Say What?

I don't like that I'm still talking about my rehab, but it's top-of-mind for me these days and will continue to be for a while, it seems. I went in for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) three weeks ago today because I wasn't progressing as I should have for being able to bend my knee due to excessive swelling that resulted in restrictive scar tissue that developed when my leg was immobilized. An MUA is a procedure where they sedate the person and bend their knee beyond the obstructive scar tissue developed after the surgery—scar tissue that prevents a person from getting a fuller bend in their knee.  It's a quick procedure that takes mere seconds to perform but is not something you want to have done to you while you're awake. The procedure went well. My doctor was able to force my knee to bend to a 130° range of motion (ROM) while I was under. He cautioned me not to expect to continue to achieve that ROM. He said my goal should be 110°-115°. I would prefer 120...

I'm stuck in a Groundhog Day scenario. Every day, I follow the same limited routine to fill my days. I'm speaking about my recovery from total knee replacement surgery six weeks ago. I should be getting on with my regular routine by now, filling my winter afternoons with stained glass projects, workouts, pup walks, fat bike rides along the river trails (that one may be a bit too ambitious for six weeks), or even driving myself to the store, but none of those things are happening because my recovery has not gone to plan.  We met with my doctor last Monday to discuss the minimal range of motion I'm left with after my surgery–about 65° of flexion. I've been stuck at this point for at least two weeks, and I should have re-established nearly my full range of motion by now. I need 90° of flexion before I can begin to ride my indoor bike trainer, and I need 90-120° to climb stairs comfortably. The 65° I'm left with is woefully inadequate for much other than limping around ...

Cliff turned one year old on Wednesday! He's been such a blessing in our lives, and we couldn't be more proud of the job Rachel and Drew have done. They're such good parents, always so engaged with Cliff as he explores his world. He's been crawling for over a month and is developing strong leg muscles as Drew shadows him while he takes on the challenge of climbing stairs. Walking can't be far off. I'm three weeks post-total knee replacement surgery, and to be honest, it's been a struggle. But this morning, I'm feeling the best I've felt since before surgery—markedly better. I also used a cane this morning rather than my walker for an appointment. I may be a little premature about the switch, but so far, so good. I think I'm still at least another ten days away from driving myself to appointments.  Excessive swelling in my knee has been the main hindrance to my recovery, but it is also improving. Much of the swelling I was contending with was from...

Tammy and I ignored the election results coverage for most of the evening. We were both burned out and needed a break. I went down to the basement and played pinball for a while, with the TV behind me tuned to MSNBC's election coverage. Pinball and election results have been a tradition of mine for many election nights. It became apparent early on that this would be much closer than I would have ever guessed. I'd seen his recent rallies at half-empty venues, with people walking out early due to Trump's incoherent ramblings about crime, immigrants, his enemies, Hannibal Lecter, etc. In contrast, Kamala's packed arenas were filled with energized supporters and a coherent, forward-looking message of hope for a better tomorrow. I couldn't imagine how the race was as close as the polls indicated.  I was sad to see the results working in favor of Trump. What are people thinking, I wondered. Didn't we have the best stock market and economy in the world? Didn't Bide...

Oscar and Rudy have been with us for four months, and I can say with certainty that they're living their best lives. Lazy mornings spent lounging in bed (not that I ever did that much) are gone. I'm up before the sun every morning to let them out and fix their food bowls before heading out on a 2-mile (3.2 km) walk with them. It's a nice routine, but I must adjust my late-night TV viewing to get to bed at a more reasonable time. It's worth it, though. These little guys are happy in their new home . Tammy will be tasked with the early morning duties in a few weeks when I go for knee replacement surgery. I'm dreading the disruption to our routine this will cause, but we'll get through it. My mother would have been 96 years old today had she still been with us. This photo of her  (May 4th, 2015) was taken on her last outing before she became ill and had to be admitted to the hospital and then to a senior care facility, where she spent months trying to regain her he...

We spent much of last week with friends in Door County , Wisconsin. Door County (a 5 1/2 hour drive from Minneapolis) is a touristy area northeast of Green Bay on a peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan. It was Tammy's and my first visit to the area. The peninsula is crowded with vacationers during the summer months, but with diminished numbers as the weather cools, most stores already have abbreviated off-season hours. One restaurant/bar owner we spoke with in Fish Creek said he will be closing soon for the winter and heading south for Florida until springtime.  We'll return to Door County before long to make some more memories .  I had a physical therapy appointment a few days ago for a follow-up about the patellar tendonitis I've been dealing with in both knees since last December. Since stopping riding more than five weeks ago, the condition has noticeably improved. I'm reluctant to begin riding again, though, preferring to remain off my bikes to ensure that I won...