FOUR FULL MONTHS TKR POST OP

I wasn't sure a couple of weeks ago that I was still making progress, but as has been the trend, as soon as I doubt, I turn a corner.

I am still leaving work a bit early to get in some extra PT time every day.  To be honest, though, I frequently use the time to do errands and just escape that last boring hour of work that feels like it lasts 2 hours!  I still experience enough stiffness by the end of the day that I am taking  my PT seriously most days.  Honest.

I realized about a week ago that when I get out of bed in the morning, I hardly notice my knees - I am back to my lower back being more of a bother than my knees. Hurrah?  By the time I am up and around for awhile I tend to get a bit stiff, so I do a few stretches before I leave for work.

 I started parking up the hill in my usual spot and have given up the luxury of the handicap spot right in front of the building.  I am fine on the hill and the extra walking is good before and after a day of sitting. I am also getting in and out of my car with much more ease.

The biggest issue I have had is a bad tooth infection in a molar I had a root canal in a year ago - I experienced several days of significant pain, stiffness and general feelings of being unwell until the antibiotic kicked in.  Those admonitions about oral health are not to be taken lightly. The infection did not travel to my knees, but they were definitely impacted.

FIFTEEN WEEKS POST TKR - GETTING SOME SLEEP

I am happy to report that I am finally getting some sleep - the medication has been helping a lot.  Not every night, but most nights I am getting at least 6 hours of sleep. I would prefer 7 1/2  so I am taking the meds a bit earlier each night.  The medication I am taking is called Gabapentin.  I still have tender and sensitive incisions, but the sharper nerve spikes have diminished and I am not waking after I am asleep - at least not due to the healing incisions.

I am still leaving work a bit early to do my PT every day.  It really helps to do this - I feel so much stronger and more flexible each week.  I am able to get up and walk around enough at work that I experience much less stiffness, also my walking has improved a lot, hardly any "hitch" in my gait.

I spent several hours on my feet at an event this weekend and rode 10 miles on my bike the next day. I was tired and sore each day, but I think I need to push myself in order to build my strength back.  Besides - before the new knees I could not have stood and walked as much as I did!  I could, however, put many more miles in on the bike - so I have more work to do. I am 10 days away from 4 months post-op.  I think I am still doing really well. Yay.

TRIED FULL TIME AND BACKED OFF

My plan was always to build up my work hours back to full time by 12 weeks - and I did.  Now I am backing off.  Only by one hour a day, but this is why:  I leave for work at 7:15 am and get home around 5:15 pm.  I am the "chief cook and bottle washer" as they used to say - so by the time I get home I am straight into  the kitchen getting dinner together, then cleaning up then I am too tired to do a real PT work out.

I tried full time for over a week and found not only was I tired at work all day, I felt like my knees were getting stiffer as the week went on.  I am lucky that my manager was totally behind me reducing back my hours to keep the healing process going forward.  I have had 2 days of a better work out and time on the bike - so I hope this is a good move.

I have a good friend who is a neurologist - I mentioned this issue of incision tenderness and sleeplessness to her, not in hopes of a diagnosis but because we both, as many older women I know, have issues with getting good sleep.  Anyway...she immediately suggested I contact my doc about a prescription which helps with nerve pain and has the side effect of drowsiness.  Started it last night and it didn't make me sleepy.  But I will keep trying it for a while and report the name of the drug if it seems helpful with this particular set of issues (in case there is someone else experiencing them.)

One more piece of news is that I rode a bike OUTSIDE last weekend!  A short ride - a few miles - but I felt it in my quads just above the knees. Even the little rises were a challenge after a stationary bike for 3 months!  The weather is supposed to be great this coming weekend so I am very excited to go out again.  I even wore my bike shorts and let the world see my scars!

So that's the story week 13.

BACK TO WORK - 10 WEEKS POST SURGERY

I survived my first two weeks back at work - weeks 8 and 9 I worked between 3.5 and 5 hours per day.  My job keeps me on a chair, wearing a headset in front of a computer.  I managed very well with taking breaks to stretch my legs and use ice during a break. Put a box under my desk to change my leg position now and then.

