HOW AM I DOING? THANKS FOR ASKING!

It's been one month and one day since my double knee cap surgery... and I can't say "time flies"! It's been quite an uphill battle!

Hi friends, today I'm sharing a quick update on my knees!  I've gotten lots and lots of emails asking..."How are you doing"... 

And I know so many of you are praying for me... I really appreciate that more than you know!

So here's an update... the good, bad and ugly...

This is how I looked one week post surgery...

And here's how I look now...

* First of all, I must have been CRAZY to have both of my arthritic knee caps fixed at one time!!!!  

We had been trying to have the robotic assisted surgery approved for over 3 years. Insurance wanted me to have a total knee replacement.  I did NOT need a knee replacement. My knees are just fine, it was my KNEE CAPS that were full of arthritis and giving me the problem.   

When insurance FINALLY approved the knee cap surgery, they approved both knees. So a decision was made to go ahead and fix both since we had no idea how long a second knee cap surgery would take to be approved if we did one at a time.

I'm still regretting that decision... but everyone tells me I'll be happy about it in a couple of months. I'm choosing to believe them.

* I'm no longer in pj's all day long... I have progressed to sweat pants. I'm really thankful for that!

I still can't comfortably wear jeans or slacks... my knees still look like balloons. But the swelling and bruising is subsiding weekly.

* I'm not using a walker anymore ( I knew it was time to give it up when I was carrying it around more than leaning on it)... I'm now walking with a cane.  But on the rare occasion I go out, I still use a wheel chair because I cannot sit down and stand up yet from a normal chair height.

* My physical therapy is in full swing...

Miraculously, I have full flexibility in both knees. This has astounded all the professionals taking care of me.

My physical therapist says I have the flexibility of an 18 year old! Yea, baby... someone's been a good girl doing her physical therapy everyday!

* My legs still have a mechanical feel. but other than bone pain and healing pain, I have no arthritis pain in my knees... I a THRILLED about this! 

* I have gained a whole lot of overall strength back. I can stay awake all day now. But, by 9:00 pm I'm ready for bed!

* I can walk around the house for about 1/2 hour now. Then I have to put up my feet for an hour or so.

I can walk up and down stairs, but it still takes a lot out of me!

* I can't cook yet. That is really driving me CRAZY! However, Bobby and I have had so many luscious and generous meals from friends. I am very very thankful for the outpouring of food-love by my friends!

We are having Costco chicken pie for Christmas dinner. It is seriously good! One of my friend's brought us some for dinner and I thought it was homemade! I'm not stressing about Christmas AT ALL! I'm going to enjoy my family and celebrate my Savior's birth! Nothing like a major surgery to put life into perspective!

* Right now I'm just doing enough blogging to get by.  I have been setting our Christmas brunch table for two days now... doing anything is very slow!!!! I'll share it with you tomorrow!

I am so so thankful for my wonderful blogging friends. They have been so patient and kind and concerned and helpful and understanding of my situation! I have had lots of emails and several phone calls!  One sweet and fabulous blogging friend has called me regularly and listened to me complain when I was having a really bad day! You are such a joy! You know who you are! Thanks to everyone... your are genuinely THE BEST!

* I'm off all pain meds and have been since I came home from the hospital. Let's just say I was horribly sick (a BIG understatement) from them!

* I should be able to drive again right after the New Year. Oh, I can't wait!!!!!

* My spirits are good and I look forward to a spring of GARDENING ON MY KNEES... something I have not been able to do in years!

* My prognosis is excellent, what a blessing!

* I have a very new outlook on the simple things in life and how I used to take them for granted! Just sitting down in a chair and being able to get back up is huge for me. Something I can't do yet! But I look forward to being able to do it in the next month!

So there you have it!  

I am so thankful for the outpouring of concern, prayers and love from everyone! Keep praying for me... and thank God for how well I am actually doing!

A BIG HUG TO YOU ALL!