On August 12, 2013, Just five months ago, I had my right knee replacement surgery done.   It was very successfull.   I want to apologize because I did want to write something a bout it, and I do have a little bit of it in a book that I was writing in.  I will be having my left knee replacement done on February 10, 2014.   I promise that I will try and write about it.  

With my right knee I was in the hospital from Monday to Thursday morning.   The first week I had a healthcare nurse come in, and checked my vitals, and did physical therapy with me.  I developed a rash on my right leg, and had to see the doctor for it.  He seems to think it was something he used to prep me for surgery.  I was already on antibiotics for my ear infection and I had to go another 10 days for my rash.  It did finally disapear and went away.  After about a full week with the physical therapist at home I started out patient physical therapy at a local rehab place that was close to home.   I had two months of therapy.  I totally enjoyed doing the excercises and the therapist working my muscles to get my leg moving again.   I released on October 27th. 

  So I hope you will enjoy the story as I tell it.  

At this point we were preparing for a trip to Pensacola that I have been looking forward to since Tina and Todd moved there.   So I want to write about it.  So the next couple of blogs I will posting pictures and writing about our trip.

    Tina took us out to eat.   We had our

Fajitas for two, and She had

Chemis.  They were good followed by

Some Fried ice cream.    It was all yummy!!!!!!

Today I have deceded that its only four more days before my surgery.  So decided to enjoy the day,

This morning I took a shower, and got ready to go see my friend Jan.   At 10 am I usually go over there and talk about what is going on in her life and what her daughter says etc.

I filled her in on my upcoming Surgery and told her about the medication I am taking.   We left to go to the mexican restaurant and seen a waitress we haven’t seen in a while.   She was working that day and filling in for another waitress.  We had our usual taco salad, and since we have plans to go shopping.  So I called Larry to come and pick up his lunch.    I told them I will not be coming in the next couple of weeks because I am having knee replacement surgery.   I don’t know if he told anyone else there.

After we went shopping Jan and I went to walmart.  I picked up some yarn and she stayed close to the front. and a few other things I needed.

I finished up the laundry and put it way.   I packed my suitcase for the hospital.  I need to put my tennis shoes in their because doctor wants me wear them in the hospital, instead of sandles, or flip flops.   So that means wearing my tennis shoes are very important.  I gathered most of the toiletries that I can use in the hospital.   Its just a small amount, but that is good.

At about 9:30 pm we left to go to the airport to pick up Tina.  She is photographing  a wedding.   she is sharing the responsiblities with another photographer.

It was so nice to have Tina here.   We stayed up until midnight and talked.

Today was a special day. We ate breakfast.  We made fruit smoothies. Tina and I went and put gas in the car.   We walked around Sam’s club and also at Walmart.   At Sam’s club we walked around and checked out different things.  Then before we left we had pizza and a drink.   Then we went to Walmart and walked around there.    We went there to see Jan but she wasn’t on the floor or she was working somewhere else.

We had lunch around 1 pm.  We had bought some salad and a sandwich and brought it home.   Larry had his sandwich at noon, Tina and I had our salad at 1 pm.

After we ate, then she got ready to go to the wedding.   She left around 2:15.  And she got where she had to go at 3:15.

For dinner we had fish and potatoes and veggies.

While she was gone, I got my prescription meds together, and worked on my meds for the week as well. finished packing my suitcase and did somethings around the house.  It was a nice and relaxing day.

She got home around 10pm.  Tina showed us her pictures of the wedding.

Today I started Laundry.  I usually start it one day and fold and put it away the next day.   I decided to do it a little later in the week because I don’t want to run out of clothes and we will have to do laundry once I am home from the hospital.  So working on that.

Since our daughter Tina is flying back here tomorrow I got her bed ready for her to sleep in tomorrow night. And cooling down her room for they are having air conditioning problems in their new home. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.   I know when it gets hot and miserable, everybody can be cranky  and bent out of shape.   I feel so bad for them and wish there was something we could do to help them with his terrible thing.

I worked on cleaning out the refrigerator and it looks really good now.  Except I do have to clean a couple of holders in the door, and I will do that tomorrow morning.

Larry went to pick up a prescription for me that I have to use 5 days before surgery.   Last week I was tested for mrsa, the test results showed I didn’t have it.  But the medicine that I am taking goes in my nose and I believe it is to prevent mrsa to happen.   I figure since I was in the hospital about a month ago, that is why they are testing me for it, and having me to preventative measures so I don’t get it.

The highlight of the day is my three north carolina grandchildren which figured how to call me on Skype.  So today they have called me two times  today.   I think its cute and it will help me through my knee replacement surgery while I am recovering.   Here are a few pictures I took today of them while they were on Skype today.

My Granddaughter figured out how to do skype so they called me again. and they were making googley eyes. Silly kids.

Grandson with a nice toothless smile!!!!

action picture of my grandson jumping off the chair.

grandkids standing on their heads

Little three year old showing grandma how she can do a headstand.

