Bilateral TKR Mickey & Minnie are looking on the bright side!

[bottomshollow]

PooShay is the lady with the henna tats.

 

[karmigirl]

Nope, no shorts, no capris, no skirts. It's for the public's safety, trust me.

Karmigirl, I assume you envision us climbing that mountain?

Nope there is a tram up to the top. If you are feeling really brave you can do the walk down, much easier.

 

[Mimi]

Oh Debbie, I am right there with you with the identical scars. I can even throw in the two drain holes from the old gallbladder and a nice neck scar from parathyroid removal However, each scar brought me a better life after recovery time.

 

[Debbie_joints]

Mimi, you wouldn't believe my gallbladder scar, I also have a huge drain hole scar, but for some reason the surgeon but three huge 5 inch stitches going vertically across the horizontal stitches and my belly swelled and those three stitches cut into my belly and made big scars there too. Still scratching my head on that one and it was over 35 years ago.

 

[Jacky48]

I hit a couple of new milestones which felt really good. I put on a pair of my jeans for the first time since BTKR and WHAT!!! I looked in the mirror and holy moly I looked like I lost my butt and my thighs, and these were the jeans I always wore, cause of comfort however they were tight, before! So I went to my next pair, which were slightly tighter than the first pair before BTKR, and low and behold they hung on me too! What, did someone say shopping time? I'm not a shopper, actually I loathe it! My poor daughter, who's totally a shopper had to deal with me as teenager! Although we went shopping a lot and trust me when I say, she can shop all day and maybe get one acticle of clothing! Drive me crazy inside! When we moved last year I gave all my smaller clothes to charity because it was just taking space in my closet and I found it pointless to move them with us. Well I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and do some shopping. Also all those new under clothes that I bought to take to the hospital and rehab, to loose!

The next milestone was, I entered the grocery store to get a few items and I grabbed a carrying basket instead of a large cart. I haven't done that in many, many years because I always needed the cart to hold onto.

Thank God we don't have to climb that mountain!

 

[Janet2012]

Wonderful milestones!! Not needing the "crutch" when shopping, and carrying the weight of a basket of items, is a real mark of freedom! And the jeans... Well, congratulations and I am envious! But I am thrilled for you, I know that feels so good. Except for the shopping, which I hate also. Maybe I wouldn't hate it so much if there was something I could wear and be happy with. I buy most of my clothes online.

 

[Motorcycle Meemaw]

My husband and I were talking the other night about how our bodies have changed in the 32 years we have been married, scars and such. We were laughing that we used to sleep close to one another in the middle of the bed. Now he is hooked to a CPAP machine, and I can't sleep without pillows supporting everything. We are quite a pair.

Jacky, I was thinking the other day at the store that I could carry what I needed, but I opted for a cart to lean on. Sort of like a walker. Sad!

 

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[Debbie_joints]

Jacky skinny butt, is that your new name... It has been a hot summer here so haven't had to put on a jacket. Yesterday was chilly and I wanted to go outside for something so I grabbed my shabby sweatshirt that I wear for odd jobs around the house when I am outside and I put it on and just laughed and laughed, it was soooo big on me. Guess losing over 70 pounds will do that.

Good job on not needing the cart in the grocery store too.

 

[Jacky48]

Janet, If I'm to do a big shopping I certainly will lean on "the crutch" that was a quickie and I can do quickies okay, groceries that is!
I'm with you on the clothes shopping, it seems like all the clothes is geared toward skinny teenagers or young women, if you go in the woman's department it's all geared toward 90 year olds! What happened to us young but mature baby boomers! HELLO!!!! Retail world are you stuck!!!

 

[Jacky48]

Teresa you made me laugh!My husband and I bring that up often as well. We keep our wedding picture on our mantle, I was 17 and he was 22, and we often look at it and say to each other, What the hell happened to us?, 47 yrs. later we both gained weight he's more fit than I am though, not fair, I wear the CPAP, which I might add I haven't used it lately. He's had a stent and balloon put in quite a few years ago and prostate tune up, so all his scars are mental not physical, mine are all physical, but we don't mind we know where we've been.

So my dear don't even second guess yourself about using a cart like a walker, I will still use it if the store is too big and I need to go all the way to the other end.

 

[Jacky48]

Deb, I am far from skinny butt for sure!
Wow you're hitting some great milestones yourself, 70+lbs is a lot of weight! That sweat shirt must have gone down to your knees! Congrats on the weight loss, you should be proud of yourself!

 

[Motorcycle Meemaw]

Wow Debbie, 70 pounds is great!

 

[Mimi]

Good going Jackie It is always a good feeling for clothes to be loose. Treat yourself and "shop" for new fall things
In my household it is the opposite of yours. I am the shopper and my youngest daughter is like her father, a non shopper. Well, she is re cooperating with me after open heart surgery. So she felt good enough to go shopping today. She moaned through trying on some fall clothes and ended up with some cute things. But when you are a size 6, what doesn't look great on you??

 

[Jacky48]

Thanks Mimi, wow that's really hard to watch your baby going through open heart surgery, I'm happy to hear all went well.
My daughter is like her dad as well. He use to take her shopping while I worked a 2nd shift job and she really picked up on his frugalness. He'd want something, but doesn't get it right away he watches it until the price comes down and she does the very same thing! Who knew the kid was watching and learning back then. I hope she doesn't get my bad knees and his heart problems. She'll be 39 this Nov. and she still wears a 4-6 size. And, you're right anything looks good on our daughters.

 

[Mimi]

Yes, this has been quite a summer for our family. My daughter is 28 and a very healthy young lady. She is a marathon runner and was having terrible heartburn. She had many tests and found that she has a right aortic arch that was found to be an anomaly and not genetic. It never caused any problems and that was not the problem. She went to Johns Hopkins for her surgery and they found a ligament that formed prenatally, had grown out from scar tissue on the aorta and formed a sling that strangled her esophagus and attached under her left arm. The also found an aneuryism on the scar tissue on the aorta. Everything was cleaned up and sewed into place and she recovered beautifully. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks and she is doing very well. Her esophagus is learning to be normal and her voice is a little funny at times. She has some rib pain since this was done through her back and through her ribs. We are alll so thankful and amazed at this whole adventure. I can't say enough about Johns Hopkins. Unbelievable place, superb Doctors and the care was the best I have seen in my life.

 

[Janet2012]

Wow, Mimi! That's quite a story! I'm so glad she got the good care she needed and is now doing well! We'd rather go through it our selves than see our children face such things.

 

[Nyland]

Oh Mimi, thank goodness that your daughter is recovery. Thank goodness they found everything and fixed her. You must be so relieved!

 

[Jebsw]

Mimi, you wouldn't believe my gallbladder scar, I also have a huge drain hole scar, but for some reason the surgeon but three huge 5 inch stitches going vertically across the horizontal stitches and my belly swelled and those three stitches cut into my belly and made big scars there too.

I'm picturing a tic tac toe board.

 

[Jebsw]

Mimi,
I had read in your thread about your daughter a few weeks ago. I am so glad things are looking good!