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TKR Update

Hi Macknit
I agree I have to work on my attitude, it is not helping me. I get stuck in a rut of being ticked off at the procedure, & at myself for having it done and so on! Definitely not helpful! I will work on that.

I can't seem to get to 0 degrees on straightening my leg!! Aggravating. I got my bend to 90 degrees an hour after waking up from surgery & to 130 degrees after 4 weeks!

I have a long way to go before I retire if I ever do!! Poor planning kicks me in the butt!! Lol

Then I go off on a tangent about that to myself!! OYE!!

Hoping it improves, slowing down on PT

Still pretty stressed about my wife, Truthfully more than my issues. My issues are just pain, hers are scary!! And waiting 2 to 3 weeks to find out...

And I am off on another "ticked off tangent". LoL

Hope you are better as well
DOC
 
Hi Jockette

Yea old habits!! Prone to pushing hard, keep forgetting I am an old man!! 61 not 21!

Always did all the crazy stuff when I was young, deadlifting insane amounts of weight, broke 350 on the bench press by 15 years old, but that was then....

Working on chilling out & hopefully improving.

Thanks

DOC
 
Your overworking is keeping your knee angry. That in turn causes swelling and pain. A joint replacement is different than any other surgery and its recovery is, too. You cannot exercise it into healing faster, but you can sure slow it down. It sounds like that is what you are doing.

It's quite common for extension to take longer to come in than the bend does. Think of how big those muscles and tendons are in the back of the leg. They don't stretch but a tiny bit at a time. I was able to help mine by doing longer strides with a toe to heel gait. It didn't come quickly, but it did come in.

I will be praying that your wife's biopsy is negative for cancer!
 
Up in the air! :)

And stretching the right knee
 

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Just to update, a have not done anything for PT a couple of days & my knee is a little better when at rest. I still walk the dog & do the recumbent bike, only for 15 minutes no resistance.
Still hurts like hell going up or down stairs or getting up off of a chair.

Passed 10 weeks last Wednesday

Hopefully it will improve more. Going to work one more week at home, although I have to go in at least one day this coming week to inventory spare parts & devices. That will be a challenge to be truthful but hopefully I do not lose ground there.

Hope you all have a great weekend

DOC
 
A little bit of improvement is great! Obviously we’d all like more than a little, but not much happens fast in this recovery.
 
It sounds like you're coming along well. I'm glad you are feeling better. Slow and steady wins the recovery!
 
I'm glad to hear about your improvements! I too have completed/stopped PT and I'm waiting for my stiffness to improve....

Still concerned about your wife, please keep us posted...positive thoughts and prayers
 
Hi Macknit
Very slow improvement, but I will take what I can get!! Have a follow up with my surgeon on 11/11. I was told by his PA that the surgeon is not happy about my pain levels. Yea , me either!! LoL

As for my wife I will update the thread here as soon as we hear anything. We were told that it would be 21 business days before we hear anything!!

So that will be Nov 15th or Nov 18th!!

I still can't believe they sent the samples to CA by US mail! We are trying to not obsess about it!!

Have a great day
DOC
 
Hi Doc, sorry it's been a while, and very sorry to hear about the worry and long wait to hear about your wife's health. I know exactly what you mean about this thing of yours that that is consuming your life suddenly falling of the map when you take it in perspective. But I have good news - and encouragement I hope - to share about recovery long term. Like you the pain has been outrageous, debilitating and way beyond anything I was expecting for this long. I am now at 6 MONTHS (TKR on 4/30/19) and I have just this week "turned the corner" on my pain. I haven't had a nighttime pain issue that kept me awake for at least 3 weeks, and I can "manage" going down stairs foot over foot. I haven't turned around and gone down backwards ("cheated") in over a week. On shallow steps I can actually navigate with minimal pain, and on ordinary steps I'm just a tad beyond uncomfortable. Deep steps are still mighty painful, but my point is that I am still making steady and measurable progress.

