What do your meals look like (show me pictures)....

Another fish dinner. Air fryer crumbed hake where I used sun dried tomatoes instead of parsley. Sauteed snow peas. Roast potatoes. https://stefangourmet.com/2022/01/30/merluzzo-alla-palermitana/

@Rainbow2300 Spent a lot of time in RI in 70s and 80s. In those days, all seafood, all the time, lol, unless you wanted Italian, Portugese or bar food. Your dishes look spot on.

We still had some of the chicken in the freeer my girlfriend cooked when I had just come home from hospital following knee surgery. Added Szechuan aubergine salad (cooked 3 minutes in the microwave) and Indonesian tomato lalab.

https://pisangsusu.com/442-lalab-with-tomato/

The girlfriend who cooked for us when I just got out of hospital came over for dinner. I cooked cheat's Hainan chicken and rice, Szechuan aubergine and smashed cucumber salads, with mango sorbet and coconut sticky rice for dessert.

The hubby cooked tonight. My knee surgery was a month ago, so I had to return to the office. It was a Dutch dinner. Store bought mash stretched with butter, store bought meatballs cooked in the air fryer, store bought sauerkraut.

@Rainbow2300

I just had my second total knee replacement. When I had my right knee done 9 years ago, the surgeon said my knees are 15 years older than the rest of my body. I did cross country running when I was younger and my knees have been seriously overused. The physio's had me walking on a zimmer frame on day 2 after surgery and on crutches on day 3. I was walking around at home without crutches on week 3. I returned to work on week 4 (desk job). Only week 1 was painful. I didn't take the opiod painkillers once I was out of hospital (day 3) because they make me nauseous so managed on paracetomol and ibuprophen.

@acpgee @rainbow2300

I was in P/T end of last yr into springtime for an injury to my leg which led to gait changes and hip/knee problems as a result. When my insurance benefit ended, I went over to a local gym with pool, supporting an aquatic aerobics class 3x/wk ("L.A. Fitness" =⇒ "AquaFit"). Water supporting me is great for my continued progress, not just in the aerobic realm but the corresponding range-of-motion aspect. I'm even back on my bike, doing more miles this season thus far than last year altogether. If something like this appeals to you and is available and pertinent, I'm glad to suggest researching it as a component of your progress. The class attendees skew older, and there are a lot of joint replacement folks (hips, knees and shoulders) in there taking advantage and loving it. One caveat: the classes are very dependent on the instructor style/quality.

@acpgee A lot of people do these knee replacements. I asked because I’m terrified to do it knowing what’s involved. Some people only need partials. I’m 63 yo and they say to do it while you’re young. I’m frustrated by the inconvenience of not being able to do a lot of things I want to. I’m overweight yet during Covid I lost 10 lbs and the pain left. Then gained it back. So the knee you had replaced 9 years ago is doing well? Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this. It helps to talk to others who’ve gone through it. 😊

@Rainbow2300

I would recommend just doing a knee replacement if you are in pain. The pain was gone afterwards. I got my right knee done when I struggled to walk for more than 10 minutes. There are plastic parts in the artificial knee so the lifespan is 20 to 25 years, so you might need a second replacement when you are old. That's why some people try to put it off, but I would just count on technological advancements making the procedure easier, by the time you need a second replacement. I am 62 now so had my right knee done at 53. I decided to get my left knee done when I had a similar level of pain after a short walk.

After the right knee was done, the surgeon said "Your left knee is a bit better, but you will be back within a couple years for another replacement".

The important info I got during my first replacement is that success is dependent on the amount of physiotherapy done especially in the first 3 days post surgery, before scar tissue forms. So just accept the opioid painkillers (I was on fentanyl) in order to tolerate doing the exercises the physio's prescribe as frequently as possible. I think that is why the nurse today who changed my dressings today was surprised I was walking so well 4 weeks after surgery, compared to other patients who had the some procedure.

I have a friend who is a physiotherapist who tells me my knee surgeon is the best guy for that in the UK. So definitely do some research about the surgeons in your area. Though maybe these days with the robotic surgery the skill of the surgeon might be less important.

I was in a lot of pain the first day or two (unable to turn over in bed), walking on two crutches on day 3, and walking on one crutch by week 2. By week 3, I was walking around the house with no crutches. Today I am in week 4, and I took public transport for the first time coming home from the clinic after my wound check. I still use a single crutch when I am on the street. My recovery this time is slower than my right knee whn I was 9 years younger, but is still pretty good, I think.

Still using up the leftover braised beef from a Chinese takeaway during the week. This time incorporated in lasagna cupcakes, layering store bought gyoza wrappers, some tomato sauce we had in the freezer, mozarella as well as the pulled beef in a muffin tin. Starter of serrano ham and melon. Dessert was same as last night, namely strawberries macerated in balsamic on an almond shell, this time with a grind of black pepper.