TKR What I did on my summer vacation

[kneeper]

Probably a good decision to avoid the treadmill for now. I always thought it's better to just walk outside if you can because you can adjust your speed more naturally as you see how the knee is feeling.

I remember being told that I might feel different muscle aches at first on the treadmill b/c it forces you to walk differently than the gait developed in the many years pre tkr.

 

[birdwatchr]

Well, back a few steps. Was having a GREAT knee day until...... I ran into the gas line on the hot water heater in the laundry room, which is extremely tight in there. Right on the incision where that stitch that bothered me so much was. Not feeling good at all right now. All I did was turn around, and BOOM! there it was. Icing it now.

Couldn't get to sleep til 4 this morning. Sleep problems are getting old. Has to clear up in 2 weeks, or I'll be no good at work. Can't take naps there!

Found a website that explains knee pain in a way I can understand it: It's a PDF - Doc, My Knee Still Hurts - Online Orthopedics (www.orthopodsurgeon.com>knee_hurts) Didn't appear to tell everything I was looking for, but explained some of what I wanted to know.

Was disappointed in courthouse when I went to get son's birth certificate. It had no changes made to it!! So why was it on hold all these years? They sent me to another area, who sent me to another area, who sent me back to original area, all on different floors (all the while my knee is starting to rebel). Then the original girl takes it somewhere and finally comes back with "a judge will need to look at it and he's not here." Haven't heard anything back. Next step is calling vital statistics. Don't understand why they took my money, then never did anything to fix it. And no, after 22-23 years I DON'T remember who I spoke/dealt with or where I was in the OLD courthouse!!! Don't even remember the exact year I did it, just that he was over 12 months old and they told me if I had done it before he turned a year old, I wouldn't've had to pay! People.... really????? Sure wish I could find what they mailed me after that - it still wasn't right.

Oh, and had them put my cane through security separately to see if I would set off the alarm myself. I did!! Again, I had to step aside and be wanded. Now my son wants me to go back to Six Flags and see if I can slow the line up there! Good thing I don't fly anymore. Don't like how they handle rechecking you at the airports.

Called to get the scan done on my foot - they tried to tell me I had never seen the foot doctor. I told them I most certainly had! They finally found it, and I have appointment to see him and set up a scan Tuesday. Hope he doesn't say surgery. No time for that now! Not to mention he's already told me if I thought the knee surgery was bad, foot surgery is worse. We'll see what he says. Now would be the time to have surgery, since the out of pocket has been taken care of. But definitely would not be looking forward to it at this point.

@Floridagal
That was bad for your SIL. For a while, every time I got to 4.5 years on a job, I would get let go because when you hit 5 years, you got extra vacation days and other benefits. My redeeming laughter comes because all these companies are no longer in business! At the time, I was really mad about things, but as I found out they went out of business, I thought serves you all right! The last company before going to the school system even took our retirement funds and gave them back to us so we would have to either invest or pay the taxes on them. And they lied to all of us about selling out. Course, when I started working in the school system, I told them all the places I had worked for went out of business. Was the school system safe with me working there? Or would they go out of business too?

Well, here's too a good weekend for everyone!

 

[Floridagal]

Will the red tape and stupidity never end???? I found the website you suggested and found it interesting reading. I think I will have a beer for supper to boost my silica! You have a good weekend too. You deserve it after putting up with all that b...s..t!

 

[birdwatchr]

@Floridagal
Yeah, guess I'll have to call vital records in Atlanta now. Chalk it up to experience. Guess I should have done more to verify it had been changed back then.

Woke up at 2am in pain and never could get back to sleep. Went out to eat at Cracker Barrel tonight. They don't have booths, but did OK in chair at table. Asked for bigger table so I could stretch leg out. Then went to Hobby Lobby to browse. Decided to go to Target afterwards. Got scooter to ride there. Leg is hot and somewhat swollen. Hubby asked if I wanted to walk mall afterwards. Said not hardly! He thinks he's cute with these jokes sometimes. Claims if his knee were done, he'd be making circles around me by now doing everything! Yeah.... right! Well, need to go ice the knee down. I did get some discontinued yarn to make doll afghan. Should keep me busy and still for a while. Decided to make it a granny square to fit the doll.

