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Bilateral TKR The Historian - recovery diary

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OK, how soon after surgery can I resume a weight loss plan? I was told by the visiting nurse NOT to make any dietary changes because I was still recovering from the surgery and the PE. Also, I'm going to be on Coumadin for an extended period. I was maintaining 250 pounds on 2500 calories a day and exercise to match. I hate to consult a doctor about a weight loss plan since they don't understand I'm Awesome and can lose more than 2 pounds a week safely. (Seriously, I find most doctors are clueless about the needs and abilities of the super-obese.)
 
Hmm, the best I can do here is guess, so take that for what it's worth.

I'd've thought that as a weight-loss diet needs to be both healthy and enjoyable to be sustainable that you could start right away. After all, the extra weight is a food store against time of trouble!

What I am finding as recovery continues (and yours seems to be excellent too) is that I do things differently (surprise!). Walk where I would have taken the car, walk faster, go up stairs faster, when on the bike pedal less rapidly and use more strength. All this stuff will increase output, of course. I feel like a different person, maybe you will too.

Dunno if the above helps in any way, but I did my best...:th_heehee:
 
PT today:

Flexion: 130 Left 120 Right on my own.

Extension: 10 Left 0 Right on my own. With heat on the left 8. With pressure applied 5. When the pressure was applied, I tried to distract myself from the pain, but all I could think about was the ending of the movie Braveheart. And I screamed. My eyes bugged out.

I posted about this to a bicycle forum following my recovery and was flooded with posts telling me 'I was doing it wrong' because I'm not on some mind-altering drug for five minutes of severe discomfort. Go figure.
 
Well, let's hope that doesn't happen here! So long as you didn't succumb to the temptation to holler out "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedoooooooom"!! :hysterical:
 
[Bonesmart.org] The Historian - recovery diary

Historian---is that you???
 
Turns out the guy giving me the hardest time about my doing pain management "wrong" has been taking Tramadol for years..... in other words, his advice is worthless. This is the stuff I'm getting told:

"But, you are not seeing my point Sir. Take the 'exercise' in which you screamed? Ask your PT guy this please? If he is doing the exact same thing to you each time, and on one visit you scream due to pain, but on the next visit, due to being zoned out, you could care next to less about the pain, which will be more productive?"

"The part you are not 'getting' I think, is the simple fact that no matter how hard you try, when in great pain, bits and pieces of your leg will without your knowledge nor your consent tighten up, tense, etc... But, if you were dosed to the point of wanting a nap while he's working on you, and he tells you to relax as best you can, and this time you really do - the work will be much more productive."

This is so much twaddle that two days after it was posted I still can't believe someone thinks this way. Outpatient physical therapy is a partnership between the therapist and the patient. It's not a case of "someone doing something to you", its "someone working with you." I am sick unto death of the "victim mentality" - 'someone come save me, and if it involves pain dope me up.'
 
Reminder of where I was a year ago.... first week of May 2011:




From the phsyatrist's report of my examination that same week. Note we now have most of the problems corrected, aside from my flat feet and the small contracture on the left:

"... the patient is able to extend the hips almost fully; however, there are bilateral knee contractures of approximately 5-10 degrees on the right and 10-15 degrees on the left. This forces the patient when standing to have a flexed knee and hip posture with hyperextension of the lumbar region in order to stand erect..... he is extremely flat footed with the arches completely touching causing severe pronation...... which with the ground force reaction going up through the knee causes a severe valgus deformity most pronounced on the right. Also of note is that the patient is using his right leg to stabilize against the left in stance."


 
And the "after" photo???? You have come SO FAR!!!!!
 
GREAT!!!!! We'll want to see a big smile....you deserve to be very proud of yourself.
 
:wow2: LOOKIN' GOOD! STANDING TALL!

And you do clean up good, Historian, as we say here in the South.
 
Yeah, I was looking for another photo in shorts, but I guess that would be frowned upon in Church!
Congratulations,
Sandy
 
Wow you have done a great job of shedding a lot of weight. It is amazing the difference with your legs--you are certainly a success story. Kelly
 
Bravo... I haven't been reading the other forum much and missed that "noise". (Is it too early to say I thought you'd be happy with the results?)
 
zjrog said:
Bravo... I haven't been reading the other forum much and missed that "noise". (Is it too early to say I thought you'd be happy with the results?)
Click to expand...

Roger I hope to one day meet you and thank you in person for pushing me to get this done. The penny dropped when you told me "Imagine what you could do if you didn't hurt!"

Noise on the "other forum" reached 100 per cent after I blew up at a poster we both know well.... :secretaea:
 
I'm registered for an organized bike ride in West Virginia - well, Maryland in my case - on May 19. CASA's Century ride has a 25 mile offroad alternate on the C & O Canal Towpath. There's an "aid station" at the five mile mark, which will be my bail point if I can't manage to ride further.

I'm planning to take about four breaks during the 3.5 hour drive from my home in PA - stopping to walk around, deep knee bends, etc.

My first ride outside is tentatively scheduled for this weekend. I'll do a mile or so, and then nap. The bike needs refitting, since it's set up for a shorter man with really crooked knees.
 
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