Good morning everyone, I have been MIA for a few days, with best intentions to post daily, I just never even made it on line for past two days. I slept almost every minute that wasn't filled with nurses, PT, or decorating diaper cakes!
If sleep is the best medicine, I am pretty much cured by now, that's for sure!
So, yesterday was my 4 week anniversary, and I celebrated with ice cream. Hadn't eaten real, sugar and fat rich ice cream in years, pretty much, and it was a delicious treat, I enjoyed it completely, together with my sister. She has been running back and forth to my house daily, and we have two diaper cakes almost done, plus a small diaper cradle still being assembled. Once we started on them, it all came together pretty fast and effortless, it's all in the planning. I took some pictures as I went, but still have to upload. Will share them here, once I get them done.
Diana, I talked to Jennifer yesterday about going to the dinner on Saturday, and she thought I should call the restaurant ahead of time, and ask for a table against the wall, so I could occupy two chairs, one to sit on - with a stadium cushion or something similar, and one to put my legs up on. And to take ice packs. And of course my walker, mostly to keep people away from me, I like that idea. I just really don't want to miss out, and she said with good preparation, there is no need to. Doing the same for the shower, which is a bit easier of course, since my friend is having it at her house, and is getting a comfy place to sit etc. ready for me.
Den - thanks for your kind words, I will be sure to take good care of myself, and I hope you do the same!!
Ready - I have certainly learned my lesson, many lessons, actually. Everything you say is so true, I am in awe of your wisdom, we do only learn from our mistakes, it's just human nature, isn't it. I am so much more careful now, and won't let that exuberance at feeling better go to my head again!
Shelly - learning to let others do things for me is one of the hardest things I've done in a long time! And I"m not kidding ... I saw that on Mother's Day, I was still doing so much of the prep work, and even at the table, I was tempted to jump up and wait on others, which is really ridiculous, and I am conscious of it now, and trying to let others take care of me, instead of me taking care of everyone else. They are quite capable, if only I step back.
Dorothy - thanks for your kind words, and I agree - having this grandbaby to plan and prepare for has added so much happiness and joy to our lives, it is creating lots of endorphins and those can be as strong as pain meds, from what I understand. We need to find things to fill us up with good vibes, to take advantage of that fact!
MaryO - you are onto something here, as I have learned. Massage is a life saver, and has been for me in the past. I had back problems when I was younger, in retrospect I think some of it might have been caused by grief and I remember a time when I could only crawl out of bed in the morning, because I could not stand up due to pain. A massage therapist worked out the kinks back then, her hands were so healing, and she also had a gentle and kind spirit, it released a lot of pain in my back, but also my life. She is older and retired now, but I think of her sometimes, and how grateful I was for her at that time in my life. I am putting therapeutic massages on my list of things to keep with me - at least on a monthly basis, just to stay fit and healthy.
Heidi - so good to see you and I hope all is well with you! Crying can be such a powerful release, and I really let it go on Sunday, just cried bitter tears of pain, but also frustration and some bitterness about having to go through all this, and feeling sorry for myself. I don't cry often, it had been a long time, before this surgery, and it's almost like another lesson learned, it's ok to take advantage of that powerful tool we have to just cry it all out of our system, when we need to. And LOL at diaper cake trauma!!! you are too funny ....
Deb - thank you for thinking of me, and I send you big hugs for being such a sweetie and hope you are doing well!
Lee - oh, I know what you mean about needing oxygen to get past the excruciating muscle pain, I have fainted in the past, from pain of twisting an ankle, and felt very nauseous at that moment. I asked Jennifer about how to find a massage therapist in any given area, and she suggested doing a google search for "manual therapist massage therapist" and similar.
Today is my last home nurse visit, but I have one more week of PT at home, so grateful for that. Coumadin ends this week, glad to that, too. Otherwise, not much to report, will try to check in later, unless my knees decide I need to sleep away the rest of the afternoon again, which is fine with me, not missing out on much right now.
Oh, my boss wrote me an email yesterday, complaining about what a mess things are, and then at the end, a quick question as to how my knees are working out. I answered by writing him a novel about how lengthy and difficult this recovery is, and how it's hard work etc. Just so he doesn't get any ideas about me coming back early, lol! I'm taking all the time I need, and perhaps a bit more, just for good measure!!
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You PT jennifer sounds wonderful.
) muscle. I would have laid there and cried tears of frustration myself! We put so much into getting ready for knee replacement, we get ourselves through the hospital stay, and the hard work of PT - so there is that little fear always that if you do something wrong you could set yourself back. Fortunately I think the farther along we get and the knees heal it really is quite durable. Anyway yes, take it easy and make that diaper cake from a sitting & elevating position! (There was one of those at my daughter in law's baby shower a couple years ago and when I first heard someone was making one all I could think of was dirty diapers....I think having raised 3 kids I have post traumatic dirty diaper syndrome all these years later
The cake was actually very very cute!)
, I'm paranoid about strange hurts, especially that I have undone something.
in hospital I over extended my knees, and boy did it hurt, they had to give me oxygen as I nearly passed out, but all was good.
Don't you dare go back before you are ready 
When is the little one due? So much
