We're probably 2/3 done with the painting and came in to have some lunch and rest and ice a bit. It's sunny and 68 here so it's perfect painting weather. I actually love to paint. It's just the prep I dislike. I think I got that from my dad. Kent and I were out there talking about dad and how much he liked to paint and wondered how many coats of paint must have been on their house they lived in for 47 years. I've lost track of how many times we've painted ours in 27 years. Probably 5 or 6 I guess. I know the last time was 2007. I did it all myself right before we had a new roof put on that was a result of a hail storm in 2006.
@tiredwife No, didn't even think of it. It wouldn't look much different anyway. We've always kept it the same color. Reddish brownish brick with cream trim. When we changed our roof in 2007 I decided to go with green architectural shingles. It had always been a rusty brown color. When the roofer asked what color I decided on he thought it was a bad idea but it actually looks great and he admitted he was wrong. I found a modeler online where you take a picture of your house and you upload that. Then you can try on all colors of shingles on your house. It was pretty cool. I wanted to change the front door color to green to go with the roof but figured that would involve a minimum of 2 coats of paint, probably 3 so I decided to just keep it cream for now anyway.
So, we're done now. The rest will wait till next year. It wasn't flaking off as bad as the south and east sides of the house where the sun hits hardest. My leg is definitely not a happy camper. I'll probably pay for this for several days but at least there are no more big projects in the works for awhile anyway. We've been in about 45 minutes or so and I'm icing. Then I need to go cleanup. Luckily I have some leftover shrimp gumbo in the fridge we can have for dinner so I can just reheat that.
@ljrfrm Today I can say I painted the house outside and a month ago I could not have done that. Baby steps, baby steps
<<<<@ljrfrm Today I can say I painted the house outside and a month ago I could not have done that. Baby steps, baby steps >>>>
Celebrate those baby steps!!!! Now remind me about that please as today was a bad hurting kind of day. PT hurt, I lost 3 degree bend on my right knee (I did go up 2 in the left) and it's more swollen. Now I hurt and am tired of this all. So, I guess my babystep is today is the first day I drove myself to PT.
@gr82cu2 Glad you got it done. Yes baby steps! Steve's baby step today was walking 1/2 a mile, says his knees are popping so they are settling in. From what I understand the popping starts when the swelling goes away and everything tries to settle in. He still has just a very slight limp once in a while. Congrats @ljrfrm for driving yourself to PT, that is a big step forward! Congrats to you Janet for getting your trim painted!
Glad to hear your painting went well. Hopefully your knee won't protest too much.
I like the picture you posted of your 'nest'. We gave up our sofa when finally saw it's last days with a broken frame. We each have recliners and I wasn't sure how comfortable it would be to stay in the recliner to elevate and ice as my recliner is smallish and not one of the plush ones. After seeing your nest and how had your pillows for elevation arranged, dh and I decided that it was time to replace our long gone sofa with a new one. We picked it out today and it will be delivered shortly in plenty of time for making a 'nest' since I still don't have a surgery date. Thanks for the great idea!
@gr82cu2 Hi Janet! It seems like ages since I have visited your thread. How is your leg doing today? I remember from before that you will have really good days and then wham, it hits you and you have a terrible one. Hopefully they will begin to be far and few between. You have a beautiful family. When I'm up to looking for them, I'll have to post a picture of my family up on my thread. I love to see pictures. My daughter has an 11 year old and when she remarried, her husband had a 7 and 6 year old....they are now 16 and 17. Like I mentioned before our son is still living at home. His law practice is really going slowly so who knows how long he will be here. We live in a 55 and over community and our master bedroom is on the first floor. Upstairs is a loft, two bedrooms and a bath. It's like he has his own apartment as we never go up there, so that makes it nice.
