NEW KNEES--THE GOOD ONLY! (12 weeks)

It has been a fantastic past few days.  Monday began my 12th week post op.  On Sunday, I did a HUGE grocery shopping--the cupboard, frig, and freezer were bare, and we were tired of eating out.  Granted, my husband pushed the basket and loaded and unloaded the car, but I spent well over an hour walking around the store and picking items. Then I had to put everything up once we got home.  MAJOR milestone.  Then on Monday I returned to my water aerobics class;  it was so great to see all my water friends.  I could not keep up with them, but I gave it the college try, and even stayed about 45 minutes after class to do specific physical therapy exercises.  It did NOT kill me or wear me out.  Tuesday I went to physical therapy and for the first time was able to balance on my left leg.  My left leg is what is holding me back.  In the hospital I was literally dragging it around--really kind of scared me that it was so affected.  The left leg has caused me the most pain and is an albatross as far as weakness is concerned.  Balancing all my weight on the left foot was so EXCITING to me and my therapist! Then I went to the walking track and did my four laps 2 or 3 minutes faster than the last time.  WHOO HOO!  I even came home and did some cleaning around the house which was amazing.  Today after water aerobics, I even went shopping to 3 stores. It was FABULOUS to not hurt with every step!!!!  It has been probably a year since I went shopping; if it couldn't be bought online, I didn't need it!  


I have really needed all these positive experiences.  The progress is so small on a daily basis, and it so wonderful to see all my hard work pay off in such a big way.  Oh, and thank you, Dr. Tabor!


(If balance is an issue for you, doing it in the pool is great.  It's a lot harder than on land, but it doesn't hurt.)

Practical Matters

I have been thinking of some practical things that might help someone who is following me in this knee replacement journey.  I am venturing farther and farther away from my home these days, and it requires some forethought.  First, I have to be concerned with the seating.  If the chairs are too low, it is really uncomfortable and sometimes painful to get up.  In restaurants, I have found that a chair is better than a booth.  The chair needs to have some working room around it--don't choose one too close to someone at another table. Sometimes a flattish pillow that will raise me up about an inch will be all that I need for some chairs.  That can be carried around in a tote.  Also, there is the commode issue.  For us ladies, a commode too low in public presents the same kind of issues.  At home I have a commode chair that fits over my commode with handy arm rests to use for getting up.  My literature from the hospital said that I would need that chair for 12 weeks.  I'm thinking that timing will be about right, but until I no longer need it, planning is involved.  I don't venture too far from home--it's not unusual to come home for a pit stop before finishing my errands or whatever.  I never leave the house without visiting the bathroom first.  If in doubt, I'll check the bathroom facilities for placement of handrails and the height of the commode before spending too much time in that establishment.


Have I told you more than you wanted to know?

Learning to walk (11 weeks)

Check out my walking sticks--a few seconds walking slowly and listing to the side solo, then using my walking sticks!  My therapist wanted me to walk with these to increase my cadence and create a more normal gait than the one I have with a cane.  It does feel more liberating to use them although I feel really ridiculous in public.  Going out in the snow made me feel really silly; it was as if I thought the snow might get deep enough to need them! 


This is an old story, but I think it is significant.  Before my setback with physical therapy, I went to the Y at St. Francis Hospital one day to use the machines for my core and upper body.  As I strolled in with my walking sticks, there were a bunch of older men on most of the machines I wanted to use.  I walked determinedly to an empty machine in the midst of them, and one guy speaks out with, "Are you going skiing?"  I turned to him and announced very excitedly that I had 2 new knees.  Then the room erupts with, "We do, too!!!!"  I became an instant member of a knee replacement club!  Everyone wanted to tell me his story, tell me how to use the machines more efficiently, blah, blah, blah.  My son had driven me there, and he was astounded at the camaraderie that had developed.  There was one man on the elliptical going 90 to nothing that had had 2 knee replacements at the same time like I did. ( most of the others were spaced out by several months)  He became my instant role model.  Recently when I was in so much pain and discouraged, I told my husband that I wanted to be like the man on the elliptical.  He wisely said, "Let's see, he had his surgery 4 years ago.  That's 52 weeks times 4--so he's over 200 weeks post op, and you are, um 6." Lesson learned.

Patience is not my strong suit (9 weeks)

Towards the end of last week, 8 weeks post-op, I really began to pick up in what I could do.  We foolishly got involved in a remodeling project that created so much dust in our house.  We were completely surprised by all the dust that was created by replacing floors.  We knew refinishing floors caused huge amounts of dust, but removing flooring and replacing it was just as bad.  So now I am faced with removing massive amounts of dust on everything in every room!  I surprised myself by how much I got done.  What I accomplished is only a drop in the bucket, but before last week, I usually worked for 10 or 15 minutes followed by a 30-45 minute rest before repeating.  I also went 3 whole days without narcotics.  Another biggie.  My toddler gait became a little less wide spaced, and I was really cruising in the house.  I was feeling pretty good about my knees and my progress.


Then yesterday, I ran into a friend who had a total knee replacement 3 weeks after me.  She was walking GREAT and gave up her narcotics long before me.  I was thrilled for her.  But then....I went home and got into a funk because I was hurting and needing my cane and was feeling sorry for myself. I wanted to be doing as well as she was. I finally gave in and took a pain pill last night and life looked ok again.  Guess if I still need pain pills, I should not be resistant to take them.


Today at the pool, a man started up a conversation about my "fresh scars".  He wanted to know all about my whole experience, including measurements of flexion and extension.  He then told me how great I was doing.  He, too, had had knee replacements, and he said that he was at my level at 9 months, not 9 weeks.  Guess this man was placed in my path to remind me that we all heal differently and at different rates.  I will continue to try to be patient with myself.