Revision TKR Totally recovered at last!

[GimpyGal]

I'm so very happy for you! You've had a long journey.

 

[KarriB]

So glad you're enjoying water therapy. I know what you mean about getting out of the pool! I going to join the local Y when I retire so I can continue to swim laps every afternoon after summer is over. My docs absolutely love that I swim. Let me know how your gym membership works out.

 

[Clipless]

Water therapy in a nice, warm pool sounds wonderful!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Sounds wonderful! I'm so glad you can enjoy it. I can't wait until I can hit my gym and it's pool again! My daughter and I will be going together after I recover.

 

[newlybionic]

My old old OS who did such a banged up job( I mean that literally) on my knee last July still owed me $250. I've called them, written them, emailed them and never received a refund. So yesterday morning I decided once again to try again to get the money back from them. This time I decided to use a threat. I included in my email that if I didn't receive my refund back in two weeks time I would be contacting my lawyer AND MEDICARE to review my account for the money that belongs to me. Needless to say I've gotten several messages back and I will be getting my check within a week at most. Next it's time to go after the outpatient PT facility that owes me $500. I think I'll just copy the email and send it to them!

Today I joined the ODIC! I went to the gym which is in the same building that the OS and PT is in. I had a fitness assessment. Basically it was just a discussion, weight and percentage of body fat. I'm a complete mess! Let's just say I have enough fat to be jello. I weigh the most I have ever weighed in my life! So after that I decided I'd go walk on the rubberized track. It was on the second floor and the only way to get there was 2 fights of steps with no break in between. So of course I went up both flights foot over foot. I had no pain but I was huffing and puffing just getting up there. I started walking and only lasted about a third of a mile. Now I'm totally dripping in sweat. Everyone else was lapping me. Then of course back down the steps. Since I could only hold one side of the railing here I am walking down like a two year old. I leave the gym, muscles everywhere feeling wobbly. I'm totally drenched and I have PT in a half hour. I bought a water and a salad and sat with both legs up. I ate half the salad( no dressing). Time for PT then. This time I can take an elevator up to the PT floor. Of course we start right away with the bike for ten minutes. I could barely walk back over to the therapist. Once again I'm dripping in sweat. Knee is three times normal and the old knee decided to join in for the fun of it. Did a few other exercises and ten minutes of icing. I didn't even feel the cold through my sweats by then. Fortunately I had valet parked my car. Now I'm home. Really need to take a shower but right now I don't think I can make it up the stairs. So I'm icing and elevating. I have a big glass of water next to me. It really is hard getting older, fatter, and two major surgeries in 8 months. I can't wait going back to work and standing 10 hours a day!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Marian, sounds like you really did a lot in one day! Hey-just as an aside- I also try to avoid calorie laden salad dressings, but what I do instead is I use salsa. In the summer when my garden is in full swing I make homemade salsa from my garden, but when I don't have fresh ripe tomatoes, I will use a salsa from the store. Sometimes when I really want it to feel like a decadent salad dressing, I will add a tiny bit of ranch dressing (like a teaspoon) to the salsa. I, too, have gained weight with not being able to be as active as I want. My daughter and I are going to go to the gym together when I am recovered, plus I can't wait to get back on my bike! Take it easy, elevate and !

 

[Celle]

What a lot you did, Marian! ODIC for sure!
Next time, choose either the walking track or the PT, not both on the same day. If you explained at PT what you had just done, you could have asked to have your knee iced and elevated, instead of doing the exercises.
You're doing so well this time round, so don't spoil it by doing too much.
Fitness will return. No need to rush it.

 

[Celle]

Well done for getting hard-nosed in asking for your refund from the first surgeon's office. I hope you achieve the same result with the PTs.

 

[KarriB]

Oh no! We'll make you the queen of the ODIC! In a while you'll be able to shower, then just head to bed. A day filled with nothing may be on the schedule tomorrow.

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Slow and steady wins the race!

 

[kneeper]

I'm going to take the arthritis water classes and I can walk on their track which is rubberized. I can't really walk by my home because it is dirt and gravel and is not level. I don't want to fall!

Good plan!

 

[newlybionic]

Eight weeks today! I'm in a quandary right now as to how to proceed in the next month to be able to go back to work in a job where I could be standing and walking for up to 10 hours a day. Currently I'm stif for the first couple of steps when I get up but my knee swells whenever it is in a dependent position. Both legs are out of shape. I am doing pool therapy 1x a week and land once a week. I can walk up a few stairs foot over foot but my muscles get too tired and I'm back little girl steps. Going down will take a bit longer. I don't use any cane at all and I'm not limping.

