Week 4 Knee-versary!
Today is 4 weeks since I remodeled my knees. I guess the thing to do is look back and see if things have gotten better. Um... heck yeah!
Four weeks ago today, I could barely stand and hobble to a bedside commode. Three weeks ago today just standing and moving by walker to the bathroom was painful and slow. Two weeks ago, getting to the bathroom was better, but sitting still brought on pain because of bending. One week ago, things were much better. And today, getting up is easy, the discomfort minor (though still present), sitting not a problem, and I can walk much longer distances.
Four weeks ago today, I was taking painkillers every four hours on the dot. 10mg oxy like clockwork. It helped. At two weeks I was weaning off the oxy. Today I am not taking pain meds at all except the occasional Tylenol.
Four weeks ago, the prospect of standing unassisted was terrifying, painful and seemed impossible. Today I stand and walk without assistive devices (the latter only for short distances in the kitchen and bathroom).
Four weeks ago I was wondering what the heck I'd done to myself and questioning my decision (where my knees really so bad I signed on for THIS?). Today I'm convinced I did the right thing, see some light at the end of this long recovery tunnel, and struggling more with the fact it's just taking so darn long and why can't I move things forward faster.
Which is where I am right now, one month in and wishing it were three months. I would love to just skip over the next few weeks and all the incremental progress that awaits me, and just get to the part where I can take long leisurely walks around the neighborhood. The morning and evening walk by cane down to the stop sign at the end of my block, then back, then feeling tired and like walking any further would just aggravate my protesting knees is getting old.
That said, I am making baby steps forward. Today I brought in the recycling bins from the street. It took two trips (two bins), but it felt good to be able to do this myself. The other evening, I made dinner for the first time since coming home from the hospital. Mr. Shoes was ever so happy with his liver and onions and, yesterday, a pot of chili. Easy meals, but a return to a sliver of normalcy. Getting out the cast iron pot for the chili was a challenge but, surprisingly, less difficult than I feared. I can bend down to a lower shelf quite well, and the weight of the pot presented no problem at all. Onions still make me cry, though, and groping about the kitchen for a paper towel is probably not the wisest thing for someone with two new knees to do. Still, paper towel found and dinner accomplished.
For the first day since surgery, Lefty, my problem knee, is not HURTING. That one spot that has hurt every day, and worse with PT, is quiet today. I'm almost afraid to mention it, lest I jinx myself. It's not GONE, but it is quiet. When I walk, it is a shadow of a pain. My knees feel tight and stiff, but they do not hurt, and it's really quite wonderful. I even did a couple of gentle heel slides to see what would happen. Twinge, but still quiet. I'm thinking the gentler PT session on Monday, followed by yesterday just resting and icing and doing a few gentle stretches, is easing Lefty toward healing. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping today is not a fluke.
I haven't heard back yet from my doctor about my hemoglobin level. If I don't hear soon, I'll call her.
All in all, I'm doing well. I'm nowhere close to returning to my occupation as an author. I can't sit at my desk for hours, fueled only by coffee and inspiration. I tried to write a scene yesterday and... nada. The characters just sat there and refused to think, talk, or do anything. I did, however, somewhat manage to revise an existing scene. That was hopeful. Baby steps.
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@jaschembra , your mother is a real whipper-snapper! What a great story, lol. Congratulations on the hands-free use of your toilet!
Or taking me out for Indian or Thai. One plus of our neighborhood is it has a host of great little restaurants.
