bilateral partial knee replacement soon.,,very nervous

[moon]

HELLOO BELLA, GLAD YU STOPPED BY, YES I AM DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, I HATE TO SAY IT BUT I KEEP THINKING SOMETHING WILL GO HAYWIRE ANYTIME, IT IS JUST MY LUCK, ALTHOUGH MY BEST BUDDY SAYS NO MORE NEGATIVE THINKING  AND I  REALLY TRY NOT TO GO THERE SO MAYBE IT IS HER AND HER WELL WISHES, ...MY CHANGE OF WAYS? WHO KNOWS I JUST KNOW MY DR. AND pt ARE AMAZED AT MY PROGRESS, TODAYS ROM 138, DID SOME NEW MACHINES, WALKED SOME WITH OUT THE CANE AND DROVE!!!!!! I WAS SO THRILLED WHEN HUBBY HANDED ME THE KEYS, I FELT LIKE A 16 YEAR OLD AGAIN!!I STILL THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF HUBBY, HE PUSHES ME, GET UP LETS WALK, "NO KISS MY ASS" AND GUESS WHO WINS, HIM EVERY TIME AND I ALWAYS FEEL BETTER,  HE IS GETTING MY STATIONARY BIKE BACK UP HERE FOR ME TO USE, I REALLY DONT LIKE IT BUT IT IS GOOD FOR ME SO OK ILL GET ON IT, WHAT DO YOU DO IN PT BELLA? DID YU TELL PT YOU DONT FEEL CHALLENGED ENOUGH? SEEMS LIKE MINE REALLY PUSHES ME ALL THE FWAY BUT KNOWS WHEN TO STOP, NOT SURE YOU WOULD CALL IT BRAVE AT DOING TWO AT ONCE BUT I DIDNT HAVE A GOOD LEG TO GET ME BY, THE CONCERN OF TRYING TO USE THE ONE LEG TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SURGICAL ONE WAS A JOKE, NO WAY IT COULD HAVE TAKEN THE ABUSE, MY DR DOES NOT DO TWO AS A RULE BUT REALLY FELT THERE  WAS NO CHOICE , I AM SO VERY GLAD WE DID IT THIS WAY, I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT AGAIN, WAS IT A HARD DECISION FOR YOU TO GO BACK AGAIN OR WAS 2 YEARS ENOUGH TIME TO KIND OF FORGET SOME OF IT, KIND OF LIKE CHILDBIRTH!!LOL, KEEP US POSTED ON YOUR PROGRESS, PLUMB, WHATS AT HOME DEPOT, FLOWERS!! I LOVE FLOWERS, BUT WITH YOUR ALLERGIES  YU PROBABLY ARENT GETTING FLOWERS ARE YOU,  I AM MISSING MY FLOWER GARDENS, I CAN BEND AT THE WAIST AND PLUCK A WEED OR TWO, MUST GO GET PREEN....I AM STARTING SQUATS IN PT, WONDER HOW LONG BEFORE I CAN SQUAT OF GET MYSELF UP OFF THE FLOOR  OR GROUND? TAKE CARE ALL, OFF TO DRUGS AND PEAS, DENISE

[Bella56]

Hi Moon, The silly thing I keep doing is comparing my first PKR to this one. For a start I paid privately (life savings spent) to have my left knee done and had first class after care with physio twice a week. This time however, I had to rely on NHS (same OS who is great) and feel terribly let down. I have moved 30 miles away, but the hospital where I had my right knee done said it wasn't a problem, they would pass me over to a local hospital to home for my after care and physio. That didn't happen. I left hospital on the 3rd day after surgery and had to almost beg my own doctor to send a nurse to change my dressing.  Then my husband spent ages on the phone chasing the local hospital for me to have physio, hence I have only had 2 lots of physio so far, although 3rd session is tomorrow (5 weeks since the operation). Last time I went I could only manage 70 degrees, and although I have been working on my excercises I don't think I will be much better tomorrow. My appointment is only about 15 minutes, so the physio is always rushed. I have been trying to bend my knee on my excercise bike at home which seems to be helping.
With my first knee I was walking without crutches and almost back to normal by the 5th week.
It certainly was a difficult decision to go back to have my 2nd knee done, the operation was cancelled twice, and after getting myself all prepared for the op and then for it to be postponed was terrible, eventually I said NO MORE, but my husband insisted I had it done as he knew how bad my knee was. I am glad he made me go through with it now, but for the first 4 weeks after the operation I was so low and tearful, feeling I would never recover, it was a difficult time.
Good luck with the squats, they sound really adventurous!!!

