Peggy asked: What are you doing while you are abed? Reading anything interesting? Glued to your laptop? Working on that afghan?
My answer: The only thing I am reading while I am abed is physical therapy exercise instructions, lol. Glued to my laptop? Nope! It is parked in the computer room and I get up and walk there and back, sometimes like now, in the middle of the night. The computer room is also on the top floor. Working on that afghan? Sigh. No, but it is nearby and I can even see it, so maybe!
The handiest floor for me is the top floor of the house, which pretty much has everything I need. I don't stay there all day, or even close, but if Mary leaves the house, that is where I park myself until she returns. I have agreed not to go up and down the stairs while I am alone. I usually have my cell phone handy, as well as the regular phone. The main thing that is handy about the top floor is the king-sized high sitting bed with lots of room around that can be used for exercises. Last time, I had a twin sized rented hospital bed set up on the main floor, (family room). Although it was handy that the hospital bed could be raised and lowered, it really was not comfortable compared to the regular bed... plus it was inconveniently taking up lots of space.
My routine includes three separate rounds of CPM machine followed by physical exercises. Each session is about 2-1/2 hours... so this is what I am doing most of the time! The CPM is set up in the living room, though, so Mary and I have to set up our schedules so that I will be finishing my exercises upstairs while she is gone.
Sometimes I sit in the living room, but at this point, I need to keep my legs elevated as much as possible, no pile of pillows underneath. It is handy to sit there when the CPM is going, though.
I eat my meals in the kitchen, using my 'cadillac' of a walker as a chair as it is very comfortable. I don't know if I have mentioned my 'cadillac' before or not, but it is not the traditional type at all, and is very handy and useful. It was given to me by a friend of mine, who had bought it for her mother who passed away coming up two years ago. I'm telling you, everywhere I take this thing, people rave about it... especially medical people. This is the same walker that I used for the other knee, but a big difference this time is that I am making sure to bear weight on the new knee -- whereas before, I was afraid to.
Peggy, you forgot to ask about TV, lol... Oh yeah, I do that. I watch the local news, CNN, and yesterday watched the food network channel and the golf channel for a bit. Last night, after we had retired for the evening, we watched a movie on the Lifetime channel. Exciting life, huh? LOL.
6 comments:
Hi Diane,
Sounds like you are very busy with your recovery. Glad all is going well. And best regards from aunt Velma.
Thanks for the recovery journal Diane - the peek into your days. Recovery, especially with PT, takes energy and focus, so I' not surprised you aren't doing much else yet. Recovery, in itself, is exciting. And I'm glad it is working out this time putting weight on the new knee with help of the "Cadilac" walkier. Generous and helpful that your friend shared it with you.
It was good to hear what you are doing, Di. It sounds to me like you are engrossed in rehab of your knee and doing great. Hours of exercising it a day can't be for sissies. LOL
I'm relieved myself to hear your promise to Mary of not going up and down the stairs if she is not there.
I can see you now when I think of you, excersizing to get full range of motion and getting around in your cadilac of a walker. :) Nothing keeps you down for long and it sounds like you are really doing well.
Keep up the good work and I'll keep sending those thoughts for good health and full use of your knees again soon.
I love it when people I care about take care of themselves. Its a gift you give everyone who knows you.
Diane, you are really doing so well with your recovery...keeping up with those tough physical therapy exercises, etc. Bravo to YOU!
Hi Diane, It is good to see you posting in your blog. Recovery sounds like a lot of work, 7.5 hours a day, if I did the math correctly. I'm happy that this rehab is going better than the other knee. I wince when you get hurt, your fall and then leaping up on the bed. I do hope you'll send a photo of the "cadilac walker." It sounds great. What kind of mpg are you getting? Sending you healing prayers each night.
Wow, thanks for answering my question so completely. That is A LOT of exercise and physical therapy. I did not know it was that continuous--though I can see it would be excellent for your recovery.
Is the cadillac walker the same one you were using in Mary's video at the hospital?
Keep up the good work and thanks for checking in here. And do give that beautiful afghan a knit or two!
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