Six Weeks

Yesterday I had my six week check up with my orthopedic surgeon.

He was very happy with my mobility progress. I have surpassed 110 degrees on my bend which he was very happy with. I also was able to see the xrays of my knee which were taken yesterday.

Although I find it amazing what the medical community can do today, it was also difficult to see the "bionic parts" that were installed in my knee. When presented with these pictures, I could see why my knee has been so painful. The peg which attaches the bottom half of the prosthesis looks like it is inserted into my tibia about 3 inches. It really is quite large ... hopefully the time will come when I feel very accepting of this new knee. Right now it still does not feel like mine. I have a great deal of numbness around the knee and just knowing that my knee is gone and has been replaced by a prosthesis make me feel quite squeamish. My physio therapist keeps telling me to love my knee and take the time each day to rub lotion on it and get used to how it feels.

The one thing the surgeon was not happy with is my scar. It has developed keloid. What is a keloid you might ask?

Although the cause of keloids is unknown, it is thought that they are due to the body's failure to turn off the healing process needed to repair skin. When this occurs, extra collagen forms at the site of the scar, and keeps forming because it is not shut off which results in keloid formation. Keloid consists of hard, raised scars that can vary in colour ... pink, white, red or brownish. They usually are exquisitely itchy, painful and extremely sensitive. A keloid can keep growing as well.

The doctor expressed surprise that I was developing keloid. Keloids are most common in black skin not in the fair skinned population. Although upon researching keloids on the net, I found that tension on a scar can create an environment for keloid production. There has certainly been quite a lot of tension of my knee with all of the bending that is required during physio therapy.

There are a few options for this: silicone pads which may or may not reduce the keloid, cortisone injections, or plastic surgery. I will look into the silicone pads and hope that I can reduce this, but if not, I guess I'll just have to wear long skirts and pants from now on. No more shorts in the summer ... oh well .... cest la vie.

The Racer Wins!

Have you been watching "Dancing With the Stars"?

What a season this has been. We had drama, drama and more drama.

First - Jane Seymour lost her mother, then was hit with food poisoning.

Next, Marie Osmond passed out after her performance. That was a little scary. Then just a few weeks ago, the Osmonds lost their father, but Marie the consummate performer was back that week dancing.

I have followed all four seasons of this show and just love it. If you like ballroom dancing and competition, this show is a good fix.

Then, this year one of the competitors chosen just happened to be Helio Castroneves ... one of my favourite race car drivers. This competition gave a new insight into Helio. He has always been fun to watch when he wins a race as we share his excitement, but at dancing we saw a whole new Helio ... Mr. Personality plus.

It was a tight race ... coming down to the finish line, he was neck in neck with Mel B (one of the Spice Girls) and Marie Osmond. Marie was eliminated with the lowest number of votes. So it was between Mel B and Helio. They both put on an amazing show, each receiving 30 points from the judges. Mel B displayed better technical skills, but can't hold a candle to Helio's charming personality. And considering he has never danced, he was definitely the most improved dancer throughout this season.

As he said last night, this trophy will look great between his two Indy 500 trophies.

Congratulations Helio!

"Love In The Time of Cholera"

Love in the Time of Cholera is a meditation on love in its many forms.

It revolves around three main characters, Dr. Juvenal Urbino, a very famous physician in the Caribbean, Fermina Daza his wife and Florentino Ariza.

Against the backdrop of Caribbean culture, author Gabriel Garcia Marquez weaves a story of old age, love, patience, death, sex and sensuality. The story titillates you, tickles you, makes you think and some time frightens you when you start thinking of your own old age and its many repercussions.

Florentino Ariza is the illegitamate son of Transito Ariza (his mother) and a well known ship owner, Don Pius Loayaza. The occasional alliance failed to materialize into marriage and Florentino Ariza was brought up by his unwed mother.

Florentino, a victim of chronic constipation, meets Fermina Daza, a school girl, living with her father and aunt when he goes to deliver telegrams to her father and for Florentino it was love at first sight with Fermina. Florentino, whose only talent at that time was to write love letters, uses his talent to the fullest, writing love letters to Fermina without break, and soon she also started responding to the poetic love letters of Fermina.

Fermina realizes that her attraction for Florentino is the love of teenage illusion, leaves him and per her father's wish she marries Dr. Juvenal Urbino.

