TKR Winner winner, chicken dinner! Bionic Liz's new RTKA

[Mireille]

@L.I.T I hope that pesky ache goes away soon. Like you I'd rather be moving my knee rather than staying still. It feels better but then I pay for it later. I have to rest at some point, lol.

I still take my oxy at night and sometimes during the day if the ibuprofen isn't cutting it. I have some hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5/325 left from a prior surgery as a back up. Running out of Oxys which I take on therapy days to help take the edge off. I would call your OS and ask for a refill. I am going to ask when I see him next week. Feel better!

 

[L.I.T]

@Mireille, thank you, friend. I hope your pain goes away, as well. My PT said around weeks 4-6 is when the bone starts forming a sort of 'capsule' around the implants,and called it 'bone pain'. On one hand, I would like to agree b/c it reminds me so much of the 'growing pain' leg aches I used to get when I was young. But on the other hand, I feel it mostly in my Tibia. Oh well, whatever it is, I'm just so honestly thankful that you guys are here, and willing to listen to me whine. I think it's time I make a gratitude list... Although every time I know I need to do one, I roll my eyes! Ha! :rolleyes:

 

[Cratchit]

Actually, it makes sense about the bony pain. I've felt that too, especially in the tibia. Totally different to the other types of pain.

Whine away; it's so therapeutic! This going to sound really crazy (just add it to the list of my other crazies!) but l used to keep a box of nice things such as cards, or nice emails or notes and such like. I'd also write down positive things people said of me and to me and keep them all in a box. Then, if l was feeling down or less than confident about myself, l'd take that box out and look at all the good things and think about those things instead. I allowed the positive to balance the negative. Didn't always work so then l'd eat chocolate! The crazy bit is that l called this box my 'hug-it-to-me box' because l hugged those nice things to me! See - crazy!

 

[L.I.T]

@Cratchit, I think that's a marvelous idea! And much more palatable to me than the 'gratitude list', at which (for some reason) I feel sometimes seems disingenuous coming from me. When I'm feeling down, I can be quite grateful, but it seems never to do as much to change my mood - so then I just feel guilty for being mood-stubborn! Boy, I just like to be difficult sometimes...

I can't rightly say it's crazy... Of course, if crazy is as crazy does, you might not want to hang out around me! When hubby and I were having problems last year (along with a couple of health scares and an overload of work), my self confidence took a serious nosedive. My depression kicked in full gear.... And while I thought it was silly, I actually programmed my phone to send me a message every day at noon that said "I am happy, I am secure, I am worthy". Even though things are better, I still haven't turned it off For those of us who experience depression, I think we all tend to do whatever it takes to keep our heads above water!

Speaking of hubby, I got my first moment of slight understanding tonight (praise God, halla-ba-julah )... He woke up in the middle of the night, heard my ice machine, and said "does it hurt?" I replied "yes", and he said "I don't think I could go through what you are." I didn't know exactly what he meant, so I said "what, the pain?" To which he replied "yes, that. I would definitely overdo things."

And all of a sudden a bright light shone down from the sky, birds sang, butterflies fluttered-by, cats and dogs got along, and the whole world was at peace, again! (OK, well maybe not, but it sure did make me feel better!)

 

[Spex10]

Blimey! I've come over all Scottish. Can't cope with hugs and kisses. A handshake at Hogmanay is just about it.
However, you certainly find out who your friends are when you have a TKR. For some reason I seem to have more than I thought. Cannae unnerstaun it. Och!

 

[Cratchit]

Ha @Spex10 , you`ll `ave t` fettle yerself afore the road trip hits as that`ll be all kisses and hugs! Actually, I`m very particular about who I hug and more so about who hugs me so we`ll probably be alright!

And all of a sudden a bright light shone down from the sky, birds sang, butterflies fluttered-by, cats and dogs got along, and the whole world was at peace, again! (OK, well maybe not, but it sure did make me feel better!)

The thing about this knee business is that it makes us so very grateful for the slightest bit of encouragement and understanding. I carry my cane when I`m out just so I can exact a bit more sympathy from whoever happens upon me - and so I can park in all the handy car parking places!!

