Improving the Quality of Life.....

Things keep moving along.  It amazes me how quickly my abilities change as I continue with therapy following my knee replacement.  I had therapy both Monday and Tuesday since I had a visit with the surgeon on Wednesday.  Wednesday morning Annette came through the fog and picked me up and we headed off to Lancaster.  We gave ourselves plenty of extra time in case we ran into traffic or accidents.  The fog was freezing on the roads in some areas so we left early and prepared for the worst.  We arrived an hour early for the appointment not having any trouble at all.

So Annette and I sat for an hour until I got in to see my Surgeon (on time for the appointment time).  He was very pleased with my progress and released me to go back to driving myself.  So I am not back on my own and very, very happy.

Thursday I headed to the grocery store for the first time since November.  I was getting low on some basics.  I had done without some things as I did not want to ask someone to take me shopping.  Nothing essential but it was very nice to be in a store and stocking up on some things that I had been hungry for.

Friday was another day for therapy.  It was wonderful to not have to be ready an hour before I needed to be there to catch Rover.  Do not misunderstand, I am really glad that Rover is available for me, but it is very nice to have my wheels back.  My therapist, Heather, was thrilled when my straightening moved from 14 degrees on my own as measured on Tuesday to 4 degrees.  That was a 10 degree improvement in three days.  I think, as the stiffness eases and the minor swelling relaxes, I will be seeing some marked improvements.  I just have to keep up the exercises at home and at the facility.

I am finding that I am pretty much pain-free.  The knee gets stiff as the swelling increases after therapy or being on my feet.  But I walked all over the grocery store and did not end up walking around like a pirate.  I was able to keep walking and bending the new knee and standing without feeling the burn in the knee.  It is the first time in years that I can say that and I know that as the knee continues to heal and exercises, that feeling is only going to improve.

Yesterday was a sewing and chore day.  I support a friend in her quest to find a cure for cancer.  She has retreats in the spring and fall for quilting as well as other activities, including the occasional Mystery Quilt weekends.  I donate to her Relay for Life Team and in return I am included in the mystery quilt events.  She send out fabric needs and cuts list prior to the day so we can prepare.  The on the day, she sends out clues (instructions) step by step to assembling the block or blocks.  We have no idea what the block will look like until she sends out the last clue.  Saturday it was a nine-patch heart.  I was a bit off on my colors and will try to make the needed correction tomorrow.  But it was an easy block and has several ways to use the block.  Here is a picture of the blocks with the off colors.  I will post the corrected one once I get it done.

Today, after church, Marji and Danny Lantz drove up from Elkton, MD.  They have been my lifeline since Rudy died.  Since my surgery I have found that using the standard toilet in my bathroom difficult.  It was much lower than I thought it was and getting down with the knee replacement was painful and getting up from there also hard.  Thank goodness the sink and doorway were close.  I increased my arm strength in getting up.  Marji had been telling me that I would really find an ADA chair height toilet to be so much more comfortable to use.  I had gotten three gift cards to Home Depot from my credit card points and used them to purchase a nice, Delta ADA high toilet.

Danny and I headed to Home Depot with the printout from the internet.  The lady who asked if we needed help looked at the printout and said they did not have any.  I told her that the internet indicated they had 2, so off she went to check things out.  She came back, perplexed, as their computer indicated that they had three.  She was determined and found that this was such a new model that they had not even hit the floor.  So they retrieved one for us and we headed home.

Danny set about removing the old toilet, which is sitting on my back porch, hoping to be free-cycled.  Then he dug in toe install the new one.  It took him longer that he had imagined it would as it was a new system of attaching it to the floor and also had some other innovations to prevent leaking.  It also had a soft closing lid and had a different setup than he was used to.  But it is in, and functioning.  While it is only a few inches higher than the old one, Marji was right..... what a difference.

Here is a picture of my new throne.  I am sure, as I age and find creaking joints and aching muscles become more of a normal that I will appreciate the throne more each day!