TKR Why did I wait?

[SusieShoes]

Reading your updates is motivational! Who doesn't want to garden in spring? Alas, it's something many of us give up as our knees get too bad. You're living life fully and that's where we all want to be!

 

[jboles]

@MSgirl So good to hear from you. 3 miles is awesome!! I'm not there yet, but working on it. I love what you said about being the best 70 you can be, that's a motto we should all adopt, to be the best, whatever age, we can be. You inspire me.

 

[MSgirl]

@mlwreader and @jboles, I think for the longest time I have felt just plain old. Fat, bitchy, etc. It was embarrassing to send everyone up our steps before me because I was so slow and went up what I called "one-footed". I hated having to find a place to sit while everyone else walked around a beautiful sugar plantation in Louisiana that my garden club visited. I hated having to find an elevator when everyone else was running up the steps. I felt like everyone thought I was lazy. If they haven't had bad knees, they just couldn't understand. So, I'm probably just having a pipe dream about getting fit. I hope not. But when I look at other women who walk bent over, I don't want to be one of them. Can you tell that this is self-talk? Maybe if I say it to myself enough, it will get me off my butt!

 

[mlwreader]

So, I'm probably just having a pipe dream about getting fit. I hope not. But when I look at other women who walk bent over, I don't want to be one of them. Can you tell that this is self-talk? Maybe if I say it to myself enough, it will get me off my butt!

@MSgirl I don't think its a pipe dream. I think its a wonderful goal. Just today a college friend, my age 73, posted a pic on Facebook of her with her right foot in a cast, at the gym, sitting in a chair doing leg lifts. She had major foot surgery 33 days ago, and has to use one of those knee walkers. But there she is, out of the house at the gym for the first time since the surgery, doing leg lifts. With a big fat smile on her face. Doesn't get much better than that. And when you talk about your garden, I am right there with you. Even though I have a black thumb and grew up in New York City where - trust me - we did not have a garden, lol, I just felt how excited and open you were to the idea of getting back into something you love. Please don't second guess yourself, just follow your dreams. Do what feels right. My goodness we have been through so much this past couple of years. Why have this surgery if not to get back into life and do and experience that which we always feared we would never be able to do again. Sending a big hug.

 

[jboles]

It was embarrassing to send everyone up our steps before me because I was so slow and went up what I called "one-footed".

I felt like everyone thought I was lazy. If they haven't had bad knees, they just couldn't understand. So, I'm probably just having a pipe dream about getting fit. I hope not. But when I look at other women who walk bent over, I don't want to be one of them. Can you tell that this is self-talk? Maybe if I say it to myself enough, it will get me off my butt!

Are you reading my thoughts??? This was/is me!!

I don't want to be one of those women anymore either. You are doing something about it, gardening, doing PT, etc.. You will be doing all the things you want to do before you know it.

 

[MSgirl]

Yesterday was 4 months for #2. How time flies! Right... Monday I graduated from PT. My therapist thinks I've gone as far as I need to with her. They played "Pomp and Circumstance" accompanied by lots of clapping. I passed on the cap and gown, which they also have. The other patients were so happy for me and it was a joyous but somewhat scary event for me. I'm afraid I know myself too well. I'll have to really make myself continue with my exercises. Throughout my 3 and a half months of PT, except for some hamstring work, the concentration was on strengthening my quad. It was just so weak. Progress has been made although I have still have a ways to go. Going down stairs is doable but still slow. Going up is no problem. #2 wakes me up most nights but if I roll over onto my back, I can go back to sleep. Last night when it happened, I tried to remember when #1 settled down but can't. It just did so I have confidence that #2 will follow suit. I'm walking for exercise and strength and think it's one of the best things I do.

Now - the big news! I'm continuing to work in my yard planting, weeding and trimming! It is my joy and people must think I'm crazy because I always have a big smile on my face, even when the sweat is pouring off of me! Saturday, I power-washed our patio. That night, I ached but not in my knees. Just in my almost 70 year-old shoulders! The knees didn't make a peep. And the patio looks wonderful. I've planted 35 pots of flowers and get so much pleasure looking at them. I'm happy just telling you about them. I guess in a way they are a symbol of getting to the other side. It was so unbelievably frustrating to give up the thing that gave me so much pleasure. Now, I'm back at it and loving it. (Confession: I am a plant addict but I don't think there's rehab for it. I hope not).

We all know from being on this site that we recover at different rates. There was a woman at my PT place who was unbelievable at steps. Her surgery was the same week as mine. She could go up and down with no problems. I have problems. But her gait wasn't great and she was having to work hard at that. My gait is fine. We had the same dr. and are the same age. It was a good, visible reminder about how we all come to surgery with joints in various states of disrepair and heal at different speeds. So it might take me longer to be great at steps but compared to where I was before the surgeries, if I never get any better, I'm good enough.

I hope you all continue with your healing and are planning on a great summer. Even the heat won't get us down!

P.S. There ARE good PT facilities out there. If you go to a place that hurts you or threatens you, leave! Find another place if you can. I was helped so much by PT because my therapist was one of the good ones. It will be worth your time to check out all the places in your area.

 

[sistersinhim]

What an outstanding post! How wonderful to get back to that gardening. It's something about putting our hands into dirt and then seeing the results of our efforts grow into beautiful things! That is so uplifting!

