THERE'S THAT TIME WARP AGAIN!

Hey, all!

I have thought about posting a message many times but just haven't gotten to it. Time has just been disappearing around here.

Since my last message things have been moving along. I progressed from the walker to the quad-cane.

Bikini had to go home last Saturday. That was a day early, but the bad weather was moving in and Brief was worried about aircraft safety, so it was the thing to do. She is safely home now and we really appreciate her being here to help us for the week!

I continued with the Monday, Wednesday, Friday visits from the physical therapy guy and he says I am doing well. Tomorrow is his last visit and on Monday I will start out-patient therapy at the Mary Immaculate physical therapy center over at the "Y" where we go. I think the plan is for three times a week. I also have exercises to do on my own twice a day.

The nurse made her last visit today and said I looked good. That's debatable, but I understand what she means. I am completely off the Coumadin now so she did not have to draw blood today.

I saw my doctor on Tuesday and he was pleased. Said he was glad to see me looking and moving as well as I am because it makes him look good too! :) We've adjusted my medications and I'm off the Dilaudid now and trying Advil during the day with a stronger med at bedtime. Sleep is still an issue.

I have moved on to a one-pronged cane now and am getting around the house okay. My incision is looking good and is healing nicely. I am now allowed to try to do anything I feel like doing, including driving. I'm pretty sure I can't get into the Mustang yet, but might try the KIA this weekend.

The weather has been rainy and stormy all week. We needed some of this rain during the summer, spread out over time! There are flood warnings and messes all over. It's supposed to be cleared up for the weekend.

That's about it from here. Just wanted to let you know I'm doing okay. Stay safe!

IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD PLAN AT THE TIME...

Hey, all!

I had planned to start doing a daily post as soon as I got home from the hospital. Sorry. That didn't happen!

The surgery went well. I've been learning to deal with pain management and juggling what little energy I seem to have. I have lots of odd bruises. The nurse says my incision is looking good. I came home last Thursday. That afternoon the home health company delivered the continuous motion machine that I use four to six hours a day. They also delivered a chair for me to use in the shower.

On Friday the home nurse came and got things set up with paperwork, ordered supplies (really long band-aids to cover the incision) and checked me over. Later in the day the physical therapist came and went over a page of exercises I do twice a day. The nurse will come twice a week to check me and take blood and the PT people will come three times a week for therapy.

I'm on Dilaudid for pain and Coumadin, the blood thinner. I'm dealing with the side effects of tiredness, light-headedness (just a little of that so far) and some others I won't go into here.

So basically, everyone is telling me that I am doing very well. I haven't had to wear the leg brace since last Friday and am getting around the house with the walker. I have some periods of frustration, but am told that is normal.

Bikini is here this week helping us. Since she works from home she can work from our home just as well. Nurse J has been here as she has been able; her caseload has been busy lately. Golfer has been great. Recovery will take a while, but I'm working on it! I see my surgeon next Tuesday.

I'll try to write again soon. Stay safe!

WELL! LOOKS LIKE I DO HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY TODAY!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ???

I was reading the Sunday paper a while ago and saw the first ad with Santa in it for this season! And then a bit later I had the TV on and there was a holiday commercial! A definite Christmas commercial, no doubt about it. Just for the record, it is now Sunday, September 12, 2010. I don't know about you, but I am not ready for the holidays yet. Especially this year.

In other news, the last load of laundry is in the dryer. The cleaning is done and I have just packed my bag. Cinder was helping and tried to stow away in it, but she decided she did not like the zipper and got out. I just went over the check list again, too.

So 'bye again and stay safe!

THE DAY BEFORE

Hey, all!

It's the day before my surgery.

I woke up about 5:30 this morning, did my exercises and then got up and dressed for the day. Cooked breakfast for Golfer - he likes omelets and I might not be able to handle that for a while. I've been busy doing things around the house that I want to do. It's not that Golfer isn't perfectly capable and willing, but I want to do this stuff. I cleaned the kitchen and the bathrooms and changed the bed. Laundry is running right now. I've mopped the floors and vacuumed. I'll dust when the laundry is all finished.