And here starts the realy story - the story of the wait of Florentino Ariza for Fermina Daza. He waits for the death of Dr. Urbino, so that he can marry Fermina, and his wait does not last for years or decades it goes on for 51 years, nine months and four days ….. Marquez depiction of a loveless marriage marred by old age and the haughtiness of Fermina will make you chuckle. The story is sensual and his narrative gives you a “high” with his description of the numerous physical loves of Florentino, during his half century long wait for his first spiritual love.

The story makes you familiar with numerous kinds of love, relationship and characters. Florentino Ariza searches for love everywhere in whorehouses, in extramarital affairs with women twice her age, in beds of widows ..... everywhere. His affairs start with carnal desires and end in love, and some time vice versa.

Like other books by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, this novel took it's time to grab my attention ... but once it did, I had a hard time putting it down .... BEAUTIFUL piece of literature!

When Is A House a Home?

What makes a house a home?

According to Websters Dictionary a house is a thing, a habitation, dwelling, abode, etc...

So when does a house become a home? Let's go through the process.

First, you find the house you want to move into. Is it your home yet?

Second, you bring in your belongings and of course yourself. Is it your home yet?

Third, you start organizing, finding new places for all of your belongings. Is it your home yet?

Now the fun begins ... putting your stamp on your home. When my husband and I purchased this home, it was not in the best condition and required a lot of renovation hours and dollars. I remember my real estate agent said ... that house really needs "the Barb touch". In her opinion, "the Barb touch" made our house our home.

A house becomes a home in my opinion when you surround yourself with the things you love, and you put your stamp on that house. Invest in pieces of art that speak to you, that touch your heart.

What is your style ... are you minimalist, traditional, classic, shabby chic, french country, casual? I recently heard someone say their home was their canvas. Similar to an artist your home reflects your taste. Are you a warm person who enjoys entertaining and spending time with friends & family ... your home should be a reflection of that personality trait ... it should feel warm and inviting, an environment where friends and family feel welcome.

If you decorate your home as an extension of you, you must first determine your style and then decorate and accessorize your home in your style and with your own personal stamp.

Here are a few tips for decorating.

Dark colours advance which is why a room feels smaller or cozier if painted dark.

Light colours recede, so a room will feel more spacious painted in lighter colours.

If you have under 3" baseboards, paint them out the colour of the wall. By painting the baseboards the wall colour you also give the illusion of a higher ceiling.

If you are going to have different case goods in your room, try to keep the wood type and tone to two only.

Purchase your large expensive pieces in a neutral colour ... bring colours into your room with accessories, for example, cushions, lamps, curtains, decorative objet d'art, paint, etc... Unless you can afford to change for example, your sofa every few years, you will quickly tire of a fabric with a lot of pattern and/or colour. It is much cheaper to replace your cushions than your sofa.

Wallpaper has made a come-back, so go wild. Highlight one wall, wallpaper an entire room, let your imagination roam freely. I personally adore wallpapered bathrooms.

Balance keeps arrangements from looking lopsided. Balanced arrangements can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical arrangements are perfectly equal on both sides of a central line, are the easiest to arrange and create a more formal atmosphere. If you have a variety of pieces in different sizes, shapes and colors, try an asymmetrical arrangement. Asymmetrical arrangements create an informal look by balancing the visual weight of the objects.

Create groupings. Display objects together in odd numbers. Combinations of three and five work well. Place similar objects together.

Combine objects with varying heights for visual interest, according to color, shape, or design. A collection, such as antique vases, has more impact when grouped together than when scattered throughout the house.

Alternate height of pieces. Objects of varying height in a grouping add visual interest. Elevate small prints and decorative plates with small pedestals or stands to highlight their presence in a grouping.

Create depth. Zigzag or alternate the pieces from back to front instead of placing them in a straight line. Place three objects in a triangle, with the tallest pieces in the back. Try using overlapping triangles when working with more than three objects, again placing larger pieces in the back.

Alternate texture. Bring together items of different textures for a unique look. Alternate shiny finishes with flat ones or hard objects with softer ones. For example, if you have a grouping of brass candlesticks and a ceramic vase, try using a plant, floral arrangement or woven basket for a softer texture.

Find the focal point. Arrange everything around one major object to center the grouping.

Avoid clutter. Know when to say when. Too many items can look messy and detract from your decor. If you have more accessories than you need, simply store them for a while and then switch them out for a fresh look.

