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TKR VW's new joint venture

A few days ago, a man in the checkout line at the market had his knee give way. He was right in front of me, and I heard him cussing it under his breath while turning his head around to see who noticed. Of course, I noticed and couldn't resist asking, "New knee?," He said, 'No, old knee that needs to be replaced." Naturally I said, "Just do it, you'll be glad you did." I gave him my surgeon's and PT's names, for which he seemed to be very grateful.
 
VW54, OUCH! So much activity on sequential days, how could it not hurt? While icing and elevating this morning, I was thinking just how fortunate I am to be able to schedule my 2 days of PT with 2 days off in-between. I honestly don't think I could've managed any other way. The hot tub/spa sounds wonderful, but the stairs into it and the breast stroke, not so much. I hope tomorrow is either a DOR for you or a much easier day. Crossing all digits for your car to be repaired as well! Oh, and sending you some serious cooling vibes for that super hot weather; ugh! I didn't realize Vienna ever saw those kinds of temperatures, but of course, everything weather-wise is odd in these days of climate change.
 
VW54 said:
Tried twice to walk down steps underwater. Not quite. Tried breaststroke: nope, no can do w op leg. Walking underwater good but weird sensation.
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Hi @VW54 I'm sorry to hear you've joined the ODIC. As Pheebs said, a couple of days off could be a good idea.
Walking and trying steps under water is OK, but the breaststroke leg kick is notoriously bad for knees - even knees with no problems. It's best if you avoid that frog kick for a long time yet - try doing the breast stroke arms with the freestyle kick instead.
 
Tomorrow Friday will be a 'day of rest advised': DORA
Besides which, another scorcher. It's all what people talk about. Rare to have such high temps for so long and so many years in a row.

Today I got a call from a friend of a friend who at 4 weeks out is so upset about how her knee op went and that no one prepared her about this.
Coincidently there was a lady at rehab who at 12 weeks said that very same thing two days ago to the PT.
Hmmmm....patient information lacking; seems to be a universal theme.

At rehab today the recumbent bike was so noisy that it even distracted me from the clunking in my upgraded knee!
Re car: saga continues. Part has to be shipped from Germany. So no repair done yet. And no substitute car. Either my DH is fibbing, (not wanting to have to deal w new car changes) or not forceful enough demanding better service or the service people think: old absent minded man w old car, "why bother?"
It's enfuriating. But we agreed at marriage that all car matters are his domain.
 
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Yay for a DORA and not a moment too soon! I just don't understand surgeons who don't provide realistic expectations on recovery post- TKR. It's such a disservice to patients....smh.

Oh groan, on the car saga! What a drag, and probably made worse by the heat you are having. That'sll certainly make tempers short. Does your car insurance cover a rental? Typically, that's what happens here if the car is going to be out of commission for a while and the owner signed up for that coverage.

Now, how are you going to stay cool tomorrow? I see that you don't have A/C at home; ugh!
 
Did you tell your friend about BoneSmart? I've told people and they just look at me like I was crazy and they couldn't care any less. At my OS appointment last week, I overheard a man talking to another tkr lady. He said he was having a partial. She said that, that would be so much easier that a total and I joined in and said it wasn't true, that the recovery for the both of them was the same. They asked if I had one and I said that I had, had a total and that I was a forum advisor on BoneSmart.org and they then ignored me. If only people would tell this site, they wouldn't be sorry!
 
I've suggested this site to a few folks who I know are planning on replacements. The pre-surgery stuff is so useful as well. Despite my frustration with my OS in his old-style no pain no gain recovery thinking he was very good at answering all of my upfront questions. Not knowing about BS I had lots of questions which I emailed to him after hours and he always replied. This is a terribly hard surgery to not be well informed about. Enjoy your DORA VW. I would be glad to have someone else in charge of all car-related issues but I'm sure it's frustrating to be dealing with this for so long.
 
