Total Knee Replacement

 

Preface

This will not be your typical post, short, sweet, and full of photos. I am by no means a writer and the below will reflect that fact. I have recently had a total knee replacement and this is a recap of my journey. As the weeks rolled by I tried to write a short journal entry to recap what went on. To set the stage, I am a 73-year-old active male in good condition. I love practicing yoga, downhill skiing, golf, RVing, and taking morning walks.

I hope this will give you some insights into what this procedure might bring. I did not go into the Insurance Part of this conversation, but you should look into before going into this surgery. The cost is astronomical, and you will want to know your options. It has been 10 months since my surgery. The surgery knee is healing nicely, and I am still recovering. I am back up and taking on my daily activities.

 

 

Chapter 1 – Discovery

What’s That Sound

Several years ago, my knees began to show signs of wear. I could hear what I thought was a grinding sound from both during strenuous activity. As a handyman and now an RV owner, I am constantly on ladders, which puts a lot of pressure on my knees. Unfortunately, my passion lies in skiing, where I discovered my knee shortfalls.

​While skiing at Big Sky Ski Resort, I had to cut the day short after my left leg gave out while turning on a blue run with 5 inches of powder. After taking some Advil and icing my leg for a day or two, I returned to the mountain. I was wearing a knee brace this time. I managed to ski another 10 to 12 days without issue. The pain was gone with the help of Voteran and icing. Upon arriving home, I hit the gym for my typical workout.

 

Typical Work Out

While performing an extended leg lift I experienced a lack of any strength to extend my left leg. This was a first for me and a sign that I had some real issues to deal with. I went to see Dr.Mathew Rose regarding the problems I was having. He was friendly and easy to talk to, and I felt at ease with him. I explained the circumstances that had led to my issues, including my love for winter sports. To my surprise, he revealed that he too enjoyed winter sports and had even visited some of the same mountains where I had skied. He was on the same page as I was regarding my activities and the need to continue.

What The X-Rays Revealed

After taking some X-rays of my knees and hips, Dr. Rose diagnosed me with osteoarthritis. He informed me that my knee joints were bone on bone, causing inflammation and difficulties on the mountain. His recommended course of action was to start with a cortisone treatment.

Initially, the cortisone shot helped. I could walk 2 miles comfortably. My workouts were still a challenge. I switched to TRX bands to take some stress off my knee as I built back strength. The relief from the shots was short-lived.

Let’s Try Something Else

I was back in Dr. Roses’s office in a matter of a couple of weeks. He suggested we take this to the next step, Orthovisc injections. These injections would introduce a synthetic lubricant to the joint. The injections in my left knee worked as advertised. I had very little if any pain. Here is a good link to explain the injections Cal Sports Orthovisc Treatment  The product was advertised to work a minimum of 6 months and could last longer. I managed to get a year plus out of the first series of injections. This included a 25-day ski season. I decided to wear a brace that year skiing to give me a secure feel.

I spent several nights reviewing my options: Orthovisc or knee replacement surgery. Dr Rose did not suggest that I have my knee replaced. He felt the injections would work and extend the likelihood of current activities. The focus now would be to expand my current activity level. If my knee began to impede my lifestyle choices then and only then would we consider knee replacement.

The Injections Worked

The injection was working perfectly. I returned to walking three miles a day. I performed most if not all of my activities without issue. July 2023 rolled around, and I would not begin my workout prep for skiing. My left knee felt strong, Confidence was building daily as I started my preparation for the 2024 ski season.

I would run into another of Dr. Rose’s patients on my daily walks. She was a regular on the greenway and I suspected she was of similar age. I noticed that she was beginning to limp. Our conversations started turning to treatment options. The suggestions from Dr. Rose were identical. Cortisone, Orthovisc injections, and the final remedy would be a knee replacement.

I was a card-carrying Orthovisc shot proponent. The injections were working miracles for me. She did decide to give them a try. The outcome was not as rosy as my experience. This left no option but to have a knee replacement.

Chapter 2 – Now You’ve Done It

Ski Season 2024

As I prepared for the 2024 ski season, I increased my walking distance to three miles and felt confident about my knee strength. I added yoga to my exercise program, participating four days a week at the local YMCA. As my departure for Big Sky grew near, I decided to have another set of injections in both my knees. I was trying to be proactive as I was starting to feel slight pain in the back of my right knee.