 

[Spex10]

There is certainly a 'sisterhood of the stick'! I often have lovely chats with other ladies that I see out shopping using their official NHS stick. The usual greeting seems to be 'hip or knee?'. This then moves swiftly on to shared problem solving or complaints about inconsiderate shoppers. Perhaps we should think of an official badge or uniform?!!

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T @Cratchit @Spex10 You really make my day! Whining, crying, funny, encouraging, it's a smorgasbord! I'm in!

Beware, fair warning, I'm a hugger. The 1st step is admitting it.

Self affirmation and box of notes sounds great, we encourage others but sometimes forget to encourage ourselves. Not crazy at all. I planned to start the new year with a jar where I would write down one thing that made me happy or grateful everyday and then read them during the following Thanksgiving. Didn't happen because I was wallowing in misery and self pity after the TKR oh well, maybe I'll start now.

Bring on the club, uniform and badges! Would be nice if bonesmart did a convention where we could all meet.

Happy day to all!

 

[L.I.T]

Ha ha! @Spex10 and @Cratchit! Can I borrow those two accents for a while? I'd have these people in Utah giving me the look of bewilderment in no time! I'd also sublet your Scottish to my hubby who LOVES to play the bagpipes (makes for interesting days at home when he practices his chanter pipe) ... Just so he could feel authentic! I'd loan you my very slight Texas drawl, but all it will get you is people thinking you still ride your horse to work every day. It also requires mandatory donning of the infamous 'cowboy hat and boots' - ruggedness at it's best. Not nearly as cool!

@Mireille, you're in good company with me. Being that I hail from the great South, we hug and kiss everybody! You go to work and hug at least 4-5 people before you even start the day - then you just keep hugging until you go home. It was interesting moving here to Utah where people don't hug or touch hardly at all. One of my friends and I had known each other out here for a year, and I went to hug her to say goodbye.... She literally backed away in horror LOL

I'm thinking a group would be great! What about "Calendar Girls of TKR" - a leg for every month! Who's in?

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T I've leaned in for a hug and it has turned very awkward quick.

I'm so in for the calendar, people are going to go crazy for all these awesome legs!

 

[L.I.T]

OK, back to the real world medical stuff.... (for just a sec)....

For a while, I've been having this rubber band sort of popping in the back of my knee - hard to tell if it's lateral or medial. Anyhow, it essentially happens every time I walk or do the nustep. It occurred to me that I'm also having trouble with posterior swelling that affects my extension. Often when I wake up or ice, the back of my knee is stiff and it seems to be pulling my calf muscle as well. If I take a HOT bath, it relaxes and I can extend it. Once it cools down, it seems to contract again.

I'm very willing to accept that whatever it is can be chalked up to swelling. But my concern is if I'm irritating it by walking, and making the swelling worse, then isn't that a bit of a perpetuating cycle?

I'll talk to my PT on Thursday and see what he thinks. It seems to be more sensitive now than it was a week ago, but I've been doing a little more around the house. My moment of 'understanding' from my hubby certainly has not made any difference in his behavior, and he's started abandoning the household stuff. I can handle dirty floors or dust. But the dirty dishes, counter, rotting food, and kitty duties really can't be ignored. I'm getting frustrated. *sigh*

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T Sorry your knee is not playing nice. I don't have any wise words to make it better but if it hurts to walk or use the nustep, you should take it easy until you see the therapist and/or talk to the OS. I hate a messy, dirty house (I'm a little OCD) but at this point I'm not caring so much. It'll get done when it gets done. Are you walking with an aid at all? I ask because I went without for a few days and my body didn't like that. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[L.I.T]

Hey, @Mireille! Thank you! Pain - that's the thing - it doesn't really hurt...I just feel it pop. It basically happens when I am weightbearing and bend my knee (so every time I take a step). I am definitely taking it easy - I don't do the nustep except at the PT and *only* if I am feeling good that day. Not walking around the house is another story...but I am trying to keep that at a minimum.

