Well, I had hoped the last two days of resting would pay off. But I did not sleep last night...grrrr! I simply could not get comfortable. The incision is itchy and sensitive to fabric brushing against it. I still can't sleep in my normal position, kind of on my tummy with a knee tucked up. When I turn on my side, with the surgery leg in top, the sheet rubs on the incision. So turn to the other side, and the mattress presses against the incision, and the top leg adds pressure...there is simply no comfortable position!
Seep and I are not friends to begin with. I would not say that I have insomnia, but rather that I tend to not need a lot of sleep--6-7 hours is quite normal for me. And forget about sleeping through a full moon! I can expect 2-3 nights where I only get 2-4 hours sleep at best. (But I don't usually feel tired from it). The only time I my life that I can ever remember this not being true was during pregnancy: 10 hours a night, from the day I got pregnant util the baby was born!
Since the surgery, I have averaged 8-9 hours most nights. I figure that makes sense: my body is healing, and should need more sleep. Until last night, I could take half a pain pill and that would help me sleep. It didn't work last night. I finally got to sleep about 6am and slept til 8. So I felt a bit "off" throughout the day.
But my physical therapy session went well, and about 1/2 hour after I realized how hard I had worked! I paid attention to applying ice as needed. No outside walk, it was raining. Went to bed at 9pm and slept til 7 the next morning.
Really looking forward to day 21: I get these annoying stitches removed!!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Days 19
Day 19
Well, I had a good sleep, but still feel kind of tired. I guess two days of doing too much requires two days to recover! I still spent a lot of time with my feet up, and paid attention to the clock. I spent the day in this pattern:
---sit with feet level for an hour;
---get up and walk back and forth, do an exercise or two.
---lie down, feet above my heart, sometimes with ice on the knee for 30 minutes, depending on which exercises I had done.
I did walk outside, but it was cold and windy, and I got very tired..maybe only walked a little over 1/4 mile.
I finished making the hairpin lace shawl that I started two weeks ago. So I have learned a new skill and used up some yarn in the process. I am getting very eager for my post-op appointment in two days.
Well, I had a good sleep, but still feel kind of tired. I guess two days of doing too much requires two days to recover! I still spent a lot of time with my feet up, and paid attention to the clock. I spent the day in this pattern:
---sit with feet level for an hour;
---get up and walk back and forth, do an exercise or two.
---lie down, feet above my heart, sometimes with ice on the knee for 30 minutes, depending on which exercises I had done.
I did walk outside, but it was cold and windy, and I got very tired..maybe only walked a little over 1/4 mile.
I finished making the hairpin lace shawl that I started two weeks ago. So I have learned a new skill and used up some yarn in the process. I am getting very eager for my post-op appointment in two days.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Day 18: New Realization
A day of rest. For the last 41 years, I have taken the 7th day of the week to rest, pray, attend church. You would think after all those years, I have learned it all..not so.
My body took control and so today I simply rested. I took pain pills (ugh). I used ice...a lot! (4 times during the day/evening). And this is what I discovered:
The frustration of the last two days was because I had done too much, pushed too hard, on day 16!! I kind of thought so, and so on Day 17, I tried to take it a bit easier...and did too much again! I didn't spend enough time with my legs above my heart..I didn't use the ice enough..I shunned the pain pills. Result: by that evening I finally noticed my legs were a bit swollen at bedtime. I took a pain pill, and went to bed.
Still, when I got up this morning, I felt achy and tired. So I made the hard choice, to stay home from church, get my feet up, and apply ice. No long walk, but just what I needed to do to take care of food, toilet, etc. I did get nicely dressed, and, because it is so close, went over to church after services to see my friends, (after listening into services on the Internet connection). I took the non-narcotic pain pill so it would be safe to drive the short distance. And as soon as I returned home, I lay down, grabbed my ice bag, elevated.
Then early to bed with the narcotic pain pill. Hopefully day 19 will have me feeling well enough that I can get back to a good walk.
I do think my brain is waking up and getting ahead of my knee capacity. So I am going to do my best to watch the clock tomorrow: 1 hour down, then walk a bit, or sit a bit, the down again..onward!!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Days 16 & 17
I am over the half-way mark! There is a certain amount of excitement, but also a bit of frustration. I still cannot climb stairs normally. I am tired much of the time, and still need to spend time lying down during the day. I had hoped to be further along....
However, my therapist tells me I am ahead of the norm, so I must be satisfied with that.
Day 16
A red-letter day: I am sooooo close to hitting the mile I want to be walking. I feel. Pretty good, although the scab is annoying. I make new gains on flexion of my knee by using the new way my therapist taught me to work at it using gravity and a balance ball. I go out to lunch with my daughter and granddaughter and then we stop at Target to pick up a few things...I am very tired by the time we get home and happy to lie down and ice my knee.
Day 17
Not so good. My knee feels achy, especially across the front of my leg just below the knee. This spot has felt bruised all along, and today it just hurts a bit more. I feel tired, too. Physical therapy is getting a bit frustrating, partly because I know we are almost out of visits (2 left!), and I feel like there is still soooo much I need help with!
My therapist encourages me by telling me that I am ahead of the norm, and that I will be OK on my own. I do know quite a lot about rehab of knees, because I have worked with many clients in this way as a personal trainer. I shorten my walk, and take a pain pill at bed time. Onward!
However, my therapist tells me I am ahead of the norm, so I must be satisfied with that.