So now do I try to up my activity and do other land work and pool work or should I just wait a couple of weeks longer? With this revision the OS didn't use cement so I'm always worried about it becoming loose even though I have been told by the OS not to. The OS has told me 'if it hurts don't do it'. I have been following that all along. I guess since I was in so much pain before the revision I don't feel anything but tightness from the swelling and some very tired muscles in both legs. Rarely do I feel any pain in the knee itself but I do take meds at the first twinge to head it off. Suggestions or thoughts? @Josephine can you give me your opinion please?

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Congrats on 8 weeks recovery! I'm glad you're coming along nicely. I can't advise you since that's out of my area of knowledge or experience, but I can cheer you on as you continue to recover and take your life back.

 

[Kssii]

So glad to here that things are so much better this time around.

 

[Josephine]

The OS has told me 'if it hurts don't do it'.

Good for him!

I guess since I was in so much pain before the revision I don't feel anything but tightness from the swelling

Do you see "tightness and swelling" as something other than pain?

I'm always worried about it becoming loose even though I have been told by the OS not to.

Well he's right in one aspect, you shouldn't worry about it. However, firm bone growth as in fracture, does take about 10-12 weeks.

On the other hand, there is this happier aspect to consider, and I hope I don't put it too technically! Bone growth is the production of osteoblast (baby bone cells) which go on to mature and become the bricks and mortar of the adult bone. This is what takes 10-12 weeks. The production of osteoblasts is stimulated by loading. So in an uncemented stem and cup, weight bearing will actually encourage the ingrowth of bone into the hydroxyapatite covering of the implants. This can be pretty secure after only 6-8 weeks which is the stage you are at. Thus your surgeon is right - you have no need to worry about it!

 

[karol723]

Hi Marian, glad you're doing so well. I know how you feel about the weight!!. I also had my 2 surgeries within 10 months. All that sitting around with the leg up while healing and being inactive before because of the bone on bone pain takes its toll. I feel all loose and giggley now. Prior to the knees going I had lost 30 lbs and was really in good shape. Now I feel like it's going to be alot of work to get back there, but I'm determined to do it. I'm sure we will be using up more calories just by moving around more as our knees improve. Again we need to be patient and keep moving ahead. Summer is almost here so all the fruits & veggies will be at their best , need to find some new salad ideas. Now, if only I didn't need a new bathing suit, ha!! There will be some interesting comments from me when that shopping trip arrives.

So glad you stood up for yourself in getting your money back. We do learn to stand up for ourselves it seems after going through this. Really happy that you're doing so well, you have been through alot. Glad your daughter is doing well too. She must get her strength and positive attitude from her Mom.

 

[sistersinhim]

You are doing so much better than last time. Please take your time and recover at your knee's leading! And keep on taking up for yourself! Your weight gain, it will come off as you increase your movements! When you stop hurting you'll be free to do anything you want to! Sounds wonderful, doesn't it!?

 

[newlybionic]

@Josephine i don't see the stiffness and swelling as pain because it happens within minutes of me putting my knee in a dependent position whether it is walking or just sitting in a regular chair or car. I can't just sit with my knee elevated all day as I think I need to get some stamina back because I have to be at my job in a month and on my feet up to 10 hours a day. Since I'm a nurse there is no way that I can go back part time. It's either all or nothing. That's where I can't decide how much to push myself now. I have tramadol to take up to 100mg four times a day but because of another med I take it cuts the half life of the tramadol in half. I've taken Tylenol for several days and that did nothing to help with the swelling and stiffness.

 

[Celle]

I can't just sit with my knee elevated all day as I think I need to get some stamina back because I have to be at my job in a month and on my feet up to 10 hours a day. Since I'm a nurse there is no way that I can go back part time. It's either all or nothing. That's where I can't decide how much to push myself now.

I know this is s big worry for you, Marian, but you can't really do anything to speed up your recovery. Try to do too much now and it will bounce back on you with increased pain, swelling and stiffness. Your stamina will come back slowly, but you can't really speed that up either, as it's part of the energy drain from your surgery.

Do remember, too, that where you are now is not where you will be in another month. Your knee will tolerate more by then and you won't tire as easily.

Those 10-12-hour nursing shift are a killer and I don't see any way around them for you. Frankly, I think they're a very bad idea and not even good for patient care, because tired nurses make mistakes and poor decisions. However, it is what it is, and so you'll have to do them.
Since most of your activity while at work will be walking and standing, you could gradually increase the amount of time you walk at home - just increase slowly, a minute or two at a time.

 

[newlybionic]

Thanks Celle. I think I will try some pool walking on my own and add a little at a time. After pool therapy in 95 degree water the other day I went into a cooler pool and just swam using my arms and then just floated for a while it actually helped bring the swelling back down. The gym I'm going to also offers some senior cycling and pool therapy for people with arthritis. I might watch them to see if it's something I could handle. I'm not quite a senior yet so I hope I won't get thrown out!