phyllser

Good Morning! Bionic woman... yes! The littlest grandkids are calling me "Graminator".... which their father put in their little heads. I'm sure I will now set off the metal detectors. Though, the partial I have in my right knee rarely set them off. Horror story from DS's SIL.. she posted on FB that her partial has to be converted (which my surgeon has been telling me, too) and that she was told it is a much longer, bloodier, more complicated surgery with higher risk of infection and she has to donate some of her own blood! I would've expected it would be LESS complicated. But then I suppose they have to remove the hardware that is in there and start over. OH, well. My doc is just watching it for now. Karla, just you and I hanging out here so often lately! What's up with that?? Your self esteem issues are hard to understand because you're such an attractive woman who has accomplished so much!

LOL! I've done that a few times, too. Lettuce leaves, slice of onion, slice of tomato, some catsup and a burger!

Night time note: exercised twice today... may do the bed exercises once more when I go to bed... not too hard. Heel slide, leg lift, isometrics, etc. But I took my third walk of the day, and the longest. After Earl went to hot tub I decided to walk down and surprise him. It was a LONG walk! I set a goal of walking to the mailboxes by the end of this week and hot tub is at the close end of that building, so I will make it to the mail boxes by no later than Friday. I had to stop and rest for a couple of minutes when I got there. Then more ice and pain pill when I got back! I'm really trying to push it. I want to go south!! Janet.... I know I have at least two more weeks of in home PT. Suspect at the end of next week they'll put me on outpt PT. That won't be bad because there is a place I'm pretty sure I can use right across the street behind Target. I can ride over on my scooter. Probably have to do that at least 2 weeks. I'm not sure what the goals are... My guy, Sam, says 110 degrees flexion, I think. Yesterday he measured me at 97 degrees. I don't know if there are any other requirements. I see the doctor for my post-op check up on the 24th. Hoping to be released to go south no later than Oct. 15.... maybe sooner.

Find a place that has more SF flavors. I get a 16 oz almost every day.. FF, SF white chocolate/raspberry! Yummy!

So sorry, Denise. We went through similar things with our youngest son about 20 years ago and I know how awful it is. You've done all you can as parents. He's going to do what he's going to do until and unless something gets his attention. I'd say pray, pray, pray and turn him over to God. Back in those days, I could force him to give me a urine sample and take it to my doctor's office for drug screening. These days you can't get away with that because of the "privacy" laws. Our son used to disappear for days at a time. First time he did that I think he was only 14 or 15. I could tell you a lot of horror stories! He had drug problems for many years, but he's now 37 and holding a responsible job. Still drives me nuts, but seems to be on track. Knew exactly when my surgery date was and said he was coming up because he's been on a job in Idaho. Of course, he not only didn't show up but hasn't called since about a week before the surgery. And that call was to ask for money to send his son back to Spokane because he'd been in Idaho visiting him! UGH!! Hang in there! My thoughts and prayers are with you!

Have no idea.... just wondering if maybe?? Hey.... your package came today!! Thanks so much! That is so sweet. I'll enjoy going through all those mags! DH tried to confiscate the jerky!! NO WAY!! I managed a 1 1/2 hr excursion to costco today. Used my scooter when I got there. I tolerated a little over 1/2 hr in the store. Hurts to have my leg down that long but can't do anything or go anywhere until I get over that. Pain pill and ice when I got home. It was SO GOOD to get out! First time in the car since I came home from the hospital 11 days ago. Nurse was here a little while ago. Incision looks great, BP, temp, etc. all good. She had to go find me because I was way down the parking lot out of sight with my walker! She told DH I must be out looking for sailors! LOL! She'll be here one more time next week and I think I have at least two more weeks of in home PT before they send me to an outpt facility.

stress????

That's GREAT!! Just what I was thinking! Tolerated a 90 minute trip to Costco... then pain pill and ice wrap! Thought I could do Walmart, too, but after about 45 minutes in Costco I was ready to go home! Did all my exercises before we went. Nurse due here in less than an hour to check me out again. Don't think I really need nurse visits, but think in order to keep the PT guy coming they have to include nurse visits for Medicare to pay. At least that's what I'm guessing.

Good Morning! Nice sunny morning here. We'll enjoy it because "front" coming this way is supposed to bring us rain again tomorrow. Beautiful weather for Steph and Karri for their walk this weekend, though. Sure hope I can get down there to closing ceremonies, at least! Good night's sleep last night and feeling good today. So glad I was able to tolerate sitting outside with the neighbors at our Labor Day cookout yesterday.... I lasted an hour and a half. So today we are going to try a ride in the car... Costco run. Not that I mind the fact that we are out of groceries... it meant I got a different breakfast this morning!! LOL! I love my seafood omelets, but it was getting tiresome to have the same thing every day! So today I was served a small pancake with an over easy egg on top and one slice of bacon. OH!! It tasted SOOOO good! Nurse is coming at 2 pm, so I better get my butt in gear and do my exercises and get ready to go for my big excursion!! First time in the car since I came home from the hospital 11 days ago! Yes, Karla.... listen to Janet!! You are a beautiful woman. You need to look online for some exercises in improving your "self talk"!! Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative! And forget about tuna man... yeah, I didn't like his comment about overweight women, either. A TELLTALE sign of a superficial man who judges with his eyes. Needs to find himself a blonde bimbo, Barbie Doll type.. not a lovely, intelligent woman! (No offense to the blondes, but you get my drift!)

