Water: the Great Equalizer

The sun shone brightly today and I headed to the pool in the late afternoon. I'm not sure that I've ever seen someone show up at a pool or beach with a cane ... but there I was. I slipped into the water as easily as I did in the Dominican Republic two months ago, and it felt so great!

I swam a front crawl a little tentatively, afraid that a kick would trigger the medial "catch", but the stroke was as natural as it has been all my life. What a liberating experience! Treading water using the "bicycle" kick was effortless and painfree. In the water, no one would ever have guessed that my knee replacement surgery was only 6 weeks ago.

I walked a lot today, both before and after the pool. I almost forgot my cane twice, but I was grateful for it on uneven terrain at the Merritt Island Nature Preserve, and after dinner this evening as I walked down the ramp leaving the Cocoa Beach Pier.

The cold air on bare legs has cooled the usually warmish right knee.This was a good and successful day.

Medial "Catching"

Most of the time, the knee feels as close to fine as I could hope for at this stage of my recovery. Yesterday, the pouring rain and numbing cold discouraged outdoor activities so we spent several hours in the car. The right knee was not much stiffer than the left, even after several hours of sitting.

My sleep has improved a lot in the last few days, partly the effect of travel fatigue but also because I'm in a lot less pain at night. However, with increased activity, I've noticed that the knee "catches" a lot more on the inside, especially at the end of the day. It's hard to explain what "catching" is to someone who has never experienced it. Conversely (or do I mean "similarly"?), anyone with a knee problem immediately grimaces when I use that word.

A knee "catch" reminds me of a bicycle chain that fills with grit after a long ride on sand or gravel, reducing the efficiency of gear changes. The pain starts sharply, but doesn't resolve until the knee joint returns to "neutral", a procedure that requires movement over what seem to be uneven surfaces, causing a wave of pain and some temporary residual swelling.

Last night, there were perhaps 6-8 catches before I went to bed. I dread the first catch! We'll see how today goes. I intend to hit the pool sometime today, as soon as the temperature gets out of the thirties!

Feel Great Today!

Yesterday afternoon, we went down to the hotel deck because we were afraid of simply crashing in our room and missing the beautiful sunshine. In my dazed state of extreme fatigue, I forgot my cane! I decided to go forward anyway and found myself walking almost normally. The limp is giving me some pain in my back and right hip, so I'm especially anxious to lose it if I can.

I couldn't resist taking the walkway to the beach, and once there I had to walk across to the water. I was pleasantly surprised to feel my quad muscles reacting as they should, pleased with greatly improved stability, possibly because of 6 weeks of experience on ice and snow. I did tire a little, and needed Bob's hand to hold on the way back from the beach.

By yesterday evening, both my knees were so stiff that I wondered whether I had done some permanent damage. However, a good night's sleep on a very comfortable bed has done its magic. The knee, thigh and calf muscles all feel strong this morning. Knee pain is moderate but not "threatening" -- don't think it will get worse today.

Airport 2010

I was wide awake at 2 AM, fretting a little about the folly that impelled me into the Cocoa Beach junket. I worried about the ice in front of the house, getting in and out of the cab, navigating MSP, and a multitude of other concerns. We left the house before 4, and getting to the airport proved to be as easy as it has been in the past.

Lindbergh Terminal -- son to be Terminal 1 --  itself was as close to a nightmare as a person using a cane, or someone otherwise physically or mentally challenged in some way, could ever imagine. The check-in line was very long, and nowhere was there the promised baggage check-in for people like me who had already checked in online, and paid to check 2 items of luggage. The line took forever, and then we had to start all over again with security.

There was no special accommodation at all for me, or for the very pregnant woman, or for several couples with very young children, some of them looking unhappily roused from sleep. Instead, we all trudged through the line, slowly making our way to the security checkpoint..

