Really? Feb 9th since I last posted??? My, how time flies! In the meantime, my sister Laney's 4th grandchild, Declan, a boy, was born at the last possible moment on February 14th, and Laney's 2nd grandchild, a sweet little girl, turned 1 on February 19th. Very exciting!
Also, my good friend Victoria's two daughters' babies, one a girl and one a boy, were born as well. February has definitely been an exciting month!
I don't have much to chat about, but I am very busy with my therapy work at home, plus my three times per week appointments with my out patient physical therapist. Once again, I am WAY AHEAD of where I was with my knee the last time, and of course, delighted about that. This week I have started pedaling a bike again, and am working now on correcting my gait. It's been so long since I have been physically able to walk normally that I don't even know how to do it, LOL. I haven't given this an official test, but I really feel that I can stand and walk for much longer than I've been able to do for some time.
Something new -- I started a five week acrylics art class last week, so I'm having a chance to paint again. I'm really enjoying this. Mary strongly encouraged me to go, even though she's not going. (Just too busy tending to her grandchildren.) In my recent class, I did some flowers, and the instructor was impressed, kept holding up my painting to show the rest of the class. I didn't take the painting home with me because it was too wet when the class ended, so I will get it the next time, and I might post a picture of it here.
Well, time to get myself to the Y to pedal a bike and practice my walking gait! See ya later!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Coming up to the 4 week mark on Thurs
After Brunch
We walk to the parking lot.
Is it too far, she asks.
No, I answer
drawing in a breath
of fresh air as I enjoy
the sunny blue sky.
Walking today feels GOOD.
First time in maybe
twenty years. Ah,
what JOY.
I did my first official driving yesterday, and all went well. Surprisingly, it seems a little harder to get the left foot into the car than the right used to feel... but I think that is perhaps because I focused on the right foot for so long.
Still doing my exercises vigorously. Have cut the pain meds to less than half of what I was taking. Will start out patient physical therapy a week from today.
This was my busiest weekend so far. Went out for lunch with Lori, Mary's sister from Appleton, yesterday and were joined by Emily, Isaac and Mya. After lunch Mary, Lori and I returned to our house and had an enjoyable conversation for several hours along with fun time with the dogs! Yesterday, Sunday, when I did the driving, we made several stops to pick up various things, including an unexpected one where I ended up with a delightful pair of SAS shoes that feel better than any shoe I have worn in a LONG time. Doesn't seem to trigger any of my issues. Then we stopped for brunch at a Charcoal Grill. I'm pleased to say I made only one trip to the buffet and didn't pile everything I liked onto my plate. I left feeling satisfied and good about myself. My weight loss is continuing, and I am getting quite close to one of my important goals. Not the final goal, but one that means a lot to me. You can probably figure out what this means, if you think about it, LOL.
Wishing you all a great day and week! Thanks for checking on me.
We walk to the parking lot.
Is it too far, she asks.
No, I answer
drawing in a breath
of fresh air as I enjoy
the sunny blue sky.
Walking today feels GOOD.
First time in maybe
twenty years. Ah,
what JOY.
I did my first official driving yesterday, and all went well. Surprisingly, it seems a little harder to get the left foot into the car than the right used to feel... but I think that is perhaps because I focused on the right foot for so long.
Still doing my exercises vigorously. Have cut the pain meds to less than half of what I was taking. Will start out patient physical therapy a week from today.
This was my busiest weekend so far. Went out for lunch with Lori, Mary's sister from Appleton, yesterday and were joined by Emily, Isaac and Mya. After lunch Mary, Lori and I returned to our house and had an enjoyable conversation for several hours along with fun time with the dogs! Yesterday, Sunday, when I did the driving, we made several stops to pick up various things, including an unexpected one where I ended up with a delightful pair of SAS shoes that feel better than any shoe I have worn in a LONG time. Doesn't seem to trigger any of my issues. Then we stopped for brunch at a Charcoal Grill. I'm pleased to say I made only one trip to the buffet and didn't pile everything I liked onto my plate. I left feeling satisfied and good about myself. My weight loss is continuing, and I am getting quite close to one of my important goals. Not the final goal, but one that means a lot to me. You can probably figure out what this means, if you think about it, LOL.
Wishing you all a great day and week! Thanks for checking on me.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Farewell Mrs. Beckham, Welcome Back Diane
Ah, I was so sick of that hairstyle! Yesterday was my first outing since surgery two weeks before... and the first thing I did was get my hair cut! Later, we went out with some friends for dinner, and had a very nice time. This morning... my staples get removed when I see my orthopedic surgeon for my first post op visit. Looking so forward to that! More later.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
So What Am I Doing?
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.
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.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Update
Whew! Had a couple of scary things happen in the last two days. Yesterday, as I rushed myself off the CPM machine and was on the little 3-step not railed steps in dire need of the restroom, my foot slipped out from under me and I fell, landing sitting on my butt on the top step. I was wearing slippers with rubber soles... but I won't be wearing those again! I had considerable swelling and soreness for the rest of the day. It was definitely a step backward in what I could do. Today, while waiting for the physical therapist I decided to make a giant leap onto the bed so I wouldn't have to move as much once I got there. Well, YEOW!!! My new knee didn't like that move. It only hurt for a moment or two, though.