Thoroughly enjoyed my Labor Day cookout buffalo burger on a Sandwich Thin! Yummy!

You're TOOO funny! Can't think of any great lines, but if you already feel some rapport with "Tuna Man", I'm sure the conversation will flow freely! Relax. Have a glass of wine! Just spent an hour outside with the neighbors... having a picnic under the carport. Enjoyable visit and big accomplishment.. actually... I just looked at the clock.. it was over an hour and a half. Big accomplishment because it hurts to sit in anything but my recliner for that long. I first tried a foldking chair... then walked back inside and rode the scooter out instead... more options for resting my leg. Had it up on a chiar part of the time, chair rung, etc. Just kept changing positions.. and took a pain pill just before I went out. DH just came back in with me and got me situated in my recliner, leg up on pillows, ice wrap, and I told him to go back out and visit some more.

Did some pediatric nursing and trying to remember how we got the little ones to take their liquid meds! I think we used a syringe (no needle, of course-LOL), get it into the side of the mouth, shoot it into the cheek and someone hold the nose! Sounds awful, but it usually worked! Definitely takes two!! Works with dogs/cats, too!! Check out my ticker!! It moved again! Less than 5 lb from Onderland!

Good Morning! Happy Labor Day, everyone! It's cold here.... 60ish, and cloudy. Rained off and on all day yesterday. I did NOT feel good yesterday. Poor pain control, and no energy level all day. Not sure what it was.. not sick really. DS & DGS were here for a few hours visit after dropping DGD off at U of WA sorority house. Got a kick out of him.. he said last year after he dropped her off (she was a freshman) he had to sit in his car and compose himself before he could drive off. This year..... picture pumping the air with his fist with a loud resounding "YES"!! LOL! You know how it is when they live away from home for a while and then come back! Her little sister had a similar reaction... last year she was depressed when she left... This year... lets PARTTTTYYYY!! She is 12, I think... she and mom stayed home (San Jose area) and went shopping, to a movie, etc! At any rate, he wasn't looking forward to holiday weekend traffic, so they just stayed for a few hours and headed for Portland so they wouldn't have so far to drive today. If DGS gets any taller he won't be clearing our doorways! He just turned 16, HS jr and QB of his varsity football team for the 2nd year. I am SO GLAD he's so much bigger than he was last year. It was painful to watch those big linebackers flatten him! Slept very well last night which always makes a difference in how I feel in the morning! PT is coming in a couple of hours. I'm "icing" right now. Then breakfast. Then shower and go through my routine once before he gets here. UH..... check out my ticker!! Weighed on the Wii this morning. I am pretty psyched about that!! I am less than 5 lb away from "ONDERLAND"!!

non-scale victory

LOL! You're showing your age... got to keep up with these youngsters! They abbreviate everything! "Rents" = parents!! I'm still figuring these things out, too!

Hey... we are RVers, too. But we leave for the whole winter. We're in the Seattle area (condo), but will be leaving for southern CA where we'll spend the winter in Desert Hot Springs, as soon as the ortho surgeon releases me.

Yeah.. that's it! Like I say... I've had two since I heard about them earlier this summer as I don't often eat bread, but nice that they are available when we have a craving for some bread.

Doing good, Don. I have about 8 lb to go to get under 200. I had knee replacement surgery last week, so should be able to ramp up my exercise when I get through this rehab process!

I think the teeth look great, but you're the one that has to be happy with them. Yeah, our kids were born before they started letting dads in to the delivery room. Heck, Jodie was born at a Navy base and after Earl dropped me off at labor and delivery, they sent him to check me in and they didn't let him come back! We didn't even get to say goodbye! They called the dads on the phone after baby was born. I thought that was awful! He'd been with me all through labor with the first two and no one ever told me that the Navy did it differently! I was worried about our three little grandkids coming for the whole day on Thursday, but it was great. They played at our little playground for a while, Earl took the two oldest over to Albertson's with him and then the $1 store and let them buy something. And neighbor babysits her two grandkids over here some days.. they were here and the kids had a great time playing with them, too. Thomas didn't like Grandpa's pot roast, but oh, well. They got here at lunch time and stayed until just after dinner, so it was a LONG time. Oh, they played on the Wii for a while, too.

