Course: Knee Replacement 101

I have discovered several things about returning home...first of all....Arts and Crafts Projects are THE BEST!! Those ugly white anti-embolism thigh hi hose you have to wear? They look AWESOME if you "tie-dye" them...and crutches? If you put animal print/leopard skin fabric over them, they are alot more fun! ;-) So, as you can tell by my photos--no more ugly white hose for me! I am stylin' in tie dye! and my crutches are now adorable, not boring! And, my knee is healing nicely! NO brusing or oozing for me!!

Xena has been getting along very well...my right knee was becoming a bit jealous, so I ended up giving her a name..."Knee-na"...they are sort of fraternal twins with twin names. I am getting along very well on my leopard skin crutches--in fact, at times, I am able to just use one crutch! (which, cousin Kathy thinks, looks like a long skinny giraffe leg with a knobby knee! the crutch, that is.) One crutch makes life SO much easier since it allows me to carry things around with my free left hand.

The in-home nurses only had to make two visits with me, as I am doing so well! and my in-home PT, Charles, comes just twice a week. EVERYONE, including the medical professionals, who have checked out my knee, are so amazed with the beautiful incision, healing, lack of swelling, but most of all, NO NO NO bruising!! This is SUCH an invasive surgery and there is always some sort of bruising--not with me!! I truly believe it is due to the pre-surgical meditation and hypnosis CD's I was faithful about listening to for the weeks prior..this truly proves the "mind over matter" theory. I worked with my subconscious to not bleed much during the procedure, to not bruise, to lessen my pain, etc....and it worked! ;-)

I have had some WONDERFUL Julie-sitters the past 10 days--in fact, in some ways, it has been more like a social gathering at my house...my "helpers" come over to do things I have not been able to accomplish with two crutches: laundry, plant watering, fixing up my "ice machine" for my knee, etc...and then they prepare dinner...usually someone else will show up, and more and more--dinner for six, perhaps? Carol, Loretta, Kathy (leopard skin crutch artist), David, Lisa (who was the winner of the name Xena contest!), Sue (tie-dye queen)Ann, Fred/Tammy/Jessica, Katz, Lori C...and more characters to come!

PT is REALLY anguishing....yeeeeks! Yes, it HURTS! but I know it is for a good cause! I am really doing an awesome job of walking with fluid motion on my crutches--no limping!..and my knee flexion, bending it, is unbelievably great! but, it's that straightening that has me struggling. The PT does measurements each time he is here to see the "degree" I am at..I am two weeks ahead of schedule on the bending--he can push it to about 120 degrees (max for a titanium knee is about 140 degrees)! but I am at 3 degrees for straight leg--minus 1 degree is good for women as we tend to naturally hyper-extend. AND getting me to 3 degrees is a HUGE struggle and a nasty push down onto the swollen Xena. Pounding my fists on the floor and not crying is included in THAT adventure!

In a couple more weeks, I will be heading for outpatient PT which I hear is even tougher...trying to get muscle tone back and strength to wimpy, reconstructed innards is rough. Good news is, Xena weighs 3 lbs, and they only took out about 2 oz...so I have a small excuse for weight gain! heh heh...I still can't drive and won't be able to for at least a few more weeks--and not until I am off the pain pills.

Ice, ice and more ice...plus pain pills, as needed--found out it is important to not be overly macho about not taking pain pills...our brains and bodies need them to help us relax to give the "newbie" parts of my body and the parts that have been rearranged a good chance to slowly heal. The "ice machine" is a slick little cooler that recirculates cold water thru a hose to a soft pad that surrounds my knee...much better than re-using dripping ice packs every twenty minutes. This little machine can go for 4-6 hours! And oh JOY!! I can shower without wrapping my knee in a baggie! yip yip! I do have a cute little handicapped shower chair to assist me, but its great, other than afterwards struggling to put on the super dooper realllly tight elastic (tie-dye) hose! arrrghhhhhh....

My Kiva girl is doing awesome! Thanx to all of you who cared so well for her...she is a bit mystified about the crutches and why Mom can't take her for a walk!! grrrrr....but she is happy--I am figuring in a couple of weeks it will be time to find a new "buddy" for her from a rescue organization..she really has become a "pack" girl and I know she misses little Greta girl...so do I...*-(

I got some good news today....my current renter is moving out at the end of the month, but I have a darling little couple who are getting married in late August that will be moving in July 1st--well, she will, he won't til after they are married. They are both 23 yrs old, full time students at night, with full time day jobs...I think it is going to work very well for all of us!

Well, its time for me to do my daily exercices, personal PT...I have to continue to be motivated so that I can get back by late fall to all of my fun activities! Please please feel free to put comments on my blog...and thanx for reading! Love, Julie, Kiva, Xena and Knee-na (Thanx to Connie Hayes for naming my other knee!) :-)