Re: Thanks for words of wisdom Jackie

[Guest guest]

Lori,

I so completely relate to this.

Of course I am long healed, but I was talking to my son-in-law last night

about how CREEPY the whole thing is: this knee, that was formed when I was

formed, which was a part of me, well, they just cut it out and threw it away

and put in some contraption ­ an artificial joint, a weight-bearing joint,

in a living organism, and the damn thing works!!

It doesn¹t hurt any more of course, and I can do everything I could do

before it started hurting. (Right now I¹m in Europe, hiking through deep

snow. Europe seems flummoxed by snow for some reason.) The only residual

is the little bit of numbness, which will not go away but which I have

started not noticing any more ­ I go days and never think of it. And the

creepy thing of course.

Brighter days ahead, girl! Your mobility restored, no more pain, you can

run around after that four year old!

F

TKR 1/15/09

on 12/18/10 12:19 PM, rpbuswold@... at uglyhat@... wrote:

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> Jackie,

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> Thanks ever so much for your words of wisdom about feeling depressed and

> anxious being normal feelings after joint replacement. My family has

> been incredibly respectful and helpful, even my 4 year old has tried

> extra hard to help Mommy by bringing me things I need, or just by

> leaving me alone and playing quietly.

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> I, on the other hand, have not been as understanding of myself. I've

> had a hard time understanding why I've been so short tempered and weepy.

> I know the bad moods are usually because it's time for a pain pill, but

> it's been hard to come to terms with why I get so depressed. I thought

> maybe I was just being a cry baby. Thanks for helping me realize it's

> not just me.

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> There's so much to come to grips with after a TKR. All the things that

> will be different - forever. All the pain, rehab and hard work it will

> take before I get to a place of feeling normal. The hardest part to

> come to grips with is knowing that a part of me was cut out and thrown

> in the garbage. I had a hysterectomy 4 years ago, but it didn't bother

> me to think about that going in the trash. Maybe because a uterus isn't

> necesary and bones are.

>

> Hugs from Lori in Texas

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