Lois, I don't tolerate bread very well and rarely eat it. But if we're out to dinner and there's something warm and tempting on the table, I may take a small piece... going for something crusty or crunchy. If I really want a sandwich I use the 45 calorie Sara Lee bread.. it's already thin sliced and then my DH will toast it for me and slice it right down the middle to make two slices. No matter what kind of bread I may eat, I always make sure I eat it super slowly and very small bites. Another suggestion, especially with the holiday weekend.. I believe it is Orowheat that has recently started marketing something that sort of looks like a skinny English muffin or hamburger roll. I'm going to get some for a neighborhood picnic we're having on Monday so I can have a hamburger. Sorry I can't think of their official name, but you probably can find them.

Yeah, I am REALLY pumped this morning because I woke up feeling so GOOD! Minimal pain, leg didn't threaten to cave when I took my first step of the morning, no stiffness. Just absolutely GREAT! Incision looks really good. Earl is freaking because of the steri strips. He wants to cover it all up with a new dressing. He wants to wrap my leg in saran wrap when I take my shower. He's not handling the new configuration very well at all. He sees a couple of the steri strips starting to come loose at the edges. He's a basket case but I think it's GREAT!! So are you back from your solo camping trip?? You are a gutsy woman. I would've taken a friend, too! But I bet it was wonderfully relaxing and satisfying. Good for you!! The dogs went with you, right? How did they like it? Puppy Tracy ended up with is a kick! Of course, I haven't seen her in almost two weeks, but they keep telling me stories. Earl went over to charge RV batteries and pamper his '53 Chevy and so he played with the puppy for a while. So when he left, she followed him up the road. He finally had to take her back to the house in the car and tell grandson, Adam to hold her until he got out of sight. I think the name they've settled on is "Blue"... which is their last name, and she has beautiful blue eyes. They have an older dog, Shadow, part lab, I think. He plays with the puppy just so long. Then he's exhausted and lays down on the grass. So she starts running circles around him and jumping over him! Poor Shadow!

Good Morning! I am feeling good this morning.... took two hours to fall asleep, but then I slept like a log from midnight to 8a.m. Hope I can remember which pain pills I took when because it worked. And we've cut way back on use of the ice wrap. I don't think I realized how much that was contributing to keeping me uncomfortable at times. It feels great right after I've exercised and first thing in the morning but we were using it way too much and leaving it on way too long. Knee feels good today, too. Yesterday I think it was hurting pretty good from the trauma of staple removal. Nurse did that when she visited around noon time. I had called the day before, with my RN daughter coaching me.. because she felt that a lot of my pain was from the staples. They were planning to take them out on Tuesday, but after my call, case manager checked my records again and decided since yesterday was the 10th day, they could come out. So, with staples and dressing gone, I have steri strips only and feels so much better. Minimal pain when I woke up and it'd been 4 hours since I took a pain pill. So I feel like I've turned another corner in this recovery and that is cause for celebration. As for eating.... not much appetite since surgery. Last night, Earl gave me too much left over pot roast and I ate too much. So I was still uncomfortable at bedtime and had to use extra pillows to keep acid reflux at bay. But, I haven't had any snacks... only my three regular meals. No wine, of course, but still indulging in my daily latte. I rode over on my scooter to get one yesterday. It's still painful to ride the scooter. Don't tolerate having my leg down and in that position for very long. Earl would love it if I'd agree to go to WalMart or Costco this weekend, but not sure I can handle the car ride or riding scooter around the store while he shops. DGD is on her way here with DS and DGS to move in to her sorority house tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing the boys, but she'll not be available. They will visit for a few hours tomorrow before heading back to CA. Hope you are all having a nice holiday weekend. We're going to have steady rain here until Monday! Tracy & SIL are away for the weekend celebrating 22 yrs of marriage. They had a beautiful drive over the mountains yesterday, but doubt much of their celebrating will be outdoors today and tomorrow!!

I DID get your cards, yes... they were waiting for me when I got home from the hospital. Thank you SO much! Every card I have gotten has really meant a lot to me. And these people from church... the ones who do the hospital ministry... they were at the hospital at 6 a.m. the day of surgery, then came by later in the day and call me every couple of days to check up on me and pray for me over the phone. He has had knee replacement, too, so he knows all about what I am experiencing! Every expression of thoughtfulness really touches the heart when you're feeling crappy!

I GOT IT!! I kept looking at the pictures close up. When I just looked at them side by side in the post I got it right away!! TEETH!!! No more space! Looks GREAT!

Ah, yes... couldn't remember for sure who it was. That was excellent advice, but I would've benefited from working it a lot harder. I think my surgeon is one of the best in the area, but I wish he had the same philosophy re:knee replacements that yours does! I would've like them both done at once! CPM... continuous passive motion... my doctor apparently doesn't use them. Granddaughter coming back to U of WA this weekend, so we'll get to see our oldest son and grandson for a few hours on Sunday, after he drops her off, though, so we won't get to see her for a while. When I'm ready to be out and about we'll probably take her out to lunch one day. She LOVES Red Robin and there's one near the campus.