I was stiff when I got home - about a 20 minute drive which is hard on the right leg - and usually did an immediate PT session followed by ice, then another one before dinner.  I found I was very tired and in bed early each night.  I am still using Tylenol and Advil  and, though I keep trying to skip it, still using the Percocet at bedtime - hopefully I'll be off that in the next week or so.

The only other complaint I have is continued incision pain/discomfort.  The incision is healing really well and looks good but by the end of the day is so tender and sensitive I frequently go to bed early so I can leave my knees exposed - no clothing,  sheet or nightgown touching them! Have not read about anyone else having this issue...

This week, week 10, I am up to 5.5 hours per day (at work 6 hours due to required lunch break) and plan to increase to 7 hours next week and back to full time on my 12th week following surgery.

 My surgeon thought this was ambitious but I am feeling good, I still have time for at least 2 sessions of stretching and strengthening.  I was concerned during week 9 because my right leg was not showing the same improvement and strength as my left, but it suddenly kicked in, they are getting more equal and my gait is much improved.  I still get more stiffness in the right knee and work it harder during my PT sessions.

 I am only up to about 20-25 minutes a session on the exercise bike - I do feel more pain following the longer sessions so I am trying not to cause a backwards slide - tho I really feel good when I am on the bike!!

STARTING BACK TO WORK

I graduated from physical therapy last week about the time I got a paycheck for $54.00.  Time to go back to work so I don't owe them money for my benefits!

Over a week ago, I achieved a flexibility level of 126 on both knees - had no issues from the start with getting to 0 on my straight legs. I have some wobbliness and weakness on my right knee that I am working on strengthening for, but I was the first of my PT group to "graduate".

 I spent my last few sessions working on things like balance, climbing stairs and the hardest for me - getting on and off a regular chair without pushing off with my arms.  Ouch.  (I admit my biggest fear is getting stuck on a low public toilet and not being able to get up!) I had to put my fear of the pain behind me and after a few practice tries at standing up from the low chair in the gym - I could do it pretty well and it got less painful as I went. 

I also started driving during week 7. Freedom!!!  Though I wouldn't want to try to drive very long or far at this point! That driving leg is my weaker one and it gets stiff when I am in stop and go traffic.

At my appointment with the surgeon I asked for a letter to return to work on a limited basis and was given permission so long as I keep in mind this is still "early days" as he put it. So I started last Friday for just 3.5 hours with 1  break to ice and a few stretching out walks around the office.  I went again today for the same amount of time and might try for 4 hours tomorrow. 

Not sure if there was a betting pool on the likelihood of my returning at 8 weeks - but there were some very surprised people...also very welcoming people.  Nice to be out of the house for a few hours a day, then home to do my PT and rest.

Normal here we come.

HOPEFULLY HELPFUL TIPS FOR TKR PREPARATION

I did a lot in preparation for surgery and for the post op period at home.  I have a few hints that I thought I would share,  Having had both knees replaced, I am in a slightly different position in terms of functionality and recovery, but these things may turn out to be helpful for any TKR patient,

Having some help keeping track of paperwork, post op instructions and pharmaceuticals is a big

help.  My future DIL is a nurse and she actually created a daily chart for me to track all the things we needed to deal with daily.  I could check off the timing of my meds, supplements, water intake, activity, use of ice machines, etc.  Plus keep notes of any issues for follow up.  I am still using it to keep track of my pain and inflammation doses during the day - it can be a challenge to keep track and remember the timing as it can change day to day.

FYI - For those who might be bariatric patients or who take a lot of nutritional supplements - take care with adding vitamin K when taking blood thinners in the first couple of weeks following surgery - check with your physician on this.

