TKR Unwanted... But much Kneedead TKR

[Hoppy Nanny]

Ahh thanks darling @Jaycey
Youve been with me through these 3 replacements & can’t thank you enough..
Having been here I know nothing lasts forever, better times come through.. Funnily, I’ve found it easier to sleep with the knee than the hip... who knows.. that’s subject to change mLive Chrissie xx

 

[Jockette]

I might add some codeine in the mix before I do my exercises as this knee does not want to bend yet!!’

Please don’t take medication so you can do more bending. Taking medication for this reason could allow you to do something that could cause damage. Pain is a signal that your knee is not ready for that activity yet.

Your knee will bend as you heal and when the swelling goes down. Period. It’s way too early to worry about your bend.


It’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Exercise as in strength training is counter-productive and in the early weeks does more harm than good. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Thanks @Jockette
I so won’t be overdoing it! I’m doing this recovery BS Stylie for sure....Thanks so much.... it does take the pressure off to hear that.... done a few exercises... walked around house 5 times, up & down stairs & back to icing!!!

 

[lotus76]

I finally found you again! So glad to hear you are home and on the road to recovery. I hope you are sleeping well and the pain is decreasing. I am so impressed you have down the stairs and walking in the house already!
Best of luck and know we are all thinking of you.
Cheers!

 

[Layla]

@Hoppy Nanny
I hope you're resting comfortably. There's no place like home for comfort and relaxation. Awesome to read you're finding sleep easier with your knee than your hip. With any luck that continues.
Sending hugs and wishes for a great evening and Sunday!

 

[Fit4Family]

Hello Chrissie @Hoppy Nanny

You are such a trouper. Truth, “this too will pass.” I’m so glad you are finding it easier to sleep this go around. Sleep is restorative. Hope you have had some good visits with family to give your lots of tender love and care.

Sending you healing vibes sweet friend. Hoping each day brings you less stiffness and swelling. Gentle hugs and xxxxxx

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

@Layla &@Fit4Family. Thanks my darlings.
Hadn’t quite cracked the sleep (got too cocky! -should’ve known!) Last night was so hard to get off to sleep....

Friends have been over with flowers... No 1 daughter bought a chicken filo pie over for dinner today & my poor hubby, Bill has been an Angel.... poor devil has gone through my spinal op & 3 replacements... don’t know what i’d do without him.... he can stay for another year

 

[Layla]

he can stay for another year

Happy Sunday! I see your great wit is intact
I'll bet you're enjoying time spent with friends and family. With any luck you'll fall into a comfy happy nappy this afternoon.
Love and hugs to you

 

[Fit4Family]

What would we do without our sweet husband? Sounds like you are in good hands @Hoppy Nanny Yumm, Chicken FILO pie! Sending sleep dust and wishes for a relaxing day.

 

[Jockette]

I have to say it’s interesting to see so many usernames I don’t recognize and I realize those are from the Hip side, where I don’t venture very often.

So, Welcome to all of you, to the Knee side of Bonesmart!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Yes @Jockette Ive bored the hip side with my 2 recoveries .... I’m surprised these gorgeous hippies have stayed with me to the knee side too!!! They are troupers , no less & I couldn’t cope without them.

 

[Macknit]

poor devil has gone through my spinal op & 3 replacements... don’t know what i’d do without him.... he can stay for another year

Yes and thank goodness for our hubbies turned caretakers! I was stunned at mine for the first 4 weeks... truly amazing! !

I hope your recovery continues on an uphill trajectory!!! And that you don't get discouraged when you're off of the pain meds and doing poorly at about 6.5 weeks, (my point on this journey) I now realize how much of hill I still have to climb, and that every day is quite different!

I just had a spinal surgery in July...what surgery did you need? I honestly believe my spine, hips and knees are all in cahoots to get fixed! The hips just hurt and xrays say no arthritis to speak of!! I'm certain it is all part of an alignment issue!

Continued well wishes!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Well, funny you should say that @Macknit I have just been watching a YouTube video about alignment & posture which highlights how the body should be aligned.. Shoulders, through hip, through knees & ankles... you might be interested in watching it..
If yours isn’t caused by OA it could be that!!!

Mine is all due to OA , unfortunately.

I had bilateral discectomy & spinal decompression, followed by two hips & now knee! Enough now

I know what you mean about this recovery.... an uphill trajectory for sure... my first hip was like that .. the long & winding road.. the 2nd (this March) was a dream!!!

My knee is not too painful if I’m laying doing nothing ( except for the chap with the screwdriver who screws it in on the side of my knee & wiggles it every now & then ) walking is fine... sitting is a nightmare !!

So, I’m getting up from my sofa every hour to walk 5 times round the house, sit on a chair & try to bend the knee & then on with the exercises & ice... not sure if i’m doing it right but time will tell.... I’m also weary but can’t drop off...

My hubby of nearly 50 years is wonderful (not a lot of imagination when it comes to helping but takes orders & is lovely & kind... bless him.

I’m going to nip over to you & read from Day 1... hope it’s not gruesome ... lovely to meet up & wish you more joy & less pain.

love Chrissie xx

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Well... one week today! Where has that gone!!