Yes, Did tell her. She's been reading German sites where the philosophy tends to be "rapid recovery" and so not quite sure how to proceed. She told me she starts in house / stationary rehab in 2 weeks which for her is 6 weeks post op and it's the earliest she could get. 3 weeks long, 6 days a week, up to 6 hours a day on some days.
I sighed.
Then sent her German animation of TKR operation so she realises what all was done to knee. However the video likens the implant to getting a crown on one's tooth, thus minimising the severity of the operation. The doctor commenting the video did say it takes patients half a year until they can resume all activities.
She went into op thinking she'd be ok in 3 months.
She gasped when she heard my rehab only started on week 8 and would be 6 weeks long and only a few hours a day: "That takes so long to get fit"
Yes. And after 6 days my DORA day is a golden
" el dorado" been reclining most of today under our ceiling fan. 36C as I write. Indoors 28. Ugh.
 
You can lead a TKR pre-surgical patient to water, but... lots of people are dismissive of online sites. There's a pervasive perception that the internet is inhabited by ill-informed trolls. (Gee, wonder where that notion came from?) Younger people, and those who use the internet, know better, and that it's important to assess the quality of the information being dispensed. The bulk of joint replacement patients, though, are older and many haven't used the internet much. If my mom didn't use her computer for email and visiting dog rescue sites, she wouldn't know the internet existed at all. In fact, she was surprised when I told her the dog rescue sites were on the internet. I think she thought they were part of the email.
 
With knees like these...
My cartoon: dedicated to all of us slothing away: [Bonesmart.org] VW's new joint venture
 
Great cartoon VW54! Your weather....not so much; pffft!
 
Thanks. If I had not rushed it, the text would have looked better.

Now for something else: A new pain ! and am wondering why I have this 9 weeks post op.
When lying on my bed, if I press m knee down towards mattress it hurts quite a bit. It is not a move I would normally make, but I was yawning and stretching and then Yikes, what awful pain!
Have tried it now while elevating : same thing.
My extension is 0. So if I were trying to go for -5 it would hurt too much. It hurts where the kneecap is, and then right behind the knee a bit less. @Celle or @Josephine any idea why this pain and why now?
 
Well, it is only 9 weeks since your surgery and I suspect that the additional activity and exercises at the spa-camp have a lot to do with it.

Honestly, your knee was doing fine.
I know the treatment you're having now is apparently standard where you are, but it isn't necessary. If you can do it, I suggest at least a week of no planned exercise, just the gentle activities of daily living, with an increased amount of elevating and icing - ice the back of your knee particularly.
If that's not possible, then try to only do the water therapy (no exercises) and ask for gentle massage. Don't do any of the formal exercise sessions.
 
Hi @Josephine
Thanks for prompt reply/question.
It's exactly at the cross of C,D LF3,LF4 so just "behind" the patella.
At the back of the knee it's probably the popliteus acting up again D, E LB4.
Although Celle suggested it's probably due to increased activity..it doesn't quite match my thoughts as the pain is very bad when I pretend to try to get more extension ( though I am at 0)
And it was after 6 days at rehab. Wouldn't it have been painful after a couple of days already?
The outpatient rehab I attend would be similar to me going to physiotherapy 1 hour 4x week Mo-Th plus 20 minutes water therapy.
My knee feels very stiff/hurts when I try to sit down first thing in the morning (bed, loo, bfast table) which is new. Before I started rehab, it used to feel so much better in the morning.!
Thanks once again.
 
@VW54, for me, this says it all:

"Before I started rehab, it used to feel so much better in the morning.!"

For instance, when I go to PT, I feel much better when I leave. I "may" get a little bit stiff later that night, but it's nothing that an ice pack and some elevation can't quickly fix. Most of the time, even this does not occur.

That said, I'm certainly not doing all you are doing; not even close. And I only go 2x a week for one hour. I also don't do much of it at home, some days, not any. I completely realize we have entirely different protocols for post-op rehab, but to my mind, Bonesmart principles should apply as much as possible. When in doubt, I've always come back to "If it hurts, don't do it." Does that not work for you?
 
@VW54 ~ you are a very good artist ~ i love the expression on the face of the sloth on the left ~ perfect. @SusieShoes i agree with you that there are some excellent online support sites. this is the 2nd one i've joined. the first was 10 years ago, "hystersisters", when i had the hysterectomy which found cancer and they have a forum for gyn cancers and lots of legitimate medical articles and information. i actually met 2 members in person, one from michigan and one from the town my son lives in, waterdown, ontario and we have kept in contact ever since. i will be referring anyone who i know is having a hip or knee replacement to Bonesmart.
 
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