Getting Better All the Time

I think I already said somewhere that the PT guy says I am advanced. This just means that I had muscles that were strong before the surgery and I still do, just the ones attached to my knee have been damaged and need repair. But yesterday I surprised both of us by standing upright, no hands, on just my surgery leg. This is such big news! I haven't been able to do that in five years or more. The exercises that hurt the most are the ones that require me to try really hard to bend the knee. Excruciating. The ones that feel easy are the ones that use big muscles.  Apparently some people just can't lift their leg off the floor. It's nice to be seen as advanced -- it helps to be a relatively young joint patient, I am sure.  I am having some trouble remembering to keep my walker with me as I move around the house. There are plenty of surfaces to balance on.  

This morning I went down to the stand for a meeting with Carrie and I realized after a bit that I had left my cane on the golf cart and I was just limping around, unencumbered.  There are plenty of times when that would be a recipe for disaster, so I will continue to try to use the cane. There is so much to trip over, in all directions.

Yesterday Nell and I practiced our piano duet in the Common House. And Nell gave me some yarn and a pattern to knit while I wait for my yarn order to arrive. I am ready to knit, ready to play piano, ready to have meetings. Just can't really bend this knee.

I went to look at the fields yesterday and found an irrigation box that needed to be turned off. I dutifully tried to use my cane to do that, but it took way too much leverage and the valve was too far down in the hole. In the end, I had to stick my bad leg straight out to the side and just get myself down there to push that valve. It's another form of PT.

Sleep last night was better. I had a better understanding of the issues, and a plan. I listened to the Moth and This American Life, I had a pillow for my legs, I made sure the Tylenol schedule was as good as it could be. Things are looking up!

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