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Bilateral TKR The Historian - recovery diary

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Planning continues apace for my week's vacation in Westsylvania. My host, who underwent knee replacement a dozen years ago, has picked out a couple of scenic trails for me and my bike. She'll keep my limitations in mind.

Meanwhile I have a choice of the fast way west, or the scenic. Taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike saves me an hour. However, since I'm told I want to get out and walk at least once an hour, I might as well spend time in scenic areas even if it makes the trip longer.
 
Scenic route would be my choice--I hate major highways and avoid them whenever I can. It's a vacation--and stops along the way to look at the natural beauty around us should be satisfying and uplifting to the inner being. Glad to see you're making plans to do what you love.
[Bonesmart.org] The Historian - recovery diary
 
Surgeon's appointment this morning went well. My recovery seems normal, xrays look good. Next follow up in two months. Instructions are to continue with my self-directed physical therapy and weight loss.
 
Love that movie and others like it. I admit, I like B movies from the 50s and 60s. It would be nice if they made more now. No remakes of classics please... I know your road hasn't been what you planned, but things are better than they were. Humidity always seems to bother my knee. But its something that annoys me, not pains me! Be well brotherman...
 
Scar shot, taken at a niece's birthday party today. This is the left leg, and the scar is more prominent than on the right.



And my one year old nephew decides to check out the scar.... or at least attempt to stand by grabbing my leg:
 
Escaping the kids for the moment, I went into the back yard to take photos. My ten year old nephew decided to follow me to make sure Uncle Neil didn't fall and hurt himself. I was fine walking on uneven ground, and I turned the ten minutes outside into a lesson on photography...... I discussed how a photograph is a painting made with light, and that there are simple things you can do to make an image more interesting, such as using the 'rule of thirds' and working on composition. It helped the light was very good this late afternoon, and as I stood on a rise in the yard with my nephew, I took some nice photos.
 
Less than 24 hours until I'm on vacation, and heading across PA to the Laurel Highlands. Stops will include Fort Ligonier, which I visited in 2010:




With a couple of stops along the drive to stretch my legs. Caladonia State Park, for instance:




Anyway, I don't know if I'll have Internet access while I'm on the road, so you might get regular updates, or you might not get anything until the 1st of August.
 
hope you have a good time we have finally got some sun in uk, but i have booked a flight to spain for september ,so been to pool today get swimming again keep trying bike but knee and hips really bad after 2 mins so cant be ready yet for bike have a good holiday,
 
RICBAK1 said:
hope you have a good time we have finally got some sun in uk, but i have booked a flight to spain for september ,so been to pool today get swimming again keep trying bike but knee and hips really bad after 2 mins so cant be ready yet for bike have a good holiday,
Click to expand...
how did swimming go?
 
Yesterday was a very good day for me. I walked a bit on uneven ground, which renews my confidence about being able to hike. Also, I completed a drive of 8 hours (including stops) which is 7 hours more than I've done since surgery. Only problems were cramps in the right leg and hip from time to time, usually when I least needed them - stop and go driving through York and Gettsyburg and Chambersburg, for instance.
 
Today was my first 'real' hike since surgery. I hiked a mile on the Flat Rock Trail in Lynn Run State Park. The trail isn't flat; the flat rock is an outcropping in Lynn Run, and I had to walk up and down inclines to get there. One gave me trouble on the descent, but I remembered how I dealt with such problems before my legs were corrected, and I got down OK.

Lynn Run at Flat Rock is a natural water slide. Like the much better known slide on Meadow Run at nearby Ohiopyle State Park, the flow of water over the stone for centuries has polished the stream bed to the point the rocks are slick. A dozen people and a couple of dogs were there either enjoying the warm rocks on the shore or entering the shallow but cold waters.





My companion crossed at the narrowest point and assured me that with care I didn't need to worry about slipping. So, shoes and all, I waded across. Photography done, I waded back and walked back to the car.

I ended with a trip to Fort Ligonier's museum and walked around viewing the exhibits. Fort Ligonier was one of the military bases the British maintained in the Pennsylvania colony during the Seven Year's War - or the French and Indian war as it is often called. The fort has been restored, and the museum has an extensive collection of artifacts from the period, including a manuscript and pistols belonging to a young man from the Virginia colony named George Washington. As fascinating to me was the period copy of Ramsey's full length portrait of King George III, on display in the museum's portrait room.

My knees are stiff, and I'm resting them now, but I'm thrilled with what I've done in two days. Hiking is back in my life.
 
Wow....that's a great report! I'm happy to hear you had such a good day hiking. That's a beautiful place too. If your temperatures are like ours in Kansas (in the 100-107 range), that cool water would be wonderful!
 
First of all, I made a mistake. It's "Linn Run", not "Lynn Run."

Temperatures in the Laurel Highlands area of PA are ten or more degrees cooler than the southeastern part of the state. Philadelphia in particular is wretched in summer. There's less humidity out here too. The water is cool.

I'm tempted to do the water slide at Linn Run next year. I did Meadow Run in 2010 and had a great time. There's a bad cell phone video of me at Meadow Run somewhere on the Internet, but I can't find it anymore. Pity.
 
Jamie said:
Wow....that's a great report! I'm happy to hear you had such a good day hiking. That's a beautiful place too. If your temperatures are like ours in Kansas (in the 100-107 range), that cool water would be wonderful!
Click to expand...

Linn Run State Park is very pretty. Only thing to look out for is the Eastern Timber Rattler, which likes to sun itself on rocks, and black bear. Lots of black bear in the area - my host had a couple visit her back yard a few years ago. Fortunately blackies aren't dangerous unless they are cornered or its a sow defending her cubs. Or you keep a dirty campsite - a Boy Scout was bit on the buttocks a few years ago in NE PA - he'll never keep candy bars in his tent again!
 
Rain is the forecast for Westsylvania today. I dreamt that the cannon at Fort Ligonier were firing, but on awaking it was merely thunder. My knees are swollen from the weather and the hiking trail yesterday, so no big plans today. I should be in Confluence, PA, later - in Washington's time it was called "Turkeyfoot" because on a map the three rivers joining there looked like, well, a turkey's foot.

https://www.visitconfluence.info/
 
Historian,

Your posts and pictures make me want to go where you are. The background info you give is brief fun and interesting. They remind me of those wonderful signs at museums and historic places only with a sense of humor. ( I guess this is partly why you are THE HISTORIAN )

Anyway, i think you have talent and would buy your guide books or read your posts on a travel site.

ChrisO
 
TheHistorian said:
Rain is the forecast for Westsylvania today. I dreamt that the cannon at Fort Ligonier were firing, but on awaking it was merely thunder. My knees are swollen from the weather and the hiking trail yesterday, so no big plans today. I should be in Confluence, PA, later - in Washington's time it was called "Turkeyfoot" because on a map the three rivers joining there looked like, well, a turkey's foot.

https://www.visitconfluence.info/
Click to expand...

Since I was sore and swollen, I did little walking today. A lot of photography of the countryside surrounding Confluence, and at the falls at Ohioplye.
 
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