 

[MSgirl]

@sistersinhim, you are so right! I guess we gardeners must be optimists. We plant and hope things will grow. I'm trying a few new things this year so we'll see. Here's to dirt under our fingernails!

 

[sistersinhim]

 

[MSgirl]

@Celle, would you please change my title to Why did I wait? Thank you.

Goodness, I guess things are great. I just noticed on my calendar that I forgot my five-month kneeversary! Except for some aching in the morning when I wake up, I don't think about my poor old sore knees because they are gone, replaced by new improved ones. And once I stand up and walk a few steps, the ache just goes away. It is so great to walk standing tall. And I love to walk fast. Before the surgeries, after getting out of a car, or standing up after a meal in a restaurant, I would have to stand for awhile, just to get my legs to move. No more!

Things must be good. We are about to get a puppy! Yes, crazy, I know. It has been 11 years since we trained a dog but we are both excited about the prospect. He'll be ours next month. Before the surgeries, I would never have considered doing this. Life is good.

Just in case you wonder why we decided to get a dog, take a look at this face. When he kissed me, it was done!

 

[Celle]

I've changed your thread title for you, @MSgirl .

After seeing that adorable puppy, I understand why you had to have him. Who wouldn't love that beautiful face?

 

[MSgirl]

Thanks so much, Celle. I had forgotten how sweet puppy kisses are. We'll try to keep them in mind when we are cleaning up the floors!

 

[Katlyw]

@MSgirl, Super happy you are doing so well!!! I completely agree about good therapy places. My therapist is amazing. He did my first one 6 years ago. On the gardening front, there's been so many studies that putting your hands in the dirt has the same effects as antidepressants!! Enjoy your lovely new yard and have fun with your new fur baby!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Oh my, I could just kiss and kiss that precious little face! Just think of the exercise that little dog will give you!

 

[MSgirl]

@sistersinhim , you are so right. Just 16 months ago, I would never have considered getting a dog because I wouldn't have been able to walk him. Now, with two good knees, I'll have yet another reason to keep moving. Plus, he is kinda cute.

 

[sistersinhim]

Kinda cute is an understatement!

 

[jboles]

OMG @MSgirl I just saw the picture of your puppy. It's absolutely adorable!! I hope you garden is doing well, I attempted to plant some flowers and they were doing well, that is until this drought in NC hit, now I'm just trying to keep the poor things alive. I've already had to switch some out that didn't make it.

My husband bought a chocolate lab puppy last month, the first couple weeks of potty training, 4 AM barking to go outside, was not fun, but he's finally doing better. One morning my husband looked at me around 5 am and said "it's your turn", I said "I don't think so, my cat uses her litter box".

 

[MSgirl]

@jboles, good for you about that middle-of-the-night walk. I picked up our puppy last Thursday. Whew! I am exhausted - just like having a toddler in the house! The only accidents he's had inside were when I wasn't paying attention to the signs but when I say we are going outside, he has no idea what I mean. He does "go" outside, but yesterday walked in it so I had to shampoo his feet and my clothes! It has been so hot here that I'm afraid my garden is being ignored. In fact, next year I may just plant cactus so I don't have to water! The puppy is not fond of the leash yet but I do look forward to walking with him.

The best part of the puppy adoption is that my knees have not been a factor at all. I forget all about them. It's sort of cool to turn 70, get a new puppy and have bionic knees. Life is good.

 

[sistersinhim]

New knees and a new puppy. What could be better?!

 

[MSgirl]

Happy New Year to all the January Jackpots, past and present! If you're new to Bonesmart, congratulations on finding this site. It will help you immensely. The moderators are so knowledgeable and you will get some great tips from members, too. I'm a member from 2017 and 2018 and benefitted so much from reading the posts.

Time for an annual update and maybe some encouraging words if you are still on your journey:
- Life is good. #1 was a total success. I simply don't notice it. #2 is about 95%. Some aching when I wake up - maybe from sleep positions - but feels normal after walking a minute.
- Kneeling isn't fun so I do what we call "an Episcopal squat" in church. Bottom on pew leaning forward.
- I've been working on cleaning my upper cabinets. It's awesome to step up on my little stool and not be afraid.
- I had an interesting experience recently. Saw a new dr. about something and forgot to put my TKRs under "previous surgeries". It is so nice that my knees aren't dominating my life anymore.
- Walking is my exercise of choice. Taking long strides feels so good. Trips to Wal-Mart, Lowe's and any other place with concrete floors no longer mean I'll be limping when I leave.
- I guess I won't be getting new wood floors in the kitchen. The travertine tile that used to kill my knees when I cooked doesn't bother me at all now.

And of course, best of all was getting our new puppy. As SusieShoes has said, puppies aren't for the faint of heart. He's almost 9 months old now and still FULL of energy. He keeps us moving and laughing and I admit we're glad when he takes a nap. Thank goodness I have two good knees. A puppy would not have been a possibility two years ago. He has made everything worth going through.

So - if you are just starting out, hang in there. That early major pain goes away fairly quickly and soon your life will be better than it has been in a long time. And there are lots of people on here who will help you.

Here's hoping that 2019 will be one of our best yet!