Turn the Calendar

While waiting at the airport on Monday night, I got into a conversation with a woman who had a knee replacement. She said she did all the wrong things, and had a much too long recovery: she didn't do any pre-hab or muscle strengthening before the surgery; she refused much of the pain meds so wasn't able to do the post PT as diligently as she needed; she didn't go to a rehab facility; she had a bad PT at home. She wishes she had done both knees at the same time, as now she is reluctant to do the other knee, but says she eventually will. She was travelling with her black cat Buddy, back to Massachussetts, and was working on the most exquisite cat needlepoint project. I told her how anxious I was about my surgery, and she said, "Put that anxious on a shelf, and replace it with anticipation. Anticipate being able to walk without pain, anticipate recoverying quickly, anticipate doing the PT with as much determination as possible." That was good advice for me. I wish I had gotten her email address or something.

The airplane ride back to Hartford was uneventful except that we were smashed in like sardines, and they made me change the seat I was assigned to, and going through security they patted me down for some reason, and even scanned the wheelchair I was in. They did not scan Bindi or her carrier, so I got through with the kilo of cocaine I was smuggling. (Ha ha, April fools joke!) But they wanted to scan the bottom of my feet, then forgot to!!! Duh. I was sitting next to a very nice couple, however, so that helped. They had a chihuahua at home, too. Everyone is very impressed with what a good traveller Bindi is. Quiet, no pooing or peeing in the carrier.

Remember my mention of chronic Lyme disease in a blog posting? Well, in the Naples dog park, I had a conversation with a woman who has chronic Lyme, and the extraordinary efforts she is going through to cure herself. She did not know about the video I had seen. Funny how those coincidences occur.

Yesterday morning I had to pick up Camilla from the kennel at the vet, and she scolded me all the way home, and then some. I had stopped at Starbucks to get a tall double shot espresso skim milk latte, and the friendly young man (barista guy) behind the counter told me how he had broken his knee (the patella), showed me his surgery scar, etc. EVERYONE I talk to has a story about knee surgery, replacement, or hips, either themselves or their friend or their father/mother/sister/cousin. I remember I think seeing a billboard in Florida about an association that exists to help "preserve the health of your knees for a lifetime," but I didn't catch what it was. Knee replacement is epidemic esp. with the baby boomers, and we don't get preventative information yet, like we get about teeth. Used to be that it was common for older folks to loose their teeth, but now with care we can keep our teeth for a lifetime. Same approach should be applied to knees.

So I brought Camilla home, saw a client, then went to get a pre-op chest xray. On the way home from that I decided to get a manicure. Stopped at one place and the chemical smell was overwhelming so I had to leave. Acrylics. Those women are losing a bunch of brain cells, I'm sure. Went next door to a really great place, and got my nails done. As they were drying, another woman who worked there gave me a ten minute neck and shoulder rub. Amazing, except for the fact that I could not feel it. This has been happening to me with massage lately. I can't feel the relief from it. I wonder what that means.

A quick stop at the natural foods store, then home again. Tired. Today I have the pre-op exam with my primary care doc, then have to pick up my glasses with the new lenses, then a therapy appt. I'm supposed to be going to the gym to do more strengthening, but I'm so tired.