A whole week gone

Well, the knee continues to do good things most of the time. Yesterday I managed to pull out enough dead flowers etc. to fill a garbage container. I'm knitting hats again and doing a tab bit on the sewing machine. PT was very good yesterday. My regular lady was at another location and my new PT ran me through the wringer. Good for her. Flexibility and Strength are the two big ones at this point. She had no mercy. My biggest problem is sleeping meaning that when the knee is against the mattress it really gets sore and there is NO comfortable position but to get up for a while. I think I'm a ressless sleeper. That's where the computer comes in and the blogging happens. I've joined a church discussion group who have read the Pheonix Affirmations. Good group and good book. We're meeting once a week at a restaurant which really dresses up the discussion. Yum, yum.
I'm volunteering at the church desk today and planning to rehearse handbells tonight. I hope this is not loading me up to much. I guess time will tell.

Guess what again.

Well, PT is over for the day and the answer to guess what again is that this whole recuperation is going to have LOTS of good and bad days. What a wake up call. So...the goal to get off pain pills should be scrapped first of all and then expect that this is not going to be a steady uphill battle to health. Wow. what a slap in the face. Guess I'm not special...just ordinary like 99% of the population. We're going to Steak and Shake for supper if I can walk. There's got to be some good something for today. The morning meeting at Sec. Presb. went well and once again being with a group of terrific ladies really had it's good memory moments. I started working on a wall hanging that has the big 5 animals of Africa printed on it. I want to spiffy it up and give it to my friend Megan who is an IU medical residency student in Eldoret Kenya right now working with children. I think her goal is to work in Kenya when her med. school experience if finished. She is a Kenya NUT. Seems I know more of those. I'm staying busy with a bunch of stuff. I'm happy about that. So...pain pills...here I come. The container is almost empty so there will be a refill. Boo. but necessary so it seems.

Gurss what?

I had a great time at P. Hefner's last night. Great salad supper and wonderful conversation around the table using the intro to Phoenix Affirmations. Just a super evening. But...good grief. I don't think I have sat in the same spot for 2 hrs and yup...you know it. I had big time stiffness with stabs of pain getting up and walking out. Uck, Uck. Now what's going on. Three steps forward and then one or two backwards. I'm really trying very hard not to take pills for pain but haven't reached that goal yet. I think there might be a build up of what happens all day and the evenings just let me have it.

This morning I feel lilke I need the walker again. Poooo. Boooo. OK. Ada...just remember the ups and downs of this knee thing. I hope I do if the second knee needs attention. Remind me if I don't. I really want to go to the Umoja meeting this morning at Sec Presb. That place is huge and there will be lots of walking unless they have wheelchairs. I'm hoping to be lucky. African Placmats are all completed. I think there are about 40. They are for sale and we'll have them available at an Oct. 4th meeting at St. Lukes.

Then it's PT this afternoon. Still don't have car keys and you know...I don't think I need them today. Someone else can do the driving.

Tuesday Noon

I've been to see the doc. This knee is getting well. No white stockings. Strips have been taken off the 4 inch incisions and it looks very healthy. I've pitched the walker and back on a cane. I'm feeling closer to being completely well. Now...when I can turn the key in the car...I'll be free as a butterfly. That should come very soon if Doug lets that happen. Tonight I'm going to friend P. Hef. joining a group of friends for supper and a book discussion on the Pheonix Affirmation. Very, very good book. Doug will take me and someone will bring me home. Where are those car keys?

Tomorrow at 10, I'm going to a meeting at Sec. Presb. Church. The group is forming to be a ladies support group on this side of the ocean relating to a group of ladies in western Kenya affiliated with Umoja a program whoes goal is to keep children, many being orphans in school completing their highschool education.

PT tomorrow afternoon. It makes such a difference and I'm delighted to get this knee going again. So...I'd better stop writing and get my first of two home sessions in today. So long.

Sat. morning

Well, healing is not as dependable as I would like to have it. Some days are better than others and ofcourse nothing is fast enough. So...slow down lady. Take advantage of what ever there is to take advantage of. Took two pain pills to sleep last night. Sleep usually comes in 2 hr hitches. Then it's up and checking on the internet to see what else is out there...then back to bed when the pain is under control for another 2 hrs. etc. etc. But you know...a couple of naps a day makes life better. I'm doing my PT which is causing some swelling. I think that is unavoidable. So...the white stocking is back on and keeping the leg on ice is the order of the day. My doctor check up is Tuesday. I continue to knit and am working on another set of African placemats. I think this set will have some machine sewing which at this point is easy to do. Gives that right foot a little well deserved exercise. The weather has been an A+++++ Cool enough to wear a sweater in the morning. The bees seemed to have disappeared on the patio. It's as dry as the desert in the dry season. Kipiti Plane has arrived in central Indiana. Not much happening today. Haven't decided if church is a good idea tomorrow. It's a very long morning and nothing is gained if the rest of the day is miserable. I'll do some good thinking. Tomorrow evening is the Manning Bowl. It's a brother football game for sure. That's it from here.

