Knee-ding Improvement

Medina’s best-known knee replacement is nearing the end of its recovery.�� This also means that having people listen to my whining is also nearing its end.

My disability leave ended last week.�� I am back to work and getting around without canes, crutches, or walkers.�� I walk slowly and sometimes limp a little.�� This is only to prove to my co-workers that I had something done.

I’m not sure which was the easier part of disability: being confined to a chair 95% of the time and having people wait on me at the beginning, or being able to move around but then having to get a lot of things myself later on.�� I guess the first part.�� “It is good to be king.” – Mel Brooks.

In the first month it was not easy for me to move around so I sat in my chair all day.�� I was covered by four blankets because we had one of our coldest winters ever and I was too lazy to get up and turn up the heat.�� It was nice and cozy.�� The only downfall was the buildup of ice on my blanket just below my chin.�� Visitors questioned why I had an ice scraper next to me.

I didn’t spend the whole 24 hours each day in a chair.�� I had to exercise my knee three times a day.�� There were the annoying telemarketing calls to be answered every other hour.�� And my lunch didn’t make itself.�� So, some rain DID fall into my sedentary life.

Trips to physical therapy were also on my weekly calendar.�� Three times each week I went.�� I now know how prisoners felt centuries ago when they first entered a medieval torture chamber.�� There are no candy machines, hot tubs or wet bars as I hoped.�� Just lots of things for stretching, moving, stretching, wrenching and stretching.�� I didn’t mind the rack too much, but being drawn and quartered was uncomfortable.

Here’s a tip for those that need to do physical therapy exercises at home: always perform your exercises when family or visitors are around.�� They will be impressed with your motivation and feel obligated to get you something when you ask them.�� Be like your mother, toss a guilt trip their way!

I really didn’t have too many highlights during my leave.�� I mean, how much can happen in a recliner?�� I definitely had some low points, though.�� I had a tooth pulled.�� And another tooth, which was cracked, needed filling.�� Remind me to send a 1099 form to my dentist.

Our dog got hit by a car, too.�� Because I was home “doing nothing” I became her home health care worker.�� I had to give her physical therapy three times a day, feed her, and make trips to the vet.�� Several.�� And let me tell you, after the operations, we now own the most expensive dog in the county.�� I have a game going – whenever someone asks how much the operations have cost I reply “I’ll give you three guesses, and your last guess will still be low.”�� So far, I haven’t lost.�� Well, I haven’t lost my game, but I think I’ve lost respect with my friends for how much we spent on a dog.

So, all in all, my knee is improving each day.�� That’s good.�� I’m also back to work.�� That’s not.�� But that’s a blog for another time…