I went to the orthopedic Doctor today.  We discussed the surgery.  And we asked questions.   Everything looked good on my test and it looks like my surgery will be on Monday August 12th.    He said it takes about an hour in half but with being in the recovery room and getting ready for the surgery it would be 2 1/2  to 3 hours.  I will be in the hospital 2 to 3 days.   I was concerned about the steps.  He told me he had no problem with me going up steps which, in my house the main floor level is upstairs.  He wants me to stay upstairs once I am up.  He said he does not want me to lay in bed all the time, and I need to get up and move around.  So that means getting up to use the bathroom and taking showers and eating at the table.  He gave me three prescriptions.  One that I have to start on Wednesday before my surgery.  Pain meds which we are going to wait and a blood thinner I will take after I get home from the hospital.   He did forget but we will ask him for something to help with my stomach problem with taking pain meds which upsets my stomach.   Larry should have all of that for me when i get home.  And he also gave me a handicap license which we got today.

After we were done at the Doctor we went to Sam’s club and picked up the prescription that I have to start taking tomorrow.  And I went to walmart and got some things I needed.  Now I feel like I am almost ready.   Tomorrow we will be doing some more things to get ready.

On August 12, 2013 I am scheduled for my knee replacement surgery.   So we are less than 2 weeks away.  So we are basically preparing for the big day.    On Tuesday I got a call from the surgical nurse.  We went over my medical history and the medicines I am taking.  And talked a little bit of what to expect while I am in the hospital.   She also asked me if I would like to go to a class on joint surgery.   I told her yes.   The class was on thursday from 9-10.  I knew that I was going to have full day.

So today was the day.  at 8:15 I had a Dr’s appointment for my pre-op surgery.   I had an ekg and a physical, and blood test, and also a test for Mursa.      I had another test and it showed that I may have a bladder infection, or UTI or a kidney infection.  I probably will know tomorrow the results.   I also have an ear infection as well.  So Doc put me on Antibiotics today and hopefully it will take care of it before I have my surgery. And a referral to see an ENT specialist after I am feeling better from my surgery.

I decided since I was at the hospital for that class, I should just go ahead and get my x-rays done.   So my next stop was to check into the hospital and go to x-ray.    I had my knee x-rayed and my chest x-ray.  both x-rays were for different doctors so I had to wear two wrist bands.   That didn’t take to long.

While I was getting my x-rays done, Larry went to Sam’s club to pick up my prescription for antibiotics.   He bought a few other things too.   By the time I was done with the x-rays and walked back to my car, Larry was there waiting for me.

Then our next stop was to go to the Verizon store.  So we took one vehicle over there.   They Verizon store got Larry’s phone number on his new phone.  It’s the same one he had. which I was hoping that they could do that.   They could not activate mine I had to go on-line to get it activated.   After we were finished there Larry brought me back to get my car from the hospital and we went home.

Usually on thursdays is the day that I spend with my neighbor Jan.   So I had told her a couple of days ago I would be late coming over.  So I got home put my papers in the house and headed over to Jan’s.   We left to go to the Mexican restaurant for our usual Taco Salad.  Then we went over to the AT&T phone store so she could get her ringer turned up to loud.  Because she cannot hear her phone ring.

After we were done there we went over to JC Penny’s to look around.  By the time we were ready to go, I was so tired.    So on the way home from her house I was falling asleep.

When I got home, I decided to take a nap.  So slept for about an hour.

I got on line and got my new phone turned on.   And my old verizon phone fell completely apart so its not working anymore.

Then Larry had a sandwich to eat , and I had my fruit smoothy for dinner.   After dinner we headed over to a 2nd hand store, that had two arm chairs and they were 6.99 a piece.  One of the things that we learned from the class is to get an arm chair which would be easier for me to get up and down.  So we went over to that place but they had been sold already.  So I will continue to go back there and check again.  I know we will be able to pick something else.

The rest of evening I have been talking on my cell phone.  Texting my friends and family.

We are less then 2 weeks from my total knee replacement surgery.   This morning the Nurse called me from the hospital.  We talked 15 minutes.  We went over my perscription meds and vitamins I am taking.  And 5 days before my surgery I cannot take certain meds.  So she went over that with me.

Then we talked about my hospital stay.  I will be there for two days.   My surgery is at 1:50 pm on Monday August 12, 2013.   I will have to be there 2 hours early so will have to be there around noon.   I have to bring my tennis shoes so that I can walk in the hospital.  I have to have my walker.  For at home I will be needing some important things as well.  So I will be going to shop for them before I go in.

On thursday I will be going to my doctor for the pre-op surgery physical.   Where I will get a complete physical.  After we are finished there we will be heading to the hospital for a class which is called joint class.  We will get a tour and learn some things about what they will do and give us more information.  So while I am there then I have decided to go ahead and get my xrays of my knee done, and my chest xray.   So that is what we will be doing on Thursday.

We also got new phones and we are changing our phone company to verizon.   I am not sure what it will involve.   Last week I bought a new prepaid phone for my birthday.  And Caleb gave me a prepaid phone as well.   So on thursday we will try and see if we can get our phones activated.  And hopefully Larry will be able to keep his same phone number,. and I will keep my verizon phone number.

this post was written on July 30, 2013 and posted the next day.