I had never been through security before with the new knee. Of course. the alert went off loudly and I was ushered to a small holding pen, the kind you might see at a hog market, where pigs with suspicious credentials might be quarantined. In time (a long time on this already long morning), a female security officer arrived and explained the protocol that would be part of my post-knee replacement security routine. I have read complaints by others about the intrusive procedures, but it all seemed OK to me -- if only I could be sure that such measures actually do deter terrorists!

Unbelievably, we headed to the wrong gate, G22, the gate on our boarding passes, at the very end of the G concourse. Even with the moving sidewalks, it was a very long walk that taxed my diminishing energy reserves. We soon discovered that we had to walk all the way back to G3, and during our trip back we kept hearing "last call for boarding" announcements.

Finally, we were aboard and soon underway. I had to get up several times to stretch my legs but the flight was otherwise uneventful. We did a little useless walking in the Orlando airport but baggage arrived promptly and we picked up our car. Thanks to my friend Jim Darling's advice several years ago, I had checked in yesterday and it was was so easy to simply pick up and ride.

I think the next 10 days will be very restful and helpful to me as I try to improve my energy management. I would not, however, recommend flying to anyone only six weeks post-op, except in an airport where there is some accommodation for a person with limited mobility. Or maybe it's just MSP: service at the Delta counters seems greatly deteriorated since the merger with NWA. I heard a flight attendant tell a passenger that her salary was 40% lower than it had been a few years ago -- I wonder what other factors might have contributed to lower performance and poor customer service?

Six Weeks - Gig is Getting Old!

An objective evaluation of the knee six weeks after surgery yields a positive overall impression: I walk well, have good balance and my mobility improves daily. I think I'll be very happy this time next year, but I do wonder why pain can still be quite debilitating. Is it because I'm a big baby who also avoids pain medication whenever possible? Or do I simply have a tendency to "overdo" -- like Christmas Vacation's Clark Griswold?

Like Clark, I've been known to overdo, so that is probably the explanation. I do know that I don't want to end up like some of the people I know who claim to be very satisfied with TKR results, and yet they can't seem to do more than walk around the block.

We'll be leaving for Cocoa Beach, Florida, tomorrow morning. I intend to spend the 10 days we're there as wisely as I can, with the primary objective of improving my stamina and increasing the distance I can walk. When I return to work two weeks from today, I'll have to be able to walk more than a few hundred feet without needing to rest. I also hope that the cool weather in Florida will give me an empty pool to work in! I love to swim laps, especially in the early morning, and I have a full complement of pool exercises to help with balance and knee flexion.

I'm beginning my re-entry into normal life, with only a little apprehension about a 3+ hour flight to Orlando. If we're lucky, the plane will leave on time and we'll be able to get our rental car right away. I have my fingers crossed.

Building Stamina

Monday was a physical therapy day and I was encouraged to be able to add some resistance to the pedals on the stationary bike, and leg press 80 pounds. I started with 40 pounds 5 weeks ago and have been adding weight and increasing the number of repetitions ever since. Am now bending the knee to 115 degrees. I went out to Kohl's and Target in the afternoon, and was not too tired when I got home.

As usual, the knee was hurting big time last night and I caved and took one of the narcotic painkillers that were given to me when I left the hospital. I still didn't sleep well until it was almost time to get up, later than usual at 6:30.

Today, the knee is stiff as it usually is the day after PT. I went out with Bob this morning, and then we had lunch and got our hair cut. The pain has receded and I am hopeful that I won't find myself popping Tylenol after dinner. It is mid-afternoon now and I wish I could go out for a nice walk around the block, but the temperature is cold again and there hasn't been much melting today. Still too much ice on the sidewalks.

The point that I set out to make when I sat down to write this is that my stamina is improving. However, to my surprise I am tired right now after the activities of the morning and early afternoon, and I am thinking of putitng my head down for half an hour or so. I am not usually a napper, so I don't know what to think of this desire for afternoon sleep.

Maybe I'll just give in to temptation ...

The Power of Acetominophen

Go figure. I did stay dosed up with Tylenol yesterday and my knee was pretty good for most of the day. It was sore again by 9 PM, so I watched Brothers and Sisters in bed after tearing out my hair during the Canada-US hockey game. Bob and I were not in the same cheerleader camp and I'm sure I will not hear the end of this unless Canada eventually wins the gold medal.

I was a little nervous about spending so much time in the car when we headed down to Red Wing yesterday afternoon. However, apart from stiffness, the knee was pretty good. The eagle watching was not that great, mostly because of the large number of gawkers who had probably seen the same Kare 11 feature on Colvill Park that had so attracted me.

It was mid afternoon by the time we got home. I fed the birds -- a little iffy because the path to the feeder is a trifle icy -- and then decided to walk on the sidewalk near the deck. There is only a small section (maybe 30 feet) that was safe to navigate, so I walked back and forth enough times to cover what I thought was about 500 yards. Bob quickly dispelled that illusion and figured I'd done 600 feet. Whatever! I did most of it without the cane and felt pretty good.

Another restless night but I walked downstairs with relative ease this morning, holding on to the railing with my right hand but not reaching over to the wall for additional support. The knee is bending quite well, even in the morning after lack of use.

Looking forward to physical therapy later this morning.

As Good as it Gets?

As functionality and range of motion improve daily, I am convinced that the knee will work at least as well as it did before, maybe as early as Memorial Day, May 31 this year (picking a date certain gives me a target to work toward). However, when pain descends relentlessly in the evening, I worry that this familiar companion will not disappear anytime soon.

A 4:30 AM, the time I decided to get out of bed this morning, there isn't much comfort in thinking that most people seem to report less pain after knee replacement surgery. Just when does this happen? I don't want to be hitting the Tylenol bottle so early in the morning (almost 5:30 now) but I think that's where I'm headed.

Looking beyond the whine:

• Going down the stairs yesterday, I forgot to favor the right leg. For me, "favor" means tighten and bend, to avoid the possibility of it "giving way" on the stairs, a very frightening and frequent event that precipitated (so to speak) the first surgery I had on the right knee over 16 years ago.
• My balance is really improved. Not afraid that I'll get jostled in church anymore.
• I'm tempted to ditch the cane. If we didn't have so much ice, I'd give caneless walking a try outside.

The weather has been warm for the last week, above freezing most days. The snow is melting and the days are getting longer. Yesterday, I saw an item on Kare 11 about eagle viewing in Red Wing. We see eagles on our junkets to Fort Snelling State Park but it's always fun to view lots of them, and to observe the birders and others congregating with the fervor that seems to go with this activity. That might be a destination today or later in the week.

5 Weeks!

The knee is 5 weeks old today. After the usual morning stiffness, I popped a couple of Tylenol before heading out to PT. Despite my apprehension, I pedaled fast for about 15 minutes and, by the time I got off the bike, the knee was totally painfree. Am pressing 70 lbs. on the leg press. Bent the knee to 113 degrees, so the 120 degree goal seems attainable.

By mid afternoon the heavy feeling in the right leg had returned and I walked gingerly when we went out to run a few errands around 3 PM. After all these months, I finally visited Trader Joe's on Randolph. The store is very attractive and well laid out. The shoppers were all very respectful of the cane, so there was less stress walking around in a crowded area.

The day's efforts were very successful but pain is getting me down right now and I feel totally wiped out. I think I'll break down and have a couple of the stronger painkillers before I go to bed. I'd like to reduce the recovery time from physical therapy to 24 rather than 48 hours.

Watching the Olympic women's combined (downhill & slalom) earlier this evening, I really wonder how those athletes manage to come back from their injuries, both quickly and with great success. I think there's a fine line between pushing oneself a bit too far, thereby achieving more, and living on the edge all the time, with an inevitable crash and burn at some point.

Ash Wednesday

Whoever would have thought that 8 o'clock would seem like an early out for me? I wasn't sure how I would sleep, so I figured we should go to mass in the early evening instead of at 8 AM. As it turned out, I slept pretty well and felt reasonably good this morning, though stiff legged, as usual. I decided to go grocery shopping with Bob and realized, once again, what a workout very ordinary activities can present. The Midway Rainbow seemed very big -- and my entire leg was quite tired by the time we left the store. So many new obstacles!

Took it easy, for the most part, this afternoon. I did chop a little ice on the sidewalk around the house and then sat on the deck enjoying the sunshine. By the time we came out of church after 5 PM mass, I had had enough activity for the day, so I was glad to have a quick fish dinner at Culver's in Bloomington.

We got home shortly after 7 and I felt as though I had put in a 12-hour day at work. I watched Lindsey Vonn's gold medal downhill race and am now catching up on other Olympic events. Trying to make it to 10 PM before I crash.

I think this will be a good lent for me. Quiet and plenty of time for reflection, with a very profound gratitude for the progress I am making with rehab -- much more difficult and stressful than I had ever imagined.

Managing Pain

Many years ago, I had a sore foot but decided that I would go out for my usual walk anyway. At the time, the phrase "working through the pain" was popular -- the weak gave up but those of stronger character forged forward, made even tougher by conquering pain while achieving fitness. By the time I got home from the walk, I could barely move and, after a miserable weekend writhing on the couch, a Monday morning x-ray revealed a small broken bone. Since then, I have been very skeptical of the value of working through the pain.

The knee is very painful for about 48 hours after physical therapy. I question whether I am trying to do too much, too fast, but every session seems to improve my mobility, balance and ability to execute the tasks of daily living. And there certainly doesn't seem to be any lasting damage.

Today I was outside most of the afternoon, watching Bob remove snow from the roof and work in the garage. I feel better with some color in my face, even though my enjoyment of the outdoors is passive, at least for a little while longer.

Once again, I slept fitfully last night, at least partly because of unremitting knee pain. I didn't help the situation by having coffee after dinner so that I wouldn't conk out at 9 PM. This evening, no coffee. Pain seems to be diminishing, so maybe I'll get a good night's rest.

360 on the Bike

My knee was sore during the night and I actually contemplated getting up to take a couple of acetominophen, but the pills don't sit well on an empty stomach so I slept fitfully for a couple of hours before getting up at 5. I felt much better sitting in an armchair, knees bent at 90 degrees, reading the newspaper. The knee was very stiff, though, so I wondered how physical therapy would go later in the morning.

Several inches of snow had fallen during the night so I was glad to see the sun helping Bob with the snow clearing job. There wasn't much ice when I left the house, so all I had to tackle was a little snow on the sidewalk in front of the clinic.

I was very pessimistic when I stepped on the stationary bike. After a few tentative arcs, I decided to try the 360 backward cycle, and was surprised that it was easy to pedal. After a few minutes, I felt compelled to pedal forward, knowing that Allison would ask me if I had tried. To my surprise, the leg slid right around and I continued "comme si rien n'était" for another 5 minutes. I was stunned and absolutely thrilled. I am starting to believe that I'll be able to make my "April on the bike" goal, as long as the snow melts in time.

I bent the knee to 110 degrees, at least I think that was the number, without help. I strutted out into the winter sunshine in my shorts, feeling very confident about the future. The downside: pain now, not really debilitating, but bad enough so that I think I should take something for it. Hope to postpone that until bedtime.

I've never really had much success with physical therapy before. I credit the great work of my surgeon, Dr. Elizabeth Arendt, and the clever PT regime designed by Allison Trombley.

One Month Anniversary

A month ago, I was already in my hospital room after surgery, feeling very vulnerable and wondering what I had signed up for! I feel pretty good today.

I did pay for "overdoing" it yesterday on my successful driving junket. I was exhausted in the evening and went up to bed shortly before nine. I was asleep shortly after Apolo Ohno won his silver medal in the 1500 m. speed skating race. My knee was sore in the nasty, sharp way it used to flare up after I had walked too far. It woke me up several times during the night, but I still managed to sleep fairly well. Got up shortly after 5, refreshed and ready to go.

Today I've babied it a little, walking only short distances and foregoing anything strenuous. My stair exercises are automatic now, and they don't hurt the raw, tender muscle on the inside of the knee. We went to 8:15 mass this morning, and it was quite a bit easier this week than last. Partly because of the cane, I think, and partly because my mobility is much improved. We had breakfast at Joseph's. It's amazing how different a place looks when one is concerned about heavy doors, fast moving people, rugs on the floor, wet tiles.

This afternoon we drove to the lock in Hastings where we saw a big bald eagle fishing in the open water, and a very large pair of eagles roosting in a tree. An awesome sight.

Snow tonight, and of course I feel a little apprehensive about going out in the morning. I am fearful of patches of ice under fresh snow, even though I am more proficient at catching myself now.

Home Alone

Flying, well, limping, solo for the first time in a month. Bob is off snowmobiling for the day with Scott, John and Chris, taking a well deserved break from the caregiving gig. My first inclination was to clean house, a favorite Saturday morning activity for many years. I worked steadily for a couple of hours, not using the cane except to put out the trash. I got rid of a number of items that have been bugging me for awhile, a much easier task when the family hoarder is out of the house. Although the original grand plan was only partially executed, I felt satisfied with my accomplishments and decided to wash the kitchen floor some other day.

I would like to report that I'm feeling great, but, in fact, my knee is tired and I can feel a strain in the quad and calf muscles. I think I've also discovered where my hamstring is and I'm beginning to understand why proper conditioning is the key to hamstring injury avoidance among hockey players. I'm sitting with the leg raised, watching ESPN so that I can see Danica Patrick's NASCAR debut at Daytona. I had tuned in hoping for Olympic ski jumping, but Danica will be fun to see.

If the weather hadn't been so challenging, I would have tried to drive ten days ago, but I think I can go out for the first time today. Nothing very ambitious: Borders in the Midway area, using my disability parking tag. I figure I can manage 15-20 minutes of shopping without running out of steam. If I can do more, I'll stop for a small Valentine's gift for Bob.

A week ago, I saved all my energy so that I could go to mass at the end of the day. I think I'm managing to do more with less effort now. I'm particularly happy with my progress going up and down stairs, one foot after the other. Slow and labored, but better!

108 Degrees

I thrashed all night last night, and finallly got up at 6:20 AM -- late for my old self (the real me?). Allison raised the seat on the stationary bike and I was able to do the 360-degree rotation, backward, at least a dozen times. I was very happy with myself, while recognizing the fact that I can't peddle my bike backward and get anywhere. Still, it's a milestone.

I can now go downstairs, one foot after the other. I need the cane, but I feel that it won't be long before I can do the stairs on my own.

The new cane is very functional and I even wonder if I need it indoors. The kneebend measurement was 105 degrees this morning, 108 degrees when manually pushed by Allison. I walk "almost" without a limp.

This afternoon I worked on personal income tax and then sat outside on the deck for a couple of hours in the sunshine, enjoying the rays from the propane heater.  It was my first time outside for any length of time, and I realized how deprived I feel when I can't get outdoors! The smell of the snow reminded me of  wonderful winters of skiing in my hometown of Temiscaming. I would really love to be out on my skis!

Working on my Stamina

I finally had a great night's sleep last night. The Mirapex (for muscle spasms) has worked wonders and the terrible seized up feeling I had in all my muscles has almost dissapeared. I woke only a few times during the night and needed no Tylenol or naproxen. The power of sleep is amazing: I felt much better today and was actually able to almost finish the 1120 federal income tax return for Bob's company. Any kind of intellectual effort tends to leave me feeling very "depleted", so I didn't manage more than a couple of hours of work.

This afternoon I walked around Kohls and bought a pair of Keds sandals for the summer. Stopped at Jackson Medical for my brand new cane that I hope to test drive tomorrow when I go to physical therapy. I wonder if I'll have the nerve to walk to the garage without the crutches? Stay tuned.

Made dinner. It was a simple meal of chicken from the Rainbow Foods deli, steamed broccoli and rice. I was very tired when I finished, but happy that I was still stable on my feet. For the first time all day, the knee was painful enough to warrant a couple of Tylenol.

I'm surprised that my mind doesn't seem to be either very sharp or able to concentrate on anything too demanding. I thought I would be spending a lot of time working on my favorite word and math puzzles but even the simple ones seem too challenging. I suspect that my mind will be stronger when I don't have to concentrate so hard on simple, ordinary activities.

Time for a New Cane

Another milestone: I went down to the basement today. I'd been afraid to try because there's no railing for the first four stairs, and the railing in place on the lower steps is a little shaky for someone who really needs it for support.

Chris and Becky came over this evening and it was great to see them. We ordered Chinese from Cleveland Wok, so much food that I sent most of it home with them. I did start to fade at about 8:15 and they went home. I am very tired now but I do want to see the last Jay Leno Show, so I'll have to make it for another hour.

Today I realized that I would probably be fine with a cane outdoors. While I like the security of the crutches, they tend to get in the way and I think I would be happier with a cane. But not the cane I have ...

The cane I've been using in the house, only when my knee is stiff at the beginning and end of the day, is a relic from the years after Bob broke his leg in our 1985 motorcycle wreck. It's an aluminum beauty with a "prison issue" look about it, shaped like a candy cane, and a little tall for me. I think I can find something that will give me the stability that I need to feel jaunty -- well, maybe not jaunty, but safe -- in our beautiful but occasionally treacherous winter weather.

Snow Day

More snow today. Bob shoveled a path to the garage so that I can get to PT at 11:30. Still can't do a full rotation on the bike (trying a higher seat next time), but don't need a cane to walk around the gym. Increased weights to 50 lbs. on the leg press. Can now bend to 105 degrees, on a day when my flexibility seemed limited to me. I was not overly tired at the end of the session, for the first time.

I went with Bob to pick up his new snowblower at Sears in the early afternoon. Who would ever have thought that a trip to Sears would be an exciting and welcome excursion? Best thing is that Bob is very happy with the new machine! No buyer's remorse, as I had feared.

We stopped for coffee at Coffee Bené on Cleveland and enjoyed watching the snow blow past the window. I move fairly easily in and out of the Yukon now, but was thrown a little off balance this morning when a man many years my senior, celebrating the 4-week anniversary of his knee replacement, walked into the clinic without even a cane! Said he had forgotten it. A little deflating for me, still depending on crutches outdoors because I'm afraid of falling on the ice.

A full night's sleep is still in my future, but I must be getting enough rest because I feel reasonably energetic during the day.

Super Bowl Sunday

Three weeks ago, I went to bed at 7:30 and woke, in pain, at midnight. Two weeks ago, it was 8:30 and 1:00 AM. Last week, 9:30 and 2:00 AM. Last night, I retired at about 10, got to sleep an hour later, and woke at 4. I had to take a couple of Alleve (naproxen)and slept, fitfully, until about 6:30. I was tempted to get up at 5 AM, my normal rising time, but I knew that I would be tired by early evening, during the Super Bowl. I am not a big fan of the Super Bowl, but I do enjoy the commercials, so I'm happy to be feeling perky at 7:30 PM.

Although I'm still far from "healed", I am feeling better. I'm practicing my slow climb of the stairs, one foot after the other. The right knee is feeling stronger. The sense of "sudden weakness" in the knee is becoming infrequent.

Bob fed the birds today. I was feeling a little fretful, with 8-9 inches of snow expected in the next 48 hours. I don't want the finches to be without sustenance. I'll be glad when I am confident enough to feed them myself -- I like to switch my feeders regularly, depending on the weather and the avian population at the feeding station.

I've had a couple of drinks tonight, and the knee feels pretty good. I would love to make it through from 10:30 - 5:00.

A Day of Firsts

For many years, people who hadn't seen me for awhile would always ask about my knees. No wonder -- my mood and general outlook on life have, since I was about nine, been influenced by the degree of pain in either or both knees. My MS diagnosis in 2004 changed the question for awhile, but, compared with the knee issue, the MS has been a cakewalk, especially in the last couple of years when the disease has been so well managed.

The knee surgery has taught me the meaning of the French expression "se regarder le nombril". Literally, it means "to look at one's belly button". In the last three weeks, the world has revolved around ME! Bob has brought me most of my meals and anticipated virtually all of my needs. What was once a novel privilege now almost seems like a right. I am shocked and disappointed in myself. Too much belly button gazing.

Today I was feeling a little fractious, anxious to go to the "next stage". Bob and I stopped at Tousley Motorsports to look at this week's motorcyle purchase: it's a silver 2003 Honda GoldWing 1800 -- a pretty bike that he has been coveting for a while. Then, because Bob's snowblower is on its last legs and we are expecting more snow tomorrow, we stopped at Fleet Farm to look at the few machines that are still in stock at the end of the season. I must have walked 400 hundred years in that store, looking for the snowblowers. For me, the experience was very liberating.

We looked at more snowblowers at Sears and probably found the right machine -- strong enough to do the job and not too heavy to push up and down the steps that lead from the sidewalk to our house. Not an impulse buyer, Bob wants to look at more snowblowers tomorrow before making a decision.

I was feeling a little tired when we got home, so I rested a little before we went to 5 PM Mass. It's been hard for me to miss church for the last three weeks, but I was surprisingly nervous. Different stairs to navigate. Little kids running around. Slippery floors. Tight pews, except for the one we sat in, behind our usual spot. Still, I was so happy to be there.

In and out of a vehicle five times today! How can I be physically refreshed and mentally tired? Make that exhausted.

An Ordinary Day

Snow again last night. Buckets of March like white stuff, pretty but very heavy. I would have liked to help clear it this morning, but it's too soon to think that I can balance well enough to wield a shovel on a slippery surface like the deck.

Instead, I did a little light housework and made lunch for Bob and me, while he did laundry and dealt with the snow. This was my first culinary initiative since the surgery, a modest effort that did not tire me out: canned chicken noodle soup, turkey & swiss sandwich on sourdough bread.

This afternoon we drove through Fort Snelling State Park, breathtakingly beautiful under the snow. The day was warm, just above freezing, and both the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers had lost a lot of ice. We saw a few dozen deer and a lot of winter birds, including trumpeter swans that have made the shallow lake their winter home for the last few seasons.

I was on my feet a lot today so the knee is stiff and a little painful this evening. The other day, my doctor assured me that I'm not going to hurt it, so I will continue working at my return to a more active life.

Report Card

Physical therapy: was dreading this morning's PT but I felt energetic and flexible. Pedaling backward, I am close to a full rotation on the bike. I could have leg-pressed all morning and all the other exercises went well too. I walked in the gym without a cane and felt perfectly stable. I could bend my knee to 98 degrees on my own, very easily. Allison pushed the knee back a little farther, to 102 degrees. I can do leg lifts forever!

Walking: I walk much more quickly and confidently now, although I'm very careful on ice and snow. In the house, I use the cane only when I'm feeling tired.

Next goal: I can go upstairs with the right leg leading, as long as I use the railing and cane. Hope to do this without the cane this time next week.

Pain: I'm aware of some pain, but it feels as though it's receding. I'm OK with OTC naproxen. Knee is stiff, but not excessively so. The "painfree" promise seems more believable today!

Fatigue: I do feel a little "fatigue". Fortunately, it doesn't have the heaviness that I associate with MS Fatigue (no sign of the MS variety for quite a while now).

Weight: Down 7 lbs.

I am a very lucky woman!

Getting my LIfe Back

Today Bob had errands to run so I was home alone most of the morning and early afternoon. A milestone: I felt well balanced enough to unload the dishwasher and put away the dishes. Seems like a small achievement, but for me, it was significant. Love that Fiestaware, but it is heavy.

I felt a little nervous because of a 2:30 interview for what I hope will be my next assignment: technical readiness coordinator for SWIFT, the state's new accounting and procurement system. My stamina must be improving; I visited a little after the interview and Bob picked me up at 4:00. It was great to stand outside in the cold for awhile, though I was wishing I could go for a little walk. Still too unsafe for me to walk on ice.

When I got home, I had a letter from HR, informing me that my doctor had cleared me for a return to work on March 11! That is two weeks later than I expected, and I'm quite sure that I'll be fine (i.e., able to work, not totally fine) by February 25. I'll deal with that issue next week.

I'm yawning now, shortly before 6 PM. Maybe that means I'll be tired enough by 10 PM to go to bed and get some sleep -- still elusive for me. Tomorrow more physical therapy, and I feel a little afraid of a "bad" experience. I had hoped to be doing a vigorous workout on the bike by now, but instead I look like a very old lady who has never been on a bicycle. In other words, I am much like my fellow PT patients. On Monday, only one other person looked younger than 80.

I think Phase II in my recovery has begun. I need to recover my strength and step up my level of activity, as I continue to improve mobility.

Lookin' Good!

I had x-rays and a knee exam at the University of Minnesota today. The waiting room was full of people in various stages of decrepitude. My condition put me somewhere in the middle: quite mobile, healthy-looking, not too old and making an effort to be livelier than I felt.

The knee actually felt somewhat better this morning. The x-rays were fascinating to look at, with all the neatly fitting pieces of plastic and metal. All perfectly aligned and healing beautifully. I thought Dr. Arendt and the resident, Dr. Annemarie Geissler (sp?) were going to clap their hands admiringly as they studied the pictures. The knee exam involved a lot of manipulation and some pain, especially when Dr. G. touched the sensitive area on the inside of the knee where the "klunk" seemed to derail my recovery.

The injury that I had feared is non-existent. The "klunk" was probably a movement of the kneecap, a little painful as it repositioned itself. It is normal for the inside of the knee to be sore -- the muscle under the skin is the site of the internal incision and it will be awhile before it heals and is painfree. It's also possible that the MCL (medial collateral ligament -- which I had thought was long gone as a result of injury) was strained, causing pain.

This was our opportunity to get the ligament issue straight: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is always sacrificed in a knee replacement (mine was long gone). The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) may or may not remain, depending on the surgeon's judgement. Mine is still intact, as I had though I heard right after the surgery. The lateral collateral ligament, on the outside of the knee, remains intact.

Verdict: great mobility and healing after only 19 days. Prognosis: full recovery. Next appointment is not until April 21. Bob reminded me that the Corvette will be home by then. I wonder if I'll be able to get into it? I hope so! My goal is to be back on my bike sometime in April, after the snow melts ...

No more coumadin. Glad that I can now use naproxen and ibuprofen, as well as acetominophen. I have pramipexole at bedtime for muscle spasms, which tend to bother me in the evening. Looking forward to good night's sleep tonight.

Bump in the Road

Last Thursday, I experienced a "klunk" on the inside of my knee at physical therapy. It has been a little painful since then, and the area is somewhat swollen, with a little bump that sometimes "pops" when I touch it.

I had a really good PT session today, although my knee was too stiff to accomplish my goal of a 360 degree rotation on the bike. The workout included the leg press machine, which made both my knees feel really good. I also liked the pulley machine, a system of cables and weights that had lme lie on my stomach and straighten the "good" left leg, causing the "bad" right leg to bend at the knee. Hard to explain without a picture.

I felt really tired after the therapy and then was somewhat alarmed when the new knee felt as though it was about to dislocate. Didn't seem right so I called Dr. Arendt's office; the triage nurse didn't seem to like to sound of this. I have an appointment tomorrow morning at 11:15. I'm not freaked out or anything; just don't want things to get worse.

On a more positive note, I am much stronger than I was a week ago and the only reason I use the crutches is for stability outside. It's a cane or nothing at all in the house -- and I look very stable. The last of the steri-strips fell off my knee yesterday and the scar looks clean and very neat.