Look Out For The Rocks

The feedback from my friends in Big Sky delayed my typical departure date due to poor snow conditions. Snowpack at the mountain was the lowest in years. Generally, I would leave TN around the 15th of January. This year I would delay a week allowing for additional snowfall.

Unfortunately, those big storms never came and the mountain was in deplorable condition. Larger than normal compression, rocks, and thin coverage proved to be a challenge. This was placing increased strain on my knees. The snow began to arrive around the second week of February. Run conditions improved, and I was skiing in powder for the first time this season

It’s Taking a Toll On My Knees

Around the 20th of February, I decided to take a day off after a week of solid skiing. During that break, I suddenly experienced increasing pain in my right knee. As the day progressed, it became difficult to put any weight on that leg. Over-the-counter painkillers were not helping reduce the pain. I had to get back to Tennessee somehow with a very soar right knee. I left Big Sky on February 22 due to the conditions and my painful knee. I had a three-day window to make it back to Tennessee without any weather issues.

Chapter 3 – Let’s Do This

Is It finally time To Do This

Once I returned, I immediately scheduled an appointment with Dr. Rose. They worked me in quickly. This was the first time I used a cane to get to my appointment. I was convinced that it was time to replace my knee. The alternative would be to nurse my knee back to health with cortisone injections, which would add another 45 days to the decision-making process. This was impacting my lifestyle I thought. I chose to have the knee replaced.

On February 28th I received a call from the surgery scheduler. The date was set, March 15th a mere two and a half weeks away. My first appointment was with the TOA physical therapy department. They would set me up with a walker, my pre-surgery exercises, and a PT appointment schedule. The first appointment would be three days after my surgery.

The surgery would take place at Patient Partners Surgery Center in Gallatin, TN. Patient Partners contacted me for a visit to discuss the surgery and what I could expect. I was given a PowerPoint presentation on what I would be experiencing after surgery. I was starting to get overloaded with information. I began to have doubts about my decision.

What, The House Is Not Made For This

Days of preparation followed. We discovered that our house was not set up for this type of recovery, The master shower entrance did not allow me to use the walker to get in. The toilet was behind a doorway that was not wide enough to accommodate a walker. The space was too small once I got in. There were throw rugs everywhere that had to be picked up. Shower seats, handrails, door removal, and much more needed to be done.

I needed to practice all the required movements that I would be facing after surgery. Getting up and down five steps with a walker, and moving in and out of the car. All presented new challenges but we managed to get them all down.

The Pain Is Gone

The PowerPoint presentation and handouts were an outline of what I could expect post-surgery. Little did I know that these would only be a fraction of what post-major surgery would be like. I had never had major surgery before this. My and Ginny’s inexperience came to roost on the day after the surgery. More on that in a bit. I worked my way through the exercises, antiseptic wash and felt that I was as prepared physically as I could be for this surgery. The pain in my knee had subsided, and thoughts of why I would have surgery on this knee now came into play. The flip-flopping dropped as the day came closer.

Of Course, There Is A Possible Tornado

Thursday night before our surgery at 8 pm. the previous day, we got a severe weather advisory that would last through the following morning. This was just what I needed to settle my nerves. Did the surgery center have a plan for severe weather? How about a tornado shelter? This was the last thing I needed to think about 12 hours before my surgery.

Chapter 4 – Get Ready To Rumble

I Missed The Kiss

Good morning, it’s 4 am and I need to drink my Ensure. This will be the only thing I can eat or drink before the operation. We need to arrive at Patient Partners Surgery Center by 6:45 for our 7 am call time for preparation. I’m nervous but hanging in there waiting to be called back. At the top of the hour, I called to head back. The one thing I regretted was not kissing Ginny. I was so focused on what was about to happen, I was lost in my little world.

A Lighting Bolt, He said

As I walked back to the preparation area I saw Dr. Rose. We had a brief conversation, I expressed my nervousness. He tried to relax me by telling me he went under the knife not long ago and had the same feelings. He did provide me with words of wisdom that would come to haunt me later. Just remember “The knee blocker that will be used to help with the pain will wear off and hit you like lightning when it does”.

