It's been a while

I haven't been on-line for ages.  I look at my computer in the morning and say to myself, "Later."  Later comes along and I look at my computer and I say, "First thing tomorrow."  Well, tomorrow was a few weeks ago.

I have been healing amazingly well.  My right leg wants to walk faster than my "ill" left leg, so I tend to trip myself up if I walk unaided, which I do all the time around the house.  I still have bad sciatica, but I guess I'll have that the rest of my life.  I do exercises which seem to help, so does icing (that's where you put an ice pack on your back, not where you slather your body with sugar and cream).

My next surgery is coming up really fast.  Thursday, I go into the hospital for pre-surgery testing.   I have already been to my primary care physician and got my pre-op physical, and she will have a finaasl say when she gets the results of my blood and urine tests.

I'm really excited to get it over with.  I hope the left leg heals as well as, if not better than, the right leg did.  I've been exercising the left leg to get those muscles strong and hopefully that will help with the leg lifts I must complete before I'm permitted to leave rehab.

I've decided to go to the same place as I went to last time for rehab.  The draw of going to a place closer to home was strong, but I know what to expect in the place I used last time, and I really don't care if I don't get visitors every day.  Frankly, while I love seeing my daughter(s), grandchildren, husband, and friends, it can get tiresome.  I don't intend that statement to put off friends and relatives from visiting me, I did enjoy the visits I received last time, I'm just sayin' it was tiring.  And, until I could walk without the brace, I was bed bound pretty much, and the room didn't really have comfortable chairs for guests. 

I also found out today that the time of my surgery was changed to 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.  Bummer.  I'd rather have the early time.  I can't eat or drink anything from midnight the night before surgery until after surgery.  And I remember being so very thirsty last time, not to mention hungry.

So, I wait.

ttfn

Another update on my knee

I'm sure anyone reading this will be bored, so please, don't feel obligated.

I am updating my home stay after rehab.

I have physical therapy twice a week at the rehab center down the street (it's about 1-1/2 miles away).  It's really not a bother at all.  I actually look forward to it.

On April 11th I'll be having my left knee replaced and while I'm strengthening the right knee after surgery, the therapists are also working with me to get  my left leg muscles toned up and strong.  Not walking for 10 years has really atrophied my legs.

I found out today that our local senior center has a Nu-Step machine -- the machine that was my first instrument of torture after surgery.  It became my best friend toward the end of my stay in the Care Center because I could read my Kindle while I pedalled before the stretching and bending and pulling began.  At first, however, whoo-boy, did that hurt.  In fact, one of the therapists said he wished his phone had a camera because he would have loved to have a record of my face as I struggled to get through those first 15 minutes.

Now, I can walk with no pain on the right side.  I love it. 

I have dreamed for years that I could walk, and I knew I was dreaming because there was no pain in those dreams.  I could go up and down steps without pain -- haven't mastered that yet, in fact, the fear factor hits me every time I try to go up or down stairs.  I push through and find that the stairs are not as bad as I thought, as long as I can hold on.  I know that's something they will really push me on at the after-surgery rehabilitation in April/May.

So, exactly three months from the day of the right knee TKR, I will have TKR on the left knee.  I'm really looking forward to it -- not the operation specifically, but the end-result. 

Vacation this summer should really be great.  I'll be walking.

ttfn