Mine is labeled TheraBand

Initially I spent a lot of time in bed - it was more comfortable and close to the bathroom. I recommend having as large a bedside table as possible!  There were a lot of things on it - water bottle, usually a tea cup, meds, phone, TV remote, clock,log book and pen, etc.  I also liked having a chapstick, some gum, a book and hand lotion.  Think about he little things that give you pleasure and make you feel pampered when you are in pain and can't shower with the frequency you would like! This is really just for the first week or so - but FYI.

Having a strap around has been invaluable.  Mine is a stretchy one, but a static one like those used in yoga works, too. I used it to leverage my legs on and off my bed and sofa and now use it several times a day for my PT exercises.

I love my ice machines!  A great tip is to freeze water bottles and use them instead of ice cubes - not as messy, easy to carry to and from whatever room you are using the ice machine in.

I was unable to sit at a table to use a computer for about a month or so - and I could not tolerate a laptop on my lap as my legs were too tender - so a TV tray, breakfast tray or other sort of lap desk would have been great for meals and for computer use.

We put our  family room leather sofa up on bed risers to make it easier for me to get up and down.  Very helpful when you want to use furniture without arms to leverage up and down. With two knees out of commission - I had to have someone lift me up before we got the risers - afterwards I could do it by myself.   Eight weeks later and the risers are still there!  Might as well have some things easier.

Hope these ideas are helpful - going into this surgery there is not a lot of info on recovery - I was lucky I had help and some of these items on hand!

CURIOUS ABOUT THE INCISIONS?

I am posting these photos - don't look if you don't want to know!!

The incisions were closed with surgical glue - which I didn't know until the big reveal two weeks in when the dressings were removed.  The glue is sort of purple and the incision was very puckery which made me nervous.  also the knees are very swollen.

Post surgery dressings

At 2 weeks when dressings removed

This is taken at almost 1 month.

And this is at 6 weeks.

The swelling has decreased - I still get discoloration like bruising when I have over done it - like standing or working out a bit too much. That is an indication of swelling, which I relieve with ice and elevation. Adding Advil has helped in the last 24 hours, too.

 I mentioned the SalonPas cream for tenderness in a previous post - it has helped. I have used lotion right up to the incision to relieve the itchiness and peeling skin - but followed doctor's orders and did not put anything on the incision until now.

The incisions are still puckery but so much improved I am not too concerned for the scar being too bad.  As you can see the right one is curved and the left one straight - didn't ask the surgeon about that! 

SEVEN WEEKS - CHECK IN WITH THE SURGEON

I had to give up on going Percocet free after 2 nights up watching all night TV,  moaning and whimpering, I gave up.  I am told this is not only normal but ok - so I am going to give myself that break.

My PT went fine - no reversals of flexibility, I took a big dose of Tylenol before and started taking some Advil as well for the anti-inflammatory properties.  This was approved by the surgeon in prescribed doses.  I am hoping that following this rotation consistently will get me into the no complaints zone! Still icing with the machines 2-4 times a day and using ice packs in between along with elevation.

The surgeon was very happy with my progress (Said I am a star!) and gave me some suggestions for the incision pain and sensitivity I am experiencing - a cream called SalonPas.  Just started it a while ago so I hope it helps.  By the end of the day my incisions are so sensitive they keep me from sleeping.  He also recommended massage, which I had been doing around the incisions but will now add direct contact to my routine.

 I am cleared to drive, plan to start back to work part time late next week.  I dropped into my office for a brief visit after the doctor's appointment and then went out to breakfast and stopped at the drug store on the way home.  I am beat - so I think the part-time start back to work is a good plan!

STILL STRUGGLING AT 6 WEEKS

While I may have met some flexibility goals last week, I am still struggling with my recovery.  I have been weaning off the Percocet in order to get back to work (and gain my much missed freedom of driving a car. )

 Saturday I went all day only using Tylenol and  the prescription meds at night. I felt ok and moved around well. Even binge watched UnReal with my daughter most of the afternoon... But today, I am in pain all day, very stiff, having trouble stretching and can't relax in any position for any length of time.  I know this is a process.  It doesn't change the frustration.  When in pain I can't work to improve my flexibility.