I Need To Clam Down

It was time to get ready to go, first came a light anesthesia to calm me down a bit. They tapped into a vein in my hand to administer that. As three nurses hovered over me taking my Vidal’s shaving my right leg and asking numerous questions about the procedure I started to get giddy.

Next came the anesthesiologist, an older gentleman who had a love of music. We had a nice chat as he prepared to put me down for the operation. I was now ready to head into the operating theater. The last thing I remember is a handful of folks picking me up and transferring me to an operating table, I was out cold after that. The operation began around 8 am, right on time. I was out of the operating theater within a 1/2 hour. Dr Rose came out to update Ginny on the operation and assured her everything went great.

What No Pain

I awoke to a nurse sitting by my side about hours and a half later. I must say, I had a big grin, noticed by all the staff. I felt great, given what I had just been through. The drugs were working their magic, and I had very little pain. After about a half-hour, they were ready to have me move about. My goal was to walk about 50 feet with a walker. I knocked that out with ease. Next up was to walk up two steps and down two steps using my walker as a guide. I managed that without a problem.

The next thing I knew, I was waving goodbye to the nursing staff and headed out the door in a wheelchair to head home. We had been practicing getting into the car, so that went without a hitch. The next challenge was going to be the five steps leading up to the main floor of the house. I had been practicing this as well, so there was no issue. It was time to lay down and slowly come off the various drugs that I was given to help with my operative pain. In general, I felt pretty good as the day passed. I will now need assistance for the next 72 hours. Ginny was by my side for the entire period.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5 – The ER Run

Don’t Let The Pain Get Ahead Of You

We had a fist full of medications to take and we needed a timetable. Everyone we spoke to indicated that we must not let the pain get ahead of us. If that happened it would be difficult to get back on track without some major discomfort. Ginny managed to knock that out and get us on track for all the medications. Now it was time to try and hit the sack for some sleep. The big fear was the bathroom breaks during the night. Ginny slept in an adjacent room to be ready for my moves and to administer the various pain meds through the night.

Do I Have A Blood Clot?

I had a difficult time sleeping on the first night after my operation. I was in pain and discomfort, and I was woken up twice at 1:30 am and 3:30 am for medication. The next morning, we were both worried when we discovered that my calf had swollen to about 5 cm larger than my non-surgery calf. At that moment, the pain blocker was wearing off, and I was in severe pain. We were both concerned about the possibility of a blood clot, which we had been warned about several times. I was experiencing most of the symptoms associated with it. We contacted TOA, and they advised us to go to the ER for a sonogram.

Around noon, we went to the ER at Sumner Station for a sonogram, but unfortunately, they were unable to perform the procedure. We were advised to go to Sumner Regional ER instead. After waiting for four hours, we were relieved to find out that the swelling was just a hematoma and not a blood clot. Although the swelling would remain, it would work its way down my leg and wouldn’t be an issue. We were both grateful for this news, as it was our first experience with major surgery, and we weren’t as prepared as we would have liked to be.

Now for the week-by-week recovery journal that will span 14 weeks. My recovery continues to this day.

 

WEEK ONE

My PT Starts When?

On Monday, after two nights of restless and uncomfortable sleep, I had my first appointment with my PT therapist. I met Steph, a young Auburn graduate who would be my therapist for the rest of the sessions. We talked about my goals and the path to achieve them. I made sure to let him know that I was not the typical 73-year-old and that I was very active. I felt we were on the same page to start the process. The first session was light, and that was good enough for me. The week was a learning process for both Ginny and me. We managed to get my first shower in on day four of this week. I used the shower chair for the first time. I will be the first to admit it was a bit embarrassing sitting there feeling vulnerable. Ginny helped me through the entire process. I could not dress myself at this time.

We Have The Pain Med Schedule All Wrong

I was in pain, and the slightest wrong touch or move would set me off. I was constantly waking up at night to take pain medications, which was exhausting. The second PT session went well, and I started to feel that I could flex my knee a bit more. We got through the first week only to realize that our medication schedule did not take into consideration my PT sessions. I needed to take my pain meds before my PT times. We had to adjust the current schedule and ease me into a new one over the next week.

