Bilateral TKR The Historian - recovery diary

[TheHistorian]

Today's hike was only 3/4 of a mile at Reading's famed Pagoda atop Mount Penn. I took my mother with me, and the hike was limited by her stamina, not mine. No problems on the hike or afterward. Since we hiked at midday, the photos weren't very good. So in their place is a photo I took in 2010 from the same trail.



BTW if you wonder why there's a pagoda on the edge of PA Dutch country, the structure was built in 1907 as part of a resort atop Mount Penn. The owner went bankrupt and the City of Reading purchased it in 1911. By 1970 they realized it was a tourist attraction and restored it. For a small donation when the building is open you can climb the 87 steps to the top, but the view is free all the time. Ladies and gentlemen, Reading, Pennsylvania's sixth largest city:

 

[Janet2012]

Wonderful transformation!

 

[zjrog]

Hey brother... Your transformation is beyond incredible. REALLY glad its worked out as well as it has.

 

[TheHistorian]

I'm trying to determine if my lack of energy is because my weight is up, or I'm still getting over the surgery. Or both. While I've not regained all the weight I've lost, thank God, I am heavier than I've been in years. And note my weight loss began six years ago, when I was, well, six years less advanced in middle age.

I still have trouble getting up from low seats. I still get fatigued at the end of the day. My right foot is still dropped, and I don't have full feeling in it or in the leg. My walk, although better, is still a bit of a side to side waddle. So there's room for improvement. I wish it weren't so slow....

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Recently some friends from the USA visited us; one of them is a 6'3" 300lb+ gent with 2 new knees, one 1 year old, one 2 years old. He can stand, walk, play golf, ride his bike, etc. What he has huge trouble with is getting in and out of chairs and going up and down stairs. It seems to me obvious that (a) the knees themselves are fine (b) he is continuously straining the tissues around them, meaning he can't really recover properly. He is in considerable pain much of the time as a consequence.

Of course my observation could be nonsense -- but it looks as if your idea to lose weight is correct; the BoneSmart philosophy says that weight isn't an issue, and perhaps it isn't with the knees themselves. But it has to help with overall recovery.

 

[zjrog]

Lack of energy, brother, I fully get that. I have put back most of the weight I lost last year, and my energy is down considerably from just 6 months ago. Doesn't help that someone pushed my "Couldn't Care Less" button, and I haven't been able to cycle it the other way yet. Really low seating is tough, but sometimes its my back that makes that tougher. I know plenty of people that wouldn't be outside much at all after knee replcement, afraid. Not you. Hmmm, maybe *I* need to get mugged by the guy in my avatar...

 

[RICBAK1]

call it same as doctors do its our age,i swim walk cycle today bad example though,and i eat plenty of veg and fruit but i can never seem to lose weight but good side collestral none existant which peeves my wife she can lose weight anytime but collestral always high,just do your best and good luck.

 

[TheHistorian]

I was sick as a dog last weekend, and didn't get any exercise or go for a hike. However, I have planned on my first post-surgical 5K, on December 1. I won't be running, merely walking it. Then again, I didn't run in my previous 5ks either.

The other big decision I made over the weekend is to sell my 'main' bike. Since the surgery its become apparent the frame size is simply too small for me. When it was fitted in 2007, my trouser inseam was 30, and I had less flexibility and range of motion than I do now. I was also shorter. My road bike is correctly sized for me (58 cm frame, Surly Long Haul Trucker) but the hybrid just doesn't cut it. So I'll ask my shop to sell it on consignment for me this spring - after I transfer the parts I want from it. I am keeping the Brooks saddle, for instance....

 

[TheHistorian]

Hmm. Seeing the Pagoda last week brought to mind a new bizarre challenge. I like over the top challenges - when I learned to ride a bike as an adult I rode a century ten months later. I tried, and failed, to ride across PA. I did all sorts of physical activities that people would have advised a knock-kneed guy not to do. I lost 158 pounds when society tells fat people they can't lose weight..... so, climbing the steps in the 100 some foot William Penn Memorial Fire Tower AND the 87 steps at the Pagoda sounds like the goal for me. I told my doctor that having knee replacement wasn't about my being able to climb stairs.........perhaps I was wrong.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

I lost 158 pounds when society tells fat people they can't lose weight

So the score so far is Society: 0. 158-lbs lighter people: 1. Keep up the good work.

 

[TheHistorian]

It's Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I have a lot to be thankful for this year.... especially that I now have new knees and straight legs.

 

[TheHistorian]

I saw my nieces and nephews today at the family gathering. My seven year old nephew either misunderstood the procedure I had done or he was teasing me when he asked me if I had a wooden leg. I pulled up my trouser leg and showed him the scar on the flesh and blood leg. I offered to let him feel the knee, but he declined.

Aside from some touch and go getting up from low chairs, I had a good time. My family was surprised at how well I was getting around. I wasn't.

 

[RICBAK1]

surprised he did not want to try a magnet on knee thats what my grandkids want to do and when we are playing they call me rust bucket because of metal knee going rusty.I use rubber bands to do knee bends and now i am using 5 black they are strongest apparantly physio wanted me to stand on one leg and lower myself down bending knee then straigthen up at first no chance now i go down about 5 inch and back ,this has all helped me getting up out of chairs ,have a good holiday

 

[trailspud]

More good photos and stories above...hope the weather allows more soon. I always enjoy.

 

[TheHistorian]

I have the flu again. I can't tell if I'm just lucky this year or if I'm more prone to opportunistic illnesses because of being weakened from surgery.

 

[RICBAK1]

hopefully just time of year,i have had more colds this year than ever i put down to tkr but it has also been one of wettest years so who knows maybe just coinsidence,i have been more wet this week than ever every time open loft i got dround hopefully fixed that for now just see if get another cold or passed all that now.Hope you feel better and take some more photos like looking at them.

 

[TheHistorian]

I've had practice for two days now navigating snow and ice. The latter has been a problem for me, as this history shows:

1987 - slipped and twisted right knee
1990 - fell and dislocated right knee
1996 - fell and severely bruised both legs
1999 - fell and dislocated right knee

Anyway I'm getting around OK on it, but I wish I had a couple of month's more practice before I had to deal with ice.

 

[RICBAK1]

ouch, maybe time to move to warmer climates ,got no snow or ice yet but plenty of rain when we get snow or ice then thats when i feel sorry living on a steep hill,good luck.

 

[bottomshollow]

Sorry to hear you've got the flu---what a bummer. Please keep the ice and snow in Pa. with you. I am definitely not a snow cat. Take care. (All the pics are GREAT, as usual)

 

[TheHistorian]

I hurt from my first trip to the gym post-surgery. (Physical therapy didn't count since much of it was mat stretching.) Three miles on the recumbent and upright spin bikes, sets on the delt, fly, rowing, chest, and upright press, and some hip adducter stretches. I'm leaving mat work until I can get up from the ground on my own. My right hip didn't like the recumbent or the hip abductor; I can't tell if its from the alignment problem I have with the femur and hip or its just from being fat, out of shape, and very tight in the hip flexors. Time will tell.....

The hip/femur alignment problem is something I was told would be compensated for by the muscles in the area. Still waiting on that. Meanwhile my range of motion at the hip is even more limited than before; I had trouble mounting the spin bikes tonight.

BTW I am very sore tonight, and I expect to be worse tomorrow.