Knee Infection* TKR Infection 2 Years Out

[Layla]

“Can not wait for the time when my knee is not the focus of every moment in my life and just an integrated part of me”.

Just read your words above from another’s thread. Please know this day will come. I had a difficult time believing it would, but it does. I can’t say a day goes by without remembering I have a prosthetic joint, but it’s normally only when I catch myself doing something and realizing afterward that maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

Wishing you the best as you move through your first year of recovery. Happy Thursday!
@TKRsharon

 

[TKRsharon]

@Layla Thank you for your reassuring words. I do see improvement coming slowly. I still am not at the point where I am glad I did this and I do not feel better than before the surgery, most of the time. By 4:00, my knee is stiff and feels tight. Still "normal" at this point of my journey? Just need some more reassurance. I also feel all kids of clicking and crunching sometimes.
Thanks for your support!

 

[FCBayern]

Unfortunately slowly is how I would describe this recovery @TKRsharon. Stiff and tight was a pretty regular description of my knee in the evening at your point in recovery. Clicking and crunching are very normal as well, and usually go away eventually. I saw your post in runmans thread, thank you for the awesome support of BoneSmart and it truly makes my heart happy that we have been able to help you. Your response of paying it forward is what we are all about.

 

[Layla]

While I had my hip replaced, not my knee, I understand the stiffness and tightness. At only three months post op, my best advice would be to dedicate some time to icing. You can ice for as long as like (weeks to months) and as often as you feel the need.

I’m sorry you’re not feeling any better than before the surgery. I believe with time and more healing it will come. My OS mentioned at one of my post op visits that some have swelling up to a full year. So as far as normal, I’d say, yes, you can still have swelling at this point. As FCBayern mentioned above, the noises are a normal part of the recovery process as the soft tissue around your new implant heals.

I hope you have a comfortable, pain free weekend.
@TKRsharon

 

[TKRsharon]

@FCBayern and @Layla Thank you for your positive input. I try to keep this in the forefront of of mind - that it is a long process but most time, fear and worry win over knowledge and understanding. I guess you can understand this. It is all so new and It's hard to know what is to be expected and when something is wrong. I do ice throughout each day. I think that maybe today was was difficult because I was unable to take the Voltaren for about 24 hours because I stomach was so bad. i have had issues with my stomach most my life, but since the surgery it has been especially of of sorts. I thought it best not to take it until my gut calmed down. Thank you FCBayern for acknowledging my remarks to runman's post. I thought it was important so others did not worry that they were not doing well and worry needlessly. I have had so many people in my personal life, who never had this surgery ,make comments that were insensitive and caused me anguish. Just the other day, someone said that she knew someone who had a knee replacement and she was fine after 2 weeks, and what was wrong with me? I find I am defending myself instead of just saying to myself that "this is nuts" and ignore it. I am sure we have all had this experience. This is why I refused to talk to most people in the first weeks because I did not want unsolicited advice. Thank you for your support!

 

[FCBayern]

Just the other day, someone said that she knew someone who had a knee replacement and she was fine after 2 weeks, and what was wrong with me? I find I am defending myself instead of just saying to myself that "this is nuts" and ignore it.

It's hard to ignore ignorant people, @TKRsharon but you have a solid grasp on what this surgery and recovery require. Even well meaning people that have actually gone through this are likely to tell you how fast they recovered because your brain naturally reduces the memories of pain. It wouldn't do you any good, and I don't think most women would opt to have a second child if they really remember what the birth of their first was really really like!

 

[Jockette]

I do see improvement coming slowly. I still am not at the point where I am glad I did this and I do not feel better than before the surgery,

At 4 months post op you are one third the way through this year long recovery. You have lots of time to improve, and you will. You will probably even continue to improve in your second year, I did! But I know is hard to be patient, been there, done that!

 

[Cococay]

I get those comments to and I try and remind myself that people mean well- they don’t know what to say and want to be helpful..... still though- it’s upsetting at times. I too have not wanted to talk to most people at this early stage.
You mentioned that although things are better your not at a point your glad you did this.... I hope that things improve to a point you are happy you did it. I’m sending you virtual positive vibes.

 

[Jaycey]

I found many people consider if you are discharged from hospital then you are recovered. That's never the case. You are discharged TO recover.

Best to disregard those "friends" that are suggesting you should push through this. We all know that approach only results in a setback.

 

[djklaugh]

@TKRsharon It does not matter what kind of joint replacement surgery you have, you're going to run into people who either think you're totally nuts to have it done or know some one who allegedly did it better than you are doing. I've had 4 joints replaced and got these kinds of comments for each one of my surgeries. LOL as said above don't pay any attention to them!

Just concentrate on you doing you! No benefit in comparing your self to anyone else - just compare you to you - are you doing a bit better than yesterday or last week? That, IMO, is the only "measure" you need to take.

and to you!

 

[TKRsharon]

@djklaugh Thank you and I totally agree with you!

 

[Murphy2013]

Hi Sharon, I am 4 knee months ahead of you (they are like dog years, 1 knee month = 7 regular months in terms of progress). I can’t give you anything except my experience that from a horribly hard recovery comes a really good pain free knee. Every bit of advice from my Bonesmart guides has been great. Roy G. is all about the bike and sistersinhim helped me wait until the right time before I got back in the pool. Now I am doing little mini “old people” triathlons,,swim,recumbent bike, walk around alley with Murphy. Just you wait!

