Slow Gains

  I have been sporadic in my journaling as I have been just trying to get through each day doing my rehab. This past week I had to return to work as they were refusing to let me use my sick days and didn’t pay me for the summer. I had to switch my physical therapy location to Rocky Point. Thankfully I have had experience with that Metro Physical Therapy. No matter the location, torture is the endgame— and of course this is necessary for my recovery. I have been trying to do my physical therapy while at work. I have walked around a couple of different blocks at Roosevelt. Definitely not as pleasant an area as back in Ridge. Thankfully, I survived the week. I am thankful for making it. I am getting a bit discouraged, but I will stay the course. I just pray that I receive some encouragement as my knee is not getting as straight as it should. I have maintained my steps and my strength training, I am grateful, just a bit discouraged. I need some divine help. God bless you my friends!

Progressing

  It takes time to recover from knee replacement surgery.  Since my last post, I have made progress. My range of motion has begrudgingly improved. I try to do between 10 thousand and 12 thousand steps a day— Lord willing! I have kept up with my strength work and added a set of 6 real bench presses and a set of 12 dumbbell curls. Just enough to stimulate and to compliment my band training. I also do the fabulous 40 for my ab workout. My pain is better managed at this point. It makes life more pleasant and endurable. I still don’t feel quite myself. It seems strange not being at work at the beginning. My job does not have good sick time, so I am trusting the Lord to be impacted only minimally. I am grateful for being able to drive short distances. Thank you Lord!

Adjustments

 I went through a period the last few days of extreme pain. I was living an existence of survival. I cut my steps back to 8000 a day, since I was hurting so bad. I was still getting in my physical therapy, which is now more rigorous. I have been emptying the dehumidifier each night, doing a set of the ab exercise the fabulous forty. The band upper body training has been helpful. 

    I had to continually reach out to my medical staff to try to get help with my pain. I eventually found out that my pain medication should have been extended. At this stage of my recovery, it is medication that makes the activity possible. It’s sad that so many people abuse these medications, because when they are used properly, they are life savers. I’m just glad that I am no longer in pain. Life was miserable. God bless you friends!

Turning a New Leaf

 Today I started my outpatient physical therapy. It’s good for me since I was getting mentally stale doing my physical therapy for in home PT. This physical therapy is more strengthening exercises and not as much flexibility— although the flexibility exercise is definitely more intensive. Being alone so much is definitely taxing my psyche. When I’m not alone it’s a bunch of people hanging out at my house. This is so difficult for me. My body is aching most of the time and that combined with all the folks not really caring about me or my thoughts. I am cutting back on my steps this last couple of days. There is nothing like doing good old fashioned calisthenics to make the body sore. I do prefer these exercises to the exercises that I had been doing. I’m just trying to follow the directions of the professionals to get back to my old self. My father has called everyday which has buoyed my spirits. My daughter Rebekah has been extremely helpful. I have had some good talks. I will try to to touch base soon. God blog friends!