I'm a sweller. I just am. Previous knee surgery swelling kept me from getting too much ROM back in the first week or so. That was just arthroscopic clean up. This TKR requires much more vigilance on ROM exercises and restrengthening the quads. I was getting some god-awful stabby, pointy pain while doing ANYTHING in the 10*-20* range (trying to get the leg straight). Over the weekend I did a ton of passive ROM (Thanks, Whippy for the tips), lots of modified quad sets. I slept mostly pain free last night, and I woke up this morning feeling SOOOO much better. PT lady just left and after a tiring and achey PT session - still with none of the stabby pain - I'm at a comfortable 10* -> 88* ROM, full weight bearing, and good form in heel-toe walking (I was getting lazy about it last week).

YES! I can *almost* walk perfectly normally using the walker more as a form-guide than an actual weight bearing, and I can force my leg to within 5*-8* of straight (0*) while standing, at least for a few minutes at a time, though it does get painful after a bit.

I'm told I should get out and walk more, paying close attention to my form, and between that and the quad sets, those last 10* should disappear this week.

Excellent, excellent news all around.

I feel good. This was a good decision.

What about the breast augmentation?

I KNOW you are more stubborn than the knee, Chris . . . . . my money's on you!

If Liz needs anything, let me know.

Eat more cat 2014

I feel like I could ride next week if I'm careful.

That is good news!

Been looking for your old knee on Craigslist... 

Hahahahahah

Terrific!

O.K. Where's the hot nurse pics?   

 

 

rehab, rehab, rehab......

Great news. One step at a time man...sorry I had to say it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

The biggest issues I have right now are, it's difficult to get comfortable in any chair at all. So eating a meal is usually a hurry up then go lay back down kind of thing. Another issue is fatigue. Pain is fatiguing. There's just no other way around. And so is surgery. And recuperation. Bundle all that together, and I'm pretty much a walking zombie at this point. But still I feel better every day. And that's a huge plus. The pain I'm going through now is just from healing, and my muscles getting back together. What they have to do to get into your knee is pretty traumatic. But the actual problems that I was having before surgery are all gone. That in itself is such a relief.

So this is all leading up to: this weeks Pace Podcast will be a doozy?

Aw man. I feel like such a lump where the podcast is concerned.

Awww <3

Oooooooohyeah. I will. And thanks! She's been absolutely wonderful through all this.

BooooohYaaaaaah.  All back together. Great news 

Quote from: chornbe on June 23, 2014, 02:26:36 PM

Quote from: mxvet57 on June 23, 2014, 01:21:59 PM

O.K. Where's the hot nurse pics?   

 

Liz is my nurse

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Rawr.

Quote from: Cookie on June 24, 2014, 12:13:24 PM

You're a lucky man.

Glad you're on the mend.

wasn't referring in the slightest to the knee.

Eat more cat 2014

Week 3 update...

Walking with a cane, though often without. I mostly use the cane for helping to keep good form and for going down stairs. I'm able to alternate a *few* steps going up stairs. I can only do one or two of the shorter half steps (like out my front door) with the new-knee leg going *down* stairs. As of yesterday's PT session measurements, I'm able to get from 5* to 92*, up from 10 to 88 a few days ago. She changed up my exercises and the new ones are just plain painful. There's simply no other way to say it. I still get very fatigued and napping, short and sporadic as it may be, still helps. She says I'm still several degrees of pain-free flexion before I should consider going near my bicycle. Sitting on my ass the last decade certainly didn't do myself any favors on this recovery. I was absolutely miserable with pain last night, and sleep was very difficult. Against my hopes, I had to pop some vicodin at midnight, then another one at about 3am. Did I mention these newer exercises hurt? 'Cause they do. But hey... progress.

My buddy Lauren came and took me to lunch yesterday, which was awesome! It was great getting out of the house.

We had to run some errands over the weekend and I ended up spending a few hours in the car on Saturday. That was not fun; by the end of that I was pretty sore and miserable, so car rides are definitely still a short-duration thing for the time being.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with my progress. I hopped on the Vulcan to pull it out of the garage yesterday, and in fact I have someone interested in it... so that'll spur me on to finish the little bits of work it needs. But I'm not really going near that 'til next week. I have to finish stripping down the Zephyr (did some more yesterday). I'm good for about an hour at a time on my feet doing light duty stuff. So that's cool. I'd be even crazier than I am now if I couldn't get up and move around some.

Also, healing up nicely...

Glad to hear this and i hope the progress continues on an upward trajectory.

You and me both my friend.

I had to pop some vicodin at midnight

Are you taking pain meds perhaps 30 minutes before your PT sessions (so that you're able to push-it more more ROM)?

1. Thrilled to hear that you're making solid, steady progress. 

2. Thank you for posting a picture of Liz.  It gives me hope for what might be out there for me, if I end up taking the same path that you did. (Of course, I'm all kinds of ugly...so my mileage may vary.) 

And here I wasn't following this thread.   

Hmmmmmmm. *lick*

See y'all later. I got work to do. :-)