Let’s be real, sister—total knee replacement recovery is not just about physical healing. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, and if you’re anything like me (or 99% of our Titanium Group), you’ve probably felt all the feels in a single afternoon.
One minute you’re queen of the recliner, nailing your exercises and dreaming about hikes and heels… and the next? You’re crying over a sock that won’t go on right. Girl, SAME.
This isn’t just in your head. Between the pain, the swelling, the weird sleep schedule, and the sudden craving (or total disinterest) in food—it’s a lot. And don’t even get me started on well-meaning friends and family who ask, “Wait, you’re still in pain?” 😳
Yep. This journey is real, raw, and wildly emotional. But guess what? Feeling it all is normal. In fact, it’s part of healing.
In pops the Yetter Getter Mindset.
So, What’s a “Yetter Getter”?
During one of my own surgeries, I realized I needed something to help me mentally stay in the game. I didn’t have a name for it at the time, but as I moved through recovery after my total knee replacement, it hit me: We’ve gotta get the YET.
As in:
- “I’m not there...yet.”
- “I don’t feel strong...yet.”
- “I can’t bend my knee past 90 degrees...yet.”
That’s where the Yetter Getter Mindset was born—a faith-filled, progress-over-perfection kind of approach that helped me stay grounded and hopeful during the most demanding moments of recovery.
Now, it’s a core part of what I teach inside The Knee Replacement Hub. The Hub isn’t just where you’ll find practical tips, recovery tools, and surgery prep support—it’s where you’ll learn how to walk out your healing journey with strength, faith, and that all-important YET.
Today, I want to share five emotions that often show up after knee replacement surgery—and how to respond to each one using your new secret weapon: the Yetter Getter Mindset.
1️⃣ Frustration
Frustration shows up when our progress doesn’t meet our expectations. I would get so frustrated with myself when I thought I would be able to cook dinner and do dishes only to find out I would be exhausted eating dinner. What is it for you? Maybe you're not walking as far as you hoped, or your knee is still stiff.
Try This: Vent to someone you trust (me included!), then take a breath: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4. Tell yourself: “I’m exactly where I need to be.”
Yetter Getter Shift: “I should be further along” → “I may not be where I want to be yet, but I’m making steady progress—one small step at a time.”
The important part with any of these is absolutely walk through the emotion get frustrated, chatted out with a friend walk through the emotions and fully process it. If you don't do that and you go directly to the shift, you'll find yourself coming back to the emotion. You actually have to process it and walk through it to release it.
2️⃣ Anxiety
Worries about pain, recovery time, or “what ifs” can sneak in fast.
Try This: Close your eyes and visualize healing—your body rebuilding, your muscles supporting you, your steps getting steadier.
Yetter Getter Shift: “What if I can’t do this?” → “I might not feel confident yet, but every day I’m getting closer to strength and freedom.”
3️⃣ Sadness
It’s easy to feel down, especially when your normal routine is out the window. You're not doing the things you were doing preop. You're not dressing the way that you used to or going out of the house the way you once did and all of that falls under your normal routine and when we're out of our routine, that's when our brain starts going into overdrive imagining a future that could be bleak.
Try This: Jot down 3 things around you that you're grateful for. Focus on the good—even if it’s your cozy blanket and a good cup of tea.
Yetter Getter Shift: “This is so hard” → “I might not feel joyful yet, but I can still find light in today.”
4️⃣ Impatience
Oof, the waiting game. Recovery can feel endless. I call this Groundhog's Day. From the iconic Bill Murray movie "Groundhog's Day."
Try This: Do a simple body scan—tense and relax your muscles from toes to head. It calms your nervous system and gives your brain something else to focus on.
Yetter Getter Shift: “Why is this taking so long?” → “I may not be where I want to be yet, but my body is healing in its own perfect time.”
5️⃣ Fear
Fear of setbacks, complications, or not regaining full mobility can creep in. Fear will creep in at every stage of this recovery fear of the unknown fear of whether or not you will recover fully. Your brain will try and convince you that there's something wrong when your body is simply healing.
Try This: Repeat affirmations while you breathe deeply: “I am strong. I am healing. I am becoming whole.”
Yetter Getter Shift: “What if I never get back to normal?” → “I may not feel fully recovered yet, but I trust my body—and my God—to carry me through this.”
Here’s what I want you to remember: Your emotions are not a setback—they’re part of the process. The Yetter Getter Mindset helps you honor where you are while keeping your heart open to where you’re going. It’s about progress, not pressure. It’s about healing, not hustling.
✨ If this spoke to you and you’re looking for more support—both practical and faith-forward—I’d love to invite you to explore The Knee Replacement Hub. You’ll find the full Yetter Getter framework, step-by-step recovery tools, and a whole community of women who get it.
You don’t have to do this alone, friend.
Keep reaching for the YET. You’ve got this.
Keep reaching for the YET. You’ve got this.
Left knee has been approved for surgery now...after I get my teeth cleaned at the dentist and then the required 3 month wait. Thank you for your faithful writing.