TKR Pheebs52 Recovery Discovery Journey May 22

[liam2015]

thank you @Jockette ~ i should have mentioned that my knee (which is now replaced) had given out/collapsed and that's why i fell. i don't have that fear any more that my knee will collapse.

 

[kmak81230]

Hi @Pheebs52 - hope your trip is going well. I'm wondering if you will have knee #2 done by your same surgeon even after you move. Will you have to find a new PT - perhaps they will both give you some good referrals??

 

[Fire wolf]

Hope Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine is holding up well for you! Missing your posts though!

 

[Fire wolf]

Soo, did Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine find a lovely home full of steps to retire in? I hope you had an enjoyable and non-kneecentric trip!

 

[becticu]

Pheebs, it's time to check in and let us know how your trip and Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine did!

 

[phrog]

Miss you Pheebs! Hope Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine was Miss Sweetie on your trip.

 

[jaschembra]

How long is this trip? We need a status report!!! Knee, etc.

 

[Pheebs52]

Good morning Smarties! I'm back, like "Poltergeist," lol! I was so tired upon returning home Sunday evening I just couldn't bring myself to post. My trip was the longest I've taken since my surgery (4 hours, one way, with lots of driving in-between other destinations) and I'm fairly pleased with how Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine behaved. She really didn't complain much at all while in the car, but we did make two stops, coming and going and I feel that helped quite a bit. Sadly, my cooler did not fare as well, in fact, was an epic *fail*, which left me at the mercy of hotel ice in a ziploc.....really messy, resulting in wet blankets and pillows; pffft! Oh, and ice melts really fast; aaccck!

We did a LOT of walking around different properties, throughout the town, and had many stairs to conquer. In this aspect, NSSML, was a trooper, but as a Super-Swelling Stiff, quite naturally I paid the fat price in the evening. If only my cooler had actually kept things cold, I know my typical ice-packs would have done a splendid job and fixed me right up; pffft! Other things hurt as well, (hair, fingernails, toes, jeans....you get the picture) but I'll just chalk those up to being...er..vintage.

Though we had a lot of fun and saw two properties that were on opposite ends of the lifestyle spectrum. One was a modern townhouse set in the woods and surrounded by a golf course (of all things; hah) with many amenities, such as an indoor pool. The other was a very well-kept, Arts and Crafts style bungalow on about 2 acres of land (lovely landscaping, mostly natural)with a mountain view. They were equally charming, and we could see ourselves in either, but, it wasn't without stress. Both our heads were spinning (and still are) Exorcist style with the decision making process. Either property would be a good choice, just with different sets of pros and cons, ya know? Decisions, decisions......aaarrgggh!

Today, I'm off to the Vet again with Nemo's chronic ear problem; pffft! I think he now must be the proud owner of the most expensive canine ear in New England. At any rate, it's lovely to have been missed here and I missed all of you equally! We did receive our share of levity when we met up with my brother and his wife. He's a zany guy with a really dry wit, and she's great fun, so together, they embody some of the best characteristics of all of you! Let's just say, they were "Good Medicine!"

 

[rubyyarn]

Welcome back, @Pheebs52 !

 

[Polkadot]

I'm so glad you survived your trip and that you found a couple of properties you like. I'm terrible with decisions like that. My decision-making life can be summed up by the way in which I decided which college to attend: I was accepted at both places to which I applied--one, a large, highly-respected university, and the other a very small private college that was hard to get into. The day of the deadline, I still hadn't decided. I enveloped both acceptances, walked four blocks to a sidewalk mailbox, and stood there for about a half hour, until I saw the mail truck coming down the street to pick up the outgoing mail. I opened the mailbox door and shoved one of the envelopes inside. Thank goodness my DH has quick decision-making genes! Sometimes making a list of pros and cons helps me. Sometimes it doesn't. The good news with finding two largely-equal properties is that whichever one you choose, you will be happy with it!

I can relate to your world of hurt after walking through all those properties, doing stairs, etc. I've had hair and fingernails hurt--it tells me you were almost beside yourself with discomfort! (Isn't that a great visual? "Beside yourself"--like you are observing your breaking-down body or emotions from a dispassionate angle and finding them puzzling!). Again, glad you made it through the experience with some positive outcomes!

I've got a 2-hour drive coming up to accept a piece of furniture into our condo, with 28 stairs up and down at least a couple of times, then right back into the car for the drive home. Your story reminded me that I should stop for a few minutes in the middle of each leg of the trip. McDonalds is a blessing for that. Stop there, go to the restroom, buy a drink, and I'm good to go on.

If you go on another trip with your ice packs, see if the hotel will put them in a freezer somewhere for you. Some places are really accommodating about things like that. We once had the remains of an ice-cream cake that the hotel stored for us. Another possibility is to choose a hotel that's extended-stay, like Townhouse Suites, Residence Inn, Staybridge, etc. Then you'd have a full-size refrigerator-freezer at your disposal. Sorry you had the mess with ice and the zip-loc bags! When I sprained my ankle in China, I had to wrap ice cubes in a towel--they had no plastic bags of any kind available. It was actually kind of amazing they had ice, but it was an "American-style" hotel.

Your brother sounds like my brothers--hmmm. Maybe I should schedule a visit for some brotherly "medicine" soon! It sounds like you really had a good time despite the physical discomforts. So glad you are back.

