Just dropping in!

[stives]

Hi everyone. It's now just over a year since TKR1, and six months since TKR2. For the past few months I've been so busy - mostly enjoying my new mobility and having lots of holidays - that I haven't been in touch. Today the weather here is dreadful - the worst storms of the autumn so far are on their way - and for the first time in ages I have some spare time.

I can't see how on earth I am going to catch up with all your news. Kim, you poor thing, you really have had a rough time. Josephine too, and all the rest.
There have been so many posts since I last 'logged in' that I'll never be able to read them all, but I'll try to do a bit at a time. :sct:

When we go away we rarely have internet access, hence I lose touch. For Kim's information - she often asked me about it - we had the most fantastic holiday in the Mediterranean in September/October. A group of us went together (from our church). We were on a cruise ship, but we sailed at night, and each day we got off and did things on land. I was so pleased with myself as I was able to do just as much as everyone else - going up and down steps and hills, walking on very uneven ground etc. I climbed up lots of steps to the Meteora monasteries in Greece, and 'did' the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I'm still not sure about the stall holder who wanted to know if I wanted to buy some 'poison for your mother-in-law'!!! Was he serious?!

I walked miles, and am still doing so!

So, life is good here. My knees don't yet feel normal all the time, but they do sometimes! I am still a bit stiff when I get up from sitting in one position for long although that soon goes. I've been 'wanded' at every airport, as my knees set off the alarms where you go through the security areas. But ... I can do everything I want to do, even squat (useful for foreign loos!!!). I haven't tried kneeling though, but that would be very useful for reaching into my low kitchen cupboards, as well for doing gardening. I'm not sure if us kneesies are supposed to try kneeling or not.

I'll try to keep up to date with you all for a while - until we go away again.

 

[Texas]

HEY VAL HOW ARE YOU I MISSED YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im so glad you posted i was wondering about you the other day.....thanks im on the mend tho much better......I was wondering if you did the cruise i know that was your goal im glad you did well..........sorry you still get stiffness but that doesnt seem to be stopping you im proud of ya.........Wow im so miss you posting.............dont wait so long next time............here's a big hug from me..........keep on going doing your thing.........)))) post when you can.so good to here from ya......)

 

[loggon]

Hi Val
Nice to see you post again. I am soooo glad you had a great time on your vacation. Opps believe you call it a holiday. Anyway so glad you were able to get around. It sounded like a lot of fun.

 

[stives]

Kim, you are so sweet! Lots of hugs from me to you! :cnsl: I'm going to have to try to catch up with all the horrible things that have happened to you over the past few months. You've had such a lot of bad luck, whereas I have been so lucky with my two knees.

I'll try to drop in more often. The nights are drawing in here, and today it was dark by 3.30 pm - as the weather is so horrible! We had a lovely October but for the last couple of weeks we've had rain, rain, and more rain where I live. At least it means I'll be spending more time at the computer rather than being outside.

We've had loads of holidays (vacations to you folk across the pond) recently, making up for lost time. I had so many problems with the old knees that we couldn't plan much in the way of holidays for well over a year, so now there's no stopping us. We've been off in the caravan several times, visiting various places in England, and are now planning next year!

Must go for now as it's 10.30 pm and bed-time.

 

[Josephine]

Val! How wonderful it is to see you here again! We've had quite a few of the 08-ers pop by recently.

 

[stives]

Hello Jo!

I regard myself as an 09-er really as I didn't discover this forum until a few weeks before my second TKR. I wish I'd found it first time round as you have all been so helpful.

It looks like your problems are not yet sorted out either. I'll try to catch up with your posts, but you have so many that it will take a while (posts, I mean, not problems!).

It's blowing a 'hoolie' here. I was going to walk to our nearest supermarket shortly, but I have to go up a hill behind our house, and walk along a road called 'Windy Ridge'. Very aptly named - I think I'll have to wait until the gales have abated a bit as I might get blown over. :hehe:

 

[abunnybabe]

It's blowing a 'hoolie' here.
Jo, please translate! LOL I love this saying!

 

[Texas]

Hey Val im so glad you get to do all those things....as far as me lets just say new dr better surg this one is amazing......now you caught up...hehe....:hehe:.lol.....glad your posting dont wait so long .....we miss ya!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Josephine]

A howler - a gale! We have storm warnings on the south of England today and tonight, worst for a couple of years, so they say. Guess some folks will lose their roofs or worse!

 

[abunnybabe]

Oh Jo, good luck. I'll be saying a prayer that you are safe during those storms.

