How to be a Warrior

While I might not be the best person giving out advice on how to be a warrior I can speak to being a part time warrior. I'm only two weeks out from major surgery (did I say major?), I'm so very much ahead of where I was when I had the last knee done, I'm feeling much more confident and strong, but I can't seem to maintain my warrior behavior for a full day. Part time warrior it is.

Ditched the walker, onto the cane. Warrior!

At physical therapy I did 15 minutes on the treadmill. Warrior!

Another 9 minutes on the bike. Warrior!

An additional 35 minutes working on the balance board, doing calf work, and lifting weights. Warrior!

20 more minutes hooked up to the electrical stimulation machine with ice on my knee. Sweating like crazy, hair dripping, trying to catch my breath. Not so warrior-ish.

Headed right to the doctor. Sat in the waiting room and tried to keep myself from throwing up. (You ever work out so hard you throw up? Yeah, I had that going. Non-warrior-ish.) But I didn't puke. Warrior!

Watched as they took out each one of my staples. They have this little tool that reaches under the staple, puts pressure on the top of the staple and bends it, which then helps it pop out from the skin. Warrior!

Took pictures for you. Warrior!

Went back to the Boise place, let the kitty out for some outside visitation. (No more unsupervised visitation for her.) Took a pain pill. (Non-warrior.) Walked into the backyard with no cane. Warrior!

In my pajamas, tucked into bed by 1:00 in the afternoon, napping for a few hours. Kitty and I are both done being warriors for the day.  

And now...how can you be a warrior? All you have to do is look at these next pictures, pretend you were there with me, and you can call yourself a warrior, too! 

She's Tired

Pain pills are making me tired. What is kitty's excuse?

I am a Warrior

Or at least I felt like one today.

This morning I walked - without the walker - into physical therapy. I walked in there with my bandage off, my line of staples showing. Parked myself on the treadmill where I did 10 minutes. Did the rest of my exercises (okay, not so easy) but felt like a warrior every time I looked down at the staples. Warrior at therapy.

Son-in-law, hubby, and I went to a restaurant for lunch. Downtown at noon, parallel parking scarce. I got out of the car, stood on the curb, staples showing, and directed my driver into a very tight parking spot. Warrior on the sidewalk.

I walked - again without the walker - to the restaurant. Looking at those staples as we sat outside waiting for a table. Warrior.

After coming home, taking some pain medicine, icing the knee, and taking a nap I still felt like a warrior. Even more so after I hooked myself up to my TENS unit.

Warrior? Maybe Frankenstein.

Eat, Sleep, Drink, Repeat

I could be talking about myself and how I spend my days but I'm really talking about the cat. Her two day off-campus adventure has left her focusing on the basics. Eating, sleeping, drinking. Mostly sleeping. And continuing to pull out her fur. Her belly is almost naked.

Looked What the Cat Dragged In

Herself!

Two worrisome days later missy decides to show up at the Boise place. A little dirtier, a little skinnier, and a little hungrier. Hopefully she's also a little wiser. 

CPM Machine

A CPM (continuous passive motion) machine is a device that is used to gently flex and extend the knee joint. A knee replacement patient can spend several hours a day in this machine. The foot rests in the end and the leg is placed along the length of the machine. When turned on the machine bends and straightens the knee again and again and again.

It doesn't look too painful with all the cushioned, soft padding. But let me tell you, being strapped in the machine for FOUR HOURS EVERY DAY is not so fun. What else isn't so fun? Physical therapy. One week with a new joint and a couple dozen staples running down the knee and I'm walking on a treadmill? Doing exercises on a balance board? Ouchy!

But it'll all be worth it when I can walk again. I continue to be hopeful for the future and grateful for the present.

Torn

I'm torn about today's picture. Do I put up the über-cool X-ray taken at the doctor's office today? The new knee joint, the rebuilt kneecap, the awesome looking staples holding the incision together?

Or do I put a picture of an empty porch? The same porch I took a picture of yesterday, only this time minus the cat? Ms. Too-Big-For-Her-Britches Country Cat-turned-City Cat decided to wander a little too far this morning. How far? We're not quite sure, but it must have been a ways because she has yet to wander back home. And she had been so good about sticking close by the Boise place! I'm still holding out hope that she'll return so I'll wait on the empty porch picture.

So let's go with something more interesting.