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you should have done one or the other store, not both. Hope you had a relaxed evening of

 

[birdwatchr]

@kneeper
Yeah, one or the other. But Target was not crowded and riding scooter was fun and easy. Won't do it in WalMart... too crowded and people are rude. At least I know I can really only handle one store at a time right now. I was getting stir crazy being at home so much. Did my icing. Lots of pain woke me up this morning, but I did sleep better and longer. Ended up taking something for pain after I got up. Taking it easy today crocheting. Tomorrow will be back to the old grind! At least I have some things to do to keep busy and keep my mind occupied!

 

[newlybionic]

Cabin fever is the worst! I'm glad you got a good nights sleep. A day off today will do you good.

BTW I couldn't drive the carts. I kept crashing into things. I'm impressed you could handle them so well.

 

[birdwatchr]

@newlybionic
I have to laugh. Hubby tells me not to run into him, then walks in front of me and stops suddenly! Often! And if he decided to turn around and go back the way he came, I found it easier to go straight and come back down the next aisle. I was kind of scared of them at first, and a little embarrassed to use them. The biggest problem I've had is that you use your thumb to push the lever, and with carpal tunnel and hand arthritis, its not very comfortable. So I have to keep changing hands! But overall, okay every now and then. It'll be nice when I can spend the day going from store to store again, but as long as I can go to one or two, I guess I can't complain.

The big test will be going back to work in two weeks. A little nervous about that. At least the first 2-3 weeks don't involve students for me. They're not allowed in the library the first two weeks. Our school has a policy of no teaching the first week... it's strictly procedures, procedures, procedures! And we have to set up library and computer lab schedules. So it'll be 11-12 weeks from surgery before I deal with students. Hoping it'll be enough. And I will, as usual, avoid being in hallways when classes change.

Hope everything is going well with you.

 

[sistersinhim]

I enjoy driving the carts, too. And the freedom they give is worth the funny moves that we can make with them. My friend that comes with me knows to stay behind me! At least I haven't run into the display yet. I better not brag, though. There's always next week!

 

[newlybionic]

As long as you have some periods when you can sit periodically and walk at other times I think you'll do okay. My knee does swell and I've tried some elastic sleeves to try on my knee. I also bought some inexpensive compression tights to wear under my regular scrubs. Just plan on doing nothing else especially in the first few weeks. I live alone so I picked up some healthy frozen meals and some other quick things to eat after work. I do no cleaning or washing clothes until I have a day off.

 

[Suz]

Glad to see you're coming along in your recovery @birdwatchr! Most everyone here had to learn the balance in activity to keep us out of the Over-Did-It-Club! I use to get so frustrated at myself for pushing the limits and paying the high price!

Now something funny about me and the Walmart Scooters!

I had to swallow HARD the first time I used one in Walmart. I was about 7 months pre-op and could hardly walk past 10 minutes. INTENSE pain. So I had no choice. And wouldn't you know the very first time I puttered one to the back of the store where the craft dept. was, watching every single person I passed to see if they were laughing at me, THE BATTERY DIED!! In great shame I climbed off, left it there and hobbled back to the front of the store to get another one. Talk about flushed, I was!!

Now if I could have puttered around with some of my BoneSmart buddies it wouldn't have been so bad!

 

[birdwatchr]

@newlybionic
We do meals on weekends now and laundry gets done on Saturdays. Makes things easier. And cleaning.... what's that????!!! LOL My biggest concern is that they let me stay in the library the first week.

@Suz
Love the picture! Dying scooters is one of the problems with WalMart. When my younger son was getting out after the horrific car accident he was in, he had the same thing happen. He managed to get the scooter back and get another one, but it was rough. Too many people walk into WalMart and get the scooters, but take them out to their car and leave them. Hubby has a LOT to say about that! It's just one of the reasons I no longer like WalMart. For my son and me he either took it back and plugged it in, or we left them in the store and walked back out to the car. Also, too many kids are riding them for fun. Other stores like Target keep their scooters up and take care of them.

Had my foot xrayed today - they won't be doing a scan after all. He said if I get to the point of it bothering me all the time, he will do surgery - most likely a fusion. Didn't even give me a shot - 'cause I've had 3 (really 4 - from another dr, and the last one was almost a year ago). So, until last week it was behaving. And..... as it was not presented to me as an emergency to save my life, NO MORE SURGERY!!!!! Don't think I could go through with another surgery, especially since he warned me it would hurt more than my knee has. Now would be the time to do anything, because out of pocket is taken care of, but I just can't even stand the thought of more surgery. Not to mention the time off needed. So hopefully foot will continue to behave.

