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Disappointed, depressed and discouraged

Posted , 14 users are following.

ellen57898
ellen57898

Here I am, almost at 7 weeks postop TKR, right knee. Honestly, I thought I would be driving, walking the dog and not relying on my husband to take me to the store. Not happening. I get exhausted after short trips, can't sit in a straight chair without my leg stiffening up and to top it off, my kneecap burns and is so sensitive to the touch. I now have a knee sleeve (thanks Chico Marx), use vitamin E cream to soften the skin, I now have Pennsaid, which has 2%,as opposed to 1% of the stuff in Voltaren and a collection of other creams, including bio-freeze. Eating muffins, reading thrillers and crying in the shower... thank you all for listening to my inane chatter..

1 like, 28 replies

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  • sue37592
    sue37592 ellen57898

    Posted

    Ellen, hang in there. I did not and could not do much untl about 10-12 weeks. i got tired....so tired really quickly, it is your body telling you to take it easy, slow down while your knee heals and your whole body recovers from major surgery. I had (and still hav) a wonderful husband, (even though he has gone back to Mr lazy now!!!) and he helped me so much in the weeks months after my op. I am now 11 months post op and still get my main grocery shop delivered. I unfortunately still cant walk far but am so thankful for no bone on bone pain. I too still get down about wee things like kneeling walkin i cant do and too cry in shower cos noone can see me there. I am ony 50 and expected to be back to work (fulltime teaching assistant with 5 year old ) within 6 weeks.....nope it took me 14 weeks and this year i changed to 9 yr olds as cant bend down with the wee ones.

    You will get there...rest rest and keep doing your physio. It just takes time xx

    • chris00938
      chris00938 sue37592

      Posted

      Sue, will you be able to bend in time and go back to the younger children?  It seems there are different thoughts on kneeling but I've read that kneeling carefullly can be done after?  I used to do cat breeding but had to give up when I just couldn't kneel anymore (couldn't get up from the floor).  It was such a sad time for me but I've not knelt down for many years now because of the arthritis, so I won't miss it really even if I can't kneel after, but I can imagine the difference it will make to you, so I hope you can get that back.

    • sue37592
      sue37592 chris00938

      Posted

      Hi Chris, i have struggled for so long before the op to kneel to the extent i sat on one of their wee chairs as i was really struggling to get up. I can kneel on my knee for a couple seconds but surface has to be really soft e.g. bed. My other knee is getting worse too so my big problem is getting back up...I am ok if I have something/someone to help me up but if in middle of room I can not get up easily at all it is a real struggle using my bum, feet and hands...not very elegant!!!!

      ​I will have to go back to wee ones quite probably Sept 2017 but it will depend on knee 2 getting done. The younger classes are so much play based learning and active it will be hard. i have a meeting with my head in March to discuss next academic year.

      ​Who knows what will happen, hopefully eventually i will be able to soon. I know i am 50 but still have so much life ahead and want to kneel and walk, two things i struggle with.  

      I am sorry you had to stop your business, that must have been really hard.

      I hope you get some relief soon. thank you x 

       

    • chris00938
      chris00938 sue37592

      Posted

      Hopefully you'll be able to get that second knee done soon Sue, and then you'll be all set to enjoy life fully again:-))))  You suddenly brought back a memory of something that happened abour four or five years ago.  I was doing some gardening and sawing off a bit of a thick branch when one knee gave way.  I was still holding the saw, so flung that well out of the way as I fell, on the floor, in the front garden LOL!  I did manage to soften the landing with a bush though LOL!  Husband was hedge trimming so I had to stay there, flat on my back until he stopped the hedge trimmer for long enough to hear me shout LOL!  My only concern was that someone didn't walk past and see me flat on my back in the front garden LOL!  Oh the indignity that life brings LOL!

      But your job sounds delightful and I hope you'll be enjoying it very much again soon, being fit and well able:-))))

    • sue37592
      sue37592 chris00938

      Posted

      Hi Chris LOL lol? I too had an embarrasing moment but it was infront of the kids on the grass area in school, one child with additional needs especially mobility, who needed to have someone with her in playground who was me, was playing with some of her peers and went down the grass bank holding their hands. i followed and yes you guessed went flat on my back!!!!. Could i get up? No! so embarrasing in front off all the kids, could not go on knees but sure it gives them something to laugh at...some still bring it up and it happened 5 months ago.

      ?Hopefully Sept/ Oct I should get no 2 done and this time next year be running after the kids. Thank you and take care xx

    • chris00938
      chris00938 sue37592

      Posted

      Oh bless you LOL!I can SO imagine that LOL!  Thank goodness our sense of humour overrides our sense of dignity LOL!  You take care too and I look forward to hearing you've had the second one done and we're both up and running from the success of our ops:-))))

    • sue37592
      sue37592 chris00938

      Posted

      Yes totally, i look forward to being able to walk and at a decent pace not a dwaddle and walk further than i can at moment. We wil soon be ruuning around again...LOL!!! never ws much good at running maybe will be soon LOL!!! xxx
  • Mkhp
    Mkhp ellen57898

    Posted

    Hey Ellen, pretty much everything has been said, these are very wise people, lots of good advice. All I can add is I feel your pain, I'm almost a year down the road n still dealing w pain n bend among other stuff cropping up from this surgery, but keeping at it. Never expected this. Some heal faster some slower. You hang In there, best of healing to you... 🌬🍀👼🚴🏊

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