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TKR The adventure begins

Boy, did you have a rough day! Thank God you had your son that could go back with you and help you out on that hill. I still avoid hills. Going up isn't so bad, but that coming down is awfully scary. I'd never attempt it by myself. I'm glad you didn't have to.
 
That hill sounds just plain dangerous! Your son's youth was a huge advantage. I'm glad no one was hurt!

I can kneel on concrete, if I want to, but who would want to? It's no picnic! Maybe you could start bringing along a foam pad, or knee pads, for such situations?
 
I agree, so glad your son was able to help!

Even though we are doing great we just never know what situations are going to come up that remind us that we still have a ways to go.
 
what a fantastic hike you had to the waterfalls before the treacherous inspection day. you did amazing on your hike ~ i'm sure it felt great. i know what you mean about the new knee taking the lead. hopefully both will operate equally. i found that my natural knee became weaker with all the compensating it had done, but once the new knee took the lead and gave the other a chance to rest and re-build strength, they now both do their job.

thank goodness you had your son with you for that inspection in question. we need reminders like this to be prepared for unique situations on the job, especially when you are on your own. it's wonderful to hear that your new knee has improved so much and you are back to doing things you love. oh and Happy Anniversary!:flwrysmile:
 
Well, here I am just past the one year mark. Looking back on my thread, it has been a long haul. I am so glad I had this done. Just a little over a year ago I was struggling to get through a grocery shopping trip (and sometimes quitting midway because I just couldn't stand the pain anymore. I was having a hard time sleeping at night because of pain. Work was a nightmare.

Here I am a year later. I can shop all day if I want to I can bike and hike. I feel like I have 4 or 5 more hours in my day because I don't have to come home from work and spend the rest of the evening on the couch recovering.

Things are not perfect. I suspect because of the other knee which will need to be done eventually. I can do stairs all I want and go up and down stairs several times a day but I'm leading with my operated knee and my old knee is still lagging a bit behind. It's not super painful yet but I notice the lack of strength and stiffness. I have occasional back pain and occasional hip pain on the non operated side. Again, I suspect it is related to the non operated knee.

Heres the bad thing - I lost 40 pounds to get this surgery done, and I've put most of it back on. Unlike many of you I did not lose my appetite post surgery. For a long time after surgery, just getting through the day was challenge enough. I didn't care enough to diet too. Now I'm back working on eating better. Ive lost 10 pounds so far but am going to have to lose the rest before I can get the other knee done. I am frustrated that I put myself in this position AGAIN. I'm worried a little that I'm damaging the new implant with excess weight and I've got 25 pounds to lose before I can get the other knee done. Not smart.

However, if i did it once, i can do it again, I suppose. Of couse I can. I can even exercise this time. Okay, so I've got a few months to lose this weight if i want surgery this year. No more excuses. Ive already told the boys we are back to no junk food in the house rule. Go out and get anything they want, go to Dairy Queen, stop at the Minit Mart for a candy bar or soda, but do not bring it home. Or a least hide it somewhere I can't find it. I know that the only way it works for me is to cut real and artificial sugar to cut my appetite. Then limit bread and pasta and mostly concentrate on fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Sweets are occasional treats maybe once or twice a month. I have little self control so the only things in the house have to be healthy. I will binge on brownies if they are here, not so much on plums.
 
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I need to lose weight, also. In 2011 I joined WW and made goal and became a lifetime member. I so wish I had stuck with it. I’m really struggling to lose anything at this point.
 
I'm right there with you. I had lost close to 20 pounds before and after my tkr. Then I broke my bones and all that weight came back on. I'm back on Nutrisystem and have lost 13. Now, I have 37 to go. If I look at it that way, it's overwhelming. So, I just look forward to my next pound off! I had gotten into the habit of weighing every day, and that's is so distressing. My weight fluctuates day by day. Now, I try and wait at least a week before weighing again. My new knee has been painful in certain movements and I know the extra weight is not helping it! Less weight on it has to help lessen that pain!
 
It’s a struggle to keep weight from creeping back. At least being able to walk and exercise makes it easier than it was before surgery. I lost weight right after surgery and have been careful about nit letting it get back on, but it’s meant walking a couple of miles daily.

If you did it before, Jajakio, you will do it again. Having two good knees will be wonderful. :friends:
 
I’ve lost and gained hundreds of pounds, but last March I decided to change my lifestyle because when I diet the weight always comes back. So I haven’t weighed myself since last August at the doctor when I’d lost 30lbs in 4 months. The weight is coming off slowly, but I don’t weigh myself because I want to continue to eat healthy and exercise no matter what the scale says. I just have to be able to get back in the saddle after a bad day which isn’t too hard, but after a week of vacation...yikes! However, I even walked and swam on vacation!

Having food in the house you crave can be hard, I don’t know how I’d handle that. You have the one good knee though that can help with biking, swimming or walking. I just drag mine along with me. :heehee: So if you did it with two bad knees, I’m betting you can do it with one good one and one bad one.
 
