New Year, New Routine

2014 is now here and I am already used to writing it in the dates.  That is sad, considering that it usually took me a good month to get in the habit of the new year.  But I am filling out forms and signing off of treatments as I continue to heal from my surgery.

I had several weeks of in-home physical therapy.  Gerry came three days a week and tested my knee for it's ability to bend and straighten.  He coached me and gave me exercises to do at home.  I did my best, but the knee just refused to bend more than a base 75 degrees, getting to about 80 degrees once or twice.  The knee is just gently swollen which is preventing the bending from happening.  Gerry felt that I might do better at an Outpatient Center where there were machines that might move me beyond the plateau I had reached.

I am also now off all of the additional meds that I was using following the surgery.  I was allowed to stop the Coumadin after January 2nd and I ran out of pain medication last Saturday.  Yesterday I started using plain and simple Ibuprofen and find that it is doing a really nice job in blocking the pain and could be actually reducing the inflammation that is preventing the good bending.

Since I cannot drive yet, I had to sign up for a local service call Rover.  It is a small bus transportation system that is funded by lottery money.  As a Senior, I can ride to appointments or grocery stores or hospitals for $.75 one-way.  It is a shared ride program.  I make an appointment at least 24 hours before I need it.  I tell them when my appointment is and they give me a pickup time.  They came anytime up to 15 minutes before or after the assigned time.  Then I can ride around the area picking up other riders before arriving at my destination.  I give them a time that is about 15 minutes earlier than my appointment so that I will not be late.  Then I tell them when I can be picked up and they come back and drive me home.  It is a wonderful service that is available for the county and I am so grateful that it is door to door.  Makes it so much easier than trying to find friends who can drive you here or then pick you up.  But, nice as it is, I am hoping that I will be recovered enough to be allowed to drive after seeing the surgeon on the 15th!  I miss being able to do things for myself.  I already know I will not do well when I am no longer able to drive as I age.

So, yesterday I boarded the Rover bus and was dropped off at the new Lancaster General Hospital Health Center that has opened in Parkesburg.  I was very early, but had lots of paperwork to fill out (hence the ability to write 2014 on papers) and began a new round of Physical Therapy.  Heather evaluated my knee and through massage and manipulation she was able to get my knee to an 84 degree bend.  By the time I got home, the knee was screaming and I could not find a comfortable position.  So I curled up in bed and found a position that was comfy and immediately fell asleep.  Once awake, I took the first Ibuprofen I have had in over a month and within an hour it felt better.  I woke this morning with negligible pain.

It has been a good day.  I did laundry.  I cleaned up the kitchen.  I have baked 2 loaves of bread.  I am thinking about baking some cookies.  Tonight is the first session of GriefShare at the church.  I am once again a volunteer leader.  I found such comfort in the program, I am looking forward to sharing it with people who are grieving the loss of a loved one.  My friend Shelia will pick me up, so I can participate.

From here on out, with 4 weeks of therapy, 13 sessions of GriefShare and Lions Club, I am going to be very busy.  Should make the winter go faster.