TKR The Recovery Journey Begins: Second TKR

[SusieShoes]

You'll be happier soon when you can set performance goals like how far you walk a day, or other victories. The first four weeks or so, though, the knee isn't up yet to doing very much. Its healing accomplishments are internal and difficult to measure except in terms of swelling and pain. As those go down, though, you're achieving a lot!

I'm glad to hear your "big pop" is settling down!

 

[Iloved3]

@Celle I know you are right about letting my knee lead. I have been really good about icing, elevating and taking my meds to stay ahead of the pain over the weekend. I have done just a little bit of stretching and walking.

Today the pain has improved overall enough to stretch my meds out another hour. Tomorrow I see PT and I plan on being firm about being really gentle with me. I am retired and on no time crunch, so I am going to take it slow!!!!!

@SusieShoes the place where the big pop was has been very tender. I was forced to lean heavily on the walker when last week I was walking with a normal gait. The PT commented on Friday, before the big pop that my gait looked really good.

Today, it has improved a lot. I am almost back to a normal gait with no limping. The soreness has reduced, as well as the overall aching of the knee.

Tomorrow's challenge will be to get it to bend enough to get in and out of the car to go to therapy.

 

[Celle]

That all sounds more hopeful, @Iloved3 .

 

[Iloved3]

Well I am two weeks out from surgery. Went to outpatient PT today for the first time. Discussed my loud pop and pain that I had last Friday with the PT.

He said that there is a Button on the underside of the knee cap and it runs in a track. He thinks my knee was swollen so that the button was out of the track and it popped back in place. Sort of makes sense.

The PT was very gentle with me in therapy. We did gentle stretches and then he put me on a machine that bent my knee, but totally under my control by pushing the buttons. I was able to bend it to discomfort but not pain. I measured at 90 degrees so I feel it is doing well!

I could not wait to get home to ice and elevate! Love my zero-gravity chair and my GameReady ice machine!!!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Believe it or not, but taking it easy will get you healed quickly than not taking it easy! Aggressive PT slows down healing. It sounds like you have a really good therapist today. Be sure and stick to you guns and not let anyone hurt that knee of yours!

 

[Iloved3]

I was very impressed that the therapist really listened to me. I loved the bending machine - it was a way to do heel slides slowly, gently, and all under my control!

I truly feel I am on the mend due to icing, elevating and relaxing!!!!!

 

[Iloved3]

Well a few more days have passed and another PT visit. She was gentle and seemed concerned that I not do too much too fast. She suggested I walk more often but a shorter distance. She said my aching was occurring pretty quickly when I stand or do gentle stretches. She thinks more rest between walking would help.

I see my surgeon on Tuesday to have my staples removed. That will be nice. I am going to talk to him about the popping that happened a week ago. I plan to talk to him about x-raying it.

My biggest problem at this point is I am so bored! I have watched a million movies while I ice and elevate. I know it is the right thing to do, but I am so tired of recovery already!

I have one friend who is taking a homes tour today to see a castle and another who is going to Florida for a week. My daughter took my 2 year old grandson to the Pumpkin Patch where he played in the bouncy house for the first time and rode his first pony. My daughter ran a 5K and came in in the top 3% out of 1851 people. I would have loved to be there!

So I am bored and envious. I am trying to focus on my new life, just around the corner! I want to travel and cruise and take long walks and play with my grandson.

Trying my best to be patient.

 

[kneeper]

Patience is difficult but the knee recovers in its own good time, not on our timeline, unfortunately.
Just remember that this time next year you should be doing all those things you want to do. The first three months are definitely the longest--lots of healing is happening. With 2 knees staggered, your "3 months feels longer"--but you won't have to do it again at least.

 

[Iloved3]

Thanks @kneeper . That is what is keeping me going - knowing I only have two knees and both are done.

My pain has reduced remarkably in the last two days. I am so grateful for that! I know I just have to be patient!

 

[rubyyarn]

Ohhh @kneeper you've pegged it! Do other stagers feel like the second knee is sucking their soul?

 

[gertie]

Do other stagers feel like the second knee is sucking their soul?

Yes, yes, yes! Especially in early days. My second knee is now more than 2 months old and I'm finally feeling more upbeat about things.

 

[sistersinhim]

Doing staged tkrs takes a whole lot of patience. Your first knee is just starting to feel good, then you go and do the other one and it starts all over again. I admire those that can do it. I couldn't! That's bad for me because I'm facing another one eventually. You are not. You are on the final side and getting closer each day to being totally recovered! Just think of how nice that will be!

 

[rubyyarn]

Thank you @sistersinhim. Guess I'm feeling pretty whiny about it all right now. But...the only way out is through.

 

[SusieShoes]

I did bilateral and, boy, I respect anyone who does staged knees. One recovery is enough, thank you very much. You staged folk get a double dose. You do it once, then you do it again. That's strength. Patience is hard enough to practice once, much less twice.

You're doing great!

 

[Iloved3]

@rubyyarn , @gertie , I feel like this second one has been tougher than the first one and is truly sucking my soul out! In addition to Rubie (RTKR) being a harder recovery, poor old Lucie (first LTKR) is so sore from doing all the work! I am still icing her whenever I feel I can take my ice machine off Rubie for a while!

We just have to hang in there and we will get through it. I am almost to 3 weeks out and starting to believe the worst is behind me!

Thank you @sistersinhim and @SusieShoes for listening and letting us vent! So nice to have support through this long sludge toward a better life!!!!!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

You are very welcome. We are here to try and help those coming up behind us with our experiences.

 

[Iloved3]

Well everyday is an adventure. Last week my husband, who is my caretaker, popped his knee and he has been limping around. It has popped a number of times and Saturday he came in to bring my ice and his knee gave out and he fell down.

Today he took me to rehab and it popped getting out of the car and he can barely stand on it. Our daughter brought us ice and another walker. He is now resting, elevating, and icing!

So I had to pull out leftovers and fix dinner. A friend is coming tomorrow to take me to see my surgeon and get my staples out and then she will take us to have my husband's knee looked at!

So tonight the roles have reversed and I pulled out leftovers for dinner and got him icing his knee.

What a day!

 

[Jockette]

My husband had a knee issue recently, too, though not as bad as yours. I told my friend it was sympathy pains, and she said, aw, he’s so nice!

I had him rest ice and elevate and he’s doing better.

I hope your husband feels better soon, too.

 

[liam2015]

oh my goodness ~ poor you and your poor hubby. thank goodness for friends that can help out. good luck having your staples out. this recovery journey is boring and unfortunately we sometimes have to miss out on things, like your grandson's first pony ride and your daughter's 5K run. travel will come before you know it ~ maybe it will be fun to check out resorts on trip advisor. i'm finally going on a girls' vacation to negril in february; is it too soon to pack? i sure hope your hubby is going to be okay. take care of yourself and ask for and accept help for now.

 

[Iloved3]

@Jockette I hope your husband's knee gets better soon! We will find out tomorrow what's up with my husband.


@liam2015 It is never too early to be dreaming about your trip!

I am so looking forward to getting my staples out - sort of a milestone!

I am truly blessed with my family and friends. Depending on how things go with my husband tomorrow we may have to ask for more support. But it goes both ways and I am there for them when they need me!