 I hope that my PT session tomorrow doesn't show lost ground. Not to mention that it will be the first time I attempt PT without the opioid. Yikes. Bring on the ice - lots of ice.

PEOPLE TOLD ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN - WEEK 6

At least 3 people with experience of surgeries or serious medical issues told me that I would get to a dark place, hit a wall, wish I had never had the surgery - and then I would turn a corner.  Guess my last post came from that dark place and then - I turned the corner into the light.

I got over the stiffness that had been plaguing me for days and managed to hit the 120 degree mark on my flexibility.  Apparently that was my goal - so I need to keep at it, keep working on improving my mobility and get to the place where I can walk without a hitch, get in and out of the car and on and off chairs, up and down stairs and stand and walk for more than 20 or 30 minutes at a time.

I am still working on the pain medication weaning.  I am now able to go all day just using Tylenol. The nights are a different thing.  I am not managing to make it through the night without being awoken in pain - then can't go back to sleep with Tylenol .  If I take another Percocet I am still awake an hour or so before I can sleep again. So need to work on that.  I am down to 2-3 in a 24 hour period but hope to be off entirely next week and see about driving the car....Freedom!!!

FRUSTRATED AT FIVE WEEKS

Prior to surgery for TKR there is a required class, a pile of paperwork, binders full of information all about the pre-op process, the surgery and preparations and equipment needed  for the  home. We are told there will be a call to set up PT appointments and a couple of follow up visits with the surgeon's staff. 

At the time time it seemed like a lot of information.  I was anxious about the realities of  recovery, but I  assumed there would be more guidance offered along the way.  Bad assumption. The last tab in the binder is "Follow-up".  There is one sheet of paper with a phone number. The number is for a general appointment call center.

At two weeks I saw the PA. he took off the dressings and advised on care (basically, do nothing to it - no creams, etc.) renewed the Percocet prescription while suggesting I should start reducing my use, asked about PT and that was it. 

I moved from home based PT to a class twice a week.  We rotate from exercise equipment and stretches and are measured to determine our level of flexibility. I am aware there are goals, but they are not discussed... We are told to do the stretching 3-4 times a day at home, not to spend too much time walking around and over using the joints.  The PTs are very nice and very reluctant to discuss any issues other than the class related exercises - we are told questions should be referred back to orthopedic staff.

So I have been waiting longer to take the pain medication, using ice and elevation more to help the pain, doing my stretches many times during the day, taking breaks between tasks so I don't cause additional swelling, only using the bike once a day as I was told - in other words, doing my best to be a good rehab patient.  I have seen the small increases in flexibility and mobility but wonder if I ould be doing better.

So why am I frustrated at five weeks?  I am still very stiff and experiencing a lot more pain than I was in the first post-op weeks.  I am very pain tolerant - not one to whine.  I find myself whimpering and screeching in pain quite a bit.  I am not afraid of getting hooked on opioids, I have been fine with taking the meds as I feel I need them, but there have been many days and nights the pain has gotten ahead of the medication and there lies much misery. One day I go 7 hours before feeling the pain building and another night I'll wake after 4 hours in throbbing pain and can't sleep. So how do I do this?  I need guidance. 

I emailed the surgeon's office and requested a consult.  They referred me to my GP who offered me a phone consult a week away.  Sigh.  If it is like the last phone consult I had with him, he didn't even know why he was on the phone with me and was not prepared.  It was a complete waste of time.  So I called my future daughter in law, a nurse, to discuss whether I should add an OTC between doses  and how much.  She was a great help.

There doesn't appear to be anyone in the orthopedic office available to discuss the rest of my questions, goals and concerns.  I have a follow up appointment on the 28th, so I hope there will be some answers then.

