Janet & Vivian, thanks. It is DEFINITELY good to get out. :yes 4:
Well, I'm 4 weeks post-op now. So I guess this is a brief "how I'm doing" post too.
Liam and I went to the mall this morning, and walked for 30 minutes. Next time I think I'll see how I do "carrying the cane", but not actually using it. If I feel unsteady, I'll use it. Today I seemed to put too much pressure on my left arm and wrist using it. I don't need to use it around the house, so it might be better without it. We'll see. My first outpatient PT is this Friday at 8:00 AM.
I've been feeling some prickly areas in my knee and the right side of my right calf. My leg felt as if a fly had landed on it. Later in the evening my leg felt as my hand does when I sleep with it in the wrong position, it "goes to sleep", and is starting to wake up. Maybe a couple of the nerves are trying to "wake up". It's not painful.
I seem to be sleeping more at night now, though last night it seemed to go back to my having trouble getting into a comfortable position. Sometimes I get in a comfortable position, but just lie there for a couple of hours before finally going to sleep.
Meds -- After coming home from rehab, I started taking the Tylenol (like Vicodin) 3 times a day -- 8:00 in the morning, somewhere around early afternoon, and then before I go to bed. Then I have the alarm set for 4:00 AM to take the oxy-codone (Sp.). After a week, I tried leaving off the early morning alarm, and it worked for a couple of nights -- then didn't work. I'd wake up around 5:30 AM with my knee hurting. So we have the 4:00 AM alarm continuing for awhile longer. Meanwhile last week I started skipping the Tylenol in the middle of the day because my leg/knee didn't hurt. Occasionally if we're "out and about" -- like last Saturday when we walked the mall for 30 minutes (my first time), and I went to church for the first time since my surgery that Sunday -- I took a Tylenol when we got back home. I'm surprised that I'm doing OK with that "pain med" schedule, but I'm not complaining. I make sure to take a Tylenol at least 30 minutes before PT, but that's usually in the morning -- so far. Liam is still fixing meals, doing the laundry, etc. He usually does the laundry, but has started experimenting with meals/recipes -- nothing complicated, but occasionally very creative and still yummy. :th_heehee:
I won't be playing the organ at church for awhile. The main delay will be getting to the point that my right leg can "dangle" while sitting on the organ bench -- AND I can sit through the service without having to get up and walk around the back of the church for a few minutes -- like I did last Sunday. Liam is doing wonderfully substituting as organist for me.
The OS said that I can drive at the point that I feel comfortable doing so, but there's no rush. Liam does NOT like grocery shopping, but I don't feel like lugging groceries back to the car and back home -- yet.
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Sleeping at night is still sporadic. Last night I was comfortable, but didn’t get to sleep until after 1:00. Now I can start massaging my knee more fully – with lotion. 
You are an inspiration to many on this form!