 

[uva55]

I'm glad you don't need another surgery, have faith that things will continue to look up from now on.

@Suz I used a scooter at the supermarket around 3 weeks ago and I was giving myself a case of road rage, those things are so dang slow, look I have used every ounce of patience on this recovery, I don't have any left to deal with a slowwwwww scooter

 

[birdwatchr]

Aaaaggggghhhhh!!!!! Can't sleep AGAIN! Been up for 2 hours. It's gotta stop! I thought it was bad before surgery. It's even worse after. Knee has been hurting on the sides, so now I can no longer lay on my side. I feel like I am going backwards. Can't lift knee sideways anymore either. Top of incision started oozing and bleeding today, although not much. Thought it might be another stitch, but don't see anything. I thought it had healed over. Swelled up pocket of fluid is aggravating. When can it be drained again? So frustrating. PT was changed again - to tomorrow. Will be too tired to do it. Can't take much more of this. Can't even focus on crafts, etc. Thought it was getting better, but it's not. I am so exhausted, and have been for years. I tell everyone I'm the energizer bunny.... I keep going and going. But the battery is dying. So tired.

 

[Tabbycat]

I'm sorry you are feeling so much pain, tiredness and frustration. This is such a difficult recovery at times, when your body is exhausted and you can't sleep. In the end time is the only thing that heals. I know that's not much comfort at the moment, but if it's any help, all of us who have been through this understand and send loving healing wishes to you. Tabby xxx

 

[Floridagal]

I worry for you. Maybe it is time to have a talk with Josephine. Things just don't seem right at this stage in your recovery. I don't want to add to your concerns but I know you are thinking of going back to work soon. I hope that the healing turns around soon. I am sending positive thoughts your way.

When I went to WalMart there were no electric carts available. There was a huge line at customer service where I had to return a recalled item. When it was my turn they had no idea how to handle the recall. It was all extremely frustrating and I vowed never to go back.

 

[birdwatchr]

@Tabbycat
Thank you so much for my special picture. I love it. Trying to hang on is hard. I get cranky with no sleep. This year I'm not sure I can tell the new "boss" fair warning... not moving around much today! Not sure if I'll be able to visit the counselors when I need a break either. The unknown of a new person thwarts old coping ways.

@Floridagal
Yeah. Had PT look at knee. She said it looks fine, but had no explanation for the blister type thing. I washed it with antibacterial soap, so it should clear up. Keeping it elevated now. I'm wondering now if it could be an ingrown hair. At least it's no longer hurting. The spot, that is. Thank you for the positive thoughts. They are apparently working!

In my opinion, Walmart has gone downhill, although their yarn is usually a pretty good deal. Ours took the fabric department out. About 10-12 years ago I would go there after taking the boys to school for certain items and the shelves were always empty. Nothing but wasted trips. Now I pretty much dread going there.

PT went slower today. Didn't do some of the exercises, tried a couple new ones. Bend measured 120, I suspect the last measurement by someone else was slightly off. Or I just couldn't bend as much today. Not going to worry about that part. It's mostly between 120 and 125, so good for now. Asked about when I could have the pocket of fluid drained. Hopefully end of August. That would help with some of the pain. Hope it doesn't keep coming back like it always did before surgery. Can't wait for things to feel better.

 

[sistersinhim]

You have a really good bend! I'm glad PT thinks your oozing is fine and it's getting better. I have days when I am so sick of this I could scream and then mostly I just cry. One good day, then a bad one. Sometimes I can hardly bend then other times it bends great. This is really, truly a rollercoaster ride. I want off!!

 

[newlybionic]

You might want to call your OS if the incision continues to ooze at all. I'm a side sleeper and just cannot get comfortable in my bed so I've been sleeping in my recliner. You might also want to see if your regular doctor can prescribe a medicine to help you sleep. I had to do that so I could get some sleep so I could function at work.

 

[birdwatchr]

@sistersinhim
I LOVE roller coasters! But I am HATING this one! Slept better last night, but woke up every 1 to 1 1/2 hours in pain. Feeling better with some sleep.

@newlybionic
Yeah... won't be able to go back to work with no sleep. PCP has suggested benadryl in past. I think I still have some. I always forget to take anything at bedtime 'cause I am so tired. Then if I remember, I don't want to get up to take it, so I try without. Plus I'm tired of hubby calling me a druggie. He thinks it's so "cute".

Hopefully today will be much better.