This one is for you ladies out there. Sorry gents (to much information) lol
I sat in bed looking at my legs this morning, the poor withered one is my good leg!! But against my chunky swollen leg it looks quite feeble ( pair of chicken legs before op ).
It's now 3 weeks Thursday and will doing first physio today.
So just look at those hairy legs, I am not girly at all and wear jeans constantly but for now it's gonna be my short baggy comfy whatever, and they are definitely man legs at the moment sticking out. Down side of dark thick hair on the head (well grey , coloured now) likewise on the legs.
So I have spent this morning so far my first shower, chair and bowl to follow for "the shave".
I have turned into a contorshionist, but finally "I am female again " ankle swollen now, worn out, ready to lay down.
But baby steps back to the world, hoping you all are seeing a progression too!!
Honestly Sue that has been my biggest achievement I think. I'm proud of my smooth legs. Now at 12 weeks I'm able to shave round the scar. I still have some numb parts there so it does involve a huge amount of concentration....I can only imagine my consultants response if I had to explain why I'd slices through the scar!!!
Definitely makes me feel better at constantly whipping the leg out. I wouldn't like to guess how many people have seen this leg in the last few months Lol
Well done. We need to take our achievements where we can get them x
Completely agree that a bit of TLC makes you feel slightly more feminine.
My legs reseambled Mrs Tiggywinkle's and was spiking myself on my stubble regrowth as I massaged my muscles and scar. Was tempted to ask one of the neighbours who very kindly kept asking if there was anything that she could do for me...but I didn't.
Fortunately I am diabetic and the hair disappears!!!!! no more shaving but I don't recommend getting diabetes. I can't wear jeans because of sensitivity of the scar and don't own any shorts so skirts have saved me plus when the scar is sensitive just pull up the skirt! in the house of course!
After my TKR I went to an in-patient rehab and they had a hair and nail salon. I suggested they also include a "womens leg shaving service", as it probably would have been busy!
I know you will not want to hear this, but I am in the fortunate position of genetically not having any hairs on my legs (very little on my arms as well). I must say at times like this it is very beneficial.
When I was having a knee assessment, my doctor, without thinking, said "well done with the shaving they are as smooth as a babies bum" he apoligised when he realised what he had said. My daughter said that his comments got my name on the waiting list so he wouldn't get his name on one! lol.
I nearly posted about hairy legs a few weeks ago, but didn't thinking it might be too frivolous, but had such a welcome laugh when I read yours! What I was going to say was that the operated knee was INCREDIBLY hairy, much more so than the good leg and I kind of thought why was that?? But its so good to have that normal feeling again, to care about having smooth legs? Does any body have any special tips on how to wash your foot on TKR side? Still have to bend down tortuously to wash it on the shower floor!
Isnt everything just that little bit easier when you can have a laugh about things?
I bought a mat that has little nubby things on it that feel more like I'm scrubbing my feet. Before this I would toss my fluffy scrub thing on the floor and anchor it under one foot while the other one scrubbed itself. The real challenge was using the pumice stone.
Omg, I was going to post something earlier. I KNEW that my operated leg hairs grew more than the other and even more than before. It was even on my knee area. It lasted for a few shaves lol, but after a while it became the same as the other one.
I used my husbands electric razor, didn't trust myself with the wet razor. Great to have laugh, well done Susan. Keep smiling everyone. I am seven weeks post op. And still on a rollacoaster. Yesterday was awful, today I feel a million dollars. Oh well. KBO.
I have enjoyed reading all your experiences what a joy to see we are all in this together! I am 3 weeks TKR and can braid the hairs on my legs. And I have never been so much hairer before! Went to therapy today and was embarrassed and the therapist said to me don't worry about it. I have no energy to even attempt to shave with all the exercises in bending I do.
When I was in hospital they were giving us all a new antibacterial foam to use after washing, it just soaks in the skin. We were guinea pigs basically, they just wanted our opinion on it....if they only knew that I actually use it on my operated leg as shaving foam. It's brilliant as I don't need to faff washing my leg again afterwards. I shower and then sit on the loo with my leg up on the bath. I'm not sure they would appreciate that their MRSA protective foam leaves my legs silky soft 😂
I found I couldn't reach my toe nails BEFORE surgery and looked in our local yellow pages for a chiropodist, I rang one lady who said she only does home visits - great, just what I needed. I had my toes done the week before my op and no doubt i'll book another session in a few weeks time. I don't know when I'll be back to cutting my toe nails and quite honestly I don't care.
It it is such a hard time becoming aware of exactly what we have taken on, that to look at the little things that get us back to feeling we are making some progress back to normality, it's good to know that we are not on our own with the daily hurdles.
I am now planning how to go to the hairdressers and sit for 45 minutes with a hair colour on! Think I will maybe get a little stool and cushion to put my leg up!!!
Susan, you can easy sit and have your hair done, I had mine done at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, last week and decided yesterday after a session with the physio I had my hair done again today and nails too this time. A little pampering goes a long way to make us feel better.
Just make sure that she uses very clean equipment . .perhaps your own? It was just that my surgeon advised me to be very careful of chiropodists because of the infection risk. I think perhaps a bit over cautious, but I know some of them can get carried away with chafing off dead skin etc. . .