6 month+15 month post op reports

May 2017: Six months post op Left knee replacement and 15 months post op Right knee replacement

I am feeling very pleased with my new knees. To celebrate 6 months with two new knees, I took the dog on a series of walks one Saturday and clocked up an all time record (for me). Over 18,000 steps or more than 11km.

I realise that lots of other regular folk without knee issues might think this isn't a huge distance - but it must be more than 5 years or more since I was able to walk this distance with relatively little discomfort.

In the last three months since my last blog, I have also crossed off a few other milestones. In March/April I travelled to Europe. This time I navigated my way around huge airports without the assistance of a wheelchair, wandered city streets getting lost and found - and I was even able to enjoy shopping. 

It is years since I could wander into a store and browse around. I would usually get frustrated if I had to spend more than 5 minutes in a shop or standing in a queue. This time I estimate I queued for approximately one hour to get up to the roof of Milan cathedral.

The scars are all healed and the swelling has significantly reduced. The right knee is still discoloured around the scar and I am hoping the marks will fade with time. The right knee gets more fatigued than the left - I guess it is stronger. One of the amazing things that has happened is that I no longer have flat feet. Now that my knees have been replaced, my legs are straight and my feet are normal. i no longer need orthotic inserts in my shoes (hurray!). I find that my body is still adjusting to the new ways of walking upright and without a limp, with variously my hips, ankles and back feeling sore for a day or two, then resolving.

I was looking back at the very first blog I write in January 2016. It is great to see what a change the surgery has made:

- Peter and I take the dog for a 4km walk every morning

- I still get some discomfort with knees getting tired and take panadol every so often and or a low dose anti-inflammatory but it is probably about 15% of what I was taking a year ago  

- my cycling is still a work in progress as it is winter and I am more of a warm weather biker - but it is wonderful that my feet now sit on the bike pedals. Before surgery my knees and legs were so contorted with arthritis my feet couldn't sit flat on the pedals or slot into the stirrups so it made biking painful and awkward

- I have been moving a lot of firewood (it is winter here and the cold has set in) and helping with physical tasks around the house and farm more

- travelling is a breeze and I don't feel restricted any more.

In the first blog I also said I wanted to go back to visit Venice. In April I caught a train that was going to Venice - but I got off at Milan. 😄 I had a great time there - so I am feeling that I have made great progress with my list of things I wanted to achieve.

Perhaps the main thing - the best thing - is that I am no longer defined by my knees - I don't have constant pain, I sleep well, I get out and about and I now have conversations with people without ever mentioning my knees!

For me, the surgery has allowed me to get back the enjoyment and pleasure in my life and I am feeling fit and ready for action and adventure.

One year on...

5 February 2017: One year post-op Right knee replacement - 3 months post-op Left knee replacement

What an amazing year! 

I was just looking back at my activity log on my phone.

One year ago it would have been impossible to walk 10,000 steps a day. 

Actually even four months ago it would have been an epic undertaking. It is interesting to see how after the first knee replacement I became quite active. After three months I was able to walk 3-5kms a day.  But then my left knee became harder to use - more worn out - and then my walking activity slumped.  

Since the November total knee replacement on my left knee,  I am powering up and I am now walking 5-7kms a day. I still tend to use my walking poles when I go out for a dog walk as I find that when I get a bit tired my hips tend to get sore and I go back to limping. Despite that, I sleep well, I have cut back on the pain killers and the swelling and bruising has gone. I don't have the post surgical bone pain I had with the first operation and the left knee isn't as hot to touch as the right knee used to be at 3 months post-op.

(I had to have a knee photo 😄).

Last Monday I went to visit the surgeon. He was pretty impressed that I now have full range of motion in both legs with 125 degrees bend. 

I told him that a number of people had commented that I now seemed taller - he wasn't surprised and he flicked back to the x-Ray's and showed me how much my knees were deformed and why I would have had to stoop so much. He said that it will take about a year for my ankles and hips to get used to my new upright way of walking - so using the walking poles will help retrain my body and improve my posture. 

He also encouraged me to hit the cycle paths and get out on my bike again. I can't wait until the summer heat abates a little and then it will be lovely to be out cycling. I am still finding it hard walking uphill and climbing stairs - but as my quads get back into shape from the cycling, these activities should be easier.

The best thing about the visit was he has "discharged" me - he said he doesn't need to see me again. 

At first, I was quite surprised, I thought I would have an annual check-up or something. But then, I  felt an amazing sense of freedom! 

I now feel like I have left behind so much of the pain, disability and difficulty and that my life as a regular person (a non-patient) has begun.