[Plumb]

Shopping and going to the garden center and Home depot was lovely. I bought Zyrtec and seem to be holding my own.  Except in the morning while driving to work. 

So my knee cap has been extra clickie this week.  I felt something jam up in the knee joint and it was like lightening striking. I went to hold on to the side of an office cube.  So I am off to see the doctor tomorrow.  I keep telling myself a few minutes of lighten bolt every once in a blue moon is not that bad considering bone pain.  I been threw alot worse with the knee replacement but even that was an unexpected quick recovery.. Like yours moonie .. In a way . I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and was all paranoid that things other people had gone wrong would somehow show up.. It never did.  I am one lucky person.   I do want to ask my OS about the knee jam stuff and what point would my implant be compromised if I started to favor my right knee more as my left knee goes down hill. 

My mom is funny she asked if I needed my walker or cane.. I said .. hell no..  I am holding my own.. a bit taken aback by the jamming.. I been threw alot worse.   No stinkin jam .. is going to get me down..  Ok well I did have to breathe threw the pain and all but that subsided after five minutes.    Long term I wonder.  What is my OS going to do with me since he said my knee joint space was too narrow.. Do we chance a scope to see if it will give me time.. or do we just wait until the pain gets to that point again..  hard choices  I am only mid 30's..  and have OA all over my left knee as well.   Medial / lateral and patela.

What keeps me going is .. I am able to walk and able to keep up with a normal pace.   What destroys me is .. I see that the path I am going too is a new knee but I am greatful that I had been there and done it and it is not a mystery..    One of those suck it up and be brave moments again.   What will be will be..

This week the monument place installed my fathers grave stone.  So will be off to see that this weekend.. and ofcourse..  taking my mom out and spoiling her.   She was kind of upset about my knee.  I kept telling her.. Its ok.. I been there before. We will figure it out as the next few months go by..   I knew back in 2006 that the left knee was not good.  It just kept me up and walking.. took its lumps.

Hugs all.. keep chugging away..
Regards
Lump

[moon]

plumb, so glad you are such an up person!! you are truly an inspiration to me, you just keep chugging along and yuo never get bitchy, i do,kids and hubby will attest to that!! isnt it just great you are able to go shopping and to home depot, i can hardly wait!!!!daughters colors ffor her wedding are white and red so i want to do all the pots in red and white this year so i knopw how i want them next  year with no suprises, it is nice the stone is on your dads grave site, it is such a nice thing, it is  a nicer place to visit, it never seems so lonely when it is on, glad yuo are able to go do tht and spoil mom!! i will be waiting to hear what is up with the knee!! what pain, ouch, i mean OUCH , keep us posted. i know you dont want to do this again but look how well you are doing now except for this, you know what i mean, the "good knee" is good, im glad to hear  that the" oh  my god what is going  to go wrong" is somewhat normal, i think you have pain for so long when it gets better you just wonder... and wonder... i have to much time on my hands, i made goulash today!! my first cooking in 3 weeks! going to sons tonight to be the forman on the deck project again. his honey is a cop so gets home late, i hate to eat so late so i am bringing dinner, it is only 58 here so something warm is good. tom got my bike up  out of basement, did 10 minutes on it, yea! but have to admit, i still hate a bike, i need to watch tv or read i guess.                                                                                                                               bella, wow, you have really been through a lot! i cant even imagine how you felt when you are all geared up to go and surgery is cancelled!! not once but twice, i would have to kill someone, i was a mess, had to go on nerve pills to get me to go! it really is to bad yu physical therapy isnt longer, i am there for an hour 3 times a week and then ice for 10 min before they cut me loose. i think it is a huge part of recovery, i cant imagine trying to do this alone, she really pushes me, and i know i wouldnt do them all at home, i would slack off! any way to get more PT? longer sessions, more often? yu make squats sound glamorous!!LOL   then she had me stand, hold the table, and bend knee, lift foot back toward my butt, wow, hamstrings have been on vacation! today im tag teaming the drugs, norco then ultram, dr keeps saying dont worry about the drugs, take them! but i dont like the fuzzy  brain feeling, like the pain relief, so will  try the ultram, not so strong, so not sure how it will do with pain relief, when we did daughters house every two hours it was norco, then ultram, then motrin in between if it was not tolerable, with my gastric bypass the fear was i would burn up my tiny stomach so would like off the drugs soon, but hey, im  not going to be in pain either, i know i wont do well in PT if im in pain, ok, off to stir goulash, hope u all have a great day. denise

[Plumb]

Hi Moon
Happy Mothers day.  I got a new pain patch from the OS.  It is topical NSAID. Along with the cortizone and in June I am scheduled for chicken juice.  The cortizone injection seems to be doing little but than again. I been walking around like a mad woman instead of resting. The OS is telling me he believes I have at least 7 years life in this one before replacement. At the moment I am hoping warm weather turns this knee around.

