Why Is TKR Rehab Like a Jig-Saw Puzzle?

[referee54]

Many of us get frustrated at how slowly our rehab is coming. We want to move faster than our bodies will heal. We have to look at our rehab like a jigsaw puzzle. It tkaes a long time to put one of those together, right? We work, and we work, and at times we become frustrated at the lack of progress---then a few pieces come togther and we get to see something that wasn't there before. Our knees rehabs takes a step forward.

Slowly, the picture begins to form of what we are working to assemble. In this case, our TKR knee is getting better, and we get a picture of what life is going to be like. The jigsaw puzzle of life becomes a little more clear.

The doctor cleared me yesterday to do whatever I can do---but today my knee is a little stiff...but that is the nature of the puzzle, is it not? I can see the picture---but I still have pieces of the puzzle to put together. My life will still take a while to be pieced together, just ike the puzzle. I, like you are still putting pieces of the puzzle together---i may be a little farther ahead,I may have more pieces of my puzzle together, but the puzzle still is not complete. I don't know if it will ever be---but that is life.

Time for me to go to PT---another piece of my puzzle---

Tim C.

 

[gatiger]

Tim, I LIKE that analogy. Very well put. Now for me to like it, well, that could indicate a need for counseling in your future. Regardless, very true and well-said.

 

[Doug]

Very good and timely analogy. I bought a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle yesterday and announced last night that we would be cutting the T.V. off and spending family time putting the puzzle together.
Anybody have a spare room for a recovering TKR patient??

 

[Skeet]

We did jigsaw puzzles when I first came home. I'd start it and then the rest of the family would get hooked on them and no one got anything done until they were complete!

 

[Rowdy66]

I understand what you mean about this whole thing feeling like a jig saw puzzle. I just hope I don't have any pieces missing when all is said and done and that I can get back to what I used to think of as normal, such a very long, long time ago. I want to be able to wear pretty shoes with heels and lose this old lady walk, cane and all. I think a lot of this puzzle is going to be up to me and that I just can't give up until I am whole again. Part of what makes it so hard in my mind is all these months of pain and getting ready for the surgery only to realize when you find a site like this one that it is going to take considerable time after surgery. I just know I am not going to quit until I have reached 100%.

 

[blondie42550]

Rowdy,
You might want to ask your Doctor about the heels. I got some really cute Sketchers

You can wear them dressy or with jeans, they are very comfortable and they look great on. I wear socks with them, I have a whole chest of drawers of socks, so I can show them off with these shoes. I also wore them with my support hose for church.

 

[referee54]

What I mean is this---those thousand-piece puzzles take time to put together, and in the beginning, it is a huge challenge and you have to work really, really hard to make just a little progress. Then, as things progress, the picture---the goal---becomes clearer, and we get a glimpse of what the ultimate goal can be; then, we fit the little pieces together and real progress is made...except, I believe that, unlike the jigsaw puzzle, the pieces of rehab in our lives never quite are finished---we will always be riding a bike or excersising more---we will always be slightly conscious of the titanium or the porcelain or the whatever in our knees.

Tim C.

 

[blondie42550]

Ref,
That is a great description of our quest to excel in our rehab. At almost 17 weeks post BTKR, I still see a little improvement every day. One little puzzle piece after another!

 

[Nursepair]

That's a good description there Tim. I think I must have knocked some pieces pf my puzzle on the floor though, because my ROM just decreased back from 90-88 today at PT. I guess I just have to gather the pieces up again and see what went wrong? Sue

 

[referee54]

Sometimes the pieces fit easily; sometimes we have to ge down under the tale and look for them--utlimately, though, the finished product is something to be proud of.

Tim C.

 

[Skeet]

I got those same shoes just a week ago!!! They are SO comfortable and they look decent with a dress or slacks. I don't know if I'll ever be able to wear my heels again or not. Didn't think to ask the doctor about that, but I will.

 

[Doug]

Just wear your hunting boots...

 

[Skeet]

Well, those get worn a bunch. They are the most comfortable shoes/boots I own!

 

[Doug]

Man O Man, A woman with a TKR scar, wearing hunting boots, shooting at jackrabbits. Get my camera.

 

[Skeet]

I will take pictures and post them in May!

 

[Skeet]

Heck, here I am trap shooting right before my surgery...

 

[Doug]

And a lady in camo...Good forward lean. Good looking shotgun too..
Guess I really do need to get the camera out.

 

[Pattipoo]

Somebody throw a bucket of water on Douglas!

Skeeterhead...THAT'S the heat I wanted you to bring to my beatdown on DW yesterday!!! THAT way, he would NEVER have mouthed me back!!! When I need you from now on...post that picture.

 

[Pattipoo]

WHOA WHOA WHOA....skeeter ain't the only one with perfect form!!! Watch THIS perfect form of scarfin' down nanner puddin out of the back of a SUV at halftime of a 102 degree football game!!!! Watch as this woman goes straight for the BIG spoon....no dillydallying around with plates and forks....this woman KNEW what she wanted and she GOT it!! Notice the "lean in"...."perfect jaw formation"...yeah..that's what I'm talkin' bout!

 

[Josephine]

Patti, you brighten my day. What would we do without you ...