Jajakio said:
Heres the bad thing - I lost 40 pounds to get this surgery done, and I've put most of it back on. Unlike many of you I did not lose my appetite post surgery. For a long time after surgery, just getting through the day was challenge enough. I didn't care enough to diet too. Now I'm back working on eating better. Ive lost 10 pounds so far but am going to have to lose the rest before I can get the other knee done. I am frustrated that I put myself in this position AGAIN. I'm worried a little that I'm damaging the new implant with excess weight and I've got 25 pounds to lose before I can get the other knee done. Not smart..
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Way to go on the 10 pounds! It is tough to do.
 
Thanks guys. I needed the encouragement. Husband is sweet but isn't super enthusiastic about exercise or diet. He just came back from Kroger and bought ice cream because it was on sale. I don't have the heart to fuss at him. I'll just try to stay out of it until the boys finish it. Last year I solved it by taking one big spoonful of ice cream and taking it back to the couch and slowly sucking it down. Right now I don't care so much. At least at the moment.

I know diets don't work. Anything I do has to be a permanent lifestyle change. I need to eat less sugar from here on out. It's got to be a once in a while treat only. I knw that for me when i eat very little natural or artificial sugar, it curbs my appetite. We've always eaten fresh food. I cook healthy and seldom fry anything. We love vegetables and salads. Sweets are my biggest issue.

I think I'm just a little down today. I think it's easy to forget how bad off I was before surgery and fuss about the things that are still less than perfect. I am in a so much better place than I was presurgery. Onwards and upwards. Hopefully I'll get where I need to be and have surgery before th year is out.
 
Update: about 15 months post surgery

There's nothing magic about the one year mark. Knee is continuing to improve. The other day I was sitting in the hot tub and for the first time in a good while I was testing my new knee to see how far back I could get it. No pushing with my hands or anything else, just how far back could I bend it. For the first time I had slightly more range of motion than my non operated knee! I have no idea what my ROM is, nor do I really care. I does everything I need it to do. But it is interesting that it is still improving. For a very long time it was just slightly less ROM than my old knee, then just about the same as, and now just a little better than. Bad thing was I pushed a bit too hard and new knee was slightly sore for 2 days. It's back to normal now. Ironically, I was careful early on not to push too hard. This is the first time I've actually pushed it to the limit. Not a good idea.

Im pretty well healed overall and walking, biking,etc are good. The old knee has been pretty good this summer. Twinges and occasional pain now and then but manageable. Which is good because I've still got more weight to lose before I can have surgery. My shoulder has been rough for the past month though. Nothing like getting old and falling apart all over.
 
So much for that “window of opportunity “!!!

In spite of my continuing issues, my ROM at 18 months is way better than it was at the one year mark!

It’s a shame all those therapists and surgeons push us to get it all back shortly after surgery. Even if we get the ROM number back early, often we don’t actually get the full benefits of that ROM number until a lot more healing has taken place!
 
My doc told me at five months that he thought I would end up with an additional 10 degrees by one year---he was right!!
 
Had no clue either! Like you I was just happy to be living my life! Glad to hear your knee is doing well!
 
Im between 15-16 months post surgery. Sometimes it's good to reflect on how far I've come. 18 months ago the knee hurt most of the time. On a bad day I couldn't make it through a grocery store run and would cut the trip short because I just couldn't stand the pain.

Today- what a contrast. Super busy day. I got up at 6am and immediately went to the kitchen to prepare 2 industrial sized pans of my pulled pork green enchiladas and another tray of flan. Took a quick shower while they were in the oven and carried them to my volunteer thing by 10am. I helped serve and clean up the kitchen. Grabbed a quick half hour luch with the other volunteers but was otherwise on my feet the whole time.Didn't get out of there until nearly 3pm. I immediately went on a couple of appraisal inspections and didnt get home until close to 6pm _ almost a 12 hour day and except for lunch and a few car rides, on my feet all day. When I got home, I was tired and both knees tired too and slightly sore. Non surgical side ankle swollen a little. After an hour on the couch, the new knee was as good as new. The old knee was still a bit sore. My son cooked and I appreciated it, but I could have done so if necessary. Im overweight,not an athlete and pushing 60. I hike for a couple hours now and then and bike too but this is really the big thing for me. To be able to do a long ordinary day on my feet and still function.

To those of you who are debating whether surgery is worth it; it's a long haul but for me it was so worth it.

Plus, my shoulder is nearly back to normal. Turned out to be too much sitting and swiping my tablet on the couch with no support for my arm. Changed ergonomics and shoulder is fine. I think I just got paranoid after the knee surgery, seeing every minor issue as my body falling apart.
 
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I’m week 5-6 and nothing the first while. Then about a week ago I noticed it as more swelling was disappearing and I was walking more. I really notice it when I “cheat” and don’t do a proper gait cycle. It’s nothing that interferes but is a tad unnerving. A friend had it occur and hers vanished after 4 wks so waiting to see what happens.
 
Jajakio said:
Plus, my shoulder is nearly back to normal. Turned out to be too much sitting and swiping my tablet on the couch with no support for my arm. Changed ergonomics and shoulder is fine. I think I just got paranoid after the knee surgery, seeing every minor issue as my body falling apart.
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I’m trying careful positions, also, like that for my shoulder.

Since knee surgery I totally understand being paranoid with any pain near another joint!

And I’m glad your knee is doing so well!
 
Good to hear you’re knee is getting you through normal days! Isn’t it great!
 
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