Day 5 - July 7, 2009

Well today was a good day. I accomplished a lot of goals today.

Here is how my leg looks today:

The morning started out well. I got up early (could not sleep) and did some blogging. Than I went back to sleep for a few hours. When I finally woke up at 9 I did my morning routine: take 2 Oxycontin (10mg each) for pain, 1 Promethazine (nausea) and my shot of Lovenox in my stomach fat (for blood clots). I than got up and got myself some cereal (Lucky Charms) and walked around the house some before the OT person arrived.

OT arrived at 10:30ish. She showed me how to get into my shower, upper body exercises, and made sure I knew how to do all the self care items like get dressed, washed up, brushed, etc.

Then PT arrived at 11:00ish. She measured my leg. I have 5 extension and 83 flexion. We went through all the exercises the hospital gave me.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00301

http://www.hipsandknees.com/knee/kneeexercises.htm


She watched me walk around the house. Then we went for a walk outside. It was wonderful!!! It has been a long day since I went for a walk for fun! I am excited that I can now add that to my exercise regiment.

I took a short nap cause I was really exhausted as well as iced my knee to try and help reduce the swelling.

After I got up from my nap I did my exercises again! It was great.

Meme LOVES to be with me. She hangs out with me all day. When I am in my CPM machine she often sleeps on my chest!

Than Meghan went to practice and things started happening that started scaring me.

First, I got a cough. So I took my inhaler
Second, I got a fever 100.9....I got scared so I called the nurse and than the DR. Since I am on antibiotics and the knee is not oozing or looks infected I am probably fine, take some Tylenol and relax. So when Meghan came home she helped me look for the Tylenol. It is now below 100. Then I went to do my leg exercises again and noticed that my leg seemed more swollen. Some of the staples look consumed in swollen flesh....So instead of more exercising I iced it again.

Honora is still really sick. Amber brought us dinner. I iced my knee again, my fever went down, and I am going to sleep sitting up so I do not get a worse cough. I will use my CPM more tomorrow as well as do more exercises... :) Meghan is being great and massaging my muscles right now :)

We had a rough day, but I think she just needed to have a break and get out of the house... :)

I take my antibiotic Levaquin at 6 and my nightly doses of Oxycontin and promethazine. I did not need any extra pain meds today. My pain was under 4 all day and mostly hovered around 2-3 :)