Ryding2NZ Podcast

One year since I have had my knee replacement! It’s flown by, and at the same time it hasn’t!

I am on the verge of being able to say that I have achieved something with this bionic knee that I didn’t achieve even when I had my own two knees!

I have been asked this question many times but have found it hard to explain in those early months. Ultimately, you will never actually get it till you have one, but here’s my best attempt at explaining what it’s like.

I have spent most of my knee injury journey putting a positive spin on things, so when I received accusatory comments online in response to my 7 month update suggesting I had faked the knee replacement, you can imagine my response!

This has got to be the most momentous month by far: I’m so excited to share this update!

I’m getting asked how did I do it, how is it I’m doing so well.. etc etc. So as well as a progress update, here’s a few journey reminders and some stern words!

I have been sitting on this news for a while because I wanted to make sure that there was the remotest chance that my new grand goal was actually even possible. What is this goal? Well watch and find out!

OMG that guy I was chatting to a few weeks ago at knee class.. who told me magic things happen around the 5-6 week mark.. well he was right!! Plus, I discovered today while waiting for knee class to start.. there's something else I could do that I had no idea about! And.. here's how the physio flexion assessment went this week.

I mastered an uneven surface (super excited about this!) and a walk worth mentioning that didn't involve a wheelchair! Oh.. and did I mention I got 90 degrees..?

It's fair to say that this last month has been the most challenging of my life. That might sound dramatic, but I am being sincere. The pain associated with a knee replacement is off the chart and cannot truly be described or fully appreciated unless you have been through the operation yourself. Add to this an intolerance to all opiate pain meds, and you can only begin to appreciate the challenges that I have faced. If you would like to follow my daily Vlogs, Head here. 

OMG have I had some exciting mini triumphs today! I can't quite believe what I can now do..!

exactly 1 month post op. Today was a day of two halves. It started down low and finished a bit more positive, I'll explain why sunny days get me down when you'd expect it to be the opposite. Leg lifts still elude me as the blessed quad refuses to wake up, so here's what I'm doing about it.

Rant Alert! There are a number of things that are starting to irritate me in the questions and comments that I am getting lately, so I think it's time for THE REAL TRUTH.

Some small curious things have started to happen and I'm beginning to feel some positivity.

OMG you know your life has hit rock bottom when an unexpected trip to work becomes a highlight of your day!

A physio lecture reality check, another hilarious set of conversations at knee class and I got another horrid exercise to add to my collection!

Today has been a down day. Several sets of tears and lots of frustration. I almost canned the Vlog but no, I committed to documenting this journey daily including downs as well as ups, so here's today's thoughts and one mini triumph to report.

I have had a busy day today... (tip from me.. don't expect me to walk around the shops like you used to 3 weeks post op, regardless of how fit you were pre-op!) I mastered another teeny triumph today, a wee move I bet you all take for granted and never give a second thought! Also finding the question 'what have you done to yourself' quite amusing... everyone seems to think I have maybe broken a bone, pulled a muscle, but never expect my 'full knee replacement 3 weeks ago' answer!

I went for a deep tissue massage with Megan Luckin today, and apart from avoiding the knee directly, asked her to have no mercy - since I had significant muscle pain that was keeping me awake (not the knee!) After her massage I was pretty feeling amazed how instantly better it felt and I was even able to do this... I almost cried I was so happy!

Guess what i can now do...!!

Today I took my one peg leg down town, I show you what walking without any crutches looks like for me at the moment - how the exercises are progressing and what EXTRA exercise I have decided to add to the mix and why.

Nope, today was not such a good day.    *WARNING - contains expletives*

 the first day of knee class.. and boy was it entertaining!

Today I have another disabled eye view mini soap box rant, plus Sunday travels and lunch out! 

 I'm starting to feel slightly positively encouraged at last today and I have AT LEAST 4 tiny triumphs to share with you today!

