my knee, version 2.0

[OakLeaf]

Wow! I'm so impressed it's going so smoothly for you! I have only my mom to compare, and she is extremely motivated and compliant, was in great shape before the surgery, but she had quite a bit of pain nevertheless. Hope your recovery continues to be just as great.

[sundial]

Thank you everyone. Your words are soothing and encouraging as I travel down this new path. When I was preparing mentally for the surgery I compared it to training for Mt. Everest. According to experiences of other knee patients, I knew there would be hurdles to overcome and s l o w progress. When I entered recovery, the only goal I had was to walk 8 feet in my first walk with assistance. What a pleasant surprise to learn that I could go further than my hospital room and hallway. I don't necessarily set goals per se. Rather, I just go with what feels natural and I listen to my gut feeling. Today after my PT I came home and decided to vacuum the house. Then after that I wanted to climb on my bike that is sitting on the trainer and I did so. I pedaled a half stroke forward and a half stroke backward slowly and did it for a few reps and then got off. Next, I climbed 16 stairs normally, albeit slowly. While trying to pedal the bike and walking the stairs, the only sensation I had was the feeling of tightness above my knee. I feel so very fortunate that is my only chief complaint. My mother had a TKA 7 years ago and she still experiences swelling, pain and limited range of motion in her knee. She is very motivated to go through a revision since I did so well with my knee.

Oakleaf, I came across a discussion board on hips and knees and a patient presented the same symptoms that my mother has and it turns out that her body was sensitive to the metal used in the prosthesis. Once the patient had it revised, her symptoms went away. Perhaps our mothers are experiencing the same problem? There is a prosthesis now available that is made with hypoallergenic metal. I will ask my OS about it when mother makes her appointment to see him.

Tofu, when researching area hospitals or surgical clinics that do TKA's, look for one that offers a knee camp. With the knee camp I learned that the staff is trained specifically to work with hip and knee patients and will offer a service that makes pain management a priority as well as the physical/occupational therapy. My knee camp also encouraged us to dress in street clothes and the floor catered only to hip/knee patients as they were very proactive about minimizing infection. (In surgery, they wore the space suits which can cut the infection rate to 0%.)We all attended PT together twice a day along with our designated "coach" who sat across from us to keep us encouraged. The staff worked 2 12 hour shifts so that you saw the same techs, nurses and PT's. The average length of stay is 4 days pending lab results. My doc made rounds every morning and I was able to communicate to him any problems or discomfort I was feeling. This system is in sharp contrast to other med/surge floors in which you may or may not get adequate pain control, meds, PT, etc. I remember having only one bad night in the hospital and it was when I had to wait 15 minutes before getting assistance to go to the bathroom.

[sundial]

My knee, 12 days post op

[sundial]

My knee pre-op, twas bone on bone for 17 years.

[redrhodie]

Your post makes me want one, and there's nothing wrong with my knees! Your attitude is awesome! It really sounds like you've been given a new lease on life. Best recovery to you!

[azfiddle]

So happy to hear how things are going for you. You have a great attitude- hope the recovery continues to progress well.

[malkin]

Your post makes me want one, and there's nothing wrong with my knees! Your attitude is awesome! It really sounds like you've been given a new lease on life. Best recovery to you!

lol!

I'm not exactly coveting any joint replacements, but I'd do anything to catch your attitude!

[sundial]

Redrhodie, your comment means alot coming from someone who is pretty upbeat about most everything. Thank you everyone for your kind words and well wishes. They really help!

I now have my staples out and have a few steri-strips covering a small section on my incision. This weekend I will be able to shower normally and will no longer have to rely on my hairdresser, aka DH, who has been washing my hair in the kitchen sink. My swelling is improving with each day and I am able to putter around without joint pain. What a neat thing to experience for the first time in years! I try to walk up and down the stairs once a day to improve strength and flexibility but the area above my knee still feels very tight when I try to bend my knee past 90 degrees. I know the 120 degrees flexion will eventually come so I try not to push it too hard. Still it's hard not to.

I haven't experienced the blues that comes with using narcotics for pain management as some knee patients have experienced. I got weepy once in the hospital and that was because of lack of sleep the night before and I was feeling more pain and frustration as a result. I was weepy again last night and it was due to feeling so vulnerable and achy, probably the result of a big thunderstorm that was moving in our area. Even though I was feeling down, I would not hesitate to have my knee replaced but it does come with a price--a long rehab process, and that is what made me somewhat sad. I can't be available to others who might need help. I can't drive or take my parents to the doctor or even the emergency room if they need to go. I have to rely on others for that and it's difficult to do so as I consider myself to be a fiercely independent person. I am thankful that I am progressing rapidly but I also think about what if I had been one of the patients who experienced a rough recovery with limited range of motion and lots of pain post op? There are some patients who have had a TKA that still experience pain and swelling years after the surgery.

Another thing I've experienced is the lack of empathy or understanding from those who have not had a TKA. People think that if one has a TKA that he or she will be up and at 'em and back to normal within a short time--and it seems especially true if you are young for a TKA. I had a family member that was surprised to learn that I had to use a walker to get around. They are surprised that I still sound tired on the phone just 2 weeks post op. (Anemia!)

There is not only the physical healing but the psychological healing as well. There is on occasion the fear or frustration of not being able to have the strength or endurance to accomplish a task, such as cooking a simple meal, driving a short distance, or walking in a large, crowded store. There are days when I seem to take one step backward and I feel emotionally spent. My mind can't seem to focus and process alot of information and I get overwhelmed, frustrated, become weepy and I know then that I have to rest more. There are days when I see a lot of progress too and it's those days that gives me a boost and gives me something that I can think back on when I have a down day.

Having a good support system makes all the difference in the recovery process. I could get by with just me if I had to but it's nice that I do have DH available to make sure that I'm safe, that I'm without a lot of pain, and without a lot of undue pressures that comes with life. Having that has helped me tremendously and I can rest easier because of his efforts.