Use mirrors as accessories. Mirrors create the illusion of space. Make sure the view from the mirror is attractive before you hang it, so position it to reflect something interesting in the room. For example, a mirror opposite an attractive fireplace and mantel is a nice touch.

Try not to get too caught up in trends. Remember the navy & burgundy, dusty rose & gray of the 80's and yes I got caught, so I had a lot of work stripping off rolls and rolls of wallpaper when these trends went out of style, not to mention how costly it was to replace the dusty rose carpet we had installed in our living areas when that went out of style. I learned my lesson but at a price.

Here is a summary - Ten Tips for Accessorizing Your Home.

1. Personalize your home with art & accessories.
2. Repeat a colour at least three times in a room.
3. Relate your art to its surroundings.
4. Cover two thirds of the space above furniture with one or more pieces of art.
5. Position artwork at "eye level".
6. Vary the height of table top accessories for balance and interest.
7. Create a formal look with symmetrical groupings of art. Create an informal look with asymmetrical groupings.
8. Place mirrors so they reflect something beautiful. Use them to add dimension, expand space or reflect light.
9. Display art on easels to create interest in corners, bookcases or on table tops.
10. Custom frame artwork to coordinate with room decor. Select a frame that compliments the decorating style. Select mat colours that enhance both the art and colour scheme.

Gotta run, I feel a "let's move things around" coming on!

Very Small Steps

I saw this picture and it reminded me of my knee progress right now.

Like these very small water drops ... I am taking very small steps....

I have achieved my 100 degree bend which is expected by week four. I hit four weeks last Tuesday and when my therapist measured my bend on Friday, she said I was at 102 degrees.

Yipppee!!

I am still struggling with straightening my knee and have only made it to -15 degress. A fully straightened leg should sit at 0 ... I started at -30 so I'm halfway there.

Unfortunately I am struggling terribly with my fibromyalgia. I find my days are definitely determined by my nights. For example, I didn't sleep well on Saturday night and ended up coming downstairs to read at about 3:30. So needless to say Sunday was a wash.

This is taking so much longer than I had anticipated. I thought it would just be a couple of weeks of pain .... then back to my walking, etc... Boy was I ever wrong, I still can't get too far without my cane and occasionally still fall back on my walker when I have a very bad day. However, good days are now more numerous than bad days. So that's something to cheer about.

I am still in therapy 3 x 1 1/2 - 2 hours a week. It's gruelling, the physio therapist is never happy with my stretching ability when I come in, so always pushes my leg further than I think it can go. So needless to say I usually come home to my ice bag and Advil. I'm still having acupuncture which continues to help with the pain. My scar tissue has finally released and now moves freely over the top of my knee. This tissue release is very important for knee mobility. The exercise to accomplish this is to lay on my stomach, put a long strap around my foot and then pull it until I feel the tearing under the scar. This is not extremely painful ... feels rather like having a multitude of needles all over the knee. Not fun, but very necessary for my future mobility. Today we released the last little bit ... I actually felt the pop when it released.

Here's to Better Days Ahead!!!

And Now .... The Reception

Well, what a reception. It was held at the Granite Club in Toronto. When we arrived at 5:00 we were met by waiters serving champagne and wine. Then more waiters brought a variety of different hors doeuvres .. puff pastry with goat cheese & raspberries, small spring rolls, terryaki chicken on skewers and much more ... delicious.

A few pictures of the party goers.


Although this was only 3 weeks and a few days after my knee surgery, I enjoyed the whole weekend and even stayed at the reception until after midnight. My foot & ankle were terribly swollen, but it was worth it to be there for Paul & Sarah and witness their lovely ceremony and be included in this lavish reception.


The morning after, a lovely brunch at the home of Sarah's sister was held to send Paul & Sarah off in style. It was catered and the food offerings were a selection of quiches, chilled salmon wrapped in locs & various different sweet offerings. A bar set up to serve Mimosas, Bloody Mary's, etc. Again ... just delicious.

The Big Wedding

Well, all the planning, the shopping, buying wedding presents, new outfits, the excitement ... it's all over. Paul & Sarah are Mr & Mrs and off to Costa Rico for their honeymoon.

Our weekend festivities started on Friday night with the rehearsal and dinner afterwards at Boconne's in Toronto.

Saturday, family pictures for a couple of hours before the ceremony, then a beautiful ceremony which included all the nieces & nephews.