I doubt my daughter will have any more children. She really wanted more, but the timing wasn't right, and now the kids are getting older and now they are used to not being tied down anymore. My son doesn't have a girlfriend right now...he says that he can't afford one....but he also says he isn't ever going to have any children. I always tell him not to say never, because you just never know. Have a good night. AnneAnne
@ljrfrm Driving yourself is quite an accomplishment. Give yourself a big pat on the back I've yet to figure out why things hurt more some days. Sometimes it's obvious when we do something we maybe shouldn't (painting!) but other times it just makes no sense. I think that's what leads to a lot of the discouragement. We expect to keep marching onward and upward to a full recovery and then we stumble, fall and go backwards for a bit. My flexion was up to 117 and then I turned allergic to Celebrex and it fell back to 110. I haven't been measured for 3 weeks now but I don't think it has returned to where it was. I'll have Michelle measure me on Friday and see.
@tiredwife Mine was clicking early on but I haven't heard it for awhile now. I mentioned it at my 2 week appointment and he said it's normal but usually stops or at least doesn't do it as much once the swelling is gone. Contradicting Os's again! LOL That's great Steve was able to walk 1/2 mile today!
@ tealeaves A new sofa will serve you well for your recovery. I hope you find it comfortable. When I stacked the pillows for under my legs I had to use smaller pillows (decorative or off the sofa itself) to hold the stack up. You couldn't really see it in the picture I posted. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll make it back to sleep in bed before my 2nd knee is done. I want to but the one night I tried was miserable. I really value a good night's sleep and don't like to compromise that. This is bad enough without having bad rest.
@Yorkimom Both of our sons have been back with us over the years. Our youngest and his wife were just with us early this year for 4 months while they had a home built. We have a basement family room and a big bedroom so they stayed there. It was like their own apartment except there is no bathroom down there. It worked out great for all of us because they were here for the 6 weeks we were on our big European vacation. It gave us peace of mind knowing someone was here at the house, mowing the lawn, taking care of the kitties, etc. And Zack is very handy so he got a few things done for me while we were gone. It was nice to come home to those surprises. Our older son lived with us for about a year and a half after he got out of the Navy in 2007 until he got a job and could be on his own. I think we are finally, completely empty nesters! Your son may very well change his mind once he finds the right gal
Hi Janet! Sounds like you've been a busy girl! You say you are disappointed with your lack of stamina, but I'm amazed you can do that kind of work at all right now! I appreciate what @ljrfrm said about the small wins. I do get discouraged and feel the "ground hog day" effect, but the small wins are there and they are real. I'm able to stand up from a regular height chair with little to no pain now. I couldn't say that just a few days ago! I just wanted to stop in and say hello and I hope you have a good night.
Hi @ConnieJOS I sort of have been. We spent a day scraping, a day priming, a day caulking and a day painting. But not entire days. The first 3 were maybe a couple of hours each. Today took us probably close to 6 hours in all. I'm crippled tonight for sure. It will get better though. I only climbed on the step stool, not the ladder. I used to be able to do all that by myself in one day! I'm stubborn and don't like to be told I can't or shouldn't do something that I want to do. I've always been a dig in and get 'er done kind of person. And I can't stand half done projects. Drives me crazy. Do it all or none at all is my motto You're getting closer and closer to your 2nd TKR. Are you ready? I hope you have a good night too.
Oh my goodness, it's payback time! Arghhhh!!! I had a hard time going to sleep and then slept about 2 hours and it was toss and turn for hours. I was hurting in my leg and hands so bad I had to get in my stash of good drugs this morning for sure. I'm not going to do a thing today that isn't absolutely necessary. Note to self: These folks who tell you 'You really are very early in recovery' know what they are talking about.
@gr82cu2 Janet, sorry you are in pain today. Take it easy and take some pain meds. Hope tomorrow is better for you! Yes, the therapist and doctors all contradict each other it seems. That's what is so confusing about this recovery for many people.