I hear you about the dirty house....although I have to admit that dishes in the sink for 3 days, and no kitty litter cleaning (we have 3 cats) for 2 or more days gets to be a bit much. He IS at least still cooking my dinner, for the most part. Maybe I should rent a wheelchair and milk it for all it's worth Naaahhh, I'll be a good girl. I may just need to do as little as I can and accept that my recovery may take a little longer. I can't really blame him for not wanting to do everything - it's been 5 weeks as of today. And he was not born a natural caretaker. And him taking steroids for his back...I forget the steroids make him irritable. He said today he was not going to take them anymore, so maybe that will make his ease up a bit.

I am at least working today (with my leg propped up on my desk and my ice machine next to me). I work from home and we do the same job - we just alternate days of work when we aren't both needed. So maybe this will give him some free time to play whilst I steer the ship for a while.

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T I hear you friend, we keep hearing recovery isn't linear, but it's hard to process. I told my PT on Wednesday that I sometimes feel like my knee jams when I'm walking or sitting then I kinda wiggle the knee and it goes away. He checked my knee by moving it around and didn't think there was a problem. I'm still asking my OS next week. It doesn't happen all the time but it's annoying.

I understand about the kitty litter That can get smelly! I'm in the same boat with my husband, I'm sure it gets tiring for him, heck, I'm tired of it. Can't blame him. Needless to say, things have been a little tense lately. I'm cranky, he's cranky. It's a crank fest! Since I'm working from home, he sort of expects dinner when he gets home. Sometimes I don't feel good or I'm just tired, then I feel guilty. I'm at home to recuperate not to take care of the household, ughh.. This may be TMI (WARNING) but I've had to "take one for the team" to try and alleviate his cranky essential, lmao, sorry Hope you can relax after reading this.

 

[kneeper]

For a while, I've been having this rubber band sort of popping in the back of my knee - hard to tell if it's lateral or medial. Anyhow, it essentially happens every time I walk or do the nustep.

Don't forget you are in early days still. This is probably just normal, but you might want to back off of the NuStep for a while. I had back of the knee discomfort (sometimes feeling like a tendon or ligament or something was shifting) for many weeks and then it just gradually went away.

 

[Cratchit]

Ha, you girls! I like the idea of a Bonesmart Convention where we could all meet and exchange appropriate gestures of greeting. Maybe on our badges we should have a little H in the corner for hugs if we like them and none if we don't. Not sure what l'd have as sometimes l do and sometimes l do. Perhaps l should have a sticky one that can be taken on and off!

Ah, the housework! I do all the housework, shopping and most of the cooking. Not because l have to but because himself works such long hours with a 60 mile commute each way. By the time he comes home he's shattered so l feel the least l can do is have a meal on the table for him and a nice clean house to relax in. That said, we tend to veg out in the kitchen so at least mess elsewhere is kept to a minimum. He says it's not important for me to do these things and that l should rest, so there's no pressure from him. It makes me feel better though to do something though so l try to do stuff in the morning when l'm at my best (l peak for about an hour around 10am!) and then take it easy for the rest of the day.

It is a hard balancing act though and l feel for you @L.I.T and @Mireille. You're both at very early stages and it's a hard place to be. Fairly certain l couldn't have handled litter trays and much housework back then and l certainly wasn't ready to 'take one for the team' ! Bless them.

It is hard though and quite isolating and hurtful when people don't understand the limitations and pain of this procedure. My poor knee still hasn't forgiven me for walloping it yesterday so it's griping away. Wish it would go to sleep!

 

[Mireille]

@Cratchit Guid effernuin, practicing my Scottish for my future visit

This is the party that never ends so you can't possibly be late. You can wear a button that lights up, green color means ok for hugs, red, back off!

Aww...your husband sounds very sweet and you take good care of him. My husband is a great cook and normally he cooks more often than I because he gets home earlier. I serve dinner most of the time regardless who cooks. Not because he "requires" it but because I like doing that for the family. We've been married almost 26 years, this February, and this whole experience has been hard on both of us. For sure a balancing act and sometimes one us falls off the rope.

