TKR Zombies Love to Dance<

[Lindylee]

You really don't need this hassle when you're trying to recover. That on its own takes all our energy. I'm grateful I'm retired and don't have that worry, but I do feel for those less fortunate.Don't rush back before you're ready. I made that mistake 10 years ago after major surgery, was talked into a phased return that physically and emotionally I was not ready for. I hope they see sense Smokey.

 

[Zommom]

Had PT today with my regular physio it was a good visit. I did discuss my run in with the physio that was standing in for her. She apologized but quickly glossed over her attitude, but assured me she will not be filling in for any of her patients. She had me walk and checked my gait, I showed her my ability on the stairs then 5 minutes on the recumbent bike. Checked my extension and have 0. My flexation was about 95 all on my own. She added a heating pad and we measured again and I hit 100 degrees again on my own. She then did a ultrasound therapy on the muscle above my knee where it was so tight. Felt so good. I asked her if I am on track and she said getting there. I don’t believe they are allowed to give kudos ! Well I gave myself kudos and said in my recovery book I am doing great for 4 weeks. She laughed and said that’s the book I need to go by! All in all a good day

 

[Lindylee]

That's great to hear. Success all round, makes you feel so much better doesn't it?

 

[Zommom]

@Lindylee thanks I am still having issues bending but your right success all around. These PT therapists seem to take pleasure in telling you where you should be as far as ROM numbers but when pressed what is average for recovery time frames they admit that the numbers they are talking about is weeks later. I also think that the more a person takes charge in their recovery and exercises the more they push for unattainable numbers (see you can’t do this with out me attitude)

Big day tomorrow hubby and I have our 44 year anniversary! Planning on a seafood dinner out and then rent a movie at home.

 

[Lindylee]

You're so right about the PT's. They tell you to do x, y and z, you feel a failure if you can't, but it's not unless you ask that they tell you few people achieve it thus early on.

Many congratulations on your 44th ammiversary! That's wonderful, have a great day. Don't overdo it though

 

[Jockette]

Happy Anniversary! We’ll be 43 this year.

 

[Zommom]

Happy Anniversary to my hubby of 44 years. A big thank you to him and all those spouses, partners and friends who are there for us helping and aiding us on our road to recovery

 

[Didot]

Congratulations. Enjoy the celebration. xxx


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[SnowHare]

Congratulations on you Anniversary!! Hope you had an excellent meal and lots of snuggles with the movie.

We just had our 41st anniversary. My sister, who was my maid of honour, was visiting, and she ordered a nice Skip the Dishes dinner. The next day, my other bridesmaid arrived, so we had a grand time together.

 

[FCBayern]

Congratulations on your anniversary, far too few people reach such impressive numbers anymore. We'll reach 38 years in March, and I sure appreciate her putting up with "for better or worse" as she supports my recovery.

 

[Zommom]

Another cold and blustery day! Winter will not let go of its icy grip. Not happy with myself and Ms Crabby Knee is punishing me. Had PT, a trip in to my office and then out for our anniversary dinner last Thursday, by the time we got home I could barely walk - my operated knee as well as my unoperated knee hurt a lot. Stayed in for the next few days, elevating and icing and managing pain. I noticed a couple of nickel sized red spots on my lateral side of operated knee. 1 is a couple of inches above the knee and the other 2-3 inches below knee. Hurts when touched? Decided I needed to refill my prescription and pick up a few grocery items today! Not a good idea and both knees are acting like brats right now. So off to bed with my lounge doctor and cryo cuff, Tramadol and Tylenol ES, I’m worried that this is my life now. Can’t do anything or go anywhere without paying a high pain price. Coming up on 5 weeks but don’t feel I am progressing like I should be? Even my left hip hurts. The thought of going back to work in a couple of weeks is scaring the heck out of me that I won’t be ready with both knees being painful

 

[Jockette]

You are progressing, just not at the speed you want.

Recovery takes an average of a year, which is 52 weeks. You are coming up on 5. Your knee is still practically brand new.

I remember 5 weeks, it was Easter. Friends of ours invited us to go to a restaurant with them. If it hadn’t been a holiday I would have declined the invitation. I went. There was a problem with our reservation, I stood way too long waiting, then sat too long with my leg not elevated enough and I still had a lot of increased swelling the next day.

Recently I compared this recovery to baking cookies. My chocolate chip cookies take 12 minutes to completely bake. If I take them out earlier, at 2 minutes, 4, 8 or whatever, they will only be partially baked, and not all that tasty, because they’re not done yet.

The same is true of our knee at 2 months, or 3 months, etc. It needs time to finish healing. Average healing time is 12 months.