[moon]

hi there, how is everyone?im back on track, had another depressing episode, im doing so damn great but still get ornery, i want to get in the tub, i want , i want, i want, i can hardly wait, i did go to PT today all alone!! and stopped at walmart! i felt liberated, all alone, did i mention i was all alone! ha, i loved it, i love my hubby to death but i needed time out and it is great, we did convince him to go on the  annual fly fishing trip, he really wasnt sure he wanted to leave me alone but im up to it, megan was over tonite and im going to brians(sons) tomorrow night for dinner and check out the new deck, right knee is still slower than the left but i guess you will have that, PT isnt to concerned about it, started a new machine today, sitting and lifting with legs under a bar thing, it feels great to feel the muscles respond to  something new but usually hurts like hell several hours later, still on the pain meds but am still tying to use the ultram  some. ok off to bed with the peas, take care all, have a great evening. denise

[UK Girl !]

Hi moonie - had a little read through ( needed to catch up) see been on a downer - good to see you picking up again - hey we ALL get them and we all survive to live another day - and you have a lovely wedding to get fit and ready for ! very exciting!

I hate those static bikes - now summer is nearly here we will be off cycling again in the evenings to get a bit of tone back in those legs - I swim a lot but need that extra push on the bike - the only downside is my calf muscle in my non tkr leg is huge as it does tend to be favoured for the harder work!

I am also alone in the house - so lovely - can please myself for a bit - lovely having people care and keep asking if ya need anything or want another drink but................

have a good day
anj

[moon]

morning, yes we do have the wedding soon, the future DIL is turning into bridezilla but we are just ignoring her, we know it is stress and she will be back to her normal self soon. going foundation shopping soon, will be interesting to see how one gets fitted for bras, i have been on my own in that dept all my life but after the gastric all i have are two empty old bags,LOL<<<LOL plus all hubby did was feed me and i gained 5 lbs, been trying to walk and ride bike more to get it off, but will have to have another"foundation" to suck in my belly and ass! hope the woman realises i have to be able to walk and breath! this will be interesting at the least. the crazy neighbor is taking me, she is so much fun , im sure we will be literally  rolling on the dressing room floor in gales of laughter. daughter is going to, i think just to keep us in line, her strapless gown has a bra thingy in it, ah youth and perky boobies! rotten if you are reading sorry if its more than you want o know LOL. ok, that is it for the morning rambling, can you tell whan i am medicated? take care have a glorious day, denise

[UK Girl !]

medication is good! lol

[rottenkid]

Moon you seem to be doing pretty good and you only gained 5 lbs thats not bad. I gained 34lbs in the first two month after the accident. I was depress and I couldn't walk bad combo. Well the good news is I lost 38lbs since December and my waist went down four inches. My pneumonia seems to be letting up and breathing is getting a lot easier. Hey Plum my knee started clicking real bad about 2 months ago I was all freaked out thought my implants were falling out. Found out it was a tendon causing all the noise the I-T band was the culprit. P.T. has been rolling me with a giant foam roller for the last two months and the noise is all but gone. My therapist said most knee noise with knee replacements are caused by tendons so it might not be as bad as you think. Hope every mom out there had a great moms day.
 Take care all
 RoTTen 

[Plumb]

Right knee is replaced  knee.. non noise quiet
Left knee - natural knee.  Knee cap clicks-bone on bone.  Pain =overdoing it- Radical cartildge floating around jamming up at any time. = June 19 Supartz injections. - last week cortizone- Cold rainy weather= Enemy--  Can tolerate 3 hours of walking until I feel the rub of too much pain -- 

Right knee could bearly walk a block. Had no balance.  = Time for replacement at 30
Left knee have some fight in me  to keep natural knee. The NSAId patch OS gave seems to give second wind.. to ignore pain .. and if pain is really bad and hell has gone to a handbag.  He gave me other meds.

