Bilateral TKR SusieShoes' New Knees

[Polkadot]

@SusieShoes, your posts often evoke memories and stories. My dad worked as a soda jerk in high school. Most nights of the week, he would show up at my mom's house in the evening with a pint of ice cream in hand for the family. He wormed his way into my grandmother's heart with her favorite flavor of ice cream!

I love the contrasting images of "precious snowflakes" and "mighty knees." You've nailed that! I'm sure reality resides somewhere in between. I thought of you and your recent descriptions of your mighty knees last night when we were walking. My knee felt like a real knee, striding along! No fears about buckling, stepping wrong, or getting a zinger. For a few moments (until I drew my attention back to the knee), I was just another person strolling along the river in the autumn dusk.

Are you sure there's no skydiving in your future? My husband gave my daughter a bit of extra money for a college trip to New Zealand, saying, "Spend it on something you would normally think is too extravagant." You guessed it: Lacey went skydiving with her class! She had to conquer the fear, so she was the very last one out of the plane, strapped to an instructor, right at sunset! She says it was the most incredible, beautiful thing she has ever done.

 

[rubyyarn]

It seems as the knee becomes more and more settled in, I think in wonder about the activities that will be available that I had thought gone forever. It's a miracle!

 

[SusieShoes]

I might sky-dive with a hot male instructor. My sons have done sky-diving and loved it. They've also climbed high mountains (in the Andes), bicycled on the world's most dangerous roads, and zip-lined across canyons. My genes had nothing to do with that. My idea of fun is more along the line of walking on remote beaches, exploring a castle, visiting small towns in faraway places. Mr. Shoes wants to see some giant blueberry in Nova Scotia; I want to visit the Prado museum. We're not terribly well-matched, but are similar in avoiding high risk situations (though visiting the Prado is probably riskier than seeing the giant blueberry).

 

[Polkadot]

My idea of fun is similar to yours. My twin brother got all the daredevil genes. My husband would go for the giant blueberry--he has connected with blueberry farmers in southern Ontario for research purposes. I hesitate to tell him about the giant blueberry--we may be taking a trip to Nova Scotia!

 

[Canada35]

Nova Scotia is a beautiful province at blueberry season and every other time of year! One of my favourite places in all of the places in the world I have travelled!

 

[Arttie]

@SusieShoes You should really try the huckleberries from western Montana You must be familiar with U Minn.

 

[SusieShoes]

I'm a Wisconsin girl, so visited Minnesota quite a lot. I would love to visit western Montana someday!

 

[SusieShoes]

Five Months: Marching Orders

So Mr. Shoes and I have locked down our travel arrangements for next month. He cleared a week on his schedule and we are flying out to Milwaukee to see Mom, the siblings, and take a drive to see middle son and his family in western Wisconsin. Grandchildren!

This will be the first time my oldest grandson will see grandma able to actually walk further than to the nearest sofa. He may or may not be impressed. I hope to elevate my Fun Grandma status, though!

This weekend, the Big Italian Family and I went to Intercourse, which is in the heart of Amish country. There's a market there that's the height of tourist trap, with shop after shop of things absolutely no one needs but all love to buy. We bought pepper jam and chow chow, totally unnecessary holiday decorations and ornaments, and visited a favorite potter where SIL and I picked up a couple of lovely mugs and a salt pig (I love it already). Lots of walking and of course we had to park in the farmer's field out back of the place, which engendered traipsing over uneven ground. It was all good.

Last time we were there, I sat on a bench in the little plaza and listened to the bluegrass players while everyone else shopped. This time I did the shopping and afterward we all strolled over to a really excellent restaurant that specializes in local food. Hog wings. Shoofly pie. A good way to top off an excellent outing.

Yesterday was moving day for Mr. Shoes, who moved his computer desk and equipment out of our bedroom and back into the bedroom vacated by FIL. Mr. Shoes had moved out of his office to give him a room. I helped with the move and at one point got down on the floor, on my knees, to help with some computer hook ups. Not my favorite position, and I'm not going to be looking for reasons to get down on the floor, but... I made it back up! Easily, in fact. Kind of like a reverse Downward Facing Dog, but it did the job! So now I can check that off my list.

Knees Ho!