Up days down days roller coaster.. plus another completely unexpected tiny triumph!

OMG do I have an exciting tiny triumph today! If you asked me three days ago, I would have laughed at the suggestion that this was even possible at this stage!

oops.. maybe I overdid it a bit.. so I have been on ice ever since! Here's what I achieved today.. including 4 yes FOUR tiny triumphs!

Today is the first day of my new exercises and I'm feeling way better without staples in my kneecap too! Practicing heel strike walking (weird!) and trying to stay focussed and motivated.

1st outpatients physio appointment and the day the staples came out!

I think (hope) we are in the process of turning a tiny corner because for the second day in a row now, I have felt a lot more well in myself than I have the whole of the past two weeks and am even having a couple of pain free moments! Here's today's thoughts.  

Today has been the first day in almost two weeks where I can say I have actually felt ok most of the day (so far!) I am conscious however, that this is not a sign to rock on down, so I am also taking it easy, but there's more exciting tiny triumphs to report today, plus here's a walking update.

I'm tying to adjust my eyes to make sure I notice all the tiny triumphs and don't miss any.. and there have certainly been a few today..

Today's mini triumphs: 1) hamstring pain a tiny bit better allowing me to reach my foot and put a sock on! 2) 85 degree bend achieve with a lot less pain3) mini trip to the garden!

Today was a tough day. I only prefer forwards and when you do everthing you can and feel like you still stepped backwards, that is tough. 

Totally truthful reflections on the past 6 days post op, and some tough decisions that I had to make.  Follow my day to day journey here: Mel Ryding Personal Trainer

This truly has been a much more difficult roller coaster than I could ever imagine. Here's my progress right from the day of the operation (right total knee replacement) to today (day 5 post surgery). NEWS UPDATE: between the recording and the publishing of this podcast I achieved 90 degree flexion, a new PB! Yay! 

Today is surgery day. So there was the strict instructions for breakfast, the shitty shower of chlorohexidine and then theres the sheer terror that I am feeling inside.  Reporting to the hospital at 10:30am. Wish me luck. 

This weekend was a pulic holiday weekend, with labour day being Monday 22 October. It is also the last weekend I have before becoming temporarily disabled, so we made the most of it with a weekend away.  My Knee replacement takes place Tue 23 October PN, NZST. Follow my progress here: http://www.facebook.com/MelRydingPT

As the day of the knee replacement nears, I had a pre-op clinic appointment this week. Here is how I went, along with some clips from what we talked about.   

It has been a bit of a whirlwind week this week. Much to sort, much to do, and spring has buggered off again temporarily! I recieved a call last week that changed the course of my next few weeks.  

Its been a month since my last one.. oops! Sorry! But, here is the last month's update along with a few sound clip guessing games! 

This week has been tough, my monster drugs kicked back again leaving me feeling really really unwell and prompting the doctor to tell me to stop taking them. By no means ideal when I don't have a plan B at the moment.

This week has been mostly taken up with chasing medical paperwork and posting it back. This knee op sounds way more scary now than I thought!

Too short to worry about if you have time for that, if you need to do that. Life is far far far too short to worry about anything.

It's been a busy chilly wet few weeks in camp Ryding. Walking, swimming (not!) and book sales!

A short update including the knee, a local walk and the darned drama queen cat!

This small and relatively isolated nation has always remembered their fallen in huge numbers, with Anzac Day dawn parade services up and down the country showing huge attendance year on year. Lest we forget.

A summary of not only the last year in New Zealand, but also the previous four as well, looking at our overall journey so far on the way to becoming either an accidental or a deliberate Kiwi / dual citizen.

We finally got away for the weekend at easter because Southland has 3 public holidays that weekend meaning we get 5 days off! Here's what we did! Includes a soundscape, plus whats coming up in the next episode.

We are embracing the local events last minute flurry before winter. Here's a snippet of the multicultural food festival and the surf to city along with our latest news.