See my next entry for the reception news.

Here are all the nieces & nephews with Uncle Paul & Auntie Sarah.

Here is a closeup of Gabriella, Jayden, Ryan and Zander .....below a very tender picture of Uncle Paul & Gabriella.

Z

Z -Zander ... my absolutely sweet cuddle muffin 3rd grandson. When he came to visit me after my knee replacement, Sebrina told him that he had to be very careful of Mammy's knee. We were sitting on the couch and I said, "Zander, mammy needs a Zander cuddle" to which he replied "Mammy, we can't cuddle, remember your sore knee?" Zander has a very sweet disposition and a way of drawing people to him. There is something very special about this child.

Z - Zebra

Z - Zebra rug ... I would like to have a faux zebra rug ... I might even try my hand at a zebra floorcoth.





Z - Zucchini ... another vegetable I love.

Well, there you have the A - Z Encyclopedia of me.

Y

Y - Yellow .... this is my favourite colour rose.

Y - Yogurt ... I eat yogurt everyday .... not to mention I love it. Plain yogurt with a handful granola and then a large spoonful of frozen blueberries .... good breakfast.

Y - Yolk .... which are part of the eggs which I love, boiled, scrambled, fried, omelet, in a western, in custard, a fritatta ... I love eggs!

Y - Young ... you are as young as you feel.

Y - Yam ... one of my favourite root vegetables. I can make a Yummy lunch out of a yam with a little guacamole on top. To keep my guacamole low on calories I mash the avocado, with lemon juice a little sea salt and cumin adjusted to your preference. I like lots of cumin. Skip the sour cream, you won't miss it. Then just spoon over the mashed yam ... delicious.

X

X - Xmas ... although I prefer Christmas spelled properly for the sake of this entry I'll fall back upon the abbreviated version to say

I LOVE XMAS!

Now that my children are grown, I am having fun at Christmas again with my grandkids and now this year we get to have four times the fun with one more - our sweet Gabriella. On no, Mammy feels something "pink" coming on!

W

W - Walking ... I can hardly wait until I can walk properly again - Without my walker, Without my cane, Without any pain and hopefully Without a limp.

W - Walker .... I have to give kudos to my walker right now, it has brought me through the last few weeks and given me the ability to get around quite well. Although I am embarrassed to be so obviously disabled, things are improving every day and soon, I'll graduate to my cane and put the walker away hopefully for good!

W - Wool ... ooops almost forgot wool. With autumn upon us, it's time to get out the woolly sweaters, wool trousers, wool scarves, mitts and maybe a wool throw or two. Hmmm maybe I'll pick up some wool to start a knitting project. I love wool, especially cashmere.

W - Wedding .... Paul & Sarah (my brother-in-law & soon to be sister-in-law) are getting married this Saturday. All the festivities start this Friday evening with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. This will be an exciting weekend, can hardly wait. Here is a lovely piece on marriage by Edmund O'Neill, which Don (my husband) will read at the ceremony.

Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships.

A wife and a husband are each other's best friend, confident, lover, teacher, listener and critic. There may comes times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing, and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent for a child.

Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller; memories are fresher; commitment is stronger; even anger is felt more strongly and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences and new ways of expressing love through the seasons of life.

When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill.

V

V - Veranda ... a magazine I have just started reading. It is beautiful with luscious pictures of beautiful homes. Quality glossy page after page of beauty. I am addicted to my home and decorating it, so love to pour over these lovely magazines for ideas to keep up to date with my decor

V - Vodka .... a very necessary ingredient in my favourite drink .... Bloody Caesar.


V - View ... I love the view from my family room window ... overlooking the ravine, trees all ablaze with autumn colours and all this framed by my gazebo. Beautiful!

U

U - Uba Tuba .... This is the granite that I have in my kitchen. I love the quartz buried in its' depth. I love the variations of colour. I just love it......




U - Uggs ... I don't have a pair, but would really to. In a beautiful chocolate brown. Luscious! They look very cozy.

U - Underwear .... I'm addicted to silk under garments, it feels wonderful and makes me feel special.

U - Up ..... I'm nearly always up, don't have much time in my life for being miserable, being around miserable people, moping or feeling sorry for myself. Life is just too short for this kind of nonsense.