The other issue weighing on my mind is going back to work.  I can't even imagine it right now.  I can't sit for 8 hours at a computer being kind and helpful when I am in pain after about 20 minutes of sitting and need a break to move around and stretch out.  Can't exactly strap on my ice machines while at my desk!  So how do I get there from here?  I am expected back at work in less than 3 weeks - will everything suddenly turn around?

It doesn't seem reasonable to cut me apart, add new parts and sew me back together and then leave me to figure this out on my own.  Right?

KEEPING SPIRITS UP - ONE MONTH POST-OP

I know that I have had an amazingly positive experience with my bilateral total knee replacement.  I planned well, got onto pretty good shape ahead of the rigors of the recovery and have a good support circle.  I seem to be hitting all the markers per the PT staff, I have been reducing my pain meds but feel free to take more if it creeps up. We have even had a couple of weeks of temps in the 70's so I have gone outside to sit in the warm sun with a book a few afternoons.  Still, one month in,  I am tired of the whole thing and having to make a real daily effort to keep my spirits up.

One of the ladies in my class summed it up - we just want normal again.

That is gonna take a while!  It may be 2 months before I go back to work, but it may be 6 months before I can bend my knees without some pain.  Each little moment when this experience is not uppermost in my mind is great - then there is a reminder laying in wait!  Yesterday I went to stand up without thinking and without using my arms to leverage myself up and I thought I was going to pass out it hurt so much.

There is some distance to go.

On the other hand - I am up on this bike!!!!

DAY TO DAY RECOVERY - ONE MONTH

The average time time off work for total knee replacement patients returning to a desk job is 8 weeks.  Some say longer for bi-lateral replacements, but not all.  I plan to return after 8 weeks with some possible accommodations.  Maybe a shorter day, longer, more frequent breaks - not sure until I get back to it and see what weaknesses remain.

The biggest mystery of all with this surgery was what the heck will I be doing all day, every day after the initial recovery period.  I can't drive. Not sure what my capacity for housework or yard work might be.  Not making any money so online shopping must be avoided.  Just how much TV and reading can I handle?

So here is where my days are right now.  I can shower and dress myself but it takes time.  I can spend short periods in the kitchen but find it hard to carry anything of any weight even a few steps without support - so just moving from stove to sink to drain water from potatoes felt a bit perilous.  I keep my meals simple, break down the tasks and leave many of the dishes for my spouse to deal with.

I am supposed to save my energy for doing my PT exercises several times a day, so going out for recreational walks is not recommended.  My walking is just around the house, standing at short intervals for meal prep, folding laundry, wiping down a counter and the occasional foray into the world.  Today we will go to Sports Basement to buy protein bars!  WooHoo.

I do about 4 different rounds of my PT exercises and stretching and then get my ice machines strapped on - that lasts about half an hour.  So I figure about 2 hours a days just on icing.

 I can only sit for 10-15 minute intervals to write notes, read the paper or use the computer, then I haul myself up and move about for a while, then sit down again.  These short blog posts take an hour or so to write.

I expect that my stamina will continue to increase and I will be able to spend more time sitting, standing and be be to add in exercise time on my bike which has been set up on a "trainer" in the living room just waiting for me to be able to climb on and put it to use.   Maybe tomorrow will be the day...

FINALLY A CANE

I have been wanting to move on from the walker since week 2 - just a matter of graduating from the clunky equipment to something more subtle.  Not that I didn't NEED the support and ease of the walker, but once I started taking multiple steps without any aid, it seemed like more than I really needed.

Then we went to the store and I was so glad I had the support of the walker.  I am accustomed to moving swifty and surely around the store. Not the case when shopping with my spouse.  I am following my list and simply needed him to follow me and put the items in the cart - but he kept wandering off  and playing with stuff he found on the shelves.  Sigh. Can't wait until I can drive again.

The only other thing I find I miss abut the walker is the bags we had attached for my stuff.  I could easily transport my phone, Kindle, cup, notebook, etc. Now it takes more thought and balancing than I am sometimes up for.  Might have to start wearing a little back pack around the house!