Like you, I think I had both unrealistic expectations (based on others' experience) and the mindset that "if I just do this right/do more of the right thing I can make it better". I have found out that if you push beyond the "sweet spot" - wherever that is for you at the pain threshold - you just make things worse and delay recovery. My at-home PT was a "more, more, more" driver, and it wasn't until I started outpatient with my current PT (4 months ago) that I even started to heal. So the last 4 months (initially 3x/week, now 2x/week) we have been working painstakingly at finding my threshold, identifying the trouble spots and targeting whatever we can to relieve my pain. And I'm writing to tell you that it is working! But keep in mind that my PT is willing to do passive motion up until a pain level 5 (or 6 if I'm up for it) and no more. And if I'm doing any strength or weight exercises he's careful to keep it below "true pain". So this progress has been built on "pushing" only WITHIN my tolerance - not pushing beyond it. And that I believe is what has allowed me to both heal and rehabilitate and make the progress I am finally seeing now so many months later.

So I agree with so many others who have said your pain may be a reaction to overstress - mine certainly was. And it may take some targeted rest to let your tissues forgive you and give you another chance to work them more gently this time. I discovered that weekends were killing me. Like you I have a desk job and during the week I pedaled under my desk and got up frequently but wasn't on my feet a ton. I still had constant aches and pains but on the weekend I was on my feet constantly. And (no surprise) Mondays and Tuesdays were my worst days. Now I make myself watch at least 2 1-hour shows each day (mid-day) on Saturday and Sunday WITH MY FEET UP, and along with my other behaviors, these seem to be helping. There is no substitute for legs up! :)

Please let us know how it goes with your wife, and try to be patient and less demanding of your new knee. Unlike you, my non-surgery knee is no better (worse actually) than my new knee, so I don't have the same "regret" feelings you do. For me, it's more "what do I have to do differently next time", because there's really no doubt that there will be a next time for me. My weight bearing on my new knee is outstanding, even if bending it (a lot) hurts. My hobbled gait is now due to my original crazy swollen knee. I should send you a pic and you'll see that we are a matched set!

Keeping your wife in my prayers,
Sybilla
 
Hi Sybilla
Thanks for the kind words. At this point I am not doing any PT other than walking the did & the recumbent with no resistance. I am slightly improving. How long do I do this? I haven't a clue!!

My right knee is still very bad, it just is not as bad as my new knee.

If this does eventually heal and I decide I cannot live with my right knee I will probably go to Boston. I am not convinced that this surgeon got it right at this point. And at this point I do not trust him to touch me in surgery again

I got 90 degrees ROM 1 hour after waking from surgery. After 3 weeks I got 130 degrees. But the pain has been excruciating since I got home 11 weeks ago

I have to meditate to calm down because I get so angry!! This has not been beneficial. I have to work. I am working from home, but can't sustain this forever. Add my wife's potentially heartbreaking diagnosis & I am "not in a good place" as they say!!

Usually either fighting tears about my wife or angry about my knee!! It is wearing me down!!

I know many folks have far worse problems, I tell myself that everyday. It does not seem to help

Well enough of my complaining!! Sorry for my rant again. I have had enough of this day!! Going to sleep!! Sleeping is still the best part of the day!!

Have a great evening
DOC
 
DOC, that is beautiful ROM!! You'll make a lot of people here jealous. :heehee:

I don't have a clue either about how long you'll need to slowly work with your knee. But you are still in the early stages of recovery and you ARE seeing some progress. Sometimes that slow and steady progress is what our knee requires to heal. Hang in there!
 
Hi Jamie
Thanks for the kind words. I am hoping it will continue to improve. My surgeon did not feel like stopping PT would have any I'll effect since my ROM is so good.
I noticed trying to stand on my leg with the new knee alone is pretty tough. I can stand on my right leg only for 15 to 20 seconds easily. But my left leg barely 2 seconds.

My PT therapist said I should be able to get 10 seconds on the new knee. Do you agree?

I have no idea what I should be able to do!

Thanks
DOC
 
There are no “shoulds” in this recovery. We are all different and so are our recoveries. We all achieve different milestones at different times, so it doesn’t matter when we can do what.

How often do you stand on only one leg anyway.

You do have an awesome ROM there!
 
Oh hooray!!! I am so relieved for you!

You know, your pain levels may improve just with that news and lessening the stress you're feeling. Maybe. Fingers crossed that you'll see good things for you too.
 
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