So far,
@marieltha, 2020 is a bit frustrating.
I'll start with the great news. On Tuesday I saw my surgeon for my 4 month follow up. Which was 6 months for July, but her first follow up as well, as it is not possible to get an appointment with the surgeon in December. lol. They are too busy with people trying to get their surgery at the last minute. My xrays look perfect. My ROM is only 108, but I know that will continue to improve, and 105 is their minimum for managing most life tasks, so I pass.
I was surprised, but pleased, to see my actual surgeon. I'd expected just the PA. I was glad to have the chance to be effusively grateful to him for giving me my life back. Every minute of every day is better with my new knees. Every challenge is still better and easier than it was before. I haven't had one second of regret, and I really try to hold myself in the grateful place.
But of course as humans we always have to be striving, and I want
more. And that's where the frustration comes in, and party why I haven't been posting.
Coming back from near total disability is exhausting, even beyond the surgical recovery. And it's long and slow, to which I am not temperamentally suited. It's very difficult to stay focused in the moment on all the amazing progress so far, and not look forward at how far there is to go.
Its especially difficult today because I did not sleep well because I overdid.
My knees are giving me no trouble. They still ache a bit when the weather is cold and drippy, which it has been a lot lately. I haven't had to ice in most of a month. I do use a lap blanket a lot more because they generally like to be kept toasty warm.
Yesterday I went to the craft store for about 40 minutes. Then I had a bit of a rest while I drove to the grocery store where I was in and out very quickly with only 2 things. And then I made a quick stop at the fabric store to pick up buttons and some fray-check. I'm really trying to find the balance between 'push' and 'hurt'. So far I keep going over. a lot. Sometimes every day seems like an extended PT session as I actively work on increasing my strength a little every day. It's exhausting, but necessary.
Generally though, things are completely amazing. Even though those 3 short errands left me aching all night, I DID them. And I enjoyed them. And my knees didn't hurt a bit.
Life is good.