 

[kmak81230]

OK - now I am dying to know @Polkadot - which college did you attend - big or small? What a great story. I am also a pro and con list maker - I also like to live with decisions for awhile before actually making the final one. It's nice to have good choices and both sound lovely - which one has the best accommodations for hosting our BS reunion? When I went to San Fran this summer I packed several gallon size zip-lock freezer bags for the ice dilemma and it worked out pretty well. Sure hope Nemo is on the mend soon - I feel for dogs (and owners) who have those chronic ear issues (or other chronic aches and pains) .

 

[phrog]

So glad you are back and the trip was productive (although a head-spinner). Both options sound lovely - which is nice, but I can understand how hard the decision will be then. It's great you had fun with your brother, too. A little levity helps.

I'm sorry for your difficulties with icing. I had the same problem on our chasing the eclipse trip - I even ended up with mold in the ice chest when we stayed in the desert. The car was parked in a garage for three days and we were on the 22nd floor without a freezer in the room so it was the ice bucket and zip locks for me - and a science experiment going on in the Coleman cooler. I can't even discuss what the cheese and salami looked like - and the smell - oh my, the smell. Ended up throwing my favorite gel packs away.

Ease back into your routine. Hopefully NSSML will be a good girl and make that easy.

 

[Pheebs52]

Best laugh of the day @phrog! Maybe I should've wrapped the cheese around my knee? It would've been less messy, lol.

I'm still soooo tired; aaccck! Obviously The Energy Drain is still going strong though I don't notice it in my typical (note I didn't say normal) daily life. Harumph!

@kmak81230, good question as to which site would be best for a BS reunion! The townhouse has a lovely indoor pool and tennis courts, along with walking trails and a clubhouse. The house has 2 acres of land with an unspoiled mountain view and some serious hiking directly across the road in a nature preserve. If we choose the house, I know exactly where I'd put the hot tub; hah! It really is a head-spinning decision, eh? But, I'm certainly not complaining since it's a lovely dilemma, unlike how to get in and out of a bathtub with a new knee.

@Polkadot, now I must know which college you chose? I love your ....er...*method!* Perhaps I should just tear up small bits of paper and place them in a hat? Mistah likes both but is partial to the house, mostly due to dogs and high condo fees. I suspect he also likes the tractor mower that comes with it, but I could be wrong. I am evenly split, and need much more time to process what we've seen. I think at this stage of recovery, I am only good for slow-speed processing of any sort. If I were younger, I'd probably have already made the decision, but all things move more slowly for this Slow-Bender Stiff!

I urge you to get a dose of your brothers, or even just one! It did both of us a world of good.

Now, I need a nap, lol!

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry you had problems icing your knee while you were away, @Pheebs52 .
Some people have found an ice bag like this is useful when you're travelling. Amazon sells them.

 

[Pheebs52]

Now that would really have been helpful @Celle! I haven't seen one of those for years, so I think I will head over to Amazon right now; thanks for the idea! I really like to be prepared for any eventuality when traveling, but this was my first extended road-trip post tkr, so it was a *cough* "learning experience!" I also like @Polkadot's suggestion on the type of hotel to choose, specifically, an extended stay with an in-room, full fridge/freezer. Unfortunately, accommodations were tight last weekend due to the annual pilgrimage of Leaf Peepers, so I had to take what I could get. Nice place, but the lack of a freezer, even at their front desk was definitely a big problem. I almost resorted to taking a really cold bath, but somehow, couldn't quite make myself do that. If it had been winter, I think I would have made Snow Angels.

 

[SusieShoes]

So glad you're back! Both places sound wonderful, and very different, so you're choosing between lifestyles. Might another trip be in your future? Perhaps you haven't decided because you haven't found the perfect house yet.

Traveling and ice are quite the dilemma. Carefully watching all suggestions.

 

[Pheebs52]

I suspect there will be several more trips @SusieShoes! You're right, this is more than choosing a home, it's a real lifestyle choice, and I'm not certain I'm quite up to making that particular decision as yet. As I said, I could happily live in either. Both have first floor beds and baths, so they are equally matched in that department. If only they weren't both stunning and affordable, my decision would be much easier, lol.

Yes, ice is a huge dilemma and these travel tips are brilliant! I must mention that I was also glad to have my cane. Yep, I was. We did a LOT of walking around properties (4 homes total) on woodsy trails and hills, indoors while viewing, and strolling around 3 different towns. My knee/quad became very *tired* after about 2 hours of all this activity, but thankfully, not painful; phew! I couldn't help but be reminded of just how impossible this trip would've been pre-tkr, and as such, was quite pleased with Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine's performance, despite the real kneed for ice at night.

One other tip: I brought a foam mattress topper with me. It's lightweight and just a twin size, so easily portable. My knee really appreciates the squishy, softness factor and would not have done well on a super firm hotel bed, so this was a good solution. I slept like the dead each night as you can well imagine!

 

[Celle]

@Pheebs52 - My husband and I are in the process of downsizing and moving to a retirement village.
One thing I think you need to consider when choosing your new home is the amount of upkeep both the house and the land will need.

We have lived in our current home for 39 years. We thought we wouldn't leave until they carried us out in a box. It is all on one level with no stairs, and doorways wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, if necessary. What made us realize we have to move is the size of the garden. We can no longer keep it up without help.
What we could easily manage in our sixties, is too hard for us in our seventies. It takes all our spare time.

 

[rubyyarn]

One thing that might work...get a bunch of bottles of water and freeze them. Pack them and your ice bags into a cooler. The bags might not stay frozen solid, but they should stay cold enough to be useful for a weekend or so.

 

[Polkadot]

When we were looking for a vacation place, we had difficulty wrapping our heads around the monthly fees--until my DH made a list of all the things he wouldn't have to do. Then it made sense.