Good afternoon everyone......thank you all so much for sharing your experiences relative to your Total Knee Replacement surgery and recuperative efforts. You can see that we are all just a little different.......our diagnosis, our surgery preparations and our recuperative efforts. I want to share my 6-week appointment with my surgeon. #1......he thinks I am superman on the Physical Therapy routines, and equipment. I appreciate the "atta girl". #2.....we looked at two situations. First, the neuropathic itch is back and the flare has lasted since it began on the same day as surgery.

Above and below the covering ace bandage I began to see the red bumps that signify an itch flare is beginning. I took that off and watched the rash and open areas begin to cover my leg from ankle to hip. Even when the pain was under control I had trouble sleeping because of the itch. My dermatologist refilled my tacrolimus ointment and I slathered it on twice a day. The amazing issue is.....the itch flare is only on the surgery leg. It appears to be originating from inside the surgery area. So....my surgeon suggested that I advise my dermatologist and he would see if there was any other medical evidence to be found about something inside the surgical area being responsible for the outbreak.

#2.......and this is great news for me. I was once again being double whammed because my hip on the same side was also becoming more painful every day. This is the hip that had some trauma as bone was harvested to fuse my vertebrae during spinal surgery. My surgeon reviewed the injection images from last December. He found the culprit bursa and said that we would do another injection right away. What a relief to be free of the additional hip pain. And what a relief to know that it is bursitis and can be treated without surgery for as long as I live. Oh happy day!

#3......I have passed the stair test.....going up and down. Now we can remove the signs on the stairs advising me of which foot to use first.

#4......I had been a little careless about my home exercises and fell off my ROM by a few degrees so I will get back to my 137 with a little more aggressive effort.

#5......I stuck to my 1/2 mile walks and hope to be approved to extend them next week.

#6…..I restarted my Yoga class……doing just the poses and exercises that are recommended at this time. I must say my teacher was amazingly aware of what my body was able to handle at this point. I sure did need to stretch my body. And it actually wore me out. So I need more strength and stamina.

So what have I forgotten? What can you share that will help everyone or someone? What questions do you have about your own recovery experiences?

May you all have happiness and the causes of happiness.

Chris