Pain and TKR

[Guest guest]

First, I want to say Happy Channukah to all those out there who lit a candle

tonight! We are on a cruise ship in the western Carribean and there was a

packed Channukah celebration, even though there were only two children there,

and everyone else was 70 plus - except for yours truly, age 54, and my husband,

age 51, and daughter (age 11).

Why am I telling you all this? Because I didn't even get to go on the cruise

husband and daughter took to the Easter Carribean a year ago - too much knee

pain. So after one TKR, exactly 2.5 months ago (Oct 8th), I am better off than

I was before and can join my family on vacation for the first time in a while.

The OTHER knee hurts a lot, but the new knee, while not completely pain free,

works a lot better and it is obvious that a year from now I will be back to have

the other knee done. BTW, since the average age on this cruise has to be about

75, and the weather is warm, I see many 80-yr-olds in shorts, and many have

double or single TKR scars. The main thing is, they are mobile - mobility -

that's what it's all about. That's one of the ways that human beings are able

to live longer, more active lives, because we value mobility and know how much

it contributes to overall health.

We had dinner with a couple my husband and daughter had met snorkeling - and she

needs knee replacement and wanted to talk to me. She said she is " waiting till

she really needs it " at the advice of her doc. She is using a cane and gets

around very badly, and is over 60. She is obese, which isn't helping her knee,

and vice versa. Why do people wait? Using a cane and barely getting around, to

me, are indications that you are way past " needing it " .

As for pain. Before I had this TKR surgery, I had chronic pain which was badly

controlled. Having the surgery sort of forced that issue since everything got

flared up, and now I am taking more pain medicine. But the pain meds are not

for the knee. The knee is bearable. Today I took quite a long walk and of

course I iced both knees afterwards, but it really was my bad back and the heat

that got to me, not knee pain.

My orthopedist, who is not my knee surgeon, has told me that it takes 3-4 months

for the body to recover from the trauma of TKR, and in some people that process

is felt more than in others - but it's still going on. So give yourself the

time for your body to fully recover and give the pain at least 6 months to calm

down - that's what I have been told.

Of course if your pain suddenly gets worse for no reason you should always

consult with your physician since infections and other things can crop up

unexpectedly.

Happy walking, and happy holidays!

--

Callahan Goodman

Quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur

--

Callahan Goodman

Quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur