268.6: 4th of July

Something's wrong with the blogger program today, so the formatting is all off. Sorry! Happy 4th of July! I'm currently positioned at station #2 enjoying a surprisingly cool 70 degree morning. Katie and Annette are bustling about the house cleaning up breakfast, chasing cobwebs from the light in my bedroom that have plagued me ever since I came home, and getting readyfor the day. I feel content and happy to be on this side of the knee replacement. Let me back up a bit and recount the past weeks since I've been absent from the blog-o-sphere during the early days of my recovery. Wed, June 19 at 10:00 I was surgered at Alta View hospital. Most of that day is a blur of pushing the pain med button every 10 minutes. Loene was with me the majority of the day. PT came to get me up to walk, but all I could do was sit on the edge of the bed. I was so lightheaded! Thurs, June 20 - Sat, June 22 held such joys as having the drain removed (ouch), trying to drink broth, doing a few walks with PT (ne of which nearly had me passed out in front of the nurses' station), washing my hair (joy), visiting with friends (more joy) and letting Loene and the wonderful nursing staff take care of me. My pain was pretty well controlled. The only intolerable thing was the itching the pain meds caused. Once I realized that's what was happening we also got that under control. On Saturday June 22 I transferred to Rocky Mountain Care. It's a short stay full care facility where l could get ongoing nursing as well as begin physical and occupational therapy. I was devastated to see they were putting me in a shared room. I know I sound spoiled, but I was in a private room last time, so I just assumed. Well, I fell apart when the admissions nurse was interviewing me. Darling Brooke, sweet Brooke, great-at-her-job Brooke told me she had just discharged someone and they would get me moved as soon as possible. It took hours to get me into the room--we later learned housekeeping had gone already and Brooke cleaned and sanitized the room herself. Really! My hero. I was so emotional that night--I felt sad and weepy and alone. When I was still crying all day Sunday I realized it was the anesthesia. Schwoo! It was a relief to know I wasn't really losing it. Monday June 24 - Friday June 28 I did physical and occupational therapy every day. I began with PT each day at 8:00 a.m. It worked best for me to do it on an empty stomach and to get it over early. My physical therapist was great--kind of scary and tough which was good for me. My OT, on the other hand, set my teeth on edge. A very intense young woman who really takes her work seriously, I found her to be condescending and overbearing. I know she was just doing her job, but did I really need a safety belt while I sat in a chair and did the arm bicycle? Oh, and she was so distressed that I wanted to shower without the CNA's help that she requested to observe me! I was more bugged by her questioning my judgement than the invasion of privacy. Just too intense for me. Nevertheless, I survived. I had tons of visitors which helped immensley. Friday June 28 I came home to begin the real work of getting around the house with a new knee. Loene, Katie and Annette have taken turns being with me. They have been amazing at filling the ice machine (a lovely thing that keeps my knee from swelling), feeding me, doing laundry, and just entertaining me. Helping them have been a myriad of friends bringing ice, caffeine free Diet Coke, meals, and generally distracting me from the pain of recovery. I began outpatient Physical Therapy on Monday and thought I'd die just from the ride to the facility with my leg down and not on ice. The therapist is very homework based and only wants me to come in a few times each week. He says the most improtant therapy will happen at home - I do simple exercises for 5 minutes every two hours. I can't believe how much more I can do now than I could do on Monday! I love to see the progress and feel very hopeful about a continuing quick recovery. I haven't been dieting. I will begin that battle again soon. Maybe tomorrow. :)