I still need to pack my small suitcase. I'm not exactly sure what all to take, so I'm just putting in comfy jammies, robe, slippers, etc. Since we're only about five minutes away from the hospital if the traffic is good (always a question around here!) I figure if I forget something Golfer or Nurse J can bring it to me. We've been told to expect my hospital stay to be two or three days. Honestly, if I'm there at all I'm going to want a shower. And I have no idea if I will be able, or allowed, to take a shower, but am packing toiletries to cover that! I have everything else labeled and ready - brace, cooling unit, walker, etc.

It's a dark, cloudy day here. Been raining off and on. That sort of puts a crimp in my plans to sit out in the sun on the deck for a while, but that's okay. Golfer and his friends had a match scheduled for this morning and he went out to the course to see if they were playing. Sometimes it can be raining here at home and nothing out there and vice versa.

He said we'd go out for dinner tonight, my choice. And my first choice is Outback Steakhouse. I have to call later and see if they are actually open for business. They have, unfortunately, recently had another fire! The paper said it wasn't too bad, but didn't say when they would reopen.

I have checked my calendar and I have done all the prep things that were mentioned. Did you know that before major surgery now, they restrict your grooming? And yes, I mean things like shaving your legs, etc. And yes, I know, TMI for some of you. So Friday was grooming day! And I have kept to the schedule as far as stopping medication and such. So I guess I'm about as ready as I'm going to get.

This will probably be my last message until after the surgery. Perhaps Golfer will want to say something though. We'll see. I'm a little nervous, but have confidence in my doctor and the hospital staff. I know God is watching over me. I know I am loved by my family and they will take care of me. I plan to be up and mobile as soon as possible though.

So take care and stay safe!

JUST STUFF

Hey, all!

Today was my last day in the office for a while. I have done all I can to make it easier for those who are covering the work. I hope it goes well. And with saying that, I am done worrying about it.

I got a call from my doctor's office this afternoon. Nurse Sarah wanted to remind me of my surgery (like I was going to forget????) And also tell me that they had to move the time to two hours later. So, yea! We don't have to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m.! Golfer was pleased about that.

I have the duffel bag with the brace and cooling unit all tagged and ready. I got the walker out of the back closet and cleaned it up and labeled it. I got the small suitcase out and will pack it over the weekend. I have stopped all medications and other pills (aspirin, vitamins, etc.) except one for the RA. I'm allowed to take it until the day before surgery. Yesterday I had a bad headache and I took the allowed two Tylenol. It helped the headache a little but didn't do much for the increasing joint pains and aches. But I had been told to expect that as I stopped taking the medications, so I'm just dealing with it.

All in all, I'm about ready. Golfer and I went to the "Y" this afternoon to the pool. The weather is lovely here. It's cooled off and is sunny and bright. Walt, our yard guy, came with his crew yesterday and aerated, fertilized and seeded. I went out this afternoon and picked up a few little branches and twigs that were in the yard and grabbed up a couple weeds.

I don't have any big plans for the weekend unless you count going to get groceries and packing my bag. :)

I hope you are all well and happy! Have a good weekend! Stay safe!

GETTING READY

Hey, all!

Things are progressing here. I had the pre-surgery appointment at Mary Immaculate Hospital this morning. Very nice people and a great system! After checking in at the desk in the new surgical pavilion and getting an ID bracelet, I was escorted into a private room and asked to sit in a big recliner. Nurse Terri and Nurse Leah were very pleasant and helpful and very professional. While Leah asked many questions and filled out the paperwork, Terri performed the EKG and drew blood. I had to go to another room for the chest x-ray and also had to do the required urine test. All in all it was not too bad.

I have a pinkish ID band/bracelet on my right wrist that I was instructed to NOT remove until after the surgery when they said it was okay. It's the identifier for blood being held in reserve in case I would need some during the surgery. Hadn't really thought about that before now, but I guess it's a good thing. Creepy, but a good thing to have it ready.

They were impressed with my organizational skills. :) I had prepared some spreadsheets of information we were told I would need to tell them. As the questions were asked I just handed Leah a page for the records.