THE DREADED FIRST 2 WEEKS

If you do any research about total knee replacement the time frame emphasised over and over is he first two weeks.  It is built up as a frightening period of time which, once survived, might need to be forgotten like a difficult birth.

For me, it went by in a bit of a haze - probably due to the opioids but also because I had truly loving and excellent caretakers surrounding me.  What I can say is that each day there is a tiny but noticeable improvement. Each day while people are fetching and carrying and hauling me in and out of bed and up out of an ill chosen seat, I can tell I can do a bit more for myself.

The pain meds kept the throb to an ache, the brain kicked in enough to learn to lever the legs up onto the bed using a strap and when the home health tech arrived to do some PT, I was excited to have something definative to do during the day to aid the recovery.

My son's fiance is a nurse and she not only had the kindest touch but a grasp on what was needed to get things organized and tracked properly.  She created a notebook with each day scripted out for meds, other supplements, PT, icing, water intake, etc.  this helped keep track of when meds were taken and what needed to be done each day. I was also on a good schedule for my nutritional needs - and though my appetite was not that good and I felt some nausea most nights, I think I did ok with my bariatric surgery requirements.

At the end of the two weeks, I was so much more self sufficient, I could shower and dress myself, get around the house, and with thought and time, even make myself a cup of tea and get it to my seat. Hey -I am using  walker and there is a step and a water cooler in another room involved in this process!

ONE WEEK WITH NEW KNEES

This was drafted 2 weeks ago today ....


At this moment a week ago, I was maneuvering myself into a car to be taken home after getting both knees replaced.  My surgery began at about 1:30 pm on Wednesday , January 10, and was completed with nerve blocking catheters in each knee by 4 pm. I was wheeled into a large private room, given the once over, some food and a couple of aids hauled me to my feet.  I got dizzy and threw up the food and was put back to bed!

Day 2

In typical hospital fashion - not much time went by during the night without a check-in or new medication interrupting the possibility of sleep. My darling future daughter in law stayed with me in the room and kept me company through the night, including assisting the duty nurse help me with a personal issue which I will not chronicle.

The morning brought another try from the PT department.  I shuffled a few steps and got dizzy again - upon hearing I had not eaten in over 36 hours they determined that was needed and scheduled to come back after lunch.  If they brought me breakfast, I don't recall, but a few bites of a chicken sandwich and some tea and I managed to get up, walk with the walker and go up and down a step and was set for discharge.

By mid-afternoon I was tucked into my bed - family standing by to help with my every need - let the healing begin.

20 DAYS - 2 NEW KNEES

When I first met my surgeon,  I was hoping that there were some alternatives to try to keep me active and avoid replacement for a few years more.  All of the alt medicine things I had read about and had not already tried were discussed and it was clear that there are no new therapies to swap in at this point.

My question as to whether he would do both knees at once was answered with an immediate yes - that my history and level of fitness made me a candidate.  I spent some time researching and thinking about it. I really did not want to go through it twice, but also didn't want to aim too high if it was going to be much more difficult - why set myself up for failure?  The majority of the literature, both medical and anecdotal, suggests that the first weeks are harder,  but the recovery period then levels out and is the same for two knees as it is for 1.  The therapies and the time invested is
not that different.  So why go through the cost, time and pain twice?  I was in for 2.

Turns out there are not that many of us who do this - at least according to  my little post-surgery circle.  The hospital staff, the nurses,  in home and clinic PT techs all say the same thing - they have only seen 1 or 2 others.

I have no way of knowing if my first couple of weeks was more difficult than it was for others.  I had

It took a village!

excellent care from my family, no excessive pain, seemed to get around just fine and kept being told how well I was doing.  Now, I have a bit of comparing I can do in my PT class and I seem to be doing better than some in my group but only by degrees - which they measure all the time to check our progress toward flexible joints.

The one person who was suffering loudly was a man who had 1 knee done in May 2017 and the other one a few weeks ago - he was miserable. Glad I did it my way.

