It is nice to start the new year with two gorgeous new knees.
You will see that the scar on the left knee is healing well and the swelling is reducing. Eleven months on, the right knee is still a bit swollen and it has dark marks (hyper pigmentation) around the scar. The marks are not painful and I am hoping they will gradually fade.
In the last couple of weeks over the festive season I have made superb progress with my left knee:
- I have stopped taking tramadol. It wasn't as easy as I expected and I fear I may have been slightly edgy over Christmas (I think I may have stopped the pills a bit too early). However, I decided that I would like to have a few drinks over Christmas and tramadol and alcohol weren't a great combination for me and made me feel very unwell. So the good news is that I am not taking it any more thank goodness!
- my walking has increased. Eight weeks after the right knee replacement I was only walking about 2 km. However today (8 weeks after my new left knee) I went for a 3.5km dog walk as well as some general rushing around.
Even better, I have also been able to walk up some gentle hills to revisit places I haven't visited in about 4 years.
I have also been able to stand for longer periods of time - which means I can get up at about 5.30am and go out and water my vegetable garden for about 30 minutes. It is such a nice meditative activity so I am pleased to be able to be in the garden.
Over Christmas, I have also been able to cook meals and have had visitors come and stay. I find I have much more stamina and ease of movement. It is a pleasure to be able to be more normal.
I have also been back to the gym and pool. I still get very tired exercising and I am working on improving my bending and cycling. My knee bends are improving but still not easy and comfortable.
It is great to think that the year ahead will be surgery-free. And my knees will continue to get stronger and more flexible. My plan over the next few weeks is to work on some realistic yet adventurous knee-oriented goals for 2017. I want the year ahead to be the "bees knees".
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