Those were some stubborn stapes, and I did my fair share of wincing and "ouching." Poor nurse, she kept apologizing, which got annoying in itself. I told her, "That's okay, just keep doing what you're doing, I just need to emote!"
I often wonder during my rehab and recovery what it would have been like if I'd had this surgery a decade from now -- which is when the docs like to recommend it. But the knee, and I, just couldn't put up with the pain anymore, so I pushed for replacement surgery after all other avenues had been exhausted. And boy, I am glad I did. I'm having a good and relatively swift recovery, and I belief it is in large part because I am 55 and in better health than someone later in life. I hope this replacement will last me 15 - 20 years, and then I can re-evaluate. But to have waited for another decade to get to the magic ideal number for replacement would have been a death sentence. I have too much to do, too much life to live to be crippled by a painful knee that didn't function properly.
I'm also learning what so many told me: stay current on your pain meds and manage that pain. I tried one day cutting back just to see if I could function on less, and yes, I could, but function in great pain and with decreased mobility. So, back onto the prescribed amount and schedule. Calm down, I'm not going become an addict.
To celebrate getting this thing done, I went on-line to LL Bean and bought a pair of hiking boots. Sweet! The thought of walking along a trail this fall on my new knee thrills me no end.
Happy Tuesday everyone.
