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TKR Two hour ride home day after TKR

Love everyone’s comments! So many super people on Bone Smart!! Today was officially 1 week since surgery- Yahoo! However craziest TKR experience yet - brought on by myself!

Let me set the stage;
It was my second outpatient PT appointment today which I was nervous about. The first one was ok but... I had such a great PT team for first TKR 2 years ago, that I’ve been nervous about this office (mixed reviews in community- but insurance covers- we moved 2 hours away from old PT so it’s not an option).

The post-op blues also seems to be coming as I am starting to feel very sensitive to other people’s words/actions. Feeling isolated and still not great sleep isn’t helping at all. Forced to slow down causes me to reflect and become less upbeat etc.

Trying to use tools (reading, reaching out to others, listening to meditations, naps, etc ) to keep that pity party from starting.
I struggle with the loss of control part a lot too.

So this is probably the MOST embarrassing thing that I’ve ever done regarding the entire TKR experience but if I can’t share it here... well I don’t know what I’d do.

So I’ve asked my husband to check on something for me in the shed three times in the last few days (its something that will actually benefit him). Because I can’t get to the shed with walker etc. I must rely on him to get it. I ask again as we are getting ready to go to PT appointment-it will literally take less than 5 minutes. He tells me “you don’t need that right now” and proceeds to go open up the car trunk.

As he turns back around to come back to the porch- it has 2 tiny steps he helps me with- he is greeted with the sight of his 45 year old wife, gracious and kind, raising my walker above my head and throwing it off the porch in a fit!! Yep- I just lost it and was so sick of needing help and feeling ignored and told whether or not I “needed”something- I just had a flat out temper tantrum!! My husband just looks at me- picks up my walker and takes it to the car as he shakes his head. He helps me into the car as I turn from angry red to embarrasssed red.

Luckily a few hours later we are laughing about this but this was so out of character for me... I am sharing here because though funny in the end, I wondered how others might be coping with the powerlessness feelings as well as those post op blues/ no one cares feelings? Ugh. Humility.
 
@Jlawless, glad to see your hubby handled it in the typical guy fashion (shake our head and think to ourselves “I’ll be so glad when this is over!”). :rotfl:

Hate to say it, but my guess is you needed that outburst to relieve frustration and tension. Bet you felt better in the end!
 
@Jlawless lol...thank you for sharing...we all have those days when we are so done with this... and guess what they continue :heehee:... I think it was around the same point as you are at that my super cheerful husband greeted me with “good morning are you feeling better today than yesterday” to which I responded with a glare “ No I am grumpy and I deserve to be grumpy” we too were laughing later at my childish outburst:loll:
 
I’ve had more than one temper tantrum but usually managed to wait until I was alone. I told my husband that recently and he was surprised, so I guess I succeeded in keeping it private.

I did have some crying melt downs that he was there for. He always hugged me and said, we’ll get through this.

Throwing your walker! Yes, for some reason sometimes it just feels good to throw something. I’m more a fan of slamming a door, or hitting the wall, which usually backfires because that hurts!

I did something stupid recently and hurt my hand pretty good, my bowling hand :yikes: and thought, oh no, I could end up in a doctor’s office and get sent to PT again :yikes::yikes: !

And I’m 18 months post op! I should be well past this. But sometimes my knee issues that I still have just get to me.

Here’s to better days for all of us! :console2:
 
The term “breaking point” comes to mind. We all have them. Sounds like you just came to yours and popped off. Totally normal. TKR recovery is such a grind. It wears down the sweetest and kindest and most patient of souls. Glad no one was hurt... and that the walker survived! :)

Thanks for sharing this. Everyone reading will either identify or be forewarned for their own “breaking points.”
 
