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TKR The journey continues

I've been experiencing the same thing - some pain has returned and it's 20 weeks tomorrow. At least it is bearable and rest/aspirin will take care of it!
 
Hi Amy Jo, sorry to hear about your increased pain, but I am amazed at what you've been doing activity wise. Maybe Lady Mary is just saying "enough". You know what to do, ice, and rest and hopefully this setback will be short lived. I've recently had pain in my TKR knee like it was about 3 months ago, I know I stressed my joints a lot trying to do the exercise bike a few weeks ago. I keep saying, it doesn't take much to aggravate these knees.
I hope it settles soon.
Tabby xxx
 
Oh that dreaded roller coaster. You did have a very busy day so perhaps that's the reason. It will surely pass. I'm at 7+ months and hoping the year-long journey will be completed by then! You've done very well. No reason to think it's not just a "glitch". Give the Lady a rest and get back to your active life.
 
Thank you, friends. Thursday is my day of rest when I do the wash and clean house. Ha! I am determined to really make it a day of rest today. No cleaning. Lots of sofa time. For some reason I feel exhausted. It all fits together. I just had to check out the odic one more time.
 
I hope you feel better after resting, so many times we over do it without even realizing it!
 
So glad to read all this you posted! Why? Because I have been having pain and stiffness lately, 13 weeks out, and thought maybe was really wrong. Now, I see it's normal! Lol! I started subbing about 3-4 days a week 3weeks ago. Would come home exhausted, not able to do much, needing ice and pain relievers, etc. Just like you, except I've not had as much physical activity. Even my husband said he thought I should be about over it by now! I keep having rouge, random pains and aches, especially on the outside of both knees and under the kneecaps. I'm sorry we our hurting but glad I am not alone!

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Duvet/sofa therapy is in order! I hope you rest and feel better tomorrow .


Shelia
RTKR - 8/23/16
LTKR - 10/11/16
 
Hope you get a good rest, and thanks for letting those of us earlier in the recovery know what to expect. I love how so many people a few months into this all jump in to reassure you that they are experiencing the same thing. We are not alone.
 
@34120 Having once been a teacher I amaze at those who sub. I think it is so much harder than having a regular class. At least in my experience the kids love to take advantage of a sub. It is no wonder that you were exhausted and hurting subbing 3-4 days a week! I think if I tried it now I would be a basket case when I got home and you are much earlier in your healing process. Yes, we all have ups and downs and it gets better but much slower than most of us want. I wish you well on your healing journey.
 
@Floridagal Thank you for your input! We are on Fall Break, total 5 days off, school, not life! I will have a trying week coming up: 2 high school, 2 middle school, 1 tech school. I am tired, I am hurting, but I must push on. I have foot surgery in November, so I need to work as much as possible now. I can rest up for 2 weeks then. I have children and grandchildren to help support, especially for Christmas. One set will not have any without my help. Times are hard for some of my kids. I believe that God does not give us more than we can handle, and sometimes Mama and Daddy just have to keep helping a little longer. SO, anyway, thanks for sharing your own trials and tributes, and thanks for letting me vent!!! [emoji5]

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Lady Mary is still misbehaving but I know how to handle her. My friend is going to have THR on Nov. 10 and I think I have convinced him to stay at my place since I have a walk-in shower, high toilet seat and NO steps. I've been feeding him the BS mantras. He hates drugs but promises that he will take pain medication. His chief worry is that he will turn into a super crab and that will be the end of our friendship. I try to assure him that I've been through it and know how to respond to crabs. He is overweight but younger than me. There is no telling what his experience will be but he is not one for going on BS. I've been reading posts on the hip recovery section to prepare myself!
 
Amy Jo, that is so kind of you. You really are a pay it forward sort of person! I'll tell you a few things my friend did for me that were particularly sensitive. He figured out how long the ice machine stayed cold, and would automatically refill it the first couple weeks without making me keep asking. He went shopping before I was discharged with a list I gave him, and asked me several times a day what he could bring me to eat or drink. For my first shower, he got out my water aerobics shoes to help with stability, and asked me to tell him when I got ready, so he could just be on the alert in case anything went wrong. He'd raise the shades fot me each morning and close them when it got dark.

None of these particularly burdensome except maybe the ice, but just little thoughtful things for which I shall be forever grateful.
 
Amy, I went over to the hippie side last November when my dad fell and needed a THR. He was more difficult with the THR than the two TKRs. He refused to ice and elevate, so of course his leg swelled. My mother called the OS to "tell on him"! Then the PA called to tell him he needed to ice and elevate. I took my leg lifter because he was having a hard time scooching over in the bed (he fell out of bed his first night home). Also, the large gel packs are better for hips because they're pliable and easier to sit on if the OS uses the posterior approach. You are a great friend!
 
@KarriB Some people mentioned large gel packs they got from Amazon. Can you tell me more? He is having a posterior incision because he has a big belly. Thank you for the suggestions, @greatlakes. He is a very independent person and I am reminding myself that I can't be too fussy with him. It will be a delicate balance. I am a real nurturer and could easily over do. Hopefully we will be friends at the end. I was lucky to have my brother for the first week after my TKR.
 
The one posted below may work and comes in different sizes. I also made him a pack with water and alcohol combo I googled. He used that the most, but if you do that be sure to double bag it as a lot of people have said theirs leaked.
My dad (84 at the time) had a posterior approach. He fell off the 2nd rung from the bottom of a ladder onto a concrete sidewalk. He broke off the ball of the femur and said it was the worst pain he'd ever had. He was also upset at being caught on the ladder, as he had promised us he'd stay off it. As I said, he was pretty awful the first month, awful being crabby. Nothing at all like he was while recovering from his 2 TKRs. We figured it was due to the double trauma also, the break and then the surgery. I didn't start a thread for him (he barely uses a microwave) but I did ask questions on my thread.

https://www.amazon.com/Chattanooga-...-Standard-Size/dp/B001W3FXWY/?tag=ate362da-20
 
Amy Jo, I use the ones that KarriB linked and I love them, they freeze quick, they mold around the area and stay cold for a while!

I made some of the homemade ones and did not like them
 
Thank you @KarriB and @greatlakes I made two of the alcohol slush bags but found they were too wet in this Florida humidity and stopped using them early. I will be visiting Amazon.com.
 
Hi Amy Jo. I've been away for a few days and just read of your Miss Mary's rebellion. You would be the last one I expected to have this! You have been in such excellent shape and seem to breeze through this recovery. How are you feeling now? I pray back to normal. It just goes to show you that our new knees are still in control for quite a while. Those coming up behind you will realize their 'problems' are completely normal. Even the best recoveries can have pain months afterwards. With your empathy you will be a wonderful caregiver for your friend! Telling him the BS way is the best way to start!
 
Thanks, Paula. I keep bringing the BS wisdom to my friend. He has assured me that he will take it slow and take the prescribed medication. We'll see. My sore knee was the result of just doing too much - walking too far and too fast, exercising too hard, standing too long at rehearsal. Our concert is this Friday. I am so excited and want us to do well. We will also repeat the concert in a neighboring small town on Sunday. Our rehearsal last night was 2 1/2 hours. Today I bought a back brace since my back was killing me. At least it takes my attention away from the knee. It is wonderful to be back to a normal life.
 
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