18 October 2015

Grea-at day! So far. Big goal met so I'm a bit lighter. And my leg bent to 102 and straightened to 7 which was so much better than the 15 last night. So 18° and 7° to go. Hopefully swelling is part of that. There are finally the outlines of a knee. There is still much muscular pain. And according to the therapist a lot of blood to be eliminated. The extensive bruising reminds me of my encounter with the bird feeder years back. I can probably find that photo if anyone is really curious. My entire lower leg and part of the upper are covered with "bruises" which are actually just leaked blood. Pretty impressive.

The sun has revealed itself again. Pretty trees outside my window. Weatherpeople say the temperature Tuesday will be 20°F warmer than today. Northwestern Pennsylvania fall. Means nothing to me I guess. All night there were huge snowflakes illuminated orange by the streetlight just in time for Halloween. At one point I really wanted another photo and had the nurse close the door which was reflected in the window. Of course it quit snowing then and for the rest of the night when I was awake. I didn't look to see or ask if the white stuff had accumulated at all here in town.

Breakfast included a bagel on which I could put real butter thanks to Shirley. Bronnie brought some too so now I'm set. I don't eat the phony stuff. And there was a real serving of eggs this morning. I wish there were some sort of breakfast meat on the menu but there isn't. The meals are good.

I rarely order anything with gravy out because the stuff is usually very salty and sometimes full of MSG. I suspect the kitchen got complaints about this meal. I wrote them a note saying how pleased I was. The gravy was tasty and the pork was fork tender. The asparagus was just right and so were the potatoes. The taste is good to me but probably not to others who prefer the taste of seasonings to the taste of the real food. I wrote a note to the kitchen people. Then just now the dietician came to collect the menu and it is a gal who used to sing in my kids choir. I've been thinking about her but I was under the impression that she had moved away. I had supper with her cousins in San Antonio in June.

The local priest visited and brought me communion even tho she isn't my priest. She witnessed a disagreement with a nurse and taught me what I need to do to get around that. We don't know if there is a communications problem or a staff problem but I had to ask three times and wait half an hour to get the pain pill. Then she only gave me one. I now know how to work around her. She just introduced me to the next nurse. 

A therapist came around about 1:30, suggested I go on the machine at 2 and said she would come back. She reappeared at 2:40 but I had done what we had agreed to. She seemed surprised and pleased. I'm learning to not wait for these people. I wish I didn't have to be escorted to the bathroom.