The holiday season looks different to me this year. I won't be making a few dozen pies. I plan to help with the pie doughs, and I think I can sit at the table and peel some apples. Wednesday is Pie Making Day, and since the girls will be here to do the leg work, I can help.
We've split up the pie making responsibilities, and different kids are bringing apple, pumpkin, cherry, lemon meringue, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, pecan.
We're thinking to get our Christmas tree next Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. That means I'll have to move my chair from the Christmas Tree spot, along with all the junk I've accumulated during this strange recovery period.
Yesterday, I went to the ortho appointment and had the staples taken out. If you're squeamish, scroll on by:
Each staple stung a little bit upon removal, but nothing too terrible. I didn't look, and kept up a steady stream of conversation to distract myself. The surgeon came in, said it looked really good, my X-rays looked really good, asked me to lift my leg, then to bend it, said I was doing great for two weeks out, and bye, I'll see you in six weeks. WAIT, I have a few questions...I asked about the terrible knee pain with the leg lifts, he said to do less at a time and not push through that much pain. (We tried that today at PT and it worked). He also said it wasn't necessary to have 10 out of 10 pain at PT, but also if I baby the knee, it won't get better. Then he as off to the next patient.
Since there is never a dull moment, I will say this: this particular surgeon comes with tons of experience and highly recommended, yet he is accused by the head of anesthesia of leaving the OR near the end of a surgery, and having the PA finish up, to go check on another patient. The anesthesiologist complained about this, and was fired. Several other anesthesiologists quit in solidarity. So politics, big boys fighting, not sure what it's all about...who is right, who is wrong, does it mean he's a bad surgeon? His bedside manner is not the best, but I trusted him to do the surgery. So far it's been okay, for me, but jeepers. I did know about these allegations before my surgery.
I was afraid I would slip and say to him, "Please don't walk out during my surgery.", then he'd be mad at me and do a sloppy job.
But, I didn't slip.
Anyway. Today at PT, my bend was 100, with lots of pushing and cajoling. I rode on the bike again, and was able to pedal around forwards, the first few times hurt like the devil. My hanging leg lifts were with 3 pound weights, then I did the leg press again.
It doesn't seem like progress because we came home, and I walked with my walker down the sidewalk towards the front porch, a-limping and a-hurtin. I made it up the steps, Paul made me a coffee, got me some ice, and here I sit. I'll get up in a little while and walk around and do some stretches, and it'll hurt. It just hurts. But. I have made so much progress. Today, we'll celebrate that, and stop being like Eyore.
Two weeks ago today, my flexion was 65, today it was 100.
Two weeks ago today, I couldn't lift my leg even one inch by myself, I had to use that strap. Now I can lift it all the way up.
Two weeks ago today, I could barely get in or out of the car. Now it's challenging, but I can do it.
Two weeks ago today, the first time I went down the stairs, I was feeling like I was going to faint, now I can do it, not easily, but it's not so daunting.
Two weeks ago today, I couldn't even lie flat on my back on the couch, it hurt my leg just to stretch it out. Now I can sleep there for almost two hours at a time.
So. Here I am. I have a long way to go. My knee is very wobbly, needs to be strengthened, and the only way for that to happen is the rough PT sessions, and doing my exercises here. I have things I want to do, things I see and cannot fix, places I want to go to. I had to ask Paul to put in a load of my laundry today, as I cannot get in there to the washing machine. He did it, and very nicely, but I'm ready to do things myself.
Christmas is looking different this year. I usually buy gifts for all the kids, the spouses, the grandkids. I am simply not doing it this year. It's a lot of work, not just to buy the stuff, but to find a place to put the bags, then wrap it all. I love love love giving gifts, so this is hard for me, but. I just can't this year. (Plus, I buy things for the kids all year round).
Instead, Evelyn and Nate have a plan to give each of the grandkids a small prize bucket thing, and do lots of fun games with them on Christmas Eve. We donated some money toward this. The older kids will be fine with not getting gifts, and the parents are glad the grandkids aren't getting more "junk".
The girls who live here will get some gifts of course! I'd love to figure out how to surprise Paul with something nice. I do battle guilt at the hunting season he gave up, to take care of me. He still works full time and has so much going on at work, yet he's been able to bring me to all of my appointments. He has done all this so very nicely too.
Now, since we are all different, I would do things differently, but I'm working on letting things go and not being picky. Being thankful is so much better. It's hard when you're use to being the kitchen boss, the laundry boss...oh well. It's good for me. Have a good day...Sonja's here!
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