Left Knee Operation

It has been a busy time back to work so blogging has been set aside. The operation was scheduled for February 26th but cancelled because of the bed shortage in Ottawa hospitals. I was one of the 150 elective surgeries to be postponed.

It was not a long wait, however, as the rescheduled opertion is March 22nd. That is Monday! I'm first on the table at 8:00 a.m. so we have to be on hand by 6:15. Another early morning! My body will think we are going to the airport.

With the extra time, I am guilty of having eased up on the exercises. Went back at it with a vegeance on Thursday and am still paying the price today. It is amazing how much my legs have stiffened up without the exercises. Note to file: Don't Do This With the Second Knee. I feel as though I have as much flexibility in the operated knee, but the strength isn't there. Still, it is much the stronger knee and is already the "prime." The left knee is very sore and aches even with a full dose of Advil each day. I'm hoping that it hasn't deteriorated to the point were a hemi isn't feasible.

It is amazing how blaze (Blog doesn't accept keyboard accents!) one becomes with the second operation. I haven't spent any time preparing mentally until last night. It seems that in the middle of the night it became time to review! Today I'm getting out all my papers to make sure I follow all the instructions: Stop some of the medications on the day before, wash knee with special disinfectant soap Sunday night and again Monday morning, no food after 12 midnight, only a sip of water on Monday mornng. The early operation will mean that I shouldn't be into coffee deprivation but will probably want some in the afternoon. Hope my stomach can take it, my head will need it.

So - looking forward to the second operation and hoping it goes just like the first. Then we can really start the rehab and be ready for the gardening season.