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TKR Ups and downs (11 weeks post op)

If the chair (or toilet) was high enough and firm enough, not low and spongy, I could get up without pushing at around six weeks. High and firm were key. If I’d sunk into the cushions of even a higher seat, or if I had to manuever for room (say when getting up from a dining table) I used my hands. I still use my hands to skooch forward before getting up from lowish, cushy seats.

I could get up hands free from low toilets and most low seats at around three months. It was a combination of pain easing up at that point and my quads being strong enough. It can take a while, and everyone is different as to how long, for the quads to get stronger. There’s nothing wrong with using your hands to push, if that feels better or safer. Springing up from chairs and sofas comes when your legs are ready.
 
I still use my arms, too, on low soft seats. I'm 5'6', so a lot of chairs are low for me. But, those that aren't, I can stand right up.
 
Like Sistersinhim said, I still use my arms for low seats. It was 9-12 months post op before I was comfortable getting up/down out of chairs and as a teacher I did it a lot. Speaking of up/down, that’s what this recovery is like. It doesn’t follow a straight path, but really goes up and down, especially if you’re more active. If you notice that you’re knee is sore, swollen or complaining it’s probably because you over did it the day before. Finding a balance can be difficult. One of our advisors have said that her OS advised spending double the time elevating as being up and about. When I look back at my recovery that worked for me. I tended to space chores out and rest/elevate between chores. I’d dust the living/dining room and elevate for a while before going into the next room or vacuuming.
 
How was your evening?
 
Thanks for asking, Jockette. I ended up canceling because, at 5, I could feel that I had no reserves for the evening. I told my friend I would probably fare better if for now we get together earlier in the day. She said she was concerned that I'm so tired, and I explained that it was completely normal at this stage. Then, just a few hours later another friend said she was surprised at how tired I get, that I had seemed to be doing so well. I guess this is the part that is hard for other people to understand.

My evening was nice anyway. Dinner and glass of wine with my husband, some reading, some cuddles with the cat, and a recorded Late Show from the night before.

I am so looking forward to when I can spend evenings with my fiddle and banjo, but right now, it takes too much energy. Typically, I'm a night owl, but lately I look forward to being in bed by 11. Last week I invited friends over for a music session, which was great, but I ran out of steam pretty fast.
 
I’m sorry you didn’t get to go, but feeling the way you did, you made the right decision.

You will get all kinds of comments from people. Especially later on when you know you’re still healing, but it’s been a while and people think you should be fine.
 
Today I am concerned about my scar. I think the top half of it might be hypertrophic or possibly keloid. It's raised, red, and slightly painful to the touch. Yesterday there was a painful burning sensation at the very top end of the scar.

I've put in a call to my surgeon's office to see if they want to take an interest in it or advise me to see my dermatologist about it.

I'd like to include a photo here, but I have to figure out how to resize a photo on Android without installing an app.
 
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I'm tech-challenged and what I do with photos is mail them to myself. On my phone (iPhone) I get prompted to choose a size. I choose Medium instead of Original or Large. The mailed photo is the right size for BoneSmart. I know it should be simpler to get a photo the right size, but I can't for the life of me figure it out in my Photo app!
 
I like the way you resize the picture!
 
I have to chop mine to get them down to a small enough size. My android doesn't offer resizing.
 
It would be interesting to know if others have had this sudden increase in pain, for no specific reason, well other than a TKR!

I too experience this: last night and all today and just nothing seems to shift it. I am now at 6 weeks and thought I was improving. Maybe we just have to put it down to the erratic process of healing after TKR.
 
This recovery is not a straight line up, it an up and down. Just like a rollercoaster. Increased pain is your knee telling you that you are doing too much and it's angry. Listen to it and learn from it. It's gets better, but you have to take it slow and easy. The worst thing for me on this recovery was the patience it required. Please be treat you knee like the baby it is.
 
Thanks SusieShoes. It occurred to me I might have to resize via email, but I was hoping to find a more elegant solution. Let's try this:

[Bonesmart.org] Ups and downs (11 weeks post op)
 
I set my camera to take a low resolution photo. Some of the detail is softened, but at least it gives some idea of what my scar looks like.
 
My hubby had an episode like that only he was in a chair. His blood pressure was nearly non existent ended up being a mild heart attack so get him checked good
 
It's nothing. Wounds do have ups and downs. If it doesn't settle down in the next 2-4 weeks then see your doctor.
 
It's been 10 weeks since surgery. I'm finding I don't have to rest nearly as much as I did just 3 weeks ago. The energy drains are happening less often, and they are less intense. What's bothering me now is itchiness around my scar. It's driving me mad. The scar itself is a little flaky. The itching is on the neighboring skin. I'm not sure what is safe to do to relieve the itching, especially since I moisturized my entire knee, including scar, a few weeks ago and the scar burned like crazy the rest of that day. Since then, I'm wary of treating the scar and surrounding skin, so I've been leaving it alone except for some gentle washing in the shower.

Does anyone have experience with this? Any advice?
 
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I used vitamin e cream on my scar. Don’t know if it helped. It never itches and it still sore in parts at 15 weeks. It’s also not as straight as yours. Got a big kink in it as it goes over the knee as if surgeon thought oh let’s just open this up a bit more! Read the first part of your thread about the icing. I see where you maybe coming from but if I hadn’t have iced along side my pain meds I don’t think I would have coped. I’m still icing a lot as meds wear off and next meds aren’t due. Yea and being tired and still resting are part of the course I think. I just keep telling people ‘it can take a year you know!’
 
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