I saw that look on my husbands face yesterday when I was explaining the possibilities if it is determined I have an infection. He never verbally reacts, but his face says it all! Today is a new day @Jlawless , nothing but positive vibes coming your way.:egypdance::egypdance:
 
FWIW.....I've had a few pre op tantrums too. Hubs has started to hover. "Don't do this, don't do that" kind of thing.
I yelled at him "save it for after surgery". Should have seen the look on his face. First time he was speechless. Of course, I apologized. He was trying to help, but SAVE IT FOR AFTER SURGERY! LOL
Hope I don't hit him with my walker post op.:rotfl:
 
My tantrums were crying fits. One of my friends came over on July 4th and asked what I wanted to do today. Being just 1 month out, I couldn't do much of anything but ice, elevate, rest and meds! I busted out crying. She had no idea why and was just quiet. Later on I explained and we were fine.
 
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@sistersinhim Thank you for sharing your story. It’s so wonderful to have this forum and see that - hey- these are all typical patterns when recovering from this surgery. It sure helps me feel less alone and scared when I see that even the non clinical/ emotional side is a normal part of it all. :) :-) (:
 
As you have read, this is a long healing process...you will have more "pity parties", believe me and it's OK!!!! We've all had them!:hairpulling:
 
Jlawless, thanks for laugh. It got me to thinking,has anyone here ,had any event in their life that resulted in pretty much giving up a year of your life to get completely back to normal than a joint replacement? I have had hernias (6 weeks) appendices out. 6 weeks, broken bones two months , but nothing to deal with like this, where helpless comes with the territory , so knowing that ( in back of our mind anyway) it’s no wonder an outburst is gonna show up along the way.
 
Softtail said:
. It got me to thinking,has anyone here ,had any event in their life that resulted in pretty much giving up a year of your life to get completely back to normal than a joint replacement? I
Click to expand...
Does a 9 month pregnancy, then a couple of years before the child sleeps through the night, and the exhaustion that that creates count? :heehee:
 
@Softtail, before my PKR I would have answered nothing compares to a medical emergency I went through just over two years ago. Just before Christmas 2015, I perforated my colon. Had a 5 hour emergency surgery resulting in a 8.5” belly incision and a temporary colostomy. 6 months later I went back into surgery to reverse the colostomy and “reconnect the plumbing”. :heehee: That surgery ended up taking almost 8 hrs due to some minor problems and gave me a new 12.5” belly scar. Took a total of about a year to recover and be able to get back to my normal workout routine. I can tell you, knee surgery pain is WAY worse than that experience!
 
Wow Navy you really have been thru the gamut, and Jockeette us guys will never understand a woman’s trials n tribulations bringing a child into this world , but on the **** scale this has to be up there in at least the top 3
 
@Jlawless Thanks for sharing your story! I’ve had a couple of those also. I’m new to the forum and I haven’t really posted my story yet, but I had a bilateral TKR Aug 8 ...And just now Am starting to feel that I’m coming out of the woods at six weeks out! It is very easy to get caught up in a pity party! Your story made me laugh! And when I shared with my husband... I think he finally too may see some light at the end of the tunnel, such as in I’m not totally crazy LOL
 
@jenzabel Thank you for your response. It’s so great to read stuff on bonesmart and be reminded- oh yeah - this is hard!! Sounds like your recovery is going well. :flwrysmile:

I broke out in hives all over my body yesterday. Went to urgent care today. They gave me a steroid shot and told me to take Benadryl and go off pain meds as this doctor said rash is a common reaction. I’m 2 weeks out from surgery. Not sure how I’m going to do with no pain pills. Anyone have any experience with post op hives????
 
@Jlawless, my suggestion would be to contact your OS right away. I’m sure there are alternative meds you could take that don’t have the same side effects. Maybe @Josephine has some suggestions?
 
Thanks @NavyGunns !! I have been looking on the Bone Smart site and it seems not totally uncommon. I’m shocked that a pill I’ve been taking for 2 weeks suddenly gives me hives. I thought TKR is tough... this is next level. Pain and itchiness combined. Also everything swollen up- eyes etc. @Josephine is this a semi-normal occurance? Thank you all for your great posts!
 
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