Where you are now is not where you will end up.

 

[ebungalow]

I’m sorry you’re experiencing that pain after doing some activities.

Please don’t worry. It won’t be your new normal. I know it’s so much easier to say not to worry than to do it.

Your experience all sounds as if you’re recovering right on schedule.

Seems as if a lot of folks report feeling much better around week 12, though it really does take almost the full year to fully recover (in my experience).

My first knee took until about 16 weeks to feel a lot better (I think I’m slow), and it was 10-12 months before it was excellent.

It’ll be 12 weeks tomorrow for this second knee and it’s ok. Not a lot better yet.

But it’s not awful either - I think you’ll keep feeling better a little bit at a time until one day you notice that things are a lot better.

I went back to work both times with knees that were someplace between awful and a lot better. Came home and elevated and iced.

In the meantime, it’ll pay to be kind to your knee and to the rest of you, too.

I know it’s discouraging sometimes. It’s a long slog.

 

[donnag1108]

Hang in there! I felt exactly the same at your stage and then I turned a corner and at 11 weeks everything is amazing. You will get there. I know it's hard to believe but the day will come! Big hugs!!

 

[Zommom]

Thank you @donnag1108 and @ebungalow after posting I took a nice nap and woke up feeling better about things. Still dealing with some pain but it’s good to know it’s normal at this stage. It’s frustrating to say the least that minimal activity can cause such misery

 

[SnowHare]

I can totally relate to just a little activity brings on pain. I thought I was doing really, well, but overdid things, not by much, and my knee let me know it. Right now I'm reducing my Dilaudid, and it's hard to know what is overdoing-it-pain, and what is under-medicating-it-pain.

I can now walk, after creeping for the first steps, but I have to remind myself that I can't walk far, and I shouldn't walk for a longer period of time than I think I can.

I'm looking forward to no snow and no ice, so I can walk outside in the maybe sunshine.

Take it easy. Rome wasn't built in one day, and your knee, unlike Rome, will take a little longer. You can do this.

 

[Lindylee]

Zommom, I found doing more than 1 social activity or outing in a day made my knee very angry. By last Sunday it wasn't good at all. Between 4 and 5 weeks seems to be a troublesome time, maybe as we think we should be able to do more? I rested it for a few days with lots of icing and elevating and the last couple of days it's felt much better and I've begun to bring a few gentle exercises back in and started doing a little more round the house stopping as soon as I feel it begin to swell or hurt.

My surgeon was quite clear that it would be very painful and clear that there were 3 stages of recovery at 6 weeks when I should be reasonably mobile, 12 weeks when I should, hopefully, be able to do most of my previous activities to some degree, but 12 months for a full recovery. It sounds as if you are on track, although not sure about those red spots. Do you still have those?

Saturday I introduced a new game - 'Where will my pain be today?' It seems to be a different place everyday! My left hip aches a lot when I walk, sometimes when I start out and then disappears and other times it appears after about 10 minutes. It is frustrating and even though I know it's going to take a while I still wish it would speed up! Hang on, we'll get there in the end. It is a marathon and we might not all run it at the same speed.

 

[Zommom]

@Lindylee ,@SnowHare I appreciate your comments and reminder that we are still in the early phase of recovery. I am sure you can all relate to the “just tired of the pain syndrome “ Weeks, months, and years of arthritic pain, then surgical pain and the pain that comes from recovery.
One knee is trying to recover and the other knee is gaining momentum with its arthritic pain - so no real relief! You are also right about limiting activities to one and not trying to fit in more. I am also itching to go outside and walk but snow, cold and icy conditions hamper any thoughts of that for a few more weeks.

I thank all on this forum for not only posting their recover struggles as well as their triumphs but also reaching out to others for that online hug

 

[kneeper]

Sounds like you overdid. Your knee certainly told you so! Don't worry, we've all done that. Just keep hanging on to the idea that week by week and month by month you will see improvement.

 

[Zommom]

5 week anniversary today! Celebrated by going to pt. Did some walking, 8 minutes on the bike. Extension 0 flexation close to 105. I was pleased but she started in on how my OS wants 115 at 6 weeks because of that “window” will be closing. I just stared at her....and reminded her about how I wanted to recover and it doesn’t include aggressive tactics to get a certain number. She then said that my OS got 125 flexation out of me post surgery. I said that’s great so with time I will get there too! She suggested next time to start using leg machines! No nope no way is that going to happen. Felt depressed enough about everything and then have someone basically saying I must be slacking off. Eating cake and ice cream right now. Starting to feel better about life again.