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Bilateral TKR Vancouver USA Recovers

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Linda, I am so glad I caught up with you! You sound like you are doing very well. I am so glad you are up and about on your own now. I can't quite do that yet...RA issues continue.:loveshwr::vespa:
 
Glad to see you are doing more each day. Things are getting better each day. I can't wait for that outside pools water to warm up. It is too cold. I want to do some water exercise. Getting ready for grand-daughter's graduaction. Never a dull moment. I feel like I need a nap. You take care and wishing you the best.
 
I don't have another PT appt. for 2 weeks but they wanted me to get in a pool to facilitate movement so I've gone twice to the rec.. center indoor pool which is quite warm. It feels good but quickly wears me out. I'm also supposed to use the elliptical bike but haven't managed that one yet. I'm struggling a bit to stay upbeat - I'm really tired of being tired :zzz:and of everything being a struggle. I just can't wait to have more energy and for things to get easier. Well, I had heard we'd have these periods and it's just something I'll have to get thru. :bored:

I hope you all are doing well.
 
Hi Linda, I just spotted your thread...Actually Vancouver USA caught my eye because I grew up just across the Columbia River from you in Portland. I still have family there and go back often...well not too often lately because of all my knee surgeries. But I just wanted to say Hi to you and hope that you are doing well. I know that Vancouver is a very nice city!
 
I grew up in Calif. but love it up here - the cooler weather and the beautiful green trees make me happy. It sounds like you've been thru a lot!
 
VancouverUSAgal said:
It sounds like you've been thru a lot!
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Just like the old Timex commercial used to say..."I take a licking but keep on ticking!" We'll get through this, I'am in awe of you, getting two knees done at once!
 
Did I read on Karrington's thread that your grandchild fell in your knee?!!! If so, have you talked to anyone about it? It concerns me too. I won't go on about it. Hopefully I'll hear from you soon.
 
I haven't posted for awhile because not much is going on. I finished PT a little over 2 weeks ago and am now going to the swimming pool to bounce around and work my knees as much as possible to try to get them bending better. :swim:

I was feeling a little discouraged because my knees are so stiff in the mornings and after sitting for awhile and, more bothersome, it still hurts quite a lot to get up out of a chair and to stand for any length of time. However, I saw my surgeon yesterday and he thought I was doing great and said I was just where he expected me to be. My flexion is only about 110 in both knees but he said I should gain more over the next year. He reminded me that the knees may not look so swollen now but that the tissues were really traumatized and will remain "thickened" for a year to 18 months and they just do not want to bend in that condition. Because of me weight and other medical issues, I didn't expect to have one of those "miraculously easy recoveries" we all hear about, but I did hope I'd be done with pain by 3 months post-surgery. They really don't emphasize enough how long this recovery can take!

My other doctor asked me if I was glad I had the surgery and I said he should ask me again in a few months. I'm sure it will continue to get better but at this point I'm still having pain equal to what I had before surgery when I walked very much. More patience needed . . . :hissy:
 
It will come. I had my singleton done eight days after you did and it is doing better than I thought. But then, I blew my other knee as it tried to support my new knee while healing. So, I am still not walking beyond a few feet because my old knee won't handle it. Tis frustrating. Even my shoulders hurt from using the walker (I can almost walk with cane but that really hurts the shoulder - and I walk like a penguin that way. So I wait patiently for my other knee to be done and start all over again!:wave:
 
Yes, this process really requires determination - I guess it will build "character" as they say! But I think I'm enough of a character already.

So sorry to hear of your problems and that you have to go thru surgery again. It will get better for both of us (we just have to keep reminding ourselves).

Since I assume you can't do much gardening, what do you do to occupy yourself?
 
Sounds like you're doing well. That stiffness in the morning can last a few more months, but should be getting better week by week.
 
Finding things to do can be a challenge. If i do too much I make either my shoulders or right knee hurt. But, I can do laundry, take my service dog for walks( in my elec wheelchair,), read books, watch old movies. I just have to balance things.

I knew I had to do a second one before I decided to do the first. They were both equally bad before. Now, the right one hurts more than expected. I will have it done in early September!
 
Linda, glad to hear things are improving. I don't think the doctors cover how tough recovery actually is. I know mine told me his part was easy compared to what I would need to do but truly did not go into much detail.

I'm not where I want to be or should be with ROM, but the past 2 weeks have shown improvement. My OS has approved another 3 weeks of PT. I have a followup appt next week and am really working to improve ROM by then. I still have stiffness but that is improving. Very little pain besides that. Just on Tylenol.

Are you doing more of what you did prior to surgery? Can you stand now for longer periods?
 
You seem to be doing well. It really is a slow process, but it's so good to see progress. Hang in there.
 
@waitingtogarden Thank goodness I love to read and really never get tired of that. Plus I crochet a lot while watching TV. I make baby blankets for a charity (they give layettes to needy moms) so I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile during the TV watching. I'm glad you can at least get outside even if it's in a wheelchair. Hopefully after your next surgery and by the end of the year things will get a lot better for you. My OS gave me the talk about exercising but then resting the next day if I had more pain or stiffness so you're right that you have to balance things.

@sleenie I stopped PT because they said there really wasn't anything more they could do, that I just need to work on endurance and use the pool to try for more flexion. I was happy because I really didn't like going and I'd rather work on my on. I was afraid my OS might push for more PT but he didn't, possibly because I told him I go to the pool 3x/week. I really love the feeling of such easy bending in the pool. It does tires me out - just walking, marching, bouncing, etc. and I usually come home and take about an hour nap!
 
@sleenie I realized I didn't answer your questions. I'm just now starting to be able to do more than I did before surgery. Today I noticed I did walk more without discomfort but I'm still walking kind of slow. I was really "deconditioned" by the time I had surgery and gaining stamina has been a real challenge.

Do you feel your diabetes has had an impact in regard to the surgery? I've was diagnosed 10 years ago so I kind of forget about it a lot of the time (not really a good idea). Your surgery was about 2 weeks after mine - you are concerned about ROM?
 
I'im stilling doing PT for a couple more weeks. I really like my PT, she pushes but stops when I say too much. I love the deep massages as I think she helps break up adhesions forming which I have a problem with. I lost ground when I had severe muscle spasms in both calves and thighs twice.

My pain levels low, unless I overdo or sleep wrong. I use Tylenol only and stopped taking it during the night unless I wake up. My ROM is not where it should be (right abt 100 at last measure) but I know it has improved a lot this past week. I think some adhesions broke loose. My right knee is by far worse than the left. My stamina is pretty good I walked the Farmers Market last weekend which I could not do before. I have a followup with my OS next week.

I'm glad the swimming is helping you. I may start doing that after PT. Also looking at joining the gym. Going this week to see what equipment they have that I can use.

Considering where we both were at the beginning, we've come a long way. Your issues you had at the skilled nursing home helped me push really hard fo anr inpatient rehab facility. Best thing I ever did, especially since I live alone.

As far as my diabetes goes,a couple of small issues right after surgery but nothing after that, thankfully.

Keep doing what you are doing and things will continue to improve.
 
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