NINETEEN DAYS IN - REGAINING MY BRAIN

It looks like this account is going to be one which moves back and forth in time.  Meds, discomfort and lagging energy keep me from  being able to manage a keyboard  or concentrate long enough to complete a post, so I have a few lines down covering the past 19 days.

Today I had my first physical therapy gym class - a sort of circuit class with others in various stages of recovery from knee replacements.  I am the only bi-lateral total knee replacement in the group - going for 2 is a rarity according to the PT staff I have met. My flexibility is very good, got my knee flat back which is a goal and still working hard on the rest of the of the bendy stuff.

Ice machines strapped on - feels so good!

What people mean when they talk about the pain of knee replacement is the achy/stiff feeling of the knee and surrounding tissues..  There is occasionally sharper pain, but the constant ache and stiffness is what causes sleeplessness and for me at least, around the clock restlessness - the need to stretch, bend and move to relieve the ache. I have been reducing the use pain meds - Percoset - down to just a few a day. And use my ice machines 4-6 times a day.

But I managed to comlete this whole post - so fewer pain meds are ging me my brain back!

HOME PREPPED

I think I finally checked off the last items on my per-op prep list.  The runners are off the floor to make way for the walker which was delivered this week.  I also installed a couple of raised toilet seats - with handles - very fancy.  Tom said he was going to trick out the walker with decals and a bell, but that hasn't happened yet.

I hope to be rid of it a week or so after surgery anyway.

The house is clean - the laundry done.  Lots of comfy clothes up front in the closet for the long recuperation.

The freezer can't hold a single additional item, the pantry is stocked and a list of about 20 meals is written out with ingredients in house. There is even chocolate chip cookie dough for Tom.

 I am very fortunate that my son and his fiancee are coming for the first 10 days to take care of me - she is a nurse about to embark on a doctoral program, so I was lucky to catch her during this particular week.  She has already been giving me advice and lots of lovely gifts of comfy and practical post-op goodies.  As the doctor said to me during my pre-op exam - my son chose well...Not that he's not a fabulous caretaker, himself. 
My youngest daughter is going to take over after the kids return to Reno around the 19th.  She will be with me for about a week - then my husband is up to bat.  Hoping I will be pretty self sufficient by then...He is accustomed to being taken care of by me - this is the first time the tables will be turned.

I find I really, really miss my Advil - didn't realize how much my knees and feet hurt without  anti-inflammatory meds.  It has been hard to sleep with the pain and mounting anxiety. Having my prep done will help my monkey brain settle, I hope!

I have two more days at work and should hear from the surgery scheduler tomorrow about my time on Wednesday. So this is happening.

HAPPY NEW KNEES 2018!

I have been away from blogging for a long time - a combination of tired of hearing my own voice and just plain tired after full time work with commute.

However, I am embarking on a huge challenge in a few days and thought it might be a good time to

December bike outing to Monterey with Tom & Maggie. Can't
really see the bow legs that well in this photo...
I have learned to turn from the camera!

get back on the internet to share my story.  I am going to have both of my knees replaced - yes, at the same time.  Many think this is fool hardy, but I feel up to the challenge.  I have not been able to find much out there about undergoing this surgery and recovery - so I am taking the opportunity to get back into writing with my story.

As my long time "internet friends" know - I had bariatric surgery 5 years ago - I lost 130 pounds and have changed my life in many ways large and small.  I have maintained the weight loss - gotten very into cycling and my doc said I am someone he would allow to do bi-lateral total knee replacement for.  Others in my required "joint class" were jealous, but I explained the circumstances and my hard work to get into shape for this and they were understanding of his decision.

I was also called "young" by an x-ray tech - which blew me away - at 64 I guess I am on the young side for this surgery, but my knees have been bone on bone for about 10 years - I have the bow legs to show for it!!  I hope that I will re-gain the height I have lost when my legs are straight again! See how I am standing on a rock in the photo?

So watch this space - unless I am completely out of my mind with pain and regret I will start posting sometime after  my January 10 surgery date...