Meal Planning

Meal planning note – We had read that it would be helpful if we had at least two weeks of prepared meals available. This turned out to be a fantastic suggestion. Ginny was exhausted from the daily wear and tear of taking care of me. We had gone out the week prior and loaded up on frozen all-in-one meals. They worked out great and filled the protein and veggie requirements well to aid in healing.

Accessories

You will need to improvise on items you may need to carry out home PT and care. Icing is going to be very important. We had three jell Packs in rotation to handle this. Some use costly icing machines and swear by them. I certainly can see the benefits, they used one during my office PT visits.

I would suggest you purchase a safety rail for your toilet. We had two of these (pictured) available for use. One in the bathroom and one near the doorway for putting shoes on and off. Finally a shower chair with handrails. Although we used this a few times, there was no way I was going to stand safely in the shower during the first week. I felt I needed handles in the shower to steady my balance. We did purchase suction cup handles for this use. Be sure to check these before each shower, they can come loose.

You are going to be doing a lot of sitting around during recovery. It will be important to have a comfortable chair with good sturdy arms to help when you push out. I would also recommend an ottoman or stool where you can rest your leg. Your goal during rehab will be to straighten your knee out. The support of the stool etc will aid during the icing as well.

WEEK TWO

The swelling in my calf started to go down. I had been diligent in applying ice to my knee every hour, and it helped to reduce the swelling a little bit and ease the pain. By the second week of Physical Therapy, I could see some improvement in my knee’s flexibility. I was following Steph’s instructions for my home exercises exactly as he had taught me. The pain was still there, but the medication was working well to manage it. I would be taking the last of my Oxycodone mid-week. I was wondering what this would feel like without it.

Staph Infection

On Friday of that week, I noticed a rash on both of my elbows, but I didn’t think much of it. However, on Saturday, it looked like a boil. We contacted my GP, and I was able to see a nurse. The diagnosis was a Staph Infection, which set off alarm bells on the home front. Everything needed to be disinfected, which was yet another setback on the road to recovery

Lose The Walker

I had my Post-op follow-up with Rose at the end of week two. The x-rays looked good, and he was happy with how the knee was healing. He was not happy to see me using the walker. The first words out of his mouth were, lose the walker!

Chapter 6 – Man I’m Feeling Old

WEEK THREE

Ground Hogs Day

We added the application of an ointment for the infection to our daily medication routine, adding two new steps to an already full schedule. Ginny was wearing out the washing machine trying to keep up with disinfecting everything I wore daily. Needless to say, we both felt like we were experiencing the movie “Ground Hogs Day” every day.

This Walker Is Making Me Feel Old

My walk was improving to a point where Steph indicated I could lose the walker and switch to a cane. To be honest, the walker was a big help in getting around the house. It also proved useful during my home exercise sessions. I was happy to move to the cane. I felt less self-conscious using the cane than the walker, which made me feel very old. I ran into Dr Rose at a restaurant we frequented. His first comment was “You need to lose that cane, you’re embarrassing me”. I didn’t know how to take that, it just made me want to work harder to improve and lose the cane.

What The Heck Is Flexion

The PT sessions were going very well. I wanted to do more of them in the week rather than just two. I felt I was making some great progress and worked hard at home to get my sessions in. Caroline, a friend of mine had called and asked about my progress. She had several good questions that I could not answer. What was my current flexion as the primary? I had no idea other than the first reading during early visits, 75 degrees. I was hoping that it was better than that. I have been working hard to improve it.

Thursday’s PT session rolled around and I was full of questions. Flexion measurement was high on the list. After a pretty solid workout, we measured my flexion. It was 110 cm up from the 75 when I walked in. I could not be happier hearing that news. I worked hard over the weekend to prepare for my next PT visit. I was still experiencing pain around the knee making it very difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Compounding that with the medication schedule the entire experience was beginning to wear Ginny and me out.

WEEK FOUR

The Last Of The Pain Medication

The week would be the final time I took several of the pain medications. Friday would be the last day for Celecoxib and aspirin. The only thing between me and the pain or discomfort would now be the Tylenol. My staph infection had not cleared up. I would need to now take Doxycycline for a week in hopes this would be the final blow to the infection.

I was looking forward to PT, knowing I put some time into flexion. I was hoping it had improved, and it did. I was now bending to 117 cm. We put in a solid morning of PT with some strength training, leaving me tapped out. Sleep that night was almost impossible. I could not find a comfortable position.

