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Crazy as a Loom

Monday, November 7, 2011

Saying thanks

Wow, have I lost my groove, or what?
Seriously.
Maybe changing my schedule around on the heels of a marathon headache was not such a good idea.
I ended up falling asleep on the couch after dinner.

I have decided not to worry one whit about not being productive.  I'm not.  It is what it is.
I am doing the best that I can.
The ENT's office told me to call every afternoon, to check for cancellations the next day.  Guess they forgot to tell me that they were closed on Monday.


Sydney says:
That's a fine kettle of fish.



Still, I am grateful.  I know that there are so many people, younger than I, with far worse situations to deal with.  
We never know what tomorrow brings us.  We just try to meet it with as much grace and humor as possible.
I remember right about the time I started this blog, I had a knee replacement.  It was March, 2007.  I had a tough time.  The pain was something I don't ever want to revisit.  Pain meds were useless.  I didn't sleep, I couldn't eat.   My knee looked like a misshapen cantaloupe for months.  Then a manipulation, to bend it.  Then for good measure, I had my gallbladder removed just 3 months later.  It was a dark time, and I felt cheated. What was my body doing to me??  After all, wasn't this new knee supposed to be an improvement??
Well, let's just say that it is not a success story every time.  I had  a couple 'second opinions', and the general consensus was, even a year later, they didn't know what happened, and  that this was my knee.  Get used to it.
Now, four years later, my knee is still not pretty.  It is always swollen.  I will always want my old, rickety knee back.  I will always be aware of the 'alien' part in my leg.
But I can walk, yes, I can.
Since June, I have walked about 20 miles every week.  Sure, my knee aches in the night, but it's worth it.  Walking with my boy Roy along the river........???  You bet it's worth it.

So, ultimately, and always, no matter what, gratitude is the attitude.
Sydney agrees.  She told me.


9 comments:

Gayle said...

Grace and humor, how true, how true! Certain things we must accept but gratitude is something we choose. You are an amazing woman.

I love the wisdom from your furry children.

Nan said...

Tell ya what, my surgeon told me that my knee would not look the same. It doesn't. That's fine with me because I can walk and walk alot. I would not take my old knees back for a million smackeroos! The lack of pain is wonderful....even if I do have an ache after walking a long distance.

Susan said...

I'm sorry to hear about the ongoing headaches and the cranky knee replacement.

Today (Nov 7th) is the 10th anniversary of my total hip replacement and its been a big success as far as I'm concerned. No more pain, no cane, no more walker and wheel chair. I was weaving again 3 months post op after just looking at them for two years while I waited my turn on a surgical wait list. Sitting on the sidelines with pain that never took a minute off 24/7.

I call Nov 7th my second birthday! Now the fact my arthritis later moved onto my feet and back is another story.

My husband has been checked out for his continual head aches (head CT scan and blood tests, BP etc) and now that all else is ruled out, they lay the blame on stress. He told me that he thought he was relaxed!

Um, not even close!

Take care of yourself... hugs, Susan

Anonymous said...

I have the perfect solution! A warm and sunny vacation..and a book :-) A nice relaxing massage.

I really hope you get better soon, chronic aches and pains are the worst.

Sharon said...

Oh I like that - gratitude is the attitude. My mother was always saying, if your mind can make you sick, your mind can make you well. I don't know about that, but I do know that laughing makes me feel better about the state of things, pains, fatigue and all.

moosecraft said...

I think everyone needs a Syndney and a Roy... just the right amount of everything at just the right moment!

Daryl said...

the change of seasons always brings back aches and oy veys .. tho I do think you've had more than your fair share ..

linda said...

Gratitude and the Golden Rule ~ that'll keep you going.
I'm grateful for your wisdom and for your blog!

Tiggeriffic said...

In 2001 I had a knee replacement. after 2 years of complaining to the surgeon and having a manipulation and then he told me I had to live with this swelling and pain..
I made an appointment to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. THis fine Dr. told me that he would go in and take a look.. after looking he gave me another knee replacement. He said the first Dr. had not put in enough cement to hold the prothesis together and it was pinching me on the inside of my knee. There was an infection and the knee cap was toooo large. Don't know what is wrong with your knee replacement I would go and get another opinion. You should not have any swelling or big pain. My 2nd knee replacement was a success and I'm happy I decided to go to Mayo Clinic... Pain is not a happy thing to have to live with if you don't have too..
Have a great day..from Iowa:)

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