Inspired by the individual who added soot sprites & stars to their door jam the other day, I decided to try my hand with some metallic paint pens I have on hand. I’ve got shaky hands, and a distinct lack of painting/drawing skill, but I think it looks fun anyway. No soot sprites for me, though, as my hands aren’t steady enough to craft a recognizable soot-sprite.
Also, my little moomin house-hippo.
I have a recommendation for a Whimsical, little-known, Middle-Grade chapter book to look up at your local libraries.
It has come to my attention over and over in the last several years, how few people have ever heard of - MUCH LESS READ - Julie Andrews' (Yes, Frauline Maria/Mary Poppins/Queen Clarisse Renaldi herself) story The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. It was written in the early 1970's, so it's a bit dated, but it's such a lovely fun story about 3 children in Britain being taught to maintain their wonder and whimsy in a world that pushes them to "grow up." I first read it as a child myself in the mid-'80's, and I've reread it several times over the last 4 decades.
I hope y'all pick this story up and give it a try.
So, I (47f) had my left knee done on 9/18/2025, my right knee done on 5/5/2026, and this is how they look so far!
My PT was both rough AND fantastic this morning (ok, well Thursday morning, as I’m posting this at 1 am on Friday morning)….. squats were a bi**h and had me swearing, but I got full forward rotation on the exercise bike! Weeks earlier than I’d been able to do with my left knee! I also hit 104* flex, easily a month sooner than I’d accomplished with my left knee. Pain levels are still higher than they were with my left, but I keep telling myself that the mobility is also significantly better, so it’s a trade-off.
Carrying my cane more for balance and tiredness from years of couch potato-ing due to my pre-op pain, than from real need for it. In a couple weeks, I might do away with it entirely except for hikes!
I walked into the PT on my cane, my PT was impressed with how smoothly I was moving (she's also the one who did the bulk of my PT on my left knee this past winter). My extension is already 1* or 0* (hard to tell exactly while still bandaged); my flex was 65* while laying down, 85* in a seated position. Did quad sets with strain, but was able to bring my heel about 3" up off the table, unassisted. Had to use my yoga strap to get INTO my FIL's car when he picked me up before PT, but after PT I was able to get in without that yoga strap.
The pain, though.... I'm going to be on my Percocet a while longer than I'd like, I think, and I'm really struggling with sleeping this time, which wasn't an issue last time. Even with the ice machine on my knee, I find myself unable to get comfortable.
I'd planned to start taking walks this coming weekend, but I think I may take my first post-op walk tomorrow (Wednesday). Planning the first walk being front door to bottom of the driveway and back, maybe a couple times.
Left knee was lower pain level over all, better sleep, but struggled with the mobility.
Right knee has higher pain level over all, poorer sleep, and mobility is going a lot more smoothly so far.
47f right knee replaced on 5/5/26. This was under the initial bandaging. Now it’s covered by a layer of light gauze then tegaderm film, and a TED compression stocking. Back at home, settled in with my ice machine again, as that 25 minute ride to town to the Dr’s office, and home again, was rough.
Had my right knee replacement yesterday (5/5/26), and this one has been significantly more painful than my left knee was in September of ‘25. I’m struggling to stay ahead of the pain this time, when it wasn’t even an issue last time. The pain pump hardly seems to take the edge off, and I was already waking up when they put that in, and starting to feel the pain. I’m sitting between 5 & 7 on the pain scale, with occasional bursts of 8. I’m NOT looking forward to my first PT tomorrow, though I love my physical therapists. I’d hoped to set right in on those damned heel slides while the pain pump was taking the edge off the pain, but it’s just not quite cutting it this time. Even the ice machine isn’t helping all that much
Surgeon said that his perspective was surgery went very smoothly and the joint was a match to my other knee, so hopefully it’s just a poor fit with the pain pump, and I’ll be feeling better by next week.
The nurses were impressed by how ready I was, post-op, with deodorant to apply as I got dressed, incontinence pad for leaks, and using the belt they had for holding me up to lift my leg off the bed to go to the bathroom. Almost like I’ve done this before. 😏
My quad is already functioning just fine, and was showing signs of life as I was in the recovery department yesterday.
Hopeful that this pain is shortlived, because currently it’s on par with my pre-op pain.