I hope you can rest and recover and the pain lightens up quickly! I know it's bad when YOU can't sleep. You are normally the good sleeper! I've laid awake For the last several nights in a row. I really believe it has to do with getting the hydrocodone out of my system. Just feel tense and can't relax. But honestly, I've had insomnia problems frequently ever since menopause. I chose to take a month off any narcotic pain meds for a month before my next surgery because I'll need them working in full force then! Lack of sleep is quite debilitating. I hope you feel better soon!
@ConnieJOS I know, right? I've slept like a champ through this whole ordeal for the most part. I was just in too much pain last night I think. I had taken 2 extra strength Tylenol and an Aleve before I tried to sleep so didn't think I should take any hydrocodone in the night. I hope your sleeplessness eases soon. Have you tried Benadryl or Melatonin? Kent has used Melatonin in the past and liked it. I tried it once and had horrible nightmares so that was the end of that. It could be your body is adjusting to not having your pain meds. I really hope it gets better soon! xox
@gr82cu2 Good morning Janet! I'm sorry you are hurting, but no wonder!! I can't believe all you did. That is a lot even if you didn't have surgery. The recovery process is very fickle. You start to feel good and think you can do things that you want to. Then the dang knee doesn't like it and let's you know it's not happy big time. I think you are wise in taking it easy today. I have been taking it easy the last couple of days, only doing light exercises, and my knee has really been bothering me. I go back to PT tomorrow and even though I know they will be gentler than the other PT, I'm still dreading it. I keep trying to bend it a little when walking with my walker and can hardly bend it at all, it's still so swollen.
Sometimes I really wonder if the OS really know what they are talking about with our recoveries. I had always read about the clicking and I never had it. Then around six months ago it started. It's mostly when I get up in the morning or when I have been sitting for a while. So here I had nothing until over a year after surgery!
Well, I think am going to take a little nap. Have a good day. Anne
@gr82cu2 It's probably best not to be measured all the time! I only get measured now once a week or so, and I think that helps me not get hung up on numbers. It can be so depressing when the numbers go the wrong way, etc. But, at the same time, the measuring also gives me something to work for - so it's a fine line.
@Yorkimom Anne, you're only a little over 2 weeks post op so don't be hard on yourself. The swelling with this is the absolute pits and in my mind is the main cause of all that makes this operation so miserable. It causes the stiffness, tightness and much of the pain that lingers on and on and on. I'm sure your new PT will take a more gentle approach and get you moving again. Are you getting good elevation along with the icing? I'm feeling better now with the help of some good pain meds from my private stash. Still, I'm taking it very easy today. I go to PT tomorrow also.
@ljrfrm I agree on the measuring. I don't think it should be done every session or even every week. But at the same time, for me, it's been 3 or 4 weeks and I would like to know if I'm stuck or making at least a little progress. I know I feel stuck. It would be nice to find out I've made a little improvement even if it's only a degree or two.
@gr82cu2 sorry you are in the ODIC club again. I will probably be there after my surgery too. I finally got my surgery date today for Oct 22nd. I am nervous as it's only 3 weeks away even though I was expecting it. You will be less than 2 weeks behind me and I probably need the head start as you have done this before...I know don't compare to others
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I've yet to figure out why things hurt more some days. Sometimes it's obvious when we do something we maybe shouldn't (painting!) but other times it just makes no sense. I think that's what leads to a lot of the discouragement. We expect to keep marching onward and upward to a full recovery and then we stumble, fall and go backwards for a bit. My flexion was up to 117 and then I turned allergic to Celebrex and it fell back to 110. I haven't been measured for 3 weeks now but I don't think it has returned to where it was. I'll have Michelle measure me on Friday and see.
I had a hard time going to sleep and then slept about 2 hours and it was toss and turn for hours. I was hurting in my leg and hands so bad 
I had to get in my stash of good drugs this morning for sure. I'm not going to do a thing today that isn't absolutely necessary. Note to self: These folks who tell you 'You really are very early in recovery' know what they are talking about. 
