17 October 2015 continued

Yes it snowed today.

Still snowing under the lights.

Now the outdoor lights are off so I have no idea what is going on outside and I'm not getting up to look as the machine has another 35 or so minutes to go. The hellbender, as Cheryl Wild in Grove City, PA calls it, exercises the leg and knee. I have to increase the angle by 5° every use and use it for two hours three times a day. The goal is 120°. I'm at 80° at the moment. When I step it up to 85 I may have trouble with it pulling on the staples.  More swelling may go down overnight tho. One of the nurses tonight said she's surprised how little swelling remains.

I've been surprised at the variety of knee replacement therapies friends have had. One in Austin, TX got right out of bed and was out and about two days later. She's a better man than I with pain apparently. The staff here is very defensive about their orthopedist Frndak. They believe he's the best in the nation. All I know about him is it takes three months to get an appointment just to see him and he's going away for several months soon. This would have happened well into 2016 had I waited.

I went down the hall to eat with a couple of older men tonight. They are from Linesville. Both suffered falls. One of them had an eye like mine a few weeks back.

Randal visited earlier today and Shirley visited this afternoon. I'm surprised I'm not bored.

I've had trouble getting my Percocet on time so the therapist said I should take two for the time being. I can't get my leg to lie as flat as it did at Edgewood. The bed doesn't help. I got an extra pillow to put under my foot forcing the knee down farther. Hopefully that and stronger meds will remedy that situation soon. Everyone is surprised how well I walk.

Hope I can remember that pill time is near 12, 4 and 8. Trying to figure out how to set an alarm to remind me.

Meanwhile my A1c is 6.0 which I think is down a bit. My triglycerides are slightly too high but the rest are good. Being able to walk should help. My glucose has been just nuts as has my blood pressure. Nobody seems worried.

17 October 2015

Here we go again. I need to learn how to deal with the hospital staff. My pain med is now two hours overdue even tho I asked for it. I know what to do in the evening but not during the daytime. I hate to really borrow the nurses but I don't want them to get in the way of my recovery. Once I figure out their schedules I can fit in. The night staff has already done that. Here she comes with an apology. I  understand that hospital nurses are overworked and often unappreciated.

The egg situation is similar. A tiny portion. It's the only meat option for breakfast. At least I have cream cheese for the English muffin. And a large dish of unripe melon. the decaf coffee is drinkable. I wish I had my fiber stuff to put in it. Lots of stuff to work out here.

Grove Street for rehab, 16 October 2015

Just met my new doctor, Dr. Nam. A very quiet, sweet guy who asked me all sorts of weird questions about my background and family. He is an American of Korean descent.

And I got the next pain pill. The pain is slowly going back to tolerable. I'll go to the head and see if I can walk again.

I think I need to do a Rod and take selfies. I'll be here long enough.

The sandwich I got really stinks. I can't tell what it is supposed to be. I think it has very strong onions. A couple of graham crackers would be best.

The TV is fixed fortunately. It's nice to be back to Erie TV. Looks like there is snow on the weathermap. Exciting. But I don't have to be out in it.

It is weird to be in a nightgown for a change. Nice.

Knee surgery 13 October 2015

The surgery was on 13 October. These photos were taken on Thursday, 15 October. The physician was Dr. Stuart Anderson and was done at Edgewood Surgical Hospital in Transfer, PA, south of Greenville.

One thing I do not want in my house is more stuff. But I'll be going home with more stuff for which there is no place. sigh. My temperature is all over the lot. Last night it was 101. I would have known if I had a fever like that. The night nurse measured 98.8 so she and I think the ear thermometer is nuts. Something to check out this morning. I have this little blue plastic breathing thing I'm supposed to use regularly. It supposedly keeps my temp regulated. I like it. I think it is actually improving my breathing. I can use it any time. That is one stuff I will be happy to have. I don't want the toilet and I won't need it. I never use the supports on the regular one here. The walker is all I need. My pot at home is tall and my kiddie size walker will fit in my bathroom.

I have some pain today. I may have to go back to two pills. It takes much effort to lift my leg and my body doesn't want to do it but I lift anyhow. I wish there were a scale here but there isn't in the hospital. Maybe I can talk the trainer into going to the other part on my walk this morning. 

I've laughed at the meals here for good reason. Tiny portions of foods which don't raise glucose level yet a largish bag of potato chips? At least I'm getting plenty of veggies and fruit. The decaf coffee is drinkable and available whenever I want it tho I only drink it in the morning beginning at 5 am. I'm amused that I can have regular ginger ale with my meals - a tiny can of it but that's all I need.

The nurses know what they are doing. They have five patients each and, due to the nature of the hospital, have plenty of experience with everything. Makes me feel even sorrier for regular hospital nurses.