After work I did a couple errands and then went to the eye clinic and optical shop to have my new glasses checked. I gave them ample time for adjustment and something was just not right. I lucked out and got a very good technician who had worked with me before. Too bad I did not get her when I ordered and picked up the glasses instead of the ditsy young lady I had. I explained the problems I've been having to the very capable Ms. Jackie and she said "well, no wonder, they're crooked!" So she took them away to the back room and did some work on them and now I can see better.

Now I need to finish up some desk work. Our pile of held mail was delivered today.

Stay safe! More later!

UNOFFICIAL END OF SUMMER. SIGH....

Golfer and I just returned home from the pool. This is the last day. Very sad. It's not like we don't have access to the large pool at the YMCA, and we do plan to go there on Wednesday. But we like the outdoor pool. Especially me, although I suspect that Golfer is enjoying it a lot too. This is really the first year that he's gone more than once! Retirement is good!

So, anyway, we're home again. I said good-bye to a couple pool friends - ladies I chat with during the Summer and don't see any other time. We all wish each other a good Winter and say "see you in June!" Sometimes we say we'll have to get together during the Winter, but things come up and we never do. I have disassembled the pool bag and put everything away. Sigh again.

Golfer mowed the grass and got the yard ready for Walt of Spring Green to come and do the aeration and seeding and fertilizing. The yard needs some TLC; it's been a tough Summer on it. Too much heat and not enough rain.

I have been doing some things around here and got the car all cleaned up after our vacation. Salt spray and bug guts are gone now.

BeyB goes back to school tomorrow. Boxer and Bloomer have been back for a month already in Georgia.

Next week at this time I will hopefully be coming out of anesthesia and have a "new" knee. I'll keep you all posted on that. Golfer got me a new laptop so I can email and blog and "surf" while I recover.

So for now.... Good-bye Summer, it's been good! Stay safe!

WE'RE HOME!

Vacation was wonderful, the weather was beautiful, and it was great to visit with friends. I really enjoyed the pool and beach, and just relaxing and resting. Golfer had a good time playing golf, although he was ready for a day off by Friday! We spent that day just "potting around". We went to Martin's golf shop so he could spend his gift cards. Then we stopped at Broadway at the Beach to feed the ducks and fish.

We spent a little time at the pool. The high wind and passing storm on Thursday must have stirred things up because that was the first day that there were little biting bugs going after us. We didn't stay out long. But it was nice.

We went to dinner Friday evening with friends. Enjoyable, but very pricey! We went to Rioz, the Brazilian "Meat" place. Very interesting, but if you're just having a regular amount of food, not really worth it. But, it was nice to spend the time with friends.

The trip home was uneventful. Weather was clear, no storms or rain. Things here at home were good, too. Evidently there was some rain on Friday evening, but no wind damage or problems from Earl.

The furry kids were happy to have us home. Cecil always pouts and hides for a bit when we return from a trip, but he's okay now and even let me pet him. For those of you who don't know Cecil, he is very timid and afraid of just about everything and spends a lot of time hiding by himself. But we love him! The girls were right there to help with the unpacking.

So, I just finished the last load of laundry and finished doing a little cleaning. I went and got groceries early this morning. Tomorrow is a holiday, so I don't have to go to work.

Tuesday morning I have the pre-surgery tests and appointment at the hospital.

We're home and things are getting back to normal. I hope everyone has a good weekend! Stay safe!

WAVES!

Hey, all!

Vacation has been wonderful! I've been resting and relaxing, reading and having a great time.

The weather has been beautiful up to today, and even today isn't bad. There's a pretty strong wind blowing thanks to Earl out there over the ocean. There are some clouds flying by and it might rain a little later today. The waves are getting a lot bigger and are interesting to watch. No one is supposed to be in the water now because of the strong rip currents.

I've done a little shopping. Golfer and I went with friends to one of our favorite spots here - Bimini's - last evening. I don't especially like seafood, but I love their grouper! It was a nice evening.

Golfer has, for the most part, enjoyed playing golf, although yesterday was not particularly good and he was frustrated with himself. Hopefully, today is better!

This evening we're going to another favorite for dinner - Villa Romana.

We are trying to keep an eye on how things are at home. We're hoping the storm doesn't hit too close and hoping Nurse J and Cable Guy don't have to go move all our outside stuff for us!

Stay safe! More later...........