29 March 2010

Last Saturday and today, I somewhat laid my fears aside and went to the Salt Lake Temple and served my shift. I have to admit that the assignments were a little bit custom designed to facilitate my performing the duties assigned, but I was able to do more than I pictured I would be able to do. When I returned home today, I went to physical therapy one more time. Strength is returning - slowly - to my injured knee. Stairs still do not work for me, sad to say. Today I got so tired that I was a little shaky on my wobbly knee while walking to where the car was parked in the Conference Center. I hung onto Clarine's arm tightly and let her carry a little of my weight. It has been one month and twelve days since I damaged the knee. I don't need to return to see the orthopedic surgeon again unless things get more complicated, and if there is continuing progress. So far there is.

Phillip told me he got a new pickup truck. I hope it turns out to fill the roles he has in mind for it. I am happy to see spring moving ever closer with its warmer weather and newness of life.

One month - three days

I have pretty much been out of circulation since 17 February. Places I have been since I clumsily tripped over the curb: the emergency room, University of Utah Health Care, orthopedic surgeon 3 times, Virg's and Kraver's - once each, church twice, physical therapy - twice. Clarine has walked me around the block three times - quite slowly I might add. She locks her arm around mine and when the knee suddenly becomes unstable, she keeps me up right. Thankfully that happens only about three times since we started walking. I am starting to feel the knee area getting stronger. Therapy and the exercises they give me to do are having some good effect. I still can't use the poor foot to lift me up the stairs yet, but I have gone up a single riser a time or two - not without discomfort I might add. Clarine went to do her temple shift today. (I think she thinks I am progressing enough to get by for about eight hours without her here.) I need to handle stairs better in order to go back to doing my temple shifts. I use my walker only rarely any more. I don't walk at a very rapid pace yet. when I was at the orthopedic surgeon's a week ago Thursday. I received a large shot of cortisone in the ailing knee. That made things feel pretty good for a couple of days, but it also really "wired" me. I don't really want anymore of that, so I hope he doesn't feel it would be helpful for me. I see him again next Thursday.

It is good to have weather improving. One can sort of tell that spring is just around the corner. The birds are starting to feel it too

"March Madness" is here. There is plenty of basketball on television. All of the teams I am rooting for but one, BYU, have been eliminated. I sort of get my kicks out of how the prognosticators "seed" the various teams to keep the "good" teams in the tournament as long as possible, and yet as always there are many upsets and near upsets. I don't think I have seen any games that were really "run-aways." I guess that says something about parity in basketball, not to mention college football in which parity is mounting, but in which they have an awfully poor system to try to determine which are really the best teams.

In a few days I will post another update on my "knee escapade." gwh

One month - three days

Snow!!!!

We haven't had measurable snow at Stansbury for an exceedingly long time.

So far today we have about four inches. Long live the snow fairy. We took the pictures through the screen. Even the screen on the windows shows up.

My knee is feeling a little stronger today. I even put the bad foot on the stairs and raised myself up a step - with a little pain I might say, but it is better than yesterday when I tried the same thing. So I think I am healing slowly. I say slowly because I want it to be immediately. I start my therapy next Wednesday with another session on Friday. There will likely be more after that. It is probably another week before we go back to the temple. Monday night there is an opera that we have tickets to see. I will just have to take it slowly in getting to and from my seat. gwh

Dr.'s Report

At the doctor's office today, I found that the leg is progressing. The healing process is not really fast, but I can tell that it is getting stronger and less painful day by day. It still feels unstable, especially when trying to go up stairs. He says he can tell from the MRI that there were damages to the area around the knee. He says he is going to prescribe that I start therapy to see if that will give it the strength I need. He also said that there is another thing to do, and that was to fill it with steroid to see if that would hasten healing. If that isn't successful, he will go in and scope it, which he says would be an out-patient procedure, but it is invasive. I was given the steroid shot in the knee while I was at his office today. He says I can start trying to go up stairs using the bad leg. So when we got home, I tried going up the stairs out of the garage (3 of them). Clarine assisted me. I was not very successful, but I did test it. I now know that it is all right to try according to the doctor. I do not know when my therapy will begin yet. They are supposed to call me, so I can get started. I am concerned that my initial attempt for the ailing leg to lift me up a stair step was so traumatic. Maybe it will strengthen as I try more. gwh

Less cautious

I have started to avoid my walker. I think that is a sign that my knee is strengthening and that my impatience is building. When I visit medical personnel, they ask me to pin point on a scale of one to ten what my pain level is. Today I think I would tell them that it is about a two. There is still one week to go before I can visit the Dr. to see if he is ready for me to start rehab. I still do not feel comfortable to put my left foot on the stairs and raise my body to the next step. It is right foot first, bring left leg up, then repeat the process all the way to the top. Coming down, it is left leg first, hang tight to the railing, lock left knee, descend one step, then repeat. Today is the first day that I have been left on my own for any period of time. I have strict instructions to not go near the stairs. My response was that I might, if it seemed the proper thing to do. Clarine's long time friend in her previous ward has died at the age of 90+. Clarine is giving a talk in the funeral. She predicts that I will be without supervision for about 3+ hours. I hope I do not betray the trust placed in me and end up somewhere on the floor when Clarine arrives home. I don't have much else to add at this time. gwh