Catching Up

This summer has been an extension of my long recovery-laden Spring. I had my left knee replaced. Being careful and not being able to do things I'd like to, such as working in my garden, has made my days extremely long and lonely. Danny has been able to do things and has kept busy.

In September, right when I was starting to feel normal again I had my right knee replaced. Gosh, but I hated to start the process all over again, but it couldn't be helped. There's just no other way around a rotten knee. Surgery went well; again I came home the same day. But I had a different home therapy team this time and I don't feel like I received the same benefits that I had with the first team. This time my therapist did very little other than push my leg back and forth a few times per visit and have me push his hand down with my foot. Then we'd walk around the outside of the house. I will say that when they did the initial evaluation they said they would have expected me to be walking like I was for another three weeks. That's because I was doing my own exercises before they ever got here!

I also credit my excellent response to the 2nd surgery to my outside therapy team. Pivot helped me through my pain while exercising the first knee and before I was finished with all my therapy they had started doing pre-hab on my right knee in preparation for the 2nd upcoming surgery.

At this point home therapy is finished and I just started back at Pivot again this week. They said my test numbers were pretty much where they were when I'd left so I'm starting off good.

My knees are good, but I have 2 other issues that are impacting my abilities. Two weeks after my surgery I reached for something while standing in my walker but I didn't move my feet. It twisted my leg and I hurt myself just below my knee. I still have a lot of pain when I move or lift my leg, especially when turning over in bed. Pivot will be working with that too.

The 2nd issue is a pinch in my neck that sends tingling down my arm when I turn certain ways. That really sucks. I can't be on my computer too long at all so I'm getting very little done on my genealogy now. This issue has occurred before so I'm hopeful that it will not be permanent this time. Please pray for both of these problems to resolve sooner than later. I'm really hoping that, come January I will be ready to handle a wonderful new year unlike the year I've just had.

Speaking of genealogy I was contacted by the lawyer I'd worked for last year. He had a new case for me to research. Luckily it wasn't too difficult, although I did push myself and made my neck and arm angry. I'd wanted to finish before my daughter visited me this past week.

It was wonderful to see her. She used to come home every other month and it had been over six months since her last visit. We were all going through withdrawal LOL. We had a great visit. I was able to eat out at a couple of restaurants (finally) and we even went to church. My son-in-law wasn't able to come, but they will both be here for Christmas and we can't wait to get together again!

For now life consists of therapy, chiropractor visits and crocheting hats and baby blankets. I've made about 50 hats for the homeless already.

I missed going in September and October, but once a month I get with my old singing buddies and we go to a local nursing home and lead singing along with providing some devotionals. When we went for November we sang patriotic and Thanksgiving songs and hymns. Since husbands participate too Danny even goes! It's really kind of nice.

Our deck turned out great and I've enjoyed many beautiful days sitting outside watching the leaves fall like snow. Danny still has to build some new planter boxes, but that's last on his list right now. After over a year we just learned that his dad's apartment is selling soon. That will be last tie to the senior community and good riddance!

Well, therapy calls me now so gotta run (yeah, like I can run LOL)!