Wed. evening

Well, today was first day of PT...most of the time was spent with evaluation of what I can and cannot do. I have a list of things to work on. My knee really stiffened up after all the pushing and shoving. I would expect the same tomorrow. I have been able to cut back on the pills. Yahoo. Makes me feel a bit with it. Infact since noon I've only taken 2. I'm hoping to cut back a bit for sleeping. Busy today with putting together another set of African silk screened placemats. There are 8 ready for some fancy stitching to beef them up a bit. Tomorrow Rosie and Peggy are coming for lunch. My request was beef broth and sherbet. If the weather is good we'll sit out on the patio. Bees seem to be a problem at times. Did some knitting today but still falling asleep and just making crazy mistakes so I just went on to something else. I need a clearer head. How could I mess up purl 3 knit 3 purl 3 knit 3. Well, I can. Our cable TV is on the fritz so the repair man is coming tomorrow. Can't figure out what it is but there is something going on. Thats about it. Life goes on. Choir practice tomorrow evening. I just might go and sit a spell. And then I might just stay home.

Tuesday morning

Things are a little slow. That's good because I keep falling asleep. It's the pain pills. They are working well. I'm trying to take one instead of two and every 5 hr.s instead of 4. We'll see how that works. Night sleeping is better. The walker is getting me around and I'm working on a second set of African placemats. That's been fun. Eric also brought me blue and white colts colored yarn. The Superbowl 2011 is here in Indy and 8000 long scarves are being knitted for the volunteers for that event. There are two suggested patterns. The blue is really dark blue and one needs to be very careful when knitting that yarn. Dropped stitches are hard to see. Slowing down is the best piece of advice when doing blue. The pattern is easy and looks very complicated. Not much planned for today. Tomorrow afternoon at 1 therapy starts at St. Vincents Out patient care. I'm doing the same thing here at home or I think it will be the same thing. Not to difficult. Just following instructions. It's cloudy and cool this morning. The best kind of weather when one needs to wear long white stockings to prevent blood clots. It's just part of the story. I'm going to put my noes out the door to see what our new doors and painting job look like. Hopefully the house looks better and will be warmer this winter.

Sunday

It's over. Well, some of it is over and some is not. I'm on the mend and trying to keep my mind going. I'm taking lots of pain killers and am happy to do that. Sleeping, sewing, doing rehab and just hoping to survive. It's the slow life for sure. Outpatient rehab starts tomorrow. I did have one huge scare this morning. Doug went to church and I promised to stay on the upper level which I did but I was standing and lost my balance. Don't think I hurt anything but I did land on the floor. That might have been a blessing making me realizing that I'm not as good as I thought I was. So...it's caution time and it's been proven to me that I need that. I got home yesterday...Sat. around 4 pm.

One more sleep

Old knee out and new knee in...One more sleep. I've got to make a bunch of calls back to hospital people I missed yesterday. Questions to answer. Yesterday was a busy, busy day. Shopped at Meijers for Sunday Hospitality. Then off to church to stock the refrigerator and order missing items for Bread and Bowl which will be delivered today. Then to the fabric store. Judy W. gave me a big stash of fabric from S. Africa. Most of it is printed fabric ready to make placemats. We will sell them at an Oct. meeting at St. Lukes. That is after I finish all of them. Then out to lunch with the Muldoons bunch of retired teachers. Friends, friends for ever. Then I went to Mamlins to wait for a TV man to install Cable for Colts games this fall. We're getting ready for SEM and Joe to make their Oct. visit. I got home a little after 5 and then to S and Shake to tired to eat very much. But...I got everything finished as planned. Yahoo. This morning I'm working the front desk at church, making call backs to all those hospital folks and packing my bag this afternoon. I'm taking knitting making little hats for newborn babies in Kenya, good books and trash books and out of the bed cloths. Rehab...here I come. This should be one interesting experience.

First grandson Jacob hit the floor running with his backpack and off to kindergarten for the first day yesterday. He rode the bus both ways. What a grown up kid is appearing in Kimmy's blog pictures. Kimmy says...these first 5 years have flown. I would agree big time. Many, many wishes for success go to Jacob. What an exciting time for all of us.

The weather is still horrible. No rain and the outside world has dried up. Nothing much worse than dried up flowerbeds, grass and rain that just doesn't come and wash the air. I usually do a bunch of patio sitting this time of year but that's a bummer as well. I shouldn't complain thinking about the area southeast of Kenya that hasn't received rain in two years. That thought should tell me that I'm blessed.

If you need a good book to read...try Pheonix Affirmation by Eric Elnes. Makes me think that someone thinks like I do about world religions and a lot of other things. .

This time Sunday

It's Labor Day weekend. The weather is cool and clear and dry. Dry is the big word. The lawns are burned brown but the air is wonderful. Yesterday was the Kenya Carnival at Sec. Presb. What a day of fresh young energy working toward providing 100 high school students in western Kenya with tuition money for school. The goal to raise 32,000.00 dollars was realized because church youth groups chose to work during the year as well at the carnival toward their goal. And the larger church family in ten churches in central Indiana pitched in as well. The larger church family is a coalition of faiths, protestant, catholic, jewish congregations as well as a huge muslim congregation whos youth raised $10,000.

The slogan is Ken-ya help us...the answer is Yes, you can. And they did. It was a busy day. Today the choir was back in great form. Church was good. I'm continuing to march toward Thursday. My good church friend Dr. Tom...the orthopedic bone man really got me more ready to go. Looking forward to a nerve block...they are wonderful but they always could last longer. He thinks drugs will not be a big part of the treatment. That's a big whopp for me! We'll see. I made a trip to the fabric store to get material to do a few little things while on the fritz. A stack of books are ready to go and I'm doing a bit of clean up in the garden. I figure I might just wear out this knee completely. I'm loving my cane...can't do without it.