All in all... it’s not been too bad... I realise that this recovery is all about getting your head around how long it’s going to take...and that it’s your head that determines what kind of day you have!

I slept all last night on my sofa... just cannot get comfy in my bed... but that’s ok... only for a few weeks... I can get up off it on my own too now....I took two paracetamol & 2 codeine at 10.30 pm & slept all night until 6am with 3 toilet breaks... also walked about a bit during those breaks. Pain minimal during the night...it’s increased a bit since I got up... but was able to clear around, take some cups out to the dishwasher, wash, dress, sit in a chair & bend knee (5 mins max) & then back to icing on sofa.... so was up 1.5 hours in total.

Going out for first walk outside in an hour... only a few mins out & back but good to feel some fresh air...

So far... so good!!! Being ably looked after by hubby & doggies & my 21 year old granddaughter is staying from tonight until Friday am to keep me ‘entertained ‘during her half term at Uni.. She’s a Musical Theatre student so I’m gonna get all those show tunes
this week...

 

[Fit4Family]

One week! Congratulations. That is a good one to get behind you. So lovely that you will have your granddaughter there to cheer you and provide the entertainment!

You are as always spot on. Our heads truly are the most necessary part of this rehabilitation journey. Glad your couch is providing a good place for sleeping. Sounds like you are handling it all with grace and that lovely sense of humor we all know and love. Sounds like you are well on your way Chrissie and will have the strength to keep plowing through this. xxxxx Sarah

@Hoppy Nanny

 

[Izabel]

Chrissie

I am SO envious of you, up, up and away ...

Unlike many on here I have been very fortunate to always sleep in the bed ... and Hubby ALWAYS insisted on being next to me ... and he is a squiggle and a half! First time around we swapped sides so I could get in/out with the good leg. However, I couldn't cope with that so we went back to our normal positions. We are both cliff hangers so it was slightly difficult for me, but I got there in the end lying on my left side (for breast, knee and hip x 3).

After having some much-needed rain over the weekend and the strangest short, sharp thundersburst yesterday through the sunshine, we are sunny but very breezy today. This sudden drop to 20c days and 10c nights is a bit of a shock to the system!

Hope the weather keeps dry and sunny for you to enjoy time with your granddaughter.

Take care.

Izzy xx

 

[Macknit]

@Hoppy Nanny, so nice to meet you too...

Since I'm working I'm not on here quite as often, so I just saw your post! I had to look up Bognor Regis, UK as I never have heard of this area before! (AND I'm a huge British author & TV fan so I'm excited to learn of another area!)

Unfortunately, all my spine, knee, and hands (maybe my hips, also) are OA!! I perfectly understand enough surgeries now! Mine have been a bit more varied a L thumb arthroplasty for OA that still isn't right, some hernias and an emergency appendectomy 3 years ago....I AM finished (I think...L knee is starting to squawk, but I'm thinking it is just over used right now due to the R TKR!!)

I have a hubby like @Izabel who needs me right next to him....and of course, my R leg was next to him when on my back! So I barricaded myself with pillows, so he wouldn't hurt me accidentally in those first weeks and would sleep about 4 hours in bed, then I'd have my mid-sleep wake up for about 2 hours, (I watched a lot of my favorite British shows, during this time!) I'm still waking up on work days around 4 AM, but I don't let myself watch TV, so I can fall back to sleep!

Living in Central Oregon close to the Cascade mountains gives us extremely unique weather...one year it is dry and drought-like conditions, then this year we have had rain like the Pacific NW Coastal region (and Great Britain) as well as snow, 20 degree F (-6 C) nights and a poor frozen garden in September!!
Last year we waited at least a month for that!!

So wishing you well as you head into this second week of recovery!

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Thanks Sarah@Fit4Family @ Izabel & @Macknit

I have to say the I’m quite pleased with my progress so far...knee feels less tight & the muscles seem to be getting stronger every day... The pain is mostly on a 0-2 when laying on sofa & goes up to a 5 after exercises.. walking is a constant 1-2. I will be glad when Ive got this week under my belt & get staples out on Monday... bit of a Milestone...
I even managed to groom both my girlies yesterday with only a little help picking them up & down from table.. yay!

Physio starts next Wednesday... which I’m not looking forward to... trying to stay positive about it!

One thing I find painful is trying to elevate my leg... 10 mins & I need to move it...has anyone else had this??

A long way to go... but quite a good start...

Much love to everyone. Chrissie xx

 

[Jockette]

Elevating can be more painful for some of us. I struggled using my foam wedge the first couple of weeks. As I healed more I came to love it.

You don’t have to keep your leg totally straight, if that’s what you’re doing. That is painful! It’s ok to have a slight bend.

Also, just do any height that is comfortable. While certain heights are ideal, we can’t always achieve ideal.

These are examples of elevating correctly, with the knee slightly bent:

Here’s an article with more detail:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/elevation-the-dos-and-donts.7602/

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Oh thanks so much for that @Jockette
Feel better knowing even a little elevation is ok
& I don’t have to stay ramrod straight!