I really do know things will get better but some days are just so tough with this darn knee. I want off this Rollercoaster of recovery and just want to move on to the carousel, slow but steady.
Alas, it's my 6 week newkneeversary today so I know I'm asking too much,too soon. Will try to have patience.

I hope your knee gives you a good rest today and behaves.

 

[Mireille]

@L.I.T Hey, how are you feeling today?

 

[Cratchit]

@Mireille Nice one! Though the Scottish will apply more readily to Spex she being more northern than I! We are a little further south though within sight of the Border and Reiver in origin. So I`m told.

Happy 6 week newkneeversary!

Yes, him indoors is a sweet one and a far better cook than I could ever be not least because he`s interested in cooking and I`m not. We`ve only been married 20 months so a long way behind you and probably still very much in the honeymoon stage. He`s very patient and tolerant, fortunately!

Hey @L.I.T , hope you`re not working too hard!

 

[L.I.T]

Ack! And it is I who is late today! It feels like YEARS since I've been able to post

And here I am working again! Woo hoo! It does help the Catholic guilt (I swear it's genetic by the way) to feel like I am at least doing *something* to contribute to the household!

Today I released my inner dolphin! I belong to a community center about an hour away, and usually do water aerobics. However, today I jumped in the kiddie pool (don't want Mr I.M. Plant getting too cold yet) and kicked/stretched for about 20 minutes. While it was very cathartic (ha), I'm afraid the water wasn't warm enough to loosen the back of my knee for my GENTLE extension stretching. So now I have to find me a jacuzzi (if I had said that in Texas, I would have a bunch of people following me to what they thought was a pub tub party). I think I'll leave that task for tomorrow.

Mr I.M. Plant (aka alien) was fairly reasonable today. 'Twas a wee bit difficult to get him to coordinate correctly for a tiny flutter kick, but we tried to work together. I'm not sure he is going to be very happy with me tonight, and then tomorrow is PT I may have to hide from him and find myself a safe space! Either that, or maybe I can quell him with cold? Hmmmm

I feel pretty rotten today - hubby went off the steroids (his decision) yesterday, and this morning, he was in so much pain that he couldn't even walk straight. He says now the pain has moved from his back to his hip. I told him if he had to have surgery, then we were following @Red's Mom 's example and headed for Hawaii where we could have someone clean and cook for us! He's currently getting his body bombarded by magnetic waves in the hopes we can figure out what is wrong. Ahhhhh, the poor hubby hurting, and here I was griping about myself

I see I missed the language lessons this morning. Of course, all I could contribute would be what I learned in 5th grade spanish...."el burro sabe mas que tu". I'm not sure that was a very nice thing to teach us at that age It is pretty dang neat that we can all hover in the same interweb place, even though we are from so many different countries. By the way, when did things become the interweb? What IS the interweb? I'm still stuck back on the information superhighway.

@Mireille @Cratchit isn't it odd that we all have seemed to have some sort of knee setback this week - conspiracy? I'm from America, so naturally, I must say yes! Ha! Looks like we all might need to do some praying to the knee gods. Perhaps if we invite them to our party and give them a month in the calendar? We will promise not to let anyone hug them...ya know...just so they feel godly and all.

@kneeper , thanks for the encouragement - I suppose I should know better. To be honest, when I'm not feeling tired, pained, exhausted, or otherwise *moody*, I know the answer is basically to take it easy, rest, ice, and elevate. After all, anything more would mean some sort of revision or what have you, and they aren't going to do a revision on a 5 week old knee None-the-less, it helps to hear someone else (who might have had the same experience) say that it eventually went away.

Well, back to work. And back to watching the kitties. Apparently we have a hole somewhere in the outer part of our house, because one of our savannah cats (Bucky the brute) caught a desert rat in our house last night. Of course, I saw it in his mouth, but there was no way I could run around the house trying to catch him, so I just let him have it. Unfortunately, I have no idea if he ate it or not....but they seem to be furiously searching the closet and bathroom. Oi, he might have just gotten away!

Oh, and desert rats (here) are - aside from the tail - actually cute little critters. They are about the size and shape of a field mouse. @Cratchit , I actually felt sorry for the little guy