Kath - I hope you are on antibiotics? If not, get some and quick! Any infection is a hazard when you are a joint replacement patient, especially so close to the op.
Hope you get it sorted soon. As for the crying, think of it this way - you have all this stress building up inside you
- I have to do the physio but it HURTS!
- I have to get my knee to a [insert degree] bend.
- I got to put on a brave face for my family else they'll be getting fed up with me.
- I got to do (this, that, anything, everything).
- I got to get back to work.
- I need to SLEEP!
- I got to take another pill and I DON'T WANT to!
- I hope I don't get dependent on pills.
- I hope I don't fall down and hurt my knee.
- I hope this ends soon so I can get on with my life ....
How many stresses is that so far? You can add to the list. Stress, stress, stress!! It never ends and you do your best to cope with it, to battle on and be a 'brave little soldier' (Shirley Temple!!).
Then - horrors! Something, just one more thing, happens - anything from a silly tv advert that just hits a weak spot to the crown coming off a tooth - and the flood gates open. Just one stressor too many, the straw that broke the camel's back.
But you know what? Once you have released that stress, let all that angst pour out in the tears, you feel better. You're ready to pick up and make an aggressive attack on everything again. Yes, tears are healing, a soothing balm, a poultice on your raw nerves. For sure God knew what He was doing when He gave us tears. But then, He always does, doesn't He!