 

[Judles]

Hi Val! Noce to hear how well you are doing!
Jo......hope you hang on to your roof! Now THAT'S an image!!!! Hope you're having a quiet, restful, and uneventful evening!!! (0)

 

[stives]

Hi everyone

Just woken up to a cloudless blue sky, not a breath of wind - such a contrast to yesterday when we had our 'hoolie' - well translated by Jo! Some of you across the pond seem to be having wet weather too.

Yesterday was our youngest grandchild's first birthday, and when we went to celebrate I was aware that when little Daniel was trying to pull himself up by holding onto my knees, it didn't bother me any more - a few weeks ago I would have tried to remove his little hands as my knees were still very sensitive. They are definitely getting more normal as time progresses - even though it is a slow progress. :thmb:

 

[Josephine]

Happily the 'hoolies' weren't in our neighbourhood. We had sunshine and fair weather! Cold but fair.

Glad you were okay, Val. And isn't it nice to find your knees getting back to normal? I really must update the thread on the progress of my numb patch as I'm sure it's about half what it was when I last posted. (That's in the Recurring Knee Info in the Information Centre)

Can you kneel yet? I'm pretty sure I could but I lack the courage to try!

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Val!!! What a gad-about you are these days....I love that you are able to take all these holidays.

When you are ready to kneel, start slow. Begin by kneeling on something soft like your bed. Then move to a soft carpet floor. Then on to harder surfaces. You can do it, but it helps to take it slow. It will feel "strange" at first, but it gets better. I can even kneel on hard wood or concrete surfaces now. When you first start (and on each new surface), use your hands to provide some support and to ease you down on your knees.

I'm about 1 1/2 years out and I noticed the other day that all of the bumpy scar tissue that was under my incision has gone....it's totally flat now. That makes it MUCH easier to kneel. Don't worry....you won't hurt anything....just take it easy and you'll be back to gardening in no time.

 

[stives]

Jo - no, I haven't had the courage to try to kneel yet, but I have caught myself once or twice about to do so, then stopping myself, so my body might be telling me I could do it!

Jamie, it's good to hear from you, and it is fantastic that you can kneel like that! What an inspiration. I will definitely have to try now. I had already thought that trying on a very soft surface like a pillow or the bed would be a starter.

I'll keep you posted as to any progress!

As to holidays. We have a fairly large trailer caravan - as much for the family to enjoy as for the two of us. A few weeks ago we also bought a fairly old smallish 2-berth motorcaravan - probably smaller than you would ever see in the States. Do you know, ever since then the weather has been far too wet or windy to make us want to go off in it! We did manage a few nights but at the moment there seems to be no nice quiet spells in the forecast, so it'll be sitting on our driveway going nowhere.

Mind you, if it wasn't for our weather, we'd sometimes wonder what to talk about. Personally, I love walking in the rain! :hehe:

 

[Josephine]

Hey guys - I just kneeled! I got two dining chairs side by side and a cushion I made of 3 pieces of memory foam. Then everso gently, taking weight on my arms on the chairs, lowered myself onto the cushion.

It was strange. The right knee (TKR) kind of prickled where the numb patch still remains and the left (scoping) was a bit sore in one spot but the worst was a pain in the quads tendon which is probably from poor condition. But it was enough to get me back up quickly!

I shall try it again in a while. Yippeee! I can kneel!

 

[Jamie]

Wow, Jo!!! GOOD for YOU!!!! Keep going and pretty soon you'll only need TWO memory foams....then ONE....then.....NONE!!! You'll make it and those muscles will be stronger for all your hard work.

 

[stives]

Wowee Jo - well done!! :wahey: Now you've set me a challenge too!

I've just put two cushions on the bottom step of our short flight of stairs - one for each knee, but not on the floor (yet). I lowered myself gently onto my knees - absolutely fine! I even let go of the handrail so had no support. Wow, that is really progress. :thmb:

Next step will be to try the floor. However, if I can kneel on a step I can kneel for communion at church, then I won't feel as if I am as old as all the other old dears who have to stand! I'll have to try without cushions next.

I've actually got some garden kneelers - pads that you fix round the knees with velcro - which I've had for years. I wonder if I could wear them under trousers or a long skirt so that I could kneel in comfort. :hehe: I'll have to go out to the garden shed tomorrow and search them out.

 

[tom67]

Hi Val , I hope your feeling great, have a wonderful weekend!! Best Wishes!

Oh That's AWESOME JO!!! Congrat's To You!!!!

 

[mtngal67]

Val,
Thanks for posting! I feel encouraged by your stories about your trip! We travel a lot and it's comforting to know that thing do eventually return to normal and we can go do fun things again!!

Gale
RTKR 10/5/09