Patient, Heal Thyself!!!
Posted , 20 users are following.
I've done a lot of posting on this site, trying to overcome my own situation by encouraging people to be strong and do the work necessary to get well again. Now it's my turn. I expected something, it didn't happen and now I have to confront it.
I'm at 8 1/2 months. ROM is 0 / +132, overcame some severe sciatica starting in week 5, got off all the meds and walking aids, hit the gym for the quads. Thought I was done at 7+ months...boy was I wrong...
While looking for a new position in IT (45 years...Sr. Process/Solutions Architect), I thought I'd work P/T at the local Best Buy selling computers for the holidays. Heck, I've built all my own machines for decades and know all the technology intimately. This was an easy choice to get back into the working world. So I stopped the gym and went to work. Baaaaad idea...
Standing on my feet for between 5 and 8 1/2 hours a day, I've realized that my quads are still too weak to do the time. Day starts off horribly but I get stronger over the day until I get home and just collapse. I need to get back to the gym on my off days and do more quad work but I'm just really tired. I thought that working and walking (7,000 to 10,000 steps a day on my FitBit) would rehab the quads. WRONG!!!! Gotta get back to the leg work. There is really no alternative. I had to learn the hard way and pay for my arrogance.
On top of that, I've re-developed sciatica on both sides...in my glutes...the sciatic knots. This is very painful and radiates into my fused back. So I've got pain in the back, butt and quads but have to work four days a week on my feet (including Black Friday this coming week...five days in a row). Good thing...the knee is PERFECT! Great ROM, zero pain. It's everything else that has gone to hell.
Doc gave me some Tramadol that I take before work...helps a little bit. Will NOT go back to opioids. Need to go back to my chiroprator next week to see if she can straighten out my hips again to relieve the sciatica.
Lesson: You're not done until you're done. Period. I thought I could skip the end of the rehab and jump to the head of the employment line. It doesn't work like that...and I should have known it. Haven't joined a new band because I know that I can't haul all my bass equipment and do a 4+ hour gig without significant pain. But I thought I could handle work. Wrong.
A TKR is a very humbling experience. If you think you can breeze right through this and ignore the brutal reality of it all, you're just as delusional as I've been these past few weeks. You can convince yourself that you're done when you're really not. Talked to my doctor cousin who ripped up a major leg tendon and was in a cast for 6 weeks. Quads atrophied just like ours do. Told me it will take a year to get them back...and I didn't listen. I thought his prediction did not apply to me...thought I was beyond it. I'm not. This is going to take the full year...period.
Take heart, my fellow TKRians...we will all be a lot better down the road but there are no shortcuts. No excuses...do the work. Me too...
8 likes, 60 replies
colleen52029 CHICO_MARX
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CHICO_MARX colleen52029
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Irish_Al CHICO_MARX
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Thanks Chico,
For the reminder not to slack off. I had a cervical disectomy 3 weeks ago and have not done a whole lot of exercise, and as a result my TKR (which had been super, 8 months post op now) is stiff, sore and a little bit of clicking.
Need to get back to the gym and the pool.
Don't work too hard and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Take care,
Alan
CHICO_MARX Irish_Al
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We all think we're done and we're not. Wish I had a pool around but c'est la vie... I do have to get back to the gym...physical imperative or I don't finish the recovery. Thanks...
Oldfatguy1 CHICO_MARX
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Chico I share your woes and thoughts. I thought I was coming back strong for 11 surgeries on the leg a d then the 4th of July weekend my leg/hip collapsed mid stride and I twisted the neck out of my back. Started therapy several weeks later and barely started improvement when my wife took her Parkinson's related fall breaking her hip and giving her head a nasty blow on the concrete patio. Since then I've been doing outpatient therapy while having to help her her around. Fortunately I'm 6' plus and over 200lbs and she is barely 5'4" and 120 so it's not like I'm wrestling a bear. Tomorrow I go in for spinal injections because the sciatica pain has all but put me on my knees (that of course is speaking metaphorically as I never get on my knees). Up here in the midlands we are starting to vs e the reality of on coming winter and that isn't helping the joints. For thanksgiving (for those in the other parts of the world, that's another day Americans dedicate to overeating, sleeping and watching football) we were planning a quiet day to ourselves. One of my kids decided we shouldn't be alone so now we have 22 at last count. They are supposed to bring everything and do everything. They are so used to me doing the entire meal that ill see it when I believe. I only hope my injection tomorrow starts taking hold sooner than usual. Hope you can get on top of you pain as Christmas in retail is rough enough with out back and leg pain
CHICO_MARX Oldfatguy1
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You've been a great friend on here...love your posts. The pain injections never worked for me because the underlying problem was a bone spur crushing my sciatic nerve at L4/L5 in my spine. Took an MRI and a skilled neurosurgeon to fix it. Shaved off the spur and trimmed back the calcified disk at L5/S1. Zero pain after the op and no lingering effects like a TKR. Immediate fix. Think about it if the shots don't work. Gotta see a neurosurgeon not a neurologist.