Another Knee Update

Well, today I started acupuncture on my knee to help with my pain management. I was a little nervous at first, I'm quite squeamish about the area around my knee. Knowing there is an artificial knee in there is taking me a while to get used to.

The almost instant relief when the acupuncture needles were in place was incredible. It felt like a warm blanket being slowly lowered and wrapped around my leg. The therapist did this first, then ultrasound and then we stretched. It sure made the stretching a "little" easier.

She told me that the majority of patients following this surgery stay on narcotics for up to 4 weeks, so she is surprised that I have opted to do this without them. Even with the pain, she is still very happy with my progress. I'm not, but then I'm very impatient to be back to normal. I don't like being down for the count.

As well, I had my first outing this weekend. We packed my walker in the trunk and we went to the Bay to buy Don a new pair of Florsheim shoes for his brothers wedding which is this weekend already. I'm so excited. While we were there, I stopped by the jewellery counter "just to look" and we saw a beautiful Swarovski crystal bracelet and chandelier earrings which Don bought me to wear with my dress for the wedding and it just happens to match a Swarovski crystal brooch that he bought me a couple of years ago and I will wear as well. Won't I just be the sparkling presence!! I managed the outing, but came home with very swollen foot, ankle and calf. I'm not ready to do any serious walking yet.

Well, again here's to better days ahead!!

T

T - Todd ... my first child. I was very young, only 20 when I had Todd, so didn't know too much about parenting. As well I had a very traditional husband, who did not ... "do diapers, get up at night, feed the baby or help around the house" during the early days. Of course coming from the ultimate "Ward and June Cleaver" home, I really didn't know any better.

Todd was a beautiful baby, with a lock of platinum blond hair, beautiful brown eyes, but due to my lack of knowledge, the lack of resources out there to help new moms 34 years ago, I ended up with a very colicky baby, who cried pretty much non-stop for 3 months. Although I loved him deeply, this was not the best introduction to parenthood. I tried to breastfeed, certainly had plenty of milk, but Todd and I did not get the latch right - again no resources only family doctor, so after a few weeks, I was encouraged to bind my breasts and dry up. An excruciatingly painful experience. You simply wrap a length of fabric tightly around your breasts (doctor used a diaper) and then simply stop feeding the baby. Now if you haven't gone through this I can't even explain how painful this is. After one of two feedings your breasts are pretty full, but no it's not over yet. Your breasts fill and fill and fill until they are engorged and you are in so much pain you can't even pick up your baby. As well, because your breasts are bound, it is difficult to take in a deep breath. This took about 4-5 days so I stayed with my mom, so she could look after Todd.

Well, he and I came through all these early ordeals just fine and today I am very proud of this young man. He didn't finish high school and without any formal education, he has self educated himself and through a lot of hard work now holds a management position with a prominent financial firm in Toronto. As well he has run his own web page creation and management company and can do things with a PC I can only dream of.

My son, we have a different relationship than the one I share with my daughter, but our love is deep and he is there in a moment if I need anything.

I love you Todd!

T - Television ... my guilty sin. I love "Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, American & Canadian Idol, 24, CSI, The Bold and Beautiful and anything on HGTV". Now you know!!!

T -Time .... I'm starting to hate how quickly time goes by. So after losing some family members recently, I am resolved to grab and enjoy every single moment of my life, enjoy my beautiful grandchildren as much as possible, enjoy every moment I am given with my children, my husband and hopefully following my knee replacement, get out there and enjoy a lovely walk through the ravine behind our home. That is my immediate goal .... nowhere near there yet, it's only just 3 weeks, but have managed a very short walk with my walker up and down our street.

S

S - Silly ... it's fun to be silly!!!
S - Silver .... I love silver, not just to wear but to display in my home. Silver has a depth and patina that no other metal can rival. I have quite a lot of beautiful silver trays that have been passed down through 3 generations handsomely displayed in my kitchen. I especially love one that I place beside the stove with my must haves on it ... olive oil, salt & pepper grinders, a beautiful amber container with organic sugar, balsamic vinegar, etc...

S - Spaghetti ..... I love spaghetti. Spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce. I always make the sauce with lots of onions, peppers, celery and either chicken, ground beef or meatballs.

At our home it's pasta night every Monday for dinner and my sister Frannie and her husband Bob always share this with us.

R

R - Ryan ... my first grandchild. I remember the excitement I felt as I watched him come into this world. I love this child deeply, he is beautiful, sweet, empathetic, loving, can whip my butt at any video game and is growing up way too fast.

