Flora, Fauna, and Food

Hibiscus 

Flowers they use to make leis. 

Lily pad flower unopened and opened. 

Eel. Ick. 

Some orange-beaked bird. And another bird and another. 

Huge koi and a monster koi. 

Coffee plant with a close up picture, too. 

The flakiest, tenderest, tastiest fish and chips I've ever had. (We've had a lot so we should know.)

Rib eye, hamakua mushrooms, mahimahi, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, baby chard. A huge portion - this is only half the order. Hubby had the other half. And I didn't finish mine.

Ice team with lemon? Nope, they served it with pineapple.

Pupu platter. Kilauea BBQ wings, kalua pork quesadilla, Maui wowie onon rings.

PT in HI

For me to be able to take this trip I had to be motivated to keep up with my physical therapy. And motivated I am.

Today's physical therapy in Hawaii consisted of:
Treadmill, 22 minutes, almost 3/4 mile.

(Treadmill view, 6:00 AM)


Bike 15 minutes.

Morning walk to the beach.

A swim in the infinity pool.

An afternoon walk to the beach.


Yep, got my PT in HI. In Waikoloa on the Big Island to be exact. Anyone would be motivated to rebuild the strength in their knee here!

A Day of Clues

Long live my suck-the-marrow life.

Today is a set of clues with new pictures posted throughout the day. Keep checking back!

Clue #1, 6:07 AM

Clue #2, 7:48 AM

Next clue...ever see an airport like this? 

Clue #4...Different shades of lava flows with the ocean in the background.

Clue...open-air hotel lobby.

Ever see such a gorgeous place to stay and play for a week? Any guesses where we are sucking the marrow? Clue...no passports required.

You're Right Debbie, I Can Do It!

I had gone my whole life without knowing or even meeting another person named Debbie. Even at work, for years I was the only Debbie. But not anymore. Now the school district where I work has four Debbies. Four working at the same place in one tiny town.

This post goes to one of the Debbies - Debbie D. - and the crew who thinks I'm doing great. Thank you! Despite my complaining I know I can make it through with the knee. Just look what has happened with my weight loss over the last three months.

Over the course of the last seven months I've managed to have lost 122 pounds (as of today). Thanks to all the Debbies and non-Debbies who cheer me on!

Whiny Monday Morning

When my alarm went off early this morning it jolted me awake. I'd had another rough night tossing and turning with an achy knee. And a bawling cat that wanted outside. And a snoring hubby. And a hot bedroom.

I sat there on the edge of the bed after the alarm jolt. Sat there for quite some time, my head full of negative thoughts.
Why me?
Why do I have to be in pain all the time?
Why is this knee taking so long to get better?
How come I'm the only one that has to work so hard to just function normally?
How is it that at the age of 49 I've already had 12 surgeries?
Why do I have to go to physical therapy?
Why do I have to work so hard at physical therapy?

I'm tired.
I'm tired of pain.
I'm tired of working.
I'm tired of working through the pain.
I don't know if I can do it anymore.

It's not fair.

Despite the thoughts in my head before my feet touched the ground, I got up, got dressed, and got to therapy. I did all my required work with a cheery imposition. No one would have known about those few minutes of negativity that faced me earlier in the day.

Yes, I'm tired. But I can do it. The pain lessens a bit every day. The joint is healing - and muscles are strengthening - at a faster rate than the last time 'round. All this pain and hard work is going to pay off in a big way. I'm going to have two good knees for the first time in 30 years. (5 of my 12 surgeries have been on my knees.)

Pity party over. No more whining.

Especially no whining on Wednesday. That day is going to rock! It'll be almost as cool as my scar. Awesome, right?