Let’s Take A Walk

Determined to push through and work hard, I asked Ginny to take me for my first outdoor walk. We headed for the Greenway for a short 1/4+ mile walk using the cane. It felt great to be outside and walking again. I was sore but happy to be outside again. More home exercising, as PT rolled around on Thursday, I felt I was losing ground on my flexion. My knee was pretty swollen, but my calf was looking much better. Following a good workout at PT, we took a flexion measurement. I had taken a step back from the 117 earlier. I was now at 110 cm.

Working Harder Is Not Always Better

Now I am a bit dejected and wondering what could improve my situation. I choose to work harder and walk further. I would find out later that it was not the best game plan, according to Steph. Frankly, I was now confused, Rose wanted me to lose the cane, and Steph wanted me to take it easier due to the swelling in my knee. Steph felt that the swelling was holding me back. As I was leaving the building that morning my final question to Steph was, can I drive. He said as long as I was off the medications, yes.

Chapter 7 – Loose The Cain

WEEK FIVE

Time For Me To Fly

I’ve had enough of asking Ginny to take me for a walk. She went out of her way to oblige me; having a partner walking was nice. I wanted some independence so I grabbed the keys to the car and headed out. That first drive was a bit scary. I wasn’t sure I could stop and start the car if needed. I managed to get to the Greenway and felt pretty good about my driving abilities. Ginny and Kate felt I should not be behind the wheel just yet.

That Was Not A Good Idea

I had been walking the greenway for the last four days clocking about a half to 3/4 mile each day. My pace was about 30 mins a mile. I wasn’t moving fast but I was moving and walking. My mindset was the further I could walk the faster I would get my knee and leg back to normal. I cut back my home exercise to two or sometimes one session on walk days. Monday’s PT session went well, Steph added a few more exercises to help my quad fire better. I took them home and added them to my exercise sessions.

You Have To Keep The Swelling Down

I arrived Thursday to my PT session a bit sore and swelled from all the work the previous days. We got in a light workout at PT. Seph noticed my knee was swollen and suggested I take the next handful of days off. He suggested that I limit walking and weight-bearing exercises to take the swelling down. His thought was it was holding my quad firing progress back. Now, I was conflicted about how I should proceed. My mindset was more is better, Steph’s was less would help me improve. I was concerned that I was being set up for a typical recovery. I did not want to be typical, I wanted more and faster.  I decided to take his advice and rest for the next few days

WEEK SIX

I Need To Find A Happy Place Between Swelling and None

The weekend passed slowly as I relaxed and did as little as possible to reduce the swelling in my knee. It was driving me crazy sitting around doing nothing on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny weekend. I did get out to help Ginny move some plants around that we wanted to save from our landscape renewal plans. I felt my knee was a bit less swollen and I was moving better around the house. Monday morning I asked Ginny to measure to see if my knee swelling had gone down. I was disappointed to hear I was at 40 1/2 cm. That was exactly where I was on Thursday. I now have a ton of questions for Seph about my go-forward.

I Have Questions About My PT Plan

After peppering Steph with questions and letting him know that sitting about was not going to work for me, we then came up with a plan. I was getting mixed signals from him and Rose. He wanted to have me find a happy medium between too much and just enough to help with swelling. Dr. Rose seemed to want me to forge ahead and lose the cane; more was better in his mind.

To make his point Steph decided to measure my flexion without any warm-up. He pushed on my leg to flex it as far as I could stand it. We got to 115cm, not bad for a lack of warm-up. He indicated that that could easily improve if I would only take it easy and reduce the swelling. I decided to take his advice and try again to find that happy place between the swelling and none. I wanted my flexion to improve to 120cm or more. That was the goal from the start.

Is It Time To Include A YMCA Workout

Tuesday turned out to be a nice morning for a walk. With keys in hand, I decided to drive myself to the greenway. I took a nice 3/4 mile walk in about 28 mins. This was about the same pace I had been achieving during my previous walks. I stopped at 3/4 to see how my knee would react to that length of walk. I felt pretty good upon my return to the car. I headed over to the YMCA next. I wanted to see the pool for possible access issues. Naturally, I had to find a parking space that would accommodate a full door opening I had gotten a suggestion that aquatic exercise might be beneficial. The pool looked doable, so I headed to the gym for a bike ride. The seating was a bit different than the PT warm-up bikes, it took a bit to get comfortable.