R - Raspberries .... my absolutely favourite berry.

R - Red .... Christmas is coming with all of it's beautiful colours, red being one of my favourites. Although I tend to accent all year with red, at Christmas I can pull out all the stops.

Q

Q - Quartz ... like my daughter, I too love quartz. I find it calming and see much beauty within it's depths. We recently renovated our kitchen and had granite counter tops installed. We chose Uba Tuba because it is full of pieces of crystal quartz and I love quartz.

Q - Queen - that's me, queen of my domain.

Q - Quit, I don't like to quit, I hate unfinished anything.....

O & P

O - Opera ... I love opera, not so much watching them, but listening to the music. Coincidentally Ophelia is one of my favourites.

O - Onion ... a very favourite vegetable that goes in everything I make ... except apple pie of course.

O - Ochre .... a deep warm golden colour that I absolutely adore.


P - Paint ... I love to paint, both decorating in my home and artistically, I am most drawn artistically to oil on canvas with a palette knife. I have been artistic my whole life but found it very therapeutic during my sisters illness and death. My painting gave me an outlet.

P - People ... people watching.

P - Pink ... another favourite colour, but mostly to wear.

P - Purple ... very recently I have been enjoying the resurgence of the beautiful jewel tones of purple in both clothing and interior decor.

P - Pillow - lots and lots and lots of decorative feather stuffed pillows on my furniture, don't forget a feather pillow to sleep on. zzzzzzzzzzzz

P - Plaid ... I love plaids, jackets, trousers, kilts, scarves ..... I love plaid.

P - Physio Therapist ... I am now in physio 3 times per week for the rehabilitation of my knee, as well as acupuncture to help with pain management. My therapist says I am doing freakishly well. Is that a compliment???

N

N - Novel, I love novels in any shape, size or style.














N - Name ... we are identified by our name. As my name is Barbara Anne, and my parents gave me this name after a famous skater who hit the scene in the 40's ... Barbara Anne Scott. So you very quickly know that I am a baby boomer from the 50's.

N - Noodle ... I also love noodles or pasta in any style and with any sauce or additions you wish to make to it.

N - Nutrition ... once again I am stealing an idea from Sebrina's blog, but this too is very important to me. If I don't have 5-8 servings of vegetables/fruit in a day, I get the guilts.

M

M - Mother ..... I am a mother, I have a mother, my daughter is a mother.

I am thankful for my mother, I am thankful I am a mother, I am thankful that I am a mother to my daughter, I wouldn't want any other.

M - Marriage ... I love being married, I have a wonderful husband who makes me feel complete. When he isn't around, I miss him .... we don't need to spend every second together, just knowing he's near makes my world right.

M -MaryAnne ... my best friend for almost 15 years. She is like a sister to me, we have an intimacy only soulmates can share. Together we have seen joys and sorrows and have grown into a comfortable, loving & giving friendship. She knows me as well as I know myself.

I love you MaryAnne!

Knee Progress

Well, I had my first physiotherapy session yesterday morning. It was very difficult ... even though I have been stretching at home, this was much more difficult. The bend is the hardest thing to do right now, and the physio-therapist wouldn't accept only 80 degrees, so pushed my leg to 97 degrees .... ouch!!

Then after one hour of abuse there, I had to go to the doctor to have my staples out. I was very nervous about this and boy was I ever right to be, after 4 staples I nearly fainted from the pain ... oh well, keep your chin up Barb, there's only 28 more staples to come out. Then at home last night while I was applying vitamin e to my incision I discovered that the doctor missed one, so back again this morning for a little more abuse.

As well I have decided to go off the narcotic pain killers. They are so hard on my system, causing dizziness, nausea and making me feel like I am on a different plane than everyone else. Now to try to manage the pain on OTC products. I think after 2 days that I can do without constant chemical pain management, except when I go for therapy and need the pain masked and then as well I require something at night to help me sleep, otherwise the pain constantly wakes me.

There are however, some really terrific changes though as the days go by, I can now life my leg up onto the sofa or bed by itself. Up until 3 days ago, I had to place a long strap under my foot and then holding the two ends lift the leg up onto the bed or sofa as it was too painful to do without the strap... so I feel like I have accomplished something great. I can also put on a sock or slipper by myself now ... another great achievement.

Here's to better days ahead!!!