 

[TKRsharon]

@Murphy2013 Thank you for reaching out to me. I love the idea of dog years. That is what it really feels like! I am doing some old lady work as well. When it is nice enough outside, I have a friend who comes and "takes me for a walk." Now more for company as I feel pretty steady on my feet and try to be very careful. Otherwise, I put on music and walk around the house. Gets boring, but it's better than nothing. I do simple exercises each morning and get a workout doing housework, (not really much of a workout, maybe carrying a laundry basket.) Thinking about getting a dog soon, I lost my old girl,(17), a couple of years ago and I really miss the companionship. I do not go many places because I am so afraid of Covid, but I was feeling pretty good today and took a ride to Barnes and Nobel to buy my grandson some books. Felt good to get out and walk around like a real person. Wish I could say the same for my gut. That's been a life long issue but it's worse since the surgery. I have also lost a lot of weight since the surgery. Anyway, Thank you for the encouragement and positivity. How is your knee now? Does it act up at the end of the day? Does it still get swollen or feel tight? When did you start to feel human again? Can you ever just "forget" about your knee for a period of time? If you don't mind me asking, do you work? I have not been able to go back to teaching yet, although that might be a blessing because of the pandemic. Where do you swim? I would love to get into a pool and swim. Glad you found me! Thanks!

 

[Murphy2013]

Hi Sharon! My knee is at its 8 month anniversary this next week and there has been a world of difference (that I thought was never going to happen) from month 5-6 to month 8. I know that when I was at month 4 like you are it seemed like such slow going and I truly felt at the bottom of the class. I took the longest time to make one revolution around the pedals on the bike and couldn’t use new knee to go up the stairs. I fought hard for every little scrap of progress but I really encourage you that you are not alone and I am cheering you on. I am retired now so it has allowed me to focus on recovery. By the way, it ALWAYS acted up at the end of the day. Now I don’t have to have the ice packs on standby. You will be there!

 

[TKRsharon]

@Murphy2013 Thank you for the words of encouragement! I am so happy for your progress and it gives me hope for the future. Since I am not going back to teaching this year, my job now s working on getting better. My plan is to work one more year, then retire. I hope that I have made enough progress by September to do that.
Funny you mention the ice - I have been thinking and worrying about how I will have ice when the world gets back to normal and I am not home. I guess the need to have ice on hand at any moment goes away? Whew! Funny the things we worry about. I spent several hours today playing with my grandson, he's 1, today. Feeling very achy, but it was worth it! He is better than a therapy dog, getting my mind off my woes.
So glad you are doing better. Thanks again for reaching out. Please keep me posted on your improvement - it gives me hope.
Be well and stay safe!

 

[TKRsharon]

I am going to the OS tomorrow for a 4 month check. I am going to ask him the same question - when will it just feel like a normal leg? Although I feel much better than I did, I wonder if the day will ever come that I will be able to go on a trip, walk through NYC or even have a day of shopping, ( all after the pandemic, of course), without having to be close to ice and worrying about pain. Will it stop clunking and clicking? Will the skin stop feeling so sensitive? And that tight feeling, will it go away? I guess it's a waiting game. On the bright side, I can sleep and it doesn't hurt when I lie in bed. So, it's a great sleeping and sitting on the couch leg!

 

[RIT387]

I am going to the OS tomorrow for a 4 month check. I am going to ask him the same question - when will it just feel like a normal leg? Although I feel much better than I did, I wonder if the day will ever come that I will be able to go on a trip, walk through NYC or even have a day of shopping, ( all after the pandemic, of course), without having to be close to ice and worrying about pain. Will it stop clunking and clicking? Will the skin stop feeling so sensitive? And that tight feeling, will it go away? I guess it's a waiting game. On the bright side, I can sleep and it doesn't hurt when I lay in bed. So, it's a great sleeping and sitting on the couch leg!

@TKRsharon - I feel the same way right now... while so difficult at times it helps me to hear other similar experiences. Thanks for sharing. Let us know what your OS says.

 

[TKRsharon]

@RIT387 I went to the OS. They took x-rays; apparently thats part of his 4 month protocol. He said everything looks good. I expressed all my concerns. He said the clicking and clunking are normal at this point of recovery. As far as feeling "normal" and like this leg isn't an integrated part of me, he said it will by one year,. He said feeling like the knee is foreign is something a lot of people say. I asked about PT and he said don't go you if do not think it's helpful. I told him I do exercises at home and walk each day. He wants to see me again in a month, to "check in on me." I do have a bruise and a couple of small hematoma on my knee cap. This is painful, especially when bending. I have to admit that I am the cause of this . I felt a lump on my knee, next to the scar. I thought maybe it was scar tissue and I massaged it and that's what happened. It looks awful! I was afraid to show him. He just said leave it alone and if it gets redder call me. It has been getting better. I am embarrassed that I did it to myself. Believe me, I was not very aggressive but I have a tendency to pick and prod and probe.
Anyway, If I believe him, we will feel like normal humans in a year and at some point say we were glad we did this. Let's hope this is true. I need something to look forward to! I hope you are doing well.

 

[RIT387]

@TKRsharon thanks for the update! Interesting about the hematoma. Another reminder how gentle we need to be. Sounds like we are in similar places slowly progressing otherwise although my TKR was 12/4.

I cancelled my 3 mo followup as I cannot deal with any more medical assessment right now (had the MUA discussion early and didn't want to again). I feel I am doing ok for now, especially with Bonesmart support. I feel like such a renegade-haha.

A year of patience and gratitude it is.

 

[Celle]

@TKRsharon and @RIT387- you will see that I have moved your posts from RebelMomma's thread to Sharon's own thread.

By putting the above posts in RebelMomma's recovery thread, you were disrupting her thread, which should be about her own recovery.
Forum etiquette: being polite when posting

Please post any updates or questions about your recovery in your own thread. We will see them there, as someone checks all the new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Just in case you couldn't find your thread, here are the instructions on finding your thread,
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