It's HOT out there

but, thanks to last Wednesday's surgery, I will be resting comfortably in my house for the next several weeks except for my "field trips" to physical therapy.

I have the Avion (I think that is what its called) procedure on my right knee last Wednesday morning at the Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia. Actually, the hospital is across the river in Phenix City, Alabama, but who cares. We came away from this MOST impressed with the hospital. These doctors at the Clinic KNOW how to run a hospital. My pre-op admit on Tuesday lasted less than 30 mins. because they CALLED me on the phone to take my medical history. Wow, what a concept. We were told to arrive at 6:30 Wednesday morning and come in the emergency entrance. When we got there, the people gave me a wrist band, my paperwork and took me upstairs. When I got off the elevator, my pre-op nurse was waiting at my room door. I had been there less than 15 mins. and they had me changed, an I.V. going, had taken my vitals and we were waiting.

Met the medial doctor and he cleared my chest, met anesthesia and they listened when I said I get sick and gave me a patch and some amazing drug cocktail and I was off to sleep. They came to get me just before 9:00 and mom had talked to the doctor by 10:15. According to the doctor, the surgery went better than expected. I did not have as much arthritis as the x-rays made it look, so I should heal better and this give me great relief. I got great relief from the nerve block I got in recovery!! Never felt anything the rest of the day or night. My nurses the entire time I was there were AMAZING!!!! They are trained in orthopedics and were the nicest people I could imagine. Plus I got to keep the same ones day after day. It only changes at shift change or if they are off.

Then came Thursday morning and PT. Those people are brutal, but they had me walking that morning and by that afternoon I was walking 100 feet at a time. The only issue comes with bending. But that is because I have 36 staples in and the trauma to the knee. They promise it will get better, but tomorrow at PT will be murder.

We got home Saturday afternoon and I have been hanging on the couch and in my bed hooked up to my torture device ever since. I have a machine that came home with me that I have to be on 2 times a day for 2 hours at a time. It bends my knee in a motion that don't have to do anything with. Right now we are at 59 degrees and have to get to 127 by July 1st when they come to get it.

All in all this was a good experience and I had to do it, I just did not realize how involved it was going to be. I had blocked the previous surgery from my mind. Hopefully, I will be getting better each and every day and the pain will get less and less as I get more and more movement.