Anyway, my in home therapist arrived a short time after, and we went through everything. My flexion had actually gone the wrong direction, but before our session was done, I was doing better than I had been on Wednesday, so I am still moving ahead.
So, this is the difference between too little confidence (like the previous knee) and too much confidence (this knee.) Hmmm. I think I'd best get myself to the right level!
I am still pleased with how much better than I did the last time, but I sure don't want anything to go wrong. I promise I will be working carefully, but vigilantly!
Anyway, my in home therapist arrived a short time after, and we went through everything. My flexion had actually gone the wrong direction, but before our session was done, I was doing better than I had been on Wednesday, so I am still moving ahead.
So, this is the difference between too little confidence (like the previous knee) and too much confidence (this knee.) Hmmm. I think I'd best get myself to the right level!
I am still pleased with how much better than I did the last time, but I sure don't want anything to go wrong. I promise I will be working carefully, but vigilantly!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
I'm Home!
Hurrah, this is ME making the post today! Thank you so much, Mary, for keeping my followers up to date. Not only did they get to hear how I was, they also got to SEE it, lol. A little too much detail, I think, when you can view a commode, lol. Now that I'm home, I'll have to work to keep you all up to date. Mary is so much quicker than I am in these matters!
My thanks to all of you for your remarks and staying tuned. I look forward to checking our your blogs now. Oh, Belle, please tell Russ that what he saw on my leg was not a steel brace. It was just regular bandaging around the incision, but with 'hot ice' attached to help keep knee cooled. It works quite well, but is a bit of an inconvenience as it is heavy and you have to attach and unattach. Now that I am home, I will be using regular ice packs, probably mostly after exercising.
Indeed, the physical therapy folks at the hospital do try to crack the whip on their patients, but THIS time, I have been staying ahead of them and am surprising folks at what I can do so quickly. It is not difficult going up and down steps at all, but it will be a while before I get back to doing the traditional one step at a time. But, I plan to get there ASAP!
I am going to be having In Home physical therapy again. I had thought I would do the regular out patient instead, but due to our winter conditions here, I want to make it as easy as possible. What IS different about this time is that I will be using a continuous perpetual motion machine -- CPM -- for a few hours each day to keep ahead with flexion and improve stiffness.
I arrived home about 4:30 last night, went upstairs immediately and pretty much settled in for the evening. I ate dinner there, got my meds set up, did some exercises every hour or so, and rested very comfortably. My own bed feels SO much better that that hospital bed! I did read a few emails and posts, but was too tired to respond at that time. That is why I am at this now! I went downstairs about 7 this morning, enjoyed breakfast, and then came back upstairs again.
Right now I am waiting for calls from the In Home medical people. They were supposed to be in touch right away. Same with having the CPM delivereds, set up, and instructions given. Haven't heard a word from anyone though. Hopefully I will hear something soon!
Again, thanks to you for your wonderful remarks. Hugs to all of you!
My thanks to all of you for your remarks and staying tuned. I look forward to checking our your blogs now. Oh, Belle, please tell Russ that what he saw on my leg was not a steel brace. It was just regular bandaging around the incision, but with 'hot ice' attached to help keep knee cooled. It works quite well, but is a bit of an inconvenience as it is heavy and you have to attach and unattach. Now that I am home, I will be using regular ice packs, probably mostly after exercising.
Indeed, the physical therapy folks at the hospital do try to crack the whip on their patients, but THIS time, I have been staying ahead of them and am surprising folks at what I can do so quickly. It is not difficult going up and down steps at all, but it will be a while before I get back to doing the traditional one step at a time. But, I plan to get there ASAP!
I am going to be having In Home physical therapy again. I had thought I would do the regular out patient instead, but due to our winter conditions here, I want to make it as easy as possible. What IS different about this time is that I will be using a continuous perpetual motion machine -- CPM -- for a few hours each day to keep ahead with flexion and improve stiffness.
I arrived home about 4:30 last night, went upstairs immediately and pretty much settled in for the evening. I ate dinner there, got my meds set up, did some exercises every hour or so, and rested very comfortably. My own bed feels SO much better that that hospital bed! I did read a few emails and posts, but was too tired to respond at that time. That is why I am at this now! I went downstairs about 7 this morning, enjoyed breakfast, and then came back upstairs again.
Right now I am waiting for calls from the In Home medical people. They were supposed to be in touch right away. Same with having the CPM delivereds, set up, and instructions given. Haven't heard a word from anyone though. Hopefully I will hear something soon!
Again, thanks to you for your wonderful remarks. Hugs to all of you!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Three Days Post Surgery
This is Mary again. I thought family and friends might enjoy seeing Diane and how she is ding three days after surgery.
The first video shows her room environment. In the second video Diane talks about her progress. The following videos are of Diane working with the physical therapist this afternoon. Walking upstairs. Walking downstairs. Walking with walker going down the hallway.
She is not sure yet whether she will go home on Monday or Tuesday. And now, here is Diane:
s
The first video shows her room environment. In the second video Diane talks about her progress. The following videos are of Diane working with the physical therapist this afternoon. Walking upstairs. Walking downstairs. Walking with walker going down the hallway.
She is not sure yet whether she will go home on Monday or Tuesday. And now, here is Diane:
s
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