Hot Diggity's knee replacement thread

That's exactly why I wanted to do another thread like this. (I did a hip replacement thread back in March of 2022) I had heard everything about knee replacement surgery from extremely painful to walking and driving the same day. My own mother said it wasn't bad when she had hers done. I'm almost 62 and hadn't slowed down a bit until my hip and knee conspired to force me to downshift a bit. Although there's been nothing easy about this surgery, I wouldn't trade it for the locking and clunking old mush I had. At least I can look forward to walking again.

Day 5. Intense boredom seems to follow intense pain. I have a timer set on my phone to remind me to get up and walk every hour that I'm awake for ten minutes. If I traced the path of my walk it'd look like a wild doodle from one room to another with lots of turning around and one pivot around a bottle of Eagle Rare that makes that leg of the walk the most anticipated. One extended walk per hour gets me loosened up more than five two minute trips, so I can see why they specified the longer walk time. I start out looking at my feet, and getting my abbreviated stride as even as possible. Bright yellow hospital socks help more with this than anything. Once I have the stride and proper heel to toe mechanics down I try to straighten up and walk normally always within my walker.

If this all sounds exceedingly boring, it is. The walking is the exciting part of my day. The balance of my waking hours I spend reading and researching things. The hiccups have not returned, so maybe they've burned themselves out. The nurse that called me yesterday said they were from the steroids they'd given me. I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They're gone, and I'm happy about that.

Raining.

 

Hope your on your way to healing and be ready for spring

 

I sure hope so. I'll be eligible for social security shortly after I go back to work, so I'll have to see if I'm still having fun, or if I need a change.

My latest update to the walker is very handy.

 

I never thought it would be so thoroughly enjoyable to just stand in the middle of the kitchen and look out the window.

I heard what sounded like a shootout in the distance and figured that at my speed those three steps to get to my weapon might take a bit too long. So I set up a little off-body carry rig that will go with me everywhere.

 

My dad had both done back in the early 90's. Other than never being able to kneel down again, he said it was the best thing he ever did. He went back to work (truck driver) after 2 weeks on each one. His first week was rough and painful, but it quickly passed. I think yours will too, you being a tough old North Carolina buzzard.

 

That walker looks familiar,--how's the swelling in the leg?

 

Good that you are making progress with your recovery....keep it up.

 

Because it's the same walker I had when the hip was replaced?

Swelling is hard to figure. Is it only so big because my skin won't stretch any more, or is it just swollen a little? Skin is tight and warm, but that might just be because they shaved all my hair off! It feels stiff when I try to bend it, but with an 18"x4" bandage that feels like a rubber gasket stuck down the front of the leg I feel like that could be contributing.

I can get about 40 degrees of bend out of it before the incision and bandage get tight.

Can't wait to get the bandage off so I can scratch.

 

I'm stuck with a situation today. I might have a big fat reference book on mantle lamps in the mail box. I might also have nothing but junk mail. Trouble is I don't want to fall down the hill going out to get the mail on my walker. Little stuff like that I could've planned ahead for. I know the Postal Service will deliver mail up to a box near the door for old folks who can't make it to the mailbox.

 

Am sure you will find ways of overcoming those challenges to your mobility whilst you recover...adversity is often the source of many inventions.

 

Well ,,, I know approximately where ya live ,, if ya need me to come by and get your mail to the front door ,, let me know ,,,,

I know what ya mean about that bandage ,,, the only thing worse than having it on is when they took it off ,,, felt like they were slicing open my leg with a razor blade. Good luck on your recovery . I'm 10 months into my recovery and it still hurts at around a hundred degree bend . But I'm not having the same pain as I had before ,, because now I'm feeling how much pain is in my right knee . I need to go ahead and schedule that one now .

But I broke my left ankle in '19 ,, and I'm having problems with it ,, might have to get them to go in and see what's happening in there . ,, I've got to get these bones straightened out ,, I just bought some tree spikes to get up in a few trees to limb and top them out

Good luck ,, holler if ya need anything .

 

Will do. Thanks. You better be careful climbing up trees. Aren't you of an age where hiring a man to do stuff that could get you killed is an option? That's why my chain saw is on a pole. If I can't reach it from the ground, I'm not trimming it anymore. Keeps me from getting careless with a small saw too since the chain is always waaay over yonder.

Pain at the limits of movement is probably a good thing. Keeps you from over doing it with the new joint. Sure beats random locking and stabbing pain that made me squeak out loud. Like my Doctor said "when you need a knee replacement you'll know it."

Imperial Lighting is pretty amazing on their shipping speeds, but with the holiday I was able to verify that the order didn't ship until today. By Monday or Tuesday I might be ready to try hills.
Cute Mail Lady knows I'm busted up again and might bring a big hard cover book to the door anyway.

I'm glad this is my thread so I can just ramble incoherently sometimes.

My hair has been unrestrained for a week now and any hopes that it would straighten out are gone. Perhaps the reason it was straight in my teenage years was because it was frequently wet from swimming and air dried out a car window or on a bicycle. Laying around in my recliner has created an even more pronounced curl at the shoulders and some waves at the sides. Dear Daughter is terribly jealous of my natural curls.
I'd happily trade, since hers is more the way I remember my hair as a teen. Maybe a few more inches in length and it'll decide to straighten out.

It is wonderfully warm to have hair past my shoulders in the cooler months, but as soon as it gets warm it'll become intolerable and be tied back again.

 

Yes sir ,, I'm at the age to know better ,, just don't want to have to admit I can't .
Yes sir ,, that locking up will get your attention pretty quick .

Ramble on brother ,, ramble on ,,,

 

The shower entry process with one new knee is a challenge. If I had both done I'd have to have help.

With the hip it was easy. Bend knee to get foot to clear tub and swing it over. Now I can only get about a 40 degree bend on the knee and still have zero strength to lift up at the thigh.

So the good leg goes in, I grab the shower bar and bring the new, not-so-bendy leg up behind me and can just get my toes over the edge of the tub.

From there I was just thankful to have enough room between the legs of my shower stool and the tub to fit my foot past. Once I'm in and safely seated I can sit or stand carefully and shower more or less normally.

If I was doing this again I might want to do some practice bathroom and shower entry exit drills.
It would be very bad to get tangled up and fall in the bathroom, or not be able to safely get seated on the toilet.

Sounds funny...until it isn't.

 

I had the same issues ,, for the 1st couple weeks my buddy made me stay at his house so his wife could help me if needed ,, my problem there was the small bathroom ,, I had a hard time sitting on the low toilet , in the cramped space ,, with no more bend than I had in the knee . It'll get a little easier on ya . I pushed it pretty hard in therapy ,, and slacked off after ,, I need to start working it some ,, I'm 10 months in to it ,, and it still starts hurting in the 90-100 degree range ,, I was up to about 115 degree out of therapy .
Hang in there ,, you'll make it .

 

110 degrees is about all I could do before. I haven't put the right knee on the ground to briefly kneel to work on things in years. I do want to see how kneeling on my variety of pads are work feels. I may need to change the way I do things at work, but that's nothing new.

PT and big bandage off tomorrow. Looking forward to that.

 

I got my socks and shoes on without any special tools!

Haven't been this excited about putting ony own socks since I was three.

 

What may seem inconsequential to someone with full lower limb functionality, is a major achievement for a rehabilitating surgical patient. Bask in your achievement!