Following surgery Dec. 21, I woke up Dec. 22 to find my pins a little more wobbly than I would like. So I spent another week in rehab hospital.
A good friend ( who had privately decided to sleep on my couch a couple of nights) told me, "At last you've regained your senses." So I was back to three therapy sessions a day in rehab, which is a really good thing. It has gone faster this time. At two weeks, I'm spending more than half my time on a cane.I didn't get off the walker the first time until after the third week. Matter of fact, I'll get physical therapy at home for this week and next before going to an outpatient facility. I'll be driving in another week.
The first time, the surgery felt like beginning something new. This time, it feels like a natural continuation of where I want to go physically.As soon as I can pedal using my left knee, I'm off to far healthier aerobics and a more active life.
I'll never be really athletic, but I'm going to put in a garden this spring and start walking with Gracie. I look forward to this with such pleasure.
My granddaughters helped their dad take care of Gracie while I was gone. They played with her, threw balls, and let her snooze in their laps. Oldest granddaughter told me that "just every now and then" Gracie would have a sad face. Then she would brighten and play some more. I tell you, this dog has great attitude.
We finally got everybody together for present exchange this past Wednesday. A number of people have asked me if I minded being in the hospital at Christmas. The answer is no. I was too busy learning how to use my new knee. The granddaughters vacuumed and did laundry when needed. Home a week, I can pretty much do that now.
I got my daughter-in-law a rainbarrel and will go get her another and one for me (they fit in a Camry one at a time.) And some more soaker hoses. I hope the coming year will not be as hot, but it probably will be as dry. More on my hobby horse later. We are going to learn now to grow things with as little water as possible.
I think it will be interesting and fun.
Showing posts with label physical therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label physical therapy. Show all posts
Friday, January 6, 2012
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Looking Forward to Better Times
Surgery has been a really social event for me. Most of it has gone extremely well, and I've had a lot of good company at the hospital and now at home. I had a couple or three really bad hours the second day when the femoral nerve block faded and the pain took its place.
About two hours into that, my friends from Oregon called. Blake completed his second knee replacement in December. Blake and Jo Ann were both on the phone, and without even saying hello, Jo Ann told me,"Charlotte, we want you to know the pain never gets worse than this." And Blake agreed. They timed it perfectly, and I relaxed. An hour later, all was well.
The rehab hospital was everything I had hoped. Three hours a day, I had physical or occupational therapy. From the third day, I walked down two long halls to therapy, unassisted on my walker. I came home after a week because by the third day, I had reached 100 degrees of motion and could hold the knee down flat. And that is a tribute to the hours of therapy I put into prepapring for this. I didn't even need help dressing the second day!
In rehab, I saw many patients of other doctors. Some had the white compression stockings. I think some used the machine that straightens, then bends the knee automatically. I don't think it matters too much, so long as we exercise and get no infections.
Yeah, it's still sore. Since the surgery, though, I am standing differently and my lower back no longer hurts. I trundle the walker down the drive to pick up the paper, then again to get the mail. A therapist comes 3 times a week and the nurse comes twice a week. I run through exercises twice every day.
I see the doctor July 5 and hope then I will be able to drive and stop taking the damn coumadin. I am beginning to get hints of the change in my life that is coming. With only one knee repaired, I will be able to do so much more. When I do the second knee next summer, it will move my internal clock back years. Wow.
I suspect one reason so many older people are living quality lives so much longer today is due to knee and hip replacements. I know my orthopedist believes that.
Matt mentioned that it was a REALLY bad knee. I understand one can, if one wishes, see a knee replacement operation on YouTube. Now, I used to be a medical writer. Saw a bunch of operations and wrote about them. One of my doctor's operating staff wandered in the third day and said more than I really wanted to hear about extreme hammering and chiseling. I know the whole leg was black and blue, and my surgeon prides himself on not leaving much brusing.
Nope, I don't really need to know more.
I have a few things else I want to say, though, so I'll probably post a couple more times on knee replacements and me before getting on to something else.
About two hours into that, my friends from Oregon called. Blake completed his second knee replacement in December. Blake and Jo Ann were both on the phone, and without even saying hello, Jo Ann told me,"Charlotte, we want you to know the pain never gets worse than this." And Blake agreed. They timed it perfectly, and I relaxed. An hour later, all was well.
The rehab hospital was everything I had hoped. Three hours a day, I had physical or occupational therapy. From the third day, I walked down two long halls to therapy, unassisted on my walker. I came home after a week because by the third day, I had reached 100 degrees of motion and could hold the knee down flat. And that is a tribute to the hours of therapy I put into prepapring for this. I didn't even need help dressing the second day!
In rehab, I saw many patients of other doctors. Some had the white compression stockings. I think some used the machine that straightens, then bends the knee automatically. I don't think it matters too much, so long as we exercise and get no infections.
Yeah, it's still sore. Since the surgery, though, I am standing differently and my lower back no longer hurts. I trundle the walker down the drive to pick up the paper, then again to get the mail. A therapist comes 3 times a week and the nurse comes twice a week. I run through exercises twice every day.
I see the doctor July 5 and hope then I will be able to drive and stop taking the damn coumadin. I am beginning to get hints of the change in my life that is coming. With only one knee repaired, I will be able to do so much more. When I do the second knee next summer, it will move my internal clock back years. Wow.
I suspect one reason so many older people are living quality lives so much longer today is due to knee and hip replacements. I know my orthopedist believes that.
Matt mentioned that it was a REALLY bad knee. I understand one can, if one wishes, see a knee replacement operation on YouTube. Now, I used to be a medical writer. Saw a bunch of operations and wrote about them. One of my doctor's operating staff wandered in the third day and said more than I really wanted to hear about extreme hammering and chiseling. I know the whole leg was black and blue, and my surgeon prides himself on not leaving much brusing.
Nope, I don't really need to know more.
I have a few things else I want to say, though, so I'll probably post a couple more times on knee replacements and me before getting on to something else.
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