Archive for June, 2020

Double-Knee Replacement-1 Year Anniversary

Last week I had my one year checkup, to the day from my surgery. What a difference one year makes! As I pulled up to the medical complex at St. Francis Hospital where my doctor’s office and physical therapy is located, lots of memories flooded back. I remember struggling to get in and out of the car, being let out at the front door so I didn’t have so far to walk and shuffling in with my walker and wondering if life would ever be normal again. Today there was no chauffeur driving me to my appointment, no handicap sticker dangling from the mirror and no looking for the closest possible handicap parking spot. Instead of riding the elevator to the second floor, I smiled as I walked over to the two flights of stairs, and confidently without stopping or holding onto the hand rail walked up to my appointment-simply because I could! I came down the same way-because I could.

This was a tough year for me but each week, each month, there was improvement and I am now living a normal, pain-free life. My knees are doing well, the tell-tell knee scar is very faint and I walk without limping. I still know that I have knees, but think about them less and less.

My biggest challenge is the bend of my left knee. I don’t have the bend I have in the right. That knee has been my challenge from day one. I actually lost a little of the bend I had at the end of therapy. I can’t get down on my knees and I have a little fear of sometime falling and not being able to get back up.

Dr. Kerr did x-rays and both knees look like they are suppose to look. He doesn’t know why I struggle so much with bend in that knee. I have mostly learned to adapt and sometimes I remind myself that I am much better than I was before surgery. I need to work again on some therapy exercises because at two years, what I have, is what I have. There is no more changing the situation.

Would I recommend doing the surgery? Absolutely.

Would I want to do both knees at the same time? Absolutely.

I will tell you, it was tough. Tougher than I anticipated or was prepared for. But, it is done, over, and all behind me. The end result is a huge improvement for me. I can walk so much better and am pain-free.

Before surgery
Now
Before surgery
Now

A Beautiful Evening

After supper I mowed the lawn, and then I took an evening ride on my golf cart and enjoyed the beauty of the evening. I saw and enjoyed the glory of God’s creation.

The evening was perfect with a slight gentle breeze. The birds were tweeting their bedtime lullabies, a bull bellowed in the distance, a calf baa’ed for it’s mama, a horse snorted, and the tree frogs were starting to chirp. The bees were all gathering into the safety of the hive for the evening. A squirrel was stuffing his face with seeds from the bird feeder before scurrying to his nest in the treetop.

I saw the sun dip behind the clouds as it sank on the horizon and glory rays lined the clouds. It seemed a perfect time to see Jesus step forward and say, “Saints, come home!”

Storm clouds were gathering in the east.

The cows and horses were quietly grazing in the pasture, filling their bellies before they laid down to chew their cud and rest for the night.

I saw a rabbit resting in the lawn with his legs stretched out behind him. He let me ease up fairly close before he hopped off.

The fragrant yellow blossoms of the evening primrose are starting to bloom and at 8:30 p.m. numerous blossoms popped open as I watched.

When the store closes, everyone goes home, work ceases and all the equipment is parked for the night, the farm is a oasis of absolute peace, quiet and beauty. I love sitting outside, breathing in the fragrances of the farm and listening to the different animal noises. I see God’s handiwork in the flowers, wildlife and sky. I feel His presence in the stillness and love using the opportunity to thank and worship Him. For those moments, the busyness, worries, and stresses of the day and world fade and it is just me and God.

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