Depressed.

Yup, that's me.  I think.  I had PT today and was hoping to hear that I had accomplished amazing things.  But I haven't.  I am walking wrong.  My quads are still asleep.  I need to be doing leg raises.  I want to go cry.  

So I checked my right knee records.  I bent my left knee to 98º today, thirteen days after surgery.  My right knee I was able to bend to 103º sixteen days after surgery.  I'm not that far off.

I was able to flatten my right knee three weeks after surgery.  I was just a half an inch off of being flat today - two weeks after surgery.  

So why am I whining?  PT is hard work and I'm tired, so tired, so very very tired, but I WILL press on . . .   

Exceedingly. Abundantly. Above.

God has a sense of humor.  Of that, there is no doubt.  He also loves to bless us exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).  Read on:

Early this spring, Sam was trying to determine where he should work this summer - Sand Creek, sub for summer school, or the Minnesota Vikings Training Camp.  He opted for summer school because he was going to earn more there than anywhere else IF he worked just six days, with the possibility of two days at Sand Creek when Breck schools came out in late August. 

After he made that decision, I was scheduled for total knee replacement, the air conditioner went out in Micah's car and the air conditioner went out in Sam's truck.  And in two weeks of summer school, he had only worked one day, not six.

Tuesday morning, he got a call for one more sub job.  He was now up to three.  He did have three more days scheduled the last week of summer school.  But he was so bummed.  He knew with everything that had gone NOT as planned, he felt Vikings Training Camp was no longer an option, but a necessity for our financial health.

Tuesday evening, he sadly put his stuff together, got me settled with supper and prepared to go to the VTC training.  As he was walking out the door, the phone rang.  Being the wise and wonderful wife I am, I said ignore it, "Telemarketers."  Being the one who loves to answer the phone, he answered it. 

And God blessed him, "exceedingly, abundantly, and above", with the absolutely PERFECT summer school job for the last six days of summer school.  Sam is teaching math games and phy ed to kindergarten through fourth graders . . . and loving it!  He can used the same lesson plans EVERY day as he has different groups every day.  Yay, God! 

Neighbors and Friends

We have been blessed since my knee replacement by . . .

NEIGHBORS  Who but Neighbor Nancy would stop what she was doing outside when she saw Micah and I come home with a car load of groceries yesterday to help Micah carry them all in, then stay to chat while I iced my knee?

Jill-at-the-top-of-the-hill stopped by yesterday afternoon with her delicious chicken tortilla casserole!  Total gift because after PT and grocery shopping, I so did NOT have the energy to cook.  I wonder, though, why does hers taste so much better than mine?  I use her recipe!

and FRIENDS  Who but my friend Tara would bring lunch over for us (T & M) with FOUR pieces of dark chocolate because she knows I'm trying to not over-indulge while I can't work it off, and then eat a piece of MY chocolate?  

I love these guys! 

Lawn Ornaments

Micah asked me to come quick this morning.  The white squirrel was in our back yard, obviously posing as a lawn ornament!

The Hulk

 Opps!  Not this one!

Nope, this one!  Check out that lovely green color and those enlarged legs!  That's exactly what my knee replacement looks like today, only with some added purple to boot!

Thankful Thursday!

The illustrious "they" say that the hardest thing about having a total knee replacement is being able to sleep at night.  Very few people sleep on their back.  Unfortunately, that is the best way to sleep after a replacement.

I did sleep my first night at home, but I fear only because I didn't sleep more than forty-five minutes at a time in the hospital.  Collapsed may be a better word!

So, today, I am ever thankful that I actually slept last night - for two o three hours at a time!  To God be the glory!

PT Report

The first thing Mark asked me when I saw him this morning was, "Why are you still using the walker?"

"Ummm . . . because you told me to?"

The verdict is out.  I'm doing great.  The walker is gone.  The cane is my friend.  I can bend the knee with absolutely no problem to 90º.  Mark says it's really more like 105º, with my goal being 120-125º.

He gave me some more nasty exercises to do today (translation:  more painful) and said I was well on the road to recovery!  Now if you see me out there walking, I do have to do this funky "march".  He thought it would make the neighbors' laugh!  

To God be the glory!