - I would be toast in that scenario. My husband has been walking them in the evening. I hope, in a week or two, I can join them on the walk but I'll leave the leashes with him. She might be ok - she was when I had the PRP and needed crutches and it was just me - but I see no reason to take that kind of risk. Not to mention, I'm as slow as molasses in the cold!

 

[Maggie94]

Wise decision if you have a big headstrong furbaby. Walk in the evening w Bill in charge of leads sounds like a wonderful compromise. Maggie x

Maggie via Tapatalk

 

[TexasTee]

Hard to get excited about an update when one day is so very much like the day before! Largely good days, so that's something - and I am grateful for it!

I did have an uptick in swelling last night, the only thing that was different yesterday was that I took a long, hot shower after my afternoon walk and started doing heel slides from my shower chair, I was able to get a bit more in the way of ROM (not a lot but maybe another inch or two?) - so I suppose that was what did it. Iced and elevated per usual and it seems to be about the same as yesterday pre-swelling this AM. I have PT today - will be interesting to see if there is any improvement over last week - if there is it isn't much...this will tell the real tale I think of how my PT is going to be, should be interesting.

 

[kaw205]

The first time I went to this PT, it was early morning and I was still stiff. She measured before I did any exercises an only got 86 flex.
Second visit, measured after exercise and massage and got 105. Big difference!
Hope you have a good session today.
Karen

 

[vinny]

I was measured yesterday and the PT said if I wanted to do the reclining bike I would probably get more range...

Vinny

 

[TexasTee]

Hi Vinny - we'll see what he says this week, last week he said I didn't have enough ROM to do the bike at all. Pretty sure he's wrong - maybe today there will be enough progress though I don't see it.

BTW - I tried a quest bar yesterday - not bad and a good way to get in more protein - I am trying but not getting anywhere near as much as my target number with just regular meals.

 

[vinny]

Teresa some of the quest bars are better tasting to me than others...I like them for the fiver and protein with little sugar...one of the with a bottle of water is filling....push the bike seat back and pedal backwards before going forward...it hurt the first time I tried it but playing with the seat and back pedaling made it easy to get around forwards...try it and if it is not there today it will be next time....

 

[TexasTee]

Just finished PT - he didn't measure today but he said it was a solid 90+ and was happy with the improvement over last week, whoo hoo! We did a lot of stuff I hadn't done before - he used the TENs unit while I was doing my exercises, he said the quad is not fully engaging yet so we need to work on that. I added in mini-squats and some other extension increasing exercises as well as the bike, yeah! I was able to do a lot more flex comfortably on the bike than I could doing the heel slides so I'll be adding that in as a daily exercise. Tired but not more painful than on my own so I'm content. Elevating and icing now - will probably be napping in just a few minutes. LOL - living on the edge!

Vinny - I got the apple pie and the cookie dough you suggested along with a peanut butter cup thing - definitely filling! I'm just grabbing a bite or two to take with meds to up my protein rather than try to replace a meal with it. It's working great for that.

 

[vinny]

Awesome Teresa.....nice way for you to go into the weekend.......were you able to do a revolution on the bike?
Loved the apple pie and cookie dough..thought I needed some what to wash it down the peanut butter cup..not a Reese's peanut butter cup but good.....enjoy your accomplishment with a little vino perhaps?

Vinny

 

[Maggie94]

Go the bike...YEY. I sat on one yestersay but that was it....could not get both feet on the peddles...mental note to have this as a goal 4 next week[emoji4]

Maggie via Tapatalk

 

[TexasTee]

Hi Vinny - no, didn't go all the way around but I was getting very near the apex so I expect that I will be able too in a few sessions - just rocking back and forth is enough for now. I do believe that there will have to be a glass of something around later this evening!!

Maggie - much harder with two - I could get on and off relying heavily on the non-op leg - but I'm sure you'll be there very soon...lol, don't I recall that Laverne and Shirley had a tandem bike? They should be right at home

Nap time!

 

[Ellejay]

Great work on the bike, I'm really pleased for you xxx

 

[Awriterafoot]

Sounds like a great session, Teresa. That quad is always the troublemaker, but it will come back.

All this talk of protein makes me remember that I should start adding my shakes back in. For awhile I didn't want them but my body is starting to want to get back to our normal diet.

 

[vinny]

I added more protein last night...3 donuts... god I'm so weak the only bad thing to come from my new knees is the return of my sugar addiction..no wonder I don't do narcotic pain meds....

vinny

 

[TexasTee]

Hi Vinny - I've not got a sugar tooth but I love all things bread - I gave it up 3 years ago to delay the replacement (gluten is inflammatory and quitting it also kept my weight low) I've since allowed it back here and there and it's a struggle not to go hog wild! LOL on the donuts - my Valentines gift for my husband is to make him a Krispy Creme Doughnut Bread pudding - the one pudding has a dozen doughnuts!!! He has a major sweet tooth. Thankfully he's also addicted to working out so bikes 100+ miles a week and works out with weights any non-riding day.

Hi @Awriterafoot - I struggle with shakes in the winter as the idea of a frozen concoction is not as nice as it is in summer when the day starts out in the 80s! But I really do struggle to get in the protein - for my height a recovering patient with bone mending should be having 110-120g ! If I don't add a bar or a shake I'm around 70-80 trying my best.

Went to bed super early last night - quad was letting me know it was not all that pleased with all the new exercises and the busy buzzy thing that was making sure it was awake! No harm though, ice saves the day again and all is well today. Thankfully nothing these days can keep me awake so i slept more than 9 hours, again! when i add in my afternoon nap I average about 11 hours a day asleep Pre-op I never slept more than 7 hours and never, ever napped. I know its good for me so I'm not complaining I just hope I get over it before I go back to work, we don't have a nap room!!

Happy Valentines everyone! Today I need to get the doughnuts and go to the sporting goods store to get a soccer ball for a new exercise - I might as well get a skateboard while there - I really hate heel slides so if Maggie says they are better on the board then I'm all for it. Boy, I really know how to play up the romance, eh?

 

[Ellejay]

Hi @TexasTee, you might consider adding a gym ball to your shopping list. I've recently bought one and it is making some of the knee based Pilates/yoga exercises much easier to do, and by rolling up and down the wall with it behind me I can do some quite decent knee bends - not that I recommend those for you yet, but ..soon.

 

[TexasTee]

I have one Lyn - but thanks! I was doing mini-squats yesterday so it probably won't be much longer before I'm ready for real knee bends...sad the things we look forward too, huh? Anything that resembles normal is awesome!