TKR week 8

[rayinpenn]

Big day - walked the old pooch for 30 minutes - followed the pre arthritic knee route even though it was 30 degrees and blowing. She was literally prancing and overjoyed. (Yeah I managed to leave the route as clean as we found it). By time we got back she had slowed down a good bit. I used one of those harnesses where she can't put her weight against me without turning herself around (no pressure on her neck either). The overnight low is expected to be 13 degrees - looks like tomorrow I'll to break out my super heavy coat.

No more silly guilt about leaving her home.


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[W2R]

Big day - walked the old pooch for 30 minutes - followed the pre arthritic knee route even though it was 30 degrees and blowing. The dog was literally prancing and overjoyed. (Yeah I managed to leave the route as clean as we found it). By time we got back she had slowed down a good bit. I used one of those harnesses where she can't put her weight against me without turning herself around (no pressure on her neck either). The overnight low is expected to be 13 degrees - looks like tomorrow I'll to break out my super heavy coat.


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Wow, congratulations! I know it probably doesn't seem like it to you (yet), but from here your recovery seems fast and outstanding.

 

[rayinpenn]

I will say this I feel a loss of vigor - one of the guys at pt mentioned feeling fatigued. I think all that morphine kicked my butt. Went to PT last week about 11 and came back, sat on the couch and dozed off... Yikes old man here.


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[rayinpenn]

So just got back from the surgeon. All is not wonderful - He wants me to really step up the exercises to get my knee straight into high gear. Threatened me with revision surgery - they go in and work on the scar tissue. I'll have to really put 100% into it for the next few weeks.

Darn.


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[Walt34]

So just got back from the surgeon. All is not wonderful - He wants me to really step up the exercises to get my knee straight into high gear. Threatened me with revision surgery - they go in and work on the scar tissue. I'll have to really put 100% into it for the next few weeks.

Darn.

Ouch, but probably better than more surgery.

 

[rayinpenn]

It isn't revision surgery - I'm told by the PT they sedate you and force your leg to bend to say 120 degrees and perfectly straight. He said yes it will hurt. Omg. Then you see the PT for a week who does the same without sedation. Omg again.


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[W2R]

Oh wow, that sounds like a nightmare.

 

[braumeister]

Sounds vaguely familiar.

The rack was used throughout Europe for centuries. ... The victim is tied down while some mechanical device, usually a crank or turning wheel, tightens the ropes, stretching the victim's body until the joints are dislocated. Continued pressure could cause the limbs to be torn right off. Such torture was known as being "broken on the rack," "racked," or "stretched on the rack." ... Torquemada, the infamous torturer of the Spanish Inquisition, was known to favor a stretching rack known as a potoro.

10 Medieval Torture Devices - HowStuffWorks

 

[rayinpenn]

Ok five minutes ago I was sitting with my leg straight with my heel resting on a identical chair. I had a bungee cord around my knee with a plastic bag with 10 cans of soda in it for weight hanging from the cord. For 5 minutes. Hint: Think of testing a bridge design with weights or as suggested some kind of twisted mid evil torture.

Self imposed torture yep. Am I worried yep. Alternatives: none.
You just have to smile ... It could be a heck of a lot worse.



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[O2Bfree]

Perhaps you've already discovered this, but reverse breathing exercises can help with pain. This means long exhalations, pushing a bit at the end to squeeze out that last bit of air. Then relax to inhale, instead of sucking the air in. Shoot for 10-15 second exhalations.

Apparently this stimulates the vagus nerve and gives numerous benefits, including pain relief. Here's more information:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201302/the-neurobiology-grace-under-pressure