OP
OP
MissJ
member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2013
- Messages
- 213
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
So today's the day: ONE YEAR! Happy birthday to Eppie & Popo, the new knees.
My sister reminded me today that, in the first weeks of healing, I kept saying, "I wish it was a year from now." Ha! The year is here, and I almost forgot about it.
The knees work well. At work, I usually take the stairs instead of the elevator…without thinking about taking the stairs. Last week I had a series of events to go to downtown and didn't think twice about having to walk several blocks between them. Due to construction, I park 3 blocks away from my workplace - no handicapped sticker for me anymore! Last week I traveled by plane for the first time - no worries (though I did have to sit on the aisle so that I could kick out a leg occasionally).
The biggest accomplishment is that my husband and I are at long last taking a trip to Ireland in June. We met about three and half years ago; every year he has wanted us to plan a trip to Ireland. In January 2013 I finally had to tell him the surgery must come first; any thought of being on a plane, let alone tramping around Ireland, filled me with fear and dread. Now I know I am ready.
I walk for exercise, mostly at the gym - 1/2 hour 3-4 times a week - and also use the stationary bike. Now that our weather has perked up I plan to get walking poles for outside and to try my "real" bike (though it might be another few months or a year before I'm strong enough to make that work).
To anyone making that difficult decision about total replacement, I say: DO IT. Get back to living life, to not worrying about every step or every instance of getting up from a chair. My knees do not "feel real" and probably never will; I am aware of them a lot of the time; and yes, sometimes they ache after extended activity. But I can walk, go up and down stairs, and…LIVE.
Thanks to all Bonesmarties for your continued support!
j
My sister reminded me today that, in the first weeks of healing, I kept saying, "I wish it was a year from now." Ha! The year is here, and I almost forgot about it.
The knees work well. At work, I usually take the stairs instead of the elevator…without thinking about taking the stairs. Last week I had a series of events to go to downtown and didn't think twice about having to walk several blocks between them. Due to construction, I park 3 blocks away from my workplace - no handicapped sticker for me anymore! Last week I traveled by plane for the first time - no worries (though I did have to sit on the aisle so that I could kick out a leg occasionally).
The biggest accomplishment is that my husband and I are at long last taking a trip to Ireland in June. We met about three and half years ago; every year he has wanted us to plan a trip to Ireland. In January 2013 I finally had to tell him the surgery must come first; any thought of being on a plane, let alone tramping around Ireland, filled me with fear and dread. Now I know I am ready.
I walk for exercise, mostly at the gym - 1/2 hour 3-4 times a week - and also use the stationary bike. Now that our weather has perked up I plan to get walking poles for outside and to try my "real" bike (though it might be another few months or a year before I'm strong enough to make that work).
To anyone making that difficult decision about total replacement, I say: DO IT. Get back to living life, to not worrying about every step or every instance of getting up from a chair. My knees do not "feel real" and probably never will; I am aware of them a lot of the time; and yes, sometimes they ache after extended activity. But I can walk, go up and down stairs, and…LIVE.
Thanks to all Bonesmarties for your continued support!
j
