Hi Team
Forgot to mention that Memorial Day marked the 3 yr anniversary of my knee injury. It's bitter sweet you know.....the seemingly innocent knee injury that has taken over and consumed the last 3 years. However, I am on the other side of this tunnel and feeling better than ever!! So....happy anniversary!! :)
Friday, June 6, 2014
7 Months Post TKR!!! WOOHOOOO!!!
Hi ACI Team
Seriously, I am a kinda sucky blogger......don't think this could ever be my profession since I don't update very often! lol!
So, if you've read anything I've ever written you will not be surprised to hear me say....I cannot believe I've made it this far! I have survived 7 months post TKR and in fact just realized today this is the longest stretch of not being cut into since Aug 2012.....my story seems unimaginable....but I'll take 7 months all day!! :)
Wanted to give everyone an update since my last post in March. I stopped PT at 4 months for a lot of reasons, some of which started centering around depression stemming from anesthesia and plain ole surgical trauma. Seems odd I know, to be honest I had felt so horrible since the surgery back in August and since I've never suffered from any type of depression really didn't recognize the signs as they were happening. I've never shared too many feelings in all of my posts since I figured if you're reading my blog you probably already know how it feels. I also didn't want to "poison the well" if you know what I mean and never really wanted my blog to be about anything other than physical recover. After some therapy (mental) and research surrounding Post Surgical Anxiety and Depression (it is a real thing here's a link if you're interested or feeling the same way http://www.rolereboot.org/life/details/2013-04-depression-after-surgery-is-a-real-and-dangerous-thi) I feel better than ever!
So....getting back to it. I stopped PT at 4 months and decided I could handle the rest on my own. At first I took a week off. This was advice from my acupuncturist, we had a long conversation about active and passive recovery and chances are I needed a little passive recovery! On a side note, I also quit going to spin class for a while, spin was really bothering both my knees, hips, back, etc.....really I just wasn't ready. After that week I started walking around this small reservoir near our house, then getting around it twice, then walking fast around it twice. After a couple weeks, I headed back to the rec center and started walking on the treadmill 30 minutes alternating between a 2,4,6, and 8% grade, kind of doing my own tabata drills....on off days I was doing Pilate's and total gym at home. Then I started alternating between the treadmill and arc trainer (stepper type thing).....won't lie, that was a little scary but I did it....doing cardio 3x a week for an hour and strength training 2x a week. About a month ago I bought a set of Body Pump DVD's and weights to add in more strength training, also started working on the elliptical I have in the basement. SO....the last 4 weeks have been pretty awesome. I've been working out 5 or 6 days a week with 3 of those strength training and the other 2 or 3 cardio.....Big difference! I feel so much stronger and I seriously love these DVD's.....like everyone I had gained some weight after these last few surgeries but I have seen serious improvement in the last 4 weeks.....I'm talking I can see quad in that leg, you know the line on the side where your quad is and starting to see definition in my back, chest, arms, etc....just kinda of buff looking....lol! Only those of you who've been through it know....if you know then you know! lol!
I've also been riding outside about once a week and so far the longest ride has been 15 miles. During the rides my knee feels good...I mean really good! In fact, my next ride is one of my fav ways to go and its 16 miles.....which is what I was doing last year when I was riding outside.
My 6 month dr appt the dr asked me if this surgery was worth it.....it almost made me cry and if you've read any of my posts you know how my dr loves it when I start crying.....anyhow the answer is YES!!! If you had asked me at any point before that my answer would not have been yes....but now that the pain is almost none (I hardly even take ibuprofen anymore) I can't believe it took so long to get to this point!
Anyhow......I'll keep you all updated and hope you all are doing well....we are a TEAM you know!! :)
Seriously, I am a kinda sucky blogger......don't think this could ever be my profession since I don't update very often! lol!
So, if you've read anything I've ever written you will not be surprised to hear me say....I cannot believe I've made it this far! I have survived 7 months post TKR and in fact just realized today this is the longest stretch of not being cut into since Aug 2012.....my story seems unimaginable....but I'll take 7 months all day!! :)
Wanted to give everyone an update since my last post in March. I stopped PT at 4 months for a lot of reasons, some of which started centering around depression stemming from anesthesia and plain ole surgical trauma. Seems odd I know, to be honest I had felt so horrible since the surgery back in August and since I've never suffered from any type of depression really didn't recognize the signs as they were happening. I've never shared too many feelings in all of my posts since I figured if you're reading my blog you probably already know how it feels. I also didn't want to "poison the well" if you know what I mean and never really wanted my blog to be about anything other than physical recover. After some therapy (mental) and research surrounding Post Surgical Anxiety and Depression (it is a real thing here's a link if you're interested or feeling the same way http://www.rolereboot.org/life/details/2013-04-depression-after-surgery-is-a-real-and-dangerous-thi) I feel better than ever!
So....getting back to it. I stopped PT at 4 months and decided I could handle the rest on my own. At first I took a week off. This was advice from my acupuncturist, we had a long conversation about active and passive recovery and chances are I needed a little passive recovery! On a side note, I also quit going to spin class for a while, spin was really bothering both my knees, hips, back, etc.....really I just wasn't ready. After that week I started walking around this small reservoir near our house, then getting around it twice, then walking fast around it twice. After a couple weeks, I headed back to the rec center and started walking on the treadmill 30 minutes alternating between a 2,4,6, and 8% grade, kind of doing my own tabata drills....on off days I was doing Pilate's and total gym at home. Then I started alternating between the treadmill and arc trainer (stepper type thing).....won't lie, that was a little scary but I did it....doing cardio 3x a week for an hour and strength training 2x a week. About a month ago I bought a set of Body Pump DVD's and weights to add in more strength training, also started working on the elliptical I have in the basement. SO....the last 4 weeks have been pretty awesome. I've been working out 5 or 6 days a week with 3 of those strength training and the other 2 or 3 cardio.....Big difference! I feel so much stronger and I seriously love these DVD's.....like everyone I had gained some weight after these last few surgeries but I have seen serious improvement in the last 4 weeks.....I'm talking I can see quad in that leg, you know the line on the side where your quad is and starting to see definition in my back, chest, arms, etc....just kinda of buff looking....lol! Only those of you who've been through it know....if you know then you know! lol!
I've also been riding outside about once a week and so far the longest ride has been 15 miles. During the rides my knee feels good...I mean really good! In fact, my next ride is one of my fav ways to go and its 16 miles.....which is what I was doing last year when I was riding outside.
My 6 month dr appt the dr asked me if this surgery was worth it.....it almost made me cry and if you've read any of my posts you know how my dr loves it when I start crying.....anyhow the answer is YES!!! If you had asked me at any point before that my answer would not have been yes....but now that the pain is almost none (I hardly even take ibuprofen anymore) I can't believe it took so long to get to this point!
Anyhow......I'll keep you all updated and hope you all are doing well....we are a TEAM you know!! :)
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