You Overdid It

I managed to get a few full rotations in and then rode for a little over 10 minutes. Feeling good after my ride I headed to the Cybex machines for some more leg work. I tried the leg press, leg extension, and leg curl and managed light weights on all. This was a great and welcome sign for me. I was turning a corner in my recovery. When I got home I immediately iced my knee down. As the day progressed my knee became swollen and sore. I had overdone it that morning and realized that I could not push my knee that far.

Chapter 8

WEEK 7

Get Off Your Butt and Get Back To Your Daily Activities

Monday morning PT was not productive. I felt like we were just going through the motions. I felt it was time to have a conversation with Steph to put my recovery into perspective. Was I at a point where there wasn’t much more I could do in a PT session to improve my recovery? We discussed my options and he deferred to Dr. Rose knowing I had an appointment coming up on Weds.

Weds. morning I arrived at the Gallatin office of Dr. Rose. I was using my cane when I arrived and entered the office. I went in for a few X-rays and then to a waiting room. The minute he walked in and saw the cane he gave me hell. Based on what he saw in the X-rays and my gate he could not understand why I was still using a cane.

We had a long talk about PT, my progress, concerns, and such. He made it clear that if I wanted to get back to skiing the winter I needed to jettison the cane. The PT had done its job, now it was up to me to take on my recovery. He suggested I get back to my pre-sky workouts at the gym and start getting on with my daily activities. This was what I needed to hear to light a fire under my ass. He was not worried about the swelling I talked about, he was more concerned about me getting back to my routines.

The Cane Is My Comfort Zone

The cane had been nothing but a crutch. I was getting around the house without it, why did I need it to go outside and walk Ginny would point out? Mentally I was struggling with this, the cane was my comfort zone. It was time to hang it up and put an end to my PT sessions. I was wrestling with ending PT. PT was like the cane, a comfort zone that made me feel I was making progress.

I managed to get in a few more walks during the week. I tried to push to 1 mile and 1/4. My times were in the high 22 min range and I was still limping. I threw in a few home exercise sessions on top of the walks. My knee would swell up and limit my mobility. I could not help but wonder how much was too much when it came to exercise.

WEEK 8

This Will Be My Last PT Session

I walked into my PT session on Monday without my cane. I told Steph that this would be my last session after my conversation with Dr. Rose. After a short conversation, he gave me a list of exercises I could do at home to continue my recovery. We filled out the final paperwork for Medicare and off I went. My recovery was now up to me.

I felt pretty liberated but somewhat concerned about my next handful of weeks. Could I handle my recovery from this surgery? I was determined to continue my exercise program and get to the gym three times a week.

Chapter 9 – I Can Do This

I Can Manage This Recovery

I started walking daily once again. I was determined to try and make a 2-mile circuit. On Weds of that week, I managed to get that 2 miles in. I came home and put some time in on the exercises I was given. I tried them all. This again made my knee explode with swelling once again. This was discouraging, what was the balance point of too much or too little? I also had questions about how to successfully get up off the floor. That was never covered in our PT sessions. Thank goodness for YouTube. Here is a good link How To Get Off The Floor

I rested and iced for a few days and let the swelling go down. Once it was acceptable, I headed to the Y to get my first full workout in. I managed 10 minutes on the bike, hit the Cybex machines, and came away feeling pretty good. This was going to work, and it gave me a feeling that I could manage the recovery.

WEEK 9

Starting My Daily Activities Again

Getting back to my normal activities meant starting the maintenance schedule for the RV. This was a job I would normally start in March leading up to a late March departure. I had to get up on the roof first to inspect the seals and clean the roof. This would mean climbing a ladder and stepping up onto the roof. I decided to start low and work on the awnings. This would call for me to climb an 8′ ladder. I was able to climb up and down without much trouble. Pivoting on my surgery leg was a bit harder.

After a day of successfully taking on the awnings, I decided that the next day would be the roof. I would need Ginny to help me with the ladder and hoses. The next day, we got the 12′ footer out, Ginny was steading it, and up I went. The first step onto the roof was a bit unsteady. Honestly, being on the roof with my new knee for the first time during the year was unsettling. I managed to get a good look at the seals and found a few issues. This would call for me to kneel and give the area a good cleaning. Once cleaned, I would need to once again kneel and seal the area.

Can I Kneel On That Knee?

I had not kneeled before this so I did not know what to expect. It was not easy, my flexion was not the best. I managed to get down, getting up was difficult. I felt no pain in my surgery kneecap. The bending of my leg was the big issue. Once the sealant had cured, I washed the entire roof the best I could. Standing for that length of time swelled my knee up. I was happy to get the job done and my knee held up.

The confidence that cleaning the roof gave me was what I needed to continue to work my way through the RV maintenance list. I worked my way through the list except for the seals on the lower portion of the slides. This would call for me to get on my back using my work slide tray. I was not sure how that would go.

WEEK 10

I’m Gaining More Confidence

Soreness and swelling became an everyday thing. The more I worked on the RV and was on my feet the worse it would get. This wasn’t pain, it was soar. I was going to the Y now three times a week. I had good strength using the leg press. My hamstring was still pretty weak. I had trouble doing leg curls at 30lbs. The quad was a little better, I could use the leg extension. I would hold 30lbs on the return. I could ride the recumbent bike for 15 to 20 minutes with good leg flexion.

The confidence that cleaning the roof gave me was what I needed to continue to work my way through the RV maintenance list. I worked my way through the list except for the seals on the lower portion of the slides. This would call for me to get on my back using my work slide tray. I was not sure how that would go.

I was getting good sleep but could not get comfortable on my left side. I would need to sleep on my back with my legs straight out for the best comfort. Sleeping on my right side would work some of the time if my knee was swollen before going to bed. The incision is looking very good at this point. I still have the fear of scar tissue building up from a lack of flexion. I need to work on that a bit more with the strap. It will be a question I have for Dr. Rose when I see him in the coming weeks.

Chapter 10 – When Will This End

WEEK 11

Not much has changed. I am walking 2 miles when the weather is good. My time is still in the low 20’s for 1 mile, my steadiness has improved. I’ve been driving for the last three weeks without major issues. Getting out of the car is proving to be a challenge. I need to push the seat back and use the handle to get out. Getting in is much easier as a driver

Stairs Are A Discomfort Issue

I am having an issue going down the stairs. I feel a pain in the back of my leg when I step off using my surgery knee. Going up the stairs is not a big issue. I am a bit unsteady depending on how much work, or standing I had done that day. The pain or discomfort runs from my ankle to just below my kneecap. I would later find out that this was a tendon healing that was disconnected during surgery. I need to man up and get down those stairs. It’s going to hurt but the more I do it the less it will impact me.

I have been trying to get to the Y at least three times a week. My workouts consist of 25 minutes on the bike, some leg work, and my regular upper body general workout. It has been going well. I am avoiding the leg lifts and sticking to the press and curl.

I Can Do This – RV Maintenance

I continued to work through my RV maintenance checklist, knocking out 90% of it. The seals and support arm under the slides now needed attention. Using the slide tray I have, I lubricated and inspected the lower portion of the RV. Getting up or kneeling was a chore, and I needed a pole to assist me with this.

WEEK 12

When Will This Swelling Stop

The theme of Groundhog Day comes to mind. The scar is healing nicely, but I still have my bouts with swelling. It all seems to come down to how much I push myself. Walking, standing for long periods, and working out at the Y all impact my knee. How much is too much will be a question for Dr. Rose in the coming week.

At this point, I am just trying to pace myself. If I work out at the Y, that is it for the day. Walking 2 miles plus in the morning is enough. I want to work on my flexion a bit more so I plan to add the foot harness slide to my dailies. I have not been doing any of the suggested PT home exercises. If I added them to my walking days, my knee would swell significantly.

I Have To Be Able To Drive The Truck

We have been conversing about the RV frame flex for the past few weeks. We needed to establish the truck’s weight and the RV unloaded pin weight. This would be the first time I drove the truck and RV any distance. I was not sure how all of this was going to go. Stepping up into the truck, exiting, and sitting for long periods was an unknown when it came to my knee. The trip took me north of Portland to the Flying J near 65 and back. I had to fuel up just outside of Portland. I had been sitting for about 50 minutes or so. When I exited the truck my knee was very stiff. It took me a bit to work it out and move to the pump. Traveling long distances will be a problem. I will need to take breaks and stretch my legs. This should keep me limber enough so the discomfort is manageable.