My Temporary Life

Strawberry Greek yogurt with chocolate protein powder for breakfast. Either an apple or banana with peanut butter for snack. Plain tuna fish with five Ritz crackers for lunch. Whatever I can get for dinner. Depending on the day it could be beef jerky, a taco, or a piece of birthday steak. Water. Crystal Light. Lots of physical therapy. Treadmill, bike, balance board work, calf work, leg raises, weights, wall squats. Pain pills thrown in here and there. Sleep, no sleep. From the bed to the office chair to the camp chair outside. Supervise the cat's outside visitation. Don't supervise the cat's visitation.

She's doing quite a nice job of being outside by herself and sticking close. Thank goodness because closed doors sure aren't her favorite thing. Just check out her work when the bedroom door is closed.

And yep, it's all temporary. Things are about to get interesting. 

Nap+Steak+Strawberries=49 years

At home in Marsing.  Washed store-bought strawberries in the morning.

Took a good afternoon nap with me asleep in my own bed and kitty sleeping on the headboard.

Kiddo broiled me a delicious steak for my dinner. 

And those strawberries from the morning became my dessert after dinner. A light version of strawberry pie, made with sugar free jello. 

A great birthday dessert for someone who, on her 49th birthday, has lost 118 pounds and is still on the move. Thanks kiddo for making today a special day for me!

Are We There Yet?

Kiddo took me (and kitty) home to Marsing for a couple days. I'm certain kitty's only thought was whether we were there yet. 

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.

City Cat

While it's been hot here (100 degrees +) I've made sure to get outside everyday. One day I walked to the corner and back to exercise my knee but mostly I just walk back and forth in the driveway and do a good bit of sitting in the shade. Each time we go out we make sure the kitty comes outside, too.

Our kitty has always been a country cat. But now that we have her in Boise with us I guess she can call herself a city cat. Although she's not into exploring much of the neighborhood. In fact, she doesn't move too far off the porch.

My Partner

We have kitty with us in Boise this time. She must think she's my caregiver because she's snuggling about as close an anyone - human or animal - could get. You can barely see my eyes peeking out from behind her head. Guess she missed me.

Staples

I got to leave the hospital today! Before I left they changed the dressing on my knee and I got a picture of what was underneath. A HUGE warning here. If you don't like gross, please don't look at today's picture of the staples in my knee. If you think you can handle it, go for it.









Again, a warning...don't look if you don't like gross.










If you don't want to see the 24 staples, stop now or you might be sorry.










Last chance.










Last, last chance to back out.










For those who think they can stomache it, here's what I've got down my right knee.

New Program

New program, new procedure so says the doctor. This was my 7th surgery with him and the recovery with this one has been the most surprising.

Everyday I see him he keeps touting this new program he has for his knee replacement patients. Get 'em done and send them home. When I heard some patients go home the same day or the next day I couldn't believe it. But now that I'm three days into it here at the hospital I get it.

It's amazing. I don't know if he used a different implant or different drugs or different procedure or different rehab schedule but it's working. The comparison between my last knee replacement and this one is night and day. How can I tell this new knee is amazing?

With the walker I've walked the hospital hallways several times in the past couple days.
I've climbed up and down stairs without assistance.
I stood on my own two feet (and own two knees) and brushed my teeth.
I've taken a shower with no help.
I can get myself in and out of bed without needing to hold onto the walker.
I'm able to get myself dressed, bending and straightening my knee as necessary.

And all those things happened with little pain. Yes, I'm taking a slew of drugs as evidenced by yesterday's picture but obviously those pills are working. Tomorrow I'm on my way outa here. I was supposed to go to a rehab center for a couple weeks, but I've progressed so well they now won't take me. (Guess I shouldn't have worked so hard in therapy here!) So it'll be off to our place in Boise where kiddo and son-in-law can help me get to therapy as it'll be some time before I can drive again.

I knew it was going to be a good day when I awoke to a pretty sunrise out my window.

Pills

Surgery went well and recovery is going well. I've been up walking (with the walker, of course). The only down side is the number of pills I'm having to take to make recovery happen. This handful, plus another pill, plus a liquid, plus two more medications in the IV, all multiple times a day. Kinda rough on my little tummy. But I have a new knee so it'll be worth it!