[moon]

LOKE UK SAID........MEDS ARE GOOD!!!!! keep taking the meds, is the patch working,? neighbor is on a lidacane patch, seems to help her some.  glad to hear you get 3 hours of walking time, so shop till you drop kiddo> LOL just kidding.well maybe not im dying to get out and shop , thinking of giving a real store a try today, PT was not thrilled  with the idea of taking a wheelchair to the antique show this week end, said walk, rest, walk, rest, so i guess we will do it his way, says the more you walk the more synovial fluid is produced in to the area and the better off you are, he better be right.  i did a lot of exercise and walking yesterday and had a miserable night, just not sure which way to go, it is cold , windy here, looking like rain, i swear i still get stiff at the thought of rain. rotten, glad to hear you are feeling better, i also had pneumonia once, wow, thought i was dying and they forgot to tell me and thankss, had a nice mothers day. plumb i forgot,  what did dr say about a PKR or TKR on lefty?  cant say as i blame you for putting it off but  i am  still glad i did it and it is behind me,  im still thinking wedding ..dancing..getting ready for company>> thinking if we dont re do the guest room they will go to a hoterL LOL, i would love that, there is 6 to 8 coming here, im not sure i can deal with it this time, bodies all over the house and me as the maid, thinking of setting them up in a hotel and paying the bill, would that be rude? we always stay there when we go that way for anything , they always stay here, but i am not sure we will even have a bed in there by then, ,,, maybe that is why im draging my feet, no bed, no compaNY, THEY ASLO GOT A HUGE SUPRISE, A NEWBORN BABY A MONTH AGO, 20, 18, 16, 14, AND BABY and oldest has a girlfriend, wow, i am nauseated at the thought of it.ok, enough medicated rambling, better go do the bike, have a great day, denise

[UK Girl !]

hey moon
good physio - i walked and walked and walked on my new knee and convinced it was the best thing i ever did - i know you have 2 - but still reckon it works - my friend who had bi lat also walks loads!

anj

[Plumb]

The doctor told me it would be a TKR when it is time.   He feels he can get another 7 years with injecting me with chicken juice and cortizone.. I have lidocaine patches.  Love them  They are an addiction for me. I use them  before I go to something stronger.   The new NSAID patch gives me a stiff neck but a painfree knee after a hard day. 

Your wedding celebration sounds like a wonderful family event.  Chaos!!! I guess you can get those air beds if push comes to shove and let someone be the event caretaker in your place. You need to have fun. Not worry. You are ofcourse the MOG. Plus fresh out of surgery.  It's a bit much to place hostess on your plate.  Unless you start to go to costco and get 500 frozen waffles for breakfast and order pizza for dinner each night.   
Regardless of what you decide.  You will have fun.

And I agree with your PT about the wheelchair.  Do you have crutches?   I know you had two knees done but this is the time you push yourself and try to top your personal best each day.. and than drug up at night. Its totally allowed.   There will be a time you do not even think about the OA pain. And it lessens after three months but you willl ache up to a year. I walked and walked and walked as well for at least 45 minutes each night.   NO super fast mind you but my own pace.  but got faster and faster..  I think I didnt notice peeking until  Sept Oct when people started to compliement me on how far I had come at work.  Let me tell you.. I was so so so so so bad.  and come so far.. and holding my own even with a crap left knee I am walking pretty darn good.   I guess there is a line the OS look for when you become parking lot road kill slow.. and you have to have your family pry you out of the car.

Also bike riding is very good.  There are alot of state parks and beaches with bike paths within an hour around here.  Although i somehow managed to have a bike wrack break on me last year.  I would not hesitate to get one .. in the next few weeks. 


So did you pick out your shoes?   You must send a photo when you can.  ARe you going to get your hair done special for the day? Pamper yourself..

[Bella56]

Hi Moon,
My son is just about to celebrate his 1st Wedding Anniversary and thinking back 12 months I would say make the time as stressfree as possible for you. You have recently had major surgery X 2 and still in recovery. You need to be totally focused on enjoying your sons wedding so that you will look back with positive lovely memories of the build up to the day and of course the actual day, its what you deserve.  In my opinion if you have to play hostess, you will be tired, maybe even a little resentful of the people you have to look after and look back on the time of the Wedding as a stressful one.
I have just had my physio cancelled for today, my physio is ill. I feel so depressed about it, it was to be my 4th session. I cannot believe that on the 6th week anniversary of my PKR I have still only had 3 fifteen minute sessions with the physio  . Somedays I feel positive and think 'I'll show them I can do this without their help', then like today I have bad days where I just want to give up and think 'if your not bothered about my recovery then neither am I' 
Pain wise I am lucky and need very little pain relief during the day, although I do take a Tramadol at night to help with sleeping.
I am hoping that when I go to the hospital in 2 weeks they say I can drive, I feel so caged in not being able to get about without my husband running me around. However, I have been told that I am unlikely to be seen by my surgeon, just one of his 'side kicks', which I am a little concerned about.