So; 8 weeks yesterday, and I find myself pretty much where people who were at this stage, or who had experienced it, when I was in that miserable “Twighlight Zone” in the 2nd and 3rd weeks said I would be. FINALLY, night before last, I got my first night of nearly normal sleep without any sleep-aids (I had started taking Morphine occasionally as a sleep aid). I didn’t do quite as good last night, but still it was a pretty good night.
The swelling and pain in the upper and lower leg muscles are pretty much gone. I can usually walk with a very minor limp for the first hour or so after getting up in the morning. But there is still a persistent pain and swelling at the knee, centered right where the implant joins the Tibia. As the day wears on, that usually increases to cause a much more noticeable limp, and of course more pain. But it is not disabling or seriously restrictive; easily managed by Tylenol, which I usually take no more than twice in 24 hours.
So I have come to the conclusion that this recovery process exists on a fairly predictable timeline, when all goes “normal”, of major events and milestones, which with even a little bit of an optimistic outlook can be expected, or at least reasonably hoped for. This is however, superimposed over a plethora totally unpredictable situations, feelings, concerns, deviations, and other assorted “What-the-heck’s”. They are sometimes puzzling, interesting, encouraging, discouraging, scary, or perhaps may even appear ominous. It is very good during these times to know that others have gone through the same things and come out safely on the other end. Statistically, there is a 96-98% chance that ultimately, all will be well. That’s the good news.
Notwithstanding, I still really, really, DON’T want to do this again! However, considering the currently annoying and cantankerous behavior of my Right knee, late summer or early fall will probably see me once again acquiesce to walking up to the Admissions Desk and signing my name on the dotted line below where it says something like, “Yes, I am here of my own free will, and I REALLY do want you to do this to me”. That will of course be a flagrant Transgression of the 9th commandment, which discourages such prevaricational behavior. I guess I’ll just have to consider it a therapeutical fib and move on.