Day 16
A red-letter day: I am sooooo close to hitting the mile I want to be walking. I feel. Pretty good, although the scab is annoying. I make new gains on flexion of my knee by using the new way my therapist taught me to work at it using gravity and a balance ball. I go out to lunch with my daughter and granddaughter and then we stop at Target to pick up a few things...I am very tired by the time we get home and happy to lie down and ice my knee.
Day 17
Not so good. My knee feels achy, especially across the front of my leg just below the knee. This spot has felt bruised all along, and today it just hurts a bit more. I feel tired, too. Physical therapy is getting a bit frustrating, partly because I know we are almost out of visits (2 left!), and I feel like there is still soooo much I need help with!
My therapist encourages me by telling me that I am ahead of the norm, and that I will be OK on my own. I do know quite a lot about rehab of knees, because I have worked with many clients in this way as a personal trainer. I shorten my walk, and take a pain pill at bed time. Onward!
Two weeks down, but remember:
It occurs to me that this is a good time to repeat my disclaimers: I started this blog so my friends could track my progress, but also to help anyone who is facing knee replacement surgery. My doctor advised me to DO MY OWN INTERNET RESEARCH before making my decision. He told me to avoid sites like this, because EVERY INDIVIDUAL IS DIFFERENT!
So, THIS IS MY PERSONAL, UNIQUE EXPERIENCE! I AM NOT A DOCTOR. VIEW THIS BLOG AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY, AND FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF YOUR OWN DOCTORS!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Day 15
I am feeling a sense of progress again. I can see the incision healing, and the steritapes are coming off. I can comfortably walk 3/4 of a mile, and will easily reach my goal of a mile by next week. I do find that I must be mindful to stretch my calves at the end of a walk, or they will cramp up the next day. Silly muscles!
I am ever-so-tired of the feeling of the scab across my knee! But on the other hand, I am aware of healing, because I am less content to spend the day watching movies, icing and exercising by the clock. I am eager to dance again, get out and work in my garden...there is so much to be done this time of year!!! Must stay on top of the weeds and keep them from reproducing!!
Going up and down the stairs is the latest challenge. I am tired of the "baby-step, two feet per step technique! So far my therapist has had me working I a step bench at 4 inches, and stepping up is improving, but the step down aggravates my OTHER knee.... (Sigh).
So I am working on patience, and focusing on exercises that move my progress forward.
I am ever-so-tired of the feeling of the scab across my knee! But on the other hand, I am aware of healing, because I am less content to spend the day watching movies, icing and exercising by the clock. I am eager to dance again, get out and work in my garden...there is so much to be done this time of year!!! Must stay on top of the weeds and keep them from reproducing!!
Going up and down the stairs is the latest challenge. I am tired of the "baby-step, two feet per step technique! So far my therapist has had me working I a step bench at 4 inches, and stepping up is improving, but the step down aggravates my OTHER knee.... (Sigh).
So I am working on patience, and focusing on exercises that move my progress forward.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Days 13 & 14
Day 13
I am still feeling a bit of the frustration from yesterday.. I guess it is mainly that I feel enough better to be more active...and then get tired very easily. I also notice my brain is still a bit foggy...I burned my cast iron pan this morning, becauseI forgot to turn the fire off when I used my breakfast!
Physical therapy went very well, though. I learned today that I have apparently been compensating for a much longer time than I thought. So I am having to completely change the way I walk. I have a very hard time placing an even load on my left leg. I tend to walk flat footed, instead of picking up the knee on my left leg and stepping heel-toe. I don't step as far forward with the right leg, and I don't extend the left leg behind. So much work to do.
My daily walk is improving significantly..I actually hit my goal of 1/2 mile, although broke it into two walks, with a rest in between.
Day 14
That frustration seems to have gone away. I enjoy my half mile walk so much, that I take a second one later on in the day--about 1,000 feet.
I feel pretty good most of the day, although I catch myself hobbling about the
house instead of walking correctly. It is amazing how hard it is to change my gait!!
I once read a Reader's Digest Article: "Three Weeks to a Better Me." (Don't try to find it on the Internet..I just looked and what pops up is not what I am referring to). The article explained that if you want to build better habits, and can keep yourself on track for three weeks, you can establish the new habit in place of an older, bad habit. So I am going to put it to the test, and see if I ca fix my walk in three weeks, starting tomorrow.
I am still feeling a bit of the frustration from yesterday.. I guess it is mainly that I feel enough better to be more active...and then get tired very easily. I also notice my brain is still a bit foggy...I burned my cast iron pan this morning, becauseI forgot to turn the fire off when I used my breakfast!
Physical therapy went very well, though. I learned today that I have apparently been compensating for a much longer time than I thought. So I am having to completely change the way I walk. I have a very hard time placing an even load on my left leg. I tend to walk flat footed, instead of picking up the knee on my left leg and stepping heel-toe. I don't step as far forward with the right leg, and I don't extend the left leg behind. So much work to do.
My daily walk is improving significantly..I actually hit my goal of 1/2 mile, although broke it into two walks, with a rest in between.
Day 14
That frustration seems to have gone away. I enjoy my half mile walk so much, that I take a second one later on in the day--about 1,000 feet.
I feel pretty good most of the day, although I catch myself hobbling about the
house instead of walking correctly. It is amazing how hard it is to change my gait!!
I once read a Reader's Digest Article: "Three Weeks to a Better Me." (Don't try to find it on the Internet..I just looked and what pops up is not what I am referring to). The article explained that if you want to build better habits, and can keep yourself on track for three weeks, you can establish the new habit in place of an older, bad habit. So I am going to put it to the test, and see if I ca fix my walk in three weeks, starting tomorrow.
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