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Settling in for the long haul

Posted , 11 users are following.

deborah90838
deborah90838

Here I am 4 weeks post right TKR (after a left TKR in Sept) and the rapid progress seen immediately after surgery has settled into the months of hard work to get to my ultimate goal of briskly walking my dog.

I had my melt down with my PT the other day as I faced this part of my recovery. I gave her my laundry list of concerns and she picked 2 of them that were appropriate to work on at this time in recovery. She then worked my butt off to get me started in the right direction 😄 What a great ally she is to have while I make this long journey.

We all have our own concerns with our recovery but with hard work and great guidance we can all make it to a pain free and active life. My Dr told me that my new knees would not be the same as the ones I was born with. I told him I hadn't known those knees in a decade. I am thankful for my new hardware and all of those people, including those on these forums, that are helping me to achieve my goals.

I'm holding off on my pain pill for a few hours so I can enjoy a glass of wine tonight. Here's to good health everyone!

4 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • jemma33320
    jemma33320 deborah90838

    Posted

    ‘Tis hard to tell which is best,

    Music, Food, Drink, or Rest.'

    Cheers!

  • cheryl90571
    cheryl90571 deborah90838

    Posted

    Sounds like you are in a very good place!

    Here's to NEW KNEES and delicious WINE!

    (Clink!)😁😁

  • jodie_63346
    jodie_63346 deborah90838

    Posted

    Good to hear. Congratulations. Reading positive story is up lifting. I am at day 9 and have felt my world has fallen apart. Some moments positive other times not so good. Best of luck and of course your hard work xx
    • Rocs
      Rocs jodie_63346

      Posted

      Hi Jodie I am 10 days post op & struggling. Pain has been excrutiating tablets now changed to tramadol to see if improvement from dihydrocideine but last night was not good. My knee clicks when I walk I am told that is normal as everything is swollen & not settled in place, I do hope so as it would be disappointing after going through the op

    • glynis85376
      glynis85376 jodie_63346

      Posted

      Hi Jodie,

      I'm pleased I'm not the only one that feels this way, I had a total meltdown yesterday and I'm 4wks post op.

      Saw my pt on Monday and she gave me the leg straightening exercise to do with the weights over the knee, yesterday my knee felt as though I was back to day one just after surgery, then to put icing on the cake the pharmacy forgot to deliver my pain relief meds, but today I'm on the up again, it's definitely a marathon ahead of us, hope you have more positive days than negative days xx

    • jemma33320
      jemma33320 Rocs

      Posted

      The clicking or thumping sounds or even the 'feel' that your knee is doing this will soon stop. People are usually very aware of it when it happens but never realize that it doesn't happen anymore. The pain is just such a sudden trauma that's devastating and the healing is so painfully slow that it seems to subside in tiny increments. The good news is that one morning you'll wake up and realize you actually slept 7 hours straight without taking a pain pill before sleep.
  • glenda29798
    glenda29798 deborah90838

    Posted

    What a positive person you are! I had a left TKR in October 2014 at the age of 57 and I've just been told that I now need a TKR in my right leg and I'm struggling to say OK I'll have the operation as I still clearly remember that it was like going to hell and back with my first TKR! It took approximately 8 months for the pain to disappear and for me to appreciate that my new knee was fantastic (and it still is) but sadly I'm now back to struggling up stairs, not walking far  etc due to the severe osteoarthritis in my right knee! I knew it might happen but I'd hoped for a few years grace!

    My Consultant said that it would be better second time around as I would know what to expect!! Unfortunately, that IS the problem I well know what to expect and that's what is holding me back, so it's lovely to read your positive  comments on a second TKR-thank you!😄

    • cheryl90571
      cheryl90571 glenda29798

      Posted

      I experienced the same thing as you as my right knee CONTINUALLY hurt and caused me pain while my newly- replaced left knee was doing better and better. I could not wait to have TWO good knees!

      At the doctor's office a few weeks earlier before surgery I saw the X-RAYS of both of my knees four years earlier compared to recent ones. It was clear that both were very bad and in need of replacement. My surgeon asked me "which one should we do FIRST?" I chose the LEFT because it had most recently been the most painful.

      Even a few days out from surgery on my left I could tell it would be less painful than what I was dealing with with my right knee!

      Four months after Knee #1 I had Knee #2 done. Of course I knew I would have to go through all I did before, but I also knew that, for me, it literally was the best shot I had to ever have a chance to resume my life again as I wanted to live it!

      A bonus I was not expecting was my right knee felt better even in the recovery room than my left felt at two weeks after surgery! While my left had terrible swelling for weeks, my right had very minimal swelling. It was like each leg had its own life separate from one another. I was pleasantly surprised to have had far fewer rough moments with my second surgery. I was very grateful!

      This surprised the heck out of me because even my surgeon had told me that once he got my right leg opened up, it was MUCH MORE damaged than my previous one was! I guess you can never tell what to expect from a surgical outcome until the time comes!

      Anyway, don't be afraid. You can do a second surgery. If you need it, you need it. The end result of much less pain than you have been living with is a great feeling!

      We shopped for nearly 12 hours the other day, and although my hips (more arthritis!) and lower back (yes, MORE arthritis!) WERE hurting, my two TKRs felt GREAT! Prior to having my surgeries, long days of shopping, gardening, etc. were impossible.

      Maybe you, too, will find than your second surgery goes even better than your first. No matter what, if you need surgery, your knee will not get any better without surgery. My old right knee just could not keep up with my new left knee! Yours is probably TRYING to keep up, but it just can't.

      I am seven months in with my left TKR and three months in with my right TKR. I feel like I am reborn! The best thing so far us since I have been working hard on getting BOTH KNEES straight, I am now walking normally for the first time in about eight years! I will be able to get back to my daily walking in the spring. That was a dream that I thought might never happen again. Now I know it can happen.

      My hope is that each of us can catch his/ her dream!

      Have faith.

      Believe in your dreams.

      Have courage!

      You CAN do this!

    • deborah90838
      deborah90838 glenda29798

      Posted

      Glenda, my Dr spoke to me about the second TKR like this. I have 3 children and none of them are the same. Knees are the same way, one could have a speedy recovery and the other could be the complete opposite. My first TKR went fabulously, this one quite a bit slower. I don't regret for one minute having either one of them done as the joints are pain free. Yes I still have soft tissue pain but it is gradually subsiding.

      Please don't live in constant pain. Bite the bullet so you can get back to living a normal life. I waited a year too long, wasting time suffering instead of healing. Good luck with whatever you choose, I'm sending you wishes for an active life ahead.

    • glenda29798
      glenda29798 cheryl90571

      Posted

      Thank you Cheryl😄 This forum was like a life support last time as everyone was so great and it still is!

      Glenda 👍

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