 

[phrog]

Yea, Susie! Being able to get down on the floor, even if uncomfortable, gives us just a little more independence. Knee-rah!

 

[crissyP]

I agree Susie.......I'm so impressed with your adventures and your being able to kneel down on the floor. I'm afraid my knees would never, ever approve of my asking them to do that!! I mostly have to bend from the hips to get things done.....lol (and that's not a pretty sight!). Love reading your posts......they keep me inspired and wanting to do more in this life of mine. Hubby and I want to travel as soon as the second surgery heals. Hopefully it will cooperate this time.

 

[Polkadot]

What fun, @SusieShoes! I need to know what salt pigs and hog wings are, though.

 

[Arttie]

So, have you used that town as a setting in any of your novels?

 

[kmak81230]

I love shoofly pie . . sounds like the knees operated spectacularly throughout the weekend. Yeah for the upcoming grandkids trip - and kids of course, but we are most willing to do much more for the grands. Nice work with the kneeling - it does take some getting used to but the knees can handle it well!

 

[KarriB]

Way to go, Susie! I keep thinking I should get down on the floor to practice getting up, then I think again.

 

[Canada35]

How exciting to be off to see the Grands. You will be fun Grandma once again!!
Sounds like you have been very productive lately. Congrats!

 

[Jajakio]

You are an inspiration to us all Susie. You are about 2 months ahead of me and give me something to look forward to. You go, girl!

 

[Pheebs52]

@SusieShoes, I'm with Polkadot! I need immediate enlightenment regarding Salt Pigs, Hog Wings and....Shoofly pie, lol.

Personally, I think your eldest grandson will be bowled over by Version 2.0 of "Fun Grandma,"....I mean, how could he not be?
Huge kudos on your kneeling trick, hahahaha! You kneeded to do it and now you have.

Rock on sister!

 

[dogluvr]

@SusieShoes , you were kidding about jogging ...aren't you? I knelt on our well padded ottoman, and it just felt....weird!
I can total relate about your hives scare, and thinking everything is related to or can affect the new knees.
I seem to be a medical mystery. From January thru June of this year, I had a recurring tooth pain and bad taste in my mouth. Assumed i was going to be need a root canal or cavity filled, I went to my dentist. He took X-rays . Found nothing. Sent me to my endodontist . He took X-rays. Did this horrible cold test on the suspected tooth. Found Nothing . I went back and forth between the two dentists for a total of six times. I knew I couldn't have any kind of infection if I wanted my knees done! The endodontist was about to do a root canal even though X-rays showed I didn't need it. He wanted to refer me to a neurologist. I had my regular yearly check up in April, and told my dr my symtoms. She wa sure it was sinus even though I had no drainage, headache , pressure or other sinus symptoms. Put me on muscinex ( had no mucus) , Flonase ( wasn't stuffed up) and Bactrim for an entire month . . Throughout that month, still had bad taste and tooth pain . I referred myself to an ENT . He was puzzled, and sent me for a sinus cat scan. By the time he got the results back, and I had an appt to discuss the results, the taste and tooth pain had vanished. He said the cat scan showed mild sinusitis, but since my symptoms were gone, nothing needed done . ..........long story short....THE BAD TASTE AND TOOTH PAIN ARE BACK........and I am scared to death that it's a sinus infection and of course it will go immediately to my knees ...ok , I'm over exaggerating a little, but still made an appt with my primary care dr for Monday . Just annoyed that no one really knew what to do for this big mystery before, and now I CANT mess around and have an infection!!!

 

[dogluvr]

For the record, I followed my OS's orders and took four gigantic amoxicillin pills an hour before getting my teeth cleaned.

Is the amoxicillin something I'll need to get from my dr or dentist? Was thinking about asking my Dr when I go Monday for an rx to keep on hand . Surely they don't just call in a few pills for you do they ?

 

[SusieShoes]

Actually @dogluvr, either your OS or your dentist will call on a prescription "just to have on hand" for dental work. But first find out if you need it. My OS said to use antibiotics for dental work for one year. He gave me the script. But some OS don't say you need to take them. So call your OS first to ask about that.

Oh, I wasn't kidding about the jogging! I've jogged a few steps since (running out of the way of an oncoming Amish buggy) and the knees were great. Still feels quite odd though.