WEEK 13

Where Am I Regarding The Healing Process

My appointment with Dr. Rose is next week. I have several questions for him regarding my knee. Why am I feeling such discomfort in my leg when I go downstairs? This seems to be worse when my knee is swollen. What should I be working on to increase my flexion? I was not able to bend my knee to get my leg under a chair. Where am I in the healing and progress department after 13 weeks

I decided to go for a complete week of gym visits and walks. I wanted to understand how far I could push my knee before it would swell and become uncomfortable. My visits to the gym seem to have the least effect on my knee. The swelling was light compared to a long walk. My walks now went for 2 1/4 miles at a pace of 21 minutes. My phone was telling me that my steadiness was ok. I felt my gate was getting better. I still had a slight limp but it was not as pronounced as previous weeks. During these walks, my leg and knee would begin to feel weak. My limp would be a bit more pronounced as I finished the walk.

WEEK 14

Knowing that I would see Dr. Rose on Wednesday I started the week with a visit to the Gym. I got a good workout with a 25-minute ride followed by some leg and upper body work. As the day progressed I found that my knee was only slightly swollen. The next day I took a short walk and rested my leg for most of the day.

My Final Post Surgery Appointment

I woke up Wednesday feeling pretty good. My knee was not swollen, and I was walking without a hitch in my step. I had an 8:20 a.m. appointment with Rose. As I made my way over to the office, I ran into him at the corner of 31 and West Eastland Ave. We shared a few words, and off to the office I went.

First up were the x-rays of my knee. The next stop was the waiting room for my counsel with Rose. He entered the room and informed me everything was looking fantastic. I ran through my questions starting with how much was too much. He informed me that I could put in as much work as I could tolerate. The swelling was not an issue and it would continue for a while. Up next was my concern about scare tissue. He checked my leg extending to see how straight I could get it and my flexion. This was met with a resounding no issue at this point. Scar tissue typically is a problem in the first couple of weeks. My concerns about going downstairs with discomfort would be a continuing issue. This along with downhill walks would be a problem for a bit longer.

The Big Flexion Reveal

The big reveal during this visit was our conversation about flexion. He had knee surgery 14 years ago. He showed me how far he could flex his leg. Frankly, my leg was flexing further than his, that was an ah-ha moment for me. He informed me that my surgery leg would never flex as much as my non-surgery leg. He went on to tell me that for a patient my age I was kicking ass with my recovery.

This would be my last visit with Rose. He indicated that the only way he would be seeing me would be, if my knee failed, I was dead, or I sent him a photo of me skiing this coming season. He also mentioned that my demeanor and outlook were much better than my previous visit. I had to concur, I was pretty depressed that last visit. I just thought my progress was going backward. I was happy to hear this and it gave me new confidence that I was on the right path to recovery.

Dr. Rose gave me a few exercises, such as lunges and side steps, that could help flexion and suggested I continue with my current strategy.

Prolong – How Do I Land This Journal

If you have made it this far, you deserve an update on how I am doing now. I spent the summer building strength and improving my flexibility. I was a 4 day a week gym rat, working 2 days of lifting and two at a yoga practice. It took weeks to gain strength and flexibility in my right leg. I continued my morning walking routine trying to lengthen my distance. My yoga practice at the YMCA has been a game-changer. I was gaining flexion in my knee the more I practiced. I was still experiencing swelling and needed to ice my knee to bring it back.

As fall approached, I decided to try a shake-down RV trip to see how I would do. Could I take the long hours of driving and the rigors of RV travel? A short trip to northern Georgia proved to be an eye-opener. My leg was fine, but our RV chops were a bit to be desired. We were rusty.

Currently, I am getting ready to go skiing again. My strength in my right leg is back, maybe not all the way, but acceptable. I am looking forward to getting back out on the mountain again. The plan is to start slow and work my way back to my old form. I promised Dr. Rose I would ski again. I am looking forward to sending him the photo he requested.