I know what you're going through with your wife. Mine had brain surgery six years ago and has not been herself since. Many, many bouts of falling, especially on concrete. Latest round involved higher than normal ammonia levels in her blood but normal kidney and liver tests. Docs have no clue but Lactulose keeps it in check. She's in rehab right now for surgery from a full thickness tear of her left rotator cuff (caused by all the falling). One month down...one to go. Best place for her as they are rebuilding her leg strength as well as doing the PT for her shoulder. Should have a brand new wife when she comes home. Busting her outta da joint for Thanksgiving at Boston Market!!! Best we can do this year.
Stay safe and well...both of you.
Mkhp Oldfatguy1
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Mkhp CHICO_MARX
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Oldfatguy1 Mkhp
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ihavenonickname CHICO_MARX
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Mkhp CHICO_MARX
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Hi cm, have read so many of your thoughtful encouraging words. U deserve to let it all out. I agree with all your points, u know what to do, it's a tough road, all consuming, just when we think we can get back to a normal routine something else crops up. My shoulders and neck,ugh!, now my back is acting up. Trying to get to the chiropractor be fore it gets too bad, holidays forget there are people still in need 😁😏🤕??? That sciatica is a "b". Hope u feel better soon. I still can't imagine gettin back to work yet 😁😬😁😂
CHICO_MARX Mkhp
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Thanks... This past week has been 5 consecutive days on my feet at Best Buy (including Nutzo Thursday and Black Friday)...off today. Next weeK MTW 5-hour days at BB the ThF in Dallas at my regular job: Senior Process/Solutions Architect for AT&T. It doesn't stop...69 in February...
Hope my chiro can give me some answers on Wednesday. If not, it's back to my neurosurgeon because I may have done something bad to my back. We'll see...
Oldfatguy1 CHICO_MARX
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Wouldn't dream of working retail after the big one. That's a big long shot for being pain free. I did help a good friend in his ad speciality business/logoed apparel business (sales /marketing) but was able to sit a lot. As an uneducated guess......you have irritated the h*** out of things and need rest. Hang in there....tough people's a way.
Tough people findcax way to survive.
CHICO_MARX Oldfatguy1
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My daughter (nutritionist/certified personal trainer) said the same thing. She told me that my symptoms were the same as those for people who worked out too much. Finished 5 straight days (including Black Friday) at Best Buy last week...not a happy Sunday. Backing off now that the "holiday" is over. I guess 8,000 to 10,000+ steps a day for a week was too much...
Oldfatguy1 CHICO_MARX
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Makes me hurt thinking about it although we wound up with 24 for thanksgiving and my butt hardly touched a chair till evening. So much for the kids and brands doing all the work. Once the hit the stash of vino I was on my own. Also it was one of those days my wife was constantly in need of one thing or another so my little fat legs never quit. Oh well......
That's done with.....I've already said no to Christmas dinner even though my youngest son and family is coming in from CA.
NZJENNI CHICO_MARX
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CHICO_MARX NZJENNI
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NZJENNI Oldfatguy1
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Oldfatguy1 NZJENNI
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You bet....
All you have to do is beat that tribe of mine to the food. Just think........high calorie food with lots of desserts. There's the occasional veggie and salad but generally they are rich and sweet as well. Then you have to add 4or 5 different kinds of bread. Pretty simple. Big turkey to fill the middle of the table and send home with family.