Thanks, Nick, it iw always nice to hear when someone else feels the same way you do. Yes, this driving thing is nothing I will ever take for granted. Isn't it amazing when the simplest things are the biggest to us with all the limitations we encounter!

Pain report.......NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the first time in ten years, I absolutely NO pain in my new knee. But, I'm still in the brace and have a straight leg. The end of the Month, I go to Mayo again and they will allow me to have 20% bend, on my way to 90. Isn't it funny that this is the only surgery that isn't followed by rehab and "BEND, BEND,BEND" ? It is something I will NEVER miss!

Hope all is well with you all and for anyone who needs encouragement for a difficult TKR....This is the Place to be!

Love to all,
Becky

Hey, Everyone! It is April 1st and my anniversary of the first surgery I ever had......An ACL graft ten years ago! And, after thinking about it and 15 more surgeries of various times including three total knees, I have decided it seems like IT HAS BEEN TEN YEARS! and a miserable time. You all know how depressed a person can get dealing with this and for it to go on for so long. Plus, I don't know if anyone will know what this means but I am Bipolar as well. Not a good companion for the ride!

BUT I am feeling semi-ok right now and can't really complain. You will all be proud of me - a few weeks ago I was looking at my beloved PT Cruiser and missing the independance of driving. So, I just crawled in that car, leaning all the way across both seats and the console.....and, by golly, I got that braced leg under the dash!!!!!! Since my bad leg is the left leg, my driving foot is just fine, and offfffffff I went! I have been mobile ever since. My only limitation is that the door has to be all the way open to do this, so I must beware where I park so I don't get pinned in. But, that I can live with.

So, anniversary go away, don't haunt me. I'm leaving the house!

Love to all,
Becky

i agree, great news becky!!!! bet that brace is tons better than the cast, and also next to NO PAIN!!
how wonderful for you. hope the good stuff keeps on... god bless -
laurie

Hey everybody! Yup, got my cast off on Tuesday and I couldn't be happier. I have had next to no pain but discovered that bending my new tendon is going to be hard work! What a surprise! I have to wear a full leg brace now, but can take it off for showers and other things if I want. So, all in all, I'm doing just fine.

Thank everyone for your prayers and support - it makes all the difference to me!

Gotta run, take care everyone and good to hear from you!

Becky

hi becky /and all--
i have been thinking of you & today i see that you (hopefully) got your cast off two days ago!!!! i was intending to be up at mayo's also with my father who had a small surgical procedure,(but didn't go)
darn i could've maybe met you!!!
i hope getting the cast off is going to help with your recovery and even more so your emotional feeling, as we ALL know that surely goes along with these "knees" and is so important.
I ALSO HAVE BEEN SAYING TO MYSELF, WOW, EVERYONE MUST BE DOING WELL!!!!
there surely has not been much activity here, almost a month since your first post.
here's a fun story i hope people will get a kick out of, and maybe find encouragement.
about a month ago my husband and i were on a long distrace trip in the car, we were traveling in a somewhat small svu (lexus)with "bucket" seats, not bench seats. out of boredom,and to stretch, i was able to bend and raise both feet and rest them up on top of the dash board of the car (at this time i should mention that next week will be my 3rd anniversary of having my bilateral knee replacements, done the same day) i don't know about the rest of you, but i never thought i'd be able to do that!!! then later we decided to go shopping and into a fancy restaurant, well, i was in sweats,and could only reach my jeans, and since i now thought i could, i was able to change out of the sweats and into the jeans, still while sitting in the passenger seat of the car. as you can imagine that took some knee bending , and other contortions. i also never dreamed i'd be able to do that!!! yes, we could've stopped and i could've changed in a restroom, but i wanted to see if i could do it. my husband was laughing all the while, esp since HE wouldn't have been able to do it, he had one knee replaced one 1/2 yrs ago.
so how's that for a story? so, all you guys /gals out there ,who, like me, never thought i'd get thru my bkr, the day does come!!!
so glad there hasn't been much activity here, but like becky, i miss it also.
laurie
ps- i don't know why but my posts always get duplicated, i don't know why, does anyone out there have any idea why this happens?

Hi Vic, my friend..... I go back to Mayo on March 10th and get this darn cast off. Actually, I have really been struggling to get around and am SSSOOO tired of it. Everything I do is a huge hassle. Especially getting in and out of cars. We will have to take Tom's truck to Mayo since my little car is a bit too small for my straight leg.

I just Hate all of this so much more than usual. My pdoc ordered home health care for me to help with my depression. I have an aide who comes in the mornings early and gives me a sponge bath and gets me dressed. This way Tom does not have to do that for me which seemed to put alot of pressure on him. So, things are better now and I certainly feel better! My aide is wonderful and lots of fun. It is a nice way to start the day.

Still yet things are hard especially since Tom and I have quit smoking! 11 days and counting....

Becky

Wow! Everyone must be doing just fine these days! I am surprised at how much I miss hearing from everyone who may be struggling all alone. It seems it helps me to be able to share with others because it takes my mind off of myself. Just a thought.....love you guys!

Becky